Hong Kong: Scheme helps harvest energy

The Government is actively promoting the development of renewable energy, with schools and welfare non-governmental organisations joining the league to help combat climate change.

Under the Solar Harvest scheme, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department helps schools and welfare NGOs to install solar energy generation systems at their premises and join the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Scheme free of charge.

Solar Harvest has received an enthusiastic response since its launch in March 2019.

As at April this year, the department received more than 500 applications to join the scheme, with more than 90% coming from schools.

One-stop service

The departments Building Services Engineer Edward Lee said: Quite a number of premises have the potential to install the solar energy generation system at their rooftop. However, they are unable to kick-start such an arrangement because of their financial and technical concerns.

To help alleviate those concerns, the department provides non-government and non-profit-making schools, as well as welfare NGOs receiving recurrent subventions from the Social Welfare Department with a one-stop service.

This includes conducting site visits and technical assessments at their premises, drawing up the design of the solar energy generation system, procuring and installing equipment, and conducting system testing.

The department also helps eligible schools and welfare NGOs to join the FiT Scheme of the two power companies.

Under the FiT Scheme, those who install solar photovoltaic or wind power systems at their premises can sell the renewable energy they generate to the power companies at a rate as high as about five times more than the normal electricity tariff rate.

Eco features

Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School completed installing its system in June last year.

Mr Lee explained that on average, each premises with a 10kW solar panel system can generate around 9,000kWh of electricity a year.

The schools can use the feed-in tariff payment for supporting the on-going operation and maintenance of the system. They can also use such payment for organising some environmental education programmes for the students.

Other green elements can be incorporated into the installation of the system.

Recyclable aluminium racks were used at the Po Leung Kuk school to support the solar panels, while bricks left over from the schools renovation work were used to add weight to the racks to prevent them from being blown away in strong winds or typhoons.

For schools without building materials to spare, the department can still provide them with eco-friendly bricks to use.

Green education

The department also encourages the schools to integrate the operational theory of the solar energy generation system and the low-carbon lifestyle concept into their teaching.

The Po Leung Kuk school placed potted plants and benches made from eco-friendly materials around its solar panels to provide students with an educational and practical green roof.

The schools Designated Head Principal Jenny Chong welcomed the scheme.

We have those solar panels here. We put them in action to show the kids how we can use renewable energy.

This is a very good programme. Also the work of the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department is fantastic in terms of co-operation and communication. They do really well.

The department has completed the installation work at about 170 schools and welfare NGOs.

It is estimated that this batch of systems can generate around 1.53 million kWh of electricity each year.

According to a schools preference and environment, the department can arrange for the solar panels to be installed in creative styles such as in the shape of a heart or to spell out the schools initials.

The deadline for the new round of applications is July 30. For more details, visit the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department website.

This story has been published on: 2021-05-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hainan to hold Design Week, Italy is first partner

Xinhua) 09:33, May 09, 2021

Lucia Pasqualini (L), consul general of Italy in Guangzhou, attends the launch ceremony of the first Hainan Design Week in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. China's southern resort island Hainan will hold the first Hainan Design Week in November, featuring Italy as the first partner country, according to a launch ceremony of the event held Saturday. With a theme on the creative economy and business of design, the event aims to lure enterprises and talent, build brands, and boost consumption, the organizer said. (Xinhua/Ren Yaoting)

HAIKOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China's southern resort island Hainan will hold the first Hainan Design Week in November, featuring Italy as the first partner country, according to a launch ceremony of the event held Saturday.

With a theme on the creative economy and business of design, the event aims to lure enterprises and talent, build brands, and boost consumption, the organizer said.

The launch ceremony of the event took place during the first China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), which kicked off Thursday in Haikou, the capital city of Hainan. The four-day expo is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors.

Lucia Pasqualini, consul general of Italy in Guangzhou, said the CICPE is a great success, and it is meaningful to launch Hainan Design Week at the expo.

"I believe that Hainan Design Week will give Italian enterprises a platform to build a better business environment with Hainan," she added.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
The fight over Senate Bill 7 is reaching past Texas all the way to Hollywood.

The bill, which would drastically alter voting accessibility in Texas, passed through the Texas House of Representatives early Friday morning. Now, celebrities are weighing in and urging followers to fight the bill with their wallets via Twitter.

HERE IN HOUSTON: Meet the Houstonian making city council meetings more accessible

The chain reaction seems to have started with Kevin McHale, an actor from Plano best known for playing Artie Abrams in "Glee."

"Tell the Texas GOP: Dont mess with Democracy. Help [Texas Democrats] fight back," McHale wrote on Twitter with a link to Texas Democrats donation page to fight Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 6.

Thus, McHale basically created a form letter for Hollywood's politically engaged to copy and paste into Twitter.

Canadian band Tegan and Sara weighed in.

... As did other "Glee" star Jenna Ushkowitz.

SENATE BILL 7: 63 Texas civil rights groups target GOP voter suppression bills

Paul Bettany, an English actor known for playing Vision in multiple Marvel films and "WandaVision," doubly made his feelings known.

And then Emmy winner and fictional vice president Julia Louis-Dreyfus quoted Bettany.

JOE WIDEN?: President Joe Biden once again confirmed human, not a giant

If it passes, Senate Bill 7 will limit early voting hours, ban drive-thru and overnight voting, and limit the number of polling places in Texas' largest counties under the guise of "election security." (Texas has only prosecuted 174 cases of voter fraud since 2005  a minuscule portion of the more than 93 million ballots cast since then, according to the Houston Chronicle editorial board.)

No telling if this game of celebrity hot potato for our voting rights will make a difference in the end.
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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.
It was only a few weeks ago that Berkshire County was in the Abnormally Dry category according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. At the time, year-to-date precipitation was a little over 4 inches below normal. Since then, rainfall has been frequent and weve made up just about the entire deficit.

If your garden is looking muddy, columnist Ron Kujawski has some tips to help dry you and your soil out.
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An oil tanker off Syria's Mediterranean port of Banias has been hit with an explosion Sunday, resulting in a fire on board which was reportedly extinguished soon after.

There were reportedly no casualties, but subsequent photographs showed large plumes of black smoke rising above the tanker, which may have been engaged in offloading its cargo. The 'mystery' blast comes after a series of alleged Israeli covert attacks against both Iranian and Syrian ships believed engaged in "sanctions-busting" activity related to Washington-led anti-Assad measures.

Breaking: large explosion reported at a vessel anchored off the coast of Syria's Baniyas. pic.twitter.com/foiqMnqncA  Within Syria (@WithinSyriaBlog) May 9, 2021

However, Syrian state media was quick to call it a "technical fault" which "took place in one of the engines of the oil tanker near the coast," according to the description.

Journalist and Syria analyst Danny Makki quipped in the wake of the incident, "This comes amid a sharp and unexpected rise in engine malfunctions in ships near the Syrian coast" - strongly suggesting that it appears anything but a mere engine accident.

Reuters reviews some of the latest incidents involving oil tankers off Syria's coast as follows:

Local radio station FM Sham earlier said an explosion had hit a tanker during maintenance works after it had caught fire a few days earlier while offloading its oil cargo. Last month, Syrias oil ministry said firefighters put out a fire on an oil tanker off the Banias refinery after a suspected attack by a drone coming from the direction of Lebanese waters.

A tanker explosion off the coast of #Syria comes after #Israel carried out attacked against #Hezbollah outposts on the Syrian Border Wednesday night.https://t.co/kHS1eCzrBL  The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) May 9, 2021

The oil tanker was widely reported as being empty of its cargo at the time of the blast and fire.

Due the increased frequency of Israeli attacks on Syria as well as Iranian and Syrian vessels, which also in recent months have occurred in the Red Sea, a number of online commentators were quick to speculate this new tanker incident was the result of a drone or other aircraft attack...

REPORTS: UK-US-EU-armed drone attack on oil tanker off the coast near a Russian base and by one of Syria's largest oil refineries at Baniyas, threatening a Mediterranean oil spill.



Follows a fire at a distillation unit of Homs' main oil refinery. pic.twitter.com/kfjgcz5dMq  Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) May 9, 2021

This comes after a separate mystery incident being simultaneously reported at a distillation unit at Homs Oil Refinery, though there's little that's been verified at this point.
Californias population declined last year, marking the first time the nations largest state has registered a drop since it joined the Union in 1850.

The state's Department of Finance said in a report Friday that Californias population stood at 39,466,855 as of Jan. 1, down 182,083 from the prior year, a growth rate of minus 0.46 percent.

More Californians died in 2020 than were born, even before factoring in the 51,000 Golden State residents who died from COVID-19.

The state also received 100,000 fewer immigrants than in 2019, a drop the Finance Department attributed to federal policy under the Trump administration.

In recent years, the slowdown in natural increase  a nationwide trend affecting California more than other states  has contributed to the states population growth slowing and plateauing, the department said in a statement. The addition of 2020s Covid-19-related deaths, combined with immigration restrictions in the past year, tipped population change to an annual loss.
This week, the state of Tennessee made history after the House gave final approval to Senate Bill 1380 (SB1380) that bans no-knock warrants in the state. Highlighting the bipartisan support behind the bill, it passed the Senate and the House without a single nay.

Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) introduced Senate Bill 1380 on Feb. 11 and it has seen unprecedented support from both parties.

Last month, the full Senate passed the bill by a vote of 33-0. Then on Monday, the House substituted the Senate bill for the House version and voted for its approval with a 90-0 count. It now moves to Gov. Bill Lees desk for his signature.

Short of an unexpected veto from the governor, the bill will ban no-knock warrants. It also bans cops from using chokeholds except when lethal force is authorized  the same standard needed before an officer fires a weapon. The bill also revamps police training, teaching them de-escalation tactics instead of immediately jumping to deadly force.

Going further, the bill requires officers to have a duty to intervene if they witness excessive force and would be required to report the use of excessive force to a supervisor.

This bill is pretty much my Christmas wish list, Rep. G.A. Hardaway said during the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee meeting last month. This bill will go a long way toward reestablishing the trust factor between law enforcement and the citizens of the state of Tennessee. I think without that trust factor, neither law enforcement nor the citizens are as safe as they could be.

As the Tenth Amendment Centers Mike Maharrey points out, the enactment of SB1380 would take a big step toward effectively nullifying and making irrelevant several Supreme Court opinions that give police across the U.S. legal cover for conducting no-knock raids.

In the 1995 case Wilson v. Arkansas, the Supreme Court established that police must peacefully knock, announce their presence, and allow time for the occupants to open the door before entering a home to serve a warrant. But the Court allowed for exigent circumstance exceptions if police fear violence, if the suspect is a flight risk, or if officers fear the suspect will destroy evidence. As journalist Radley Balko notes, police utilized this exception to the fullest extent, simply declaring in search warrant affidavits that all drug dealers are a threat to dispose of evidence, flee or assault the officers at the door. The SCOTUS eliminated this blanket exception in Richards v. Wisconsin (1997) requiring police to show why a specific individual is a threat to dispose of evidence, commit an act of violence or flee from police. But even with the opinion, the bar for obtaining a no-knock warrant remains low.

The idea of ceasing the use of no-knock raids is revolutionary when it comes to policing in the United States and its importance cannot be overstated.

Across the countrylargely due to the failed drug warpolice conduct tens of thousands of no-knock raids a year.

Breonna Taylor was murdered during one of them. Countless others are beaten, terrorized, and killed as well, and just like Breonna, cops often act on bad information.

In theory, no-knock raids are supposed to be used in only the most dangerous situations  In reality, though, no-knock raids are a common tactic, even in less-than-dangerous circumstances, Vox wrote in an revealing investigation in 2015. Case in point, Breonna Taylor.

A whopping 79 percent of these raids  like the one used to murder Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle in Houston, TX in 2019  are for search warrants only, mostly for drugs. Just seven percent of no-knock raids are for crisis situations like hostages, barricaded suspects, or active shooters, according to an investigation by the ACLU.

Whats more, the study by the ACLU found that in 36 percent of SWAT deployments for drug searches, and possibly in as many as 65 percent of such deployments, no contraband of any sort was found.

Not only do these raids appear to be mostly unproductive, but they are often carried out on entirely innocent people based on lies, wrong information, or corruption, laying waste to the rightsand livesof unsuspecting men, women, children, and their pets.

As weve seen in the case of Roderick Talley, drug task forces routinely conspire together to raid the homes of innocent people as a means of justifying themselves.

Cops have been routinely caught planting evidence, lying on warrants, and raiding wrong homes, and when we attempt to question this madness, were accused of hating cops.

Raiding homes with no-knock warrants was proven so horrifyingly ineffective in 2019 in Houston with the murder Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle, that Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo vowed to end them. Its time all police chiefs do the same.

Hopefully, this bill serves as a catalyst for other states to get behind the ban on no-knock raids and we end this violent and destructive practice once and for all.
According to the trove of documents leaked by a whistleblower, Disney's "diversity and inclusion" program called "Reimagine Tomorrow" as become "deeply politicized and engulfed parts of the company in racial conflict, according to city-journal.org.

The core of Disneys racial program is a series of training modules on antiracism. In one, called Allyship for Race Consciousness, the company tells employees that they must take ownership of educating [themselves] about structural anti-Black racism and that they should not rely on [their] Black colleagues to educate [them], because it is emotionally taxing. The United States, the document claims, has a long history of systemic racism and transphobia, and white employees, in particular, must work through feelings of guilt, shame, and defensiveness to understand what is beneath them and what needs to be healed. Disney recommends that employees atone by challeng[ing] colorblind ideologies and rhetoric such as All Lives Matter and I dont see color; they must listen with empathy [to] Black colleagues and must not question or debate Black colleagues lived experience. Disney claims that America has a long history of systemic racism and transphobia and tells employees they must take ownership of educating yourself about structural anti-Black racism and not rely on your Black colleagues to educate you, which is emotionally taxing. pic.twitter.com/eSSxpPvvFF  Christopher F. Rufo  (@realchrisrufo) May 8, 2021 In another module, called What Can I Do About Racism?, Disney tells employees that they should reject equality, with a focus on equal treatment and access to opportunities, and instead strive for equity, with a focus on the equality of outcome. The training also includes a series of lessons on implicit biases, microaggressions, and becoming an antiracist. The company tells employees that they must reflect on Americas racist infrastructure and think carefully about whether or not your wealth, income, treatment by the criminal justice system, employment, access to housing, health care, political power, and education might be different if you were of a different race. -city-journal.org

To enact this radical training agenda, Disney sponsored the creation of the "21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge" in partnership with the YWCA. It begins with information on "systemic racism" and demands that participants accept that they have "all been raised in a society that elevates white culture over others."

The lesson then shifts to "white privilege," in which employees are asked to fill out a white privilege "checklist" with options that include "I am white" , "I am heterosexual" , "I am a man" , "I still identify as the gender I was born in" , "I have never been raped" , "I don't rely on public transportation," and "I have never been called a terrorist."

Next, participants are asked to complete a white privilege checklist: I am white, I am heterosexual, I am a man, I still identity as the gender I was born in, I have never been raped, I dont rely on public transportation, and I have never been called a terrorist. pic.twitter.com/hcTVp9Tnz1  Christopher F. Rufo  (@realchrisrufo) May 8, 2021

Participants then learn about "white fragility," and are made to complete an exercise called "How to Tell If You Have White Fragility."

In it, white employees are taught to interpret their own beliefs such as "I am a good person, I can't be racist," and "I was taught to treat everyone the same" as evidence of one's own internal racism and white fragility.

Disney claims that America has a long history of systemic racism and transphobia and tells employees they must take ownership of educating yourself about structural anti-Black racism and not rely on your Black colleagues to educate you, which is emotionally taxing. pic.twitter.com/eSSxpPvvFF  Christopher F. Rufo  (@realchrisrufo) May 8, 2021

At the end of the 21-day challenge, participants are told that they must "pivot" from "white dominant culture" to "something different" - and that "competition" and "power hoarding" come from predominantly white leadership. What's more, "individualism" , "timeliness," and "comprehensiveness" are "white dominant" values which "perpetuate white supremacy culture" and should be rejected.

Did you get that? Simply being on time to things is perpetuates 'white supremacy culture.'

In the same collection of resources, Disney also recommends that employees read a series of how-to guides, including 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice and Your Kids Are Not Too Young to Talk About Race. The first article suggests that white employees should defund the police, participate in reparations, decolonize your bookshelf, dont gentrify neighborhoods, find and join a local white space, and donate to anti-white supremacy work such as your local Black Lives Matter Chapter. The second article encourages parents to commit to raising race-consciousness in children and argues that even babies discriminate against members of other races. A graphic claims that babies show the first signs of racism at three months old, and that white children become strongly biased in favor whiteness by age four. Finally, as part of an initiative labeled CEO sponsored priorities, Disney has launched racially segregated affinity groups for minority employees, with the goal of achieving culturally-authentic insights. In the original launch, the Latino affinity group was called Hola, the Asian affinity group was called Compass, and the black affinity group was called Wakanda. The racial affinity groups, also called Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), are technically open to all employees but in practice have become almost entirely segregated by race, with the occasional exception for white executive champions who attend on behalf of corporate leadership. The thing that this company does very well is they know politics, so they leave many things unspoken, said one employee, a racial minority, who also claimed the affinity groups are intended to be racially segregated spaces. I dont think anyone has necessarily even tried to attend something that they would discover that theyre not welcome at. -city-journal.org

One employee told City Journal's Christopher F Rufo that the political environment at the company has intensified in recent months, and that there are "almost daily memos, suggested readings, panels, and seminars that [are] all centered around antiracism."

The company is "completely ideologically one-sided" and actively discourages Christian and conservative employees from expressing their views.

"I attended several [training sessions] at the beginning just to see what the temperature of the discussion would be and to gauge if I would be able to bring up my own objections in a safe waysafe meaning for my career. And Ive continually gotten the unspoken answer: no," said the employee. "Its been very stifling to feel like everyone keeps talking about having open dialogue and compassionate conversations, but when it comes down to it, I know if I said one thing that was truthful, based on data, or even just based on my own personal experience, it would actually be rather unwelcomed."
Greensill Capital founder Lex Greensill will be publicly grilled by British politicians this week after the former Bundaberg farmer was called to appear in front of a parliamentary committee examining his companys dramatic collapse.

Mr Greensill will face questioning from both sides of British politics on Tuesday afternoon in London (Wednesday morning in Australia) as part of Treasurys Lessons from Greensill Capital inquiry.

Lex Greensill will break his silence in front of a British parliamentary committee this week. Credit:Peter Braig

It will be the first time the 44-year-old has spoken publicly about the collapse of his company since it unexpectedly fell into administration in March after its key backer Credit Suisse withdrew $10 billion in financial support when the companys main insurer refused to renew its cover.

The collapse has sent shockwaves through the industry and threatened the operations of Greensills largest client, steel magnate Sanjeev Guptas GFG Alliance, with Credit Suisse launching legal action last month which could see Mr Guptas Whyalla steel mill and other major assets liquidated.
Rich lister Cyan Taeed is closing down her chocolate social enterprise in what she says was an enormously difficult decision after the business struggled to turn a profit.

Hey Tiger had been operating for three years and sold over 700,000 of its luxury chocolate bars with turnover of around $3 million a year.

Hey Tiger chocolate will be closing down, to the disappointment of its fans.

In creating a chocolate experience like no other, we designed a business that customers absolutely love, but that was hard to scale into the profitability it needed to be a sustainable social enterprise, Ms Taeed wrote in a letter to customers on Monday announcing the closure.

As the scale of our chocolate production grew, so did the tensions between the very things that made Hey Tiger special and its ongoing viability. Ultimately while succeeding in one goal, we couldnt reach the other.

Ms Taeed is one of Australias top women entrepreneurs having started technology marketplace Envato with her husband Collis Taeed in 2006. Melbourne based Envato is estimated to be worth as much as $1 billion with the couples stake in the wholly family-owned business valued at $799 million.

Ms Taeed stepped down from Envato to launch Hey Tiger in 2018 and produce ethical handmade chocolate with a fee from each $13.50 chocolate bar sold going to the charity The Hunger Project.

She bank rolled the startup with $500,000 in funding to launch Hey Tiger, including her teams salaries, a year of research, product and packaging development, and initial stock.

Ms Taeed said like any startup there were difficult questions to be asked including whether Hey Tigers products resonated with customers, whether it could grow, generate profits and scale sustainably.

As Ive advised many other entrepreneurs over the years, sometimes even with the best vision, incredible people, and a lot of hard work, the answer to some or all of these questions isnt what you want it to be, she said.

After three years weve taken the enormously difficult decision of closing down the Hey Tiger line of chocolates.

The chocolate startup donated over $400,000 to The Hunger Project to help fund projects to overcome inequalities in the cocoa industry. Hey Tiger is one of an estimated 20,000 social enterprises operating in Australia and Dr Erin Kuo, chief impact officer at Impact Investment Group, said it was sad to see a startup with such passion and innovation fail.

Its hard for any small business to survive and scale but there is additional pressure on social enterprises to continue to balance their profit and purpose, she said.

Ms Taeed said she still believed in social enterprise and was committed to business as a force for good.

One of my favourite quotes is that a ship in port is safe, but thats not what ships are built for, she said. Its vital that entrepreneurs and dreamers everywhere take risks, go big, and try. In the end, we may not have stuck the landing, but Im still glad we took the leap.
Reaching heights of more than 30 metres, giant kelp is the largest seaweed and biggest of all marine algae. Giant kelp forests provide habitat to a great diversity of animals, including abalone, crayfish, weedy sea dragons, sharks, giant cuttlefish, and numerous other fish species. One of the last patches of giant kelp in Fortescue Bay. The kelp is one of the fastest-growing organisms on the planet, giving it unique potential to rapidly take up carbon during photosynthesis. Credit:Cayne Layton In Tasmania, the institutes team has collected giant kelp from remnant populations around the island and narrowed these down to about 50 individual family lines that seem more naturally tolerant of warmer temperatures. Giant kelp cultures have been created in a laboratory to make abundant quantities of heat-resistant gametophytes (the sexual phase in the life cycle of plants and algae). And hundreds of thousands of these delicate baby super-kelp, as Dr Layton affectionately refers to them, about one millimetre in size, have been planted on plastic plates that are screwed to the sea floor. At Fortescue Bay, a total of 100 square metres are in place. Its about laying a foundation ... and understanding whether or not that lab-selected super-kelp can even survive in the field, said Dr Layton.

With fieldwork affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the baby kelp was planted in spring last year, which meant they had to weather a hotter than average summer. But they made it. Divers enter the water to measure how much the new giant kelp has grown. Credit:Jason South They survived a baptism of fire but it made us optimistic that almost all the survivors now are robust, said Dr Layton. Theyre past the danger zone where theyre really small and delicate and prone to being munched on by animals or smothered with sediments. Its a similar concept to operation crayweed in Sydney. Crayweed became extinct from Sydneys coastline in the 1980s due to water pollution. But even though water quality has greatly improved, the species hasnt returned. So scientists at the University of New South Wales have attached reproductive adult individuals to temporary underwater mats. These reproduce and cray-bies attach to the reef to form a new, self-sustaining population.

Giant kelp forests may be on the way back. Credit:Cayne Layton At Fortescue Bay, there are about 50 individual giant kelp that are about 30 centimetres long. It might not sound like a lot but if they all mature, they will be at the density at which giant kelp naturally occurs. And, encouragingly, they look healthy, with no necrosis  the rotting tissue that occurs in summer because of heat stress  or bleaching. This year, some may even start reproducing. Thatll be the next big exciting step for us because the real secret to kelp restoration, and marine restoration in general, is the second generation  those natural ones that grow because we have kick-started their natural reproductive processes, Dr Layton says. When the giant kelp dies, it is replaced by common kelp, a much shorter species that occurs naturally in Tasmania. These are still important, healthy environments, but they create a different ecosystem.

Its like comparing heathland to a forest of 30-metre trees: the verticality of giant kelp, and the space it takes up, creates a home for a huge range of organisms. Baby giant kelp growing on twine. Credit:Cayne Layton Alongside Fortescue Bay, giant kelp trials are taking place at two other locations on the eastern Tasmanian coast. One at Dover  an estuarine habitat with greater human activity  has been unsuccessful so far because the tiny kelp babies were smothered in sediment. But a site on Trumpeter Bay, off the shore of Bruny Island, or Lunawanna Alonnah, has had the most successful results, with 170 individual kelp surviving. This site is being restored in collaboration with a local Aboriginal corporation. The community approached the university and explained they had extensive knowledge of the site and had seen the giant kelp decline. These kelp forests were very important to them as a food source and culturally, and we are pleased to be able to work together, Dr Layton says.
Big week in Canberra this week for the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare

It is budget 2021 on Tuesday and a packed roster of events will see both of the main federal political parties hard at work rattling the tin ahead of the next election. So its good to see the national carrier Qantas is doing what it can to ease some of the logistical burden.

The airline has pushed back its last Canberra-to-Melbourne flight on Thursday to 8.35pm so that MPs and corporate types can stick around to hear Opposition Leader Anthony Albaneses budget reply speech, while still making it back to Melbourne for Friday morning fundraising events. The route  which CBD has dubbed the Frydenberg Express and has run for about four years  makes particular sense for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who is a compulsory attendee at the budget reply but also has to make the tight turnaround of headlining the Liberal Partys Higgins 200 breakfast in Melbourne at 7am on Friday. While sources inside Qantas deny the route was scheduled specifically for the Treasurers benefit, its well known inside Alan Joyces HQ that Frydenbergs team is very supportive of the service  as are some of Labors Victorian heavyweights who have also booked seats.

Factional stew

After former premier Jeff Kennett very publicly flirted with running for the Victorian Liberal Party state presidency, then decided not to run in the name of unity, making him 2021s answer to Jana Novotna at the 1993 Wimbledon singles final, it looked like smooth sailing for incumbent Robert Clark.
Gurney, a 90-year-old aged care home resident in Victoria, once told sociologist Barbara Barbosa Neves that everyone seemed to think bingo was sex for old people.

He begged to differ. I have had enough of bingo! he told her. I want to join a youth club or go roller-skating  everything except bingo.

Sociologist Barbara Barbosa Neves is passionate about addressing the impact of loneliness on older people. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Dr Barbosa Neves, a senior lecturer in sociology at Monash University, was interviewing Gurney (not his real name) as part of her research into how people living in aged care homes experience loneliness.

He was a very funny participant, she says. He was extremely lonely and humour can be a coping mechanism.
Social restrictions imposed in Greater Sydney in the wake of two locally acquired cases of COVID-19 will be extended by a week as NSW adopts a cautious approach to stamping out further new cases.

NSW recorded no new cases of community transmission of the virus in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday but a suite of restrictions that took effect on Thursday at 5pm will remain in place, apart from a requirement for customers to wear masks in shops.

COVID restrictions in Sydney would be extended, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Sunday. Credit:Kate Geraghty, Janie Barrett

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the missing link between two local cases of COVID-19 detected on Wednesday remained unclear and the government was keen to prevent a superspreading event.

She said existing restrictions, announced on Thursday for Greater Sydney, including Wollongong, Central Coast and the Blue Mountains, will be in place for an extra week, except for shoppers in retail who will no longer be required to wear a mask.
As a Cranbrook old boy, I was rather startled to open the paper recently and read that a proposition was being put to the schools council for the school to go co-ed. Instantly the age-old joke popped into my mind: were they finally letting boys in? I crumpled my nose for a moments ponderance before dismissing the idea as yet another thought bubble of a woke tech billionaire, which indeed the article was implying it was; as likely to get off the ground as a giant timber skyscraper next to Central Station that is supposedly going to have each staff member visit four times a year.

I didnt really think about it until a week or so later when a good friend, a prominent educator of young women in Sydney asked whether I was in favour of the proposition. As a young man with two primary school-aged boys on the waiting list for Cranbrooks high school intake, I was struck that I hadnt even considered the full ramifications, and yet I instantly responded that I was in complete support, would vote in favour of co-educational learning at the school if indeed I was on council, but would probably have to make the decision as to what to do with my own boys depending on their learning and developmental journey between now and then.

In the context of eastern suburbs school arms races, and the unlikely prospect of getting ones child into an exclusive high school unless they enter a waiting list before the umbilical cord is cut, I doubt there would be much choice between that and a co-ed state school option, of which within reasonable reach there is about one and a half.

Evan Hughes thrived at Cranbrook, which nurtured his unconventional streak. Credit:James Brickwood

I adored Cranbrook. I didnt particularly revel in the jocularity or the all-male camaraderie, but there was something in the mix that made me into a good learner and a well-rounded student. The school and its eclectic group of male and female masters nurtured my non-conformist spirit and directed me into the right pathways from being a very depressed, overweight child of feuding, divorced parents, with few friends at the start into a well-regarded school leader, a scholar, a debater and dramatist. I even managed to become a passable rugby player.
A man who pleaded guilty to sexual offences against his three daughters and his step-daughter over more than 20 years has appealed against his 13-year prison sentence in a Brisbane court, arguing it was manifestly excessive and he was denied procedural fairness during the judicial process.

The offender, identified only as FVN, committed 23 sexual offences against the four young girls between about May 1978 and September 1999. He was aged 29 to 51 when the offending occurred.

Impact statements from three of the victims recounted the devastating effect of FVNs abuse. (File image) Credit:John Donegan

The Brisbane Supreme Courts Court of Appeal heard he raped his first daughter when she was aged six or seven, then again at 14 or 15, and that he went on to commit eight other offences against her.

His second daughter suffered five offences from October 1987, at the age of seven, to February 1991, when aged 11. These included rape when she was 10.
Queenslands organised crime squad has arrested three men  including two in Brisbane  after busting an alleged steroids ring in Brisbane and Bundaberg over the weekend.

The gang was accused of distributing steroids, cocaine and MDMA, a stimulant found in ecstasy.

Some of the steroids police allegedly found in raids in Bundaberg and Brisbane. Credit:Police Media

The drug ring allegedly began in Bundaberg and extended to south-east Queensland, with two men arrested in Brendale and Pine Rivers.

Detectives launched operation Sierra Thermal after a tip-off that capsules of selective androgen receptive modulators (SARMs) were being imported illegally.
And while other states use gas, its nowhere near as much as Victoria. Almost half of the nations total residential gas consumption heats Victorian homes, according to the Grattan Institute think tank. The next highest is NSW, with 5 per cent. Of course Victoria had the unusual advantage of having a major city very close to a huge source of gas, says Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute. It turned out to be an extraordinarily valuable resource. To some extent gas was almost a waste product. Thats why it was so cheap. And natural gas was a great term, it didnt hurt the growth of the industry. The old Gas and Fuel Corporation towers on the site of what is now Federation Square. Credit:Fairfax Media But with the Bass Strait gas field in decline, the search is on to stop the pilot lights from going out. In March, the state government rejected on environmental grounds a proposal to build a gas import terminal at Crib Point. The energy market operator has warned of winter gas shortages as soon as 2024. Alongside the fall in supply is the push towards net zero emissions. Last Sunday the Andrews government announced its long-awaited emissions targets, promising to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 28 to 33 per cent of 2005 levels by 2025, and 45 to 50 per cent by 2030.

While coal and petroleum are Australias leading sources of emissions, about 19 per cent comes from natural gas, according to the Grattan Institute. Loading Gas analyst Mr Robertson says the search to open new gas fields will only result in higher greenhouse gas emissions. Theres a very simple reason for this: gas with higher levels of carbon dioxide is more expensive to produce, he says. Weve moved out of the sweet spots, weve got the straw in the bottom of the milkshake at the moment. In the release of its new emissions targets to the energy sector, the Victorian government highlighted that it was working on a gas substitution road map that will dictate the future of the fuel source in the state.

But finding an alternative is not going to be easy. Environmental groups and the Greens are pushing for gas to be phased out of homes, in favour of electric reverse-cycle airconditioners, heat pump electric hot water systems and induction cooktops. The Age revealed on Wednesday that the City of Yarra had pledged to switch council buildings from gas to electricity by 2030, while also pushing for the Andrews government to ban gas connections in new homes. Gas bills are likely to rise in coming years. Credit:Chris Hopkins But switching an entire state over to electric appliances is a daunting task. And even with the growth of cheaper renewables such as wind and solar, brown coal still supplies the majority of Victorias power. Theres also the issue of whether the grid could stand up under the load of millions of new electric heaters. Theres nowhere else in Australia where gas is as big a part of the energy needs as Victoria, says Lynne Gallagher, CEO of Energy Consumers Australia. This was always going to be harder.

The first people to move off gas will be those on higher incomes who can afford to buy new appliances, says Ms Gallagher. That will leave lower-income people, most likely renters, to pay for the infrastructure of the gas network, she says. Loading There are going to be a lot of people who are slow to change for whatever reason. They will be left to pay bigger and bigger gas bills. Another option being trumpeted by the gas industry is to use the existing infrastructure to supply homes with biomethane or hydrogen. However, there is a suggestion that such fuels will be more expensive than natural gas. Environmentalists may crow about a fully renewable state, says Ashley Wells, Victorian director of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association. But the truth is all the data and modelling undertaken so far indicates a large role for natural gas in reducing emissions now and increasing the uptake of renewables into the future.

Meanwhile, the campaign to keep people using gas is in full swing, like it was in Victoria in the 1960s and 70s. Instagram influencers were reportedly paid to sing the praises of gas-powered cooking and heating. Loading Ingrained behaviour may also play a role in any switch. Ask anyone who cooks in Victoria what theyre looking for in a new home and theyre likely to mention a gas stove. Induction cooking may offer the same temperature control but the sales effort will take time. Even though were thinking we should be getting out of gas, we cant go too fast. The transition has to be achieved, says Mr Wood from the Grattan Institute. I think gas has been a very valuable resource and its had its day.
The decision by 30,000 Australians to shift to Queensland should trigger extra GST payments to the state in Tuesdays federal budget, Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick says.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed last week that Queensland had seen its biggest population boom in 16 years.

Strong population growth in 2019-20 should trigger extra GST revenue to Queensland, says Treasurer Cameron Dick. Credit:Matt Dennien

More than 30,000 Australians from interstate moved to Queensland in 2020, while the populations of both New South Wales and Victoria declined.

The GST payments to each state are based on a complex formula that includes annual population growth.
The Queensland government should call in the controversial Toondah Harbour proposal  to build 3600 units on internationally recognised wetlands at Cleveland  because it now varies considerably from the way it was first explained to the Redland community, critics say.

Masterplanning company the Walker Group has, for almost a decade, promoted the development, which also includes a marina where the island ferry connects Cleveland to North Stradbroke Island.

A giant shorebird puppet was the figurehead of a protest against 3600 units and a marina at Toondah Harbour in Cleveland on the weekend. Credit:Stuart Shephard, BirdLife Australia

The $1.3 billion Toondah Harbour project would be built on the internationally recognised Ramsar wetlands, which are habitat for several endangered species of wading birds, some of which migrate from Siberia, Japan and the Arctic.

The Walker Group has recast the project design three times to try to answer environmental concerns, and it is about to lodge a fourth version as an environmental impact study on which the community can comment.
Seattle: As the power couple of giving splits, Melinda French Gates global influence in philanthropy could grow even further, reflecting her own values and interests.

At the Gates Foundation, French Gates, who now prefers to be referred to by her maiden name, has frequently spearheaded efforts focused on womens empowerment, an area where some philanthropy experts say she could expand her giving. Womens issues have always been a part of the foundations giving, although it is best known for its initiatives to address global health and, more recently, to end the coronavirus pandemic.

Bill Gates has long cast the largest shadow at the foundation. He cemented his fortune, which Forbes pegs at $130.4 billion, by co-founding the software giant Microsoft. When Gates directed his focus to philanthropy two decades ago, he also seized attention, wielding outsize influence in the areas where the foundation gives due to the enormity of his wealth.

French Gates has had to address the idea of living in her husbands shadow for years. In a 2006 interview with The Wall Street Journal, as French Gates began to take a more public role at the foundation, she acknowledged that the public erroneously thought the foundation was really Bill.
Ram: Guys, please stick together. This place is new to me. I may get lost.

Sanjana: Come on Ram.

Friend 1: Are you a kid? What nonsense! He thinks its the Mela



This conversation takes place quite early in the 2004 blockbuster Main Hoon Na. Ram Prasad Sharma, a major of the Indian army, is on an undercover mission at a college in Darjeeling, a hill station in north Bengal. He goes to watch a film, Sholay (1975), with his new friends and is tasked with buying the tickets. As his friends disperse  to get popcorn and other refreshments  he asks them to stick together. The throwaway line is one among the many references to popular Hindi cinema of the 1970s to which this film pays self-conscious tribute.

The lost-and-found trope was a popular one among filmmakers, write National Award winners Balaji Vittal and Anirudha Bhattacharjee. Tracing the popularity of the genre to Kismet (1943), they name several films that use this narrative device  Waqt (1965), Kati Patang (1970), Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Samadhi (1972), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), Zameer (1975), Khel Khilari Ka (1977), and Manzil Manzil (1984). One can, of course, add Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) to this list. Film critic Rashmi Doraiswamy, in her essay These Days of Our Modernity: The Cinema of Nasir Hussain (2004), related the prevalence of this theme to the trauma of the Partition: It functions often as a trope of the trauma of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, of displacement, uprootment [sic] and the losing of ones kith and kin in the mayhem.



The lost-and-found narratives started becoming less popular as the 1980s, progressed. (S)tarting the late 1980s, perhaps with the advent of computers, the lost & found theory was decommissioned from Bollywood, write Vittal and Bhattacharjee. (I)n todays age where even a Pizza delivery boys ID is verified before entering a residential apartment it is unlikely that someone claiming to be the lost one would be accepted without due diligence of DNA tests and biometrics. And finding the lost would be far easier today as the lost person is likely to pop up as People you might know on Facebook.

While getting lost is still quite common at the Mela  the major Hindu festival celebrated in 12-year cycles at Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain and Allahabad (Prayagraj)  staying lost is almost impossible. Modern communication technology has made it possible to stage a quick reunion even if one loses ones family or companions. But, did people ever get lost in the Mela, even in Hindi popular films? As I began to research for this column, I could not think of any, and reached out to friends and acquaintances. The most obvious answer was Do Anjaane (1976), where Amit Roy (Amitabh Bachchan) is found by Sumesh Dutt (Pradeep Kumar) and his wife (Urmila Bhatt) after he has been pushed off a train by his friend Ranjit Mallik (Prem Chopra). Dutt and his wife adopt him as their son, whom they had lost at the years ago, though of course, he is a different person.

Others pointed to Mela (1971), starring real-life brothers Sanjay Khan and Feroze Khan as Kanhiya and Shakti, two screen brothers who lose each other at a village fair as children only to be united, after much turmoil, as adults. But the fair at which they lose each other is not the but an event at their village. Eventually, novelist and film buff Madhulika Liddle pointed me towards the 1954 Kishore Kumar-Usha Kiron-starrer Adhikar. A child is lost by her foster parents at the and found by her stepmother, though they are unaware of the relation. Stock footage of a Kumbh Mela at Allahabad (Prayagraj), with people taking the holy dip, elephants and other animals on display as well as the procession of Naga sadhus, are inter-cut with the song Maati kahe kumbhar se as the distraught grandparents of the lost child search for her.

Over the past month, similar images saturated media as India continued to celebrated the Kumbh Mela in the northern city of Haridwar, even as the deadly second wave of Covid-19 ravaged the country. In an editorial on May 8, the Lancet gave a fuller picture of the monumental human suffering in the country: The scenes of suffering in India are hard to comprehend. As of May 4, more than 20.2 million cases of Covid-19 had been reported, with a rolling average of 378,000 cases a day, together with more than 222,000 deaths, which experts believe are likely to be substantial underestimates. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities.

It laid the blame squarely at the door of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, which allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political ralliesconspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures. Denying scientific evidence, Modis government allowed the Kumbh Mela to go ahead this year. In popular Hindi films, those who are lost are also found. Some through song and dance, like in Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), or the totem of a childs toy, like in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). It is almost a narrative ritual and a sort of resolution to the anxiety of displacement that Doraiswamy identifies. But there is no resolution to the anxiety and loss that so many Indians have gone through over the past two months. It will leave us scarred for years.

Uttaran Das Guptas novel, Ritual, was published in 2020. He teaches journalism at O P Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana.
Thirteen prisoners escaped from a jail in Haryana's Rewari, a dedicated facility for COVID-19 positive inmates in the state, officials said on Sunday.

Four police teams have been formed to trace the prisoners while Rewari Police is also coordinating with police departments of neighbouring districts including Narnaul, a senior officer said.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday and some of the escaped prisoners are convicted in cases of murder, rape, and dacoity, they said.

The prisoners, who were kept in a special section of the Rewari jail, cut an iron grill of the barrack in which they were lodged and used cloth from their bedding as a rope to escape, they added.

At present, the jail is functioning as a dedicated facility for COVID-19 positive prisoners in the state.

As many as 493 COVID positive undertrial prisoners from different parts of the state are lodged in the special section of the Rewari jail, which is in the final stages of construction, Rewari's Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Jorwal said over the phone.

Inmates from different jails are shifted to the facility for isolation and treatment once they test positive for

Thirteen prisoners have escaped. They were facing cases including murder, theft, dacoity and rape in Rewari and Mahendergarh. They were brought to Rewari from Narnaul jail, Jorwal said.

Jorwal said jail officials informed the police that during routine counting of prisoners in the morning, thirteen were found missing.

He said a case has been registered in the incident and negligence on part of the jail officials is being investigated.

(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.)
Delhi Chief Minister urged the Centre to "actively monitor and supervise" private COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in the country and ensure adequate availability of the vaccine doses to states and Union territories.

The central government should make available to the states/UTs the requisite number of vaccine doses to enable vaccination of all its citizens, he said.

"The Centre should actively monitor and supervise the manufacture of vaccines by the private parties so that supplies in adequate quantity are made to all state governments, and this crucial aspect is not left to the discretion of the private manufacturers, Kejriwal said in a letter to Union Health Minister

The Delhi CM also said that a uniform price should be fixed for the vaccines for supplies made to governments (whether central or states) and private hospitals.

Kejriwal has reiterated on several occasions that his government can vaccinate everyone in the national capital within three months if the Centre ensures supply of adequate doses of vaccine to it.

He has claimed Delhi needs 3 crore doses, out of which, only around 40 lakh doses have been received by it so far.

(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.)
Debris from a large Chinese rocket landed in the Indian Ocean near the early Sunday morning, Chinas space administration announced.

It said most of the debris had burned up on re-entry. It was not immediately clear whether any of what remained had landed on any of the Maldivess 1,192 islands.

The possibility, however slight, that debris from the rocket could strike a populated area had led people around the world to track its trajectory for days. The administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson, issued an unusual rebuke after Chinas announcement, accusing the country of failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

The rocket, a Long March 5B, launched the main module of Chinas next space station, Tiangong, on April 29. Usually, the large booster stages of rockets immediately drop back to Earth after they are jettisoned, but the 23-ton core stage of the Long March 5B accompanied the space station segment all the way to orbit.

Because of friction caused by the rocket rubbing against air at the top of the atmosphere, it soon began losing altitude, making what is called uncontrolled re-entry back to Earth inevitable.

Chinas space administration, which had said nothing about uncontrolled re-entry until Sunday, announced that the debris had entered Earths atmosphere over the Mediterranean before flying over the Middle East and coming down near the Maldives, south of India. People in Israel and Oman reported sightings of the rocket debris on social media.

The government had no immediate response to Chinas announcement.

Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., who tracks the comings and goings of objects in space, said on Twitter that an ocean splashdown had always been the most likely outcome, but that the episode raised questions about how China designs its space missions.

It appears China won its gamble (unless we get news of debris in the Maldives), he wrote. But it was still reckless.

What is the rocket and what was it launching?

Long March 5B is Chinas largest rocket, and one of the largest currently in use by any nation. The countrys space program needed a large, powerful vehicle to carry Tianhe, the main module of Tiangong, the new space station, which is to be operational by 2022 after more pieces are launched and connected in orbit.

The full rocket contained multiple pieces. Several smaller side boosters dropped off shortly after the launch, crashing harmlessly in the Pacific Ocean. (Disposing of used, unwanted rocket pieces in the ocean is a common practice.) But the core booster stage  a 10-story cylinder weighing 23 tons empty  carried the Tianhe module into orbit.

In recent decades, rocket stages that reach orbit typically fire the engine again after releasing their payloads so that they drop out of orbit, aimed at an unoccupied area like the middle of an ocean.

China did not elect to do that for this launch, and so that large booster headed back uncontrollably.

Mr. Nelson, the administrator, said in his statement, Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations.

Has this happened before, and will it happen again?

China has a long history of letting pieces of its space equipment come down where they may.

Rockets from one of its principal launch sites, the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, routinely fell on rural areas downrange, occasionally causing damage. China has since moved many of its launches, including the Long March 5Bs, to a new site in Wenchang, a city on Hainan, an island off the southeastern coast.

Last year, the first launch of a Long March 5B rocket lifted a prototype of Chinas crewed space capsule. The booster from that rocket also made an uncontrolled re-entry, with some debris raining down on a village in Ivory Coast.

With more large pieces of Chinas space station scheduled to go to orbit, more launches of the Long March 5B are expected through 2022. Unless there is a change to how China operates it, the odds that someone will be hurt by a piece of a falling booster will grow.

Have other countries rockets recently had uncontrolled re-entries?

In March, an out-of-control SpaceX rocket stage re-entered Earths atmosphere near Seattle, surprising residents there as it lit up night skies. Pieces of the rocket landed on a farmers property in Washington State. In that case, a firing of the engine of the second stage to bring it down safely did not occur as planned.

And earlier in the history of spaceflight, the first space powers had uncontrolled re-entries of their own. The American Skylab, which operated in 1973 and 1974, broke up as scientists tried to guide its descent in 1979. The 77-ton station mostly broke up over the Indian Ocean, but debris scattered across Western Australia. President Jimmy Carter apologized.

What would happen if space debris hit something?

There is an international legal framework based on treaties from the 1960s and 70s in which a country can demand payment for damage caused by another countrys falling rocket.

That has happened once, after Cosmos 954, a Soviet satellite that was powered by a nuclear reactor, crashed in Canada in 1978. Canada billed the Soviet Union for part of the cost of cleaning up the radioactive debris.

What else is China doing in space?

In recent years, China has completed a series of impressive achievements in spaceflight. Months ago, it put a spacecraft  Tianwen-1  in orbit around Mars, and in December it also collected rocks from the surface of the moon and brought them back to Earth.

In May or June, it hopes to further advance its Mars mission by landing a robotic rover, Zhurong, on the red planets surface. So far only the United States has had lasting success during attempts to land on Mars.

As it works to make steady progress on space station construction, China could also launch a crew to orbit next month in a spacecraft called Shenzhou. Once in space, they are to dock with the Tianhe module.
A document written by Chinese scientists and health officials before the pandemic in 2015 states that SARS coronaviruses were a "new era of genetic weapons" that could be "artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponised and unleashed, reported Weekend Australian.

The paper titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons suggested that World War Three would be fought with biological weapons. The document revealed that Chinese military scientists were discussing the weaponisation of SARS coronaviruses five years before the Covid-19 pandemic. The report by Weekend Australian was published in news.com.au.

Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told news.com.au that the document is as close to a "smoking gun" as we've got.

"I think this is significant because it clearly shows that Chinese scientists were thinking about military application for different strains of the and thinking about how it could be deployed," Jennings said.

"It begins to firm up the possibility that what we have here is the accidental release of a pathogen for military use," Jennings added.

He also said that the document may explain why has been so reluctant for outside investigations into the origins of Covid-19.

"If this was a case of transmission from a wet market it would be in China's interest to co-operate ... we've had the opposite of that."

Robert Potter, a cyber security specialist who analyses leaked Chinese government documents, was asked by The Australian to verify the paper. He says the document definitely isn't fake, reported news.com.au.

"We reached a high confidence conclusion that it was genuine ... It's not fake but it's up to someone else to interpret how serious it is," Potter said.

"It emerged in the last few years ... they (China) will almost certainly try to remove it now it's been covered."

Potter further stated that it isn't unusual to see Chinese research papers discussing areas that they're behind on and need to make progress in.

"It's a really interesting article to show what their scientific researchers are thinking," he added.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been caused by a named SARS-Co V-2 which emerged in December 2019. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, several of which cause respiratory diseases in humans - ranging from a common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began there have been over 157 million cases of Covid-19 and 3.28 million deaths worldwide, according to the latest update by Johns Hopkins University.
A Sessions Court in Delhi on Saturday has set aside a magistrate Court order that directed to put to use seized 12 concentrators either by Delhi Police Officials and the Judicial Officers and their families.

Dwarka court's Principal District and Sessions Judge (South West Delhi) Narottam Kaushal set aside the order dated May 5 passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) and observed that MM in his zeal to provide life-saving machines to front line workers , was so dazzled that he forgot that a judge has to act and behave like a self-less, dispassionate saint.

"A perusal of the impugned Order reveals that MM was greatly influenced by the fact that two Judicial Officers had lost their lives in battle with Covid-19. One of them being his own brother colleague with who he shared the corridors," Sessions Judge Kaushal said.

"As I pen down this order, the judicial fraternity has lost one more officer, who also succumbed to Covid-19 virus. MM, in his zeal to provide life-saving machines to front line workers i.e. the Delhi Police and to his judicial fraternity, was so dazzled that he forgot that a judge on account of the office he occupies has to act and behave like a self-less, dispassionate saint. "

The sessions Court said that magistrate has to rise above the interests of self and his ilk and benevolent and well-intended, his act may be; the same cannot breach the Constitutional provisions of equality.

"On the touchstone of these morals and principles of law, Ld. MM seems to have faltered. The impugned order dated 5.5.2021, thus, is not sustainable and is set aside," the Court said.

The Court directed Investigating officer to move a fresh application before the appropriate authority viz. the District Magistrate, in terms of orders passed by the High Court in Venkateshwar Hospital's case (supra) or on the basis of notification, if any, declaring the seized articles to be an essential commodity. Needless, to say he must act without wasting time.

The Court however noted that the Investigating officer was probably clear of this position, that is why the application for release of the case property was moved by him before the Ld. MM and not before the District Magistrate, as is the mandate of Sec.-6E of the Essential Commodities Act as thus the seized articles having not been notified to be essential commodity, reference to the provisions of Essential Commodities Act or the procedure prescribed therein for release of the case property, is misplaced. The trial court has, thus, not erred in exercise of the jurisdiction, so invoked by the IO.

"Order passed by Ld MM on this score can not be said to be illegal," the Court said.

The Sessions Court also noted Delhi High Court which grants power to District Commissioners to proceed to pass orders for release of the seized article like the medicines/ cylinders.

"In view of the aforesaid observation of the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, the investigation officer ought to have immediately informed the District Magistrate and placed the seized machines at the disposal of District Magistrate for suitable utilization during the period of investigation/ trial," the Court said.

The court was hearing revision petition filed by the state through additional public prosecutor VK Swami, who argued citing Delhi High Court's recent ordered that in case of seizure of Medicines/ Cylinders, the same should be informed to the Concerned District Commissioner and the District Commissioner should proceed to pass orders for release.

Metropolitan Magistrate had directed Delhi Police to release 12 seized Oxygen concentrators seized on May 4, for the medication of police officers, judicial officers, and their family members infected with COVID-19.

The Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Bahal in an order passed on Wednesday directed that, out of 12, two Oxygen Concentrator should be released to Dwarka Deputy Commissioner of Police, for the use of COVID-19 infected police personnel.

The magistrate order has said that three Oxygen Concentrator should be released for infected judicial officers at Tiz Hazari court; two to the office of Principal District and Session Judge in Dwarka; three to the office of Principal District and Session Judge in Saket; and two to Covid Health Centre, at Delhi Judicial Academy, Dwarka.

The magistrate court has also noted that a large number of judicial officers and their families in Delhi are infected with the COVID-19 virus and unfortunately two members of the Delhi Judiciary- Family Judge Kovai Venugopal and Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka Kamran Khan- have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

The application was filed by the investigation officer of Delhi Police who sought direction for releasing the Oxygen Concentrator and submitted that on May 4, 12 oxygen concentrators were seized from the accused persons-- Vinay Agarwal and Akash Vashist-- and all of them were deposited in Police Station Dwarka Malkhana.

It submitted that many police personnel, Judicial officers and their families are suffering from COVID-19 and therefore, these oxygen concentrators can be used for saving the lives of the police personnel.

(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 men were arrested from west Delhi's Janakpuri for allegedly black marketing oxygen concentrators, police said on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Bharat Agarwal (42), Ishant Gosain (31) and Ranbir Singh (29), they said.

Nineteen imported oxygen concentrators, three cars and cash worth Rs 7.80 lakh have been seized from their possession, police said.

Police laid a trap near the parking of District Centre, Janakpuri and apprehended the accused persons on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Urvija Goel said.

The accused were selling the oxygen concentrators at Rs 1,30,000 per piece despite the fact that the market value of per piece is around Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, police said.

In another incident, the Delhi Police arrested a person from Punjab for allegedly cheating people on the pretext of providing oxygen cylinders, officials said.

The accused has been identified as Ranvijay, a resident of Ghaziabad, UP, they said.

Taking advantage of the ongoing oxygen crisis, the accused started sending messages to people with the assurance to arrange oxygen cylinders, police said.

The accused shifted to Chandigarh from Ghaziabad after he came to know that police were searching for him. Police checked CCTV footage of the locality and identified the driver of a tempo who took Ranvijay from Ghaziabad to Chandigarh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Santosh Kumar Meena said.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident the northwest district police arrested a man for allegedly selling oxygen cylinders at exorbitant prices, officials said.

The accused has been identified as Abdul (29), a resident of Shakurpur. Three empty oxygen cylinders of 10 kg were recovered from his possession, they said.

On Friday, police got a tip-off and later, Abdul was found to be indulged in overcharging of oxygen cylinders. He was found selling one empty oxygen cylinder of 10 kg at Rs 15,000, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Guriqbal Singh Sidhu 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.)
Amid surge of Covid cases in the rural areas, Congress leader on Sunday hit out at the Narendra Modi-led Central government for not tackling the situation.

"Shehron ke baad ab gaon bhi parmatma-nirbhar (After cities, villages also left to the mercy of God," he said in a tweet, attaching an image of an Hindi caption reading "Covid-19: Mahamari ki dusri lahar ab gaaon mein barpa rahi hai kehr (Covid-19: The second wave of the pandemic now overwhelming villages)".

Gandhi had earlier tweeted the country doesn't need a new house for the PM but oxygen, attaching photos of people in line for the life-saving gas, and work on the Central Vista.

In another tweet which displayed a graph on the Covid surge and falling vaccinations, he had termed the situation "The Movid pandemic."

India on Sunday recorded 4,03,738 fresh cases in last 24 hours with 4,092 fatalities, taking the total number of cases in the country to 2,22,96,414, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

It is the fifth time after May 1 that India has crossed the four-lakh-mark of new cases in last 24 hours.

India's total tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,22,96,414 with 37,36,648 active cases and a total of 2,42,362 deaths so far.

--IANS

miz-vd/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.)
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, Prime Minister on Sunday spoke with Chief Ministers of Punjab, Karnataka, Bihar, and Uttarakhand over the situation, sources said.

Over the past few days, the Prime Minister has been holding telephonic conversations with Chief Ministers of various states, including Uddhav Thackeray of Maharashtra, M K Stalin of Tamil Nadu, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan of Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh CM had informed that he had apprised of the current COVID situation in the state. He also highlighted the status of oxygen, oxygen plants, Remdesivir injections, isolation centres, COVID care centres, temporary COVID hospitals, and public awareness campaigns.

The Prime Minister in conversation with Maharashtra chief minister had enquired about the COVID-19 related situation and praised the state for its efforts in combating the virus.

Earlier, PM Modi has also spoken with Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh CMs on the issue. he also spoke to Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir to get a detailed picture of the outbreak across the country.

Soon after a conversation with PM Modi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, however, claimed that the PM only did his "Mann ki Baat" instead of "listening to and spoken on important matters".

India recorded more the four lakh fresh COVID-19 cases for the fourth day in a row. 4,03,738 new COVID infections were reported in the country taking the cumulative toll to 2,22,96,414. In the last 24 hours, India registered 3,86,44 recoveries and 4,092 related deaths.

(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.)
COVID-19 vaccines for people in the



18-44 age group in Bengaluru, which has almost half the number of cases and deaths in Karnataka, would be available from May 10 at all major hospitals and medical colleges, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Sunday.

"Starting Monday, Covid-19 will be provided for citizens aged between 18 and 44 years at K C General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital, Sir C V Raman General Hospital, Government Medical Colleges, ESI Hospitals and NIMHANS in Bengaluru," the minister said in a statement.

In other districts, the vaccine shots will initially be provided at district hospitals, government medical colleges and all taluk hospitals.

The number of centres would be increased as and when more vaccines are available, the Minister added.

All such centres providing for the 18-44 age group would have an exclusive session site earmarked for them, he said,adding the shots would be given only to those who have registered and scheduled an appointment on the Co-Win portal.

The minister said the government is leaving no stone unturned to vaccinate every citizen at the earliest and was making continuous efforts to secure supply of vaccines



Earlier on May 1, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa flagged off the fourth phase of the drive to vaccinate citizens in the 18-44 age group with a promise that the shortage of doses would be addressed soon.

The statement said that the government has already placed orders for two crore doses of Covishield and one crore of Covaxin to vaccinate the estimated 3.26 crore people in this age group.

Those in the 18-44 age group would require 6.52 crore doses in two shots to get fully vaccinated, it said.

The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures Covishield, has already supplied 6.5 lakh doses and more would be delivered by the second or third week of May, it said.

The virus caseload in Karnataka has been rising at an alarming rate, with the state reporting infections in the region of around 50,000 daily.

has been recording almost half the number of cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic last year.

(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.)
India on Sunday reported a net increase of 13,202 in active cases to take its count to 3,736,648. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 20.38 per cent (one in 5). The country is second among the most affected countries by active cases. On Sunday, it added 403,738 cases to take its total caseload to 22,296,414. And, with 4,092 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 242,362, or 1.09 per cent of total confirmed infections.

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As COVID-19 cases in the national capital continue to rise, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Saturday reviewed the action against hoarding/black marketing of medicines, injections, and oxygen cylinders and frauds taking place in name of covid help besides the effective enforcement of the to curb the spread of infection.In a virtual meeting at the Vimarsh conference hall, Police headquarters, Shrivastava told the District Commissioners of Police (DCP) to obtain orders from courts as early as possible for the release of seized medicine, concentrators, and oxygen cylinders for use by needy patients, a statement from the Delhi Police informed.

He further asked DCPs to intensify the action of covid online fraudsters in coordination with the cyber cell and crime branch for interstate investigation as most of the calls involved in cheating are originating from Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Mewat etc.

He also reviewed effective enforcement of the across the city.

"Watch be kept on shops opening other than the grocery or essential stores shops and action be taken against such shop owners who are willfully violating the restrictions and endangering public health," Shrivastava was quite in the statement.

The CP reiterated stricter implementation to break the infection spread and although district police are taking legal action against violators, stricter implementation of the lockdown should be done by making announcements through public address systems.

The fruits and vegetable markets be shifted to open areas, wherever possible and the hawkers should maintain social distancing. Vegetable markets (sabzi mandi) should be sanitized after closure. Commercial transport like e-rickshaws, gramin seva etc. should not carry more passengers than prescribed.

The CP, Delhi also directed the field officers to take note of forthcoming Eid-Ul-Fitr and follow DDMA orders in this regard by liaising with community elders and religious leaders not to cause any gatherings.

(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.)
Faced with an uphill task of keeping business solvent, the countrys airlines have approached the central and state governments to eliminate the need for Covid negative report, which is mandatory for entry into multiple states. Karnataka was the first state to remove the requirement on Sunday.

Airlines want the negative RT-PCR test result to be replaced with a fit-to- fly certificate from a physician to make things easier for passengers and the aviation industry.

According to multiple executives of private and government-owned Air India, such a request have been made to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and also to specific state governments. Airlines cited that getting an RT-PCR test at any of Indias leading metro cities within 72 hours have become difficult which is forcing people to cancel their travel.

Airlines have cited instructions of the country's apex bio-medical research agency Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which had recently said there was no need for a Covid-19 retest at least for the next three months for people who have recovered from the disease.

Leave alone getting a test result, it is quite impossible to even book a test within 48 hours in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. In such cases, many healthy people (those without any symptoms) and those have recovered from RT-PCR are not being able to travel, hitting the sector further. A fit-to-fly certificate from a legitimate physician should be enough to allow someone to take a flight, an executive said.

Due to the severe stress on labs, ICMR on May 4 had recommended that the need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel should be removed.

Medical experts have said that even for people who have recovered from Covid-19, many are getting positive test results due to the presence of residual virus which is not harmful and not transmissible.

After treatment, the RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule remains in the body for some time, say another two weeks, and gradually goes out. If someone goes for a second test immediately after completing the treatment, the test report will be positive but it is harmless for the person and he or she cannot transmit it, said Prof Tulika Chandra, head of the department of transfusion medicine at King George Medical University, Lucknow.

It is better for states to look at faster detection of passengers with Covid-19 than simply asking them to come with a negative test report to the airport, she said.

A second wave of COVID-19 has severely hit With passenger numbers declining daily and no financial support from the government, some expect that it may lead to bankruptcy for a few companies. The domestic passenger traffic dropped below the 100,000 mark after seven months earlier this week. And airlines on Saturday handled 79,080 passengers- barely 20 per cent of what they used to fly daily before the pandemic.

Several states and local city governments had made it compulsory for passengers, especially from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, to have negative RT-PCR test results conducted within 72 hours before the travel date. West Bengal last week made a negative report compulsory for passengers from across the country.

This, according to airline executives, has further hit demand for travel as getting a test report within 72 hours became challenging during the second wave.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday said that the Union health ministry should "wake up" and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The doctors' body in a statement also alleged that the ministry has not taken appropriate action to deal with second COVID-19 wave.

"IMA demands the health ministry to wake up from its slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. IMA is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the ministry of health in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic," it said.

The statement said for the last 20 days, the IMA has been insisting for a complete and well-planned national to ramp up health infrastructure and replenish both material and manpower.

"The collective consciousness, proactive cognisance, and requests made by the IMA and other professional learned colleagues are put into the dustbin, and often without realising the ground realities the decisions are taken," IMA president J A Jayalal said.

"However, the central government has refused to implement lockdown, resulting in mounting of new patients beyond four lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 per cent. Sporadic night curfews have not done any good. Life is precious than the economy," the IMA said.

On COVID-19 vaccination, it said that it had made persistent calls for inoculation of those in the 18 to 45 years age bracket.

But it is "unfortunate" that the ministry has failed to make the necessary road map and ensure adequate stock of vaccine. This has resulted in non-roll out of vaccination for the age group in many places, the IMA said.

It also attacked the government on different prices of COVID vaccine and said it is because of this that the 18-45 year age group "are forbidden to get the free vaccination from the central share of 50 per cent and they are placed under the mercy of state governments".

The IMA said in 1997 and 2014, India could declare eradication of smallpox and polio only by adopting universal free vaccination.

"Unless the government comes out and implements with willingness and steadfastness for equitable distribution, we will not be able the achieve the goal (of speedy vaccination)," it said.

Claiming that the crisis of oxygen is deepening every day, the IMA said though there is enough production it is often the distribution which is not proper.

Most hospitals are not getting oxygen and patients are suffering, it said and added that resultant, people are knocking at the doors of courts to get justice.

"Imported oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants are yet to reach beneficiaries. IMA appeal, as the time is running out with the impending crisis lest we deepen the crisis, solve it on a war footing," it said.

The IMA said that the mutation is a norm for RNA viruses and understanding this needs proper gene sequencing and risk assessment.

"Unless we make our self-prepared to face this by enhancing testing, we will miss the boat," it said



The IMA pointed out that "we have lost 756 doctors in the first wave and in the second wave, more than 146 doctors have died within a short period".

"Hundreds of deaths happening in big hospitals are shown as non-COVID deaths and crematoriums are showing housefull boards. Why are we trying to hide actual deaths?" it said.

The IMA demanded capping of prices of life-saving drugs and removing GST from them.

It said that violence against doctors and health care professionals is increasing and demanded a central law against hospital violence tagged with IPC provisions.

The IMA said that the entire health care administration should be revamped with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care.

"We also demand to establish a new integrated ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front," it said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rapidly spreading Indian variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.617) could be accelerating India's devastating second wave of the pandemic, the World Health Organization's top scientist said on Sunday.

India reported over 4,000 fatalities from the deadly disease for the second consecutive day and over 403,738 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

In an interview to news agency AFP, Soumya Swaminathan warned that "the epidemiological features that we see in India today do indicate that it's an extremely rapidly spreading variant."

Swmaninathan also said that B 1.617 is a variant of concern as it has some mutations which increase transmission, that potentially could make it resistant to antibodies generated by vaccination or by natural infection.

However, she insisted that the variant alone may not be the reason for the alarming surge in cases and deaths seen in the country. Swaminathan hinted that the country may have let down its guard down, with "huge social mixing and large gatherings".

"In a large country like India, you could have transmission at low levels, which is what happened for many months. It was endemic (and) probably gradually increasing. Those early signs were missed until it reached the point at which it was taking off vertically," she said.

"At that point it's very hard to suppress, because it's then involving tens of thousands of people and it's multiplying at a rate at which it's very difficult to stop."

The second wave has been a catastrophe in every sense for the country with family members running from pillar-to-post to find ICU beds and oxygen cylinders. Hospitals have run out of basic medical supplies, and many patients died due to oxygen shortage. An ediorial from British journal Lancet warned that India could see a staggering 1 million deaths from the disease by August 1.
There seems to be no



let-up in COVID-19 cases in Kerala as the state on Sunday logged 35,801 fresh infections, taking the caseload to 18,72,573 and the test positivity rate to 28.88 per cent.

While active cases stood at 4,23,514, the toll mounted to 5,814 with 68 more deaths.

As many as 29,318 people have been cured, taking the total recoveries to14,72,951, the government said.

In the last 24 hours, as many as 1,23,980 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 28.88 per cent.

Ernakulam reported 4,767 cases, the highest among all 14 districts.

While Thiruvananthapuram reported 4,240 cases, other districts including Malappuram and Kozhikode reported 3,850 and 3,805 cases respectively.

Of the fresh cases, 316 people had come from outside the state and 32,627 were infected through contact, the government said, adding those who tested positive Sunday included 115 health workers.

One person who came from abroad was also tested positive for COVID-19.

At least 10,94,055people are under quarantine in various districts, including 31,430in hospitals.

(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.)
activists on Sunday



staged a protest at Diva in Thane district of Maharashtra against the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the law granting them reservation in admissions and jobs.

At least a dozen office-bearers and activists of the Bharatiya Maratha Sangh (BMS) tonsured their heads and displayed banners opposing the SC verdict at Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk.

Speaking on the occasion, BMS leaders lashed out at political leaders belonging to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government as well as the Opposition accusing them of leaving the Maratha community in the lurch.

They also threatened to take to the streets for restoring the quota and said they will not let MPs, MLAs and ministers move around.

(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.)
Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) has clarified that it has proposed to supply 35 lakh litres of Medical Oxygen per day, and not 3.5 lakh litres per day as it had stated earlier, free of cost for Covid patients in dire need in Telugu states. MEIL has made this proposal to the Telangana government.

"In consonance with the efforts of the governments in Telugu States, the Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) is reportedly offering free supply of Medical Oxygen B type cylinders free of cost to match the increasing number of Covid patients who are in dire need of Oxygen.

MEIL has submitted its proposal to the Telangana government", read a press release by MEIL. As per the initiative taken by the Engineering major, the MEIL is planning to supply 500 to 600 Oxygen cylinders per day with each cylinder having a capacity of 7,000 litres. The total quantum of supply of Oxygen thus will be around 35,00,000 litres per day.

MEIL has received request to refill Oxygen cylinders from Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (50 cylinders), Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital (200), Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences (100) and Hyderabad Care Hi-tech hospital (50). These hospitals have augmented their Covid bed strength based on the spurt in cases.

On the other hand, MEIL, with the technical support of DRDO, is planning to construct 30-40 oxygen generation plants. Each plant can generate 150-1,000 litres per minute based on the technology of on-board oxygen generation used in fighter planes. Director DRDO Col. BS Rawat has appointed Senior Scientist Dr Raghavendra Rao to coordinate the initiative.

MEIL is currently manufacturing a 30 Metric Tons per day Cryogenic Oxygen Liquefaction Plant and the same will be installed and commissioned at ITC Bhadrachalam latest by May 13. The cryogenic Oxygen will then be converted into usable liquid oxygen for medical purposes at the MEIL facilities.

(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 Ballia district administration has ordered a probe into the transfer of Rs 50 lakh under the Health Mission (NHM) to the personal account of an officer of the health department.

District Magistrate of Ballia Aditi Singh on Sunday said that Rs 50 lakh was deposited in the personal bank account of Vinod Kumar, the district account manager of NHM.

Chief development officer Praveen Verma said that he has formed a three-member committee to probe the matter, and the report will be filed soon.

District programme officer of NHM R B Yadav ruled out any irregularity in the transaction and said that because of some problems in netbanking, Kumar had transferred the money to his personal account.

The amount was subsequently deposited in the PF accounts of 294 staff members.

(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.)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said his government will consider importing COVID-19 vaccines to ensure that people in the state are inoculated against the viral disease at the earliest.

Speaking at a high-level meeting held to review the COVID-19 situation in the state, the chief minister stressed the need to accelerate the pace of vaccination to stem the spread of the pandemic and bring down the fatality rate.

Gehlot said all options should be considered to ensure the availability of vaccines in the state.

The state government will also consider importing vaccines as there is a need to inoculate the state's residents against COVID-19 at the earliest, he said.

The chief minister also directed officials to conduct special campaigns to generate awareness about the vaccination drive in rural areas as the pandemic is spreading very fast in villages.

Health machinery should be fully activated in rural areas to prevent its spread and provide immediate treatment to those infected, he said.

To generate awareness, Gehlot said, maximum participation of all state government personnel and panchayat level representatives should be ensured.

It is too late by the time people from villages arrive in cities for treatment. In such a situation, a door-to-door survey and distribution of medicine kits should be carried out, he said.

This will enable timely examination of symptomatic patients and it will be easier to save lives by providing medicines at the initial stage of the infection, he added.

Gehlot said experts are also anticipating a third wave of COVID-19 that could be more deadly. It is feared that it will affect children more.

In view of this, infrastructure should be strengthened in children's hospitals. Intensive care facilities like NICU and PICU, etc., should be strengthened in these hospitals, he said.

Health Minister Raghu Sharma suggested setting up oxygen plants at children's hospitals, too, to prepare the state for the potential third wave of the pandemic.

Rajasthan recorded 160 COVID-19 fatalities and 17,987 fresh cases on Saturday that pushed the death toll to 5,506 and the infection tally to 7,38,786, according to an official report.

(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 Biden administration is examining ways to ensure that a waiver of Covid-19 vaccine patents to aid poor countries will not hand sensitive U.S. biopharmaceutical technology to China and Russia, responding to a chorus of concerns, U.S. and industry officials say.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday backed the U.S. entering negotiations at the World Trade Organization for the waiver of intellectual property rights as a means to boost vaccine supplies by allowing poorer countries to make their own.

So far, vaccines have gone overwhelmingly to richer nations, which scooped up contracts for them earlier this year. Covid-19 infection rates in wealthy countries have dropped as vaccination rates increased this year, but infections are still rising in 36 countries, with Indias daily cases skyrocketing to nearly 400,000 a day.

Western pharmaceutical companies, many of which have received government support to develop vaccines, strongly oppose the transfer of intellectual property to make them. They say poorer countries will be slow to set up manufacturing capacity and compete for scarce supplies, hitting production.

Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer Inc, said on Friday that the proposed waiver would disrupt progress made so far in boosting vaccine supplies. It will unleash a scramble for the critical inputs we require in order to make a safe and effective vaccine. Entities with little or no experience in manufacturing vaccines are likely to chase the very raw materials we require to scale our production, putting the safety and security of all at risk.

Many companies and now some U.S. officials fear the move would allow China to leapfrog years of research and erode the U.S. advantage in biopharmaceuticals.

A senior Biden administration official said that while the priority is saving lives, the United States "would want to examine the effect of a waiver on China and Russia before it went into effect to ensure that it's fit for purpose."

A question and answer document produced by the administration and shared with industry representatives also acknowledges concerns that intellectual property sharing could damage the United State's competitive advantage over China, an industry source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

The contents of the document read to a Reuters reporter by an industry representative said the Biden administration believes it can address those concerns through the WTO negotiations, but did not specify how. The source added that some agencies in the Biden administration have conflicting views of how to address the concerns in negotiations that are expected to take months.

Spokespersons at the White House and U.S. Trade Representative's office had no immediate comment on the matter.

Pfizer and Moderna spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment on technology transfer concerns, while a Novavax spokesperson referred Reuters to the company's statement opposing the waiver on Friday, which said proposals to "weaken intellectual property protections would not achieve equitable vaccine access."

Enforcing limits on use of the technology could be very difficult, once handed over, some analysts say. Messenger RNA, used in Covid-19 vaccines by leaders Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, is a newly developed biotechnology that holds promise for treatments far beyond vaccines.

China and Russia have their own vaccines that do not use this biotechnology.

"It took Pfizer and Moderna years and years of research to develop these vaccines," said Gary Locke a former U.S. ambassador to China and U.S. Commerce Secretary. "China, Russia, India, South Africa and others want to gain access. Their intention is to get the underlying know-how so they can use it to develop further vaccines," Locke said.

China's Fosun Pharma has struck a deal with BioNTech on Covid-19 vaccine product development, which would potentially give it access to some of the technology.

China has high ambitions for its pharma industry and already is developing its own mRNA vaccine.

Patents themselves are publicly accessible, noted James Pooley, intellectual property attorney and former deputy director general of the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organization. But trade secrets developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and others, "cook books" of manufacturing processes such as temperature and growing conditions, have not been made public. That may ultimately be a dual problem for negotiators. Before they protect the knowledge, U.S. officials would have to ensure access to it.

Those companies would need to be persuaded to come to the bargaining table to give up such trade secrets.

What happens when it turns out that the U.S. cant actually deliver the information that is critically important to implementing the inventions? Pooley asked. This will be seen as another failure by the U.S. and other rich countries to keep their promises.
West Bengal on Saturday



registered its highest single-day COVID-19 deaths with 127 new fatalities, pushing the death toll to 12,203, the health department said.

The caseload increased to 9,73,718 after the state also recorded its highest one-day spike of 19,436 fresh cases, it said.

North 24 Parganas district accounted for the highest number of fatalities at 39 while the city registered 34 deaths, it said.

Neighbouring Hooghly district reported 9 COVID-19 deaths, South 24 Parganas (7), Howrah (6), and the rest of the fatalities were from the other districts.

Out of the 127 deaths, 50 were due to comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.

As many as 3,982 fresh infections were reported from North 24 Parganas while there were 3,961 new cases in the city.

In the last 24 hours, 18,243 patients have recuperated from the disease in West Bengal and the discharge rate has improved slightly to 85.89 per cent.

So far, 8,36,351 people have recovered from the infection.

At present, there are 1,25,164 active COVID-19 cases in the state.

Since Friday, 63,377 samples have been tested for in West Bengal, the bulletin said.

Altogether 1,09,05,646 samples have been tested for the infection in the state so far.

On Saturday, Dr Smarajit Jana, founder of Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Samiti, an NGO which works for the development and uplift of sex workers of the state, succumbed to COVID-19 at a private hospital.

Dr Jana (68), who breathed his last at around 11 AM on Saturday, played a pioneering role in combating the trafficking of women.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over Dr Jana's death.

Meanwhile, around 1,00,641 people were vaccinated in West Bengal and no adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) were reported on Saturday.

(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.)
Pope backs patent waiver on vaccines

President Biden and Pope Francis urged people to get vaccinated and underscored the need for global vaccine equity during a special broadcast. In a video message, Biden called on Americans to get vaccinated so that people can return to normal activities. The video was part of the Global Citizen event, VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World, which aims to promote global access to vaccines. Hosted by Selena Gomez, the concert also included performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, the Foo Fighters and J Balvin. In another video, Pope Francis signaled his support for the suspension of Covid-19 vaccine patents to help make shots more accessible for poor and middle-income nations. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics Global infections: 157,703,626 Global deaths: 3,283,422 Nations with most cases: US (32,686,462), India (22,296,081), Brazil (15,145,879), France (5,829,166), Turkey (5,016,141). Source: John Hopkins Research Center

EU leaders urge Biden to export vaccines now and worry about patents later

European Union leaders urged US President Joe Biden to lift restrictions on exports of Covid-19 vaccines to address the desperate needs of developing countries before embarking on complex discussions about whether patent waivers might also boost supply in the longer term. Gathering in Portugal shortly after the US suggested suspending intellectual property rights to boost the supply of Covid shots, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italys Mario Draghi appealed in unison to the US president to follow the EU example and start shipping significant numbers of vaccines. They argued that any patent waiver will only increase supply in the long term and the world needs a faster solution. Read here

US States turning down vaccines as demand declines

Declining demand for vaccines in the US is causing states across the country to refuse their full allocations of doses from the federal government. Reduced demand, which is contributing to a growing stockpile of doses, comes as nearly 46 per cent of the US population has received at least one dose and about 34 per cent are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Last week, Joe Biden announced a plan to get at least one dose of vaccine administered to 70 per cent of the nations adult population by July 4  a date also fixed for a full-economic and social interaction re-opening of America. Read here

Opinion: Authoritarian states are using vaccines to subvert democracy

China and Russia are engaged in a diplomatic offensive to gain maximum advantage from the global distribution of their vaccines. Asia -- along with Latin America and Africa -- is poised to be a major recipient of these vaccines. For authoritarian countries involved in global vaccine diplomacy, these tools meant to strengthen their soft power are often exploited to become sharp. First, as vaccines began to be developed, authorities in Russia and China employed information manipulation strategies to sow distrust in Western vaccines. Read here
Continuing a positive growth, India's exports grew by 80 per cent to $ 7.04 billion during the first week of this month, according to preliminary data of the

Exports during May 1-7 last year stood at $ 3.91 billion and $ 6.48 billion in the same week of May 2019, data showed.

Imports too rose by 80.7 per cent to $ 8.86 billion during May 1-7, 2021 as against $ 4.91 billion in the same period last year and $ 10.39 billion in 2019.

India's exports in April jumped nearly three-folds to $ 30.21 billion from $ 10.17 billion in the same month last year.

Major export commodities which are recording healthy growth include gems and jewellery, jute, carpet, handicrafts, leather, electronic goods, oil meals, cashew, engineering, petroleum products, marine products and chemicals.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President S K Saraf said that the exports growth is encouraging and order books of exporters are healthy.

"I will urge the government to look into the issues of (merchandise export from India scheme). RoDTEP (remission of duties and taxes on export products) rates should allso be announced immediately to further push the shipments as profitability of exporters are getting impacted," 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.)
After dipping into his savings to weather Indias snap pandemic lockdown last March, Manoj Kumar was just getting his head above water again earning 600 rupees ($8) a day as a construction worker in the tourist hotspot of Goa.

Hed squirreled away enough for a trip last month to his native village in Bihar some 1,490 miles away for a wedding. Hes still there, stuck in one of the nations least developed states, as a fierce second Covid-19 wave triggers the worlds worst health crisis and prevents his return. On a lucky day, hell land some odd jobs that fetch him as much as 300 rupees. But there arent too many of those chores left. So hes taking loans to feed and clothe his wife and three kids.

It is all in Gods hands now, said Kumar, whos told his wife to curtail spending on items such as lentils, cooking oil and clothes. I dont know when I will return. My family is worried and doesnt want me to go back as the cases are also rising in Goa.

Kumar, 40, is one of the millions of migrant workers who form part of Indias vast unreported informal sector, which accounts for half of its $2.9 trillion, domestic demand-driven economy. A protracted Covid wave is shrinking incomes and wiping out savings of people like Kumar, posing the risk of a double whammy for Asias third-largest economy thats still struggling to recover from last years pandemic-induced recession.

The government estimates Indias gross domestic product shrank 8 per cent in the year ended March, its biggest contraction since 1952. Many economists are cutting their forecasts for the current fiscal year as rising unemployment and dwindling savings dim the chances of a double-digit growth. Shaun Roache, chief economist for Asia Pacific at S&P Global Ratings, slashed his prediction to 9.8 per cent from 11 per cent earlier. Fitch Solutions sees the economy expanding by 9.5 per cent, a projection thats below the Bloomberg consensus of around 11 per cent.

A drawn-out Covid-19 outbreak will impede Indias economic recovery, Singapore-based Roache said. The country already faces a permanent loss of output versus its pre-pandemic path, suggesting a long-term production deficit equivalent to about 10 per cent of GDP.



With the latest surge caused by a new strain, total infections in India have risen to 21.89 million, a third of which were added just in the past three weeks alone. Daily death count hit a record at 4,187 on Saturday. Experts have warned the crisis has the potential to worsen in the coming weeks, with one model predicting as many as 1,018,879 deaths by the end of July, quadrupling from the current official count of 238,270.

Harsh and Sudden

As new travel restrictions are put in place in some of the nations biggest economic centers to contain the outbreak, Indias poor are likely to bear the brunt again, just as they did in 2020. They have yet to recover from the lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in late March last year. The harsh and sudden measure sparked an exodus of migrant workers from cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi, as they trekked hundreds of miles to reach home.

People like Kumar typically work without contracts and often for a pittance. The so-called informal economy in India employs approximately 411 million workers, according to calculations by Jeemol Unni, a professor of economics at Ahmedabad University, who relied on surveys by the governments National Statistical Office to arrive at the number. While the low-paying farm sector employs the bulk of them, construction comes second with about 56 million.



Unprotected by unions and politicians, these laborers often miss out on handouts from governments. After meeting daily expenses, they are left with little to pay for health care and medicines -- a risky situation especially when a pathogen is taking lives and sending thousands to intensive care at overcrowded hospitals running short of beds.

Dip in Savings

Economists warn depleting household savings and falling incomes will have an impact on domestic consumption, which accounts for almost 60 per cent of GDP. A study by Nikhil Gupta, an economist at Mumbai-based brokerage Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd., found that Indias household savings dropped to 22.1 per cent of GDP in the quarter through December, from 28.1 per cent in the three months ended June last year. Full-year numbers show Indias savings growth lagged behind the likes of the US, the U.K. and Japan, he said.

A slower rise in household savings, coupled with similar or slower decline in consumption, confirms weak income growth in India, Gupta said. If so, the contribution of pent-up demand in growth recovery would also be limited in India compared with other nations.

Data showed April jobless rate increased to nearly 8 per cent from 6.5 per cent in March, with more than seven million exiting the workforce last month, according to data from Center for Monitoring Pvt., a private research firm.

As a result of all the turmoil that started last year, income inequality is deepening in India. A study by Pew Research Center has shown an estimated 75 million people slipped into poverty since the pandemic began. The second wave is set to crush some more. For the study, Pew considered daily incomes of 150 rupees or less as poor, 151 to 750 rupees as low income and 3,750 rupees and above as high income.

A study by the Azim Premji University in Bangalore showed even more alarming numbers. About 230 million individuals slid below the national daily minimum wage threshold of 375 rupees during the pandemic, it said.

Though India could still emerge as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it will also be one of the most unequal countries, Oxfam, a non-profit organization said.

Stephen Schwarzman, chairman of Blackstone Group Inc., said in an interview last month that hes confident of the long-term prospects of India. The private-equity firm, which has plowed billions of dollars into the country and owns many of the nations big office towers, said it would be accelerating its activities in the country. We will be investing more in the next 10 years than we have invested in the previous period, he said.

Duvvuri Subbarao, a former governor of Indias central bank, said the strife faced by the informal-economy workers could hurt Indias long-term growth prospects. Inequalities have intensified because the formal sector has nearly normalized while the informal sector remains distressed, he said.

Slower growth would be bad for workers like A.K. Singh, who was a cook for a monthly salary of about 20,000 rupees in a restaurant in Mumbai. He fled recently to his home town of Gorakhpur in northern India to start a tire business, for which hes waiting for a loan.

I used some of my savings and money I received from my last salary, he said. But theres a lockdown here too for the past week. My shop was hardly open for two days during the week. What will we earn out of that?

--With assistance from Baiju Kalesh and Rahul Satija.
Even as the demand for liquid medical (LMO) in the country continues to rise amid the second Covid-19 wave, the supply of the life-saving gas is nearing the 1,000-tonnes-per-day mark in Uttar Pradesh.

During the past 24 hours, the state witnessed supply and distribution of about 950 tonnes of LMO, and the government is now taking steps to increase supply further.

LMO has been supplied to the worst-affected districts of Lucknow and Kanpur by the Express, and the special cargo trains are now being arranged for Gorakhpur and adjoining districts.

UP chief minister today said the state government was working 24X7 to improve the LMO situation in other districts, including Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), Ghaziabad and Saharanpur, which flank the National Capital Region (NCR).

In fact, the state is preparing to float a global tender for urgent procurement of cryogenic tankers to overcome the unfolding crisis. Currently, 89 tankers have been pressed into service to transport medical oxygen in UP.

Recently, the Centre had simplified the import of oxygen cylinders and cryogenic tankers in India, which is battling a stiff second wave. The union commerce and industry ministry would facilitate speedy online approval for such vital imports.

Meanwhile, the Adityanath government has intensified oxygen audit, which has also revealed disproportionate consumption of the commodity in some hospitals. The state is looking at ensuring seamless supply and demand based allocation of the commodity to the affected districts.

In wake of the improving O2 matrix in UP, the CM today directed health officials to arrange for 100,000 beds in level 1 and level 2 Covid hospitals. The state medical education department has been asked to arrange for oxygen supported Covid beds in the coming weeks. The state will also seek the cooperation of the private sector hospitals.

The government is working to ensure the ready availability of Covid drugs, such as Remdesivir. So far, the Centre has supplied nearly 0.5 million vials, which would suffice for utilisation in UP till May 16. The state administers these drugs for free in government hospitals.
National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL), the name coined for the announced in the Budget 2021-22, is expected to be operational in June.

refers to a financial institution that takes over bad assets of lenders and undertakes resolution.

The new entity is being created in collaboration with both public and private sector banks, Indian Banks' Association Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sunil Mehta told PTI.

"Various preparatory work is going on and we hope that it should be operational next month. The biggest advantage of NARCL would be aggregation of identified NPAs (non-performing assets).

"This is expected to be more efficient in recovery as it will step into the shoes of multiple lenders who currently have different compulsions when it comes to resolving a bad loan," he said.

NARCL will take over identified bad loans of lenders, Mehta said. He added that the lead bank with offer in hand of NARCL will go for a 'Swiss Challenge', where other asset reconstruction players will be invited to better the offer made by a chosen bidder for finding higher valuation of an NPA on sale.

The company will pick up those assets that are 100 per cent provided for by the lenders, he added.

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2021-22 announced that the high level of provisioning by public sector of their stressed assets calls for measures to clean up the bank books.

"An Asset Reconstruction Company Limited and Asset Management Company would be set up to consolidate and take over the existing stressed debt," she had said in the Budget speech. It will then manage and dispose of the assets to alternate investment funds and other potential investors for eventual value realisation, she added.

Last year, IBA had made a proposal for creation of a for swift resolution of non-performing assets (NPAs). The government accepted the proposal and decided to go for asset reconstruction company (ARC) and asset management company (AMC) model for this.

Mehta further said NARCL will pay up to 15 per cent of the agreed value for the loans in cash and the remaining 85 per cent would be government-guaranteed security receipts.

The government guarantee would be invoked if there is loss against the threshold value, he added.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that loans classified as fraud cannot be sold to NARCL. As per the annual report of the RBI, about 1.9 lakh crore of loans have been classified as fraud as on March 2020.

To facilitate smooth functioning of asset reconstruction companies, the RBI last month decided to set up a panel to undertake a comprehensive review of the working of such institutions.

After enactment of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act in 2002, regulatory guidelines for ARCs were issued in 2003 to enable development of this sector and to facilitate smooth functioning of these companies.

Since then, while ARCs have grown in number and size, their potential for resolving stressed assets is yet to be realised fully.

(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.)
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

Australia's borders were slammed shut in March last year as the spread across the world. Only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter the country under some strict COVID-19 border rules.

On April 27, suspended all direct passenger flights from India with immediate effect until May 15 due to the "very significant" spike in COVID-19 cases there.

According to media reports here, Morrison said he "doesn't see an appetite" for opening to the world at the moment, and that he intended to be cautious



He further said that it was still unclear if it was safe to reopen even after the vaccination rollout completion and that he has no plans to abandon a "zero cases" target.

Morrison said that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world so as to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

I think what we're seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic is not going anywhere," Morrison said.

All I know is once you let (COVID-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. You've crossed that threshold. We continue to roll out the vaccination programme, over the course of this year, and in the meantime, I intend to be cautious, it's in my nature, he added.

"We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has," he said.

In a later Facebook post, he warned borders would only be opened "when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead."



I think Australians want to ensure that the way we're living at the moment is maintained, he said.

It follows Finance Minister Simon Birmingham's comments on Thursday that borders opening was unlikely to happen soon because there has been a clear message Australians do not want to risk COVID entering this country.

The total number of cases in are 29,906 and the death toll stands at 910.

A total of 2.5 million Australians have received their first dose of the vaccine, according to Federal Government figures.But the government has received criticism for its slow roll-out, falling well below its target of having four million adults given the jab by the end of March, according to a media report.

On May 7, Morrison said that Australia will charter three repatriation flights from India between May 15 and May 31. The first flight into Darwin will touch down on May 15. Direct commercial flights from India are still banned.

Morrison said flights being organised to repatriate stranded Australians will be "focused on bringing those Australian citizens, residents and families who have been registered with our high commission and consular offices within India."



Official figures say there are currently 9,000 Australians in India who want to return home.

(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.)
Remains of a huge Chinese have landed in the ocean, according to a statement by the Manned Space Agency, amid global concern the countrys space program lost control of a giant chunk of debris.

Pieces of the Long March 5B re-entered the atmosphere at 10:24 a.m. Sunday local time and plunged into the sea at around 72.47 degrees east longitude and 2.65 degrees north latitude, the agency said in the statement posted on its official website.

launched the in late April to deliver the first part of the countrys space station, but unlike other large launch vehicles that typically fall back to Earth in a pre-planned area, the Long March 5s core stage went into orbit, too. Chinas Foreign Ministry said Friday that the rocket was unlikely to cause any damage because most of it would burn up during re-entry.

Most components have been burned and destroyed during the re-entry into the atmosphere, the Sunday statement said.

Under President Xi Jinping, is trying to become a space power on par with the U.S. In 2019, the Asian nation became the first country to send a probe to the far side of the moon, and this month a Chinese spacecraft will attempt to land on the surface of Mars.

The Long March 5B debris wasnt the first scare involving Chinas giant rocket, which the country is counting on for its space station as well as deep space exploration.

Last year, part of a Chinese rocket crashed in the West African nation of Cote dIvoire after Chinese authorities seemed to have lost control, the U.S. Space Command said at the time. The crash earned China a public rebuke from then-NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

Commonplace

The new incident with the Long March 5B raises the prospect of uncontrolled re-entries becoming commonplace, according to Jonathan McDowell, a scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, because China will be using the rocket for its space station as well as other missions.

Now we can conclude that this is design feature of the Long March 5B, he said.

Since the demise of Skylab, the NASA space station that crashed into Western Australia in 1979, most programs have gone to great lengths not to risk putting big stages of rockets into orbit.

If you design them the dumb way, they end up in orbit, McDowell said. For some reason, China when designing the Long March 5B said We dont really care, well just do it the simple way.

That may be because of the unusual design of the Chinese rocket, according to Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian company based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, that plans on launching its first rocket next year.

The second stage of the Long March 5B is much larger than that of a comparable rocket from Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, the company backed by billionaire Elon Musk, Gilmour said.

Read more: Russia, U.S. and China Are in a Scary Space Race: Tobin Harshaw

You shove up into space this massive second stage, and if you cant control it safely to land, you might damage things, he said.

The lack of information from China regarding the rocket highlights the need for greater openness from that country about its space projects, said Richard de Grijs, an astrophysics professor at Macquarie University in Sydney and former faculty member at Peking University in Beijing.

The Chinese space program is run by the Chinese military, so its very hush-hush, he said.

While that military control is unlikely to change, China could still find ways to share more information with outsiders, something that will be increasingly important as it moves forward with projects like the space station.

Whenever you send up a rocket, it needs to go somewhere, de Grijs said. There will be more debris.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
has been re-elected as Mayor of London for a second term after beating his closest rival with a vote share of 55.2 per cent versus 44.8 per cent in an election that was closer than expected.

Labour Party candidate Khan, 51, defeated his Conservative Party rival, Shaun Bailey, after winning a total of 1,206,034 votes as against 977,601 when both first and second preference votes from Thursday's mayoral election were fully counted overnight on Saturday.

The Pakistani-origin former Labour member of Parliament was the first Muslim mayor of a European capital city when he was first elected in 2016. The mayoral poll was due last year but was postponed by a year at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

"I am deeply humbled by the trust Londoners have placed in me to continue leading the greatest city on earth," said Khan.

"I promise to strain every sinew, help build a better and brighter future for London, after the dark days of the pandemic and to create a greener, fairer and safer city for all Londoners, to get the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential. I am proud to have won an overwhelming mandate today," he said, speaking at his City Hall office.

Khan reiterated his previous pledge to be a mayor for all Londoners and work to improve the lives of every single person in this city.

"The results of the elections around the UK shows our country, and even our city, remains deeply divided. The scars of Brexit have yet to heal. A crude culture war is pushing us further apart," he said.

"As we seek to confront the enormity of the challenge ahead, and as we endeavour to rebuild from this pandemic, we must use this moment of national recovery to heal those damaging divisions," he added.

Rival Bailey said he had been "written off" by pollsters, journalists and other politicians but Londoners didn't write me off".

His victory is one of the few positives for the Labour Party as the party held on to its dominance in the London Assembly as well. Labour also kept hold of its mayoralty in Greater Manchester, where Andy Burnham was re-elected in a landslide win.

However, overall the local election performance has been largely dismal for the Opposition party as it lost many of its strongholds. The Conservatives have gained control of around 12 councils and the Labour has lost control of seven and the Labour failed in its attempt to oust Conservative Andy Street as the popular mayor of the West Midlands.

UK Environment Secretary George Eustice said the Labour had been punished in Leave-voting areas by "wrangling" over Brexit in recent years. The Boris Johnson led Conservatives are also seen to have benefitted from the successful roll-out of vaccines against COVID-19.

The polls were seen as the first major leadership test for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who took over from Jeremy Corbyn after a disastrous December 2019 general election defeat.

He reacted by dramatically dismissing his deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was also the party's local election campaign chair. Starmer, who said he takes full responsibility for his party's poll setback, is set to reshuffle his top team further.

(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.)
Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed that the state received 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Saturday night, while Andhra Pradesh government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of the same on Sunday.

As states are conducting large-scale vaccination drives against coronavirus, and have received fresh stocks of COVID-19 vaccines.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed that the state received 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Saturday night, while government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of the same on Sunday.

has received a total of 6.5 lakh doses of vaccines out of the two crores ordered, he informed further. He further informed that the central government has so far supplied over 1.1 crore doses.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "In the order placed by Karnataka government to procure 2 crore doses of Covishield, we received 3.5 lakh doses on Saturday night taking the total delivery to 6.5 lakh doses. So far GoI has supplied 1,10,49,470 doses including 99,58,190 doses of Covishield and 10,91,280 doses of Covaxin."

Sudhakar also announced that the state will start its third phase of the vaccination drive for people aged 18-44 years from May 10, which was earlier postponed due to the unavailability of COVID-19 vaccines in the state.

In many other states, the third phase of the vaccination drive for the newly added age group commenced on May 1, as per schedule.

"COVID-19 vaccination will be provided for citizens aged between 18 to 44 years at KC General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital, Sir C.V.Raman General Hospital, Government Medical Colleges, ESI Hospitals and NIMHANS from Monday, 10th May," he said in another tweet.

Further elaborating on how the third phase will begin, he wrote, "In other districts, initially vaccination will be provided at District Hospitals, Government Medical Colleges and all Taluka Hospitals. Number of vaccination centres will be increased as and when more vaccines will become available."

He also stated that walk-ins would not be allowed. It is mandatory for people to register on the CoWIN portal or Aarogya Setu app.

"All Vaccination Centres providing vaccination for this age group 18 to 44 will have an exclusive session site earmarked for them. Vaccination will be provided to only those who have registered and scheduled an appointment on the Co-win portal and walk-ins will not be allowed," added Sudhakar.

Assuring that everyone will be inoculated in the vaccination drive, he said, "Government is leaving no stone unturned to vaccinate each and every citizen at earliest and is making continuous efforts to secure supply of vaccines. I urge all citizens, especially my young friends, to wait for your turn and government will ensure you will surely get your jab."

Meanwhile, the government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of Covishield from Serum Institute Pune via airway on Sunday morning.

"The vaccine was unloaded at Gannavaram Airport, and from there it is being sent to state vaccine store at Gannavaram," they 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.)
Paul Maxwell, former contributor to John Piper's hugely popular apologetics website Desiring God, has announced he is no longer a Christian.

Maxwell has a PhD in philosophy from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is a former professor of philosophy at the Moody Bible Institute. He currently works for Tithe.ly, a church tithing app.

He wrote dozens of articles for Desiring God between 2014 and 2017, many of them on dating, relationships and issues affecting Christian men.

But in an emotional Instagram Stories video, he revealed that he is no longer a Christian.

In the video, he fought back tears as he told his friends and followers that he is happy and contemplating his next step.

"What I really miss is connection with people," he said.

"What I've discovered is that I'm ready to connect again. And I'm kind of ready not to be angry anymore. I love you guys, and I love all the friendships and support I've built here.

"And I think it's important to say that I'm just not a Christian anymore, and it feels really good. I'm really happy.

"I can't wait to discover what kind of connection I can have with all of you beautiful people as I try to figure out what's next.

"I love you guys. I'm in a really good spot. Probably the best spot of my life. I'm so full of joy for the first time. I love my life."

He also revealed that some people had told him he's going to go Hell now, but he added that he's not angry with them.

"I just say, 'I know that you love me.' I know, and I receive it as love," he said.

"I know you care about the eternal state of my soul and you pushed through the social awkwardness of telling me this because you don't want me to suffer. And that is a good thing. That's a loving thing to do.

"And I hear where you're coming from, and I respect your perspective."

A number of high profile Christians have given up the faith in the last few years, including I Kissed Dating Goodbye author Joshua Harris, Hillsong worship leader Marty Sampson, and more recently Hawk Nelson frontman Jon Steingard.

When Harris left the faith, he said: "Many people tell me that there is a different way to practise faith and I want to remain open to this, but I'm not there now."

In 2019, Sampson wrestled publicly with his Christian faith before shocking the global church with his decision to call it quits.

"It was amazing being one of you, but I'm not any more," he said at the time.

"I love you all, and I always will. I won't forget how much I love Christians, even if they don't love me, I will always love you. Sorry for any bad words I have ever said about any of you. Forgive me. I love you all."

Steingard now describes his spirituality as "curious", and hosts a video discussion series on his Instagram page in which he discusses life, faith and Christianity.



On Twitter, he recently posted: "I no longer call myself a Christian but I've never been more deeply fascinated by the Bible. Anyone else have this experience?"
Congress leader on Sunday sharpened his attack against his own government in Punjab, alleging that there is a "consensus" among legislators that the state is being run by the "Badals" instead of their own party.

Sidhu's fresh salvo against his own government has come a day after he alleged that it was Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's "incompetence" that the government was forced to accept the Punjab and Haryana High Court order over the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case.

The Amritsar MLA has been critical of his own government ever since the HC quashed an SIT probe report into the incident, which had taken place in Punjab's Faridkot during a protest against the desecration of a religious text.

Responding to his unrelenting attack, the Punjab CM had earlier called the Congress leader's outbursts "total indiscipline", suggesting that he may be leaving for the AAP.

Referring to the Badals, who led the previous SAD-BJP coalition government in the state, the Amritsar MLA alleged that the state bureaucracy and police were "acting" as per their "wishes".

"Consensus among MLAs, Badal Sarkar is ruling in lieu of Congress Govt ... Bureaucracy and Police act as per wishes of Badal Family, more often than listening to our MLAs and Party workers. Govt run not for welfare of the People, but for continuing control of Mafia Raj #75-25," alleged Sidhu in a tweet on Sunday.

The Amritsar MLA's consistent frontal attacks come in the wake of reports that some Congress legislators, including two ministers and Sidhu, held meetings in the past a few days.

The group of legislators reportedly decided to exert pressure on the Punjab CM to take action against those involved in the desecration of the religious text.

The Congress had in the run-up to the 2017 Assembly polls promised to take strict action against the culprits.

Last month, in a meeting with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his farm house, several party MLAs had urged him to bring the culprits to justice expeditiously.

Congress MLA Pargat Singh, who is close to Navjot Sidhu, had then said that he had told the CM that there was a public perception that he and the Badals were "hand in glove" with each other.

Sidhu had earlier attacked Amarinder Singh, accusing him of evading responsibility in the case and saying that it was a "failure of one person who is hand in glove with the culprits".

(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.)
Ending the suspense over chief minister post of Assam, Union Minister and BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar announced on Sunday that was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP Legislative Party in Assam and is all set to become the chief minister of the state.

Sarma's name was proposed by Chief Minister and seconded by BJP state party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and newly elected Haflong MLA Nandita Garlosa.

The AGP Legislature party which also held a meeting on Sunday announced that it would support the leader elected by the BJP Legislature Party.

In the 126-member Assembly, the NDA has won 75 seats and the Congress-led 'Grand Alliance' bagged 50 seats.

Earlier during the day, incumbent chief minister tendered his resignation to Governor Jagadish Mukhi prior to a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party. As a tradition, the governor asked him to continue till the formation of the next government.

On Saturday, the two main contenders for the post -- and -- met BJP president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Three rounds of meetings were held at Nadda's residence between both leaders from Assam.

Sarma, who was elected from the Jalukbari assembly seat for the fifth time since 2001, was a key minister in the earlier Sonowal government. As the health minister, he was lauded for his handling of the coronavirus crisis during the first wave.

The 52-year-old leader is the BJP's lead strategist in the north eastern states and a troubleshooter for the party in the region.

With inputs from Agenices
The coronavirus recovery rate in the state now is 89.71 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.99 and the positivity rate at eight per cent, the official said.

reported 244 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike, pushing the tally in the state to 20,046, a health department official said here on Sunday.

The Capital Complex region recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 77, followed by Tawang (33), 20 each in Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit, Changlang (19), Lower Siang (13), East Siang (12) and Lower Subansiri (10), State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Nine cases were also reported from Namsai, seven from East Kameng, Papumpare (6), four each from West Kameng, Upper Subansiri and Upper Siang and one each from Leparada, West Siang, Shi-Yomi, Dibang Valley, Anjaw and Tirap district respectively, the official said.

Four CRPF personnel and an army jawan are among the fresh cases.

Of the total new cases, 211 were detected through rapid antigen test, 17 through RT-PCR and 16 through TrueNat method, he said.

Barring 96, all the fresh cases are asymptomatic, the SSO said.

At least 135 people were cured of the disease on Saturday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 17,984.

The death toll in the state remained at 60 as the state did not report any COVID-19 death in the last 24 hours, Dr Jampa said.

The recovery rate in the state now is 89.71 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.99 and the positivity rate at eight per cent, the official said.

now has 2,002 active COVID-19 cases, Dr Jampa said.

The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 570, followed by Lower Dibang Valley (297), West Kameng (139), Lower Subansiri (124), Papumpare (120) and Changlang at 103.

The state government on Saturday imposed night curfew in the entire state from 6.30 pm to 5 am till May 31, to contain the spread of the disease.

Altogether, 4,80,631 samples have been tested for COVID-19, including 3,165 on Saturday, the SSO said.

Meanwhile, State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that 2,84,949 people have been inoculated since the beginning of the vaccination programme in January.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As many as 2,118 branches of 10 public sector banks have either been closed or merged with other banks in the last fiscal, according to an RTI reply.

The highest number of 1,283 branches of Bank of Baroda were either closed or merged, according to information provided to an RTI query filed by Neemuch-based activist Chandrashekhar Gaud.

No branch of Bank of India and UCO bank was closed in the last fiscal. The government consolidated ten PSU banks into four in the last financial year, bringing the number of nationalised banks to 12.

All India Bank Employees Association general secretary CH Venkatachalam said a dip in the number of the public sector banks was not in the interest of the banking industry and domestic economy.

He said there was a need to expand the branches of the banks to cater to the vast population in the country.

Bringing down the number of bank branches has reduced employment opportunities in the banking sector following which the young people were frustrated, Venkatachalam added.

Also read: FPIs pull out Rs 5,936 cr from equities in May amid raging 2nd COVID-19 wave

Also read: COVID-19 second wave: Centre releases Rs 8,923.9 cr to panchayats in 25 states
Chinese military scientists allegedly investigated weaponising coronaviruses five years before the COVID-19 pandemic and may have predicted a World War III fought with biological weapons, according to media reports referring to documents obtained by the US State Department.

According to 'The Sun' newspaper in the UK, quoting reports first released by 'The Australian', the "bombshell" documents obtained by the US State Department reportedly show the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) commanders making the sinister prediction.

US officials allegedly obtained the papers which were written by military scientists and senior Chinese public health officials in 2015 as part of their own investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Chinese scientists described SARS coronaviruses - of which COVID is one example - as presenting a "new era of genetic weapons".

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, several of which cause respiratory diseases in humans - ranging from a common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The PLA papers referenced seem to fantasise that a bioweapon attack could cause the "enemy's medical system to collapse".

It references work by US Air Force colonel Michael J. Ainscough, who predicted World War III may be fought with bioweapons.

The paper also includes musing that SARS - which hit China in 2003 - could have been a man-made bioweapon deliberately unleashed by "terrorists".

Also read: COVID-19: Centre releases advisory on mucormycosis, says may turn fatal if uncared

They reportedly boasted the viruses could be "artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponised and unleashed in a way never seen before".

The document lists some of China's top public health figures among the authors and has been revealed in an upcoming book on the origins of COVID, titled 'What Really Happened In Wuhan'.

China reported the first COVID-19 case in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and since then the deadly disease has become a pandemic, affecting more than 15,77,89,300 people and causing over 32,85,200 deaths worldwide.

Tom Tugendhat MP and Australian politician James Paterson said the document raises major concerns about China's transparency on the origins of COVID-19.

Tugendhat, chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, was quoted in 'The Sun' as saying: "China's evident interest in bioweapons is extremely concerning. Even under the tightest controls these weapons are dangerous.

"This document raises major concerns about the ambitions of some of those who advise the top party leadership."

Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told news.com.au that the document is as close to a "smoking gun" as we've got.

"I think this is significant because it clearly shows that Chinese scientists were thinking about military application for different strains of the coronavirus and thinking about how it could be deployed," said Jennings.

"It begins to firm up the possibility that what we have here is the accidental release of a pathogen for military use," added Jennings.

He also said that the document may explain why China has been so reluctant for outside investigations into the origins of COVID-19.

"If this was a case of transmission from a wet market it would be in China's interest to co-operate...we've had the opposite of that."

Among the 18 listed authors of the document are People's Liberation Army scientists and weapons experts.

Robert Potter, a cyber security specialist who analyses leaked Chinese government documents was asked by The Australian to verify the paper. He says the document definitely is not fake.

"We reached a high confidence conclusion that it was genuine...It's not fake but it's up to someone else to interpret how serious it is," Potter told news.com.au.

"It emerged in the last few years...they (China) will almost certainly try to remove it now it's been covered."

Questions remain over the origins of the deadly virus after a much derided World Health Organisation (WHO) probe earlier this year, with the organisation ordering a further investigation which factors in the possibly of a lab leak.

Most scientists have said there is no evidence that COVID-19 is manmade - but questions remain whether it may have escaped from a secretive biolab in Wuhan - from where the pandemic originated.

China is known to have been carrying out high risk "gain of function" research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) - which is near the outbreak's ground zero at the Huanan Seafood Market.

There is no evidence so far to suggest it was intentionally released by China.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, the state-run Global Times newspaper slammed The Australian for publishing the article to smear China.

An academic book that explores bioterrorism and possibilities of viruses being used in warfare was interpreted as a conspiracy theory by The Australian, which deliberately and malignantly intends to invent pretexts to smear China, Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the newspaper.

"It is a shame for anti-China forces in Australia to back their own ideology against China at the expense of basic professional journalistic ethics, conspiring to twist the real meaning of the book," Chen said.

Also read: India 'squandered' its early successes in tackling COVID-19; PM Modi's actions 'inexcusable': Lancet report
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognised that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is airborne and can be transmitted via respiratory fluids, which are fine droplets released during respiration.

Revising its public guidelines on COVID-19, the top US medical body has modified the listed modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to comprise the probability of the virus being airborne.

"People release respiratory fluids during exhalation (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing, sneezing) in the form of droplets across a spectrum of sizes. These droplets carry virus and transmit infection," the updated guidelines on US CDC's website noted.

Also Read: COVID-19 is primarily airborne, safety protocols should change urgently: Lancet report

The medical body said people release respiratory fluids while talking which settle on nearby surfaces or can remain suspended in the air. Although the larger droplets settle out of the air swiftly within seconds to minutes, the smallest droplets and aerosol particles can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.

The US CDC also noted that while infections through inhalation at distances greater than six feet from an infectious source are not as likely, an infectious person breathing out the virus indoors for a prolonged period of time can result in concentration of the virus in the air, which may then infect people who are even six feet away.

The medical body's guidelines update comes nearly a month after a report in the Lancet medical journal claimed that there is consistent, strong evidence to prove that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is predominantly transmitted through the air.

Also Read: COVID-19 is airborne but doesn't mean outside air is contaminated; here's what it means

The analysis by six experts from the UK, US, and Canada said public health measures fail to treat the virus as predominantly the airborne route leave people unprotected and allow the virus to spread.

"The evidence supporting airborne transmission is overwhelming, and evidence supporting large droplet transmission is almost non-existent," said Jose-Luis Jimenez, from the University of Colorado Boulder in the US.

"It is urgent that the World Health Organization and other public health agencies adapt their description of transmission to the scientific evidence so that the focus of mitigation is put on reducing airborne transmission," Jimenez stated.
CLAIM: Pfizer admits in its COVID-19 clinical trial protocol document that vaccinated people can "shed" the vaccine, emitting materials that can spread to unvaccinated people by inhalation or skin contact.

AP'S ASSESSMENT: False. Covid-19 vaccines that are in use, including the Pfizer vaccine, cannot spread between people. Posts making the false claim are misrepresenting standard language in the protocol document intended to protect pregnant women and monitor their potential exposure during clinical trials.

THE FACTS: Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine does not shed from person to person, nor has the company admitted any such thing.

"The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is a synthetic mRNA vaccine and does not contain any virus particles. Because there is no virus produced in the body, no shedding occurs within the human body," Pfizer spokesperson Jerica Pitts told The Associated Press in an email. "The vaccine cannot be inhaled via shedding and can only enter the human body through an administered dose."

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer-BioNTech eye $26 bn revenue, Moderna estimates $19.2 bn sales in 2021

The US Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer's vaccine in December after extensive clinical trials. Women who were pregnant or breastfeeding were excluded from joining those early clinical studies, and participants were instructed to take measures to avoid pregnancy.

The false posts use a portion of a November clinical trial protocol document that addresses pregnant women to support the bogus theory that a vaccinated person can spread the vaccine or provoke supposed side effects in another person.

The document says any exposures during pregnancy should be reported, and defines such cases broadly to include instances where a pregnant woman is exposed to the vaccine "by inhalation or skin contact" or if a man who received the vaccine or was exposed to it "then exposes his female partner prior to or around the time of conception."

Also Read: COVID-19 is airborne, acknowledges US CDC

That language can be relevant to other kinds of vaccines, including certain ones that contain live viruses, said Dr. Justin Brandt, an assistant professor at the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

"That language probably doesn't have any relevance to this specific type of vaccine platform," Brandt said of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, which does not contain live virus.

Dr. Shobha Swaminathan, an associate professor of medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, referred to the document's language as "generic" meant to cover cases of "any potential exposures, including possible accidental ones."

Swaminathan told The Associated Press that "exposure" through inhalation or skin contact could refer to incidents where a pregnant woman was near a syringe that contained the product and accidentally broke.

But in the case of Covid-19 vaccines, the degree of absorption from spilling the vaccine on your skin is "probably going to be negligible to non-existent," Swaminathan said.

Regarding the document's guidelines requiring reporting if a vaccinated man potentially exposes a woman "around the time of conception," Swaminathan said the language is meant to gather information on any type of exposure before the risks are known.

"Initially, you might not potentially know whether any of the vaccine is actually getting into the semen, if any of the semen are affected," Swaminathan said. At this stage of research, however, she said: "We know that it really does not affect fertility at all."

False posts have misinterpreted this protocol document as evidence that unvaccinated people -- particularly pregnant women -- should keep away from people vaccinated against Covid-19. The AP has previously debunked that false theory.

"It is very easy for these people, who have no understanding of the rigorous regulations and processes involved in undertaking the conduct of a clinical trial and have never been involved in the conduct of a trial to, in isolation, comment on the standard handling processes of investigational products out of context," said Kathleen M. Mullane, director of infectious diseases clinical trials and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
The Uttar Pradesh government, on Sunday, May 9, extended the duration of the partial curfew imposed in the state by another week till May 17 as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, an official spokesman said. All shops and establishments will remain shut till May 17 until further order by the UP government.

The decision has been taken by the state government to break the chain of COVID transmission as it continues to grip the country.

Also Read: COVID-19 restrictions extended till May 6 in UP

The previous curfew was slated to end on Monday, May 10, morning. The UP government had on April 29 announced that weekend curfews will also cover Mondays.

However, the state dispensation later extended the order till May 6 further protracting it until May 10.

On Saturday, 298 people died due to COVID-19 in UP. The state also registered 26,847 new coronavirus cases, taking its infection count to 14,80,315, as per the data provided by the UP government. The deadly virus has so far claimed 15,170 lives in the state.
According to SEBI data, MFs had put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, as per SEBI data

Mutual Funds (MFs) infused Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, continuing their buying spree, with fund managers identifying opportunities after some consolidation in the market.

MF investments in stocks will continue in the coming months and will witness an increase in user growth as several fintech players are entering into this space, Kaushlendra Singh Sengar, founder and CEO at INVEST19 told PTI.

Meanwhile, Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, also held the opinion that this bullish stance will continue as valuations moderate reasonably post FY21 earnings and the consolidation gives investors a chance to accumulate equities.

Also Read: MF industry adds 81 lakh investors in FY21, experts hopeful of growth in FY22

Another factor driving this stance is the softening of bond yields from March onwards, forcing investors to flock to equities in search of higher returns, he added.

According to SEBI data, MFs had put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March.

This was the first such fund infusion by MFs in 10 months.

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) showed.

"We have witnessed 15.8 per cent monthly investment growth by mutual funds into equities last month as volatile stock market pushed investors to invest via equity mutual funds to reduce risk," Sengar said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, said mutual fund flows are generally a reflection of investor flows in the respective mutual fund schemes.

Domestic investors had been taking out money from equity mutual fund schemes since July 2020 and March 2021 was the first month when the trend changed.

Also Read: Part of compensation of key mutual fund employees to be in MF units: SEBI

In addition, spike in SIP flows was witnessed in March rising to Rs 9,182 crore from Rs 7,528 crore in the preceding month. Hence, the positive flow by mutual funds into equities was witnessed in March, he said.

Though the data is not yet out, this trend of net inflow in equity mutual fund schemes seems to have continued in April 2021 too, leading to positive flows by mutual funds, he added.

"The month of April witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases that lead to some minor corrections in the markets, however, this was followed by quick recoveries as well. Mutual funds used this fall in the market to buy new stocks resulting in increased inflow in equities even in the month of April-2021," Gautam Kalia, Head - Investment Solutions, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, said.

Furthermore, there have been positive flows in mutual funds schemes in March and April that provided fund managers with additional liquidity to manage, he added.

Month-wise, MFs withdrew Rs 16,306 crore from equities in February, 13,032 crore in January, Rs 26,428 crore in December, Rs 30,760 crore in November, Rs 14,492 crore in October, Rs 4,134 crore in September, Rs 9,213 crore in August, Rs 9,195 crore in July and Rs 612 crore in June.

These outflows were mainly due to profit-booking by investors amid a rally in stock markets.

However, MFs invested over Rs 40,200 crore in the first five months (January-May) of 2020. Of this, Rs 30,285 crore was invested in March 2020.

The latest investment by mutual funds could be attributed to positive flows in the previous month and some consolidation in markets continues to give opportunities to fund managers to invest, Harshad Chetanwala, co-founder of Mywealthgrowth.com, said.

"If the fears of COVID increases among global investors, one could see more outflows on FPIs side, this can result in some more volatility. Investors may like to use this volatility or consolidation as an opportunity to invest in future as well," he added.

Also Read: 0% return! Debt mutual fund investors in for a shock in FY22

According to Rahul Shah, co-head of research at EquityMaster, the key job for any fund manager, at least in the medium term, is to strike the right balance between aggression and conservatism.

There are times when he should be more aggressive and there are times when more conservatism is called for.

"The behaviour of the funds in the last one year has baffled me somewhat. They were withdrawing money from equities when it was time to turn aggressive. And now when the situation calls for conservatism, they are directing funds into equities," Shah said.

"I just hope there isn't more withdrawal if and when there is a correction in the market," he added.

On the other hand, mutual funds put in nearly Rs 21,600 crore in debt markets in the month under review.

However, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out a net sum of Rs 9,659 crore from the Indian equity markets in April after investing Rs 10,482 crore in the preceding month.

They had invested Rs 25,787 crore in February and Rs 19,472 crore in January.

(With PTI inputs.)
Highlights Xiaomi launched its first gaming smartphone Redmi K40 Gaming Edition in China last month.

Redmi K40 is among the slimmest and lightweight gaming smartphones.

Xiaomi plans to launch a Lite version of Redmi K40 Game Edition with MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturing giant Xiaomi recently launched its first Redmi gaming smartphone in China. The Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is among the thinnest and most lightweight gaming phones available. It is the company's latest and the first gaming smartphone that has created hype with its gaming processor and price segment. It did not take long for the Redmi K40 Game Edition to become a hit among users.

The device raked in 1,00,000 in one minute. It is thus not surprising that Xiaomi could be launching more derivative models based on the K Gaming smartphone, according to a reliable tipster, Tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter).

Xiaomi is working on launching another Redmi gaming phone. According to Digital Chat Station's new leak, the Redmi K40 Gaming Lite could launch soon.

The K40 Game edition smartphone was the one with MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset and now there is another smartphone alleged to be of Redmi K series is in the works. This smartphone seems to have a MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset.

The source that has a reliable track record also suggests that the smartphone will apparently come with an FHD+ (24001080p) Display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. There will be a 64MP rear camera. Within the storage option, we will get an 8GB+256GB variant that will run on Android 11. This smartphone will be powered by a 5000mAh battery that will support 67W fast charging. So, in essence, a slightly toned-down Redmi K40 Gaming.

Other details of the device are currently under wraps. We can expect more details to be available soon. Xiaomi has not confirmed the existence of the Lite Redmi K40 Gaming yet. However, based on Digital Chat Station's track record, we can expect it to launch soon.

According to some reports this smartphone will be launched in India under POCO branding. Alleged POCO F3 GT will be featuring similar specifications to this smartphone. Both smartphones might be the same, but until now there is very limited information on both devices.
E-commerce platforms bring global brands closer to Chinese customers

Xinhua) 09:37, May 09, 2021

An e-commerce livestreaming anchor is introducing products to viewers at the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Ruiqing)

HAIKOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping and created a surge in cross-border e-commerce imports in China, e-commerce platforms are bringing global brands closer to the world's most promising consumer market.

On the first day of the China International Consumer Products Expo, Tmall Global, an online marketplace of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, held four livestreaming sessions to promote products, each garnering more than 1 million viewers.

At the four-day expo, which opened on Thursday in south China's island province of Hainan, Tmall Global has showcased products of over 100 foreign brands, ranging from cosmetics, beauty devices, to smart devices for pets and imported wine.

Amid the pandemic, cross-border e-commerce has become an important platform for brands from home and abroad to release their new products. Over 100 brands signed strategic agreements with Tmall Global on Friday, with the aim to sell their new products displayed at the expo via Tmall in the coming year to meet the booming demand of Chinese customers.

"The consumer products expo not only serves as an important window to display the progress of the Hainan free trade port construction, but also helps foreign businesses to better understand the Chinese market," said Marcella Li, head of Global Business Development and Operations at Tmall Global.

Last year, an average of approximately 400 overseas brands opened stores on Tmall Global each month, according to the company. To date, more than 29,000 overseas brands from 87 countries and regions have established storefronts on Tmall Global.

At the expo, JD Worldwide, the platform for imported products of China's leading retailer JD.com, displayed a number of smart products of domestic and foreign brands.

People queue up to taste Swiss cheese in the Fashion Life Exhibition Hall of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"With the pandemic keeping Chinese customers from shopping overseas, the demand for international brands in China has increased, and cross-border e-commerce platforms have become their preferred choice," said Frank Yu, general manager of marketing and operations for JD Worldwide.

Since its launch in 2015, JD Worldwide has attracted nearly 20,000 overseas brands, offering a vast range of product categories including maternal and childcare, nutrition and healthcare, household and kitchenware, food and car accessories.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, consumer goods imports into China grew 8.2 percent in 2020, reaching 1.57 trillion yuan (about 242 billion U.S. dollars).

Such growth was echoed on JD Worldwide during the 2020 Singles' Day shopping festival, with total sales during the period increased by 50 percent year on year.

In 2020, the e-commerce platform opened its first brick-and-mortar duty-free store in Sanya City, Hainan, and plans to open an online duty-free shop soon.

JD Worldwide will seize the opportunities brought by the Hainan free trade port to promote the upgrading of consumption of Chinese consumers, said Han Rui, vice president of JD.com.

With a total population of over 1.4 billion and more than 400 million middle-income residents, China has become the world's most promising consumer market.

Foreign brands are attaching great importance to the Chinese market, especially amid the pandemic, said Viya, one of the most well-known e-commerce livestreaming anchors in China, at the expo.

"Some tailored products are designed exclusively for our customers and the products are not only sold in China but also abroad, as design philosophies featuring Chinese characteristics are gaining momentum worldwide," she said.

E-commerce platforms are a channel for Chinese consumers to purchase quality products of foreign brands without going abroad, and are also conducive to promoting China's products to the world, she added.

Kazunori Tokura, executive vice president of Japanese company Omron Healthcare (China), said Omron expects to accelerate its entry into the Chinese market. Via the expo, the company is willing to cooperate with local firms such as e-commerce platforms to help more customers become familiar with their products and services, he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
American conservatives have voiced their disappointment after President Joe Biden, a Catholic, issued a National Day of Prayer proclamation this week that did not explicitly mention God.

The proclamation invited people "to give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings."

It calls the US a nation "of remarkable religious vitality and diversity" and attributes this to "the right of all Americans to pray".

"On this National Day of Prayer, we unite with purpose and resolve, and recommit ourselves to the core freedoms that helped define and guide our Nation from its earliest days," the proclamation says.

"We celebrate our incredible good fortune that, as Americans, we can exercise our convictions freely  no matter our faith or beliefs.



"Let us find in our prayers, however they are delivered, the determination to overcome adversity, rise above our differences, and come together as one Nation to meet this moment in history."

But nowhere does the proclamation actually say 'God', in contrast to those issued by Biden's predecessor Donald Trump and the previous Democratic President Barack Obama.

Evangelical leader Franklin Graham said he was "deeply saddened" by this omission.

"That speaks volumes doesn't it? It is hard to believe we have come this far," he said in a Facebook post.

"Omitting God is a dangerous thing. He is who we as individuals and as a nation need to call on for help. He created us and made salvation possible for us through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

"Prayers to anyone or anything else are to no avail. Join me in praying to Almighty God on behalf of our nation.

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Conservative radio host Todd Starnes, tweeted, "Regarding Biden's godless National Day of Prayer proclamation: The problem with the Democrats is that they don't believe that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. They believe we are endowed by the government."



Reposted with permission from Christian Today


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Photo: The Canadian Press A Statistics Canada 2016 Census mailer sits on the key board of a laptop after arriving in the mail at a residence in Ottawa, May 2, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Statistics Canada says the response to the census is higher than the agency expected so far, with online submissions coming from some remote communities for the first time.

Census cards with information about how to fill out the short- and long-form questionnaires went out to households in the last week ahead of census day on May 11.

One reason for the higher online response involves a pandemic-related change the agency made this year to allow anyone in the country to file through the internet-based form for the first time.

Geoff Bowlby, director general at Statistics Canada responsible for the census, says the agency assumed in previous census cycles that remote parts of the country didn't have enough internet coverage to allow for online responses.

Now, he says, the agency is getting responses at a faster rate than expected from urban centres, First Nations, rural and remote communities.

Bowlby says the agency has even received a response from as far north as Grise Fiord in Nunavut, which registered a population of 129 in the last census five years ago.

The agency had expected about eight in every 10 people to respond to the census online, but that number could change as Bowlby noted that fewer people are requesting paper questionnaires.

He says having more online responses makes life easier for agency analysts, and safer for workers who will have to manually input fewer paper replies at a processing centre in the National Capital Region.

Analysts will spend the coming months sifting through the data gleaned from the census forms before releasing results in 2022.

The census, which takes place once every five years, provides the most detailed look at Canadians, leaving a wealth of information for demographers to review to see how the country continues to change.

For policy-makers, the census provides the base for local decisions on where to build new schools and hospitals, and how much the federal government sends to provinces and territories in transfers payments to pay for health-care systems.

But the pandemic has thrown a statistical wrench into the paint-by-numbers portrait of the population as daily routines have changed over the last year due to COVID-19.

Bowlby says the agency is looking at how to analyze responses to questions affected by the pandemic, such as a commute to work that for some people has been replaced by a walk down the staircase to a home office in the basement.

"We've had the same kind of conversations at our workplace. We're all working from home at StatCan and can relate to how people might have difficulty responding to some of the questions because of COVID," Bowlby said.

"As a result, we're aware of this and there is, in fact, guidance for any respondent who is having trouble understanding how they should respond to those questions."

The agency will again use existing data held by governments, such as income information from the Canada Revenue Agency, to supplement or replace parts of the questionnaire.

Statistics Canada had been working on ways to use these administrative data to potentially replace the short-form census that asks questions on the number of people in a home, their ages, and relationships.

It had to test those efforts five years ago when it used administrative data to help enumerate Fort McMurray during the wildfires that devastated the Alberta city.

Bowlby says the agency is still studying how a digital register of the population might work, citing technical barriers and the need to consult Canadians should it ever decide to replace parts of the questionnaires.

"If we were to replace some parts of the census, we have to be absolutely sure that  doesn't impact the quality of the information that Canadians expect of the census," he said.

"You can see how Canadians are enthusiastically taking up the census. There is a sense of pride in responding to the census form."
Photo: Contributed Allayah, right, with her mother, Adriana Londono, and sister about two years ago

Twelve-year-old Allayah Yoli Thomas is making headlines as perhaps the youngest person to die from an illicit-drug overdose in B.C., but to family she was just Allie, a happy and strong kid who enjoyed being with her family.

Allayah, a Grade 6 student at Gordon Head Middle School, died April 15 of what her mother, Adriana Londono, said was a fatal overdose after taking heroin believed to contain fentanyl. The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the cause of death.

As a daughter she was stronger than me, said Londono, 31. When I was sad, shed make me get out of bed and say: Mama, toughen up and do your makeup. She would mother me when I needed her. I know thats not what a kid should do, but I was so grateful for her.

Allayah was born on Feb. 11, 2009  weighing about six pounds  in a High River, Alta. hospital where her Colombian grandmother worked as a lab technician. The family had moved there from Colombia when Londono was about seven.

Shortly after her first childs birth, Londono returned to Calgary where, with the same partner, she became pregnant six months later with Allayahs sister.

Their close ages made the sisters act like twins in their early years.

For the first five years, Londono had low-income housing and government support. She said she didnt mind the challenges of single-parenting: I really enjoyed it. There is nothing I would choose other than that.

She struggled, however, with mental-health and substance-use problems. When that happened, Londonos mother would take Allayah and her sister in for months at a time. Allayah, she said, had a gift for making people happy. She was proud and resilient.

She was so strong and sure of herself  she was so confident and thats something I really admired, said Londono.

She loved to do anything artistic, but she was not interested in sports. She was in cadets. She babied her two-year-old brother. She was devoted to her few close friends.

When Londono eventually fell into an abusive relationship, her mother, Yoli Patino, and stepfather, Jerry Preikschas, who had purchased an apartment in Cartagena, Colombia, brought their daughter and grandchildren to Colombia with them. They stayed there three years, from 2015 to 2018.

It was beautiful  and the girls were inseparable. It was hoped that being in their home country, with a change of scenery, would help the family heal.

Afterwards, the family moved to Gordon Head in Victoria. In hindsight, it was maybe not the best move, said Londono.

Moving in Victoria changed her in a way, Londono said of her daughter. Victoria has a dark side, she said.

Its beautiful for those who are wealthy and are in the limelight, but for the people who are poor, or addicts, or struggling, they just try to hide them away, said Londono. Theyd rather put them in hotels or whatever and continue to live their pretty lives.

Allayah had a beautiful home and loving family but felt out of place at Gordon Head Middle School, said her mother. She was older and felt more experienced. She gravitated to friends from Langford and meeting people downtown, she said. She wanted to be a teenager.

Grandparents Patino, 56, and Preikschas, 60, are too grief-stricken to speak about their grandaughters death, said Londono. They had a very close bond.

On the day she died, Allayah, in search of a depressant like heroin, purchased fentanyl, in downtown Victoria. Afterwards, she went to a friends home in Langford. She went to bed and never woke up.

Her mother said, based on her young age, her daughter was denied treatment for her drug use.

On Thursday, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson issued a statement of sympathy to the family for their unimaginable loss.

No child should go through what she did, said Malcolmson. We are committed to preventing kids from going down this path by building a system that catches them before they fall.

I know that more help is needed now. We are working quickly to put resources into place and make large-scale systemic changes that will save lives.

Malcolmson urged people not to use drugs alone, to always have overdose-remedy Naloxone on hand and to seek support, noting help is available to people of all ages. Nobody is too young to receive support, she said

We are working to ensure that everybody can get the help they need, when they need it, said Malcolmson. We are committed to doing better.

Same-day access to mental health and addictions care is available to British Columbians of any age through hospitals and the new urgent and primarycare centres, she said. Island Health, and other agencies that support youth, can waive age requirements for treatment.

Allayahs father, Andrew Thomas, who lives near Calgary, told CHEK he appealed to the Ministry of Children and Families to have his daughter live with him in Alberta, where there is better drug treatment and beds for kids 12 and older, as well as a protective safe house where youth under age 18 with serious drug or alcohol addictions can be placed for up to 15 days for detoxification, stabilization and assessment.

Last month, the B.C. Coroners Service reported 7,024 illicit-drug overdose deaths in the province since a public-health emergency was declared in April 2016.

Eighteen deaths in youths younger than age 19 were ruled illicit drug toxicity deaths last year, 13 in 2019, and 18 in 2018. This year so far, the coroners service has reported four deaths in those under age 19.

So far in 2021, 86 per cent of illicit drug toxicity deaths have occurred indoor, 56 per cent in private residences.

A proposed amendment to the Mental Health Act to allow doctors to keep youth age 19 and younger in hospital up to seven days for stabilization following an overdose is under review after failing to pass in the legislature.

It was opposed by the B.C. Greens, while B.C.s chief coroner and the provinces child watchdog also voiced concerns, citing inadvertent harm caused by involuntary treatment.

Premier John Horgan has said he hopes revamped legislation will return this year.

Shirley Bond, interim leader of the B.C. Liberals, said nothing has been said about Bill 22 since it failed to pass. And perhaps that isnt the only answer  but lets have the conversation. Lets do the work thats necessary.

Every month, we learn about a tragic number of deaths, said Bond. This is just, you know, so difficult to even talk about when you think about a 12-year-old losing her life.

Bond acknowledged allocations in the budget for mental health and addictions but said more needs to be done, and it needs to be done in a comprehensive overarching way.

Leslie McBain, Pender-based co-founder of Moms Stop the Harm, called Allayahs death a tragedy beyond measure.

Losing anyone is tragic and difficult, but losing a 12-year-old child with so much potential and so many years left is devastating, said McBain.
Retired Brigadier General Carl Levi recently sent me a very special picture of three American Heroes. Charles Coolidge, Desmond Doss and Pat Brady all were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The men were present in 2003 for the Armed Forces Day Luncheon in Chattanooga. General Brady, a retired Major General and the most decorated solider of Viet Nam, was the guest speaker. While General Brady was here Mr. Levi took Brady to see Coolidge at Chattanooga Printing - the business the Coolidge family has operated in Chattanooga for over a hundred years. All three men became very close friends comparing stories of their military years.

Chattanooga was the second city in the United States to start the Armed Forces Week Celebration after a proclamation by President Truman in 1949. The event's main sponsor was American Legion Post 14. The first luncheon was held at the Hotel Patten and attended by most Hamilton County and Chattanooga officials.

Charles and Frances Coolidge were among the founding members. Other organizers included newspaper man Colonel John Popham, service station operator Charles Jones and educator Edith Allen Atkins.

Desmond Doss died at the age of 87 in 2006. The movie Hacksaw Ridge was made about his life. Charles Coolidge passed away recently. A park and highway were named in Coolidges honor. Both men are interred at the VA National Cemetery in Chattanooga.

Pat Brady now resides in Texas and authored a book entitled Dead Men Flying.

The Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Museum opened downtown in March, 2020.

Mr. Levi said he is proud of this picture since it is signed by all three American heroes.
Syngin Colchester and his wife, Tania Maduro, have become fan favorites to many fans of the 90 Day Fiance franchise. Syngin recently shared a post where he also included some advice for his followers. What did he say? We have the details.

Tania Maduro and Syngin Colchester in 90 Day Fiance Happily Ever After | 90 Day Fiance/TLC/YouTube

Syngin Colchester and Tania Maduro from the 90 Day Fiance franchise

Syngin and Tania have been in different spinoffs in the franchise, including season 7 of the original 90 Day Fiance. Theyve also been in season 5 of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After where they made a memorable appearance. Fans can watch these two even more in HEA Strikes Back and discovery+ exclusives, including 90 Day Diaries, 90 Day Fiance: Love Games, and 90 Day Bares All. Theyll also be in a new spinoff on discovery+ called 90 Day: Foody Call, premiering on Saturday, May 29, 2021.

How did Syngin Colchester and Tania Maduro meet?

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Syngin Colchester Admits That If Things Dont Get Better Its Not Going to Work With Tania Maduro

The couple currently lives in Connecticut together, and they met in an interesting set of circumstances. Tania flew to South Africa, where Syngin is from, to be with another man that she met on a dating app. The guy was flying to South Africa the next day, and he bought her a ticket. Tania went there, but she said on 90 Day Fiance, he was actually not a good guy.

Tania left and went to a bar, and its there that she met Syngin while he was bartending. She went back to his place that night, and she ended up staying with him for almost two months. Syngin then came to the United States on the K-1 visa, and they were married in season 7 of 90 Day Fiance.

Syngin Colchester shares advice in a memorable post

Syngin recently shared a post that includes some photos of himself that his wife took of him. Syngin can be seen at a restaurant that he attends with his wife. On the table is a plate of oysters, and Syngin has a drink next to him. He crosses his arms as he smiles for the camera while wearing his face mask below his chin with his brown hair at his sides. In the next image, hes laughing for the camera, which is always nice to see. In the third photo, he is again smiling, and he appears to be having a good time out with his wife.

In the post, he writes: Smile, relax and get hammered Hahaha.. He gives some advice, saying, Life is short so dont let people get you down. Be you, love yourself, also laugh at yourself  because thats a good way to find true happiness within hahaha.

Syngin continues in the post: Its when we start to live according to other peoples perception of how life should be and what (should) make you happy. Thats when we lose what we really love, want and need out of life.. So just be yourself and be happy in your skin. Thats the way GOD made us..crazy and all hahaha much love. He credits his wife for the images, which fans certainly appreciate.

Its always nice to see memorable posts like this in the lives of our favorite 90 Day Fiance cast members.
Brad Pitt is part of the glamorous Hollywood A-list elite, known for his dashing good looks and personable demeanor. The past three decades working in the film industry have prepared him for just about any role, including one of royalty.

It was recently discovered that, in real life, Pitt comes from a royal bloodline. The Oceans Eleven actor has a distant relation to Queen Elizabeth II, with connections to Henry II, the king of England during the 12th century.

Hollywoods best supporting actor

Brad Pitt backstage, just moments after winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/0vXToWTAgq  The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 10, 2020

RELATED: Has Brad Pitt Ever Won an Oscar? The Truth Will Surprise You

Once married to Angelina Jolie, the couple shares six children together. The 57-year-old actor got his big break in 1991 when he played a sexy young hitchhiker in the film Thelma and Louise.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star has since taken on roles that have included an astronaut, vampire, warrior, soldier, police detective, and thief. He has never portrayed a character of British royalty, that is, until now.

According to The Daily Mail, Pitt recently poked fun at the Megxit scandal during the 73rd annual EE British Academy Film Awards. Accepting the award on his behalf for Best Supporting Actor was Pitts film co-star Margot Robbie.

Holding up the award, she read his tongue-in-cheek acceptance speech, awkwardly stating, He says he is going to name this Harry because he is really excited about bringing it back to the States with him.

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who were in attendance at the ceremony, nervously chuckled. However, it is safe to assume that Pitt wont be spending time sipping tea at The House of Windsor any time soon, regardless of his newfound link to royalty.

The actor comes from a royal bloodline

Brad Pitt Megamind Premiere | Pascal Le Segretain / Staff

RELATED: Angelina Jolies Link to Queen Elizabeth Dates Back to King Philip II of France

According to FindMyPast.com, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor is the 25th cousin, twice removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. The common ancestor to both Pitt and the Queen Mum is Henry II.

Pitts ex-wife also has a lineage that can be traced back to the royal family, making Jolie his very distant cousin. King Henry II was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the first wife of Louis VII of France, whose father was King Philip II.

The Duchess of Brabant, called Marie of France, was the daughter of King Philip II. The Maleficent actor is related to Marie France, making her the 26th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Brad Pitt is a distant cousin of one of Englands greatest monarchs

RELATED: Celebrities You Didnt Know Are Related to the Royal Family

According to Britannica, King Henry II was the duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, and duke of Aquitaine.

The 12th-century ruler reigned as the king of England from 1154 until his death in 1189 at the age of 56. Credited with expanding the Anglo-French domains, he is responsible for strengthening Englands royal administration.

The king famously restricted the power of the church courts, much to the dismay of the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Henry II ordered the death of the archbishop, later betrayed by his wife and children for his actions.

Once considered one of Englands greatest monarchs for uniting a divided kingdom, he became a ferocious leader that earned a reputation for building an empire across the continent. He is also responsible for establishing a criminal justice system.
Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter are two stars whose relationship has been documented on the series The Hills: New Beginnings. The couple broke up in 2019, and Carter quickly went on to date Miley Cyrus.

Jenner recently opened up about his reaction to his exs relationship with Cyrus. He clarified that he wasnt upset about it.

Brody Jenner | Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter were together for six years

Jenner and Carter started dating in 2013 after meeting at a party. They got engaged in 2016 and then had a wedding ceremony in Bali, Indonesia in 2018. It is important to note that Jenner and Carter never legally married in the United States. The couple decided to split up in 2019.

Jenner and Carter have since spoken about their relationship, sharing that there is no bad blood between them. Rather, they reportedly parted ways because they both grew apart.

Carter wrote in an essay for Elle, He became my best friend, and together we had all the fun the world had to offer. Eventually though, after years of constant excitement, we found wed done as much growing apart as wed done growing up. I began to spend a lot of time traveling on my own or with friends, quietly mourning what I knew in my heart would soon be the end of my marriage.

Hmmmm. Miley Cyrus and Kaitlynn Carter Kiss Kiss Poolside in Italy After Split With Liam Hemsworth https://t.co/3OklktPuMR  TMZ (@TMZ) August 11, 2019

RELATED: Why Kaitlynn Carter Is Done Dating in the Public Eye After Her Split From Miley Cyrus

After breaking up with Jenner, Carter was spotted kissing Cyrus in Italy. Carter and Cyrus dated for just several weeks before breaking up in the fall of 2019.

The upcoming season of The Hills: New Beginnings will highlight the events surrounding Jenner and Carters breakup. In a teaser clip, the two of them were seen discussing Carters relationship with Cyrus.

The whole lesbian thing was gnarly because in our entire relationship, you never expressed that you had any interest in females whatsoever, Jenner said. We had some fun, but you said to me you werent into girls.

Carter understood his feelings, commenting, I think I had never met somebody that I was into.

Nonetheless, Jenner shared that it was a shock for him to see her with Cyrus.

Brody Jenner recently clarified he wasnt upset by it

RELATED: Miley Cyrus Subtly Addresses Her Questionable Relationship Timeline Between Liam Hemsworth Split and Kaitlynn Carter Fling

Its clear Jenner had a lot of emotions surrounding the situation, but he recently clarified that he did not have bad feelings towards Carter.

It was a little out of left field when it happened you know because weve been friends with Miley and Liam for a while, Brody told HollywoodLife while promoting the new season of The Hills: New Beginnings. So when it happened it definitely was out of the blue. But ultimately [Kaitlynn] thinks it was very real and she, you know, really liked her.

He also added, I wasnt upset about it at all. I like Miley, Mileys cool. As long as [Kaitlynns] happy Im good.
As a public television show host and restaurant owner, Lidias Italy host Lidia Bastianich has in her 40-year culinary career brought authentic Italian cuisine to American viewers.

Her greatest influence has been her mother Erminia, who died in February. The matriarch, who went by the nickname Grandma, is being remembered fondly this Mothers Day.

Chef Lidia Bastianich smiles for a portrait | Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images

Bastianichs mother died at age 100 in February

Erminia died on February 14, her daughter tweeting that My dear mother, Erminia, affectionately known as Grandma passed away quietly at home with me and the immediate family several days ago. Our team will be dedicating many of my future posts to her as we get through this difficult time.

Bastianich dedicated her 2007 cookbook Lidias Italy to her mother whose strength and vision carried them in a new country: This book is dedicated to Erminia, my mother, the nonna to my children and the bis nonna to my grandchildren. Without your unconditional love, your uwavering guidance and support, all of this could never have happened.

My dear mother, Erminia, affectionately known as Grandma passed away quietly at home with me and the immediate family several days ago. Our team will be dedicating many of my future posts to her as we get through this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/FvecvLGJ3u  Lidia Bastianich (@LidiaBastianich) February 19, 2021

The chef is keeping her mother close to her heart

On YouTube, the chef posted a video she had filmed last year with her mother in honor of her mother, Rossa. It served as a tribute to her own mother on her first Mothers Day without her.

In this endearing segment, I shared a toast to my Grandmother Rosa with my mother, Erminia, she said. It is a wonderful memory in honor of Mothers Day and a preview of what is coming up this weekend on CREATES Lidias Kitchen showcase starting Friday night at 9:00 PM. Lets raise a glass to the moms out there!

And this Mothers Day, Bastianich is literally saying Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there by request. Shes making herself available via Cameo to send personalized greetings to her fans.

I am so excited to be using Cameo to do personal video messages, right in time for Mothers Day!, she wrote. I cant wait to hear from you all and spread some love. Request yours by clicking link in my profile.

Her followers posted their enthusiasm and expressed their Mothers Day wishes, along with their condolences for the celebrity chefs recent loss of her mother.

The dish Bastianich said was her mothers specialty

Bastianich posted on Instagram the recipe she called one of her mothers best.

This crispy and moist chicken and potatoes dish was my mothers specialty, she wrote. My brother and I demanded it every week as kids, and a generation later, our kids followed that tradition. The grandkids are now eating it AND cooking it these days. Its a perfect Mothers Day weekend dinner idea.

The ingredient list for the recipe isnt long at all, calling for assorted chicken pieces, canola oil, red potatoes, onions, and fresh rosemary.

The chicken and potatoes are basically cooked together in a big cast iron skillet until its crisp and moist at the same time. Find Bastianichs recipe here.
The Dexter revival is one of the most anticipated shows of 2021. It comes nearly a decade after the hit Showtime series went off the air, ending with Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) ditching Florida for Oregon and becoming a lumberjack. Many fans are wondering what Dexter is doing now and what his life has been like but, with limited information, theres not much to go on.

It was previously reported that hes been on the east coast, where hell make at least one enemy, Clancy Browns Kurt Caldwell. Now, Dexter Season 9 set photos are starting to emerge that offer a closer peek inside Caldwells life. See them here.

Michael C. Hall in a scene from Dexter | Christian Weber/CBS via Getty Images

What we know about Dexter Season 9

The revival will continue Dexters story, but instead of beginning from where it left off, itll jump ahead to the present.

We want this to not be Dexter Season 9, showrunner Clyde Phillips previously told The Hollywood Reporter. Ten years, or however many years, have passed by the time this will air, and the show will reflect that time passage. So far as the ending of the show, this will have no resemblance to how the original finale was. Its a great opportunity to write a second finale.

TVLine reports the revival will find Dexter in the fictional New York town Iron Lake, where hell reportedly meet Caldwell, the towns unofficial mayor.

Caldwells character description says he realized the American dream by going from driving big rigs, just like his father did, to now owning several trucks and the local truck stop. Powerful, generous, loved by everyone  hes a true man of the people. If hes got your back, consider yourself blessed. But should you cross Kurt, or hurt anyone that he cares for, God help you.

RELATED: Dexter Fans Notice Something Disturbing in Background of Season 9 Teaser

See some of the Dexter Season 9 set photos, here

During the week of May 2, the fan page Dexter Daily obtained and published photos allegedly from the set of the revival, which is reportedly being filmed in parts of Massachusetts.

The photos purportedly show Hall at Caldwells business Truck Stop Diner. Its a small shop covered with what appears to be fake snow with a sign on it saying its open 24 hours a day.

In the back is a wooden warehouse, which was reportedly also staged, with writers speculating that it could be where Caldwells secrets are and where he and Dexter will have killer moments. See the pictures on the Dexter Daily website.

RELATED: Dexter: Michael C. Hall Reveals Details About Dexters New Life: His Life Is Completely Recontextualized

The revival, which is a limited series, is expected to air sometime in the fall of 2021. Itll consist of 10 episodes, but Hall has said there could be more episodes after that. Im reluctant to say definitely, you know? he told NME when asked if the revival will conclude Dexters story. Lets see. Whats plain now is that theres 10 new episodes.
Gal Gadot is now an indelible part of DCs Extended Universe thanks to her roles in Justice League and Wonder Woman as the lasso-wielding icon. While the Snyder Cut cast a spotlight on her again, so do the ongoing discussions about embattled director Joss Whedon.

After actor Ray Fisher leveled complaints against him, others have trickled in with similar stories about workplace misconduct and toxic behavior. Gadots spoken briefly about her experience with Whedon, but she recently confirmed how things escalated with him on set.

Gal Gadot attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California | Toni Anne Barson/WireImage/Getty Images

Gal Gadot was part of the Ray Fisher/Joss Whedon investigation

As many fans already know, once Zack Snyder stepped away from filming Justice League in 2017, Joss Whedon took over. Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in the film, publicly called Whedon on Twitter in July 2020, citing gross, abusive, unprofessional behavior. After some back and forth with Warner Bros., the studio launched an investigation.

Jason Momoa was one co-star who supported Fisher and according to The Hollywood Reporter, Gal Gadot issued complaints against Whedon too. Unnamed sources told the outlet Whedon made negative comments about Patty Jenkins and Gadot on set and told the actor he had the power to make her look stupid on screen.

Its said that she ran her concerns up the chain of command. When THR published their in-depth piece on the subject in April, Gadots team summed up their confirmation in one statement. I had my issues with [Whedon] and Warner Bros. handled it in a timely manner, she said.

RELATED: Joss Whedon Once Called This Actor the F*cking Secret Weapon in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Gadot says Whedon threatened her career

A new interview with Gadot is making the rounds. She recently appeared on Israels N12 news and discussed her role as Wonder Woman in the titular films and Justice League. When asked about Whedon, Gadot admitted that he threatened her.

I had my issues with Joss and I handled it. He threatened my career and said that if I do something he will make sure my career is miserable and I took care of it on the spot, she said.

In an interview we aired tonight on @N12News @GalGadot tells us about working with Joss Whedon: I had my issues with Joss and I handled it. He threatened my career and said that if ill do something he will make sure my career is miserable and I took care of it on the spot pic.twitter.com/fAnt83o6dz    yuna leibzon (@YunaLeibzon) May 8, 2021

Per the THR report, Gadot raised concerns about her characters lines and change of direction following Snyders exit. Whedon allegedly tried to make Wonder Woman more aggressive than she was in Jenkins film and Gadot preferred to keep the hero aligned and consistent.

In February, she told the Los Angeles Times that she supported Fisher. Im happy for Ray to go out and speak his truth, said Gadot. I wasnt there with the guys when they shot with Joss Whedon  I had my own experience with [him], which wasnt the best one, but I took care of it there and when it happened. I took it to the higher ups and they took care of it. But Im happy for Ray to go up and say his truth.

Whedon hasnt made any public statements since a wave of actors called him out. After leaving HBOs The Nevers, it is unclear whether he intends to work on any more projects.
When The Beatles officially parted ways, George Harrison couldnt have been happier. After years of seeing his songs dismissed and/or cut from Fab Four records, he could fill his own LPs with all the tunes he had stockpiled. And George promptly filled the three albums of All Things Must Pass (1970) with those songs.

Yet being on his own didnt mean Harrison could simply relax and play music. That became apparent when he began dealing with a copyright infringement suit over his debut single, My Sweet Lord. That litigation kicked off while My Sweet Lord was still on the U.S. charts.

Later that same year, Harrisons attempt at producing a benefit album brought about more legal headaches. At that point, you could see how the songwriter-performer could write a track titled Sue Me, Sue You Blues for Living in the Material World (1973). But the even larger lawsuit involving The Beatles had more to do with it.

George Harrison was up to his neck in lawsuits by the early 70s

President Ford laughs during a White House visit by George Harrison and Billy Preston. | Bettmann

RELATED: The Hit Badfinger Song That Featured George Harrison on Slide Guitar

To get hit with a copyright suit over My Sweet Lord had to sting Harrison. The former Beatle had penned a very personal song with a religious message, and Harrison felt he went out on a limb by releasing it as his first single. Then the lawyers got their hands on it, and Harrison would be dealing with the issue for the following decade.

As for the Concert for Bangladesh, the trouble there stemmed partly from the many guest artists whod appeared at the show. (Harrison struggled to get record companies to release the rights to their recordings.) Then he began dealing with questions about the concerts tax-exempt status.

As a result, some funds raised by the benefit concert took years to get to their rightful place. That wasnt anything new for Harrison. During these same years, he got to know all about why one might hold the block on money flow and move it into joint escrow.

It might not sound like rock n roll, but Harrisons life probably didnt feel like it, either. And the bitter squabbles of the Beatles affair hung over everything. Lines about suits and countersuits (Bring your lawyer / Ill bring mine) directly referenced the court battle with Paul McCartney.

Sue Me, Sue You Blues had several references to Beatles legal woes

George Harrison (1943-2001) on stage in 1974 | by Steve Morley/Redferns/Getty Images

Harrison uses a light touch on Sue Me, Sue You Blues, as if hed thrown his hands up over the matter by the time of its 71 writing. With that date of composition, you can track most of the songs references to the Beatles legal issues. Now all thats left is to / Find yourself a new band sums it up nicely.

Around that time we had millions of suits flying here, flying there, McCartney told Rolling Stone in 1974. George wrote the Sue Me, Sue You Blues about it. Id kicked it all off originally, having to sue the other three Beatles in the High Court. After that everybody just seemed to be suing everybody.

It was more than a feeling. And though McCartney acknowledged how hed fired the first shot, the other parties lawyers had no trouble returning fire. But in the end we just pay those / Lawyers their bills, Harrison sings on the track. Actually, in the end, The Beatles got their millions into their own private accounts  minus the chunk Allen Klein kept for himself.
Fans still remember many of the characters in Friends over a decade after it ended. Jennifer Aniston rose to fame because of the show and continued to find success. People know the actor for her work and her dating partners.

The news reported Anistons split with Justin Theroux three years ago. However, they continue to be on friendly terms. Over two decades ago, Aniston dated Paul Rudd for a while. The actor once explained what it is like kissing her former boyfriend.

(L-R) Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Who are Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd?

Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox will always be there for us! The #Friends' stars made a surprise appearance at tonight's #Emmys. (: Courtesy Academy of Television Arts & Sciences | ABC Entertainment) https://t.co/FeckWBXper pic.twitter.com/1m1OBhaCBx  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 21, 2020

Aniston is an actor and businesswoman, and she was born to a family of actors. She discovered acting as a child and began her career in Off-Broadway productions in the late-80s. The star landed her first regular TV role in the show Molloy. In 1994, Aniston starred as Rachel Green in Friends.

She found success and soon became a household name. After the series ended, the actor appeared in several blockbuster films like Marley & Me. Aniston endorsed companies such as Aveeno and Emirates. Producer and actor Rudd majored in theater while he attended the University of Kansas.

He worked various jobs before making his TV debut in 1992. In 1995, the celebrity landed a role in the movie Clueless. Later, Rudd appeared in the popular Halloween franchise as a grown-up version of Tommy Doyle. Rudd appeared in multiple high-grossing films, such as Monsters vs. Aliens. One of his most popular roles is Scott Lang in Ant-Man. Currently, the star is married and has two children.

RELATED: Paul Rudd Reveals A Few Awkward Moments With Jennifer Aniston on the Set of Friends

Over the years, Aniston made headlines regarding her relationship with other celebrities. She and Rudd used to date way back in the day. The two of them first met in 1998 when they starred in The Object of My Affection. The characters they played were love interests. Rudd and Aniston began to date soon after their time together on the set of the movie.

However, their romance would be very short-lived. Aniston would go on to date and eventually marry actor Brad Pitt. Aniston and Rudd remained friends for years and have worked together multiple times. Once was in 2002 when Rudd appeared in Friends as Phoebes love interest. The two stars would appear as love birds again later on.

In 2012, Aniston and Rudd starred in the film Wanderlust together. The film is about a married couple who move to a commune to escape modern society. The two actors portrayed the married couple. Aniston and Rudd had a couple of awkward encounters whenever they had met but managed to stay on positive terms.

Jennifer Aniston talked about kissing Paul Rudd

Paul Rudd reveals he ran over Jennifer Aniston's foot on the set of #Friends: 'I felt awful' https://t.co/tm4Ia9iIWm pic.twitter.com/Dj28eHltNu  Yahoo Entertainment (@YahooEnt) October 15, 2019

RELATED: Jennifer Aniston Reveals Why She Doesnt Believe in Just One Soulmate

Many people may easily forget that Aniston and Rudd had dated for a brief time. Anistons relationships with people like Pitt dwarfed their romance. She and Rudd would later act as a married couple in Wanderlust. In the film, the couple becomes members of a hippie community in a hotel called Elysium.

One of the rules is that the characters would have to give in to the idea of free love. A rift forms between them, but Rudds character realizes that he still loves his wife. Naturally, Rudd and Anistons characters would have to kiss on-screen. Some people might think it would be awkward for the exes to kiss.

According to Cosmopolitan, Aniston stated in an interview, Nah. Ive kissed him for years. Some people are uncomfortable with being in the same room as their ex. Aniston and Rudd kept things professional whenever they needed to kiss for the cameras. In the same interview, Paul added, Weve made out for decades.
Since 2014, Keanu Reeves has been dominating Hollywood with the John Wick movies. He plays the titular character, a former assassin who goes back to work after a series of personal tragedies. Wick seems to be a far cry from the kind of guy Reeves is known to be, but the actor admits he actually has something in common with his character.

Keanu Reeves on the red carpet at an event for John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum | Isa Foltin/WireImage

The 1 thing Keanu Reeves says he has in common with John Wick

In 2019, Reeves did an interview with BuzzFeed while sitting with a gaggle of adoptable puppies. He took several fan questions, including ones about his secret, his down-to-earth demeanor, and his favorite book genre. He was also asked about John Wick, including whether there are any similarities between him and his character.

Reeves replied, saying theres at least one thing he probably has in common with his famous character. We might share a kind of dry sense of humor, he admitted around the 2:50 mark. Other than that, I cant really say.

RELATED: Keanu Reeves Revealed His Craziest Experience Filming John Wick

Fans know that while John Wick is a serious movie, it features plenty of comedic moments. Reeves previously admitted that was even part of what drew him to the role, explaining to The Associated Press: I love his will, his passion. I love the depth of his feeling. I like his honor. I like how he fights for his life. I like his sense of humor.

Reeves also had to go to boot camp for the role, learning how to operate firearms and training in jiu-jitsu and judo among other things. He even learned some stunt driving tricks.

I love all the training, he added. Id love to play the character again. Im curious to see what happens to him.

Now, hes working on the next John Wick movie

The most recent film from the franchise is 2019s John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum, which ended with Wick and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) vowing revenge against The High Table.

RELATED: John Wick 3: Why It Took Keanu Reeves a Half Hour to Make a 3-Min Walk to the Gym

Lionsgate announced in 2019 the next film would premiere in May 2021, but that date was pushed back a year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Im hearing most of the shoot will take place in Berlin and Paris, with additional photography in New York City and Japan, Collider reported in March. The reason theyre shooting in Berlin and Paris is because both cities are featured in the story. Same with NYC and Japan.

Director Chad Stahelski has also said the film might have deleted scenes in it from John Wick 3.

There were two action sequences that we had really kind of conceived, but we just didnt have room for them, he previously explained to The Hollywood Reporter. So, we pulled them from the movie. And Id like to think that 90 percent of what I pulled, theres a place in John Wick 4 that I can definitely reinsert them.
Many of the conversations surrounding the film Blood Diamond have been fraught. The film centers a particularly violent conflict that many outside of Sierra Leone are unfamiliar with, it posits a narrative described as centering a white savior, and it has been argued that it whitewashes the violent racism of Rhodesian settlers. At the same time, its also been criticized for much less heavy reasons. Leonardo DiCaprio played the lead character, Danny Archer, and as such he had to act with a South African accent.

Though this role earned him an Oscar nomination, it also earned him some scorn  especially from South African comedian Trevor Noah. How was DiCaprios accent so bad?

Blood Diamond discusses the dark underbelly of the gemstone industry

RELATED: Leonardo DiCaprio Nearly Got Attacked By a Great White Shark While Doing Non-Profit Work

The 2006 film Blood Diamond takes place in Sierra Leone amidst the civil war of 1991-2002. During this time, anti-government rebel factions frequently enslaved civilians and committed other atrocities in an effort to overthrow the government.

Many groups participate in illegal mining of diamonds to fund their operation, a real occurrence that still happens today. In the film, a civilian named Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou, is kidnapped by one of these rebel groups and forced to work in one of these mines. He finds a massive diamond and buries it shortly before being arrested.

In prison, he meets DiCaprios character, who is an ex-Rhodesian mercenary and veteran of the South African border war, who is now involved in diamond smuggling himself.

Throughout the film, Archer and Vandy end up working together: Archer will help Vandy rescue his family from warlords if Vandy gives Archer the diamond. It also ends with Vandy at the Kimberley Accords in South Africa, presenting on the problem of conflict minerals and his harrowing experiences in Sierra Leone.

The film received significant criticism

Leonardo DiCaprio | VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

RELATED: The Help: Why The Movie is Being Slammed Right Now As It Trends on Netflix

Blood Diamond received mixed reviews. Though the actors were praised for their performances, many found the plot uninspiring and too Hollywood for such a serious issue.

It did bring attention to the issue of conflict minerals, but some felt that the social message fell flat. Additionally, the fact that this film, ostensibly about problems facing Africans, centered white characters: one, a white journalist who blows the whistle on an illegal diamond company, and the other, one who had fought for two separate white supremacist settler-colonial regimes: Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa.

These two characters end up saving the Sierra Leonean character and his family from Black rebel soldiers, leaving questions about African agency in the film.

Leonardo DiCaprios accent was not up to snuff

RELATED: Trevor Noah Isnt the First Daily Show Host to Host the Grammy Awards

DiCaprio is American, though he played a Rhodesian in Blood Diamond. Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, was a country that declared independence from the United Kingdom amidst the decolonization of many African nations, sparked by fear that the Black population would assert their right to self-representation.

The white minority refused to allow meaningful Black political participation until 1979 when Black franchise finally became legal, and the country became Zimbabwe.

The accent is a tricky one. According to Insider, the trouble came when DiCaprio ended up fusing multiple different African accent features into something altogether unrecognizable.

Trevor Noah, who is South African, described it as drunk Australian, and joked that efforts to source diamonds ethically would never erase the horror of Leo DiCaprios accent in Blood Diamond.

Maybe future roles for DiCaprio will feature more thorough accent work!
Power Book II: Ghost ended its first season with rave reviews. Fans are loving the spinoff to the original Starz series, Power. Power Book II: Ghost follows Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.). Following the events of his father, James St. Patricks (Omari Hardwick) death, Tariq must juggle his new reality as a college student working on getting his mother out of jail while dealing with his role as a rising drug dealer for the volatile Tejada family.

While the second season of Power Book II: Ghost has already begun filming in New York City, there is no word yet on when it will debut. However, with hints about the upcoming season and the casting of Redman, it appears that this season could lead to criminal defense attorney Davis Macleans downfall.

Clifford Method Man Smith as Davis Maclean on Power Book II: Ghost | Starz

What will Power Book II: Ghost: Season 2 focus on?

As the Power Universe focuses on the debuts of Power Book III: Raising Kanan, which is set to premiere on July 18, and Power Book IV: Force which is set to premiere in early 2022, clues about Season 2 of Ghost are scarce.

However, creator Courtney A. Kemp hasnt left her fans completely in the dark. In the second season, Tariqs journey with the Tejada family will get even more complicated  and more dangerous  as he begins to understand the man hes going to become, Kemp told TVLine.

She also explained that the theme for the forthcoming season will be ethics. Well, one thing I think I can say [in] season two, Tariqs class, the Canonical Studies class, moves into an ethics unit, Kemp told Deadline via Express. So, next year, we will be exploring ethics, and I will leave it at that.

RELATED: Power Book II: Ghost Season 2: Release Date, Plot Details, and Everything Else We Know

Redman has joined the cast of Power Book II: Ghost

The cast of Power Book II: Ghost is also expanding this season. Tariq is about to be introduced to a brand new villain that were not sure hes prepared for. Rescue Me actor, Daniel Sunjata has been cast as Mecca. He is calculated, manipulative, and dangerous, Deadline reports. Mecca conveniently reemerges in New York at the exact moment the Tejadas need to fill the void of a new product supplier.

Redman, whose given name is Reggie Noble, has also been cast as his Wu-Tang Clan group member, Clifford Method Man Smiths brother. In the series, Method Man stars as Tasha St. Patricks (Naturi Naughton) defense attorney Davis Maclean. Redman will star as Theo Rollins, Macleans older brother. The character description reads,

Theo Rollins used to run the streets with his little brother, Davis MacLean. But now, they sit on opposite sides of the law with Theo serving an extensive prison term, and Davis, off his win in the Tasha St. Patrick case, now the biggest defense attorney in New York City. They both know, had the past played out differently, Davis could be locked up alongside his big brother, but Theo questions if the guilts enough for Davis to keep his promise.

Its all led to this moment. Watch the season finale of #PowerGhost NOW on @STARZ!! pic.twitter.com/YFiBuF0Cds  Power Book II: Ghost (@ghoststarz) January 4, 2021

Redmans new role might hint at Davis Macleans downfall in Power Book II: Ghost

In the first season of Power Book II: Ghost, Davis casually mentions Theo to Tasha. He tells her that he once represented his brother. However, since Theo is incarcerated, wed say this didnt turn out well. With some obvious bad blood between the brothers, and Theo holding on to some secrets about Davis, things might look grim for the defense attorney this season.

The fact that hes teamed up with former federal prosecutor Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson) is also a major red flag.
The Equalizer will take us on a (virtual) trip overseas in this upcoming episode. Robyn gets a call from someone in France who desperately needs her help. Lets take a look at what to expect in the next episode of The Equalizer.

Robyn receives a call for overseas help on The Equalizer

Liza Lapira, Queen Latifah, and Adam Goldberg on The Equalizer | Barbara Nitke/CBS via Getty Images

During The Equalizer Season 1 Episode 8 (titled Lifeline), Robyn springs into action when she gets an overseas call for help. The call is from Carla, the daughter of Robyns late CIA mentor, David Henson. Robyn teams up with Mel and Harry so they can assist Carla remotely.

They must act fast because Carla is being targeted by a hit squad. Her boyfriend was killed and now the killers are coming after her. After not being able to reach Carla, Robyn begins to worry. She could be running, hiding or worse, she says.

What happened last time on The Equalizer

During The Equalizer Season 1 Episode 7 (titled Hunting Grounds) Robyn tries to find a woman (Nia) who was kidnapped by a serial killer. Her best friend realizes something is wrong after Nia leaves for work but never makes it there. The killers history of violent crimes wasnt on anyones radar because his victims were from marginalized communities.

Robyn also faces an obstacle after the district attorney attempts to bring her to justice and stop her vigilante ways. Dante and Robyn catch the serial killer. Unfortunately, they have a falling out after Dante expresses disapproval of Robyns methods. He later tells the district attorney he will work with her to arrest Robyn for breaking the law.

The Equalizer cast

Who are the main characters on The Equalizer? Heres a rundown of some of the main cast members.

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall on The Equalizer | Barbara Nitke/CBS via Getty Images

Queen Latifah plays Robyn McCall. Queen Latifah made her film debut in the 1991 movie Jungle Fever, in which she played the character LaShawn. That same year, she played Zora in House Party 2.

In 1993, Queen Latifah joined the cast of Living Single. She played lead character Khadijah James until 1998. From 2013 to 2015, she hosted her own show, titled The Queen Latifah Show. She is also known for her roles in Star, Girls Trip, Mad Money, Last Holiday, Bringing Down the House, and Beauty Shop.

Liza Lapira

Liza Lapira | Barbara Nitke/CBS via Getty Images

Liza Lapira plays Melody Mel Bayani. Lapira made her acting debut in a 1999 episode of the television series Law & Order titled Wander Lust. She played three different characters (a waitress, forensics tech, and a character named Rebecca Chang) in six different episodes from 1999 to 2007. Lapira made her film debut in the 2000 movie Autumn in New York, starring Richard Gere and Wynona Ryder.

In 2004, Lapira joined the cast of the television series Huff. She played Maggie Del Rosario from 2004 to 2006. After that, she began playing Agent Michelle Lee on NCIS. Lapira remained in this role for 12 episodes until 2008.

Adam Goldberg

Adam Goldberg | Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

Adam Goldberg plays Harry Keshegian. Goldberg made his acting debut in a 1990 episode of Designing Women titled A Class Act. After that, he appeared in a 1991 episode of Murphy Brown titled Q &A on FYI.

Goldberg made his film debut in the 1992 movie Mr. Saturday Night, in which he played the role of Eugene Gimbel. Goldberg is also known for his roles in God Friended Me, Taken, and The $treet.

The Equalizer airs Sundays on CBS at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.
O God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as surpass our understanding:

Pour into our hearts such love towards you,

that we, loving you in all things and above all things,

may obtain your promises,

which exceed all that we can desire;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God,

for ever and ever.

Amen.
China: Authorities arrest preacher of heavily-persecuted house church for officiating funeral

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Communist authorities arrested a preacher from the heavily-persecuted house church in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province, Early Rain Covenant Church, for allegedly disturbing public order by officiating a members funeral.

Preacher Wu Wuqing was arrested by officers from Damian Police Station in Chengdu citys Longquanyi District on Friday afternoon, hours after the funeral service, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported, saying it learned about the arrest from ERCCs prayer request.

Wu, who's also been persecuted in the past, was released late in the evening.

Authorities have shut down utilities at his home many times, and Chengdu police have threatened that if he continues to serve at ERCC, they will intensify their crackdown and monitoring of his movements, ICC said.

Over two years ago, authorities shuttered the 5,000-member church, broke down the doors of church members and leaders homes, and arrested more than 100 people. Police continue to harass and track ERCC members today, according to a recent report from the U.S.-based group China Aid.

House churches across China are seeing an increased harassment from church raid, crackdown on their activities, to the detention of their leaders, Gina Goh, ICCs regional manager for Southeast Asia, said. Beijing seeks to intimidate the leaders in hopes that the churches will dissolve due to fear. Their plot will not succeed, thanks to the resiliency of the Chinese house church. They survived the Cultural Revolution, and they will survive Xis era as well.

In April, authorities harassed and criminalized house church leaders across China, including elder Zhang Chunlei from Guiyang Renai Reformed Church, preacher Zhang Peihong at Shanghai Lancun Zhongyue Church, and preachers Qie Jiafu and Huang Chunzi at Beijings Zion Church. All of them fell victim to the latest clampdown.

Last month, several members of the ERCC were also arrested by the Public Security Bureau for participating in an online Easter worship service on Zoom and ordered to cease all religious activity.

A Christian, who did not reveal her name, told China Aid that over the last weekend, police brought in ERCC members in charge of church activities and online services and demanded that they stop all activities.

A supporter of ERCC shared on Twitter: Since 8:30 a.m., some security officials have entered these Christian families homes and pretended to be chatting with them casually. At 9:30 a.m., the worship began, and they were also invited to participate. Once they realized that the sermon was from ERCCs imprisoned pastor Wang Yi, they immediately shut it down.

ERCC, led by pastor Wang Yi, has not been able to gather in person since it was shut down in 2018, and its pastor and other leaders were arrested. Pastor Wang was later sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of subversion of power and illegal business operations.

Authorities in China are also continuing their crackdown on Christianity by removing Bible Apps and Christian WeChat public accounts as new highly restrictive administrative measures on religious staff went into effect last week.

Father Francis Liu from the Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness said in a tweet that some Christian WeChat accounts, including Gospel League and Life Quarterly, were no longer available online, ICC reported at the time.

Last month, Asia News reported that Chinese authorities punished a man who provided a worship venue for believers, fining him $30,000 under the charge of hosting illegal religious activities.

According to recently-released reports, religious persecution in China intensified in 2020, with thousands of Christians affected by church closures and other human rights abuses.

Under the direction of President Xi Jinping, CCP officials are enforcing strict controls on religion, according to a report released in March by China Aid.

Open Doors USAs World Watch List ranks China as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political or invite foreign guests.

In addition to Early Rain Covenant Church, the Chinese Communist Party has shuttered a number of well-known churches, including Rongguili Church in Guangzhou and Xunsiding Church in Xiamen.

The U.S. State Department has also labeled China as a country of particular concern for continuing to engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
Parents outraged after first grade teacher reads book promoting transgenderism to students

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A school district in Washington state is facing criticism after a teacher at one of its elementary schools read a book promoting transgender advocacy to her students.

Young Americas Foundation, a conservative youth advocacy organization, received a tip that Jennifer Miller, a first grade teacher at Geneva Elementary School in Bellingham, Washington, located North of Seattle, read her students a childrens book titled, I am Jazz.

The book, co-authored by LGBT activist Jessica Herthel and trans-identified reality TV star Jazz Jennings, tells the story of a 2-year-old boy who begins the process of "transitioning" to look more like a girl with the approval of his parents.

According to Amazon's description of the book, I am Jazz tells the story of a transgender child based on the real-life experience of Jazz Jennings, who has become a spokesperson for transkids everywhere.

In a Feb. 16 email to Miller, a concerned parent asked Miller: Did you read this book to 1st graders today? Miller responded in the affirmative.

Yes I did read this book, she replied in a Feb. 17 email. As a district we are working hard to support all members of our school community and promote inclusion through understanding and compassion.

Kara Zupkus, a spokeswoman for Young Americas Foundation, said in a Friday interview with The Christian Post that the concerned parent reached out to their tipline last week. The parent was very angry and  frustrated that he hadnt heard anything from the school board and that his concerns werent being addressed, Zupkus said.

While Miller expressed a desire to answer any questions the parent had or talk about any concerns in her response email to the parent, Zupkus told CP that the conversation that resulted from that exchange did not make much headway.

As they continued to disagree about the appropriateness of exposing young children to I am Jazz, the parent ended up pulling his kid out of this teachers class, Zupkus said.

When the parent reached out to the school board president, she just responded with a very standard form response, such as, We have received your response, thank you for your inquiry. And beyond that, she never returned the parents email, Zupkus added.

After investigating the school board president further, Young Americas Foundation discovered that she owns a sex toy shop called Wink Wink.

Zupkus explained that the parent also reached out to Bellingham Public Schools Superintendent Greg Baker. When Baker asked to talk about the matter over the phone instead of by email, the parent agreed, as long as he was allowed to record the conversation. Since Baker declined to allow the parent to record the conversation, they never spoke.

The fact that first grade students were exposed to a book promoting LGBT advocacy is an example of the sad state of affairs for public education Zupkus said, predicting that this incident would inspire other students and other parents to push for school choice because, she added, we cant allow things like this to keep happening in our public schools.

Its insanity. Theyre really pushing a leftist agenda with no apologies. And parents need to hold their school board members accountable. They need to hold their teachers accountable, the superintendent, everyone needs to be held accountable, she continued. So it really is up to the parents when it involves children this young to get involved.

Responding to the controversy in a message proclaiming that Diversity enhances a strong and healthy community, Baker slammed the hate speech and harassment based on our values as a district and our commitment to equitable, diverse, and inclusive education.

He defended use of the book as consistent with our values in the strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise." He praised its message that all people are unique and wonderful.



Out of respect to families and childrens privacy, as well as to comply with federal privacy law, we arent able share details about our communications with families," Bellingham Public Schools Communications Manager Dana Smith said in a statement to The Christian Post. "However, we are confident that when families contact us with concerns, we respond in a timely manner.

Bellingham Public Schools is not the first school district to draw the ire of outraged parents for exposingtheir children to I am Jazz.

In 2015, an elementary school in Maine faced criticism after a guidance counselor at the school read the book aloud to first grade students. In response to concerns from parents, the superintendent of the school district released a statement stressing that If a topic is considered sensitive, parents should be informed.

I am Jazz is one of several childrens books designed to expose young children to LGBT advocacy and progressive ideology in general. Other examples of progressive childrens literature include A is for Activist,Woke Baby and The GayBCs.

In response to what she described as the progressive literature craze, conservative YouTube personality Lauren Southern wrote her own childrens book, The ABCs of Morality, to counter the progressive phenomenon. The book made it to Amazons list of top 20 new releases and reached No. 1 on its list of Movers & Shakers in Books just a day after its release.
Postcard from the Grand Canyons overlooked gateway

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Grand Canyon National Park is one of those bucket list destinations that seldom disappoints.

After all, it is all about the sheer beauty of the landscape. This natural wonder, a testament to the design of God the Creator, with its varying colors and deep gorges carved through layers of rock is truly magnificent. Yet, many visitors dont give much thought to how they get to the Grand Canyon. This partially explains why the Grand Canyon West tourist trap exists.

Most of the canyons visitors arrive after passing Williams, a short drive from the national parks busy South Rim entrance. However, this small Arizona town (population 3,023) that was named after a mountain man and Old West legend the wokists have probably canceled is more than just the gateway to the Grand Canyon.

It is actually a destination in its own right, thanks to its prime location along the former U.S. Route 66, once known as the Mother Road or the Main Street of America. In fact, the longest uninterrupted stretch of the original 2,400-mile highway can be found in northwestern Arizona.

The quaint National Register of Historic Places-listed downtown  dominated at night by vintage neon signs  is as much about the hugely iconic route that was long ago supplanted by interstate highways as it is the canyon. This is probably because Williams was the last Route 66 town bypassed by Interstate 40 when it was completed in 1984.

With a couple of exceptions, the entire streetscape looks unchanged since the thoroughfares heyday during the postwar years, when increased car ownership made road trips a thing. In other words, Americana is everywhere. While much of it is nostalgia, some of it is roadside kitsch.

If you go

Summer is actually a great time of the year to visit, as the elevation of 6,770 feet makes Williams considerably cooler than the rest of hot and dry Arizona. Events include the annual Route 66 Car Show in June.

The Holiday Inn Express offers the reliable comfort of a chain hotel experience. For something different, stay at the Red Garter Inn, which was featured on the Travel Channels Hotel Impossible back in 2015. For restaurants, Red Raven, South Rims Wine & Beer Garage and Station 66 Italian Bistro are recommended. Thrill-seekers will want to soar over town on the Route 66 Zipline.

Grand Canyon National Park is less than four hours by car from the Las Vegas and Phoenix airports. Instead of driving the 58 miles from Williams to the South Rim consider parking and riding the Grand Canyon Railway.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
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My job should make it hard for me to be a good mom.

Im based in Israel and run an international nonprofit with offices in Israel, Canada, South Korea, and the U.S. This means that sometimes I have meetings very early in the morning or very late at night to account for the time differences. It means that I travel a lot  though I havent done so in the past year, I will once travel restrictions are lifted  to visit our programs in the former Soviet Union and our donors in North America. It means that everyone in the organization counts on having my time, my insight, and my approval for a host of things.

At the same time, while I take my work very seriously, my most important job is being a good mother to my four precious children. Every working mother knows that having a job outside the home (and sometimes more than one) can tip the delicate balance between work and family in the wrong direction. For me, the demands of providing for a family while trying to be a good steward of a charity that helps millions of people can present stress and challenges.

Thankfully, I have something that helps me find that delicate balance between work and home: faith in God. My Jewish faith provides a foundation that keeps me grounded even in the most stressful of times. Faith acts as a compass that helps me find my way out of whatever wilderness I may be in. Amid a life that can be filled with chaos and uncertainty, faith is the calm in the eye of the storm.

It saddens me to see that fewer and fewer people, whether they grew up Jewish or Christian (or with no religious faith at all) are putting God at the center of their lives. There is a growing assumption that faith is obsolete or irrelevant, that it used to serve a purpose, but weve become too sophisticated for it.

But faith is not an irrelevant distraction. Turning to God makes us stronger as individuals and knits our families together. Take Shabbat (the Sabbath) for instance. Every Friday night, my family comes together to share a wonderful meal. We dont eat in front of the TV; we talk and share about our thoughts and experiences for hours without the usual distractions. Sometimes (when there isnt a pandemic going on) we invite friends to share this very special time with us and join in our conversations.

One of the best parts about Shabbat is that we turn off our phones and computers for 24 hours. This might seem like just another intrusive and unwelcome religious restriction. But there is another, better way to look at it: on Shabbat, Im freed from many of my day-to-day obligations and distractions. Im given permission not to work. Im given permission not to drive anywhere running endless errands. Im given permission not to be on my phone. We spend Friday night and Saturday until sundown not staring at screens, scrolling through our Facebook and Instagram accounts, or checking our email, but talking with each other. I have uninterrupted, quality time with my children and my husband every single week. And I have this time because observing Shabbat is one of the key principles of my faith.

Perhaps my job should make it difficult for me to be a good mom  but with a foundation of faith, it doesnt have to. This Mothers Day, I encourage all moms, whether they work outside the home or not, to remember that faith doesnt add a burden to our lives. It is a gift from God that helps us focus more on the things that matter most, and less on the things that matter least. When we realize that, we will find that, not only is faith not obsolete  it is one of the greatest gifts in life.
Florida church expels rebellious group estimated at over 150 members

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A group estimated to be at least 150 members of the historic First Baptist Fort Lauderdale church in Florida who have been at odds over the direction of the church with its new pastor and his leadership team for more than a year was given the boot Friday after church leaders say they failed to settle their disagreement.

In an email sent last Friday, the board of trustees for the 113-year-old Southern Baptist Convention congregation explained that it recently voted to terminate the membership of "all" church members who have been identified with, supported or participated in the dissident advocacy group that voted to fire the lead pastor and board members.

The board alleges that the members had taken actions against the church, its pastors, trustees, deacons and members.

The churchs patient efforts to resolve this dispute up to and including the final step of arbitration through the Institute for Christian Conciliation (ICC) have been met by the Advocacy Groups or Concerned Members with repeated delays, constantly shifting positions, refusals to respond at various times, unreasonable demands upon the arbitration process, and demands for amnesty from church discipline for their offenses against the church, the churchs trustee board wrote.

When members of the church conduct themselves in a manner contrary to biblical standards and the churchs Statement of Faith and Practice, church discipline may be administered by the Trustee Board under guidelines established by the Pastoral Team. If biblical discipline is necessary, the Trustee Board has the authority and the obligation to place individual(s) under church discipline, including termination of membership.

Last fall, the dissenting church members said they voted to fire their bullying lead pastor, James Welch, their nine-member board of trustees and half the churchs deacons. But church leaders contend that the vote had no standing and that the group is a "disaffected minority of our members.

Welch has been in his role since the spring of 2019.

Pastor James R. Welch has not created a stable environment, but instead has created a toxic environment and polarized atmosphere for both congregants and staff, disgruntled members, who call themselves the First Baptist Church FTL Advocacy Group, wrote in a summary of concerns about Welch.

Without the recognition [of] mistakes or the willingness to listen to congregants, Deacon Body or Trustee Board there is no hope for improvement and thus no way forward.

The advocacy group argued that the church has faced declining numbers over the last two decades but showed signs of growth more recently before Welch's arrival. But since Welch came on board, they claim the attendance fell from between 1,000 to 2,000 to almost 750.

Brian Keno, one of the expelled members, told The Christian Post that the booted members are livid after the most recent response from the church.

Look, I can speak for myself. I was extremely upset, Keno added, noting that an 84-year-old deacon who wrote the churchs bylaws and had been a member since he was a 9-year-old was also among the members purged from the church.

Being booted out of our church for doing nothing other than trying to be a representative of our body, a congregational-led church. Thats who we are."

Previous reporting had indicated that the dissident group was estimated at around 150 members. Keno told CP that the group is now more than 150, and another report has estimated the group to be about 200 members.

CP reached out to the church for confirmation on how many members were expelled. A response was not received by press time.

The church board said if the members chose to repent of their rebellion against leaders and submit to a restoration process, they could be welcomed back into the fold.

The restoration process includes a minimum waiting period of one year, the completion of a course in biblical conflict resolution through Peacemaker Ministries, reconciliation with all persons harmed by their actions, and re-application for church membership.

However, Keno insists that no one he has spoken with plans on going through that process.

Heck no! No of us are going to do that, he said. Why should we submit to this? What did we do wrong? We didnt do anything wrong.  Nobody is going to submit to that, he said.

As previously reported, the rift in the congregation began after Welch was hired to replace the churchs retiring pastor after a three-year search in 2019. Upset with the direction Welch was taking the church, tensions were exacerbated last November when the churchs 36-year-old annual Christmas Pagent was permanently canceled.

The show ran from the end of November to mid-December and sold over 30,000 tickets.

According to The Sun-Sentinal, the pageant helped fund about a third of the churchs annual budget.
Church of Scotland to debate legislation on same-sex marriage

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The Church of Scotland's General Assembly meeting later this month will debate legislation on allowing ministers to conduct same-sex marriages.

The legislation means that ministers and deacons would be able to apply for a license to become authorized celebrants for same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Provisions in the legislation say that no one will be forced to participate in or be involved in the arrangements for a same-sex marriage unless they explicitly wish to do so.

The proposals are being brought after the 2018 General Assembly instructed the Legal Questions Committee to prepare draft legislation.

If the Assembly, meeting from May 2227, passes the legislation, it will then be shared with presbyteries for their consideration, with all responses to be returned to the principal clerk by no later than Dec. 31.

The Rev. Grant Barclay, the convener of the Legal Questions Committee, said: "The committee recognizes that there are diverse views on the subject of same-sex marriage. We are committed to ensuring that any resulting debates on this subject are held in a spirit of humility and grace, that the tone and tenor of discussions are civil, and that people are respectful of those who hold opposing views.

"The proposed Act makes clear that no one who does not wish to be involved in the celebration of same-sex marriage shall be required to do so, and this principle of protection and accommodation runs throughout the committee's thinking in drafting the legislation.

"Following presentation of this draft legislation, it is for the Assembly to decide what, if anything, to do with it. The Legal Questions Committee offers no theological view on the issue, and it shall be for the Assembly to determine what steps are now taken."

Originally published at Christian Today
Mississippi community mourns loss of pastor killed after plane crashes into his home

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A Mississippi community is mourning the loss of their 55-year-old pastor who was killed by a small plane, which was carrying three Texas residents who were flying to a university graduation ceremony, that crashed into his home.

The Hattiesburg community has raised, as of early Sunday, nearly $11,000 through an online fundraiser it put together for the family of Gerry Standley, an assistant pastor at the Wayside Holy Temple church, who was one of the four people in the house when the plane, a Mitsubishi M-2B-60, crashed on Tuesday night.

The community held a candlelight vigil and balloon release Saturday evening to honor and remember the pastor.

Standley and his wife, Melinda, had celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary last month.

Melinda, who is a division manager for the police departments 911 center, their daughter, Arrianna, and grandson, Eli, were able to get out of the house on Annie Christie Drive in the Irene Chapel neighborhood with only minor injuries when it caught fire.

We cant replace him, Standleys younger brother, Cobrin Varnado, told WLOX. We cant do what he did, but his young brothers, his sons, his nephews, we can come together and uphold the family like he would. He was a remarkable man.

Varnado said he admires his brother so much just from his relationship with God, his relationship with his wife, his family.

He connected with everyone. Everyone loved him, he loved everyone. Its going to be tough to be without him, he added.

Right now, my family is in a time of need, so we need all the help that we can get, the pastors niece, Charlisha Standley, was quoted as saying.

The fundraiser says, All money donated will help Melinda and her family during this extremely difficult time to help with funeral expenses, bills, replacing items they lost in the fire, and any other financially related needs that may arise.

The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation into the plane crash, according to Hattiesburg American.

Among the four killed in the crash were the 67-year-old pilot Louis Provenza, 23-year-old Anna Calhoun, and 2-year-old Harper Provenza, USA Today quoted Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict as saying.

According to officials of the University of Southern Mississippi, the three on the plane were traveling to Hattiesburg to attend a commencement ceremony.

My heart breaks for our student and her family, and for our community members and their family, USM President Rodney Bennett said in a statement. The university extends our deepest condolences and our thoughts and prayers to all those who are affected by this tragedy during this time of great loss.
Biden's National Day of Prayer proclamation excludes the word 'God'

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President Joe Bidens proclamation in honor of the National Day of Prayer is facing criticism from conservatives because it does not include the word God.

Biden, a Catholic, issued a presidential proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer Thursday. He invited the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings.

As the president noted, Congress, by Public Law 100-37, as amended, has called on the President to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer.

On this National Day of Prayer, we unite with purpose and resolve, and recommit ourselves to the core freedoms that helped define and guide our Nation from its earliest days, the proclamation reads.

We celebrate our incredible good fortune that, as Americans, we can exercise our convictions freely  no matter our faith or beliefs. Let us find in our prayers, however they are delivered, the determination to overcome adversity, rise above our differences, and come together as one Nation to meet this moment in history.

Biden also credited prayer for powering moral movements, including essential rights against racial injustice, child labor, and infringement on the rights of disabled Americans.

Additionally, the president attributed the creation of a Nation of remarkable religious vitality and diversity across the generations to the right of all Americans to pray guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

It did not take long for prominent Christian conservatives to realize that Bidens message, released Wednesday, did not include the word God.

By contrast, former President Donald Trumps most recent proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer in 2020 included the word God 11 times. Former President Barack Obamas most recent National Day of Prayer proclamation issued in 2016 featured the word God twice.

Joe Bidens National Day of Prayer Proclamation has been released and it doesnt even mention God once! Christian Broadcasting Network Chief Political Correspondent David Brody commented on Twitter. How do you release a proclamation about prayer and not mention God at all? Of course it mentions climate change & racial justice. Truly, this is pathetic...and not surprising.

Joe Bidens National Day of Prayer Proclamation has been released and it doesnt even mention God once! How do you release a proclamation about prayer and not mention God at all? Of course it mentions climate change & racial justice. Truly, this is pathetic...and not surprising! pic.twitter.com/czOQx3ioHj  David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) May 6, 2021

When discussing the role that the healing balm of prayer can play in our lives and in the life of our Nation, Biden addressed the crises and challenges of our time. According to Biden, these challenges include a deadly pandemic, the loss of lives and livelihoods in its wake, a reckoning on racial justice and the existential threat of climate change.

Conservative radio host Todd Starnes, author of the book God Less America, also weighed in on Bidens omission of the word God from his proclamation.

Regarding Bidens godless National Day of Prayer proclamation: The problem with the Democrats is that they dont believe that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, he wrote on Twitter. They believe we are endowed by the government.

Regarding Biden's godless National Day of Prayer proclamation: The problem with the Democrats is that they dont believe that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. They believe we are endowed by the government.  toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) May 6, 2021

Bidens National Day of Prayer Proclamation also did not include any Bible passages.

Trumps 2020 proclamation included a reference to 1 John 5:14, which declares that when we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Bidens proclamation did include a quote from John Lewis, the late congressman and civil rights activist, who described human beings as the most dynamic link to the divine on this planet.

The National Day of Prayer was first established in 1952 when President Harry Truman signed into law a joint resolution establishing a National Day of Prayer. Every president since Truman has issued a proclamation recognizing the occasion.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an amended version of the law establishing the first Thursday in May as the National Day of Prayer.

On Thursday night, national faith leaders will join President Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence in participating in a National Day of Prayer celebration hosted by Pray.com.
Tennessee House passes bill to ban state funding of schools that teach critical race theory

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The Tennessee House of Representatives has approved legislation that would ban the states public schools from teaching concepts associated with a controversial topic known as critical race theory.

The Tennessee House voted by a margin of 69-20 Tuesday to adopt a Conference Committee report reconciling the differences between House Bill 580 and Senate Bill 623, corresponding bills related to the issue of public education.

Section 51, one of many amendments to the education bill included in the Conference Committee report, forbids public schools from teaching students that an individual, by virtue of the individuals race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.

Advocates of critical race theory have described it as a framework through which scholars seek to understand systemic racism, cultural perceptions of race, and how to counter prejudice. Scholarship on the theory traces racism in the U.S. through the legacy of slavery, the civil rights movement and recent events.

The amendment also prohibits public schools from promoting concepts asserting that an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment because of the individuals race or sex, that an individuals moral character is determined by the individuals race or sex, or an individual, by virtue of the individuals race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

It would also ban the use of curriculum that subscribes to beliefs that an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or another form of psychological distress solely because of the individuals race or sex, that a meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist, or designed by a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex, and that this state or the United States is fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist.

It continues: Promoting or advocating the violent overthrow of the United States government, promoting division between, or resentment of, a race, sex, religion, creed, nonviolent political affiliation, social class or class of people or ascribing character traits, values, moral or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs to a race or sex, or to an individual because of the individuals race or sex would be prohibited as well.

The second part of Section 51 stresses that schools might include supplemental instructional materials that provide the impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history and the impartial instruction on the historical oppression of a particular group of people based on race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, or geographic region in their curriculum.

Schools that violate Section 51 might have state funds withheld until the school proves to the state that it has addressed the violation.

Section 51 will take effect upon becoming a law and applies to the 2021-2022 school year and all subsequent school years.

While the amendment never explicitly uses the phrase critical race theory, the concepts it prohibits public schools from teaching are frequently championed by social justice advocates, Marxists and progressives who support critical race theory.

Other concepts banned by Section 51 include the contentions that the rule of law does not exist, but instead is a series of power relationships and struggles among racial or other groups and that all Americans are not created equal and are not endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As the Discovery Institutes Christopher Rufo, one of the most outspoken opponents of critical race theory, explained, The legislation, which moves to the Senate, would prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and state-sanctioned racism.

BREAKING: The Tennessee State House passes a bill banning critical race theory indoctrination in public schools. The legislation, which moves to the Senate, would prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and state-sanctioned racism. The fight is on. pic.twitter.com/RtIVb8lcyQ  Christopher F. Rufo ?? (@realchrisrufo) May 5, 2021

The Tennessee effort to ban critical race theory comes as several additional states have passed similar legislation. Late last month, Gov. Brad Little, R-Idaho, signed into law HB 377, which made Idaho the first state in the nation to ban critical race theory.

Earlier this week, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., declined to veto legislation banning critical race theory from state agencies, enabling the measure to become law.

The debate about critical race theory occurs in the context of divergent viewpoints about American education among progressives and conservatives. Last year, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order forming the 1776 Commission, warning of a radicalized view of American history that lacks perspective, obscures virtues, twists motives, ignores or distorts facts, and magnifies flaws, resulting in the truth being concealed and history disfigured.

Earlier this year, shortly before he left office, the 1776 Commission released a report denouncing the 1619 Project, a historical framework that attempts to view all of American history against the backdrop of the arrival of slaves on American soil in 1619. Almost immediately after taking office, President Joe Biden dissolved the 1776 Commission.
Pastor, wife attacked by man who allegedly bit their ears, gouged eyes

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A Chicago pastor and his wife who were beaten during an unprovoked attack by a man who chewed off pieces of their ears and gouged both their eyes are now receiving an outpouring of support from the public as they fight to recover at a hospital.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, 28-year-old Elijah Rule Hill Prince, who is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, is facing aggravated battery and attempted murder charges for his brutal attack on Pastor Timothy Johnson, who is a minister at Salem Baptist Church, and his wife, Renee, on Saturday.

This is not a dream, this is not a movie, this is not an episode of a crime show  this is our life, wrote the couples daughter, Destinee Johnson, about the attack on her parents in a statement on Facebook. I don't have the words to say, sometimes I don't have the strength but the strength of my parents keep me going. We do need your prayers. We need your love.

Rule Hill Prince, according to prosecutors cited by the Chicago Sun-Times, first attacked the pastor while he was cleaning the alley behind his mother-in-laws South Side Chicago home in the 10500 block of South Emerald Avenue after he tried selling Johnson something and the pastor turned down the offer.

My brother just told him, No, Im OK. No thank you. Im not interested. And he just attacked him, the pastors sister, Rhonda Hutcherson, told CBS Chicago.

A reporting of what happened next was like listening to a horror movie, according to Judge John F. Lyke Jr.

Rule Hill Prince allegedly put the pastor in a chokehold and hit him in the head with a shovel he had been using. He then punched him in the face, gouged his eyes with his fingers, bit his ears, the top of the pastors head then spat in his mouth. He then stuffed a three-inch block into the pastors left eye.

When the pastors wife realized what was happening, she ran to his aid, but Rule Hill Prince allegedly grabbed her by the hair and gouged her eyes with his fingers too. He also bit her ears, ripping off large chunks and spit on her. When she fell to the ground, he reportedly kicked her several times.

Her husband managed to call 911 for help after pulling a wooden object from his eye. Rule Hill Prince fled the scene after a neighbor yelled at him, but he was later apprehended by police. Prosecutors said Rule Hill Princes mouth, face and the elbows of his jackets were covered in blood which he called the blood of peasants.

They have suffered life changing injuries that will impact them and our family forever.

Our father has also been battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for the last 10 years. Simultaneously, he and our mother have been caretakers for their mothers/our grandparents, Destinee Johnson wrote in a GoFundMe campaign for her parents that had raised more than $68,000 as of Thursday evening.

Prosecutors say Renee Johnson is now missing parts of both her ears, suffered two black eyes, bruising to her head and face. Her husband is suffering from vision impairment, a broken orbital bone and other injuries, including missing pieces of his ear.

Judge Lyke, who said the allegations against Rule Hill Prince shocks the conscious, ordered him held on $5 million bail until another hearing on May 10.

Theyve done so much for the students and people in this city, and so [for] this to happen to them is just unfortunate, the couples son, Antonio, told CBS Chicago.

My parents hearts are so big. My parents love is overflowing. We dont know why this happened, right. But its a nightmare, his sister added.
Jessica Lutz/NYT

Rapidly growing interest among the investment community and the public in ESG  Environment, Social and Governance  has energy companies scrambling to both understand the concerns and implement related initiatives.

That has prompted Midland Colleges Petroleum Professional Development Center to schedule a course on ESG fundamentals and applications. The two-day course will be held June 8-9 at the PPDC, 105. W. Illinois Ave. in downtown Midland.
Elon Musk ended up not being much of a wild card on "Saturday Night Live," despite his initial warning to us all.

Tesla CEO, Technoking, the Dogefather, mega-billionaire, new Texan, and now an "SNL" host, the Musk of many titles sparked a lot of conversation when the show announced he would take the stage on May 8.

Musk is the first person to host "SNL" who is not an athlete or entertainer since former President Donald Trump hosted in 2015 (and we all know how that turned out). It's a notable moment for "Saturday Night Live" as they embrace a figure as controversial as Musk  reactions from the internet were largely negative, and cast members Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang made posts on their social media accounts that seemingly pointed toward their displeasure at Musk's casting.

SPACE WINE: A bottle of space-aged Chateau Petrus 2000 is being sold for $1 million

But "SNL" and Musk pressed on.

Musk appeared as a variety of characters, including a doctor at "Gen Z Hospital," a cowboy, a cryptocurrency expert, himself in a Mars-based Space X sketch and Wario (with his girlfriend and musician Grimes as Princess Peach, seriously).

And ultimately, it was fine. It was whatever. I cringed a lot. It seemed like a fairly normal (albeit not very funny) episode of "SNL."

But "SNL" shied away from all the controversy that surrounds Musk, not bothering to nail him or even mention some of his most questionable moves of the past few years except for all his exploding rockets.

In one of the earlier sketches of the show, Musk plays a party-goer struggling to get through a conversation post-quarantine. In response to a question about his fictional wife, Musk's character gives an answer about working from home and seeing her more before his inner monologue says, "We're getting divorced and I'm losing my job."

Musk has sown skepticism on the COVID-19 pandemic, ranted about "fascist" quarantine lockdowns, very publicly questioned the vaccine and basically moved to Texas in protest of California lockdowns. So watching one of the richest people in the world cosplay on TV as a regular guy who struggled through the pandemic is... strange.

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Not to mention Musk has earned a reputation on Twitter as a meme-stealer, something you would think wouldn't vibe with the spirit of "SNL."

There were some human moments. Musk's mother made an appearance, and he disclosed he has Asperger's syndrome in his opening monologue.

But so much of the show seemed to hinge on promoting Musk as a "cool billionaire," relying on jokes about Teslas, rockets, Dogecoin (the meme cryptocurrency Musk has been pushing) and Elon Musk just being Elon Musk, that I truly did start questioning if Musk had just written Lorne Michaels a fat check so he could host. And while I know "SNL" doesn't exist to make fun of its hosts, so much of the controversy surrounding Musk is in plain sight that it rings weirdly false to never address those things in an episode that also pokes at "disgraced former fast-food spokesperson," "white nationalist" and former "SNL" host Donald Trump.

In one of the riskiest choices "SNL" could make for a host, they ultimately played it so safe that you could almost believe the only criticisms against Musk are his 4/20 jokes and that he smoked weed on The Joe Rogan Experience.

TRUE STORY: Tesla CEO Elon Musk stole my meme

And after all that, Dogecoin didn't even hit a dollar. At the time of publishing, Dogecoin is worth 56 cents a share. Not quite to the moon.
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Governor Larry Hogan posthumously pardoned 34 victims of racial lynching in Maryland between the years 1854 and 1933.

The governor made the announcement on Saturday at a signing event honoring Howard Cooper, a 15-year-old boy who was dragged from Baltimore County Jail and hanged from a sycamore tree by a mob of white men in 1885.

Hogan released a statement explaining how the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project petitioning him to pardon Cooper led to the decision to pardon others.

Earlier this year, the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project sent me a petition, which originated with students from Loch Raven Technical Academy. I was asked to consider granting a pardon posthumously for Howard Cooper, a 15-year old boy who was lynched in Baltimore County in 1885, Hogan wrote.

The Republican governor continued, After a thorough examination of the facts and much thoughtful consideration, this morning, I granted a pardon to Howard Cooper. But digging into this case led me to investigate the details of all the cases of the injustice of lynching in Maryland. The result is that today, I granted pardons to every single one of the 34 victims of racial lynching, which occurred in the State of Maryland between 1854 and 1933.

The blanket pardon for the victims of racial lynchings was a historic first among governors, according to Hogans office.

During todays event, Baltimores WMAR said Hogan acknowledged the horrific wrongs of the past and hoped the pardons would make a difference.

My hope is that this action will at least in some way help to right these horrific wrongs and perhaps bring a measure of peace to the memories of these individuals, and to their descendants and loved ones, the governor said.

According to the Baltimore Sun, a marker dedicated to Cooper will be installed making it the second of its kind in the state. A third will be added later this month to memorialize three other lynching victims.
MANISTEE Manistee is listed as having an amended grant for electric vehicle charging station funding through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energys Charge Up program.

In a news release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer governor's office, it stated that there were 32 locations across the state that were approved to be part of the Charge Up program with grants totaling about $1.9 million "to install fast charging stations for private and commercial electric vehicles, adding 88 charging outlets along key travel routes throughout the state."

Manistee was grouped in the amended grants from previous rounds category with Petoskey where it was shown to have received $111,700 toward four outlets at Blarney Castle Oil.

The Charge Up Michigan program offers up to $70,000 per charging station to public or private entities in partnership with a host site and the utility that serves the area. EGLE, the grant recipient and utility each pay a third of the cost for site preparation, charger installation, connections to the electrical power grid, signage and network fees.

Since the launch of the Charge Up Michigan program, EGLE has allocated about $4 million for chargers at 76 locations with a total of 182 charging station outlets. Each charging station has at least two outlets, allowing multiple vehicles to charge simultaneously. More than half of the approved direct current fast charger projects have been installed and are operational.

The grants were awarded in an effort to continue the build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure at key locations. The program partially funds direct current fast chargers based on a 2019 EGLE Energy Services-funded study that advocates for continuous, electric vehicle travel across Michigan with connections to high-traveled Midwest and Canadian routes.

Liesl Clark, EGLE director, said that adding the 88 chargers "with commitment from private industry, utilities and state support  builds needed infrastructure for Michigans mobility evolution."

Its an exciting time for the driving public as we see auto manufacturers and utilities right here in Michigan embrace this move to a cleaner mobility technology," Clark said. "The charger installations work hand-in-hand with EGLEs support for an advanced mobility future, Catalyst Communities program to help municipalities prepare for the impacts of climate change and the Council on Climate Solutions work in developing the MI Healthy Climate Plan.

Here are the nearby charging station grants from the list:

 Traverse City Light and Power for 15 outlets totaling $173,763.03;

 Great Lakes Energy, in Scottville, for four outlets, totaling $70,000.

The grants are funded through Michigans allocation from the Volkswagen diesel settlement. The goal is to complete the statewide charging network by 2030.

Funding is still available, and applications are encouraged from host sites in the state.

Applications are available online at michigan.gov/climateandenergy/0,4580,7-364-85453_85455-487842--,00.html.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy plans to focus on filling gaps where proposed electric vehicle charging locations are still open in the state, especially in the Upper Peninsula, to form a fast-charging loop around Lake Michigan in conjunction with other states.
A man who drowned on Lake Conroe Friday night was trying to save his girlfriends life.

The search continued Saturday for both the 24-year-old man and 26-year-old woman who both drowned near Ayers Island where the boat they were on was not anchored.

A boater near the island reported to dispatchers around 6 p.m. that the couple went into the water and had not been seen for at least 10 minutes.

He went in to assist, at that point a third party jumped in and tried to help, Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office Capt. Joseph Sclider said.

Investigators learned from witnesses that the couple were among five people who had been on a rented pontoon boat from a local livery. The boat stopped in the area of Ayers Island where the woman fell out of the boat. After her boyfriend jumped into the water, the couple started to struggle and a second man jumped into the water to help them. The second man was assisted out of the water by a passerby in another boat after the couple disappeared under the water.

None of the five that were on the vessel knew how to swim and none of them had any life jackets, Sclider said.

Sclider said the authorities are still investigating the incident. The officials are also in the process of identifying and contacting the family members of the two people who died. Both were from the Houston area, Sclider said.

Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office Marine Division, Conroe Fire Boat 6, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials responded to the scene and began the search, which was suspended at 10 p.m. Friday night.

The authorities resumed the ongoing search and recovery effort Saturday morning and are in the process of narrowing the search in the area of Ayers Island and the main lake.

The vessels are all equipped with side scan sonar that is being utilized in the challenging large search area.

I believe weather wind is playing a part today in the location of the victims, Sclider said. The problem is that we do not have a specific area where they went in. We have about a mile radius search area, so it is a fairly large area to cover with the sonar.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
PHOENIX (AP)  Health officials in Arizona on Sunday reported 448 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and two more deaths.

The latest numbers pushed the states pandemic totals to 868,830 cases and 17,409 deaths, according to the states coronavirus dashboard.
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Photo courtesy of GHBA

Chesmar Homes is hosting a barbecue luncheon at Lago Mars new Community Amenity Clubhouse on May 12 to thank and honor their more than 60 vendors, suppliers and trades who donated to the construction of their Greater Houston Builders Association Benefit Homes Project home. The barbecue is being donated by Allpoints Surveying Company.

The commitment by these companies to donate materials, labor and services is key to Chesmar building the Benefit Home at low cost, so when sold at market value, it will raise funds for two local charities. These charities are HomeAid Houston and Operation Finally Home. Since the GHBA fundraiser began 41 years ago, over $12 million has been raised.
After almost 90 years of serving Port Arthur, the former site of Christus St. Mary Hospital is back to where it started  a blank slate of opportunity to serve the next generation.

The 400,000-square-foot, 227-bed hospital was closed by Christus Southeast Texas Health System at the end of 2019 and was demolished by the beginning of this year, leaving an empty patch of earth on the land donated decades ago to create a modern hospital for the city.

The system was able to put a bow on the closing of St. Marys story Wednesday with a ceremony dedicated to transferring the land back to the city and unveiling a new cornerstone monument to mark the legacy of healing that took place on Gates Boulevard for generations.

As a health system, we are committed to being good stewards, said Paul Trevino, president and CEO of the health system. We believe that the donation of this land is a way to honor that commitment.

Related: Christus to close, raze St. Mary Hospital in Port Arthur

Instead of the iconic brown and white buildings that stood on the plot for more than a century, a historical marker and the buildings cornerstone set in 1929 now mark the spot thanks to Christus preservation process.

Now that the space is in the hands of the city, its future could have several possibilities, but Port Arthurs leadership has already agreed that it should be reserved for something that could be as enriching to residents lives as St. Marys once was.

There really hasnt been any plans at this point, but we know that it has to be something beneficial to the city, Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie said. That might mean some kind of public service center, or something like that, depending on what the needs are.

The system had been waiting to dedicate the land on March 17, the 92nd anniversary of its groundbreaking, but a severe thunderstorm scrapped those plans. Instead, the community came together to mark the occasion four days after the anniversary of the hospitals opening in 1930.

Photos: St. Mary Hospital artifacts

St. Mary Hospital was created after city organizers and benefactors reached out to the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Galveston to open a new 150-bed hospital. The convent originally turned down the proposal since the city already had the Mary Gates Hospital, but the facilitys trustees promised to donate their equipment and building funds for the new structure if it meant creating better services for the public.

After a few decades of growth in both expertise and demand, a 50-bed unit was added to the hospital in 1954 and an intensive-care unit followed in 1966.

A south wing, added in 1983, created more beds and nursery space. It also allowed the hospital to expand emergency services and add specialized nursing units. A rooftop helipad was added.

Christus acquired the hospital and its associated clinics in 1999.

Ten years later, the health system added the first comprehensive women's center in Port Arthur.

Soon after, in the face of declining admissions and revenue, it transitioned to a short-stay surgical hospital.

Related: St. Mary closure will leave gap to fill

But, even with focus shifting away from extended hospital stays, the hospital on Port Arthurs west side continued to see more demand for emergency visits and less need for all of its numerous beds.

St. Mary reported fewer than 7,000 admissions between 2013 and 2014, according to the last publicly available community health assessment for St. Mary published by Christus in 2017.

It saw 56,600 emergency-room visits during the same period.

Around 3 in every 10 residents live around the west side of Port Arthur live in poverty and one-third of the population does not have health insurance, according to public health data.

In the aftermath of St. Marys closing, Christus said it would continue offering transportation options for patients and focused outreach efforts to let patients know they could continue receiving care at its Mid-County outpatient center.

Related: Christus unveils new Mid-County specialist center

Christus also reported last summer that nearly three-quarters of the remaining St. Mary staff and administrators at the time of its closure had taken positions at the newly named Christus St. Mary Outpatient Center Mid County on FM 365 and Ninth Avenue.

Just a day before the dedication, Christus announced that both specialists from its affiliated orthopedic offices and primary care physicians from other Mid-County offices would be relocated to a new central facility in Port Arthur.

Trevino said the system was still adapting to changes in modern healthcare so it could ensure patients still have access to talented physicians, but it hasnt forgotten its mission of charitable service for those in need.

Christus will always be a symbol of hope and healing in Southeast Texas, regardless of the ability to pay, he said. We understand that we are the safety net system for this area, and we stand by this responsibility.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli police faced off with Palestinian protesters Sunday in another night of clashes in east Jerusalem, a day before Israeli nationalists planned to parade through the Old City in an annual flag-waving display meant to cement Israeli claims to the contested area.

The late-night skirmishes raised the likelihood of further clashes Monday during the annual Jerusalem Day celebrations. Israeli police gave the go-ahead to the parade Sunday, despite days of unrest and soaring Israeli-Palestinian tensions at a flashpoint holy site and in a nearby Arab neighborhood where Jewish settlers are trying to evict dozens of Palestinians from their homes.

Addressing a special Cabinet meeting ahead of Jerusalem Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will not allow any extremists to destabilize the calm in Jerusalem. We will enforce law and order decisively and responsibly.

We will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all faiths, but we will not allow violent disturbances, he said. At the same time, he said, We emphatically reject the pressures not to build in Jerusalem.

The United States again expressed its serious concerns about the situation in Jerusalem, including clashes between Palestinian worshippers in Jerusalem's Old City, home to sites sacred by Muslims and Jews, and Israeli police, as well as the expected expulsion of Palestinian families.

Washington made its concerns during a phone call between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart. Sullivan urged Israel to pursue appropriate measures to ensure calm during Jerusalem Day commemorations," according to a statement by National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne.

Jerusalem Day is meant to celebrate Israels capture of east Jerusalem, home to the Old City and its sensitive holy sites, in the 1967 Mideast war. But the annual event is widely perceived as provocative, as hardline nationalist Israelis, guarded by police, march through the Damascus Gate of the Old City and through the Muslim Quarter to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.

This year the march coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a time of heightened religious sensitivities, and follows weeks of clashes. That, combined with Palestinian anger over the eviction plan in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, could set the stage for an especially volatile day.

Amos Gilad, a former senior defense official, told Army Radio that the parade should be canceled or at least kept away from Damascus Gate, saying the powder keg is burning and can explode at any time. Israels public broadcaster Kan said the final route of the parade had not yet been decided.

In recent days, dozens of Palestinians have been wounded in clashes near the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City. The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is considered the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. It has been a tinderbox for serious violence in the past.

The occupier plays with fire, and tampering with Jerusalem is very dangerous, Saleh Arouri, a top Hamas official, told the militant groups Al-Aqsa TV station.

Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in the 1967 war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for a future state, with east Jerusalem as their capital.

The violence, along with the planned evictions in east Jerusalem, have drawn condemnations from Israels Arab allies and expressions of concern from the United States, Europe and the United Nations.

In Sunday nights clashes, Palestinian protesters shouted at police and pelted them with rocks and bottles, while police fired stun grenades and a water cannon to disperse the crowds. Palestinian medics said at least 14 protesters were injured.

The clashes were less intense than the previous two nights. Police said over 20 police officers had been injured in recent days.

But there were signs the violence was beginning to spread.

Late Sunday, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired four rockets toward Israel, setting off air raid sirens in southern city of Ashkelon and nearby areas, the Israeli military said. It said one rocket was intercepted, while two others exploded inside Gaza. Early Monday, Israeli tanks and artillery struck several Hamas posts near the border in retaliation for the rocket fire. There were no reports of injuries.

Earlier in the day, Israel carried out an airstrike on a Hamas post in response to another rocket attack. Gazan protesters affiliated with Hamas militant group also launched incendiary balloons into southern Israel during the day, causing dozens of fires.

In Jerusalem, meanwhile, Israeli police also clashed with hundreds of Arab students at Israels Hebrew University, using stun grenades to disperse the crowd. Police said 15 people were arrested at another protest in the northern city of Haifa.

Jordan and Egypt, the first two countries to strike peace deals with Israel, both summoned senior Israeli diplomats to condemn the Israeli actions.

Jordans King Abdullah II, who acts as custodian of Jerusalems Muslim holy sites, condemned what he called Israeli violations and escalating practices and urged Israel to halt its provocations against Jerusalemites.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis said he was following the events in Jerusalem with worry and called for an end to the clashes.

Violence only generates violence, he told the public gathered at St. Peters Square.

With tensions high, the Israeli Supreme Court postponed a decision on the possible evictions in Sheikh Jarrah. The decision had been expected for Monday, but was pushed back by up to 30 days in light of circumstances, the court said

Palestinians and international rights groups portray the planned evictions as a part of a campaign by Israel to drive Palestinians from traditionally Arab neighborhoods, especially in the heart of Jerusalem. Israel has cast the evictions case as a real estate dispute.

The flare-up in hostilities comes at a crucial point in Israels political crisis after longtime leader Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition. His opponents are now working to build an alternate government. If they succeed, Netanyahu would be pushed to the opposition for the first time in 12 years.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Individuals are not entitled to receive public records, even routine police reports, by email under Oklahomas Open Records Act, according to an appeals court ruling.

State law requires public officials to do nothing more than to make records available, Judge E. Bay Mitchell with the Court of Civil Appeals wrote in an opinion issued April 30, The Oklahoman reported Sunday.

The court ruling stems from a request Custer County Sheriff Kenneth Tidwell had received from students of a Wisconsin journalism professor for copies of New Years holiday incident reports.

Tidwell said the students could have the reports as long as they came to Arapaho, a 1,900-mile round trip, to pick them up.

In an email to Professor A. Jay Wagner, Tidwell said nothing in the law requires me to mail or email records or documents. Tidwell worried that doing so would open the door to voluminous and burdensome requests.

In his opinion, Mitchell wrote the sheriffs only obligation was to make the records available for inspection or copying, and that access must only be prompt and reasonable.

Although an agency is entirely free to embrace requests by email, it is not required to do so, he wrote.

Wagner, an assistant professor of journalism and media studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said the appeals courts ruling would undermine the Open Records Act in its entirety.

Records show the sheriff has responded by email to previous requests and in the past three years his office has received fewer than 10 public records requests, dispelling the notion there would be a flood of such requests, Wagner said.

A legislative fix on the issue could be in the works.

Mark Thomas, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Press Association, said his organization would work to pass legislation next year to address this issue.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesota health officials are trying various strategies in an attempt to get people vaccinated and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Volunteer physicians are working with a brewery in St. Paul on a pop-up event that rewards those who get shots with a free beer. Vaccinations are being offered in the downtown bus depot in Duluth. An Elk River clinic is offering shots to patients who are seeking help for other health care needs.
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According to a new study published by Polaris Market, the global Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services market is anticipated to reach USD 554.2 billion by 2026. With the rising competition in the electronics industry, increasing cost reduction pressure on OEMs, complexity of electronic products, and decreased product lifecycles, the demand Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services market has boosted globally.

For attaining this, OEMs are seeking support from electronic contract manufacturing companies. These OEMs (hirer) subcontract electronic manufacturing contract companies to take advantage from their design expertise, supply chain management, and manufacturing capabilities. This helps the OEMs to leverage resources, reduce costs, access prominent manufacturing technologies, as well as reduce fixed capital investments and fulfil the Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services market demand.

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The major players operating in the electronic contract manufacturing services market include Flextronics International Ltd, Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn), Universal Scientific Industrial Co Ltd, Shenzhen Kaifa Technology, Beyonics Technology, New Kinpo Group, Benchmark Electronics, Sanmina-SCI, Zollner Elektronik, Celestica, Jabil, Inc., and Elcoteq SE among others.

In addition to this, electronic contract manufacturing also helps in retaining in-house activities and control responsibilities including, quality assurance, product cost management, network solutions integration, customer service, order management, customer interactions, and introduction of new products. These factors are highly responsible for propelling the Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services market growth for electronic contract manufacturing services during the forecast period.

The design & engineering segment is expected to notice a high growth during the projected period attributed to increasing preference of OEMs for subcontracting their design requirements. Also, the global market is observing an increase in growth, with the surging demand for electronic circuit boards attributed to its rising significance in several electronic devices including, smart phones and tablets. Several OEMs are subcontracting their circuit assembly requirements to contract manufacturers, resulting in significant increase in their profit margins.

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The market operates in a highly competitive environment particularly, the players located in Taiwan and China are providing very economical subcontracted services for manufacturing. The current major focus of these vendors is to support and promote green technologies in their manufacturing processes. Another trend noticed in the current market scenario is increase in acquisitions, mergers and partnership activities. Moreover, the Electronic Contract Manufacturing Services market growth in the North American region is propelled by automotive as well as medical industries. Several R&D centers as well as healthcare institutes in North America are focused on the development of innovative diagnostic products that they plan to outsourcing from contract manufacturers. Such factors are expected to boost the market in the region.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Sluggish COVID-19 vaccination rates for Arkansas prison workers are raising concerns about the prison systems ability to ward off disease during the pandemics next phase and against more-contagious variants, according to public health and incarceration experts.

About 42% of the more than 4,700 Arkansas Department of Corrections employees have received at least one shot, an agency spokeswoman said. The corrections department set a goal of vaccinating 80% of employees after shots were offered on Jan. 5, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Sunday.

More than 11,300 people in Arkansas custody have contracted the virus, and at least 49 died, according to Department of Health data.

As of May 1, Arkansas infection rate among prisoners was the third-highest among states, according to data compiled by the Marshall Project, a nonprofit criminal-justice news outlet.

State prisons continue to see new virus cases, with five sites reporting new cases since April 15.

Department of Corrections communications director Cindy Murphy didnt answer questions from the newspaper about why officials think COVID-19 vaccinations lag among workers.

In a statement, she said the agency has been affected more than most institutions in the state and that workers had stepped up once again to receive shots.

She said the vaccination rate for prison workers outpaces the rate for the state population overall and that the agency ran a robust vaccination campaign.

Vaccinating prison system workers is as important as providing shots for inmates, according to public health experts.

Incarcerated people are at the mercy of the staffs choice to be vaccinated, said John Hart, a senior research associate with the Vera Institute of Justices Restoring Promise initiative in New York.

As of last week 7,438 prison inmates, or about 47% of the total population, had received their first vaccine dose, agency statistics released under public-records law show.

The corrections department cant require the shots. A new state law which took effect last month prohibits state agencies from requiring their workers to be vaccinated without seeking special permission from the Legislature.

It wasnt clear if problems with vaccination reluctance among prison staff members extended to jails in the states most populous counties. Faulkner County, which last week reported more than 90 positive cases in its jail, didnt answer a public-records request for that information. Pulaski County has vaccinated 84 of 262 jail employees -- about 32%.

On Saturday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson raised concern as active coronavirus cases in the state reached a 47-day high.

While our new cases remain steady and hospitalizations have declined, the virus remains a threat. Keep up the good work, and get vaccinated as soon as you can, Hutchinson said in a tweet.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  The Republican Party of Virginia announced late Sunday that state Del. Jason Miyares has won its nomination for attorney general, as the party works to tabulate the votes for several state offices cast by tens of thousands of Virginia Republicans.

Hand-counting of the ballots began earlier Sunday with several dozen people managing the effort, which started with the attorney general contest, John March, a spokesperson for the Republican Party of Virginia said.

Voters cast their ballots a day earlier in the party's nominating contest for governor and other statewide offices.

March said the governor's race would be counted second, followed by the lieutenant governors race.

Officials have warned it may take multiple days to finish the counting, which was complicated by the ranked-choice voting method used, as well as a proportional representation system awarded each city and county.

The GOP opted, after a bitter, drawn-out fight, to hold what it called an unassembled convention on Saturday. Because pandemic restrictions ban mass gatherings, delegates cast ballots Saturday at nearly 40 polling sites statewide.

Miyares won out against three other candidates: Leslie Haley, a law firm partner and elected official in Chesterfield County; Chuck Smith, a former U.S. Navy JAG commander; and Jack White, a minister, Army veteran and former clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr.

I want to congratulate Jason on his victory this evening, said state party chairman Rich Anderson in a statement. Running for Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia is no easy task, and this is a critical first step.

Democrats will choose their nominees for statewide offices in a primary June 8. In that party's nominating contest for attorney general, state Del. Jay Jones is challenging incumbent Mark Herring.

The Washington Post reported that the start of Sunday's vote-counting was briefly delayed after a housekeeper entered the ballroom where the ballots were stored and snapped tamper-proof tape that had been used to seal the room. That set off a frenzy to investigate and review video to make sure nothing was amiss, according to the newspaper.
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As more employees shift to remote work, Canadas rural areas may experience unprecedented population growth in the coming years," according to a new report that coincides with Thunder Bay's "Small City, Big Possibilities" campaign.
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Point of Care Technology Market  Overview

Point of care technology is termed as a time when clinicians deliver healthcare products and services to patients. Point of care technology includes diagnostics, devices for documentation, and others. The factors such as increasing prevalence of the chronic diseases, rising research and development facilities, and rising healthcare expenditure are anticipated to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015, around USD 3.2 trillion were spend on healthcare expenditure in the US. Additionally, growing awareness among the people regarding the point of care diagnostics products is expected to contribute to the market growth. Furthermore, the growing adoption of automated lab systems and advancements in diagnostics is likely to boost the growth of the market.

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The global point of care technology market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period 2017 to 2023.

Regional Analysis for Global Point of Care Technology Market

On regional basis, the point of care technology market is segmented into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to dominate the global market during the forecast period.

The market growth in this region is attributed to the huge investment in the healthcare sector coupled with strong economic conditions in the region which favor the research and development activities in the healthcare sector. Moreover, rising demand for point of care technology products is expected to contribute to the market growth. Europe is the second largest market due to the increasing investment in research and development activities and presence of well-developed healthcare sector.

Additionally, Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the fastest growing market owing to the increasing demand for rapid diagnostics and rising prevalence of chronic diseases. The Middle East & Africa is expected to hold the lowest market share in the global point of care technology market due to lack of technical knowledge and poor medical facilities, especially in the African region.

Key Players for Global Point of Care Technology Market

Abbott (US), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.(US), Techno Medica Co., Ltd. (Japan), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Siemens AG (Germany), Alere Inc. (US), Instrumentation Laboratory (US), PTS Diagnostics (US), Nova Biomedical (US), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (US) BD (US), Quidel Corporation (US), Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (US) are some prominent players in the global point of care technology market.

Point of Care Technology Market  Competitive Analysis

The Global Point of Care Technology Market is currently dominated by several players. The well-established market players are engaged in strategic acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, global expansion, and product launches to gain the competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position.

In July 2017, Siemens Healthineers entered into an agreement to acquire Epocal Inc., a subsidiary of Alere Inc. Epocal Inc. offers point-of-care blood diagnostic systems for healthcare enterprises, which includes the epoc Blood Analysis System, wireless testing solution. With this acquisition, Siemens Healthineers increased its existing offerings in point of care diagnostics.

In June 2017, Nova Biomedical announced the grant of CE mark to Allergo analyzer, a point-of-care testing blood analyzer. Allegro analyzer along its StatStrip A companion meter provides 14 tests to monitor glucose in the blood, assessment of cardiac risk with a full lipids panel, and assessment of kidney function.

In January 2017, Werfen and its subsidiary Instrumental Laboratory (IL) acquired Acccriva Diagnostics, a leading company in in-vitro diagnostics blood testing at the Point-of-Care (POC). With this acquisition, Instrumental Laboratory established a leading position in hospital-based POC hemostasis testing and expanded its market position in Point-of-Care (POC) Critical Care testing.

In May 2016, Quidel Corporation announced the acquisition of the InflammaDry and AdenoPlus diagnostic businesses from RPs Diagnostics, a developer and manufacturer of rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests for the eye health and primary care markets.

In December 2016, LifeScan, Inc., a unit of Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Care, received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the integration of its OneTouch Verio Flex blood glucose monitoring system with WellDocs BlueStar Diabetes Management Platform.

In April 2016, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. launched cobas infinity Point-of-Care mobile app that was designed to enable point-of-care coordinators (POCCs) to manage all the tasks on a smartphone or tablet and thus increasing their productivity.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio The family of an Ohio National Guard veteran who took his own life in the Cuyahoga County Jail sued county officials late Saturday on the grounds that jail officials knew he was suicidal and failed to take proper precautions, including making required 15-minute checks on inmates.

Daniel Colbert, the brother of Nicholas Colbert, filed the lawsuit in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court over the May 10, 2019 death. Colberts death at the time marked the ninth inmate death in an 11-month span. Five died by suicide.

Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said county officials will review the lawsuit when they receive it.

The lawsuit accuses county jail staff of failing to put Colbert on suicide watch or in a cell specifically designed for inmates with mental illness. It also says the jail officials failed to conduct an adequate medical screening, provide medical attention, didnt make required checks of inmates and didnt search Colbert when he was booked into the jail. Colbert ultimately hanged himself using a drawstring from a hooded sweatshirt he sneaked into his cell.

Similar to almost every other incident at the Cuyahoga County Jail that ended with tragedy or suffering, the jail staff treated Nicholas Colbert with indifference, callousness, and a disregard for human decency, Colbert family attorney Paul Cristallo said in a statement.

Its the 29th lawsuit filed against the county regarding the jail during a time of turmoil brought on by a plan to regionalize the countys jail operations.

The regionalization plan, which began to be executed in March 2018 led to a crowded and undermanned jail, widespread abuse of inmates by jail officers and investigations by the U.S. Marshals Service, Ohio Attorney Generals Office and the FBI.

Seven of the 29 lawsuits filed in common pleas or federal court are over jail deaths. The county settled one jail-death case with the family of Gregory Fox for $950,000. Five total jail-related cases settled for a total of $1.5 million.

Colberts death happened five months after an initial string of deaths  eight in six months  seemed to wane. Colbert, who grew up in Akrons Ellet neighborhood, was twice deployed overseas, including once to Egypt. He was married and had four daughters.

Colbert, 36, struggled with opioid addiction for years after doctors prescribed him medication for a collarbone injury. He survived three drug overdoses, and his first wife died of an overdose in 2013, his family previously said. Maple Heights police arrested him the day before he died on a drug possession charge. He was ordered held in the jail in lieu of $1,500 bond.

Colbert told jail officials that he previously tried to commit suicide, and that he survived a heroin overdose about a five weeks before being booked into the jail, according to Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner records previously viewed by cleveland.com.

He was not put on suicide watch at the jail and received no medical treatment for the short time he was jailed, according to the medical examiners preliminary autopsy report. Cristallo said upon booking, Colbert showed obvious symptoms of someone despondent and in despair.

Surveillance video later showed that Colbert took a drawstring out of his hooded sweatshirt and wrapped it around his waist. Jail staff never searched him, the lawsuit said.

About 11 a.m. the next day, he was transferred from a regular cell to a special cluster of cells specifically designed for veterans.

He ate lunch about an hour later, according to Cuyahoga County Sheriff records. It was the last time he was seen alive.

The sheriff investigation found that officer Barrington Brown, who was supposed to make required 15-minute checks on inmates, went more than two-and-a-half hours without doing so.

Brown about 2:15 p.m. let the inmates out of their cells and left the area. A fellow inmate found Colbert slumped over with a blanket over his head, and a drawstring around his neck.

The inmate ran out of the cell and looked for Brown, but couldnt find him for about three minutes. Brown came around the corner and the inmate took him to Colberts cell about 2:26 p.m.

Brown radioed for help about a minute later and medical officials arrived within a minute of that. Colbert was taken out of the jail and an ambulance took him to MetroHealth, where he was pronounced dead.

As we are all too aware the Cuyahoga County Jail has been the setting for many avoidable deaths and other violations of civil rights, Cristallo said. Nicholas Colberts name has been added to that tragic list of victims whose life could have and should have been saved.

Read more from cleveland.com:

Family of National Guard vet who died in Cuyahoga County Jail thought arrest might save him from longtime heroin addiction

Medical Examiner: National Guard vet hanged himself in Cuyahoga County Jail

National Guard vet who hanged self in Cuyahoga County Jail told jail of previous suicide attempt, records say

Medical care, forced lockdowns and unsanitary conditions still problems at Cuyahoga County Jail, state says

Cuyahoga County Jail removing bed sheets from cells for mentally ill, isolated inmates to curb suicides
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Market Research Future (MRFR) Has Announced a New Release on the Contraceptive Pills Market highlights the current and future status of market and regional level analysis with the help of industry trends and market performance. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2019 through 2022. Also, a five-year historic analysis is provided for these Contraceptive Pills Market. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research.

Global Contraceptive pills Market  Competitive Analysis

Merck & Co., Inc (US), Pfizer Inc (US), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), Bayer AG (Germany), Allergan plc. (Ireland), Janssen Global Services llc. (US), Mankind Pharma Ltd. (India), Piramal Enterprises Ltd (India), Reckitt Benckiser Plc (UK), Church & Dwight (US), The Female Health Company (US), Mayer Laboratories (US), Cooper Surgical (US) are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the Global Contraceptive Pills Market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis.

Global Contraceptive pills Market  Overview

Contraceptive pills are likely to witness considerable demand in the years to come. The observation offered by Market Research Future (MRFR) unfolds that the global contraceptive pills market is expected to enter a phase of maturity in the foreseeable future. According to the report, the market is prognosticated to record a CAGR of 2.2% across the projection period 2016 to 2022.

Anti-conception medication pills which are also called as oral contraceptive pills are a kind of female hormonal anti-conception medication technique and are extremely viable at avoiding pregnancy. These pills are small tablets that a patient swallow every day. These birth control pills are been used from ancient times but the save and effective methods are introduce and available from 20th century.

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Contraceptive drugs are used to prevent the unwanted pregnancy by blocking the normal process of ovulations or by altering the process which support the fertilization of egg. Most pills contain two sorts of manufactured (man-made) female hormones: estrogen and progestin. These are like the estrogen and progesterone regularly made by the ovaries. These pills are called combination oral contraceptives, and there are a wide range of these kinds.

Globally the market for contraceptive pills is growing at a low rate but with increasing prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases will upsurge the growth of this market in coming future. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the global contraceptive pills market is booming and expected to gain eminence over the forecast period. The market is forecasted to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2022, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a prominent CAGR during the anticipated period (2017  2022).

Increasing need of population control and increasing incident of abortion has driven the growth of the market. Governmental initiatives for minimizing unwanted pregnancy, increasing awareness and healthcare expenditure, and increasing in use of contraceptives drugs has provided fuel for the growth of the market. While the side effects of the treatment and strict governmental rules in many countries may hamper the growth of the market.

Geographically, North America commands the largest market for the contraceptive drug market. Approximately 3 million women in North America experiences unplanned pregnancy. Beside this 90 % of the women use some of the method of contraception. Thus increasing number of abortion and rate of unplanned pregnancy has driven this market in North America. Major market of North America is contributed by US which is followed by Canada. Increasing awareness and minimizing the healthcare expenses by curbing number of abortion in US encourage contraceptive use among women. North America contraceptives drug market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9 % during forecasted period.

Browse Complete Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/contraceptive-pills-market-2122 .

The market for contraceptive pills is characterised by the presence of several well-established and small players, the global market of contraceptive pills appears to be highly competitive and fragmented. Major players are increasingly expanding their footprint in the emerging nations, making it putting pressure on the regional players, especially in terms of features such as type, product portfolios, and pricing.

The market is witnessing intensified competition which is expected to get more intensified further during the forecast period. The contraceptive pills market appears to be highly competitive owing to the presence of several large and small key players accounting for a substantial market share. Well established players are getting into various product launches in order to gain competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position.

For instance, in 2015, Pfizer Inc. has introduced SAYANA, first injectable contraceptive in UK which can be self-administered.

While, in 2015, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has launched Beyaz which is a generic contraceptive drug. It is one of the most successful product of the company and in 2016 it has annual sales of approximately $133 million in the US. Recently, in March 2017, the company has launched a new product Minastrin in the market. Moreover, the company has launched the generic version of Janssens birth control pills Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Into the brand name of Tri-Lo-Sprintec (norgetimate and ethinyl estradiol) tablets.

Therefore, the growing partnerships and product launches to expand their presence in various parts of the globe for their competitive products has spurred the growth of the market.

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
Legal miracle: No matter where you live, an Ohio city is allowed to tax your income  if you work inside that city. Whats more, the GOP-ruled General Assembly last year unanimously passed House Bill 197. It lets Ohio cities tax your income even if  thanks to COVID-19  youre required to work outside your city job site, and instead work, say, at your suburban home.

Prime sponsors of that bill (an anti-COVID-19 package) were Republican Reps. Jena Powell, from Darke Countys Arcanum, and Derek Merrin, from suburban Toledo. Co-sponsors included future House Speaker Robert Cupp, a Lima Republican.

The municipal tax provision runs counter to case law: The Ohio Supreme Court has been perfectly clear in binding decisions stating that cities lack the authority to tax residents who neither work nor live there, according to Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of the Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based free-market think thank thats been fighting the tax grab in court.

Of course, if youre a member of the Ohio House, or state Senate, or Ohios lieutenant governor, you dont have any worries: A sweetheart 1965 law forbids the city of Columbus from charging city income tax on state salaries of General Assembly members and General Assembly employees unless they are legal residents of Columbus. (At the time, lieutenant governors were also presidents of the Senate.)

A General Assembly member is constitutionally required to be a resident of his or legislative district. That means only a comparatively few Ohio House or Senate members  those from Columbus districts  can be considered Columbus residents. But Jane or Joe Taxpayer, working at their suburban home because their big-city office is closed? Pay up  or get yourself elected to the legislature.

Continuing coal plant subsidies cant be justified

Because of phone problems at this end, state Sen. Bob Peterson of Washington Court House, chair of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, didnt get to have his say last week about the stall on a bill that would junk the $700 million subsidy that Ohio electricity consumers must give two coal-fueled power plants (one in Indiana), thanks to repealed House Bill 6, the 2019 measure to force Ohio electricity consumers to bail out two money-losing nuclear-fueled power plants and the coal-fueled power plants.

Legislators repealed the nuclear-plant bailout. They didnt repeal the coal-plant bailout.

Peterson, the Senates No. 2 Republican, is among those seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican, in Congress. The Columbus Dispatch has reported that others seeking the GOP congressional nomination are Fairfield County Commissioner Jeff Fix; state Sen. Stephanie Kunze, of suburban Columbus; and State Reps. Jeff LaRe, of Fairfield County, and Brian Stewart, of Pickaway County. The winner of the GOP primary might well succeed Stivers: President Donald Trump drew 56.3% of the districts vote last year, according to Daily Kos data.

Stalled in Petersons panel is Senate Bill 117, sponsored by GOP Sen. Mark Romanchuk of Ontario and Democratic Sen. Hearcel Craig of Columbus. Their bill would repeal the $700 million coal-plant subsidy that HB 6 demands from Ohio electricity consumers. Among the committees members are GOP Sens. Matt Dolan, of Chagrin Falls, and Jerry Cirino, of Kirtland, and Democratic Sen. Sandra Williams, whos running for mayor of Cleveland.

Peterson cited two factors for delay on the Romanchuk-Craig bill. First, the Senates now working on Ohios proposed operating budget. As passed by the House, the 2,759-page budget would let the state spend $75.9 billion over the next two years.

Peterson is correct: The budget is complex. But the coal subsidy is a tax on Ohio electricity consumers. Including a repeal of that in the budget would be appropriate.

Second, Peterson also said repealing the coal tax on electricity consumers isnt supported by the Senates GOP caucus (though, obviously, Romanchuk seeks repeal).

But caucuses are spectators when a final Ohio budget bill is cut-and-pasted. Whats in the budget will be decided behind closed doors by Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Cupp, both Lima Republicans.

Repealing the $700 million coal subsidy would benefit thousands of Ohio electricity customers. Dont all those Ohioans outweigh the Statehouses roughly 30 electric utility lobbyists? For now, the answer seems to be no.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474

Have something to say about this topic?

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) -- Department of Health officials may face criminal charges if they continue to buy more supplies of remdesivir for COVID-19 patients, said Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor.

We consider all new purchases of remdesivir as reckless and foolish spending in light of the WHO recommendation, and considering that government is scrounging for money to buy more COVID-19 vaccines and to pay for the P2,000 cash aid for every Filipino contemplated under the Bayanihan 3 bill, said Defensor in a statement.

All further purchases of remdesivir - after the WHO came out with its adverse recommendation - may be deemed as transactions highly detrimental to the government under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, he added.

The DOH still pushed through last year with the clinical trial of the remdesivir despite the World Health Organizations recommendation against the anti-viral drug to treat severe COVID-19 cases. Health Secretary Rosario Vergeire cited then that remdesivir was one of the drugs included in the WHOs Solidarity Trial, adding that the WHO recommended that countries can continue with the trial to gather more evidence if the drug can help patients.

The national government has procured more supplies of remdesivir and another experimental drug, tocilizumab, last March.

Citing the law, Defensor said DOH officials may be held liable for a grossly disadvantageous transaction.

Defensor also urged the Department of Budget and Management to repurpose the money to be spent on the purchase of more redemsivir to acquire more COVID-19 vaccines.

The problem with redemsivir is its outrageous price, and yet, based on the findings of the WHO, the drug offers no significant relief to patients, he said.

The DOH earlier warned about overpricing of remdesivir, noting that a 100-milligram vial must only cost 1,500 to 8,200. The use of the drug also requires a compassionate use permit from the Food and Drug Administration.

Defensor and fellow congressman House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta were recently criticized for distributing the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, although the FDA has not yet authorized the sale of the drug for COVID-19 treatment. Health experts, including those from the WHO, said there is not enough evidence that ivermectin can be used to cure COVID-19 infection.

READ: Doctors or solons liable for ivermectin giveaway lapses? DOH to cover all bases in probe
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Market Highlights

According to MRFR analysis, Aortic Valve Market is expected to register a CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period of 2019 to 2025 and held a value of USD 6,454.91 Million in 2018.

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An aortic valve is surgically implanted in the heart to replace a valve that has damaged due to heart valve diseases such as stenosis, regurgitation, and atresia. The replacement of damaged valves with prosthetic heart valves reduces the morbidity and mortality associated with aortic valve disorders.

The growth of the global Aortic Valve Market Trends is boosted by various factors such as the rising geriatric population, surge in prevalence of cardiac disorders, in conjunction with the introduction of innovative products in the market. According to the Heart Valve Voice, approximately 1.5 million people over the age of 65 years are currently affected by heart valve disease in the UK, and the number is expected to increase up to 19 million by 2050. Moreover, increasing product approvals are likely to provide favorable conditions for the growth of the market. For instance, in June 2017, the US FDA granted market clearance for aortic and mitral valve-in-valve procedures using the Edwards Lifesciences Sapien 3 transcatheter heart valve (THV).

However, product recalls due to safety reasons and changing regulatory landscapes are likely to hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Several market players currently dominate the global aortic valve market. The key players are engaged in product launches and strategic collaborations to strengthen their market positions.

Regional Analysis

The market has been divided, by region, into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The Americas held the maximum share in the base year 2018, owing to the presence of established key players in countries such as the US and Canada. The aortic valve market in the Americas has further been branched into North America and Latin America, with the North American market is further divided into the US and Canada. The European aortic valve market has been categorized as Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The Western European market has been classified as Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and the rest of Western Europe. The aortic valve market in Asia-Pacific has been segmented into Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. The aortic valve market in this region is anticipated to be the fastest growing during the assessment period due to the booming geriatric population, rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, and favorable government initiatives for disease treatment. The aortic valve market in the Middle East & Africa has been divided into the Middle East and Africa.

Aortic Valve Market Segmentation

The Global Aortic Valve Market has been segmented based on Type of Valve, Suture, Surgery, and End User.

The market, based on valve type, has been divided into mechanical and biological. The mechanical valve segment is likely to be the largest due to the high adoption of mechanical valves in replacement procedures. The biological valves segment is predicted to be the fastest-growing due to the increasing awareness about the advantages of biological valves in replacement procedures. Magna Ease (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation), Hancock II (Medtronic), Trifecta (Abbott) are some of the well-known biological valves' brands currently present in the market.

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The Global Aortic Valve Market has been segmented, based on the surgery type, into minimally invasive surgery and open surgery. The minimally invasive surgery segment is further divided into transfemoral, transaortic implantation, transapical, and trans-subclavian. It is expected to hold majority share of the market owing to shorter hospital stay, less pain, and faster recovery as compared to open-heart surgery.

The end users of the market are hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers. The hospital segment is likely to hold the maximum share during the forecast period.
NEW MEXICO

US sets aside habitat critical for survival of rare songbird

ALBUQUERQUE  U.S. wildlife managers have set aside vast areas across several states as habitat critical to the survival of a rare songbird that migrates each year from Central and South America to breeding grounds in Mexico and the United States.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the final habitat designation for the western yellow-billed cuckoo on April 20. It covers about 467 square miles along hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in the western states.

Most breeding in the U.S. occurs in Arizona and New Mexico, but the habitat designation also includes areas in California, Colorado, Utah, Texas and Idaho.

The designation isn't as big as initially proposed. Wildlife managers opted to exclude more than 300 square miles of potential habitat after considering updated information about ongoing conservation activities, the lack of suitable habitat in some areas and potential interference with critical infrastructure.

Federal biologists describe the cuckoo as an elusive species. Difficult to observe, it selects its nesting spots based on habitat conditions and the availability of food.

Each spring and fall, the cuckoo uses river corridors as routes to travel between its wintering and breeding grounds. Nesting pairs find refuge in willows, cottonwoods and other trees along waterways and once their chicks hatch, their voracious appetites for insects help them fuel up for the return trip south.

Listed as threatened in 2014, biologists say the bird has seen population declines due to loss of riparian habitat and habitat fragmentation resulting from agriculture, dams and river management, erosion, overgrazing and competition from exotic plants.

Judge rules state must give at-home students fast internet

SANTA FE  A New Mexico judge has ordered education officials to provide computers and high-speed internet to students who still don't have them in a landmark ruling that for the first time in the state has set a standard for internet speeds for public school children.

The April 30 ruling by state District Judge Matthew Wilson requires state officials to immediately determine which students covered by the sweeping lawsuit are still lacking quality internet, or devices, and to provide them with what they need, including transportation if they can't get fast internet from home.

The vast majority of New Mexico schools have opened to in-person learning this month after closures due to the pandemic. But school districts serving tribal areas, which were particularly hard-hit by COVID-19 cases and deaths, are still under lockdown orders and some are still in remote or partially remote learning.

About 10% of New Mexico children are Native American and often confront major barriers to online and in-person learning. When the pandemic first hit, 55% of Native American students could not connect to online courses, according to a Legislative Finance Committee report. Many teachers serving at-risk students also lacked at-home internet and computers.

Some homes are simply too far for wireless towers that send internet to WiFi hot spots, and state officials have estimated a full extension of the state's broadband system would cost around $5 billion; larger than its entire annual education budget.

WYOMING

Cheney: 'Wishful thinking' by Trump she won't seek 4th term

CHEYENNE  Speculation by former President Donald Trump that she won't seek re-election next year is "wishful thinking," Liz Cheney said April 28.

Trump suggested a day earlier that Wyoming's congresswoman would become a lobbyist or "maybe embarrass her family by running for president" to save face amid criticism for her vote to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Cheney struck down any such ideas in a call with Wyoming reporters.

"I am absolutely dedicated and committed to winning my primary and earning the votes of the people of Wyoming," Cheney said.

"It's a critical time to make sure that we have the strongest person in Washington fighting on behalf of our values, fighting on behalf of our energy industry, our ag industry, our families," added Cheney, the elder daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Cheney joined nine Republican representatives and all Democrats in the U.S. House in voting to impeach. She has called it a vote of her conscience against Trump's betrayal of his office and oath to uphold the Constitution.

In February, the Wyoming Republican Party central committee censured Cheney for her vote. Four Republicans already are running against her in 2022.

They include two state legislators, Sen. Anthony Bouchard of Cheyenne and Rep. Chuck Gray of Casper, who aren't well known beyond Wyoming's two biggest cities. Two other Republican opponents are even less well-known. Wyoming's top elected officials have either voiced support for Cheney or not weighed in on her impeachment vote.

IDAHO

Bill to kill up to 90% of wolves heads to governor

BOISE  The Idaho House on April 27 approved legislation allowing the state to hire private contractors and expand methods to kill wolves roaming Idaho  a measure that could cut the wolf population by 90%.

Lawmakers voted 58-11 to send the agriculture industry-backed bill to Republican Gov. Brad Little. The fast-tracked bill that allows the use of night-vision equipment to kill wolves as well as hunting from snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, among other measures, passed the Senate last week.

Backers said changes to Idaho law could help reduce the wolf population from about 1,500 to 150, alleviating wolf attacks on cattle, sheep and wildlife.

Cattle and sheep ranchers say wolves have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars by killing animals or harassing them, causing them to lose weight, making them less valuable when they are sold.

Opponents said the legislation threatens a 2002 wolf management plan involving the federal government that could ultimately lead to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking back control of managing the state's wolves.

Environmental groups blasted the House's approval of the measure and called on Republican Gov. Brad Little to veto the legislation.

A primary change in the new law is the hiring of private contractors to kill wolves. The legislation includes increasing the amount of money the Idaho Department of Fish and Game sends to the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control board from $110,000 to $300,000.

About 500 wolves have been killed in the state in each of the last two years by hunters, trappers and wolf-control measures carried out by state and federal authorities.

NEBRASKA

114-year-old woman becomes oldest living American

OMAHA  A 114-year-old Nebraska woman who has taken the title of America's oldest living person says what she wants most is to eat with her friend after a year of pandemic restrictions.

Thelma Sutcliffe, of Omaha, became the nation's oldest living person and seventh-oldest in the world on April 17 when Hester Ford, a 115-year-old woman, died in North Carolina, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Sutcliffe was born on Oct. 1, 1906. Her longtime friend, Luella "Lou" Mason, said she is happy that the senior living center where Sutcliffe lives is locked down, but "Thelma is as determined as ever to do what she wants to do."

Until visitors are allowed in the dining room, Thelma is taking all her meals in her room. Mason, who has Sutcliffe's power of attorney, calls the senior living center 24 hours ahead of time to schedule visits.

Sutcliffe's hearing and sight are fading, Mason said, but her mind is still "very sharp."
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For a swaggering country that so prides itself on handling its crap, America is doing a really poor job of handling its actual crap. And the cracks in our treatment of our cracks have begun to show in quite a dramatic fashion during the pandemic. Cracks such as ...

4 The U.S. Government Has Turned Its Back On Public Toilets

When it comes to the most desired spots to relieve yourself in public, the global ranking is as follows:

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1. Every public toilet in the civilized world

2. Particularly tall bramble bushes.

3. International airports.

4. Your own underpants.

5. The U.S. of A

Sadly, from black people to women with a slightly too-pronounced Adams apple, America has a long tradition of barring its most vulnerable citizens access to public restrooms. But in 2020 weve finally reached true equality now that no one can go into a public restroom anymore. For decades, local governments have been dutifully neglecting the state of their public restroom to the point of utter disrepair. Then, instead of dealing with the issue, they simply handed off the unenviable task of toilet toll keeping to bars, libraries, and that one McDonalds that hasnt changed the lock combo to the bathroom in ages.

Jason Michael, Flickr If you dont want us to figure that its 6-9-6-9, McDonalds, then stop hiring teenagers.

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The pee-dancingly urgent flaws in this system became very obvious during the pandemic. With businesses and public buildings shuttered and outdoor restrooms looking more like crack dens than crack relievers, Americans no longer have anywhere to go when they need to go on the go. This neglect is making societys transients, both the professional and amateur kind, quite desperate. Homeless folks in cities are forced to wear diapers as theyre no longer afforded even the dignity of having a shit and a soap-dispenser shave in the only bathroom without a non-optional gloryhole. Delivery drivers have learned to no longer trust their bathroom finder apps and just carry around enough pee tubes and empty bottles that their cabs look like its Bring Your Beerbongs To Work Day. And so many women got tired of squatting in between cars that the sales of female pee funnels have skyrocketed.
An Indiana court has dismissed a lawsuit filed against a Roman Catholic Archdiocese by a former private school teacher who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage.

Marion Superior Court Judge Lance D. Hamner issued an order Friday in favor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis motion to dismiss a lawsuit by former teacher Joshua Payne-Elliot.

According to the order, the court concluded that there was a lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, a law firm that represented the archdiocese, released a statement Friday expressing support for the order.

Source:The Christian Post
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned graduates of Regent University not to compromise their beliefs, even when there's a disconnect between being a good Christian and a good American.

Pompeo gave the commencement address at the Virginia Beach, Virginia-based campus Shaw Chapel to a virtual audience of approximately 2,400 graduates, reportedly the largest graduating class in Regents history.

During his remarks, Pompeo told the graduates that he believed religious liberty, especially for followers of Christ, was increasingly under attack in the United States from our government.

More and more, being a good follower of Christ is becoming less synonymous with being a good American, even though you know the history. The founding of our country is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian values, Pompeo said.

Source:The Christian Post
Addressing an international pro-life conference last week, a Catholic nun who spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention stressed that the political and cultural battles engulfing the United States are the result of a battle between the devil, who is real, and Our Lord.

Sister Deirdre Byrne, who gave a pro-life speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention, spoke at the 50th annual conference for the pro-life group Heartbeat International.

The 2021 Heartbeat International Virtual Conference took place from April 27-30 in Columbus, Ohio. The conference was designed for ministry leaders, staff, board members, and volunteers of life-affirming pregnancy help centers, medical clinics, maternity homes, and nonprofit adoption agencies, as well as professionals in the area of medicine, counseling, social work and education.

During her speech, Byrne urged Catholics and the pro-lifers gathered in-person and online to be battle-ready to act as soldiers for Christ in this dark time, where every day, things seem to be ramping up about things that are against the family and faith. She maintained that this battle we face is not a battle between Republicans and the Democrats.

Source:The Christian Post
A Florida Presbyterian Church in America pastor and former professor of theology has denounced contemporary Christian worship, saying that it, among other things, goes against the reverence and awe that church services should have for God.

In his remarks, titled Reformed Doxology: Worship According to Scripture, David McWilliams, senior minister of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, critiqued popular trends in contemporary worship, especially the music often used, during a speech on Wednesday afternoon at a Gospel Reformation Network conference.

McWilliams read from Hebrews 12:18-29, a passage that includes a verse commanding believers to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

We long for a Holy Spirit-induced relish for the truth, a delight in the triune God, a heart moved promptly and sincerely by Gods glory in our private and public worship, said McWilliams.

Source:The Christian Post
Invaders United Kingdom 1900: Chinese cartoonist Wuheqilin mocks G7 meeting with new illustration

Global Times) 10:10, May 09, 2021

The satire illustration that Wuheqilin released on May 7, 2021. (photo: Weibo)

"The last time when these guys colluded to [suppress] China was still in 1900; 120 years have passed, they are still dreaming," patriotic Chinese cartoonist Wuheqilin posted on social media, alongside his new satire illustration on Friday, comparing the meddling of the G7 (or Group of Seven) in China's internal affairs to the notorious invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance troops in 1900.

The illustration, looking like a yellowing old photograph, was painted based on a real group photo that the G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union for foreign affairs took in London on May 4 local time. It depicts eight people wearing old-style military uniforms and black face masks standing in the middle, and a man dressed in Indian garb and wearing a white mask in the left corner, who is on a drip, like a patient.

Chinese readers found that the eight people in the middle of the illustration, standing in the same positions as the eight officials in the May 4 photo, respectively symbolize Britain, the US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austria-Hungary, which formed the invading troops to China some 120 years ago.

In his illustration, Wuheqilin candidly changed the words "United Kingdom 2021," shown on the background board in the actual May 4 photo, into "Invaders United Kingdom 1900."

The man in Indian clothing at the corner of the illustration represents India, which is not a G7 member but was invited to the meeting as a guest along with a few other countries including Australia, readers pointed out.

The Indian man in the illustration holds an IV drip stand close to him, which allows readers to associate it with the severe COVID-19 situation in the South Asian country, which reported a record-high 414,188 confirmed new cases on Thursday.

It followed after India's foreign minister, and his entire team for the G7 talks in London, said they were self-isolating after two delegation members tested positive for coronavirus, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The meeting "was hit by a COVID-19 scare" after the two cases were reported, it said.

The illustration went viral on Chinese social media on Friday, generating more than 306,000 likes and 27,500 retweets within five hours on Twitter-like Weibo since Wuheqilin posted it. Many netizens applauded the satire piece for vividly revealing the ugly faces of some Western forces who have been attempting to bully and contain China over the century.

"Eight-Nation Alliance troops invaded China and looted and pillaged Beijing in 1900, when China was called 'Sick Man of East Asia;' but now times have changed, and China is no longer what she used to be," a Weibo user commented under the illustration. "Western forces, stop your daydreaming!" another user said.

Some other users called the G7 meeting attendees "beasts in human dress," lashing out at the hypocrisy of G7 in grossly interfering in China's internal affairs, including Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with lies and groundless accusations under the guise of so-called "human rights."

A Wednesday-issued statement by the foreign ministers of G7 countries tried to reaffirm their leadership by outlining China and Russia as "threats" and listing issues regarding China's Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet and Taiwan, but no concrete steps of confrontation were disclosed.

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting launched groundless accusations against China, blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs and engaged in anachronistic bloc politics, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Thursday. "This is gross interference in China's sovereignty, flagrant trampling on norms of international relations and [a] violation of the trend toward peace," Wang noted.

Weibo users also heatedly discussed the Indian man being on a drip alone in the illustration. They criticized Indian authorities for still painstakingly trying to ride on the G7's coattails to suppress China, regardless of the tens of thousands of domestic lives being lost as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak at home.

"India, be realistic and take more care of your own people first," some Chinese Weibo users commented.

India recorded 3,915 COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday, according to the health ministry data. It was the 10th consecutive day that the number of fatalities identified in a 24-hour period exceeded 3,000, said a Times of India report.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
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In a year marked by disease and death, women across the country have continued to bring forth new life, taking on a new title: mom.

While birth rates around the country have dropped for the sixth year in a row with a baby bust declared, some Connecticut women are becoming mothers for the first time, going through pregnancies and giving birth while the world screeched to a halt with the COVID-19 pandemic.

But these new moms have had a different experience.

Faced with uncertainty, isolation and an ever-changing medical landscape, pandemic moms have had to make their own way. They focused on the positives  special bonding time with their newborns  and reached out to create communities for themselves via Facetime, texts to friends and families, and prenatal groups, when other options werent available.

A June study from the Guttmacher Institute found that 40 percent of women in the U.S. changed their plans about when to have children or how many children to have during the pandemic, and one-third reported wanting to postpone having children or wanting to have fewer children.

Still, there were some who started or expanded their families during these past months of turmoil, including Katie Clunan of Newtown, who had daughter Layla last year on April 20, and Samantha Cook of Shelton, who had daughter Elle last year on March 7.

Clunan and Cook, two first-time moms raising newborns during the pandemic, werent scared by their experiences. Despite the unique ups and downs, both hope to have more children.

A slight decline in births and a great desire for midwives

Danbury Hospitals Family Birth Center saw a 6 percent decrease in births in 2020 compared to 2019, according to Orleen Dawes-Slater, senior director of maternal child health at the hospital. Nationwide there was a four percent birthrate drop in 2020, the federal government reported Wednesday. The new data also marks the sixth year in a row the nations birthrate has fallen.

Dawes-Slater said the migration of New Yorkers  some relocating to Connecticut in their third trimester and delivering at Danbury Hospital  likely offset these numbers, too. The decline was possibly greater than 6 percent.

Last year, the center helped deliver 1,889 babies, when in 2019 that number was 2,018. In 2021, the center is seeing a slight increase compared to the first few months of 2020, but still fewer births than 2019. From January to April, theyve had 610 births, compared to 599 last year and 627 in 2019.

However, Dawes-Slater said these numbers show neither a significant decline nor the predicted pandemic baby boom.

But amid declines in birth rates nationally, midwives and birthing centers have stayed busy. The Connecticut Childbirth & Womens Center is seeing a patient boom, according to Cathy Parisi, certified nurse midwife and clinical director at the center.

Our numbers are through the roof. This is going to be the busiest year weve ever had, said Parisi, who has worked at the center since 1997.

With anxieties over hospitals and the virus, more women opted to give birth with a midwife in a home-like setting. Parisi said some just didnt want to stay away from the safety of home for long.

Women have just kind of wanted to come in, have their baby in a safe, caring environment, and then go home within four to eight hours, she said. Were getting women from Manhattan, from New Jersey, from Massachusetts.

They even have one client, due May 23, who just transferred over to their center.

Caring for mental health and a new baby

Childbirth and prenatal educators in the area noticed a lot more fear, anxiety and feelings of loneliness and isolation among new parents.

Specifically, women were fearful of giving birth without a partner or family by their side, said Lauren Cascone, who runs Strong as a Mother, which runs childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care educational classes in Newtown.

She gave birth to her third child  a daughter  at Danbury Hospital in October and said she worried shed have to go it alone and was wary of being in a hospital with the circulating virus.

There was so much fear, and theres still a lot of fear, Cascone said.

Clunans anxiety set in as she parted from her husband in the hospital parking lot to give birth to Layla, now a year old. She had watched the news incessantly, observing hospital capacity fill as she neared her due date.

With contractions just four minutes apart, she entered the hospital, not knowing when shed see her husband again. Thankfully, he was allowed to attend the birth, but the unknown elements were stressful for the first-time mom.

Finding creative solutions to community

Pregnancy and birth are often communal events, filled with baby showers, classes, family visits, and new mommy friendships  things that are in short supply during the pandemic. These new moms had to find different ways to connect and find support.

Jessica Hill, founder of The Parent Collective, focused on community even before the pandemic. Her company provides prenatal and parenting classes in Fairfield County with the goal of cultivating a strong sense of community among parents.

From her own experiences, Hill knows having a group on the same journey can help in hard times.

When the pandemic hit, she moved all classes  mostly attended by first-time parents  onto Zoom. Hill also started partnering with local medical practices to provide support to patients.

Despite being online, Hills classes try to foster that sense of community among soon-to-be parents through breakout rooms and group texts created by class facilitators.

The people who are in our classes are just really hungry for that, Hill said.

Cascone created a private Facebook group called Strong as a Mother Mamas so her clients could have a safe space to connect and ask questions.

Hill said demand for the classes has increased during the pandemic, and she has a broader audience, especially with her new partnerships. Slots are sold out five minutes after emails are sent to one providers patients, who get the classes for free.

We joke that those classes are like concert tickets, Hill said.

Cascone has also seen strong demand for her classes, which went virtual last spring, too.

Finding answers

In Cascones experience, giving birth just before the winter with decreased social interactions was hard and isolating, especially with the baby blues. Cascone had few places to bring her children to play and couldnt rely as much on the normal social support systems after a birth.

For Clunan, it was difficult not to get tunnel vision at home when she was worried about her daughter. She relied on Cascone, whose classes she took, and her sisters and sisters-in-law for advice. She wanted to know if she was doing it right, what she should do next, whether her daughter was hitting the right milestones.

Cook and Clunan both said they also relied heavily on friends who were also first-time moms, texting and talking on FaceTime frequently.

We still to this day say we couldnt have done it without each other, Clunan said.

Knowing they were all going through the same thing made Cook feel a lot less lonely.

I think now, more than ever, when moms dont really have access to library playgroups and opportunities for gatherings to meet other moms, its so important that we figure out creative ways of connecting, Hill said.

Silver linings

But social isolation came with its benefits for some first-time moms.

Clunan will always remember her unusual birth experience as a very special time  she loves looking at the pictures of Laylas birth. It was just the three of them  her husband, her baby, and herself  with no other visitors.

It was really special just having that alone time, she said. Given the fact that everything turned out well for us, its such a special story that I can share with her forever.

While it was hard not having family come visit and meet Layla, Clunan said she had more time to rest. Looking back, she said she wouldnt change her experience.

Dawes-Slater saw this with patients at Danbury Hospital, too. She wrote in an email that for many patients the pandemic extended baby-bonding time, and that a slower pace with more time for family has been a bright side for some.

Cook thinks her daughter played a large role in helping her get through the darkest parts of the pandemic.

She kept me going every day, Cook said. She was kind of like a light for all of us these past 12 months.
STAMFORD  New residents from far and wide landed in Connecticuts lap during pandemic-related exoduses, according to a new study. And among all of the states 169 municipalities, pockets of Stamford fared particularly well.

A Hearst Connecticut Media analysis of change-of-address notifications filed with the U.S. Postal Service found that Connecticut beat out regional competitors like Westchester and Long Island in terms of 2020 move-ins. The pandemic especially flipped the migration switch in two pockets of Stamford: the ZIP codes 06901 and 06903, according to real estate services firm CBRE.

The number of people moving from other, more populous places to the Stamford metro area exploded in 2020. Over 17,000 people moved to the Stamford-Bridgeport-Norwalk Metro from New York City and its surrounding communities in 2020. The year before, only 10,079 people made the same move, meaning the migration grew by 72 percent in one year, according to the Hearst analysis.

By population, the ZIP code for Stamfords downtown, 06901, saw some of the most precipitous growth in Connecticut, according to the USPS data. For every 1,000 residents, 65 more people moved downtown in 2020 than in 2019. Over the pandemic year, in particular, the increase in that neighborhood beat out the boom in some of the citys more suburban communities. And that only counts people who permanently changed their mailing address accordingly.

However, Stamfords 06903 ZIP code  which spans all of North Stamford  fared better overall in the regions population game. Even when accounting for residents who moved away, North Stamford gained at least 413 new residents by CBREs estimate.

Ive seen more baby carriages in the last six months than I have in the last six years, said city Rep. Bob Lion, who represents part of North Stamford. He said he sees young families everywhere in his neighborhood. Of course, the trend has picked up over the last year, but Lion thinks it goes back years.

The 06902 ZIP code, a vast and socioeconomically diverse swath of Stamford south of Interstate 95 up to Westover, led the entire state in newcomers during 2019 and 2020. Between the two years, 13,452 residents moved there. But that influx of people alone only means so much. In that same time frame, 15,006 residents moved out of the 06902. Unlike Downtown and North Stamford, the pandemics net migration from that zipcode was relatively flat.

New families, many with young children, are replacing longtime residents who are looking to downsize or cash in on the hottest housing market since 2006. Lion thinks that the churn of families moving in and out of North Stamford is different than in years past.

During its corporate heydey in the 1980s, when the city had the largest concentration of headquarters in the country, it used to be because people were transferring in and out, Lion said. By his estimates, the corporate professionals who settled here 40 years ago are now turning over, thinking of downsizing or flocking to warm-weather states like birds in the wintertime.

Combined with the pandemic-related influx, real estate agents say Stamford is experiencing a perfect storm.

Theres a severe lack of inventory right now in Stamford, local real estate agent Chris Carozza said. In April 2021, only 91 homes were listed for sale in the entire 06903 ZIP code, according to data from Realtor.com. Exactly a year prior, 215 homes were listed for sale in the same community. Fewer homes drive up the price of real estate and heighten the stakes in competitive markets. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the median listing price in North Stamford jumped 30 percent.

Carozza said sees cash offers happening in places like North Stamford more and more because of the New York City money flooding the market, along with waived mortgage and inspection contingencies.

Theres a downside, however, especially for more vulnerable house hunters.

If you have to sell your house to buy your next house ... youre competing with people who dont have anything to sell, and they have cash. Its very difficult to compete with those people. Thats really frustrating for a lot of Connecticut buyers right now, Carozza said.

In Fairfield County, the limited housing stock and competitive market have meant more people are moving farther away than before. CBRE data shows that a whopping majority of movers  more than 49,000 people  stayed within the county. But during the pandemic, the number of people moving between 100 and 500 miles from Fairfield County jumped by 19 percent.

That same zeal translated into enthusiasm about Stamfords rental market, which has changed the most because of the pandemic. In 2019, Downtown lost 433 residents. One year later, move-ins to the same neighborhood jumped by 620 people.

Just before the pandemic stuck, Urby  a brand of apartment buildings with a penchant for aesthetically minded flourishes  opened its Stamford location right on the corner of Greyrock Place. And like many of its Downtown compatriots, the influx of residents to the neighborhood has been welcome news.

Were definitely considering people who are saying I dont necessarily need to be tethered to a certain area of New York City. I can have the flexibility of being a little bit further away, Urby Marketing Director Tara Leavitt said.

Leavitt thinks the Urby is strategically positioned for even more growth as people emerge from their socially distanced cocoons. The building is significantly closer to the Stamford Transportation Center than some of the other luxury properties nearby, she said, and proximity to both the train and the central business district helps give its tenants the best of both worlds.

While the pandemic has brought hundreds of people to Stamford, its the citys job to convince them and their tax money to stay. A sure-fire way to to do that, according to Lion, is by investing in Stamfords amenities.

The city representative said he hopes to see more money going towards parks, more Downtown programming like farmers markets and its outdoor dining initiative, and more large-scale events geared towards young people and families.

Its not going to be for me, Lion said. Its going to be for those who buy my house.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP)  A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, slaying six adults before killing himself Sunday, police said.

The shooting happened just after midnight in a mobile home park on the east side of Colorado Springs, police said.

Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.

The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and opened fire before shooting himself, police said.

The birthday party was for one of the people killed, police said.

Neighbor Yenifer Reyes told The Denver Post she woke to the sound of many gunshots.

I thought it was a thunderstorm, Reyes said. Then I started hearing sirens.

Police brought children out of the trailer and put them into at least one patrol car, she said, adding that the children were crying hysterically.

Authorities say the children, who werent hurt in the attack, have been placed with relatives.

Police on Sunday hadn't released the identities of the shooter or victims. Authorities say a motive wasn't immediately known.

My heart breaks for the families who have lost someone they love and for the children who have lost their parents, Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said in a statement.

It was Colorado's worst mass shooting since a gunman killed 10 people at a Boulder supermarket March 22.

The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs is devastating, Gov. Jared Polis said Sunday, especially as many of us are spending the day celebrating the women in our lives who have made us the people we are today.

Colorado Springs, population 465,000, is Colorado's second-biggest city after Denver.

In 2015, a man shot three people to death at random before dying in a shootout with police in Colorado Springs on Halloween. Less than a month later, a man killed three people, including a police officer, and injured eight others in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.
PARIS (AP)  Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris and other French cities on Sunday to call for more ambitious measures in the fight against climate change.

The nationwide protests come after the lower house of parliament this week approved a climate bill aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions that environment activists say doesnt go far or fast enough.

As it stands, the (proposed) law is a climatic and social failure, said a group of climate campaigners, Ensemble pour le climat ("Together for climate).

Greenpeace France denounced the governments refusal to take action for climate.

Activists blame President Emmanuel Macron, who has been very vocal about his support for climate change action, for having weakened a set of measures initially proposed by a panel of 150 citizens who had worked for months on the issue.

Sarah Moore of Paris-based nongovernmental organization International Science Council said "we are all here because we are in an extremely urgent situation ... I think France is in a position to do something very strong with the 2015 Paris (climate) Agreement and in fact, were not doing anything.

Victor Duong, 32, a senior executive in Paris, said we want to have more concrete policy actions, we want countries to commit to emitting less carbon, to being more respectful of the environment, in terms of recycling, agriculture, our way of consuming.

The bill, which will now be debated in the Senate, includes a ban on domestic flights under two and half hours that can be done by train and measures to support renovation of high energy-consuming buildings and encourage greener cars.Meanwhile, French newspaper Journal du Dimanche reported Sunday that a referendum to include the need to preserve the environment into the French Constitution, promised by Macron, wont be able to take place.

The change requires a parliamentary vote. The National Assembly, where Macron has a majority, largely approved it in March. But no deal has been found in the Senate, where the conservative party holds a majority.

Macron, speaking on the margins of an European Union event in the French city of Strasbourg, said the referendum bill won't be abandoned.

The text will continue living its parliamentary life, which is the only way to get a referendum on condition senators and deputies agree, he said, stressing the process is still several steps away from a definite vote in parliament.

Macrons office said that "the environment issue remains one of the priorities of the president."

About a third of Frances 100 billion-euro ($122 billion) rescue plan to help the economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic by next year will go to reducing emissions and protecting biodiversity.

Macron also pushed for beefing up the EUs 2030 targets to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 55% compared with 1990 levels  up from the previous 40% target. Last month, the EU has reached a tentative climate deal to put the 27-nation bloc on a path to being climate neutral by 2050.

___

AP Journalist Boubkar Benzabat contributed to the story.
Stop, for a moment, and consider your smartphone. Truly a technological wonder, it has swallowed up or driven nearly to obsolescence landlines and phone booths, fax machines, standalone GPS devices, cameras, clocks, kitchen timers, stopwatches, pedometers, calculators, CD players, cookbooks, scrabble boards and much more. As microprocessors become smaller and faster, and entrepreneurs pursue riches, new applications will emerge to simplify, stratify, speed and realign our priorities, needs and sensibilities.

The cultural impact is beyond measurement, as are the effects on our jobs, health care, education, safety, communication and our personal lives. These amazing devices, and the many technologies they have spawned, deliver the world to us instantly, expanding our horizons and changing how we see, play, gather and share information.

The first Industrial Revolution used steam and water to mechanize production. The second, the Technological Revolution, offered standardization and industrialization. The third capitalized on electronics and information technology to automate production. Now a fourth Industrial Revolution, our modern Digital Age, is building on the third; expanding exponentially, it is disrupting and transforming our lives, while evolving too fast for governance, ethics and management to keep pace.

Most high school graduates have been exposed to information technology through personal computers, word processing software and their phones. Nonetheless, the digital divide separates the tech savvy from the tech illiterate, driven by disparities in access to technology for pre-K to 12 students based on where they live and socioeconomic realities.

Among the 37 countries participating in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, we trail many in computer science training, and Connecticut ranks near the bottom of the United States in computer science spending for K-12 students.

But the U.S. remains a strong economic magnet and innovation hub for the world. That will continue as long as we allow foreign talent to immigrate here, and the private sector embraces emerging technologies. We need not worry about short-term challenges like devising faster, more exciting devices and services; no, the real challenge will be ensuring that these creations are deployed and made available morally and ethically, accompanied by an effective legal and regulatory framework.

In Europe, still scarred from World War II and fascism, governments work to protect confidentiality, limit the gathering and potential misuse of personal information and regulate tools that might be used to deceive, manipulate or control. Here in the United States, we seem less concerned with the ethical implications of data gathering and manipulation.

Look no further than the 2020 U.S. presidential election to understand the implications and influence of social media, distortions, false facts and misrepresentation. Lies and partial truths, distorted and fed instantly to millions of voters, resulted in chaos, insurrection and the undermining of our democracy. And those seeds, now planted, continue to flourish as do the technologies and farmers that fertilize them.

But its not all doom and gloom. We can prepare the next generations to use data and emerging tools for good, to protect our planet and to service mankind.

At Sacred Heart University, we understand how these technologies are changing our world and have adjusted our strategic planning to capture new economic growth. We also are equipping students to understand and embrace the ethics, moral foundations and social responsibilities that go with leadership.

We examine what can go wrong when power and influence are wielded unscrupulously or without proper vetting, transparency and governance. By revamping our curricula to focus on analytics, ethics and privacy issues across multiple business, economic, professional and social disciplines, we simultaneously train students to think and act like entrepreneurs.

Data, machine learning and AI are reconstructing the world every millisecond  we cant be caught like deer in the headlights. We must deal with the continued spread of information, wide-ranging socioeconomic disparities, the need for constant retraining and lagging regulatory frameworks.

Laws rarely keep up with change. But we can learn from history and our mistakes and use tools like AI, equipped with a multitude of facts, to run multiple simulations and create models that determine risks and consequences. Then we can construct proactive regulations and manage against potential worst-case scenarios.

The proverbial genie is out of the bottle, and nothing is going to slow it. We must impose rules, teach our children ethical considerations, dissuade those who would manipulate these tools for nefarious purposes and ensure that data is managed ethically, morally and constructively.

Martha Crawford is dean of the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.
Technical Forecast for the Australian Dollar: Bullish

It may not be the most seasonally friendly time of year for the Australian Dollar , but a prevailing risk-on mood in global financial markets is giving a bid to the commodity-linked currency.

Both AUD/JPY and AUD/USD rates are breaking higher out of recent consolidations, suggesting that near-term technical structure is bullish.

The IG Client Sentiment Index s uggests that the AUD-crosses have different biases.

Australian Dollar Rates Week in Review

The first week of May proved a strong start for the trio of commodity currencies, which were the top three performers among the major currencies. Coming in first place, the Australian Dollar was able to post gains against all of its major counterparts, with pairs like AUD/JPY (+1%) and AUD/USD (+1.66%) posting the strongest gains. With the Reserve Bank of Australia now in the rearview mirror and a relatively benign economic calendar due in the days ahead, even though it may not be the most seasonally friendly time of year for the Aussie, a prevailing risk-on mood in global financial markets is giving a bid to the commodity-linked currency.

AUD/USD RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (March 2020 to May 2021) (CHART 1)

The last time we checked in on the AUD-crosses, it was noted that AUD/USDs uptrend from the March and November 2020 lows remains impaired, with the mid-March attempt higher failing to recapture the key trendline. But hope springs eternal: it may be the case that a bullish falling wedge is taking shape on the daily timeframe, with support drawn from the early-January high and early-March low, and resistance drawn from the late-February high and mid-March high.

And while AUD/USD rates did indeed trade higher out of the bullish falling wedge, the month of April yielded little by way of advance or decline, setting up what may be interpreted as a bull flag. Accordingly, the breakout at the end of the week suggests that the period of consolidation has ended, and the prior interpretation of price action coalescing into a bull flag indeed correct. To this end, AUD/USD rates are still in the throes of the aforementioned bullish falling wedge, which eyes a return to the yearly high at 0.8007.

IG Client Sentiment Index: AUD/USD RATE Forecast (May 7, 2021) (Chart 2)

AUD/USD: Retail trader data shows 35.39% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.83 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 26.69% lower than yesterday and 27.00% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 0.39% lower than yesterday and 14.74% higher from last week.

We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests AUD/USD prices may continue to rise.

Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger AUD/USD-bullish contrarian trading bias.

AUD/JPY RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (MARCH 2020 to May 2021) (CHART 3)

AUD/JPY rates have maintained their uptrend from the March and November 2020 lows unlike its AUD/USD brethren, but like its counterpart, a bullish falling wedge appears to be the predominant short-term pattern thats guiding price action. With AUD/JPY rates above their daily EMA envelope, which is in bullish sequential order, daily MACD rising while above its signal line, and daily Slow Stochastics achieving overbought territory, bullish momentum is firming. A push to the yearly high at 85.45 (and beyond) is squarely in focus over the coming days.

IG Client Sentiment Index: AUD/JPY Rate Forecast (May 7, 2021) (Chart 4)

AUD/JPY: Retail trader data shows 33.56% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.98 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 5.06% lower than yesterday and 8.70% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.71% lower than yesterday and 6.60% lower from last week.

We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests AUD/JPY prices may continue to rise.

Yet traders are less net-short than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current AUD/JPY price trend may soon reverse lower despite the fact traders remain net-short.

CFTC COT Australian Dollar Futures Positioning (May 7, 2020 to May 7, 2021) (Chart 5)

Finally, a consideration of positioning in the futures market. According to the CFTCs COT for the week ended May 4, speculators flipped their Australian Dollar positioning to net-long with 1,476 contracts, a shift from the 1,410 net-short contracts held in the week prior. Considering how benign positioning is in the future market, there is ample room for the Australian Dollar to embark on a trend without risk of overcrowding in the short-term.

--- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist
Over half a century in public life I have discovered that things are never quite as good as you think they are  and never as bad as they seem at the time. But over the last few days I have come close to revising that judgment.

The result of the Hartlepool by-election and many, but not all, of the election results in England are quite simply devastating for the Labour Party.

By the weekend I felt as I imagine so many Conservatives must have felt back in 1997 when Tony Blair led New Labour to a landslide victory.

It took the Tories eight years to bring about a substantial change in their partys approach to the electorate and make significant inroads into Labours majority.

It has now taken Labour 11 years to reflect on the first of four defeats since the much maligned Blair-Brown era.

The victory for Andy Burnham in the Greater Manchester Mayoral election demonstrate that the politics of community help to create a feeling of common purpose and a sense of identity

A reshuffle of Keir Starmers Opposition front bench is inevitable but is not sufficient. The message  not just the messengers  is the problem here. Yes, Keir will surely reflect on how to project a more relaxed and empathetic demeanour.

However, the real issue does not involve personalities but culture and direction.

Labours disastrous election result of December 2019 under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn not only left the party with just over 200 seats but still in denial about the best way to achieve electoral success.

Some  far too many  on the left of the Labour party seemed to think the appropriate response to a rise in the number of men and women voting Conservative was to offer them a programme even more extreme than before. Others took comfort in the slightly less disastrous 2017 election in which Theresa May achieved the not inconsiderable feat of giving the then Labour leadership some credibility.

But the truth is that Labour had won four more seats than it had in 2010 by mopping up Lib Dem and Green votes rather than by winning over Tory voters in key areas crucial to a Labour victory.

So what should Labour learn from the present malaise and what approach might just offer a springboard to recovery in the years ahead?

Its a recovery that is vital if we are to avoid the rise of a Conservative hegemony that squeezes out the legitimate voice of opposition and undermines the health of our democracy.

One of the first truths to be recognised is that  historically  there was not one homogeneous working class vote on which Labour had been able to rely over the last 100 years. If there had been, Labour would not have been out of power for so much of the 20th century.

In reality, the traditional industries in the North  from ship-building and engineering to steel and mining  created a shared culture and experience that reinforced working-class solidarity in a way that no longer exists.

The electorates ability to set aside the many failings of our present Prime Minister demonstrated their votes will go to those who promise hope and betterment for tomorrow

Addressing working people as though we are still back in the 1970s is not only patronising, but misses the crucial point  that voters in key seats outside the cities have the same shared experiences as those in the towns of southern England and the Midlands which have so often elected a Conservative government in the past.

This is understood by the Tories.

People are not victims waiting for largesse to be dispensed by us from above, but aspirers looking for our support in developing and using their own talents.

To win, you have to convince the voter that you have a programme for the future, not a nostalgia for the past and a political outlook that is out of date.

This was understood by Tony Blair, whose understanding of the preoccupations of Mondeo Man helped us win three consecutive election victories, but not, sadly, by the Labour Party as a whole.

Hence the need to build a coalition of the aspirant and not to simply target the dispossessed and disadvantaged.

It is necessary to grasp the alienation that some voters feel from a party that failed to understand that people have moved on.

Whatever Labour offers as an alternative to Boris Johnsons peculiar brand of politics has to be bottom up and not top down.

The substantial victory for Andy Burnham in the Greater Manchester Mayoral election and the little-noticed triumph of Dan Norris in the battle to be the Metro Mayor of the West of England demonstrate that the politics of community, whereby peoples creativity, aspirations and hope are channelled into concrete achievements, help to create a feeling of common purpose and a sense of identity.

I say sense of identity because this is the very opposite of metropolitan identity politics.

Getting the right people in the right shadow ministerial jobs is a prerequisite and now might be the time to bring back big beasts such as Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper

Contrary to what some on the liberal left seem to believe, the Tories didnt start what became known as the culture wars, which led to values and beliefs we held in common being fractured by an obsession with playing up our differences in terms of gender, sexual orientation or race.

The toppling of statues and the questioning of museum exhibits played directly into the hands of the Conservatives, who were able to appeal to the many who have pride in the best of our past while understanding perfectly well the failings of those who came before us.

This movement may not be anything to do with the Labour party directly but we are in danger of being tarred with the same metropolitan brush.

The electorates ability last Thursday to set aside the many failings of our present Prime Minister and his Cabinet demonstrated a bewildering but clear truth that what matters to many are the bread-and-butter issues of the moment and their votes will go to those who promise hope and betterment for tomorrow.

Keir Starmer has an unenviable task. His first year was dominated by the challenges thrown up by the pandemic, which saw Government ministers appearing on our broadcast media almost daily, with the Leader of the Opposition offered no right of reply and in no position to make any big announcements.

Contrast this with the platforms available to Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford, leader of Labour in Wales, and the difference is self-evident.

The SNP returned to power for a fourth term and in Wales Labour came within one seat of a majority in the Senedd.

What they had in common with Boris Johnson was visibility and air time.

So, it is not simply listening to people, but understanding and appreciating what they say, which is a first essential step to recovery. Getting the right people in the right shadow ministerial jobs is a prerequisite.

Now might be the time to bring back big beasts such as Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper, for example. And shadow ministers must be freed up to write, to speak and to explore the challenges of tomorrow. Some, such as social care, remain unresolved after years of agonising over possible solutions.

Others, like the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on the nature of work and the distribution of productivity, may seem distant and vague but will have profound implications for the world of work. As, of course, will decarbonisation in the effort to tackle climate change.

Just as the free market couldnt provide answers to a global pandemic, it will take a government working with the people to find fair and acceptable answers to the very different world we will confront in the years to come.

Lord Blunkett was Home Secretary from 2001 to 2004.
As Labour descends into civil war, some of the sharpest post-election criticism of Sir Keir Starmer has come from the Blairite wing of the party.

Lord Adonis, who was Blairs policy chief, has called for Starmer to go. But is Momentum, the hard-Left organisation set up to bolster Jeremy Corbyns ill-fated leadership, limbering up to provide his replacement?

After Corbyn announced his exit, it was assumed Momentum would wither and die, but I hear it has been quietly rebuilding. In fact, accounts for the organisation show its financial affairs have never been in better health.

According to documents filed at Companies House by Momentum Campaign Services Limited, there was 167,000 in the bank in December 2018. But by end of 2019 that figure had jumped to 641,000. The number of employees is also up from 21 to 30.

As Labour descends into civil war, some of the sharpest post-election criticism of Sir Keir Starmer has come from the Blairite wing of the party

Momentum is funded by supporters and receives help from the Left-wing Communication Workers Union, whose deputy general secretary Tony Kearns is a director.

After the Hartlepool by-election result, the groups Twitter account gloated: A transformative socialist message has won in Hartlepool before, and it would have won again.

Will Momentum be supporting an alternative leader to deliver that message?

In one of his first responses to Labours election disaster, Keir Starmer talked of moving Labours HQ outside London. Well, they will have to move somewhere as the building in Londons Victoria Street is due to be demolished.

Momentum is funded by supporters and receives help from the Left-wing Communication Workers Union, whose deputy general secretary Tony Kearns is a director (above)

Nostrovia to Comrade Kate

What is going on at Pravda, once the hard-line official newspaper of the Soviet Union Communist Party?

First it marks the death of Comrade Prince Philip with a lavish tribute. Now it is praising the Duchess of Cambridge as the future of the Royal Family.

Whether she is attending a state dinner in a gown, or a rodeo in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, she appears comfortable in any setting, gushes the papers online edition. There is at least one person in whose hands the future of the British Royal Family will be safe.

Whatever happened to smashing the ruling class and establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat?

Tory MP Richard Fuller is making a name for himself  in his Commons register of financial interests, the former management consultant listed four paid posts netting him 95,000 a year for ten hours work a month, which equates to 791 an hour. He also had a payment of 59,900 from Investcorp for additional advice, which worked out as 1,536 per hour in addition to his 81,932 MPs salary. Nice work if you can get it.

The Labour Left may be furious about the toppling of Angela Rayner as party chair, but it turns out she wasnt the most energetic of canvassers. While Rayner visited 22 constituencies during the local election campaign, Tory co-chairman Amanda Milling visited no fewer than 61 seats, clocking up 5,000 miles.

After the Metro accident in Mexico City when 24 died, Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: Thinking of everyone affected by the tragic events. Yet there was total silence when 45 Jews died in Israel at Mount Meron. Some things never change.

Quote of the week: Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton in Greater Manchester, said after the Hartlepool rout: It is astonishing and surprising that theres not a single member of Keir Starmers Shadow Cabinet who voted for Brexit. Quite.

Who'd bet on Boris paying up?

After Joe Biden became U.S. President, Boris Johnson received a 50 cheque from Sir Alan Duncan, who had bet Boris back in 2017 that Donald Trump would not complete a full term. If the wager had gone the other way, however, Duncan would have done well to collect on it.

Boris bet Sir Max Hastings, his former boss at the Daily Telegraph, 1,000 that the Tories would win a majority at the 2010 election. After months of stalling Boris sent him a letter saying Cheque enclosed. It wasnt.
A mum-of-two has revealed how she still feels guilty for not wanting to meet her baby girl, eight years after her daughter's sudden and traumatic arrival.

Doctor Clara Hurst, 39, was excited to be starting a family with her husband, David, but when she gave birth to her daughter, Sienna, at 24 weeks she was terrified.

'I feel guilty I didn't want to meet her because I didn't want to get attached,' Clara cried, remembering the first painful moments of Sienna's life.

Doctor Clara Hurst, 39, has revealed how her life was turned upside down after the premature birth of her daughter who arrived at 24 weeks

The now eight-year-old, Sienna, was given a 10 per cent chance of survival

The renowned cosmetic injector, who now lives in Perth, is from the UK and started her family in London.

Clara shared her story with Daily Mail Australia to let other mums know they don't have to be alone if they are struggling through the grief and guilt that can come from having a very early pregnancy.

'I didn't have anybody and I longed for it so hard,' she said.

Sienna was born a few days after Clara took herself to hospital for a check-up when she felt 'something wasn't right' after having an otherwise normal pregnancy.

Clara, pictured here with her daughter, husband David and son Will, still feels guilty for not wanting to meet Sienna after finding out her slim chance of survival

But when she finally did meet her baby she realised her love could help save her

Sienna grew stronger with skin-to-skin contact and was ready to go home after 26 weeks

Doctors revealed she was in early labour and Sienna was delivered 16 weeks early, weighing just 540grams.

'The doctors said "the chances are your baby is not going to live",' she recalled.

'They gave her a 10 per cent chance of her surviving and said if she survives, it is a 90 per cent chance of handicap.'

Such unlikely odds of survival left Clara broken - but she later realised meeting her baby and holding her would heal them both.

'After two long weeks waiting patiently by Sienna's incubator, only being able to very gently place my hand on her back for comfort, the doctors told me she was stable enough to be held for a few minutes,' she said.

Clara said having a premmie daughter was a very isolating experience

Sienna is now a big sister - her baby brother was also born early

Clara has seen both of her children thrive and wants to help other parents who are going through the same experience of having preterm babies

Will was also born early - here he is with his dad who also held him as much as possible

She awkwardly took her tiny baby from her incubator, conscious of the tubes coming from her nose and mouth as well as the lines coming from her doll-sized arms and legs.

'I gently placed her on my chest for skin-to-skin contact and after just a few moments, her stats improved, her oxygen saturation increased and her pulse stabilised, it was powerful. My baby could feel her mother's love and responded positively to it,' she said.

Clara could only hold Sienna for five minutes - but it was a huge turning point for both of them.

Will and Sienna enjoying each other's company at their home in Perth

'I feel guilty I didn't want to meet her because I didn't want to get attached,' Clara cried, remembering the painful moments of her first child's life

Clara went from being petrified she would hurt Sienna if she touched her to confident her love would help save her.

'I had felt completely powerless until that moment, but I suddenly realised that if my baby was going to have any chance of survival, she didn't just need the doctors to care for her, she needed me too,' she said.

'Sometimes there would be many days before we could hold Sienna again but each and every time we did, she responded positively and it gave us hope.'

Sienna is now eight years old and thriving but does live with ongoing health and developmental complications.

Clara shared video clips of the youngster which show her bright, bubbly personality.

Clara shared video clips of the youngster which show her bright, bubbly personality

Clara went from being petrified she would hurt Sienna if she touched her to confident her love would help save her

But it was a long and lonely road for the couple who were navigating parenthood for the first time.

'It took a year for me to allow myself time to take a breath. It was only once Sienna was completely off oxygen support and no longer required monitoring day and night that I felt I could begin to enjoy motherhood,' Clara said.

Sienna came home 26 weeks after she was born - a huge achievement for a baby who had such a slim chance of survival.

Clara could finally picture a future where she wasn't afraid of being the mother of a preterm baby.

'It was also at this exact same time that the adrenaline rush that had been fuelling me for months ebbed away and I was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety,' she said.

Dr Hurst's skincare company 'The Secret' rebranded their iconic skin serum for Mother's Day.

Sienna came home 26 weeks after she was born, this was a huge achievement for a baby who had such a slim chance of survival

Clara was diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD after finally getting through the first year of motherhood

'Instead of baby groups, coffee dates and family visits you sit by an incubator for hours on end every day feeling powerless and praying for your baby to pull through'

They have donated $10 from the sale of each bottle between April 23 and May 9 to The Miracle Babies Foundation, a charity close to Clara's heart.

'Having a premature baby is an incredibly harrowing and isolating experience. You are thrown into a world that you never even knew existed, let alone imagined could happen to you, you feel robbed of the beautiful first mum experience you'd always dreamt of and your whole world is turned upside down,' she said.

'Instead of baby groups, coffee dates and family visits you sit by an incubator for hours on end every day feeling powerless and praying for your baby to pull through.

'I am so happy that The Secret Skincare is able to help raise much needed funds towards a charity that can offer comfort and ongoing assistance to other families.'

Dr Clara's second baby, Will, was also born premature.

She said she highly recommends the support workers at The Miracle Babies Foundation who can help parents navigate the difficulties surrounding a complicated birth, or adjusting to life with your new baby.
A heartbroken mum has revealed how she had a niggling feeling her second son wouldn't stay alive for long despite enjoying a completely normal pregnancy.

The feeling that something was wrong was so strong Australian mum and nurse Amy Trojer, 31, from Perth, didn't even throw a baby shower to celebrate Noah's imminent arrival.

The infant tragically died 12 days after he was born following his grief-stricken parents' decision to stop the treatment for his OTC Deficiency which had left him with catastrophic brain damage.

Heartbroken mum Amy Trojer has revealed how she had a niggling feeling her second son Noah wouldn't be able to stay long earth side - despite a completely normal pregnancy

Noah was born at 41 weeks after a normal pregnancy where both mum and bub ticked all the boxes

Noah died 12 days after he was born, after his parents made the impossible decision to stop the treatment for his OTC Deficiency which had left him with catastrophic brain damage

Amy told FEMAIL she noticed Noah's movements slowing down from about 40 weeks in her pregnancy - so at 41 weeks doctors induced her, and her beautiful baby was born.

'We were both ticking all the boxes, the scans were normal,' she said.

There was 'no reason' for her to feel anxious about the pregnancy - but the feeling stayed with her from the moment she found out their second baby was coming.

It sounds very 'woo woo' I know, but I just had this feeling he wasn't okay and another even stronger feeling that we wouldn't get to keep him.

Noah was 'perfectly planned' as the couple had decided to expand their family, and he was conceived shortly after.

Amy was initially nervous she wouldn't be able to love a second baby as much as she loved her first son, Hudson, but she was wrong.

'Immediately I fell in love. So different to my first birth, where that love feeling took a bit longer. I adored this baby from the moment I saw him,' she said.

'He had his daddy's eyes, his brothers nose and a head full of gorgeous dark hair.'

Amy told Femail she noticed Noah's movements slowing down from about 40 weeks - so at 41 weeks doctors induced her, and her beautiful baby was born

What is OTC Deficiency? OTC (Ornithine Transcarbamylase) Deficiency is a genetic X-Linked metabolic condition that is usually inherited by the mother. It's estimated that 1:80,000 people will have it. In your liver, there is an enzyme called OTC which helps breakdown and remove nitrogen during metabolism. When nitrogen can't be removed from your body, it builds up into the form of ammonia, which is highly toxic especially to the Central Nervous System. This can cause symptoms which vary depending on the severity of the deficiency, but includes nausea, vomiting, respiratory distress, seizures, lethargy and coma. The longer the ammonia is left untreated, the greater the effects are on the nervous system. Advertisement

But Noah started struggling to breath after just a few minutes in Amy's arms.

Doctors took him from her and days later the family were moved to Perth Children's Hospital.

'It's as though all those feelings I had during pregnancy were validated. I was right, my intuition was right. But I never wanted to be so wrong in my life,' she said.

Doctors quickly diagnosed his OTC Deficiency, something that affects just one in 80,000 people.

There was 'no reason' for her to feel anxious about the pregnancy - but the feeling stayed with her from the moment she found out their second baby was coming

OTC is an enzyme which lives in the liver and helps break down and remove nitrogen during metabolism.

When nitrogen can't be removed from the body, it builds up as a form of ammonia which is highly toxic to the central nervous system.

This can cause symptoms including nausea, vomiting, respiratory distress, seizures, lethargy and coma.

'We were reassured that although brain damage was likely, it would be minimal. They were so wrong,' Amy said.

The normal ammonia level for a baby should be 50, Noah's was registering at 400.

After treatment his ammonia level spiked to 2,800.

'He started dialysis to try and clear the ammonia, but ultimately, nothing worked. His MRI when he was eight days old showed "catastrophic widespread brain damage",' Amy said.

After deciding to end treatment the family spent his last few days pouring their love into him

'The neurologist spoke in this monotonous tone, like she was reading us menu options and like we really understood or had capacity at that time to process what she was saying.'

Noah's condition was soon described as terminal.

This is when Amy's training as a nurse kicked in and she realised they were treating a dying baby.

'When we made the decision to transition to end-of-life care, it was one that automatically felt right to me in almost a professional sense,' she said.

'There was always this huge desire to be Noah's advocate and always fight for what was right for him.'

Amy said stopping Noah's treatment was the most harrowing decision.

'To agree to stop treating your baby never feels right, I wanted nothing more than to be given other options, more hope. But he was never going to survive, so palliative care was the best option for him.

'Once we made that decision there certainly was more of a calmness, we felt we could finally enjoy him and give him every bit of love while we still had him with us.'

'Once we made that decision there certainly was more of a calmness, we felt we could finally enjoy him and give him every bit of love while we still had him with us.'

He deserved kisses, cuddles, to feel the sunshine on his skin. We deserved to hold him closely, feel every little crevice in his perfect face and listen to each and every breath.

After Noah's death there was overwhelming grief.

Amy was broken, and the whole family dynamic had changed.

She didn't know how she was going to survive - how she would cope under the weight of her immense sadness.

'For me, the grief comes and goes in waves. I could go days or weeks without feeling that immense sadness, but it always comes back,' she said.

She is sharing Noah's story to help other parents navigating through palliative care or the loss of a baby.

What is the Lily Calvert Foundation and MTM? The Lily Calvert Foundation The Lily Calvert Foundation was founded in loving memory of baby Lily Sujata Calvert who died at 10 and a half months old. During her time on earth, Lily and her family received support from paediatric palliative care providers including access to music therapy which brought a unique joy to Lily and her family. The aim of LCF is to raise awareness around the importance of paediatric palliative care, and to support those who provide care in this area including through music therapy. The MTM (The murmuring of ten million) This is a place on the site dedicated to letting parents share their stories of love, survival and loss. The site shares diagnosis day stories which feature blogs and interviews of children living with life limiting diagnosis or who have passed away. Advertisement

'Losing a child is especially lonely. People generally don't know what to say, or are afraid they might say the wrong thing,' she said.

Amy loves to speak about Noah and keep his memory alive.

'We say good morning and goodnight to him every day. He's always included in our conversations, he is still our baby.'

Amy shared her story to help other people going through a similar journey or struggling to cope with the loss of a baby.

The story was initially shared with the Lily Calvert Foundation's 'The murmuring of ten million' a page dedicated to sharing first hand accounts of pregnancy and baby loss and stories of children born with life limiting diagnosis.

For miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death support head here or call the Sands bereavement line on 1300 308 307.
The Queen's 'rebellious' cousin Princess Olga Romanoff has said she would have been 'a lousy imperial royal' because she would 'rather shovel sh** than dress up'.

Princess Olga, 71, is the daughter of Prince Andrew, Tsar Nicholas II's eldest nephew, who escaped Russia on a British warship in 1919, and the Queen's cousin.

Speaking to the Telegraph, the Russian royal, who lives alone at Provender, a 30-room 13th century home in Kent, said she rents out what was once the servants' wing on Airbnb as 'a necessity' so that it earns its keep.

Meanwhile she spoke of her admiration for the 'quite divine' Prince Philip, saying: 'I just think hes wonderful because A, hes very good-looking. B, he doesnt take bullsh--. He says it how it is even if he gets into trouble.'

The Queen's 'rebellious' cousin Princess Olga Romanoff, 71, has said she would have been 'a lousy imperial royal' because she would 'rather shovel sh** than dress up'

Olga's parents fled Russia during the revolution, a year after the Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed by Bolsheviks revolutionaries under Yakov Yurovsky in Yekaterinbur on July 1918.

Through her mother Nadine Sylvia Ada McDougall, Ms Romanoff is a descendant of William Paterson, who founded the Bank of England in 1694, and also of Henrik Borgstrom, who founded the Bank of Finland.

Provender was bought by her grandmother Constance Borgstrom in 1921 and is laden with portraits of her illustrious Russian relatives.

Olga, who takes the English spelling of her surname as opposed to the Russian 'Romanov' - was home-schooled before moving between London, Scotland and Kent and returning to the historic home of Provender in 2000.

Olga, who lives alone at her family home of Provender, said she rents out what was once the servants' wing on Airbnb as 'a necessity' so that it earns its keep (pictured at the Eastern Seasons Gala Dinner at One Marylebone on December 5, 2016, London)

She grew up with the constant presence of a chaperone and had her very own personal ballet teacher.

She said her father, who died at the time her third child was born, didn't speak much of Russia.

The Romanoff descendant now spends her time restoring her UK family home and rents the servants' wing on AirBnB in order to make extra money.

She admitted she had to clean up after her guests, doing their dishes and even changing the sheets, something she swore she would never do.

A family tree of Ms Romanoff showing her ancestry date back to Tsar Nicholas II

While she is a blood relative of the royal family, Olga said she wasn't sure she considered the Windsors 'cousins', because she only met them a little as a young girl, and had too many cousins to count.

Speaking of Prince Philip, the royal said she only ever met him once but would have loved to meet him when he was younger, because he had always been one of her personal heroes.

Upon hearing of his death, she said she felt 'terribly sorry' for the Queen and the royal family, especially Princess Anne, whom she knew when she was younger.

Having been branded the Queen's 'rebellious cousin' due to her forthright manners, Olga said she felt the term didn't apply to her, because she never did drugs of strayed from conventions when she was younger.

Olga, pictured with Alexander Armstrong, said she wasn't sure she considered the Windsors her cousins, but said she had a lot of admiration for the late Duke of Edinburgh and thought Prince Charles would be a good King

She said she never drank or 's***** around,' as a young woman, but admitted she would have liked to rebel against the establishment.

She joked her life was 'depressing,' and that she is now too old to try drugs or alcohol.

When she was younger Olga was named as a potential bride for her third-cousin Charles, now 72, but said the Prince of Wales wasn't her usual type and that she was only interested in horses and not dating.

Nowadays, she is estranged from her former husband Thomas Mathew, with whom she shares three children, Olga is happy to remain single and jested she is too old for dating apps.

The Russian royal, pictured, whose father was the nephew of Tsar Nicholas II, rents the servants' wing of her family home in Kent to make ends meet

She said she appreciated Princess Anne's no-nonsense approach to life, and that Prince Charles would make a good king - though she joked he'd be old by the time he ascended the throne.

She also revealed she liked the Duchess of Cornwall, whom she met in 1969, because she smoked like her and 'swore like a trooper.'

While Olga had a traditional aristocratic upbringing, her three children, Nicholas, Francis-Alexander and Alexandra attended state school in Scotland where the family lived before she moved back to Provender House.

She had a fourth child, Thomas, who died of a rare heart defect when he was 18 months.

Her daughter Alexandra, who has been staying with her during lockdown, said she was bullied as a child because some people assumed that an aristocratic title always meant a family had money, and that people always assumed she was 'rich b****.'

The Queen and Her Cousins With Alexandra Armstrong is on ITV tonight at 9pm.
Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella of Monaco stole the show at a car race yesterday.

The royal twins, six, who are the children of Prince Albert, 53 and Princess Charlene, 43, caught the attention of the crowd at the start of the ABB FIA Formula E Monaco E-Prix.

Prince Jacques and Gabriella were joined by their cousin, Kaia Rose Wittstock, Charlene's niece, for the occasion.

The three children were seen running, posing and waving at the crowds and racers from the tribune where an amused Prince Albert stood with them.

Princess Gabriella, left and her twin brother Prince Jacques of Monaco, six, stole the show as they accompanied their father Prince Albert II at the start of the ABB FIA Formula E Monaco E-Prix yesterday, pictured with their cousin Kaia Rose Wittstock

The twins both sported casual attire, with Prince Jacques dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue shirt and his sister donning a Daisy dress denim dress with a ink t-shirt, pictured

Wearing a light blue shirt and a pair of jeans, as well as a pair of sunglasses, Prince Jacques appeared confident as he waved to the crowd who had come to see the racers off.

The young prince was seen giving 'peace signs' to members of the public, as well as running around with his cousin and his sister.

Meanwhile, Isabelle was the spit image of her mother Charlene with a short blond bob, a denim dress emblazoned with a Daisy Duck head and a pink t-shirt.

Kaia Rose, who is the daughter of Princess Charlene's brother Gareth Wittstock, wore a simple grey and white gingham dress and white sneakers for the occasion.

The two children of the Monaco crown looked enthralled by the race during the event, with Prince Jacques donning a stylish pair of sunglasses

Princess Gabriella was pictured giving her father Prince Albert a huge during during the event yesterday

Prince Albert, who was attending the race with Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag and his nephew Pierre Casiraghi, looked relaxed as he was photographed playing along with his children and niece.

In one sweet picture, the father-of-two could be seen pointing to the cars to get his son's attention.

In another candid moment, six-year-old Gabriella jumped into her father's arms on the side of the tribune.

Having grown in the public eye, the royal twins do not shy away from the camera.

Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques didn't shy away from showing their excitement during the race, with their cousin following suit

A poised six-year-old Jacques snapped his finger as he paid close attention to the race yesterday

In April, their mother Princess Charlene shared a sweet snap of her family to mark Easter.

The former Olympic swimmer took to Instagram to share a sweet festive snap with her husband and Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques.

Gabriella, and heir-to-the-throne Jacques, looked straight into the camera and posed with huge smiles, while Jacques wrapped his arms around his sister.

Meanwhile, Prince Albert perched against a wall, getting in on the action by also painting an egg as he sported a blue and white floral Hawaiian-style shirt.

Attentive father-of-two Prince Albert, who was wearing a mask, pointed to the cars with his son

It comes as Charlene praised 'loyal' Prince Albert earlier this year in her first comments since claims arose he is facing a paternity suit over a third love child.

After appearing to put on a united front in family pictures over Christmas, Charlene hailed her husband as 'loyal, determined and courageous'.

Speaking with Point du Vue, she revealed: 'When my husband has problems, he tells me about it. I often tell him, "No matter what, no matter what, I'm a thousand percent behind you. I'll stand by you whatever you do, in good times or in bad."

The mother-of-two went on to say she also often tells her husband she will 'protect him' and will 'always be by his side.'
All the hype around the BBCs sexy, much-trailed adaptation of Nancy Mitfords The Pursuit Of Love, which started last night, is surely understandable.

At times of crisis, we love a period drama  Downton Abbey, created and written by my uncle, Julian Fellowes, was born in the wake of the 2009 recession  and as a means of distracting the nation, you cant get much better than Lily James in skimpy silk underwear and Fleabag vicar Andrew Scott in lashings of tweed.

Yet the buzz about the show isnt just because of the gorgeousness of the lead actors, or the romance of a plot that takes two young upper-class women from ancestral piles in Oxford to war-torn Paris via the Pyrenees at the height of the Spanish Civil War.

Its also because of our enduring fascination with the Mitford sisters. Anything Mitford-related has a popularity and personality which seems to speak to, and provoke, each new generation as keenly as the last.

Ive always found the Mitfords utterly fascinating. The six of them, and their overshadowed brother, were famous in their own lifetimes for their beauty and their sometimes outrageous beliefs, but they also generated a slew of headlines for their fashion sense and their choice of husbands and lovers  a bit like a bohemian version of the Kardashians.

The buzz about the BBCs adaptation of Nancy Mitfords The Pursuit Of Love is also because of our enduring fascination with the Mitford sisters, claims author Jessica Fellowes. Pictured, five of the Mitford sisters - Jessica, Nancy, Diana, Unity and Pamela - in 1935

Such is my intrigue, Ive written four novels (in what will be a six-book crime series), each featuring one of the Mitford sisters. As each sister was so radically different, they are a brilliant means of investigating different aspects of the inter-war era, from politics to celebrity. More than that, despite the century that divides us, there are distinct and illuminating parallels between the lives of these women then and our own now.

The eldest, Nancy Mitford, who achieved independence through her writing, was a modern woman even in our understanding of the word.

She wasnt brought up that way. Like nearly all the women of her class before World War I, there was only one expectation: that she should marry as well as possible.

A successful husband was the closest a woman had to a successful career. There were exceptions, of course, but this was the general rule.

A great aunt of mine, Isie Stephenson  the inspiration for the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, as played by Maggie Smith  would be taken on walks by her French governess. At each shrub, the pair would pause and Isie would be expected to introduce a new topic of conversation. The idea was that if she went to a party, she would know how to talk to everyone, even those who had the social skills of a plant. This made her good marriage material.

The BBCs adaptation of Nancy Mitfords The Pursuit Of Love is on Sundays at 9pm. Pictured, Lily James as Linda and Emily Beecham as Fanny

But World War I, which killed so many young men of a single generation, meant such women were thrown on their own resources. Nancy tried to fulfil her parents expectations at first, with a five-year engagement to a man who was gay, before a too-quick marriage to an arrogant and pedantic bore, Peter Rodd.

Unable to have children  she miscarried more than once  Nancy decided to live life on her own terms after her amicable separation from Peter when he returned from World War II. An early example of conscious uncoupling, you could say.

Nancy began writing society columns and her first novel, Highland Fling, was published in 1931, but this and the next three that followed did not sell well. Her luck changed with the huge success of The Pursuit Of Love in 1945 which gave her the means to move to Paris, where she beautifully furnished a small apartment.

With wonderful style, she dressed herself in Dior, sometimes carefully bought second-hand. (She confessed that fears of a penniless retirement were quickly forgotten in the face of a fabulous new dress.) Her long-term French lover, Gaston Palewski, was married and though I dont think she ever saw this as ideal, she kept herself busy with a myriad of cultured and intelligent friends as well as her work. Nancys frequent letters to and from her sisters, as well as literary great Evelyn Waugh, kept her satirical wit honed.

Nancy, who died aged 68 in 1973, never lacked for company or beauty in her surroundings, which was what she wanted. She lived by herself, she argued with her sisters, she took lovers and always looked good on little money. It could be a plotline made for Fleabag.

Of Nancys five sisters, the least talked about is Pamela  but she also strikes me as a template for modern womanhood. Like Nancy, she shrugged off societys expectations  to marry and have no career  by becoming a dairy farm manager for her brother-in-law, Bryan Guinness. Pamela was, it was said, never happier than when among her cows. She never had children but was married for a time, to a bisexual scientist called Derek Jackson, a complicated and difficult man.

Three of the Mitford sisters in 1932. Pictured left to right: Unity, Diana and writer Nancy Mitford

The last half of her life (she died in 1994 aged 86) was spent more happily in Gloucestershire with an Italian horsewoman as her constant companion.

All of the Mitford girls seem to have preferred quite bullish men, similar to their father, Lord Redesdale. Dominic Wests character in The Pursuit Of Love, the eccentric short-tempered Uncle Matthew, father of main character Linda, is thought to be based on him. In the novel Uncle Matthew beats his children, hunts them with his four magnificent bloodhounds, puts down their pets and neglects to give them any kind of formal education.

And you thought you had Daddy issues? The Mitfords mother, Lady Redesdale, was often portrayed by Nancy as a cold and distant woman, with strange peccadillos such as refusing all medicines. She, too, forms the basis of a character  Lindas mother, Aunt Sadie, played by Dolly Wells.

The outsiders in the Mitford family were Diana and Unity, who shared a fascination with fascism, which neither renounced, even after the full horrors of Hitlers ambitions were laid bare.

Diana gave up all of society  she had been one of its darlings as a beautiful, newly married, rich young woman  when she left Bryan Guinness for Sir Oswald Mosley, founder and leader of the British Union of Fascists from 1932. Unity was equally obsessed with Hitler, and attempted suicide on the outbreak of war between Germany and England, dying a few years later of complications.

Their younger sister Jessica was by contrast a Communist, who never saw her father again after eloping with her cousin Esmond Romilly, a nephew of Churchills, and later living in the East End of London where her baby daughter died in a measles epidemic.

This tragedy prompted a move to America, where she remained; her second marriage was to a civil rights lawyer. Jessica also earned her own independence with considerable success as an investigative journalist and author. She died in 1996 aged 78.

Author Jessica Fellowes said: 'Anything Mitford-related has a popularity and personality which seems to speak to, and provoke, each new generation as keenly as the last.' Pictured, Emily Beecham as Fanny and Lily James as Linda

One might think that Deborah, who became the Duchess of Devonshire in 1950, was the most traditional of all of them.

But when she married her husband, Andrew Cavendish, he was the second son of a duke and not expected to have much more than an Army career.

Instead, his brother was killed in the war and after the early death of his father, he and Deborah were transported to Chatsworth and the dukedom. The house was vast and practically in ruins after being used as a school during the war.

In spite of her husbands alcoholism, Debo came up with the idea of running a farm shop and turned the stately home into a going concern that continues to this day. You can book into one of their holiday cottages on the Chatsworth estate  and pretend to be a Mitford.

Not that it was all roses and pink champagne: she had seven children but four were either stillborn or lived for only a few hours.

In short, these women were modern in their pursuit of life  and love. They were no virtue signallers but were campaigning activists. We may not always agree with them  they were not always the most likeable of people  but we can admire their tenacity and willingness to listen.

They were constant communicators, with each other and others. If they lived today, you can be certain they would be running highly popular social media accounts. But the important lesson modern audiences can take from them is that they continued to talk and to listen, even when they violently disagreed.

There is an agency and a freshness to their attitudes to life, particularly Nancys, with her determination to live life on her own terms, that keeps them relevant. She made it acceptable to be unmarried (although she did have her own version of Mr Big).

I cant see the mythology of the Mitfords ever going away. Which is quite something for six women whose father forbade them from going to school in case it made them too unattractive to catch a husband.

The Pursuit Of Love is on BBC1 on Sundays at 9pm.
Styling: Holly Elgeti. Make-up: Nicky Weir using Hourglass Beauty. Hair: Alex Szabo at Carol Hayes management using T3 Haircare. Dress, Iris & Ink. Jewellery: Daisy Jewellery, Alighieri, Pilgrim

Im old enough to remember the hit TV series Supernanny. The premise was simple: a childcare expert would be parachuted into a different dysfunctional family each week to sort out their parenting issues.

Raging toddlers would become calm and capable of sleeping through the night. Recalcitrant adolescents would be put to work carrying out a rota of chores. By the end of the week, the family would be breathlessly grateful to Supernanny (a heroically capable woman called Jo Frost) for saving their collective sanity.

Supernanny introduced a few key concepts to the parenting arsenal. Chief among them was the Naughty Step. This could be a literal step or simply an area to which a misbehaving child was taken to reflect on their misdemeanours. The parent would get down to their level and explain in a low, firm voice what had gone wrong. The child then had to stay put for one minute for each year of their age. If they strayed from the spot, the timer started again until they apologised.

Ive been thinking about this because I feel it needs to be deployed inside the dysfunctional family that is Number 10 Downing Street.

Dont get me wrong, Ive found the news leaking out of Westminster utterly riveting.

Ive read every bit of Dominic Cummingss explosive 1,100-word blog accusing the Prime Minister of all sorts of nefarious activities. Ive been agog at the mentions of Chatty Rats who are also, confusingly, moles. Ive been fascinated by the idea that MI5 has a special technique for allegedly reading WhatsApp messages.

At the same time it does all seem a bit, well, childish. Not the content, which is of national importance: if our Prime Minister really did say hed rather see thousands of dead bodies than risk another lockdown (which he denies), and suggest using Tory donor funds to refurbish his flat (Number 10 says he has now settled the bill himself) then this raises serious questions about his integrity, to put it mildly (and The Mail on Sunday has led the way on the story). But its the manner in which the disaffected parties have played out their psychodrama that strikes me.

Instead of confronting their disagreements face-to-face, the spat has dissolved into a playground tussle carried out in blog posts and anonymous briefings. It reminds me of those intense friendships you had as an eight-year-old, where you felt aggrieved if one party chose to befriend someone else. You would wage a whisper campaign against the ex-friend, claiming theyd been taken away by [insert name of culprit here] and werent to be trusted with your Care Bear collection or New Kids On The Block poster.

It reminds me of why I love The Real Housewives franchise, where petty arguments can achieve the scale and pathos of Greek tragedy. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills had an entire season devoted to whether Dorits rescue dog bit her husband. Meanwhile, at Number 10 (aka The Real Househusbands of Westminster) were treated to the row over Johnsons jack russell cross, Dilyn, who may have relieved himself over an advisers handbag and may also have been the source of rumoured antipathy between Dominic Cummings and Carrie Symonds, who, were told, wanted to make a formal complaint to a newspaper over a report saying Dilyn had behavioural issues. (Is it wrong that this makes me like her more? I do admire a woman willing to go to war over her pets integrity.)

As for the men involved, I expect better. Women are always told were too emotional for high office. On this evidence, Id beg to differ.

Im enjoying watching the whole thing unfold, though. The Real Househusbands of Westminster Meets Supernanny could be a bona fide hit.

This week I'm...
How could any mother ever come to terms with the horror of learning their child wants to take their own life? Suzanne Alderson has lived the nightmare, and the one crucial step she took to save her teenager is a must-read for every parent

That Monday morning in 2015, Suzanne Alderson woke up with the familiar sense of unease about her teenage daughter.

For months, 14-year-old Issy had been struggling. It was as if she was fading away, says Suzanne. She was monosyllabic. She wasnt eating or sleeping properly, and getting her out of the house in the mornings for school was becoming impossible because shed say she had a headache or stomach ache.

When Issy did go into school, the year nine student felt so anxious that she would usually end up in tears in the school nurses office. Seeing that her daughters anxiety was getting worse, Suzanne took her to see their GP, who she hoped would refer Issy to the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

When they arrived at the surgery, however, Issy told her mother that she wanted to see the doctor alone. I was surprised because we are very close, remembers Suzanne, 49, who was then the managing director of a Birmingham-based marketing company. She also admits that, deep down, she was still working on the assumption that Issys issues werent anything that a Bach rescue remedy and a scented candle couldnt fix. When the appointment was over, the doctor surprised Suzanne by telling her to go straight back to her house where he needed to speak to her urgently.

Rather than press Issy on the drive home about what had been said in the consulting room, Suzanne waited. When the GPs call came, the revelation was almost too devastating to process. Issy had said that she was planning to take her own life, she says, simply. It was imminent. I was not to leave her alone.

Unsure what she should do, Suzanne immediately rang her husband Ross, who runs a logistic business, but found she struggled to tell him what had happened.

Issy with her mum Suzanne in 2018

It was as if my head wouldnt allow me to repeat it, she recalls. When I used the word suicide we both broke down.

Then she went to Issys room. She was deeply apologetic, Suzanne recalls. Sorry that she felt that way. Sorry that she hadnt been able to tell me. Sorry that she wasnt able to stop the feelings. We hugged and cried as I told her it was OK, and that Id do anything and everything to help her. The truth was, however, that I didnt know how.

It was the start of a gruelling year-long journey during which, Suzanne says, there were days wondering when we would wake from this nightmare; hours in the psychiatrists office; in therapy appointments; drinking tea at midnight to stop her harming herself.

But it was not just Issy who was in turmoil. While trying to appear strong for her daughter, Suzanne couldnt stop obsessing over what she could have done to avert the crisis. One question I asked myself repeatedly was, How did I let this happen? We were a connected family. Ross and I had always put both Issy and her elder brother Jack first. As a younger child, shed seemed so happy: a sweet mix of humour and sassiness. Kind, loving and quirky.

It was, Suzanne now discovered, this quirkiness that had drawn the attention of bullies. Issy went to a selective private school for some of the Midlands most affluent families and she had told her mother that there were friendship issues, but she had been too embarrassed to reveal the full extent of the problem. She had become so anxious that she could barely go to school at all. Then, unable to see any alternative, Issy stopped being able to cope and had thoughts of killing herself.

I found myself turning over situations, reactions and memories in search of the clues I should have spotted, says Suzanne. I kept trying to work out when I should have intervened and how I could have stopped this.

At first, Suzanne trusted the psychiatrists and counsellors Issy was referred to, to direct her daughters recovery. Gradually, however, it became clear to her that their aim to get Issy back to school as soon as her mood was stabilised with medication was at odds with Suzannes own instincts. At Christmas, three months after that interview with the GP, Issy was sitting on the floor of the kitchen, literally begging me to allow her to end her own life, sobbing: Just let me go. I told her that I wouldnt. It was brutal.

It was then that Suzanne decided to take matters into her own hands. I had to do whatever it took to keep Issy alive. My daughter was seriously ill, yet she felt that no one was listening to her. Every time she was loaded with the same old expectations [a full return to school], we pushed her further away.

At the same time, I realised blaming myself wasnt helpful and I wasnt in charge of her recovery either  I needed to be an advocate for her needs. She couldnt simply be pushed back on to the path she was on before her mental illness. She had to go somewhere new, and we had to join her.

Suzanne had one condition before embarking on this new, collaborative approach: that Issy would tell her if she was planning to hurt herself. It was a promise she kept, and which led to long nights of Suzanne watching her daughter sleep and taking her for drives so she was not left alone when her suicidal feelings began to overwhelm her again.

Over the next year or so Issys recovery wasnt linear but she started to feel more in control of her life. With the pressure to get back on the educational conveyor belt lifted, Issy found the time to develop her own interests, which included making art prints that she sold at local craft fairs. There wasnt a day when I woke up and thought: Everythings OK now, Suzanne recalls. But slowly the good days started to outnumber the bad.

As she learned more about her daughters recovery, Suzanne also sensed she had to do something to help other parents who felt as isolated as she did. Three months into it, I remember lying next to Issy on another suicide watch and thinking, I cant be the only parent going through this.

In September 2016, Suzanne set up the Facebook group Parenting Mental Health as a safe space for parents to seek support without judgment. Its quickly become a global community of 15,000, as well as a charity offering online courses to educate people on the best way to support their children.

Suzanne has also written a book about her three-year journey to bring Issy, now 19, back from the brink. Never Let Go, she says, is not just a memoir but a road map detailing a radical new way for parents to engage with mental illness in their children. Rather than viewing parents as part of the problem, as she feels they tend to be seen by mental health professionals, she describes how, given the right tools, they can be part of the solution. Its an approach that Suzanne calls partnering not parenting. For her, this meant setting aside her position as a mother in charge and trusting that it was Issy who knew best how to recover. I stepped down from a position of authority over her to stand beside her and ask her what she thought would work best. I told her I trusted her when she said she couldnt go to school. With the pressure off, it gave her the opportunity to settle and the emotional freedom to get better. It was only then she felt safe enough to explore her illness and come back at her own pace.

The statistics on mental health in young people make for sobering reading and indicate that Suzanne is right to claim new approaches are needed. According to NHS research, one in six children aged five to 16 had a mental health problem in 2020  up from one in nine three years earlier. Meanwhile, according to the charity Mind, three quarters of young people aged 13 to 24 with an existing mental health problem say their mental health has got worse during lockdown.

As a younger child, Issy seemed so happy, says Suzanne, pictured with her aged one, on holiday in Barbados

Suzanne admits that until her own wake-up call, she had assumed acute teenage mental health crises were something that happened to other people. She also stresses that feelings of inadequacy in parents are completely normal. When youre faced with your child having any kind of mental health issue, your immediate response is to go into a kind of lockdown where you dont allow anybody in because you feel responsible. Ive learnt from experience, and from other parents, that trying to make sense of Why now? Why us? isnt helpful.

Given time, Issy made her own way back. Eighteen months after her initial plan to kill herself, a family friend mentioned an open day at a local college that specialised in digital arts and Issy said shed like to go. She applied for a place, which led to a university offer, and she is now in the second year of an arts degree. While there were times I couldnt imagine my daughter surviving, let alone thriving, Im delighted to say that shes doing both, says Suzanne.

Most of all, I want to give parents hope. This isnt a journey we would have chosen, but Issy and I are here to say its possible to get through this together and, unlikely as it may sound, your relationship with your child can end up being even better afterwards.

Id never want anyone to suffer the distress poor mental health brings. But the opportunity it gave me to understand what my love for my daughter really looked like has been priceless.

How to support your childs mental health

Suzanne advises a partner dont parent solution with these strategies

 Remove any expectations and assumptions about what your child is feeling.

 Step down from being the authority who has all the answers, to being an accepting space for your child.

 See challenging behaviour as your childs way of trying to cope  not as a choice, an attack or an affront to all youve done for them. View it as an opportunity to understand.

 Remember youre not to blame, but you can have an impact and influence, good and bad.

 Feeling guilty will harm your own mental health and your childs, so let that go.

 Take one day at a time. If thats too much, take one hour, one minute or one second.

 Not everyone will understand what you are going through and thats OK. Find those who do.

To find support and resources go to facebook.com/parentingmentalhealth

Never Let Go: How to Parent Your Child Through Mental Illness is published by Vermilion, price 12.99. To order a copy for 11.43 until 23 May go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. Free UK delivery on orders over 20. Folio Art
As the daughter of the worlds biggest TV star, HAYLEY HASSELHOFF grew up in the public eye, which magnified family issues and her struggle with body anxiety. She tells Martha Hayes why shes proud of her modelling career  and of her parents

Hayley Hasselhoff bounds through the doors of Soho House in West Hollywood, California, with the sort of confidence youd expect of someone who has been in the public eye for most of her life and, at the age of 28, has just posed nude for German Playboy.

The daughter of Baywatch star David The Hoff Hasselhoff, Hayley is the first plus-size model to grace the cover of the European edition of the mens magazine. Its pretty shocking that its taken until 2021, she says. What prompted her to do it? In the past I was cautious about doing a photo shoot like this, but I look at my body now and think, I want to celebrate every moment of it.

Today, as we meet, I can see why. Hayley looks a million dollars in an outfit shes proud to point out cost nowhere near that. The 90s-style black silk slipdress complementing her blonde hair and pale complexion is from Asos, as are her black sandals. Its only the quilted leather Chanel bag, large enough to carry a MacBook, that gives her away. Ive always got dolled up, she explains. Its a running joke among my friends. When I was a teenager I used to go paintballing in heels.

The shoot for this months issue of Playboy took place in Paris during the pandemic, which was far from ideal: I couldnt get waxed, I couldnt get my nails done, says Hayley. However, her experience on set was positive. I wonder if she feels as good now that the pictures are in the public domain? I look at the images and Im proud. And my parents are both very supportive.

Born to David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach in 1992  when her father was at the height of his fame playing a lifeguard on Baywatch, with a global audience of almost one billion viewers  Hayleys was a seemingly idyllic upbringing in the upscale neighbourhood of Encino in Los Angeles, California.

The movie Clueless [starring Alicia Silverstone] was filmed at the house next door, she recalls. My sister [Taylor, two years Hayleys senior, who now works in Hollywood real estate] and I used to jump on the trampoline to watch them filming.

Despite these obvious advantages, however, it was, a childhood marred by mental health issues. I had social anxiety and it was physically paralysing to go to school. By the time she was 11, Hayley was being bullied because of her size. I started a new school and got the whole, Youre a fat girl, because I was developing a bust and wearing a bra at such an early age. In childhood no one teaches you that youre going to look different and develop at a quicker pace to somebody else. I look back at those years and I know I had to form a thick skin.

Growing up in Hollywood, she says, made matters worse. It was an environment where everyone strove to fit in rather than stand out. I was always very different. My family will tell you  one year for Halloween I dressed up as Mike Wazowski [from the movie Monsters, Inc] in a bean bag. I was always loud, vivacious and different. I liked being me; I didnt want to be somebody else.

Hayley dreamed of following in her dads footsteps and becoming an actor. As a child she had a couple of cameos on Baywatch and more recently has starred in the US dramas Huge and Why Women Kill (from Marc Cherry, the creator of Desperate Housewives). Shes currently basing herself in LA in the hope of finding more acting work.

Even being exposed to the dark side of fame  seeing her father unravel due to his alcoholism in 2007 (a viral video emerged of him eating a burger off the floor)  didnt put her off. She is, understandably, protective of her family, when the subject is brought up: When I look back at those years, I see that I had a hard time growing up. And thats OK. I wouldnt feel comfortable speaking openly about mental health to the extent that I do if I didnt go through all of that. (Hayley hosts the Instagram Live series Redefine You: A Conversation for Wellbeing, and founded the mental health awareness initiative Check In With You  both launched last year.)

But when pressed as to what exactly it was that she went through, she offers this restrained answer: Its not my place to talk about the specific incidents that have happened in our family, but it is my place to say that growing up in the public eye comes with its own challenges.

Her parents separated in 2006, after 16 years of marriage, when Hayley was 14. It was a messy, complicated divorce with both sides citing drug abuse, among other issues, and David eventually won sole custody of his two daughters. Today, however, she is happy to report she and her parents have a very good relationship, and throughout lockdown  which Hayley has spent half in LA and half in the UK with British boyfriend Dominic Farrell, a photographer and actor  she has been checking in on them. Im the one calling, saying, You need to wash all your groceries and you need to do this, you need to do that. Im a care giver, she says.

Pamela, 57, never remarried and is based in the Hollywood Hills, while David, 68, lives in the Californian town of Calabasas with his new wife, also called Hayley. This Hayley is currently enjoying her longest relationship to date  three years and counting. It was love at first sight with Dominic. I was in Kent on a getaway trip to the countryside, in between modelling jobs in London, when I first met him, she says, recalling that it was three days before Valentines Day. I asked him, Do you want to come and stay with me at my hotel? And he stayed for three weeks.

In terms of relationships, though, it hasnt always been this easy. There were times in my life, dark days, where I would blame my body for my lack of love. I would say: Im not finding the right person because they dont want a plus-size girl, she recalls. Body image and mental health go hand in hand. This past year has brought a lot of clarity and allowed me to speak about things Ive never spoken openly about, like anxiety, panic attacks and depression.

Making history on the May cover of Playboy. Hair and Make-up: Stacey Tan. Stylist: Audrey Brianne. Location: Hudson Loft.

Theres no doubting that Hayley is in a much better place these days. She has shown that being a size 16-18 is no impediment to gracing the cover of Playboy and, in doing so, given a self-confidence boost to millions of women who have struggled with lockdown weight gain.

Some, however, will argue that the body positivity movement is, in fact, unhealthy and glamorises being overweight?

Hayley shakes her head. Its a debate shes become all too familiar with after a decade of plus-size modelling: I dont think were glamorising obesity. Were saying we should be able to love who we are today.

Our time together may be drawing to a close, but Hayley is staying put. Lifting her laptop out of that Chanel bag, she prepares to catch up on work.

Im one of those people where if you tell me I cant do something, I will tell you ten times that I can, she says. I dont doubt it for a second.

Hayley is partnering charities Project Healthy Minds (projecthealthyminds.com) and BridgingTheGap (bridgingthegapventures.com) for Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May). Follow her on Instagram @hhasselhoff for updates
Taurus 21 April-21 May Anything creative will go well and, possibly, profitably this week. Money should not be your prime motive but a Taurus New Moon and your ruler Venus moving in your favour make it a potential plus. If you enjoy what youre doing its even more likely. CALL 0904 470 1162*

Gemini 22 May-21 June With Venus in your sign you may not feel like making much of an effort this week. In fact, if you feel like watching the world go by, that is fine. Theres no cosmic law that says you must be busy at all times. Be an observer rather than a doer for once. CALL 0904 470 1163*

Cancer 22 June-23 July You seem unbeatable just now and maybe you are. However, everyone has weaknesses and one of them  pride  could be your undoing. The fact that all is going well now does not mean it will always be this easy. Take too much for granted at your peril. CALL 0904 470 1164*

Leo 24 July-23 Aug There are those who may be hoping you will fall flat on your face, but most people are willing you on to succeed. Ask for help if you need it  you dont have to soldier on alone. You have friends  good ones  and they want you to use them. CALL 0904 470 1165*

Virgo 24 Aug-23 Sept With Venus, planet of material and emotional values, at your charts midheaven, youll have to decide which is more important to you  love or ambition. You can, of course, have both but if youre wise you will put personal happiness before professional success. CALL 0904 470 1166*

Libra 24 Sept-23 Oct You have been pushing yourself hard recently  maybe you know this is one of those now or never times. However, you will achieve more long term if you balance your physical and intellectual efforts with a relaxation technique such as learning meditation. CALL 0904 470 1167*

Scorpio 24 Oct-22 Nov Time is not a factor in what you are doing so there is no need to impose deadlines. The more pressure you put on yourself the more likely you are to make a mistake and have to do it again. Relax  everything will work out for the best in the end. CALL 0904 470 1168*

Sagittarius 23 Nov-21 Dec Youll be in a romantic mood this week as Venus, planet of love, moves to focus on partnerships. The danger is youll put the one you adore on a towering pedestal and feel devastated when they fall off. You are only human, as are those you love. CALL 0904 470 1169*

Capricorn 22 Dec-20 Jan Someone you are fond of will ask you to cover up for them this week and you will be tempted to do so. If you do, the planets warn they will pay dearly for it later. Maybe you should suggest, gently, that it might be wise to face the music now. CALL 0904 470 1170*

Aquarius 21 Jan-19 Feb As Venus enters one of the most loving areas of your chart you will feel more affectionate and forgiving towards relatives and friends. Even strangers will be attracted to you over the next few days. They will sense your warmth and big heart. CALL 0904 470 1171*

Pisces 20 Feb-20 March You are changing things all over the place  rarely have you been so active on so many levels. However, you do need to take it easy occasionally and if you are sensible you will do so at some point this week. Try spending more time with your family. CALL 0904 470 1172*

Aries 21 March-20 April At times the people you deal with on a daily basis make you want to scream with frustration, which cannot be good for your health. Your task this week is to release all that pent-up emotional energy in a way that does you good without harming others. CALL 0904 470 1161*

To discover more about yourself, visit sallybrompton.com

*For a FULLER WEEKLY forecast, call the number next to your star sign above. Calls cost 65p per minute plus your telephone companys network access charge and will last no longer than 6 minutes. SP: DMG Mobile & TV. HELPLINE: 0330 100 0601.
Ive a gift for you, he said, but dont get too excited. It was his new album

The day of Date No 1 dawned. Id planned to wear a Gucci hanky skirt, heels and NavyGrey sweater, but as it was zero degrees, and even though the venue had erected a tent, Ive seen Scott of the Antarctic, so opted for toothpick jeans, biker boots and a pea coat.

I got to the hotel early. I found our table in a remote corner. Id dressed the three collies in fluoro padded jackets, and as they formed a ring around me, it was as though I was flanked by tiny police officers.

The old me would have ordered champagne, knocked it back, hidden the glass in a plant pot. The new me ordered fizzy water. I saw him walk up to the lectern. He was wearing dark glasses. Perhaps he was worried about snow blindness.

As he walked towards me, I noticed he was in skinny jeans, cowboy boots. No heads swivelled to look, which I know will have bugged him a little. I stood and he leaned to kiss me on one cheek. Ive not met this one, he said, ruffling Missys forehead. Good. He Named That Collie.

The next thing he said, as he whipped off his shades, was: I thought youd be wearing a skirt.

Me: Its snowing!

Him: Champagne?

Me: I no longer drink. Plus, I have collies on board.

Him: Fun for me!

I looked up at the waitress. Can I have a vegan menu?

He rolled his eyes: Are you sure you wont be getting back with whatshisname?

Me: No. I asked him, just as I asked you, how he wanted to proceed in an ideal world, and he didnt reply.

Him: Dont blame him.

I kept thinking of the last couple of days preparation in case he became mad with lust, decided to ditch the visit to see the new Meatloaf*, and came back to my cottage. Fresh bedlinen. Log basket filled. Man things in fridge

Then he said: I have a gift for you! He stood and rummaged in his jacket pocket. And in that moment, 30-odd years of feminist conditioning and self-defence classes fell by the wayside. I thought for a moment a little padded box would emerge. My eyes must have widened as he said, pulling a blank CD case from his inside pocket, Dont get too excited. It was his new album.

Me: I dont have anything to play it on. Gracie ate my Bang & Olufsen; now I only stream music.

You can play it in your car. Its old enough.

And it dawned on me. How many times have I met a man at a luxury hotel to have him spoil it for me? My nieces wedding in Edinburgh? I didnt get to hear the speeches. Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest? I didnt get to eat my main course. Lunch at the River Cafe? Aborted as soon as the man, who wasnt paying, said, The panna cotta tastes burnt.

My wedding night at Babington House? And on and on. The nicer the venue, the worse they behave.

I ignored him, and waved at the waitress. Can I have the broccoli with hazelnuts, and sourdough with olive oil? Am starved!

Of course! she said. Its so lovely to see the famous Gracie again**! And for you?

Stevie Wonders not staying, I said. She backed away nervously.

You are fun when youre sober, he said.

Me: I have a disease.

Him: Alcoholism?

Me: Haha. No. Menieres disease. Makes me completely deaf. Means I cant drink, or operate cranes, or go swimming.

You hate swimming, he said. Your body dysmorpwhatsit.

Yes, but I would have liked to have had the option. Thanks for the empathy.

He stood up. Missy, disloyally, licked his hand. He threw a tenner on the table, as though he were in a saloon. The waitress returned. At least Gracie behaved! she said, clearing plates. Roll on Date No 2!

*Grandchild

**Famous for having done a runny poo in the bar

Contact liz at lizjonesgoddess.com and stalk her @lizjonesgoddess

Everyones talking about Liz Joness Diary: The Podcast! 

Join Liz and her trusty (long-suffering) assistant Nicola as they dissect her weekly YOU magazine diary and delve into the archives to relive the bust-ups, betrayals, bullets and so much more in this brilliant podcast. Theyre outspoken, outrageous and utterly hilarious. Find it now at mailplus.co.uk/lizjones, iTunes and Spotify.
They say no good deed goes unpunished. That has certainly been the case for AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical business that created a stable, barely-for-profit coronavirus vaccine that's already been injected into tens of millions of arms across the UK.

In a period where we've talked of little else but our health, and Britain's large pharmaceutical companies have become household names, shares in Astra and its competitors have fallen in price.

The pharmaceuticals and biotechnology index is the second-worst performer out of 40 industrial sectors within the FTSE350 Index over the past year.

It has registered a fall of nearly 12 per cent compared to a jump in the FTSE350 Index of nearly 25 per cent.

The pharmaceuticals and biotechnology index is the second-worst performer out of 40 industrial sectors

Russ Mould, investment director at wealth manager AJ Bell, says that as well as bad publicity over blood-clotting following jabs, pharmaceutical companies are simply out of favour among investors.

He adds: 'Investors are looking to invest in recovery plays such as retailers, travel and leisure companies  not defensive stocks such as drug developers.'

Yet the reality is that the focus on our health isn't going to go away any time soon.

As the National Health Service returns to working on a more normal footing, there will be demand for other drugs and procedures  as well as an attempt to build on what has been learned from the fight against coronavirus in terms of vaccines and treatments.

In short, pharmaceutical companies ought to be in a long-term investment sweet spot, so why aren't investors taking the tablets?

The country's best pharma players

In the UK, if you are talking about the pharmaceutical industry, you are essentially referencing two big players: AstraZeneca, rarely out of the news due to its coronavirus vaccine; and GlaxoSmithKline, seldom out of the business pages of national newspapers due to interest from activist investor Elliott.

Below these two FTSE100 giants are smaller healthcare stocks, including wound-care group Smith & Nephew, and small biotechnology stocks, which are a risky investment bet because they take chances on expensively researched breakthrough treatments.

As an investment, the pharmaceutical industry behaves differently to the biotechnology sector, although they work closely together.

Biotechnology is exciting, with the possibility of a miracle treatment balanced against the fear of running out of money at any moment.

In contrast, pharmaceutical companies are 'defensive', meaning they're seen as a good investment in a crisis because they have reliable revenues.

The theory is that governments and healthcare systems, not individuals, are the biggest purchasers of pharmaceuticals, and they buy irrespective of how the economy is performing.

The companies are also good dividend payers, because selling pharmaceuticals is cash generative.

GlaxoSmithKline has an annual dividend yield of six per cent while AstraZeneca yields just under three per cent.

Pharmaceutical investors are keen watchers of the three 'P's: portfolios, patents and pipelines.

Patents dictate the length of time that companies will receive high revenues from their drug portfolios. Once a product is 'off patent', rivals can produce a generic version very cheaply.

Pipelines tell us what is coming up behind today's big treatments to continue to provide an income stream for the companies.

AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline produced contrasting quarterly updates late last month.

AstraZeneca reaffirmed its profits targets and predicted better times ahead.

AstraZeneca's core business has proved resilient with revenue and earnings both beating analysts' expectations.

GlaxoSmithKline also beat analysts' forecasts, but Covid reduced its turnover by 18 per cent, partly because its various vaccine products including shingles vaccine Shingrix, are not being used as much.

GlaxoSmithKline has an annual dividend yield of 6% while AstraZeneca yields just under 3%

The company was more positive about the future, however, with chief executive Emma Walmsley saying she expects a 'significant improvement in performance' for the remainder of the year.

Pharmaceutical experts tend to favour AstraZeneca's pipeline and portfolio over its rival.

Charles Luke, manager of investment trust Murray Income, says that although the vaccine is getting all the attention, it is AstraZeneca's cancer treatments that are driving current business growth, with some exciting new treatments for other medical conditions further down the line.

He says: 'Oncology products such as Tagrisso, Imfinzi and Lynparza are in their early stages of growth and will continue to drive sales for the medium to long term.

'Other products such as Farxiga [for diabetes] and Fasenra [for asthma] continue to offer promise for the future and the company has a strong product pipeline which should result in strong sales and earnings growth.'

The company is also in the process of acquiring US pharmaceutical business Alexion for $39billion  its biggest deal ever. Alexion's portfolio of drugs for rare diseases could bolster AstraZeneca's pipeline.

'We like AstraZeneca a lot,' says Trevor Polischuk, co-portfolio manager of specialist trust Worldwide Healthcare.

He believes the company is a leader in the next generation of 'targeted therapies' for the treatment of cancer. This is a form of 'precision medicine' that targets proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide, and spread.

Polischuk is also excited by the firm's presence in China, a healthcare market he expects will grow faster than Western markets.

Polischuk does not view the coronavirus vaccine as a winner or loser for AstraZeneca. 'Its vaccine, developed not-for-profit, is not germane to our investment thesis,' he says.

There's less excitement over GlaxoSmithKline which is fighting fires on several fronts.

Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney, says hedge fund Elliott Management 'could force change if it can gather sufficient support from other shareholders'.

The company is already planning to split into two next year, with its consumer products business (including brands such as Panadol, Zovirax and Aquafresh), demerging from its pure pharma side.

But Elliott may force the company to go faster and further. There is also a strong likelihood that its dividend will be cut in light of the investment required to bolster its drug development pipeline.

But with GlaxoSmithKline's share price on the floor, some believe now is the time to buy.

George Bear, assistant portfolio manager at IG, says: 'It has lagged behind its peers for the last few years, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. So, perhaps, we could see a change in fortunes with Elliott now on board.'

Betting on the biotech minnows While big pharma stocks are defensive stocks, biotech is anything but. The vaccine race has highlighted the difference between these two parts of the healthcare industry, but also their need to work together. Gareth Blades, at investment firm Amati, says: 'The past year has seen big pharma businesses work with smaller nimble biotech companies or research institutions to generate highly innovative products  drugs and treatments that the pharma companies can then plug into their manufacturing and commercial infrastructure.' Some of these biotech minnows fail catastrophically. Others, such as Novavax, have seen their share prices rocket thanks to vaccine breakthroughs. Investors can get exposure to a diversified portfolio of these exciting biotech minnows through several funds. RTW Venture and Syncona focus on cutting-edge science while BB Biotech, Biotech Growth and International Biotechnology specialise in the biotech sector.

Investment funds for big pharma fans

While buying into the UK's two big pharma businesses is one way to get exposure to the industry, buying a healthcare fund can give you access to pharmaceutical companies around the world.

These include other large-cap pharma stocks liked by Trevor Polischuk of trust Worldwide Healthcare.

He likes Merck because of its focus on 'immuno-oncology', a group of drugs that stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer and destroy tumour cells.

He is also a fan of Bristol Myers Squibb, which he says has 'the most underrated drugs pipeline in the industry'.

If it is UK big pharma you are after as an investor, you can opt for an income fund with exposure to the sector such as Threadneedle UK Equity Income.

More than ten per cent of the fund is invested in AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. BNY Mellon Newton UK Opportunities is similarly pharma heavy.

For a more global approach, Darius McDermott, managing director of Chelsea Financial Services, likes Polar Capital Global Healthcare Trust. Top ten holdings include Bristol Myers Squibb, United Healthcare, Roche and Sanofi.

How to navigate the headwinds ahead

While the immediate fortunes of healthcare stocks may seem linked to the coronavirus pandemic, there are many other factors to take into consideration.

On the upside, the resumption of elective surgeries and cancer clinics should improve drug sales. Also, Gareth Blades, of boutique investor Amati, believes that lessons learned from the pandemic may also be good news.

He says: 'Regulators have learned new streamlined ways to operate and hopefully these will continue post-pandemic to allow more drugs to come to market to make a positive impact on patients' lives.'

On the minus side, there is the likelihood of stricter pricing controls for drugs in the US.

Tilney's Hollands says: 'The crisis has put a huge strain on public finances, especially in relation to healthcare systems that are, of course, the major purchasers of pharmaceutical products.

'While the crisis has highlighted the importance and achievements of the pharma sector, it is also adding pressure to keep drug costs down.'
Little more than a year ago, copper was trading at around $4,500 (3,200) per ton.

Over the past few days, the price has topped $10,000 and forecasters expect it to keep rising through the summer.

Other metals tell a similar story. Aluminium, zinc and nickel have shot up since last spring, while iron ore prices have more than doubled from around $85 a ton to around $190 a ton.

Hot prospect: Surging demand for copper and other metals is a boost for mining specialist Trident Royalties

Experts are now talking about a commodities 'super-cycle', where prices carry on rising for years.

It is easy to understand why. Economies are recovering fast from the Covid-19 pandemic and governments around the world are splashing out on infrastructure spending, using those metals to build roads and railways, hospitals and schools, broadband cables and electricity pipes.

Trident Royalties offers investors a way to benefit from all this activity and more. The company listed on the stock market last year. The share price is 34.5p and should increase materially over the next 12 months and beyond.

Mining royalty finance is relatively unknown in the UK but it is widely deployed in the US and Canada. In essence, royalty firms lend money to miners and receive a percentage of their revenues in return.

Often used by companies which have yet to move into production, the system offers mining groups an alternative way of raising money, without borrowing from the bank or selling shares.

Once revenues start to flow however, the agreements provide royalty firms with a steady source of income over many years.

Most American royalty firms focus on precious metals. Trident intends to be different, taking up royalty deals with a range of mining groups from across the world.

The company has already signed seven royalty agreements, covering copper, iron ore, gold and most recently lithium, a critical component of electric vehicles. An eighth transaction is expected imminently.

Deals are spread across North and South America, Africa and Australia.

A couple of minesites are already generating revenues, four are coming close and only one  a gold mine Down Under  is still at the exploratory stage.

Experts are now talking about a commodities 'super-cycle' where prices carry on rising

Covering a variety of metals means that Trident is less exposed to price fluctuations than more narrowly focused peers.

And the company has so far proved that it can buy well, securing decent prices and selecting assets that have increased in value since they were acquired.

This success at least in part reflects the experience of co-founders Adam Davidson and Tyron Rees, both of whom worked at mining focused private equity firm Resource Capital Funds for several years before launching Trident.

The duo realised that, even though royalty finance is well established in the mining world, there was not a single listed company interested in securing small to medium-sized royalties across the entire metals industry.

Trident's deals range from $500,000 to $28million, often beneath the radar of more established royalty players, whose deals can run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

While large deals are subject to increasing competition, as metals prices rise, there are still rich pickings to be found at the smaller end of the market.

Davidson and Rees are also careful about the metals they choose, seeking out those where demand is likely to be strong and sustained.

Copper, for example, is not just used in construction but is a key component of electric cabling too and a big beneficiary of the renewable energy revolution.

Iron is the most widely used metal in the world and with President Biden pledging to spend $2trillion on infrastructure in America, China's Xi Jinping earmarking as much if not more for construction at home and abroad, and Boris Johnson eagerly pursuing a national infrastructure plan, the outlook for iron ore seems to be set fair.

Davidson and Rees have big ambitions for Trident. The company is expected to generate revenues of around $4million this year but that should increase rapidly in the next couple of years and gain ground thereafter, as more royalties are acquired and existing assets move into production.

Established royalty stocks, such as London-listed Anglo Pacific, are known as generous dividend payers. Trident is at an earlier stage but hopes to start a dividend programme within the next few years.

Midas verdict: Metal prices are soaring and prospects are bright. Trident offers broad exposure to the commodities sector at an attractive 34p price. Buy.

Traded on: AIM Ticker: TRR Contact: tridentroyalties.com or 020 3931 9639
AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot was last night at the centre of an extraordinary row among City investors over his multi-million-pound bonus.

The French chief executive has been lauded for rolling out Astra's life-saving Covid vaccine at no profit, as well as fighting off predatory buyers and boosting the company's share price since he took charge in 2012.

But Astra's major shareholders are understood to have been locked in heated talks for days after the drugs giant proposed to boost his bonus and performance-related share award by 2.3million to 12million.

The award could be worth even more if the share price rises.

Argument: AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot earned 15.4million in 2020 causing a row over pay

The plan could take his overall pay, which includes his 1.3million salary and other perks, well above the 15.4million he received last year.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that two top shareholders  Aviva Investors and Standard Life Aberdeen  have already voted to block the proposals ahead of the company's annual meeting on Tuesday.

One said the pay hike threatened to 'tarnish' the 101billion pharmaceutical firm's reputation after its triumph in delivering an affordable Covid vaccine for the world.

However, several rival City fund bosses  who said they had agonised over their decision, and asked to remain anonymous  told The Mail on Sunday they were giving the plans the green light.

This could prove highly controversial in the City because it sets the fund giants squarely at odds with the three watchdogs that advise major investors on executive pay.

Shareholder advisory groups ISS, Glass Lewis and Pirc have recommended vetoing the plans for Soriot's pay, despite a proposed cut to his pension benefits from 20 per cent to 11 per cent of salary, in line with his workforce.

The increase in Soriot's share award from 550 per cent to 650 per cent of his salary would be a second consecutive boost. The 8.6million pot rises if the shares climb as it is paid in the future.

Astra will hike his annual bonus from 200 per cent of salary to 250 per cent, or about 3.3million.

More than half of shareholders would have to vote against the remuneration policy for AstraZeneca to reconsider its plans.

Veteran fund manager Richard Buxton, of Jupiter Asset Management, revealed that his firm had 'reluctantly' voted to approve the deal.

He said Soriot was 'integral' to Astra and warned that it would be 'nuts' to risk losing him in a fallout over remuneration.

Buxton said: 'If the board feels there is a real risk of losing Pascal...and so they've got to up the ante, then I'm prepared to trust the board.

'Pascal is so central to the future success of this company that to risk losing him...would be shooting my clients in the foot, because I think the shares would fall 15 to 20 per cent.'

Soriot, 61, earned 15.4million last year and 15.3million the year before  and could rake in even more this year depending on his performance and the share price. He has earned nearly 90million since joining nine years ago.

Two other top AstraZeneca shareholders, who are usually vocal opponents of high pay, told The Mail on Sunday they had also voted in support of AstraZeneca's policy.

One said: 'It was a really difficult decision to take. The increase is very much against what our policy is. We are very concerned about the ratcheting up of remuneration. Had it been any other year, any other company, it would be a straightforward "against" vote.

'It was a long, quite intense discussion internally about what to do and it came very much down to showing leadership and launching the vaccine during these extraordinary times, and the decision for a non-profit pricing structure on a global level to fight the pandemic.'

By contrast, another Astra investor, EdenTree, said while Astra's pandemic 'leadership' was to be 'applauded', this was not enough to justify the hike.

'This pride is now tarnished, however, by proposals to once again escalate executive pay to heights rarely seen in the UK,' it said, adding that it intended to 'vigorously oppose' the pay proposals.

Another large asset manager told of an internal clash last week between its fund managers, who backed Soriot, and its corporate governance experts, who warned that his pay increase was simply too large.

The source added: 'We support Pascal, but we are very cognisant of the disparity between the chief executive's pay and the rest of the corporation.

'We think Pascal has done a fantastic job taking AstraZeneca from an uncertain future to one that has massive growth, so we think he's great, but the magnitude of the numbers they're looking at in terms of percentages is quite high.'

Soriot has come under sustained attack since rolling out Astra's Covid vaccine in collaboration with Oxford University.

He has been criticised for managing AstraZeneca from his family home in Australia and faced flak from EU politicians over the fairness and speed of the rollout across different countries.

Astra has also had to contend with reports of rare post-vaccination blood clots, which have led some countries to ban its jab altogether.

AstraZeneca said it has delivered shareholders a return of nearly 300 per cent over the past eight years  putting it ahead of global rivals and FTSE100 peers.

Shares in AstraZeneca closed at 77.35 on Friday, up around 12 per cent since Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first lockdown on March 23 last year.

The Astra spokesman added: 'The board wants to ensure that our remuneration policy keeps driving a performance in line with the ambitious expectations of our shareholders and other stakeholders.'

Soriot faced a series of revolts against his pay packages at Astra's annual general meetings in 2014, 2017 and 2018.

AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said bosses 'should be aware of the danger' of being seen to do 'unduly well' during the pandemic while many have lost their jobs.

Astra is currently in the middle of a $39billion deal to buy rare diseases specialist Alexion

But he added: 'Soriot's pay does not reflect just the vaccine, but the strategy he has outlined and continues to follow, which is to boost AstraZeneca's pipeline of new drugs and treatments across its core areas of oncology, renal and metabolism and cardiovascular and respiratory.'

The trajectory of Astra's share price is key to Soriot netting his maximum payout. Since fending off a 55-a-share hostile takeover from Pfizer in 2014 the stock has climbed by 40 per cent, vindicating Soriot's robust defence.

Astra is currently in the middle of a $39billion (28billion) deal to buy rare diseases specialist Alexion. Mould said it would be 'years before we know whether that was the right thing to do'.

Soriot has previously claimed his pay should be seen in the context of his industry. In 2018, when he earned 9.4million, he said: 'The truth is I'm the lowest-paid CEO in the whole industry. It is annoying to some extent.'

Analysis shows Soriot now sits fourth in the global pharma pay league behind the bosses of American behemoths Johnson & Johnson, Merck and AbbVie.

Namal Nawana, boss of FTSE100 counterpart Smith & Nephew left in 2019 amid reports he was dissatisfied with his pay compared to US executives.

In the Footsie, only Ocado boss Tim Steiner earned more than Soriot  at 58million  in the year before Covid struck.

Yet many of the biggest payouts in the pharma industry have been to scientists or entrepreneurs who have floated their biopharma firms. United Therapeutics founder and chief Martine Rothblatt landed $46million in 2019.

Buxton, of Jupiter, added: '[Soriot's pay] is clearly a lot of money. I don't think it's always right for a CEO to say 'if I left for the US I could earn a lot more money'.

'But Pascal has been absolutely instrumental to the success of this business. He's been there since 2012. He fought off the Pfizer bid in 2014. And he's issued AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine on a not-for-profit basis, helping the world until the pandemic's over.'

GlaxoSmithKline boss Emma Walmsley's description of herself recently as a 'business leader' and 'not a scientist' has ignited debate over who should run pharma firms.

Soriot, who grew up on a gritty housing estate in the northern suburbs of Paris, studied at the National Veterinary School of Alfort before pursuing a career in business with spells in New Zealand, Australia and Japan working for France's Roussel Uclaf, then climbing the ranks at Aventis and later Roche.

Sir Philip Hampton, the former GlaxoSmithKline chairman, said: 'It is an industry where people can earn huge sums if they are a brilliant scientist who comes up with an idea and sells it. CEOs are rarely that. They are managers so there's more of a question over whether it's justified.

'Pharma effectively replaced banking as the best paid industry in the wake of the financial crisis. Pascal's had an extraordinary run  some of it due to things he inherited and some he's done himself.'
Internet fashion giant Boohoo has lined up 200 cosmetics brands for a major relaunch of Debenhams online this autumn.

The push forms part of an ambitious strategy to re-establish Debenhams, which at its peak sold 550million of beauty, fashion and homewares a year.

Boohoo plans to match that figure 'over time' with intensive work to improve the Debenhams website's technology.

Chief executive John Lyttle told The Mail on Sunday there have been frenzied talks with cosmetics firms since Boohoo beat billionaire Mike Ashley to buy the site in January.

Eye-catching: Boohoo plans to sell 200 cosmetics brands to online shoppers

Lyttle said: 'Everything that was in Debenhams will be on the site pretty much by the end of summer. That's about 200 beauty brands. We've had a very positive response from all the beauty brands, as we have had with the third-party fashion brands.'

The site began selling its first wave of L'Oreal cosmetics lines last week alongside Elizabeth Arden and Benefit.

Lyttle added: 'It [acquiring the Debenhams website] also brings us into home products, kids and, over time, into sport as well  categories we've never been in before.'

The remaining Debenhams stores will close for good next weekend.

Before it collapsed, it had 19million active customers including 6million beauty shoppers and 1.4million Beauty Club members.

Lyttle said: 'Debenhams failed because it wasn't relevant to customers. The big thing now is to curate the brands which are relevant to the Debenhams we want to build.'
TV presenter Diane Johnson, better known by her stage name Diane Louise Jordan, says the best year of her life was 1990  the year she got her job on Blue Peter.

Jordan, the show's first black presenter, talked to Donna Ferguson about growing up 'extremely poor' and how Blue Peter helped transform her finances.

The 61-year-old, married to musician Giles Broadbent, is now an ambassador for CBM, a charity that works in the world's poorest places.

'Pension': TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan has bought some buy-to-let properties

What did your parents teach you about money?

To have stressful thoughts about it. My parents were extremely poor and they struggled with money. I was always concerned we would run out of it because I saw them worrying. My parents were migrants from Jamaica. When they first came over, my dad worked on the railways and my mum was a nurse.

But after she had four kids, she took on any extra job she could get  cleaning, working in a slaughterhouse, anything to make ends meet. Money was tight. I didn't know it at the time, but my mother would go without food to make sure my siblings and I had enough to eat.

We couldn't really afford much meat. I remember her eating whatever we left, and drinking the water used to boil the vegetables.

We had to put coins in a meter for gas and electricity. Often, we ran out of money and would occasionally have to spend a night in darkness with no heating or lighting, unable to cook. It was tough.

How did your childhood influence your attitude to money?

It made me determined that I would never be in a situation where I'd be desperate for money. That was such a fear of mine.

When I started life as an actress, I treated it almost as a hobby. I thought: I'll do this for a while, until the work runs out and I need to get a proper job. I was very lucky because I don't think I was ever out of work. But I was frugal. I always put something aside because I didn't want to be in a position where there was no safety net.

For example, I took up knitting so I could knit sweaters to sell and sometimes I used to clean on the side, on top of my acting jobs.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Not really, although there was a period of about nine months when I was living on benefits. In 1989, when I was in the middle of a tour with the National Theatre, I got the sudden news that my sister had died.

She was a single parent to a two-year-old. So I became a parent at the age of 29 to my niece, who is now my daughter.

After my tour ended, I stayed at home with her and that was when I lived on benefits. But my upbringing made me resourceful and it wasn't a struggle to make ends meet. Becoming a parent, on the other hand, was a baptism of fire.

What was the best year of your financial life?

It was 1990, the year I got my job on Blue Peter. It was transformational, a game changer. For about 20 years afterwards, I earned huge amounts of money, always more than the year before.

But I kept thinking: this may not last forever. I just knew I had to save, which is what I did, mainly by investing in property.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

Yes. I've been paid really outrageous money for giving a motivational speech and, shortly after I left Blue Peter, I did a commercial where I was paid bonkers money  more than most people earn in a year.

Diane says she has a small pension which she started saving into when she was 32 years old

What is the most expensive thing you have bought for fun?

It was a black and white coffee table that cost 4,500. I saw it in a magazine and designed the interior of a whole room in my house around it in my head. It's modern and Italian.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Buying that stupid coffee table. It's insanely heavy and very imposing. It goes with nothing. It doesn't suit the style of my house and it was such a waste of money.

The best money decision you have made?

Paying for my daughter to have a private education. She is seriously dyslexic and really struggled at a state school.

We could not work out why she was having such a miserable time and then a teacher suggested she might need more support than the state system could offer her.

It was difficult for me because I believe in state education and providing an equal playing field for all children. But it was the right decision for her. That school really saved her.

Do you save into a pension?

Yes I do, every month. I have a small pension which I started saving into when I was 32. I wish I'd started earlier. I also have a couple of buy-to-let investments in London that I see as part of my pension.

Do you invest directly in the stock market?

No, not outside my pension. I've never thought about doing that. I don't really understand it.

Do you own any property?

Yes. Five years ago we bought a 16th Century farmhouse with just under an acre of land in a Cambridgeshire village. It's got five bedrooms and a granny annexe. Plus, I have my investment properties.

If you were Chancellor what would you do?

I would reduce income tax to ten per cent across the board. At the moment, if you can afford to hire a good accountant, you end up paying less tax. I have a hunch that if everybody only had to pay ten per cent, they would be more inclined to pay that and we would end up with more money in the Treasury overall.

Do you donate money to charity?

Yes, I donate to CBM, a small charity that gives support to people with disabilities around the world.

I got involved with them because of the work they do to help people with sight loss in developing countries.

In these remote places, if you lose your sight, it's devastating. But often it's sight loss that is preventable and cheap to put right.

There's a fundraising campaign, Light Up Lives, (lightuplives.net) which is running until May 20. Every pound that is donated to CBM will be matched by the Government.

What is your number one financial priority?

To be able to support financially my grandchildren if they need it, so the next generation don't have to worry about money the way I worried as a child.
A revolutionary new 'click-and-collect' cash pilot scheme has just launched in the Staffordshire town of Burslem.

It's an initiative that if successful could be rolled out nationally and prove a financial lifeline for the eight million people still dependent on cash to manage their household finances.

Using a phone app, the service  provided by Swiss company Sonect  allows someone to order up to 200 of cash that they can then pick up at a local shop.

It is free to use, does not require the user to buy anything, and is designed to fill the void left when bank branches and free-to-use cash machines close, leaving residents with no local access to cash.

Lifeline: Toby Walne collects his cash from one of the shops in Burslem after ordering on the smartphone app

Nicknamed 'the mother town of the Potteries', Burslem is five miles north of its more famous sibling Stoke-on-Trent.

It was once home to scores of potteries, including Royal Doulton and Wedgwood, but with production shifting overseas, most of the factories have long since closed.

Left behind is a deprived area ravaged by poverty and long-term unemployment.

Predictably, in its hour of need, all the high street banks have abandoned Burslem. The last branch, run by Lloyds, shut four years ago  a cruel blow for this 21,000-strong and proud community.

But in light of its acute lack of access to cash, and underlying social deprivation, it was chosen to trial the click-and-collect app run by Sonect.

Keen to see this new empowering technology in action, I visited a wet and windy Burslem last week.

Initially, hooking up to the high-tech wizardry was a challenge as I shivered in the rain outside the closed Moorcroft Pottery museum.

The app was a doddle to download, but I then had to put 10 into the account from my bank debit card before it would work.

Any amount more than 10 required me to input my passport details  a measure designed to stop money laundering that could well put off some users.

After I swore at the software gremlins that smugly typed back 'an error has occurred', Sonect consumer adviser Rachel McCarthy stepped in and suggested we visit a shop where I could test the app.

Once inside the One Stop minimarket, the app clicked into life. I could look at a map on my phone and choose which shop to pick up my ordered cash from.

I was standing inside one of the seven participating retailers in Burslem, so I selected 10 of cash and a barcode appeared on my phone screen.

I showed this at the counter to shop manager Ash Ashiaf who scanned it and handed over a crisp 10 note in return.

All fine, but what do the locals think? Reaction was mixed.

David Hughes, popping into the store clutching a handful of fivepence pieces so he could buy some tea bags, says he would struggle with the app. 'I welcome anything that can help me get cash, but sadly my phone cannot use it.'

Using an app to get money from a local shop has had mixed reactions from locals in Burslem

The 58-year-old then showed me his antique Nokia phone to prove his point.

He added: 'For me cash is vital for budgeting. Every penny counts  I am a full-time carer for my wife Linda who suffers from a chronic obstructive pulmonary condition. I only ever use banknotes and coins and I am not interested in online banking.'

David admits he often pays 1.25 to access cash at a local cash machine.

Alex Scarratt has her hands full as co-owner of the local Get It Gone Skip Hire & Waste Removal Service. She is also mother to three young children.

The 24-year-old, visiting the mini-market to get some refreshments, says: 'There is a post office about a mile away that offers basic banking where you can also get cash, but there are always long queues and it is hard for many of the elderly people who live around here to get there.

'I welcome this cash app and I hope it is a success, but I do think the banks should be doing more to provide access to cash in this economically challenged town. A branch would be a nice start.'

School canteen assistant Beverley Rogers believes the cash app is a 'great idea'. But she warns: 'It will be tough convincing people to adopt it as those who like cash rather than paying by cards or their phone tend not to be big fans of new technology.'

Sonect is convinced the app will gain traction. It has already persuaded 2,300 retailers to offer the click-and-collect service in Switzerland.

Ron Delnevo, UK director for Sonect, says: 'Unfortunately, the future of banking is now not about opening more bank branches and ATMs.

'But if the banks are willing to support this new app they will not be seen to be abandoning the high street. In time, it could offer a solution to providing nationwide access to cash.'

Access to cash is currently under great threat. Some 55 bank branches a month have been closed over the past six years while as many as 8,700 free ATMs have been removed in the past three years.

Experts believe that up to 40 per cent of bank branches could close this year  a trend accelerated by the pandemic and the wider availability (and higher payment limit) of contactless payment.

Santander has already said it will axe 111 branches by the end of August while TSB is half way through axeing 164 branches. HSBC is culling 82 branches this year while Lloyds put an axe to 56 branches last year.

The Sonect service in Burslem is being paid for by a bank-funded 'community access to cash' pilot scheme for the next six months  with the hope banks will pay for its expansion nationwide if a success.

The pilot scheme, centred on eight locations, is also testing other ways of delivering banking services on the high street.

The Burslem pilot includes turning a fee-charging ATM on the high street into a free cash machine as well as a 'financial hub' in the local Methodist church.

But when I knocked on the church's side door, I discovered the hub was closed. A note pinned to the door said: 'Appointment only'.

After making numerous phone calls, I was told the hub was focused on debt counselling and educating people on how to bank online  it does not provide access to cash.

Leaving Burslem in the pouring rain, I was left with a nagging feeling. Namely, wonderful as this new click-and-collect app from Sonect might be, all that locals really want is a traditional bank on their doorstep.

One where they can do their banking without having to own the latest all-singing, all-dancing mobile phone.

Is that really too much to ask of the banks?

Access to cash is under threat: 55 bank branches a month have closed over the past 6 years

How project is helping communities than need pounds

The 'community access to cash' pilot scheme, which Burslem is part of, is being led by Natalie Ceeney, the former boss of the Financial Ombudsman Service and author of the 2019 report on access to cash.

The scheme is testing a range of ideas designed to improve access to cash across eight locations, many of which are based around cashback.

Ceeney says: 'We estimate that as many as eight million people in Britain rely on cash for their day-to-day needs  so cashback is essential for communities struggling without banks and where free cash machines have disappeared.

'But at the moment shops pay a fee of between three and four per cent for providing cashback at the till.

'If banks were prepared to bear more of this fee then cashback would become a cost-effective way of making cash available on the high street.'

As a result of sterling work by Lord Holmes of Richmond, legislation will soon pave the way for cashback to be made widely available without the need for a customer to first make a purchase.

As well as testing the Sonect click-and-collect app, the cash pilot scheme includes:
Pictured: Oceana Strachan

A young model who spent four years sunbaking with tanning oil has opened up about her terrifying ordeal when a seemingly normal freckle turned out to be skin cancer.

When Oceana Strachan, who lives in Wollongong on the NSW south coast, first noticed a small bump on her right shin in late 2019, she brushed it off as a pimple or hair follicle.

The bump wasn't coloured and it didn't look like a regular mole.

She got it checked by a doctor who assured her it was nothing to worry about. Then Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns hit, and Ms Strachan wasn't able to get another skin check for months.

By March 2021, the 25-year-old told Daily Mail Australia that she noticed the mole was getting darker and after pushing a different doctor to perform a biopsy, her worst fears came true.

'I have naturally olive skin so I tan really easily and spent most summer days from the age of about 16 to 20 in the sun,' she said.

Pictured: Oceana Strachan with her boyfriend Conor Hegyi, 25, who is a disability worker

Oceana Strachan says she spent four years sunbaking at the beaches around Sydney and the NSW south coast

Oceana Strachan said the melanoma didn't look like a regular mole (left), and was slightly raised with no colour at first

'So when the doctor told me it was a spreadable melanoma, I couldn't take it in,' she said.

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It usually looks like a mole and occurs on parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun.

Ms Strachan was diagnosed with stage two melanoma, which means her mole had the potential to spread to her lymph nodes and turn into life-threatening cancer.

When the doctor explained the steps to remove the melanoma, she started fearing the worst and couldn't hold the tears back.

Pictured: Oceana Strachan preparing for her melanoma-removal operation on Wednesday

Pictured: Oceana Strachan in hospital before her melanoma removal operation in late April

Pictured: Oceana Strachan with a bandage on her leg after getting a dangerous mole removed

She had a test to see if the disease had spread throughout the rest her body and, in the 10 days that it took to get the test back, the young woman did wonder what would happen if her situation was life-threatening.

The results came back clear and she had surgery to get the 0.3mm mole removed.

'It sounds tiny, but it's still dangerous,' she said.

'The doctor told me I was really lucky because it didn't look like a regular melanoma.'

Ms Strachan will undergo further testing to ensure the melanoma doesn't spread, and now wants to share her story to encourage others to get tested.

Oceana Strachan and her partner Conor both decided to get skin checks, before she was tols she had melanoma

Oceana Strachan said it doesn't matter what colour your skin in, everyone can get skin cancer

The model said she is now easily triggered when she sees young girls wearing tanning lotion on the sand

The model said she's now concerned when she sees young girls wearing tanning lotion on the sand.

'I want to go up to the and tell them to be safe - to be safer. I'm 25 and I just had a melanoma cut out, and I had to learn the hard way,' she said.

'It doesn't matter what colour your skin is, you can still get melanoma.'

Since sharing her story online, Ms Strachan has replied to more than 50 private messages and comments from people telling her they have had the same ordeal.
Australia's 'first nude yoga teacher' and her partner have been dealt a crippling blow and forced to put their baby plans on hold after publicly documenting their journey to motherhood.

Rosie Rees, who also founded Yoni Pleasure Palace, and her partner Ash MacDonald have been transparent about their desire to start a family on social media.

In February, just two weeks after Ashleigh got down on bended knee and proposed, she woke one morning with severe hip pain which gradually progressed into numbness.

The professional dancer and choreographer never could have guessed she was suffering from multiple sclerosis.

'I first had numb tingling feet and a pain in my hip. We thought it was just a pinched nerve,' Ashleigh said.

Ash MacDonald proposed to Rosie Rees (pictured together with Ash's daughter from a past relationship) two weeks after her 30th birthday

Rosie Rees (pictured), who also founded Yoni Pleasure Palace, and her partner Ash MacDonald have been transparent about their desire to start a family on social media

Two weeks after first developing symptoms the pain got so bad Rosie rushed her new fiancee to hospital and by the time they arrived she couldn't walk to the door; her whole leg was paralysed

'It got so bad we went to the doctor. They were clueless but told us to go to the emergency if the pain got worse.'

Two weeks later the pain got so bad Rosie rushed her new fiancee to hospital and by the time they arrived she couldn't walk to the door; her whole leg was paralysed.

'I still thought it was just a pinched nerve, but I was in so much agony I couldn't think,' Ashleigh said.

An MRI revealed a lesion on her spinal cord causing the numbness, which very quickly became paralysis in both legs.

'They suggested it could be MS. We were both really shocked. At that point we knew it was serious... Nothing really hit me until they did the lumbar puncture, and they were explaining the side effects,' Ashleigh said.

Rosie, however, was not so composed and saw their life together flash before her in a way she could never have imagined.

The professional dancer and choreographer never could have guessed she was suffering from multiple sclerosis

Rosie and Ash were hoping for a 'blonde haired, blue eyed' baby within the next two years (pictured with Ash's daughter from a separate marriage)

Ashleigh was taken to neurology and put on steroids and a plasma exchange process. She was diagnosed with transverse myelitis

'I was the emotional one. I couldn't stop crying. I was really scared and knew there was a risk she could be paralysed for ever and in a wheelchair,' Rosie said.

Ashleigh was taken to neurology and put on steroids and a plasma exchange process. She was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder which damages nerve cell fibres along the spinal cord and interrupts messages that the spinal cord nerves send throughout the body.

The lumbar puncture later revealed Ashleigh had multiple sclerosis, which can cause transverse myelitis.

She spent three weeks in hospital and then opted for rehabilitation at home.

'It was challenging (coming home). Every time I went to do something new, I realised it wasn't easy and took twice as long, but I just have to keep going,' Ashleigh said.

'I won't know how far it has progressed until I have a follow up, but I am grateful I have treatment options and support, but it is also a bit unknown and scary not knowing what our life will look like going forward.'

While the impact on their lives has been profound, Rosie made it clear the pair remain deeply in love

In December 2020, the couple revealed their plans to have a 'blonde haired, blue eyed' baby within the next two years to look like Ash's daughter from a previous relationship

The couple have been forced to put their pregnancy dreams on hold

Rosie said while it has 'thrown a spanner in the works' and their baby and wedding dreams are on hold to focus on Ashleigh's recovery, their goal to empower others through their social media remains the same.

In December 2020, the couple revealed their plans to have a 'blonde haired, blue eyed' baby within the next two years.

The couple, who had both previously been in heterosexual relationships, have been together for three years and after Ash's marriage ended, fell very quickly deeply in love.

'We are dedicated to documenting our life journey. I would like to be a role model not just for same sex couples but also same sex couples with disabilities. It is not represented in our society much.

'People are messaging us saying how brave we are to share it, but to us it is not brave. Why would we hide it, Ash can still live an enjoyable, thriving life,' Rosie said.

Rosie has 76,000 followers on her Instagram page, and they have started another page specifically to share their baby making journey called 'Two Mum Tribe'

For now, they are focusing on Ashleigh's rehabilitation and learning about the daily struggles faced by people with a disability

While the impact on their lives has been profound, Rosie made it clear the pair remain deeply in love.

'It was a massive shock and challenge to become the carer and I over did it and Ash had to sit me down and remind me I was also her lover.

'I miss walking holding hands or hearing Ash's footsteps in the house. It is scary to wonder if my partner will be able to walk down the aisle or dance at our wedding. But when you love someone as much as I do, you do put it aside and take it day by day.'

The couple, who had also shared very intimate moments on Facebook, said Ashleigh's condition had also impacted their sex life for a while, but they are grateful she is still able to move her hips and upper body and achieve orgasm, which some people with multiple sclerosis can't.

For now, they are focusing on Ashleigh's rehabilitation and learning about the daily struggles faced by people with a disability.

Rosie quit her corporate job in finance four years ago to start her own nude yoga practice, which specialises in helping groups of up to 30 women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their bodies.

An MRI revealed a lesion on her spinal cord causing the numbness, which very quickly became paralysis in both legs
Four people were killed and at least one was injured in a shooting and fire early Saturday morning in Maryland, authorities said, adding the suspect was shot by police and was among the dead.

It was not immediately clear what led to the violence on a residential street in suburban Baltimore, authorities said. It was also not immediately clear whether the other three victims died as a result of the fire or a shooting.

They identified the dead suspect in a later news release as Everton Brown, 56, and said he lived on the street. The names of the victims were not released.

The police statement added that four officers discharged their firearms and all had been placed on routine administrative duty per departmental policy.

Cops said that police body cameras recorded footage of the scene officers encountered which showed one home fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

They identified the dead suspect in a later news release as Everton Brown, 56, and said he lived on the street

The site of a fire in Woodlawn, Md., where three people were killed, including a suspect, and two others were injured on Saturday

Neighbors described Brown's long history with 'erratic behavior,' the Baltimore Sun reported.

Ranjith Ravindiran, 50, lives down the street with his wife and said Brown was going door-to-door with a gun, the outlet reported.

'It still could have been much worse today,' Ravindiran said.

He told the outlet that Brown had threatened people in the neighborhood for years and was known to yell at people on the street.

Brown drove a red truck with a sign claiming that he was being watched by the FBI, Ravindiran told the outlet.

'Everyone knew he was a problem,' Ravindiran said.

Gail Watts, who lives down the street from where the fire destroyed at least two residences, told the Associated Press she rushed outside around 6.30am after hearing an explosion.

She saw a massive fire and a man she identified as a longtime neighbor standing in the middle of the street.

Watts then heard gunfire and saw people running for cover. She said she heard the suspect's next-door neighbor screaming for help.

The site of a fire in Woodlawn where three people were killed, including a suspect, and two others were injured on Saturday

Police tape marks the scene in Woodlawn, Maryland, where police responded to a fire and an active shooter, who they killed

Smoke is visible on the street where at least two homes burned

'And next thing I know I looked out and he had shot her and she was laying on the sidewalk,' Watts said.

Watts, who said she's lived in the neighborhood for 25 years, said the suspect had been aggressive to neighbors in the past.

Another longtime neighborhood resident, Kweku Quansah, told the Baltimore Sun what took place Saturday morning was 'not surprising.'

Quansah told the newspaper he heard an explosion, went outside to check and found shots were being fired toward him. He told the newspaper that the suspect had often confronted neighbors, who had reported him to police.

'We dont know why he was doing that but this has been going on over and over again. A lot of people tried to complain about it but nothing was done,' Quansah said.

Baltimore County Police spokeswoman Joy Stewart said at a news conference that officers responded to reports of both a fire and active shooter in the neighborhood in Woodlawn, west of Baltimore, around 6.40am.

Officers found an armed male outside and shot him, she said.

Authorities then began fighting a fire that started in a townhouse and spread to two others, Tim Rostkowski, a county fire department spokesman, said at the news conference.

The building where the fire started as well as one adjacent to it collapsed, Rostkowski said, and a third dwelling was heavily damaged.

'We have this fire that happened. We also have this suspect who was armed. How theyre all related, its really too early to tell at this point,' Stewart said.

Police said the investigation that was opened involved several law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level.

Woodlawn is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, roughly 9 miles northwest of downtown Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
A Chinese propaganda newspaper has encouraged Beijing to bomb Australia if Canberra supports US military action in protecting Taiwan.

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of The Global Times, which is seen as Beijing's mouthpiece on foreign policy to the world, said China should retaliate with 'long-range strikes' if Australia gets involved in a potential military conflict over Taiwan.

'I suggest China make a plan to impose retaliatory punishment against Australia once it militarily interferes in the cross-Straits situation,' he wrote in an opinion piece.

'The plan should include long-range strikes on the military facilities and relevant key facilities on Australian soil if it really sends its troops to China's offshore areas and combats against the PLA (People's Liberation Army).'

Mr Hu said it would be important for the Chinese government to send a strong message about the plan for retaliatory military action 'to deter the extreme forces of Australia' from 'committing irresponsible actions'.

He warned Australia 'they must know what disasters they would cause to their country' if they were 'bold enough to coordinate with the US to militarily interfere in the Taiwan question'.

Beijing mouthpiece The Global Times said China should launch 'long-range strikes' on Australia's military facilities if Australia combats the People's Liberation Army in a potential war in the Taiwan Straits. Pictured, PLA soldiers in Kashgar, northwestern China's Xinjiang region

Pine Gap (pictured), a joint US-Australian listening and tracking base just outside Alice Springs has been nominated as a site China may possibly target if it wanted to 'hurt the US'

The Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin warned Australia 'they must know what disasters they would cause to their country' if the country's military join the US to 'interfere in the Taiwan question'. Pictured, file image of Australian Army soldiers

Mr Hu also claimed while 'China loves peace' and would 'not take the initiative to pick a fight with faraway Australia', he was quick to point out the country has 'long-range missiles with conventional warheads' that could target Australian military objectives.

The joint US-Australian intelligence-gathering base at Pine Gap, just outside Alice Springs, the Jindalee Operational Radar Network and signals intelligence facility at Geraldton were nominated by The Australian's foreign editor Greg Sheridan as possible sites China might target to 'hurt the US and its military capability'.

Turmoil surrounding Taiwan reached fever pitch in recent weeks after China repeatedly incurred on Taipei's airspace and maritime borders, sending 25 military aircraft into its defence 'identification zone'.

There are grave fears Beijing will militarily force Taiwan to reunify with mainland China under President-for-life Xi Jinping and the country's 'One China' policy.

Taiwan, backed by the US and Japan, has endured a longstanding conflict with Beijing since a separate government was established on the island following the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Taiwan has democratically-elected leaders and fiercely opposes reunification and the totalitarian rule of Beijing but Communist Party rhetoric is growing more aggressive when it comes to annexing the island.

The island nation remains an important ally of western democratic countries for its close proximity to China and because it produces a significant supply of semiconductor microchips at a time when there is a major global shortage.

Pressure is mounting on Australia and fellow 'Quad' members - Japan, India and the US - to keep Beijing's forces at bay as tensions escalate.

This graph shows the differing military capabilities of China and Australia as tensions between the two countries mount and The Global Times calls for possible military intention by Beijing

China has also warned Australia it must fall in line with its policy to 'reunify' the disputed island of Taiwan if it wants to trade to return to normal. Pictured: Chinese Navy personal stand guard

Mr Hu's comments come less than two weeks after China warned Australia it must support its policy to 'reunify' with Taiwan if it wants the trade war to end.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin late last month accused Canberra of 'meddling' in China's internal affairs and said there is 'no room for any form of Taiwan independence'.

'Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affairs that involves China's core interests and allows no foreign interference,' Mr Wang said.

'China must and will be reunified. We are willing to do our utmost to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification, but will never leave any room for any forms of 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities.

'We hope the Australian side can... avoid sending any wrong signal to Taiwan independence forces, and take more actions that is conducive to peace and stability across the strait and for China-Australia relations.'

Is Taiwan a country or a part of China? Taiwanese soldiers hoist the flag of Taiwan in Taipei on May 10. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, but many Taiwanese people want the island to be independent China and Taiwan have a long-standing dispute over the island's sovereignty. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, more precisely a province, but many Taiwanese want the island to be independent. From 1683 to 1895, Taiwan was ruled by China's Qing dynasty. After Japan claimed its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government forced to cede Taiwan to Japan. The island was under the Republic of China's ruling after World War II, with the consent of its allies the US and UK. The leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 and established his government after losing the Civil War to the Communist Party and its leader Mao Zedong. Chiang's son continued to rule Taiwan after his father and began democratising Taiwan. In 1980, China put forward a formula called 'one country, two systems', under which Taiwan would be given significant autonomy if it accepted Chinese reunification. Taiwan rejected the offer. Taiwan today, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders, is widely accepted in the West as an independent state. But its political status remains unclear. Advertisement

China was waged a year-long campaign of economic coercion against Australia, targeting about $20 billion worth of exports with arbitrary trade tariffs and bans.

Australia's relationship with its biggest trading partner began to drastically deteriorate in April last year when Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of coronavirus, which first appeared in Wuhan at the end of 2019.

The plea for transparency over Covid-19 infuriated the Communist Party who retaliated by imposing arbitrary bans and tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Australian goods including barley, wine, cotton, seafood, beef, copper, and coal.

China last week indefinitely suspended 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.

But the deeper diplomatic freeze is largely symbolic, given Beijing was already refusing high-level meetings.

China will continue to buy vast quantities of Australian iron ore, minimising the economic impact.

Just days before Mr Wang's remarks, Australian national security leaders acknowledged the 'drums of war' are beating louder for free nations in the region who seek to resist China's quest for dominance.

A Chinese naval ship sails into Sydney Harbour in June 2019 during a secret reciprocal visit - there are now warnings of an impending war between the nations

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (pictured) has remained staunch in the face of Chinese aggression - with many nations now at loggerheads with the communist superpower

Australian Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo said in his Anzac Day message that while Australia should always search for peace, it must also be prepared to 'send off our warriors to fight the nation's wars'.

He added free nations 'must remain armed, strong and ready for war, even as they lament the curse of war'.

'Today, as free nations again hear the beating drums and watch worryingly the militarisation of issues that we had, until recent years, thought unlikely to be catalysts for war, let us continue to search unceasingly for the chance for peace while bracing again, yet again, for the curse of war,' Mr Pezzullo said.

'By our resolve and our strength, by our preparedness of arms, and by our statecraft, let us get about reducing the likelihood of war  but not at the cost of our precious liberty.

'War might well be folly, but the greater folly is to wish away the curse by refusing to give it thought and attention, as if in so doing, war might leave us be, forgetting us perhaps.'
China has drawn up plans to upgrade an airstrip and bridge on one of Kiribati's remote islands less than 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii in a bid to revive a site that hosted military aircraft during World War II.

The plans involve construction on the tiny island of Kanton (also spelled Canton), a coral atoll strategically located midway between Asia and the Americas.

Any significant build-up on Kanton, located 1,864 miles southwest of Hawaii and U.S. military bases there, would offer a foothold to China deep into territory that had been firmly aligned with the U.S. and its allies since World War II.

It's possible the airport could support fighter deployments if it is modernized and improved, as well as increased in usable size.

The island could also be used to launch surveillance aircraft, as it is strategically located between Hawaii and the region containing Australia and New Zealand.

Pictured: The current state of Canton Airport in Kiribati, according to satellite images

The island of Kanton, which hosts the airfield, is less than 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii

The development comes as tensions in the region continue to boil. China did not indicate whether the airfield would be used for military purposes, though.

In a statement sent to Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry said that China was exploring plans for upgrading and improving the airstrip, at the invitation of the Kiribati government, to facilitate domestic transport within Kiribati.

The statement said China's cooperation with Kiribati held to the concept of 'mutually beneficial cooperation' and was 'within the limits of its ability to provide help without any political conditions.'

Kiribati opposition lawmaker Tessie Lambourne told Reuters she was concerned about the project, and wanted to know whether it was part of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

'The government hasn't shared the cost and other details other than it's a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the runway and bridge,' Lambourne said. 'The opposition will be seeking more information from government in due course.'

The Belt and Road Initiative referenced by Lambourne was started in 2013 as a global infrastructure project that critics believe is increasing China's geopolitical influence across the globe.

Lambourne was previously an ambassador to Taiwain, whose rapidly shifting relationship with Kiribati has affected China in recent years.

The office of Kiribati President Taneti Maamau did not respond to questions.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to questions.

A U.S. Marine Corps flight takes off from Kiribati on a mission to Australia

Despite being small, Kiribati, a nation of 120,000 residents, controls one of the biggest exclusive economic zones in the world, covering more than 3.5 million square kilometers of the Pacific.

The United States Air Force utilized the airstrip for an air ferry route between Hawaii and the South Pacific region during the war.

The United States also used the airstrip for space and missile tracking through the late 1960s.

Today, the airstrip is mostly dormant, with the Canton Island Airport used solely for emergencies.

'The island would be a fixed aircraft carrier,' said one adviser to Pacific governments, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the project.

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet and U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Currently, law enforcement in Kiribati cooperates with the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard on various missions, including the protection of fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

Kiribati has in recent years been at the center of a tussle between China and the U.S. and its Pacific allies.

In late 2019 it severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China, in a decision overseen by Maamau, who went on to win a closely contested election on a pro-China platform.

China provided $4.2 million for 'livelihood projects' before Maamau's victory, according to the Kiribati government.

Only 16 years earlier did Kiribati recognize the government in Taipei, marking a quick change in position.

The diplomatic shift, which mirrored events in the Solomon Islands, was a setback for self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as a province with no right to state-to-state ties. Taiwan counts the U.S. as an important international backer and supplier of arms.

Kanton has been used by the U.S. for space and missile tracking operations and its 6,230ft runway hosted long-range bombers during the war.

Satellite imagery suggests the runway is closer to 8,000ft in length, though about a fifth of it is currently unimproved.

The Drive reports that there is only one usable runway currently available on the airstrip.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said in a paper last year that Chinese facilities on Kiribati would be positioned across major sea lanes between North America, and Australia and New Zealand.

Beijing has labeled the think tank as 'anti-China.'

Along with its strategic significance, the waters around Kanton are rich in fish, including tuna, although commercial fishing is prohibited as the island is in a marine protected zone.

China has not indicated whether the airstrip would be used for military purposes

There are around two dozen residents on Kanton who rely on subsistence fishing and supply ships.

In 2003, China shut down a space tracking station in Kiribati because of the decision to recognize Taiwan. That could also be restored as China and Kiribati look to strengthen ties.

This is not the first time the United States and China appeared to be on a collision course at an international military base.

Three years ago, the American military accused Chinese personnel of shining a laser at an American transport crew in Djibouti, injuring some crew members.
At least three people have been injured after a 'dispute' led to shots fired at the upscale Aventura Mall in Florida on Saturday.

The Aventura Police Department said shots rang out around 3.39pm after they believe a fight between two groups of people broke out inside the mall sending patrons scattering, the Times Union reported.

The fight escalated when a person in one of the groups pulled out a gun - leading another person in the other group to pull one out and fire it, a police spokesman said during a press conference.

Cops said on Twitter that they have 'several suspects involved in custody' who are being questioned by detectives.

Local police said three people were hurt and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, although Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported five injured.

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The Aventura Police Department said shots rang out around 3.39pm after they believe a fight between two groups of people broke out inside the mall

Shoppers were seen rushing out of the store after the shooting inside the mall

Multiple people are injured after a 'dispute' led to shots fired at Aventura Mall in Florida as videos show shoppers fleeing

A man turns back to look at the mall while rushing out when shots rang out on Saturday, while other videos show a man bleeding across the floor after apparently getting shot

A video taken from the second floor of the shopping mall appear to show one of the victims bleeding while rocking back and forth from the apparent pain

Shoppers look from a restaurant as police officers enter the Aventura Mall after a shooting left multiple people injured and several suspects in custody

The Aventura Police Department tweeted that the agency has three victims 'who have sustained non-life threatening injuries'

Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue, who responded, said five patients were transported to a local hospital

The Aventura Police Department tweeted that the agency has three victims 'who have sustained non-life threatening injuries and [are] being treated at local hospitals.'

Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue, which responded, said five patients were transported to a local hospital and one of those patients 'was a trauma alert' and was transported to a local trauma center.

Videos posted online show shoppers scurrying to safety outside of the mall, as well as one of the apparent victims bleeding across the floor while rocking back and forth in apparent pain.

One photo posted to Twitter shows one of the victims being taken out of the mall on a stretcher.

Police restricted access to the mall on Saturday and Aventura City Manager Ron Wasson told the Miami Herald that officials were sweeping the mall in case someone dropped a gun while rushing out of the mall.

'They just want to make sure if someone might have dumped a weapon, we don't miss it,' he said.

Cynthia Parlin, a tourist from Savannah, was inside a Macy's department store with her friends when she heard four shots, she told the Miami Herald.

'People were stumbling, running, screaming. We smelled the smoke in the air. Everybody was terrified,' she said.

She said that employees took customers into the back of the store where they hid for 30 minutes as workers ran to shut the metal security gates at the store's entrances.
Boris Johnson will promise to level up Britain by bringing jobs and skills to 'Red Wall' areas to stop the brain drain to the cities.

Under plans which will be outlined in the Queen's speech, the prime minister will pledge to 'live local and prosper' in a bid to revive many areas which feel they have been left behind.

Tuesday's speech will also outline plans to tackle the NHS operations backlog caused by the pandemic.

Boris Johnson will promise to level up Britain by bringing jobs and skills to 'Red Wall' areas to stop the brain drain to the cities

As part of his measures to thank the voters who have seen him preside over a successful series of local elections despite 11 years of Tory rule, Johnson will introduce a Skills and Post-16 Education Bill on Wednesday.

The bill will get local employers to work with further education colleges to deliver a 'skills accelerator programme', The Sunday Times reports.

Under the new plans, people who want to study part-time will have greater access to universities and colleges.

The approach is a major swift from previous Conservative governments who promoted leaving your home town to look for work in London and economic hubs.

Johnson instead wants to create more local aspiration by giving people more opportunities where they already live.

The prime minister wants to thank areas like Hartlepool (pictured) where the Tories won a by-election this week

A senior government source said: 'There is going to be a massive investment in further education and lifelong "upskilling" so people can take on better-paid jobs in their local area.

'Some people will want to move for work but this is investment in communities so people can thrive where they live.'

Regarding the situation in the NHS, Johnson warned it will 'get worse before it gets better' with a current care waiting list of 4.7 million people.

In Tuesday's speech, the prime minister will pledge an extra 63billion this year and 22billion next year to the health service while admitting more money is needed to cut down the backlog.

His pledges come after Johnson completed an incredible electoral hat-trick this afternoon to pile more misery on Keir Starmer's Labour.

The Conservative Andy Street romped home to remain mayor of the West Midlands, thrashing former minister Liam Byrne in a vote that the opposition had hopes of winning.

The Conservative Andy Street romped home to remain mayor of the West Midlands, thrashing former minister Liam Byrne in a vote that the opposition had hopes of winning.

It came after wins in the Hartlepool by-election for Jill Mortimer and mayoral vote in the Tees Valley by Ben Houchen to complete a dominant display for the governing party 11 years into its tenure.

The West Midlands defeat is especially embarrassing for Labour and Mr Byrne personally, after he confidently predicted his own victory.

Mr Street, the former boss of John Lewis, came close to winning outright in the first round with 48.7 per cent of valid first preference votes.

But after the second round of voting he emerged with 54 per cent of the vote to Mr Byrne's 46 per cent.

In his acceptance speech Mr Street hailed Boris Johnson's 'levelling-up' agenda, adding: 'I'll be banging on the door to make sure that commitment comes good.'

Speaking from the podium at the count in Birmingham, Andy Street thanked everyone who had put their faith in him, and praised hundreds of Conservative activists for their exemplary support of his campaign.

Mr Street, who was supported by comedian Jasper Carrott, added: 'Our success goes well beyond the Conservative team - so I also want to thank everyone else who's come on board over last four years, and shares our vision for and belief in the renewal of the West Midlands.

'It's that growing sense of unity and shared purpose that makes me certain we will succeed.'

Defeated Liam Byrne said Labour had won in Birmingham, Coventry and Sandwell but he conceded that his overall defeat was a 'bitter blow' for his party.

The Birmingham Hodge Hill MP added: 'This defeat is my responsibility. In the weeks ahead I'll tell the full and astonishing story of this ground-breaking campaign, but today I simply say this - do not be down-hearted because if you lose heart our country loses hope.'
Police have been told to stop describing people from China and South East Asia as 'Oriental' in race-hate crime reports.

New guidance issued by the Home Office excludes the term from a list of categories that are allowed to be used.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'This term is offensive.'

New guidance states that police should stop describing people from China and South East Asia as 'Oriental' in race-hate crime reports. (Stock image)

Labour's Sarah Owen  the first female MP of Chinese descent and chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hate Crime  said it is 'incredibly outdated'.

But Eddie Chan, 67, who set up the London Chinese Community Network, said the word 'describes where we come from and I do not find it offensive'.
A Disney actress who claims she lost her gig in the live show of Aladdin after a tummy freezing treatment left her with horrific scarring is suing the cosmetic clinic.

Taylor Penrose, 27, visited a Melbourne clinic in 2018 to undergo cryolipolysis on her abdomen, a procedure which uses sub-zero temperatures to break down fat cells.

But later that evening her belly turned purple and she went to hospital in 'excruciating pain' where she was diagnosed with frostbite and third-degree burns.

The stage performer claims she was 'dizzy and faint' from the pain, which left her unable to walk properly, and she lost her job in an Aladdin theatre production because the horrific scarring was visible through her costume.

Taylor Penrose, 27, (pictured) is suing a Melbourne cosmetic over a fat freezing treatment she underwent in 2018

Ms Penrose claims the treatment left her with scarring (pictured) and in 'excruciating pain'

'Three years on, I have two rings around my lower abdomen and purple frostbite scars,' she told the Herald Sun.

'The rings are discoloured and stop me from wearing certain clothing.

'If I hadn't had this done, things would be very different for me.'

Ms Penrose said the treatment, which pulls fat from the target area and freezes it between two cold plates, was advertised as a safer alternative to liposuction.

However, she claims the procedure was botched as staff did not apply a gel pad, which is placed on the area prior to treatment to protect the skin, and failed to use the right technique while operating the plates.

Aside from the scarring, Ms Penrose said she was also unable to complete her contract as a stand-in swing performer in the stage play because the pain hinders her movement.

She said the impacts have been 'devastating' and damaged her 'self-esteem'. She has launched legal action against the clinic for damages, interest and costs to cover her medical expenses.
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Pregnant Meghan Markle has made an appearance during the Vax Live telecast, claiming COVID has wiped out a generation of progress for women of color.

The Duchess of Sussex made the assertion in a recorded statement, which appeared to be filmed in the backyard of her $14.7 million Montecito mansion.

'As campaign chairs of Vax Live, my husband and I believe it's critical that our recovery prioritizes the health, safety and success of everyone, but particularly women who have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic,' Meghan stated.

'Women, and especially women of color, have seen a generation of economic gain wiped out.'

Cradling her large baby bump in a red floral blouse, Meghan continued: 'My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world.

'When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward.'

The Vax Live concert took place at Los Angeles' Lo-Fi stadium this past Sunday. Prince Harry appeared in person, but Meghan reportedly pulled out at the last minute.

However, her brief recorded statement aired at the conclusion of the concert's telecast - which was aired across multiple TV channels in the US on Saturday night.

It was the Duchess's first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March.

Pregnant Meghan Markle has made an appearance during the Vax Live telecast, claiming COVID has wiped out a generation of progress for women of color

Bumping along nicely! Meghan's prominent baby bump was on full display as she gushed over the fact that she and Harry will soon be parents of a bay girl

Meghan sported a softer and more maternal look than she did during her Oprah interview

Meghan also wielded out a series of stats during her 2-minute statement, saying: 'Since the pandemic began, nearly 5.5 million women have lost work in the U.S., and 47 million more women around the world are expected to slip into extreme poverty.'

She also stated that the the 'future leadership' of young women 'depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now'.

'We want to make sure that as we recover, we recover stronger; that as we rebuild, we rebuild together,' the Duchess declared.

It's unclear when Meghan's statement was recorded. However, she sported a softer look than she did during her Oprah interview.

The Duchess opted for a bright and loose-fitting button down adorned with flowers. She left her long locks free-flowing and styled them in loose curls.

She appeared to be wearing a $140 'Woman Power Charm Necklace' from jewelry brand Awe Inspired.

The company states on its website: 'Celebrating intersectional feminism and social justice is at the core of who we are and what we do. 20% of all proceeds benefit our incredible charity partners, each chosen for the direct impact they have on the lives of women overcoming adversity.'

The Duchess of Sussex appeared to have recorded the statement in the backyard of her Montecito mansion

Meghan's brief recorded statement which aired during the Vax Live telecast marked her first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March

appeared to be wearing a $140 'Woman Power Charm Necklace' from jewelry brand Awe Inspired

Meanwhile, Prince Harry warned against the 'politicization' of COVID-19 vaccines in a video which was recorded backstage at the Vax Live concert.

'I think the most worrying thing for me and my wife [Meghan].. is science being politicized,' Harry stated in the black and white clip, posted to Twitter on Saturday.

'When we're talking about life and death, which we're talking about now, vaccines cannot be politicized'.

The Duke of Sussex further declared: 'We must ensure that everyone around the world has equal access to the vaccine, otherwise none of this works.'

Harry and Meghan have backed US President Joe Biden's move to waive vaccine patents for poorer countries.

That decision - which was announced earlier this week - caused shares for vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna to tumble on Thursday. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla described support of the waivers as 'so wrong',

Germany, Canada, the EU and the UK currently oppose Harry and Meghan's push to waive the patents, fearing that it won't help boost production in the short-term, and could hamper innovation in the longer-term.

Prince Harry warned against the 'politicization' of COVID-19 vaccines in a clip which was recorded backstage at the Vax Live concert

The Duke and Duchess's tell-all sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, which aired on March 7, sparked fervent debate after they lobbed a series of accusations at the Royal Family

Prince Harry called for COVID-19 vaccines to be 'equitably' distributed across the globe during his appearance at the Vax Live concert in Los Angeles. The concert took place last Sunday and a telecast of the event aired in the US on Saturday

The Duke of Sussex took to the stage at the event, held at So-Fi Stadium, telling a crowd of healthcare workers that they 'cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution [of the vaccine] to every corner of the world'

Earlier this week, Harry and Meghan urged vaccine manufacturers to 'temporarily suspend' intellectual property rights in order to help those in developing countries gain access to jabs.

The couple shared an emotive letter to the CEOs of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Norovax on Thursday as they launched a campaign to 'ensure equitable vaccine access globally'.

The lengthy note, published to Global Citizen, asks the vaccine bosses to 'act with extraordinary purpose, responsibility, and leadership' in response to a 'equity crisis' and use 'every possible measure to increase global supply.'

These proposed measures include 'the temporary suspension of intellectual property and extraordinary global public-private collaboration resulting in wider transfer of technology and know-how.'

AstraZeneca has already vowed not to profit from the vaccine during the pandemic, but Harry and Meghan today urged the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna to follow suit and supply at least 100 million doses of their vaccinations at 'not-for-profit prices' this year.

They also requested that the two pharma giants accelerate their supply and deliver the jabs to COVAX - Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, which protects people against the virus 'regardless of wealth' - as soon as possible.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden delivered a message during the Vax Live concert. The Biden Administration announced this week that they wanted to waive copyright patents on vaccines in the hopes that people in poorer countries could receive the jab quicker

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla (left) hit out at the Biden administration's support for waiving intellectual property protections to allow poorer countries to produce vaccines developed by companies like it and Moderna, potentially cutting into their profits

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have urged supporters to make a donation to a vaccine equity campaign to mark their son Archie's second birthday

Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan also asked their supporters to donate to GAVI, a vaccine alliance which buys Covid-19 vaccines for the world, in a post on their Archewell Foundation website.

The Sussexes said a $5 donation would be matched by organizations supporting the appeal to become $20 - which would cover the purchase of four vaccines.

'We cannot think of a more resonant way to honor our sons birthday,' they said.

'If we all show up, with compassion for those we both know and dont know, we can have a profound impact. Even a small contribution can have a ripple effect.'

Harry and Meghan also asked their supporters to donate to GAVI, a vaccine alliance which buys Covid-19 vaccines for the world, in a post on their Archewell Foundation website
Rail disruption is expected to continue for a second day after services were cancelled across the country due to cracks in some trains.

Hitachi 800 trains were pulled from lines on Saturday as a 'precautionary measure' after the fault was found in some trains, and Great Western Railway (GWR) and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) have advised people not to travel on Sunday.

Hull Trains and TransPennine Express (TPE) were also affected, but the Hull operator said that by 1.30pm on Saturday its normal services had resumed.

GWR, which operates 93 Hitachi 800 trains, has warned the disruption to services is likely to continue 'into the following week' and urged customers to request refunds.

A spokesperson said: 'We have had to cancel a significant number of long-distance train services on Saturday and disruption is expected to continue on Sunday and into the following week.

Hitachi 800 trains used by London North East Railway (LNER), Great Western Railway (pictured) and Hull Trains have been found with cracks, seeing services cancelled across the UK

'Train timetables are presently being worked on and will be published as soon as possible.'

They added the issue is affecting GWR journeys between Paddington and Bristol, Swansea, Penzance, Hereford and Cheltenham Spa, and that suburban and rural services which are still running will be 'very busy' as a result.

Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway are providing alternative journeys for GWR ticketholders.

LNER services between Edinburgh, Newcastle, York and London have also been disrupted and the operator has also urged people not to travel on Sunday.

A spokesperson said: 'Our sincere apologies to customers affected by disruption. Please do not travel this weekend.

'Tickets dated for travel May 8-9 will be valid up to and including Sunday 16 May.'

TPE said its Nova 1 trains had been affected by the issue and customers were advised not to travel via the Newcastle to Liverpool route on Saturday, but they have not yet provided an update for Sunday.

Hitachi Rail has apologised for the disruption caused by 'cracks on the lifting points under the carriage of some class 800 trains' which were spotted during routine checks, adding that by Saturday evening 'some trains' had been cleared to run as normal.

A spokesperson said: 'Safety is our number one priority and as a precaution, the decision was taken to halt the entry into service of our intercity fleets pending inspection.

'We understand the frustration caused and we would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to passengers and operators.

'Having been cleared for service, some trains are now running again across the network.'

Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris has asked operators to deploy extra staff to help passengers complete their journeys and access refunds.

He added: 'I share the frustration of passengers who are experiencing significant disruption, and would ask people whose journeys are affected to check before travelling.'

The non-ministerial Government department responsible for regulating Britain's railways, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), said it has begun an investigation into the issue to 'establish the full facts of the issue and any lessons which need to be learned'.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said Hitachi must ensure 'the highest safety standards' and 'properly investigate and rectify the issues'.

LNER services on the east coast between London, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh have been stopped

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said passengers should not be charged extra in future to pay for repairs.

He said: 'It's important to point out that the affected trains are relatively new, in which case the manufacturers should foot the bill for any repairs, not passengers or taxpayers.'

Anthony Smith, chief executive of independent watchdog Transport Focus, added: 'Safety must always come first. However, it is very disappointing this is happening on a relatively new set of trains.

'Refunds should be quick and compensation generous. Many thousands will have their travel plans upset this weekend.'
Overseas veterinarians are among the professions shortlisted to be granted a travel exemption into Australia as the country struggles with a shortage of workers.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke announced on Saturday the much-needed workers would be added onto the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List because of a recent 'puppy boom'.

The Department of Home Affairs created the list to allow skilled workers to side-step the country's border closure and 'support Australia's economic recovery from Covid-19'.

The list comprises 18 different occupations and includes psychiatrists, general practitioners, midwives, social workers and software engineers.

Overseas veterinarians will be granted a travel exemption into Australia as the country struggles with a shortage of workers and a puppy boom (stock image)

The list comprises of 18 different occupations and includes psychiatrists, general practitioners, midwives, social workers and software engineers

Australian Veterinary Association president Warwick Vale said the country needed at least another 800 veterinarians in the industry.

He claimed the shortage of workers had partly been triggered by a puppy boom that was the result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, The Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders said small and apartment-friendly dogs were in high demand and that the sudden uptick had drastically bumped up prices.

Purebred pups have hit the market for anywhere between $3,000 and $10,000 - two to three times the price pre-Covid-19.

Dr Vale said he was grateful for the travel exemption to overseas veterinarians.

Though he said this was only a 'short-term measure' that did not address the bigger issues impacting the industry.

The veterinary industry has been plagued with several ongoing issues over the years that includes poor pay, burnout and high rates of suicide.

Psychiatrists are one of the 18 different occupations that are listed on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List

Veterinarians have one of the highest rates of suicide at about four-times the national average - or around one suicide every 12 weeks in Australia, according to the Australian Veterinary Association.

The alarming statistic is twice as high as their counterparts in human medicine - with about a quarter of vets who take their lives using the same drugs they give pets to put them to sleep.

The issue was brought front and centre in the media after 27-year-old Dr Flynn Hargreaves took his own life in 2019.

'It's been a long-standing problem in the country and regional areas but since the Covid pressure it has really come to the cities in a big way. We've got vets that are leaving the workforce in droves,' Dr Vale told The Age.

'The profession has to change its workplace culture,' he said.
Gal Gadot has confirmed that Joss Whedon threatened her career and said he would make 'it miserable' on the set of the troubled Justice League movie after she tried to change her Wonder Woman character, it has been reported.

Gadot, 35, made her comments to the Israeli news channel N12 after The Hollywood Reporter released an extensive article full of many claims against the 56-year-old filmmaker including alleged friction he had with the Israeli actress.

'He threatened my career and told me that if I did something, he'll make sure my career will be miserable and I just took care of it on the spot,' Gadot said, as translated by the Twitter account Discussing Film.

Whedon allegedly threatened Gal Gadot's career and said he could 'make her look incredibly stupid' on the set of Justice League according to The Hollywood Reporter article and backed up by N12.

A source told the Hollywood Reporter that Gadot had 'multiple concerns with the revised version of the film, including issues about her character being more aggressive than her character in Wonder Woman.'

'She wanted to make the character flow from one movie to the next,' the source said.

Controversy: Joss Whedon (right) allegedly threatened Gal Gadot's (left) career and said he could 'make her look incredibly stupid' on the set of Justice League according to a bombshell report from The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday

Not pleased: According to a source for the the publication, Gadot had 'multiple concerns with the revised version of the film, including issues about her character being more aggressive than her character in Wonder Woman. She wanted to make the character flow from one movie to the next'

'He threatened my career and told me that if I did something, he'll make sure my career will be miserable and I just took care of it on the spot,' Gadot said

Wonder Woman had been released in June of 2017 with Justice League being released just months later in November.

Whedon has been hit by multiple allegations against him in the past year after Ray Fisher, the actor who plays Cyborg, said he had engaged in 'gross, abusive, unprofessional' conduct on the set of the DC Comics superhero movie.

After Fisher delivered his comments, Charisma Carpenter called out Whedon for his behavior on Buffy The Vampire Slayer in which she starred as Cordelia Chase. The show's titular star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, had posted a statement in her support.

Later, actress Michelle Trachtenberg claimed Whedon, the show's creator, was 'not allowed in a room alone' with her during filming - days after her co-stars spoke out about his alleged bullying and abuse of power.

Trachtenberg, now 35, was 14 when she was cast on the show as Gellar's little sister Dawn Summers in 2000.

Other top-billed Buffy stars that have supported Carpenter and Trachtenberg include Elisha Duzku, Amber Benson, and Emma Caulfield.

Avengers star Mark Ruffalo and Firefly's Alan Tudyk have both previously defended Whedon from the allegations, with Ruffalo calling him a 'a deeply committed feminist.'

The Gadot insider who spoke to THR claimed the biggest conflict with her came when Whedon urged the actress to record lines which she didn't like and 'threatened to harm Gadot's career and disparaged Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.'

THR reported that a witness on production who had later spoke to investigators said: 'Joss was bragging that he's had it out with Gal. He told her he's the writer and she's going to shut up and say the lines and he can make her look incredibly stupid in this movie.'

After Fisher delivered his comments, Charisma Carpenter called out Whedon for his behavior on Buffy The Vampire Slayer in which she starred as Cordelia Chase

Later, actress Michelle Trachtenberg claimed Whedon, the show's creator, was 'not allowed in a room alone' with her during filming. She is pictured right with the show's titular star, Sarah Michelle Gellar

A source told the publication that this all came to a head when Gadot and the 49-year-old Jenkins having a sit down with then-Warner Bros. chairman Kevin Tsujihara.

Gadot was asked for comment on the THR story and released a statement which read: 'I had my issues with [Whedon] and Warner Bros. handled it in a timely manner.'

Back in December, the actress confirmed that she was interviewed as part of WarnerMedia's investigation into allegations made about Whedon on the set of Justice League.

'I know that they've done a very thorough investigation, even just by how much time I spent with them,' the Israeli actress said during an interview for The Big Ticket podcast on December 17.

On December 11, WarnerMedia issued a statement saying the investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace on the Justice League set had been completed.

Signature role: For context, Wonder Woman had been released in June of 2017 with Justice League being released just months later in November

Bond: The insider also claimed that the biggest conflict came when Whedon urged the actress to record lines which she didn't like and 'threatened to harm Gadot's career and disparaged Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.

The company added that 'remedial action has been taken.'

'I don't know what that means either,' Gadot said on the podcast. 'I'm curious to know what's going to be the outcome.'

Gadot, who didn't shoot at the same time has Fisher, did tell the LA Times back in December that her own experience working with Whedon 'wasn't the best one.'

'But I took care of it there and when it happened,' she said. 'I took it to the higher-ups and they took care of it.'

Leading the way: The investigation was sparked by allegations from Ray Fisher (seen in December 2018), the actor who plays Cyborg, that Whedon had engaged in 'gross, abusive, unprofessional' conduct on the set of the superhero movie

Fisher first raised concerns over Whedon on June 29, posting a video to Twitter of himself previously singing the director's praises, writing: 'I'd like to take a moment to forcefully retract every bit of this statement.'

Whedon stepped in to finish the superhero film in 2016, after director Zack Snyder was called away over a family emergency. Snyder has since released his own cut of the movie on HBO Max.

Fisher followed it up on July 1, tweeting: 'Joss Whedon's on-set treatment of the cast and crew of Justice League was gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable. He was enabled, in many ways, by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg.'

The Baltimore-born actor revealed on Twitter in August that the studio had launched an independent investigation after 'five weeks of interviews' with cast and crew.

The Justice League investigation was sparked by Ray Fisher's claims that Whedon engaged in 'abusive, unprofessional' conduct on set. Fisher plays the character Cyborg in the film

Fisher had tweeted the news that WarnerMedia had completed its investigation and had introduced 'remedial measures' though it's not known what they are

Fisher had an extensive interview in the same The Hollywood Reporter piece about the ordeal, as he slammed the studio's handling of the allegations and claimed that some executives are not fit for their positions.

The studio's parent company, WarnerMedia, said back in December that its investigation into Fisher's complaints had concluded and 'remedial action' had been taken.

It did not elaborate and Fisher has since demanded that the results of the investigation be released publicly.

Speaking about what he claims was a cover-up by studio executives regarding the investigation, Fisher said: 'I don't believe some of these people are fit for positions of leadership.

'I don't want them excommunicated from Hollywood, but I don't think they should be in charge of the hiring and firing of other people.'

He said he feels he has been able to make a point over the last year.

'If I can't get accountability... at least I can make people aware of who they're dealing with.'
More light is being shed on the timing and reason for Bill and Melinda Gates' seismic decision to divorce.

The two were married for 27 years prior to their announcement this week, which was a shock to many regarding one of the world's richest couples, with a fortune of $130billion.

There doesn't appear to be a specific incident that triggered their split, which a source told PEOPLE was the result of a 'combo of things.'

The timing of the divorce, meanwhile, seems to relate to their youngest daughter, Phoebe, turning 18 years old back in September.

'It's absolutely because their youngest child is graduating from high school, and the idea was that they stayed together through that,' the source said.

More details are emerging about the split between Melinda and Bill Gates

There does not appear to be a specific incident that broke up the 27-year marriage

'They limped through until their kids were out of school like a lot of people.'

Their other two children are older, with daughter Jennifer 25 years old and son Rory 21 years old.

Jennifer has described the 'challenging stretch of time' the family are facing due to their parents' divorce.

'I won't personally comment further on anything around the separation, but please know that your kind words and support mean the world to me,' she wrote on Instagram.

The timing of their divorce, meanwhile, appears to relate to their daughter turning 18

The two were married in Hawaii back in 1994, several years after they met

Jennifer is engaged to Egyptian show jumper Nayel Nassar.

As for whether or not Melinda the divorce is going to get more contentious in the public, the source says not to count on it.

'Nobody is going to want to invite more scrutiny because it'll hurt their credibility,' the source said. 'I don't think they're so angry that anybody wants to take each other down, like you sometimes see. [Melinda is] not incentivized for that.'

Melinda pulled the trigger on the divorce on Monday, revealing in the process that a separation agreement was in place.

She said the marriage was 'irretrievably broken,' but was not looking for spousal support or child support.

Melinda Gates is not seeking spousal support or child support in the divorce

The two still plan on working together at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and are trying to avoid public acrimony. They hope their work will net them one of the world's most prominent prizes.

'They were really interested in trying to win a Nobel Prize,' says the PEOPLE source. 'So one thing that was part of this is, if it gets worse, then it ends that. It seems as if that was on the agenda, and that's for both of them.'

In a joint statement posted to their Twitter accounts on Monday, the former couple said their work with their foundation will continue but their marriage will not.

'After a great deal of thought and a lot of work, we have made the decision to end our marriage.

'Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.

'We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue to work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.'

Bill, 65, and Melinda, 56, met in 1987 while she was working at Microsoft, the company he founded. That same year, Bill became the world's youngest billionaire at the age of 31.

The couple married in Hawaii in 1994 and would go on to establish the world's largest charitable foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in 2000.

Since then, it has contributed more than $50billion to causes including eradicating polio and malaria. The foundation has also been a major investor in coronavirus treatments.

The reason behind their split remains a mystery but Melinda has previously suggested her husband struggled balancing work and family.
A tech billionaire has urged young Aussies to stop worrying about their year 12 scores - and claims the best education you can get is on YouTube.

Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar has revealed his top tips for students amid heightened anxiety about career prospects after leaving school, claiming future employers will not care about their final marks.

In an interview with careers advisory Year13, the entrepreneur said school leavers should instead focus on gaining work experience and opt for a profession they feel passionate about, rather than one that is better paid.

Mr Farquhar said the ideal balance in choosing a career was selecting a role that integrates their passion, talents, 'and things the world cares about and wants to pay for'.

Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar (pictured with his wife Kim Jackson) has offered his top tips to school leavers on how to nail their dream careers

'Where those three things come together is your career,' the 41-year-old said, The Daily Telegraph reports.

'You can be stuck in a career doing that for 20 years and getting paid well but you're really not living your true life.

'The best education you can get in the world is on YouTube today - it's not at university. Then you just got to work out how do you get certified that you've done that [education]?'

The software company CEO also encouraged young people to undergo psychometric testing to understand how they learn best and said the advice he would give his younger self is to not stress over his ATAR.

The guidance comes as a new study has revealed young people are experiencing growing uncertainty about their future employment due to the pandemic and technological changes in the workforce.

New figures from Year13 found 50 per cent of senior school students are unsure about what they want to go on to study, compared to 43 per cent in 2018.

The tech entrepreneur told students 'the best education you can get is on YouTube'. Pictured: Australian social media influencer Kathleen Belsten

This has led to young people experiencing mental health distress, with 66 per cent reporting suffering anxiety, and 42 per cent from depression.

Others said the uncertainty induced sleep disturbances (61 per cent), feelings of insecurity and inadequacy (61 per cent) and social isolation (45 per cent).

Year13 founder Saxon Phipps said the company was working to prepare upcoming school leavers to grasp the new industries which will be emerging in coming years.

Mr Farquhar, who won 'Australian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 by Ernst & Young alongside Atlassian Co-Founder and Co-CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes, is one of several top industry experts who will be providing career tips at the Year13 Expo.

The Expo is a part of National Careers Week, a program run by The Careers Industry Council of Australia, which will kick off on May 17.

In 2019, Mr Farquhar was ranked fifth in the Forbes list of Australia's 50 richest people with a net worth of US$6.40 billion ($8.15 billion AUD), which has grown to US$14.1billion ($18.176) as of 2021.
NASA has issued a strongly-worded rebuke to China over its space program, accusing the country of 'failing to meet responsible standards' after debris from an uncontrolled rocket reentered Earth's atmosphere late on Saturday evening.

China's Long March rocket stage broke up on reentry above the Indian Ocean, north of the Maldives, U.S. officials confirmed.

There had been concerns that the out-of-control 18-ton object could smash into a populated area on land.

The rocket re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at 10.14pm U.S. Eastern Time on Saturday and fell into the Ocean, according to Space Force's 18 Space Control Squadron.

Bill Nelson, the NASA administration, criticized Beijing on Saturday and insisted it was 'critical' for China and other countries to 'act responsibly and transparently in space.'

Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, criticized Beijing for its recklessness in space

The Long March 5B rocket is seen taking off on April 29 from Hainan province

China's Long March rocket stage has reentered Earth's atmosphere over the Maldives

'Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations,' he wrote in a statement.

'It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.'

The Long March 5B - comprising one core stage and four boosters - lifted off from China's Hainan island on April 29 with the unmanned Tianhe module, which contains what will become living quarters on a permanent Chinese space station.

The rocket is set to be followed by 10 more missions to complete the station.

The rocket stage crashed into the Indian Ocean near the Maldives

A massive 18-ton chunk of a Chinese rocket crashed back to earth Saturday. Pictured: The Long March 5B rocket lifting off from the Wenchang launch site on China's southern Hainan island

Possible re-entry points were seen along the yellow line in this ground track from Space Track

New photographs taken by telescope emerged this week as the rocket plummeted across the stars ahead of its anticipated crash to Earth

Long March 5 rockets have been integral to China's near-term space ambitions - from the delivery of modules and crew of its planned space station to launches of exploratory probes to the Moon and even Mars.

The Long March launched last week was the second deployment of the 5B variant since its maiden flight in May last year.

McDowell previously told Reuters there is a chance that pieces of the rocket could come down over land, perhaps in a populated area, as in May 2020, when pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings. No injuries were reported.

Debris from Chinese rocket launches is not uncommon within China.

In late April, authorities in the city of Shiyan, Hubei Province, issued a notice to people in the surrounding county to prepare for evacuation as parts were expected to land in the area.

'The Long March 5B reentry is unusual because during launch, the first stage of the rocket reached orbital velocity instead of falling down range as is common practice,' the Aerospace Corporation said in a blog post.

'The empty rocket body is now in an elliptical orbit around Earth where it is being dragged toward an uncontrolled re-entry.'

A graphic shows the section of the rocket that plunged back to Earth on Saturday

The Long March 5B rocket carrying a module for a Chinese space station lifted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang in southern China's Hainan Province

The first image of China's rouge Long March 5B rocket has been released by astronomers. The Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project captured the craft, which appears like a glowing light, as it passed 435 miles above the group's 'Elena' robotic telescope

LONG MARCH 5B's SPECS The Long March 5b rocket, also known as Chang Zheng 5, is a Chinese-made heavy-lift launch vehicle. Named for the Red Army's Long March during the Chinese Civil War. It is the third most powerful launch vehicle in operation, after the SpaceX Falcon Heavy and the Delta IV Heavy. Height: 186.9ft Stages: 2 Payload to LEO: 55,000lb Total launches: 7 Launch site: Wenchang Advertisement

The empty core stage had been losing altitude since last week, but the speed of its orbital decay remained uncertain due to unpredictable atmospheric variables.

It was one of the largest pieces of space debris to return to Earth, with experts estimating its dry mass to be around 18 to 22 tons.

The core stage of the first Long March 5B that returned to Earth last year weighed nearly 20 tones, surpassed only by debris from the Columbia space shuttle in 2003, the Soviet Union's Salyut 7 space station in 1991, and NASA's Skylab in 1979.

The first image of the rocket in orbit was released by astronomers on Thursday, with the Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project capturing the craft.

The rocket was moving 'extremely fast' when it soared 435 miles above the Virtual Telescopes Project's telescope Wednesday evening, researchers said.

Gianluca Masi, an astronomer with the Virtual Telescope Project who snapped the image, stated that 'while the sun was just a few degrees below the horizon, so the sky was incredibly bright: these conditions made the imaging quite extreme, but our robotic telescope succeeded in capturing this huge debris.

'This is another bright success, showing the amazing capabilities of our robotic facility in tracking these objects.'

Usually, discarded rocket stages re-enter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and don't go into orbit.

The Long March 5B rocket carrying a module for a Chinese space station lifted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang in southern China's Hainan Province

CEO of British rocket startup, Skyrora, Volodymyr Levykin, said events like the fall of the Long March 5b 'shouldn't be happening,' calling for action to address situations like this 'before disaster strikes.'

'There are around 26,000 objects currently orbiting the planet and new constellations of satellites being launched among debris from 60 years of space missions,' he said.

'Orbital Transfer Vehicles, such as Skyrora's space tug, are on hand to help safely deorbit space debris or transport it to a disposal orbit.

HOW MANY ITEMS ARE THERE IN ORBIT? Rocket launches since 1957: 5450

5450 Number of satellites in orbit: 8950

8950 Number still in space: 5000

5000 Number still functioning: 1950

1950 Number of debris objects: 22300

22300 Break-ups, explosions etc: 500

500 Mass of objects in orbit: 8400 tonnes

8400 tonnes Prediction of the amount of debris in orbit using statistical models Over 10cm: 34 000

34 000 1cm to 10cm: 900 000

900 000 1mm to 1cm: 128 million Source: European Space Agency Advertisement

'With the capability of refiring its engine multiple times, a tug can complete several missions after deploying an initial payload.

'By integrating them as part of the rocket's third stage, we can effectively deploy a vehicle as part of every launch, creating an orbital fleet of 'space tugs' ready to be called upon when required.'

He said every future launch, regardless of who is running it, should include some form of Space Tug, to make sure the 'uncontrolled re-entries are a thing of the past.'

'It's not only about helping the planet or clearing up the mess orbiting it but about protecting the crucial infrastructure that's taken decades and trillions of dollars to build, which could effectively be wiped out in an instant.'

Last May, another Chinese rocket fell uncontrolled into the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa.

The Communist Party newspaper Global Times said the stage's 'thin-skinned' aluminium-alloy exterior will easily burn up in the atmosphere, posing an extremely remote risk to people.

That Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit over the coming years.

China's first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.
A Sydney man who's alleged to be an Islamic State recruit has been arrested and charged upon his return to Australia.

Mohamed Zuhbi, 30, arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Turkey about 4pm on Saturday and was arrested by counterterrorism authorities at the airport.

The man allegedly travelled from Sydney to Turkey in 2013 and then on to Syria, where he helped foreign fighters travel to the area.

He has been charged with six terrorism-related offences including supporting a terrorist organisation and engaging in hostile activity overseas.

Mohamed Zuhbi, 30, arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Turkey about 4pm on Saturday and was arrested by counterterrorism authorities at the airport

He has been charged with three counts of provide support for another person to engage in a hostile activity in a foreign state.

Zuhbi fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link on Sunday.

He will be placed into 14-day quarantine at a correctional facility in Victoria before he is extradited to New South Wales so his case can be heard in a NSW court.

Australian Federal Police's Commander Stephen Dametto praised the quick response of police.

'We have a responsibility to prevent our citizens from contributing to violence and instability overseas,' he said.

'Our laws are aimed at discouraging Australians from fighting in overseas conflicts and endangering their lives.'

NSWPF Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, assistant commissioner Mark Walton added protecting the state remained a top priority.

'The diligence and dedication of the NSW JCTT investigators was complemented by the significant work conducted by other colleagues both here and abroad, to achieve this result,' he said.

'Counter terrorism investigations remain a priority in NSW, and any act or plan for an act that may impact on the safety of our community  regardless of when it occurred  will be acted on with the same tenacity.'
Police have said a woman who was found living in a flimsy tent in a remote part of Utah is free to return to the wild after a mental health evaluation, if she so chooses.

Search and rescue teams who were looking for her body found the 47-year-old woman alive last weekend, living in remote Diamond Ford Canyon, near the city of Spanish Fork.

'Her motivation was, in part, for solitude and isolation,' Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff's Office told Fox News.

'We want to be clear that while many people might choose to not live in the circumstances and conditions this woman did, she did nothing against the law,' the sheriff's office said in a statement.

'And in the future she might choose to return to the same area. Resources were made available to her should she decide to use them.'

Deputies searched Diamond Fork Canyon found an abandoned tent last November, pictured, close to items that helped them identify the missing woman

The woman told rescuers that she had survived by eating supplies she found in the abandoned tent she moved into, as well as moss and grass, and was severely underweight when she was found.

The woman managed to survive temperatures that regularly hovered around freezing during the winter months, and says hikers also provided her with supplies.

Sergeant Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer for the Utah County Sheriff's Office told DailyMail.com how searchers had set off expecting to find the woman's body.

The drone search was part of a semi-regular hunt for the missing woman, and resulted in her being found through sheer luck when it crashed into a tree.

While recovering the drone, which was operated by a nonprofit group which works with cops to help track missing people, a sergeant and the drone operator saw the woman's tent.

The missing woman opened its zipper, and stuck her head out of it.

The woman's abandoned red sedan was also found in a parking lot near the Dry Canyon Trailhead in Diamond Fork Canyon, and was later impounded

The Utah County Sheriff's Office found a 47-year-old woman who was missing since November in Dry Canyon Trailhead in Diamond Fork Canyon after a drone searching for her corpse crashed into a nearby tree

Authorities sent out a medical team to the campsite and examined the woman who had lost a significant amount of weight and was weak.

Cannon says that authorities were incredibly impressed with the woman's survival instincts, especially in the harsh winter conditions.

'She was resilient and manage to survive over the coldest months of the year, sometimes the temperature hits below zero,' he said. 'She's an amazing woman. In my 30 years involved in search and rescue I have never seen anything like this,' Cannon told DailyMail.com

Her disappearance was flagged up around Thanksgiving 2020, when a U.S. Forest Service official preparing for seasonal canyon closures found the woman's red Sedan in a parking lot near the Dry Canyon Trailhead in Diamond Fork Canyon.

Deputies searched the area and found an abandoned tent red and gray tent and camping equipment along with items that identified the missing woman.

The Sheriff's office was not able to successfully contact the woman's family and she was never reported missing.

Detectives were able to speak to the woman's co-workers who told police they had no idea where she was or planned on staying and described her as 'quiet' and a 'loner.' That led investigators to conclude she had mental health struggles,

The woman vanished in Diamond Fork Canyon, pictured, where temperatures regularly hover around freezing during the winter months

This is the tent found last November that cops believe belonged to the missing woman. She was found living in a second tent on Sunday.

The woman told authorities that she was living in a tent a camper abandoned and was found with small amounts of food.

She told officials she foraged for grass and moss to survive and had access to water from a nearby river.

Sergeant Cannon told DailyMail.com they will not release the woman's identity because of her suspected mental health issues, and because she has not committed any crime.

The woman willingly stayed in the area since November and the Sheriff's office says that other than overstaying the Forest Service's camping allowance, the woman did not break any laws.

Cannon said that the Sheriff Office does not charge people for overstaying on campgrounds, only for making a mess - but that the missing woman had kept her camp site tidy.

'The camping area was very tidy and well-kept,' he said. 'which is unusual in that regard, criminally speaking there was nothing that would have drawn our attention to her.'

He said that if in the future she chooses to return to the same area, support will be offered to her to try and ensure she remains in good health.
Covid restrictions in Sydney have been extended by a week as the state's health tracers struggle to find the source of two mystery cases.

State Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday all but one of the measures will remain in place until 12.01am on May 17.

'As the "missing link" case hasn't been identified we're keen to prevent a super-spreading event,' she said.

'All safeguards/restrictions will be in place for an extra week, except for shoppers in retail who will no longer be required to wear a mask.'

The restrictions were introduced on Thursday after an eastern Sydney man tested positive to Covid-19 on Wednesday.

Covid restrictions in Sydney have been extended by a week as the state's health tracers struggle to find the source of a mystery case (pictured, A Covid tester at Bondi Beach)

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday all but one of the measures will remain in place until 12.01am on May 17

Genomic sequencing revealed the man had the same virus as a returned traveller from the US who was staying in hotel quarantine, even though the pair had never come into contact with each other.

Health authorities have been scrambling to find the missing link over fears of another outbreak.

The man aged in his 50s subsequently infected his wife but no other close contacts to date.

Household gatherings remain capped at 20 people, mask usage remains mandatory on public transport and indoor venues such as theatres and aged care homes, and singing and dancing remains mostly banned.

Hospitality patrons are still not permitted to drink while standing.

Dr Stephen Conaty praised residents for following health advice and getting tested for Covid-19.

'NSW Health thanks the community for their strong response to calls for testing and continue to urge everyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms - such as cough, headache, fatigue, sore throat or runny nose - to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until you receive a negative result,' he said.

'High testing rates are vital for detecting any unidentified chains of transmission in the community.'

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests

Almost 780,000 vaccinations in total have been administered in NSW, which includes those overseen by the Commonwealth

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests.

There were an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.

One Covid-19 patient in NSW is currently in intensive care and on a ventilator.

Almost 780,000 vaccinations in total have been administered in NSW, which includes those overseen by the Commonwealth.

Sydneysiders were this week urged to wear masks and adhere to other restrictions without cancelling their Mother's Day plans.

Liquor and Gaming NSW on Saturday also urged businesses to do the right thing over the weekend, with compliance officers out in force on Sunday.

Businesses can be fined up to $5000 and forced to shut their doors for defying Covid, including the requirement all patrons check in.
Amazon reviews made by Jeff Bezos have been unearthed - including $1,469 high-powered binoculars - showing insight into the purchases of the world's richest man.

Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, had created a public profile with his online retail giant company with which he reviewed six products in the early 2000s, Inc. Magazine revealed. He is ranked as reviewer number #78,951,609.

Each of the six products, which all appear to still be sold by the online retailer, were given full stars by Bezos with brief comments about how much he loved the products.

His last review was made on Aug 9, 2006 when he reviewed a gallon of Tuscan Dairy Whole Vitamin D Milk.

'I love milk so much that I've been drinking it since the day I was born. I don't think it was Tuscan though,' Bezos quipped, noting he is a 'long time fan' of the product.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Amazon to find out if Bezos still drinks the Tuscan vitamin milk, and for additional comment.

Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, had created public profile with his online retail giant company with which he reviewed six products in the early 2000s - including milk

His last review was made on Aug 9, 2006 when he reviewed a gallon of Tuscan Dairy Whole Vitamin D Milk

A product image shows Tuscan's DairyPure Whole Milk with Vitamin D, apparently Jeff Bezos' favorite milk

Bezos' second review was for the film Life Is Beautiful, which he hailed as a 'masterpiece'

Bezos said: 'I strongly recommend going with the subtitles instead so you can hear Benigni's amazing acting and passion'

Bezos's first review, titled 'Wow. A masterpiece,' was made on Mar 17, 2000 when he praised the film Life Is Beautiful, which had snagged three Oscar wins.

'This movie is absolutely all it's cracked up to be. Hysterically funny and simultaneously a tear jerker - it's ultimately very uplifting. The cinematography is also fantastic - amazing use of color,' Bezos wrote.

'The DVD has dubbed english (sic) as an option, but I strongly recommend going with the subtitles instead so you can hear Benigni's amazing acting and passion.'

He added: 'Too bad the DVD doesn't include any deleted scenes. With Benigni, I think it would be particularly fun to see out-takes.'

Robert Benigni won Best Actor for his role playing Guido - 'a charming but bumbling waiter who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor' who life is threatened by World War II, the film's description on Amazon reads.

Bezos' second review, for Canon 18x50 Image Stabilization All-Weather Binoculars, was made six months later on September 7, 2000

Bezos added that he only had 'two small complaints' despite giving the product five stars, like all the products he reviewed

Bezos' second review, for Canon 18x50 Image Stabilization All-Weather Binoculars, was made six months later on September 7, 2000. The same binoculars are listed on Amazon nearly 20 years later for $1,469.

'The problem with high power binoculars is that humans can't hold them steady, and that jitter makes it impossible to really look at something without a tripod,' Bezos wrote.

'The image stabilization in this pair solves that problem and holds things rock steady. This is an expensive product that clearly distingues (sic) itself, and one of those products that technology makes seem a little magic.'

Bezos added that he only had 'two small complaints' despite giving the product five stars, like all the products he reviewed.

'First, for a product this expensive they should pre-install the neck strap for you - not a big deal, but it would be nice for the customer,' he wrote.

'Second, I wish the lens cap covers were higher quality and attachable to the unit so they wouldn't get lost. Again, not a big deal. These are without a doubt the best binoculars I've ever used.'

The binoculars review was his most popular with 136 people voting it 'helpful.'

Bezos, whose net worth is now $192 billion, was worth a mere $4.7 billion at the time he made in 2000, according to Forbes.

That same year, Amazon recorded 25 million active customers- but a Lehman Brothers analyst wrongly predicted that the company would run out of cash the following year causing the company's stock to end 79% down at the end of the year.

In 2000, Bezos also launched his space exploration company Blue Origin.

Bezos' third review came on Jun 10, 2001 when he reviewed the book The Proving Ground: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race

The book features first-hand accounts- including from Oracle founder Larry Ellison - from 'one of the worst modern sailing disasters'

Bezos' third review came on Jun 10, 2001 when he reviewed the book The Proving Ground: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race - which he called 'intense and disciplined.'

Bezos' net worth had dropped to just $1.2 billion that year - his lowest net worth since he joined The Forbes 400 in 1998, according to Forbes.

'This book is about people - an incredibly interesting assortment of determined, competitive people thrust into a circumstance more challenging and dangerous than any of them expected,' Bezos wrote.

'Bruce Knecht captures acts of heroism and frailty, but, in a display of astonishing writerly discipline, he never judges these people. Judging these strong people would inevitably over-simplify the reality of human behavior under life-threatening stress.'

He added: 'The way Knecht does it, as we read, we get to wonder how we would react.'

The book is free for subscribers to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited service, according to the product's current listing. The book features first-hand accounts- including from Oracle founder Larry Ellison - from 'one of the worst modern sailing disasters.'

Ellison has been described as Bezos' 'nemesis' in an article from Business Insider.

Bezos' fourth review came on Apr 14, 2002 when he reviewed another nonfiction book: Project Orion: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship

As noted by Inc. Magazine, the book's author George Dyson has since been involved with Bezos's Blue Origin space company

Bezos' fourth review came on Apr 14, 2002 when he reviewed another nonfiction book: Project Orion: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship.

The book, written by George Dyson, details his father's attempts to power spaceships with hydrogen bombs at the height of the Cold War so human astronauts could explore the solar system.

As noted by Inc. Magazine, George Dyson has since been involved with Bezos's Blue Origin space company.

'For those of us who dream of visiting the outer planets, seeing Saturn's rings up close without intermediation of telescopes or charge-coupled devices, well, we pretty much *have* to read 'Project Orion',' Bezos wrote in his lengthiest review.

'In 1958, some of the world's smartest people, including famous physicist Freeman Dyson (the author's father), expected to visit the outer planets in 'Orion,' a nuclear-bomb propelled ship big enough and powerful enough to seat its passengers in lazy-boy recliners.'

'They expected to start their grand tour by 1970. This was not pie-in-the-sky optimism; they had strong technical reasons for believing they could do it.'

He added: 'To pull this book together, George Dyson did an astonishing amount of research into this still largely classified project. And, maybe because he's connected to Orion through his father, the author captures the strong emotion of the project and the team. Highly recommended.'

In his next review, he hailed the science-fiction novel Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

Business Insider noted that author Cory Doctorow 'has been consistently vocal of his criticism of Amazon on his Twitter'

Bezos' next review followed the theme, but - instead of a nonfiction book - he reviewed the science-fiction novel Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow - which he called a 'grand idea novel!' on Jan 22, 2003.

Bezos began the review with a quote from Star Trek, which was not one of the products he reviewed, though he later made an unrecognizable cameo in Star Trek Beyond, GeekWire noted.

'Star Trek may be a money-free universe, but they've always left blank the details of how scarce assets like a starship or a Picasso ... or the Haunted Mansion might get allocated,' Bezos wrote.

'In this fun, fast book, the clearly talented Cory Doctorow explores a full-on reputation economy. With the help of a sophisticated, real-time network, people accumulate and lose a reputation currency called 'whuffie'.'

He continued: 'The ideas are an incredibly rich playground, and the author doesn't make you suffer through flat characters or clunky prose to get to them. On the contrary, these are totally alive characters set in a deeply conjured world (which world is Disney World, a place you can feel the author's passion for).'

'By the end, you'll know the characters well enough to be able to judge what impact this new world has - or doesn't have - on the fundamentals of human nature.'

He added: 'Cory Doctorow deserves much whuffie for this novel. Highly recommended.'

Business Insider noted that author Cory Doctorow 'has been consistently vocal of his criticism of Amazon on his Twitter.'

In a lengthy Twitter thread in January, Doctorow wrote: 'While many Amazon warehouse workers in Europe have unionized, its brutalized, underpaid, routinely maimed US workforce remains tragically unorganized, thanks to the US's weak labor laws that make forming a union far harder than at any time since the Gilded Age.'

Bezos' final review, and perhaps his best was for the Tuscan Dairy Whole Vitamin D Milk. He appeared to love the milk so much that he returned from a three-year reviewing hiatus just to praise the milk.

His net worth in 2006 was somewhere between $4.8 billion, from 2005, and $8.7 billion in 2007. His exact net worth for 2006 was not immediately clear.
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The U.S. Navy has seized an arms shipment of thousands of illicit assault weapons, machines guns and sniper rifles hidden aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea likely headed for Yemen, officials have said.

The U.S. fifth fleet, based in Bahrain, announced on Sunday that the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey discovered the weapons aboard a stateless dhow - a traditional Mideast sailing ship - in an operation that began Thursday in the northern reaches of the Arabian Sea off Oman and Pakistan.

An American defense official said the weapons resembled previous shipments which have been intercepted that were bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Navy's initial investigation found the vessel came from Iran, AP reported.

Iran's mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to AP's request for comment on the seizure but Tehran has denied providing rebels with weapons in the past.

The Navy seized nearly 3,000 Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, a variant of the Kalashnikov. They also recovered hundreds of other heavy machine guns and sniper rifles, as well as dozens of advanced, Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles. The shipments also included several hundred rocket-propelled grenade launchers and optical sights for weapons, AP reported.

Sailors boarded the vessel and found the weapons, most wrapped in green plastic, below deck.

The U.S Navy laid out thousands of weapons seized from a stateless dhow in the Arabian Sea on the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (pictured)

The recent Navy seizure of weapons (pictured) appeared to be among the biggest in recent years as the long- running war in Yemen continues

Among the haul were 3,000 Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, a variant of the Kalashnikov

'The cache of weapons included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers,' the U.S Fifth Fleet said in a statement.

'After all illicit cargo was removed, the dhow was assessed for seaworthiness, and after questioning, its crew was provided food and water before being released,' the Navy added.

This recent seizure appeared to be among the biggest in recent years as the long- running war in Yemen continues.

The Navy's Mideast-based Fifth Fleet said they are investigating the weapons origin and destination.

'The unique blend of materiel recovered by the USS Monterey appears to be consistent with the materiel from previous interdictions, which have been linked to Iran,' Tim Michetti, an investigative researcher who studies the illicit weapon trade, told AP.

The Navy recovered thousands of weapons, most wrapped in green plastic, when they boarded a dhow in the Arabian sea

Sailors boarded the vessel and found the weapons, most wrapped in green plastic, below deck

Members of the Navy's Mideast-based Fifth Fleet (pictured) discovered the cache of illicit weapons during an operation that began Thursday in the northern reaches of the Arabian Sea off Oman and Pakistan

The U.S. Navy found thousands of illicit Chinese and Russian weapons on a stateless dhow in the Arabian Sea (pictured) that they believe was bound to Yemen

The Navy's Mideast-based Fifth Fleet said they are investigating the source of the illicit weapons seized during an operation (pictured) earlier this week

Yemens war began in September 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country.

Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015.

Iran backed the Houthis, who harass Saudi Arabia with missile fire and drone attacks, AP reported.

The war has killed some 130,000 people, including over 13,000 civilians slain in targeted attacks, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Project.

Since 2015, the U.N. Security Council has imposed an arms embargo on the Houthis. Despite that, U.N. experts warn 'an increasing body of evidence suggests that individuals or entities in the Islamic Republic of Iran supply significant volumes of weapons and components to the Houthis.'
Hundreds and thousands of Australians will be eligible for a rebate of up to $100 if they dine out in Melbourne.

The Victorian Government announced on Sunday it would be rolling out the 'CBD Dining Experiences Scheme' over the next few weeks.

The program will cost $7.4million to run and will come out of the upcoming state budget - which will be announced on May 20.

The City of Melbourne will also add an additional $1million to the scheme.

Diners will be able to access a 20 per cent rebate on any drink or meal at an eligible cafe or restaurant.

Hundreds and thousands of Australians will be eligible for a rebate of up to $100 if they dine out in Melbourne

The Victorian Government announced on Sunday it would be rolling out the 'CBD Dining Experiences Scheme' over the next few weeks

That means a diner who spends $50 on a night out will get $10 returned to their hip pocket.

Those who spend $150 will get $30 back and diners who splurge $500 will get the maximum $100 cash back.

The scheme will be open to everyone, including people living outside of Victoria, and there will be no cap on the number of times a diner can claim the rebate.

It is expected that more than 200,000 rebates will be handed out to diners.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the money would go a long way to help revitalise the local economy.

'Life is returning to the CBD and we're making sure the recovery continues,' he said.

'We're backing the buzz of our cafes, restaurants and bars  and the people who make their living from them.'

The state government will also set aside an extra $100million as it looks to get the city back on track.

Minister for Tourism Martin Pakula said it was vital to get the tourism sector back on its feet.

'Victoria is the events and culture capital of Australia and our natural assets are simply stunning,' he said.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the money would go a long way to help revitalise the local economy

'We've got a great story to tell, and we're telling it far and wide to back our tourism businesses and workers.'

Victoria has been placed into lockdown several times since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

The state government brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the country with residents forbidden to leave their homes unless it was for essential reasons like grocery shopping or a doctor's appointment.

Even then they were not allowed to travel more than 25 kilometres from their home.

The much-hated ring of steel also cut off Melbourne from the rest of regional Victoria.

Businesses heavily criticised the lockdown as they were forced to close - with hundreds never reopening their doors once the restrictions were eased.
A woman has been charged after a couple were allegedly attacked with an axe at a home in Sydney.

Emergency services were called to Dobu Place in Glenfield, in the city's southwest, just before 5.30pm on Saturday following reports of an assault.

A 44-year-old man was found with a slash wound to his upper left leg, while his partner, 47, had a minor cut to her head.

The man and woman were rushed to Campbelltown Hospital for treatment.

A woman has been charged after a couple were allegedly attacked with an axe at a home in Glenfield, Sydney's southwest, on Saturday (police are pictured at the scene)

Emergency services were called to a home in Dobu Place (pictured) just before 5:30pm on Saturday

Police arrested three women shorty after but two were later released pending further inquiries.

The third woman, aged 36, was held overnight in police custody before being charged with wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

She was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday.

'An improvised weapon was seized at the scene and has been taken for forensic examination,' NSW Police said in a statement.
President Joe Biden's administration has staffed former labor union officials in senior positions after relaxing rules preventing them from communicating with the large unions they used to work for, it has been revealed.

The Biden administration granted waivers to two former union officials in February and March and has argued that the waivers were necessary and 'in the public interest' for them to carry out their job functions.

The two officials who received the waivers are Alethea Predeoux and Celeste Drake, Axios revealed.

The move has been slammed as hypocritical by critics who claim that the 'union boss appointments have resulted in anti-worker policies,' the outlet reported.

The waivers also come after former President Donald Trump in his final weeks in office had rescinded a policy that included a five-year ban on former government officials lobbying their former agencies, opening the door in reverse.

President Joe Biden's administration granted waivers to two former union officials in February and March

The officials who received the waivers are Alethea Predeoux, left, and Celeste Drake

Predeoux, a senior official in the Office of Personnel Management, had been the top lobbyist for the American Federation of Government Employees which is a union representing 700,000 federal workers.

A March 15 memorandum on the waiver from the office's general counsel Lynn Eisenberg reads: 'Ms. Predeoux has been a registered lobbyist for AFGE for six years. Prior to joining AFGE, she served for approximately five years as a registered lobbyist for Paralyzed Veterans of America.'

'While she has lobbied the Hill on OPM-related issues, she has not directly lobbied OPM,' the memorandum reads.

If Predeoux had not been granted the waiver then Biden's ethics pledge would have barred her from working on issues on which she lobbied.

The Biden administration then issued a similar waiver for Celeste Drake, the head of the White House's new Made In America Office, in April, Axios revealed.

'You are expected to advise and counsel the President, the Director of OMB, and other Federal Agencies on international trade, federal procurement, manufacturing, and other matters of national and international importance,' the memorandum for Drake reads.

'Absent this waiver, you would be restricted for two years following your appointment from communicating with your former employers, the Director's Guild of America and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, except if those organizations took part in a public event.'

Without a waiver, Drake would also be prohibited from working on issues for which she lobbied in the two years before her appointment.

'Without this waiver, the adjustments that would be necessary to maintain your recusal would result in serious limitations in your ability to perform the essential duties of your position,' the memorandum reads.

A memorandum from the Office of the White House Counsel shows Alethea Predeoux received an ethics waiver

Alfredo Ortiz, president of the Job Creators Network, has slammed the waiver in a statement made to Axios.

'It's no surprise that President Biden's union boss appointments have resulted in anti-worker policies like the PRO Act and the $15 minimum wage,' Ortiz said.

Katharine Cooksey, the spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, blasted it as 'corruption' in a statement to Fox News.

'The pattern of corruption between Democrats and big union bosses is obvious  just follow the money and follow the staff,' she said.

A memorandum from the Office of the White House Counsel shows Celeste Drake received an ethics waiver

Last week, it was revealed that a powerful teachers union allegedly pressured the Biden administration to put the brakes on schools reopening.

The American Federation of Teachers sent emails to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before it issued guidance on re-opening schools to in-person teaching, New York Post reported. White House officials were copied on them.

The union lobbied the CDC to tone down language about returning students to classroom regardless of community spread of COVID, and also to allow teachers the right to work from home.

'Since the very first day of the Biden administration, every single Democrat has echoed the same union-approved talking points to keep schools closed and to jam a radical, job-killing agenda through Congress,' Cooksey told Fox News.

'While Republicans are working to get kids back in the classrooms and the economy moving again, Democrats are taking orders from their bosses at the unions to keep schools closed and stifle job opportunities.'

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris listens to American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten speak to the media in 2019

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention testifies during a U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing

Trump, in one of his final acts as president, released then-current and former members of his administration from the terms of their ethics pledge. He signed the one-page revocation of the ethics order just hours before his term ended.

Trump's ethic policy also had large loopholes that allowed many to skirt the rules. The administration also avoided enforcing it, government watchdog groups said.

'The first rule of ethics enforcement is you need to have strong standards. Then you need to back them up with intense transparency. And you also need to reinforce the whole thing with tone from the top,' Norm Eisen, Obama's former ethics czar, said in January.

Eisen said Trump did the opposite on all three and 'made a mockery of it by having a corrupt tone at the top.'

Trump, in one of his final acts as president, released then-current and former members of his administration from the terms of their ethics pledge

Like his predecessors, Biden also signed an ethics executive order instituting an ethics pledge on the day of his inauguration.

The ethics pledge includes the provision for which Predeoux and Drake received their waivers as well as reinstating the policy preventing outgoing officials from lobbying the government for a period of just two years after leaving their position.

Another provision prohibits incoming administration officials from accepting 'golden parachute' payments from their former employers for taking a government job.

Yet another restricts former senior level staffers not just from lobbying the administration for at least two years, but also prohibits for a period of one year working behind the scenes to materially assist others who lobby the executive branch - a practice often referred to as 'shadow lobbying.'
A new poll shows the uphill climb to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The push for herd immunity in the country is reliant on getting a large majority of people in the United States vaccinated, with experts believing 80% need to get the shots to effectively inoculate the country.

There are many people, however, who have made up their mind about whether to get it at all, forming a potential roadblock towards defeating the coronavirus pandemic.

A new poll from The Economist/YouGov asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the jab.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Those who are anti-vaccine mostly show no signs of changing their mind

A new poll shows that 79 percent of those who oppose the vaccine won't change their minds

Pictured: A sign from a rally in March claiming the vaccine is a 'microchip delivery tool'

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The question was further broken down by age, income, and region, each yielding significant findings.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

There was a correlation between low income people and being locked into not getting the vaccine, with just 2 percent of respondents with an income under $50K willing to reconsider getting jabbed after receiving new information.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site

Over half of adults in the United States have received as least one COVID-19 shot

Many more will need to be vaccinated if there is a hope for herd immunity, though

The northeast was the region most willing to reconsider an anti-vax stance, with 66 percent saying they wouldn't reconsider, 11 percent saying they could, and the other 23 percent saying they were unsure.

Democrats were also more likely to reconsider getting vaccinated, with 23 percent saying they could have their mind changed against 3 percent of Republicans, which includes 3 percent of Donald Trump voters as well.

Nevertheless, only 18 percent of people who responded to the poll said they were dead set against getting the vaccine.

A man holds signs that read 'don't give-up on freedom' and 'I choose natural immunity' in Union Square at a 'Freedom Rally' in support of anti-mask and anti-vaccine on March 20

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

According to the CDC, 45.6 percent of the total population of the United States has started their vaccine series as of Saturday, with 33.9 percent fully vaccinated.

That includes 57.7 percent of the 18 and over population starting their vaccine series and 43.2 percent of that same age group fully vaccinated.

By some measures, that puts the United States just over halfway towards herd immunity, which remains an elusive goal in taking down the COVID-19 threat.

There are fears herd immunity may never be reached, especially as the seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered in the United States continues to steadily decline from a mid-April high.

Just over 1.6 million new vaccine doses were administered on May 3, the most recent day with complete data.

The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered in the United States has been steadily declining since mid-April

A regional breakdown of where the most vaccinations are taking place in the U.S.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that experts are beginning to believe herd immunity is not attainable in the United States.

Instead, the coronavirus might become a smaller threat, but one that still hospitalizes and kills people every year.

'The virus is unlikely to go away,' said Emory University evolutionary biologist Rustom Antia. 'But we want to do all we can to check that its likely to become a mild infection.'

Current estimates for the herd immunity threshold are around 80 percent, though those estimates could increase if more contagious variants are discovered.

The Economist/YouGov poll provides hope in that respect, as 82 percent of respondents were open to getting the vaccine, but the margin of error is thin.

So far, there have been over 32.68 million cases of coronavirus in the United States, with 581,511 deaths.
Australians want to meet their life partner at 31, get married at 33 and have kids at 34, according to numbers collected by dating website eharmony.

The numbers suggest Aussies see their 20s as a time for adventure and flings, leaving such serious matters as engagement, buying a property and walking down the aisle till the next decade.

Nearly half - 45 per cent - of the more than 2000 Australians surveyed by eharmony believe marriage is less important than it was for previous generations.

Millennials are also in less of a hurry to have kids. The average age they say they want to start a family is 37.

A new study has found Australians, on average, want to meet their life partner at 27, marry at 33, and have kids at 34

They also think 36 is the ideal age to marry - three years later than the average suggestion of 33.

But their mums and dads might be getting impatient with them, as baby boomers believe 30 is the ideal age to get married, with kids following the next year.

On average, Australians want to enter their first serious relationship at 27, meet 'the one' at 31 and have kids at 34.

Men are slightly happier to wait to marry: women are keen to tie the knot by 32 on average, while men nominate 35 as their deadline.

While some 43 per cent of people still think children should come after marriage, only eight per cent want to wait until they sign on the dotted line to have sex.

Perhaps for obvious reasons, eharmony's survey did not ask respondents to nominate the ideal age for a divorce.

But the number of divorces in 2019 fell just shy of half of the number of new marriages, 49,116 and 113,815 respectively, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Seven men have been arrested after a teenager was stabbed in the head and leg during a brawl at an out-of-control party in Sydney.

Officers were called to a Pyrmont unit on Wattle Crescent, in the city's inner suburbs, about 11pm Saturday after reports of a fight involving a number of youths.

Police were told about 20 people attended the gathering, including some who were not invited.

A short time later, police found a 19-year-old boy in a nearby park, with multiple stab wounds to his leg and head.

Seven males, aged 21, 17, 16, 15, 15, 13 and 12, have been arrested after a stabbing during a brawl at a Pyrmont unit on Wattle Crescent (pictured), in Sydney's inner-city on Saturday night

He was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Police said a 16-year-old boy was struck in the head with a glass bottle.

Following inquiries, officers have arrested seven males who were taken to Day Street Police Station.

They are aged 21, 17, 16, 15, 15, 13 and 12.

Inquiries into the matter continue.
An American lawyer who loathes the British Royal Family has paid $80,000 for Princess Diana's old bicycle so it can be displayed in a museum to warn people of 'the racist system that royalty is based on'.

Baltimore-based attorney Barry Glazer paid the exorbitant sum for Diana's bright blue 1970s Ladies Raleigh Traveller after it went up for sale through Burstow & Hewett auction house in the United Kingdom last month.

Glazer, 76, has never traveled to Britain, but that hasn't stopped him for acquiring strong opinions about the country. He told The Sunday Times that he finds America's weakness for Anglophilia 'incomprehensible'.

Diana's bike, he claims, is a symbol of 'white supremacy'.

Glazer - who describes himself as a 'legal advocate for the injured, disabled and medically abused' - will now have the bike shipped to the US where he plans to display it in a Baltimore building once used by activists to helped house escaped slaves.

An American lawyer who loathes the British Royal Family has paid $80,000 for Princess Diana's old bicycle so it can be displayed in a museum to warn people of 'the racist system that royalty is based on'. Diana is pictured on a different bike with Charles, William and Harry in the late 1980s

Barry Glazer paid the exorbitant sum for Diana's bright blue 1970s Ladies Raleigh Traveller after it went up for sale through Burstow & Hewett auction house in the United Kingdom last month

Diana rode the bike around London prior to her engagement to Prince Charles. She was reportedly forced to sell off the bike after the prince proposed, because bike-riding was said to be 'unsuitable' for a future queen

Diana rode the bike around London prior to her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981.

A description from the auction house claims she frequently used the bike while working as a teacher's assistant in London.

Diana was reportedly forced to sell off the bike after the prince proposed, because bike-riding was said to be 'unsuitable' for a future queen. It later went on to be dubbed as the 'Shame Bike'.

Diana sold the bike to Londoner Gerald Stonehill and it sat in his garage for 27 years

Diana rode the bike around London prior to her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981

Some believe Glazer is simply looking for easy publicity for his law firm

DIANA'S BELOVED RALEIGH TRAVELLER Diana used to whiz around London on the Raleigh Traveller while working as a young teacher's assistant. She sold off the bike to Gerald Stonehill in 1981. Stonehill kept the bike in his garage for 27 years before it was sold at auction in 2008 for just $294 USD. The bike, which features 26-inch wheels and three Sturmey Archer gears was estimated to fetch between $20,000 and $27,000 USD when it went up for sale through Burstow & Hewett last month. It fetched almost four times that amount with Glazer's final bid. Advertisement

Glazer's Haitian-born wife similarly sees the bike as an object of disdain.

'The royal family thinks they're too good to be associated with this type of transportation that the common folk use,' she told The Times.

'They consider themselves better than common folk and that's the basis for racism. It's the reverse of what this country stands for.'

However, not everyone believes that displaying the bike in a museum is a bright idea.

One black American who is a fan of the royal family told The Sunday Times: 'We all know that Britain has a racist and colonialist past - but I don't think Diana's bicycle makes that point.'

Others say Glazer could have used his money to fund more worthwhile causes if he truly cared about rectifying racial disparities.

'Rather than showboating for clickbait, I would urge anyone truly interested in creating a more equitable society to volunteer their time and money to on-the-ground organizations,' a US-based historian stated.

Others believe Glazer is simply looking for easy publicity for his law firm.

Glazer is known in Baltimore for his gaudy television commercials.

One clip features the attorney speeding around in a convertible Maserati, before he brags: 'I've made a fortune off of cases that other lawyers wouldn't take.'

Additionally, the tagline of his law firm is: 'Don't urinate on my leg and tell me it's raining'.

He sells merchandise, including $40 sweatpants, emblazoned with the phrase.

Glazer is known in Baltimore for his gaudy television commercials. One clip features the attorney speeding around in a convertible Maserati, before he brags: 'I've made a fortune off of cases that other lawyers wouldn't take'
Pictured: Results of Daily Mail's recent poll as of 3.30pm Sunday

Sixty per cent of Daily Mail Australia readers agree with Scott Morrison's decision to keep international borders closed indefinitely to stem the spread of Covid.

As the virus continues to wreak havoc in India, Europe and the United States, Australia's Prime Minister vowed to maintain his tough stance on borders on Sunday.

Mr Morrison said Australians had come to accept local lockdowns as 'part of living with Covid-19' and that residents do not have 'an appetite' for change.

The PM argued reopening borders too soon would expose the country to another more ruthless outbreak of Covid-19, like those experienced in the UK, India and Europe.

And while there are plenty of people itching to get vaccinated in the hopes of having borders opened quicker, there appear to be more who are just as content to keep foreigners out and to stay put for as long as Mr Morrison considers necessary.

'Keeping us safe is the number one priority. And if that takes five years, then it takes five years... It's a difficult, but correct choice,' one reader said.

'Fully support this decision those who don't are the same people that will have another go at the PM if he opened everything up and put the whole country at risk and put everyone in lockdown.'

As the virus continues to wreak havoc on India, Europe and the United States, Australia's Prime Minister (pictured) vowed to maintain his tough stance on borders

Families living between New Zealand and Australia have been reunited (pictured) but Mr Morrison has now indicated Australians will not be able to travel to other nations in the foreseeable future

'Good. This pandemic has proven we don't need mass immigration to drive our economy. Our economy is booming and unemployment is low. Keep the border shut and never return to mass immigration,' another said.

'Good on you Scomo - please don't let the vocal minority groups sway your stance in protecting the greater good for Australians,' a person commented.

Poll Are you happy for Australia's borders to be closed indefinitely to retain our way of life amid the Covid-19 pandemic? Yes No Are you happy for Australia's borders to be closed indefinitely to retain our way of life amid the Covid-19 pandemic? Yes 1996 votes

No 1834 votes Now share your opinion





But there were also plenty of Australians who disagreed with Mr Morrison's tough stance, saying they want the Government to consider relaxing the border restrictions.

'We've acknowledged Covid isn't going away and we will have to learn to live with it. Shutting the borders indefinitely is ignoring the inevitable, the rest of the world will open up, they are not waiting for zero cases because they know it'll never happen,' one person said in a comment that was echoed by hundreds of others.

The news was crushing to tens of thousands of Aussies unable to see family members overseas for more than a year.

According to the 2016 census, half of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas.

'This Govt has failed miserably. All they had to do was secure and rollout the vaccines and bring Australians home. Some Aussie families are living in homeless shelters in London and other places around the world. It is a disgrace,' one critic said.

'I was having the vaccine so I could visit my grandchildren in Canada, now there is no point. F you Scomo.'

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Morrison told The Sunday Telegraph that Australia 'sits here as an island that's living like few countries in the world are at the moment'.

'We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has.'

Australians have been banned from leaving the country since March 2020 without special exemptions, and only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter under some of the strictest Covid-19 border rules in the world.

Scott Morrison has warned international borders will remain closed indefinitely if it means protecting Australians from a deadly outbreak of Covid-19 from overseas

But Mr Morrison denied adopting an 'elimination strategy' and said suppressing the virus remained the Government's primary focus.

'Australia's COVID suppression strategy has not changed to an 'elimination' strategy nor is 'zero cases' our goal,' he clarified on Sunday.

'There will always be cases as we return Australians home from overseas. As always, we will continue to listen to the medical advice and make decisions in the best health and economic interests of all Australians.'

Last year, the Government predicted international borders would open in October 2021 after the adult population had been offered a vaccine.

However Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the date will be pushed back to some time in 2022 amid the slow vaccine rollout and uncertainty over the Covid-19 vaccine's ability to protect against mutating strains of the virus.

India is grappling with its deadliest outbreak of the virus with nearly 240,000 people dead.

The country has recorded more than 400,000 new cases of Covid-19 in three consecutive days and its hospitals are struggling with a shortage of oxygen supplies to treat severely infected residents who are having trouble breathing.

Australians have enjoyed a relatively normal life in recent months when compared to other nations due to strict and swift Covid measures. Pictured: A woman enjoying a day at the beach during the pandemic

Mr Morrison said he will wait until 'clear evidence' proves the vaccines are effective against mutant strains before allowing vaccinated Australians to travel overseas again.

'The next big step that can be taken is that Australians who are vaccinated are able to travel and return to Australia without having to hotel quarantine, and ideally we only have to engage in some sort of home quarantine of a less restrictive nature,' he said.

Mr Morrison hopes vaccinated Australians will be exempt from any future lockdowns imposed by state governments.

The Prime Minister also admitted he could not put a timeframe on when the country would begin to accept overseas travellers again.

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Federal Government had a responsibility to bring Australians home after becoming stranded overseas because of the pandemic.

'The Government's got the responsibility to get vaccinations and quarantine right to make that possible,' he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday.

Thousands of Australians have been also left stranded in India because of the border closure and threatened with jail time if they try to make their way back into Australia.

'What we are seeing in India is incredibly distressing,' Mr Chalmers said.

India is in the midst of a crippling Covid outbreak, recording upwards of 400,000 cases each day and resorting to mass cremations

Forty per cent of Daily Mail Australia readers urged Mr Morrison to reconsider, many arguing they want to visit relatives overseas

'Thousands of Australians, not just abandoned there to those horrific scenes, but are threatened with jail time as well.

'We wouldn't even be having this conversation if the Prime Minister hadn't comprehensively stuffed up vaccinations and quarantine.'

Labor's health spokesman Mark Butler told reporters on Sunday that the Government is taking 'voters for mugs' by saying Australia is at the forefront of the vaccine effort.

'We are running at about 350,000 doses per week. At that rate it will take about two years just to vaccinate the adult population of Australia,' Mr Butler said, according to The Australian.

'We are so far behind in a vaccine effort we can't even see the front of the queue.'

He also called out Mr Morrison's changing timeframe for opening up the border, saying that plans for a national quarantine program were meant to be released mid-year.

Instead citizens are now being told they could be locked down 'forever'.

'We sit here as an island that's living like few countries in the world are at the moment,' Mr Morrison said

Sixty per cent of Daily Mail Australia readers agree with Mr Morrison's decision to keep the borders closed indefinitely

Meanwhile Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said the 'reality' is that the pandemic will 'be with us for quite some time' and supports Mr Morrison's hardline stance on border closures.

'Whilst we're not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination, we are in a good position, and we need to make sure we stay in that good position.'

Mr Merlino said international travel should remain off the cards until not only Australia successfully rolls out the vaccine but globally, too.

'Other parts of the world are on fire right now, so the Prime Minister is absolutely correct to say that this will be with us for some time, and the border controls, which is a commonwealth responsibility, have to reflect that.'

In the interim, Victoria has committed a further $260million to revive Melbourne by attracting tourists from interstate.

New Zealand travelers embrace at Sydney International Airport. Australians can travel to New Zealand but no-where else

Australia has introduced a shaky travel bubble with New Zealand but has not made any steps toward securing travel to other nations

Although Mr Morrison warned he will keep the borders closed over fears of another Covid-19 outbreak, a top epidemiologist recently said it is 'only a matter of time' until Australia experiences a new wave.

University of Melbourne professor James McCaw predicted cases will increase as people socialise more frequently and the virus spreads undetected.

He said eventually an outbreak will avoid the diligent work of contract tracers, and only mass vaccination would stop it.

'We will expect incursions at least once a month and more often. And while we mix more socially, the chance of one of those taking hold goes up very quickly,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'The virus will win. But it won't have a devastating impact if we are vaccinated.'

Australia's international borders will not be 'flung open next year,' finance minister Simon Birmingham has said (pictured, A Covid tester at Bondi Beach)

Professor McCaw, who is leading a research team providing expertise on the pandemic to the Federal Government, went on to state the British B117 strain of the virus has the potential to be a negative game changer in Australia.

'That strain is more transmissible and is more severe, and the severity comes to lower age groups,' he said.

The Federal Government aims to vaccinate 25 million people in Australia aged over 16 but just 2.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered by medical staff to date.

Supply shortages and a 'rare but serious' blood clot complication linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine have been significant factors.
A five-time Lotto winner has revealed he has been to 'hell and back' despite enjoying millions of dollars in prize money and a life of luxury.

Carlo Paul Massetti, a New Zealander now living in Sydney, shot to stardom after he won $2.5million from two separate Lotto draws within one week in May 2018.

Just 12 days later he won another $48,000 in a Powerball draw.

Remarkably, the 47-year-old had already retired from his job as an undertaker and funeral director in Bondi in 2012 after enjoying two big Lotto payouts.

But the years since Mr Massetti's wins have included run-ins with police, a tumultuous love life and ruined friendships.

New Zealander Carlo Paul Massetti (left) said he has been 'to hell and back' since winning Lotto

When Mr Massetti scooped $2.5million in 2018, he donated $50,000 to St Vincent Hospital's heart and lung unit, after his father and two grandparents suffered multiple heart attacks.

The retired millionaire wanted the donation to be kept anonymous, but when it made headlines his newfound wealth poisoned relationships with some of his friends.

'Every man and his dog wanted money from me. I didn't shout my friends a drink or give them one single cent, that was my choice,' he told the NZ Herald.

'They were obviously annoyed and disappointed. But I said, 'If you don't respect that, don't be my friend and lose my number".'

The two-times divorcee met the much-younger Danielle Prebble (left) before winning Lotto

Five years before his winning streak in 2018, the twice-divorced Mr Massetti met Danielle Prebble, 30, while they were both in unhappy marriages.

He claimed the pair ended up having a 'wild affair' before eventually moving in together.

Mr Massetti spent big on luxurious cars, designer handbags for his girlfriend and $50,000 on first class tickets for an around-the-world trip.

'Most people would be jumping up and down with excitement (after winning so much money) but for the amount of stress I had been under with Danni and my marriage break-up I felt flat,' Mr Massetti said.

In 2018, Mr Massetti was charged with assaulting Ms Prebble on three separate occasions.

Ms Prebble failed to show up as a key witness in court, forcing the police prosecutor to drop all seven charges.

But Ms Prebble had been standing outside court throughout the entire hearing and as Mr Massetti exited the pair kissed and walked down the street holding hands.

Their troubled relationship relationship ended after five years.

The New Zealander (right) said he was 'outed' as a millionaire after donating $50K to a hospital

Ms Prebble said she believed her former lover had squandered his millions.

'The man won Lotto but he's not a lucky man at all,' she said.

In September 2020, Mr Massetti was fined for public urination and drink driving for an incident in June that year.

The maximum fine for middle range drink driving is $2,277.90 but he was slapped with a $600 for 'limited income' as he had not worked since winning his millions.

Ms Prebble said she has since moved to her home country of New Zealand is trying to start fresh with her new job nursing the elderly.

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Major road upgrades, a new freight terminal and the rebuild of a key regional airport will form part of a huge infrastructure program announced in Tuesday's federal budget.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will announce projects worth $110 billion to generate thousands of jobs over the next ten years as the nation recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some key projects worth $10billion will be unveiled on Monday, including upgrades to the Great Western Highway in NSW and Queensland's Bruce Highway, as well as a new freight train terminal in Melbourne.

The Bruce Highway in Queensland (pictured heading south past the Glasshouse Mountains) will be upgraded

It comes after the prime minister announced a $66million investment to upgrade Newcastle Airport in New South Wales and a $1.3billion infrastructure package in Western Australia.

In a proposed 50/50 partnership with the Victorian government, the Commonwealth will spend $2.1billion on a new freight terminal in Melbourne to transfer containers from inland rail trains.

Inland rail is a massive project to connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, due to open in 2026.

A new intermodal terminal will ensure that Melbourne's freight infrastructure can accommodate the Inland Rail service offering of double-stacked 1,800 metre trains and has the capacity to meet the increased rail freight generated by Inland Rail.

The state and federal governments are yet to decide on the location but options include Truganina in Melbourne's west and Beveridge in the city's north.

The project is expected to create 1,350 jobs. The expected completion date is not yet known.

The Commonwealth will also spend an extra $400million on upgrading the Bruce Highway, with the Queensland government chipping in an extra $100million.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will announce projects worth $110 billion to generate thousands of jobs over the next ten years. Newcastle Airport (pictured) will be upgraded

The additional funding for the $10billion project will build the next priority upgrades from Gladstone to Rockhampton and Mackay to Proserpine.

The government says the upgrades will will improve safety, efficiency, freight productivity and flood immunity.

Work will start in early 2023 and finish in mid 2025, with 610 direct jobs created.

The federal government will also spend $2.03 billion on upgrading the Great Western Highway, with the New South Wales government contributing $508 million.

The project involves the upgrade of the Great Western Highway corridor between Katoomba and Blackheath, and between Little Hartley and Lithgow.

This is the first stage of a broader upgrade to this corridor and is designed to ease congestion in the Blue Mountains.

The New South Wales government will fund the planning and development of the central section of the corridor between Blackheath and Little Hartley on its own.

The project will start in late 2022 and be finished by mid 2026, creating 3,902 direct and indirect jobs.

In a proposed 50/50 partnership with the Victorian government, the Commonwealth will spend $2.1billion on a new freight terminal in Melbourne to transfer containers from inland rail trains. Pictured: Melbourne's Richmond station

Scott Morrison said these projects will make roads safer, reduce travel times and support thousands of jobs across the country.

'Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia's Covid recovery,' the Prime Minister said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Michael McCormack said infrastructure building was crucial to Australia's pandemic recovery.

'In this Budget, the Federal Government will continue our strong record of infrastructure delivery as we lay the economic foundations for recovery from the pandemic,' he said.

'More money for infrastructure means more jobs, more local procurement and a better future for businesses across the country and that's why this investment is the centerpiece of our National Economic Recovery Plan.'

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the new investment adds to projects including the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport, due to open in 2026, the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail, and the much-needed Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

Building bonanza: The key projects Key projects to be funded include:  $2 billion of initial investment for a new Melbourne Intermodal Terminal;  $2.03 billion for Great Western Highway Upgrade  Katoomba to Lithgow  Construction of East and West Sections in New South Wales;  $400 million for Inland Freight Route (Mungindi to Charters Towers) Upgrades in Queensland;  $161.6 million for the Truro Bypass in South Australia;  $160 million for Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements in Western Australia;  $150 million for National Network Highway Upgrades (Phase 2) in the Northern Territory;  $80 million for Bass Highway Safety and Freight Efficiency Upgrades in Tasmania; and  $26.5 million for William Hovell Drive Duplication in the Australian Capital Territory. Advertisement

'Our record infrastructure investment not only creates jobs now, it also sets Australia up for the future,' the Treasurer said.

'A new intermodal terminal in Melbourne will help to boost the productivity of the nation by helping businesses get their products to domestic and international markets faster following the completion of inland rail.'

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said: 'This Government is committed to delivering nation-building infrastructure projects, busting urban congestion, meeting our national freight challenge and getting Australians home sooner and safer.'

Last week Mr Morrison announced that large international aircraft such as Boeing 777s and Airbus 330s will be able to land in Newcastle under a plan to upgrade the city's airport runway and other facilities.

The airport estimates the improvements could create about 4,400 full-time jobs, deliver an additional 850,000 visitors to the region and add $12.7 billion to the local economy over the next 20 years.

Twice daily international flights are expected alongside increased daily direct domestic flights.

'This investment will deliver hundreds of thousands of extra tourists to the region, spending money in local businesses, while exporters in the region will be able to access increased freight flights into new international markets,' Mr Morrison said.

The government has also announced a $1.3billion infrastructure package in WA, including, rail upgrades, eastern highway upgrades and works at Perth Airport.

'From upgrading the Great Eastern Highway and building METRONET, to improving roads and rail lines that are crucial to our grain growers and farmers in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt - these projects will support more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs across WA,' Mr Morrison said.
Camilla, a fully vaccinated grandmother-of-five, made the admission despite the state forbidding hugging until May 17 at the earliest

The Duchess of Cornwall has revealed she has defied the controversial ban on embracing and enjoyed 'half a hug' with her grandchildren.

Camilla, a fully vaccinated grandmother-of-five, made the admission despite the state forbidding hugging until May 17 at the earliest.

The duchess, 73, spoke last year of wishing to hold her grandchildren once more.

When asked if she had been able to do that more recently as Britain continues to reopen, she told The Telegraph: 'I have been able to. I have had a hug. I am doubly jabbed so, umm, we've had a sort of half hug.'

'It's been so lovely just to be able to see them again and talk to them. You know, telephones and machines and these Zooms are fine, but nothing's ever the same as being able to give somebody a good hug.

'I'm waiting for the final date when we can actually go into each other's homes, to be able to sit down and have a proper lunch and, you know, just have a proper life again.'

Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles is father to two children - 13-year-old Lola and 11-year-old Freddy.

Left to right: Michael Middleton, Carole Middleton, Prince Charles, holding bridesmaid Eliza Lopes and the Duchess of Cornwall, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, following the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

Duke and Duchess of Rothesay are greeted by the Duchess's grandchildren as they attend the Ballater Highland Games

His daughter Laura Lopes is mother to Eliza, 13, and 11-year-old twins Louis and Gus.

The Duchess's comments come following the recent birthdays of Princess Charlotte, 6, Prince Louis, 3, and Archie, 2.

The interview took place as she visited a women's refuge in Reading, Berkshire, where the royal revealed the very personal effect witnessing domestic abuse has had on her.

Earlier this year, Camilla revealed her own friends had suffered domestic violence and she has long advocated for more specialist support, becoming the patron for charity SafeLives last year.

The Duchess was left visibly shaken after speaking to survivors in 2016, but she broached the topic very differently this time around on her first in-person visit to a domestic abuse refuge since lockdown restrictions eased.

Speaking with 18 female survivors at the Berkshire Aid refuge, Camilla pointed to rising domestic abuse numbers and the fact we 'all know someone in an abusive relationship.'
The disastrous Dieppe raid during World War Two was designed as a decoy by James Bond writer Ian Fleming so German refugee commandos could secretly pinch the Nazis' new Enigma coding machine, a new book claims.

German refugees who had escaped the Nazis were reportedly put at the at the centre of military planning for the August 1942 raid on Dieppe in France by Lord Mountbatten and Fleming, then a senior naval intelligence officer.

A new book entitled X-Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of World War Two describes how the five refugees were supposed to break into a hotel used by Nazi military commanders and steal the Enigma machine and its code books while Allied troops staged a frontal assault on the occupied port.

However, the daring plan collapsed after the 6,000 British and Canadian troop convoys crossing the Channel at night were spotted by a Nazi patrol boat.

Greeted by artillery and machinegun fire as they landed on the beaches, nearly 1,000 troops were killed while 2,400 were wounded and 2,000 were captured in one of Britain's greatest wartime disasters.

September 1942: According to German wartime sources, this is a British tank landing vessel and two British tanks captured by the Germans during the raid on Dieppe

Left: Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten. Right: Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond

German soldiers using the Enigma coding machine to send encrypted wartime messages

In her new book out later this month, US history professor Leah Garrett published a long-classified, after-action report written by one of the refugees, known by his Anglicised name Maurice Latimer.

He had stated that his orders had been 'to proceed immediately to German General HQ in Dieppe to pick up all documents, etc of value, including, if possible, a new German respirator', the Observer reports.

Garrett claims that 'respirator' was almost certainly a code word referring to the Enigma machine, used by the Nazis to send encrypted messages across Europe.

Codebreakers at Bletchley Park led by Alan Turing had partially decrypted a three-rotor Enigma machine in 1941, revealing crucial intelligence about the whereabouts of German U-boats sinking Allied vessels.

However, by the following spring, the Nazis had switched to a new, four-rotor machine that was much harder to crack. With vessels transporting food supplies and equipment coming under attack, getting hold of one of the new machines was regarded by British authorities as a high priority.

Pictured: Casualties of the disastrous Dieppe raid in northern France, August 1942

Canadian troops returning from the combined operations raid at Dieppe

Left: British novelist Ian Fleming. Right: Lord Louis Mountbatten

According to Garrett, a majority of the German Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi-annexed Sudetenland in the early part of the Second World War had spent the summer and autumn of 1940 in British internment camps.

They protested that they were anti-Nazis and not German fifth columnists, and went on to join the Pioneer Corps to prove their loyalty to Britain. The best of them were then selected for X-Troop, seeing action in North Africa, Sicily and France.

Mountbatten had come up with the X-Troop idea in the summer of 1942 when he realised he was going to need German speakers for the Dieppe raid.

The plane he and Fleming formulated required participants to identify the relevant code documents and to interrogate captured Nazi soldiers. Of the five men on the pinch mission, however, none got close to the Hotel Moderne.

One of the refugee commandos was killed, one was badly wounded, and the other two were captured and spent the rest of the war in POW camps.
The number of new trees planted across the UK per year is set to rise to 143 million by 2035 in a massive bid to meet climate targets.

The ambitious programme, easily the biggest in 50 years, will see a doubling of the planting of woodland to almost 80 million in the next four years.

Due to be published in the next two weeks, the plan will controversially turn swathes of farmland, areas of natural beauty and even national parks into forest.

Pictured: Undated photo of spring in Troutbeck Valley in the Lake District

The initial focus is cities and towns, with the Government today announcing an 'urban tree challenge fund' that will see 44,000 trees planted near schools, hospitals and in deprived areas, the Sunday Times reports.

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith said the new scheme met the Tory manifesto commitment to have 'every new street lined with trees'.

He told the newspaper: 'The pandemic has shown just how important it is to experience nature in our daily lives.

'We need to do everything we can to protect and nurture the natural world around us, including the trees which line the streets and parks of our towns and cities.'

Woodland covers 13 per cent of the UK landmass, compared with 31 per cent in France and 30 per cent in Germany.

The Government's climate change advisory committee insists that tree cover must rise to 20 per cent so that the country can hit its legal pledge to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith said the new scheme complemented the Tory manifesto commitment to have 'every new street lined with trees'

However, the body claims that a fifth of agricultural land will need to shift from food production to tree planting to realise this aim.

Sir William Worsley, chairman of the Forestry Commission, admitted that finding land to plant is a 'real challenge because we live in a small country'.

He added: 'We've got to find the right land. It's not the top of our moors, it's not on deep peatland. But there's a lot of poor sheep land on the sides of the valleys that could well be suitable for tree planting.'

But climate campaign group Friends of the Earth called on the Government to go further by pushing tree cover up to 26 per cent.

'With the scale of the climate crisis that we face the level of ambition needs to be much greater,' environmentalist Danny Gross said.
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Sir Keir ignored questions from reporters as he was driven away from his north London home this morning

Keir Starmer's make-or-break reshuffle is tonight underway, hours after Labour MPs branded him a 'coward' and threatened a leadership challenge in the wake of disastrous Super Thursday elections.

Sir Keir ignored questions from reporters as he was driven away from his north London home this afternoon, with the next 24 hours looking critical for his chances of saving his shattered leadership.

Deborah Mattinson, a pollster for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was earlier appointed as his new strategy director in a bid to stabilise the party after the Tories inflicted more hammer blows to the Red Wall.

And, after Sir Keir spent a whole day closeted with aides, Labour officials are tonight said to be making calls to front-bench MPs mapping out the cabinet reshuffle.

Veteran Labour MP Nick Brown is reportedly out from his role as the party's chief whip, to be replaced by Alan Campbell, while Anneliese Dodds is also said to have been cut from her shadow foreign secretary role. She has reportedly been offered the role of party chair.

Rachel Reeves has reportedly been promoted to the new shadow chancellor, with Angela Rayner is tipped to be given the role of shadow Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster - meaning she will shadow Michael Gove.

It comes after Ms Rayner was effectively sacked as party chair earlier today, sparking anger from left-wingers and moderates, with claims the Ashton-under-Lyne MP is being made to carry the can for Sir Keir's mistakes.

Who is staying and who is going in Keir Starmer's make-or-break cabinet reshuffle? According to initial reports... Nick Brown - SACKED as party's chief whip Lisa Nandy - STAYS as shadow foreign secretary Anneliese Dodds - SACKED as shadow chancellor - but HIRED as party chair Angela Rayner - SACKED as party chair and campaign coordinator - but HIRED as the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rachel Reeves - HIRED as the new shadow chancellor Alan Campbell - HIRED as party's chief whip Advertisement

Ms Rayner was elected as party deputy leader separately to Sir Keir, meaning he cannot axe her entirely - with even his normal supporters conceding it was a 'bad idea'.

However, there are claims that some ministers are discussing simply refusing to take other jobs, with Sir Keir facing the threat of a mass walk-out that could deal a fatal blow to his authority. Some shadow cabinet ministers earlier told MailOnline they had heard nothing from the leader.

As alarm bells started ringing over the scale of unrest in the party, shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray insisted Ms Rayner had not been 'sacked' and was instead being given a 'significant promotion'. He told Sky News she was being moved from the 'back office to the front office' as a spokeswoman.

Liverpool MP Kim Johnson took aim directly at Sir Keir saying shifting Ms Rayner was an 'appalling act of cowardice'.

Corbynite former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott also waded into the spat, saying the decision to move Ms Rayner was 'baffling' and demanding Sir Keir reverts to 'popular' hard-Left policies.

'She didn't take any of the big decisions around Hartlepool and we've not heard anywhere in the country people saying they didn't vote Labour because of Angela Rayner,' she said.

And Jon Trickett, who was sacked by Sir from the shadow cabinet last year, tweeted: 'I don't think we should rule out a leadership challenge.'

Keir Starmer dropped a bombshell last night by sacking Angela Rayner (pictured together last week) as Labour Party chairwoman - although because she is the elected deputy leader he does not have powers to axe her altogether

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds (left) is also expected to be another victim of a brutal reshuffle this week. Deborah Mattinson (right), a key adviser to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has been appointed as Labour's new strategy director

Liverpool MP Kim Johnson took aim directly at Sir Keir saying shifting Ms Rayner was an 'appalling act of cowardice'

With almost all the council results in for England, Labour has lost more than 300 seats while the Tories are up more than 200

Diane Abbott demands return to 'popular' hard-Left policies Diane Abbott today demanded Keir Starmer returns to the 'popular' Socialist policies from the Jeremy Corbyn era Diane Abbott today demanded Keir Starmer returns to the 'popular' Socialist policies from the Jeremy Corbyn era as Labour plunged further into civil war. The former shadow home secretary lashed out at Sir Keir as she insisted Mr Corbyn only led the party to its worst general election defeat since 1935 due to an 'extraordinary media attack'. Ms Abbott also waded into the spat over the 'sacking' of Angela Rayner from the key role as Labour chair, saying the decision was 'baffling'. The intervention came as Sir Keir mounted a desperate bid to save his shattered leadership after the dire Super Thursday results - kicking off a reshuffle and drafting in a New Labour pollster as his strategy chief. Speaking to Sky News' Ridge On Sunday, Ms Abbott, who described the Hartlepool by-election loss as 'distressing', said: 'I think we need to be building on the policies in the 2019 manifesto, many of which were forward-thinking and popular. 'We need to get the strategy right.' Told that Mr Corbyn's manifesto had failed, Ms Abbott added: 'It was a manifesto that, taking the policies individually, was very popular.' She went on: 'We won Hartlepool twice under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and, importantly, with a bigger proportion of the vote. 'You can't say that Jeremy is responsible for the Hartlepool result. The disaffection in post-industrial Britain long predates Jeremy's leadership and we have to look at the roots of it.' Advertisement

Ms Mattinson worked as a Labour pollster until the party was ejected from power in 2010, and after Jeremy Corbyn's 2019 general election defeat  the party's worst performance since 1935  penned a book analysing the collapse of the Red Wall.

She is due to leave BritainThinks, the research and consultancy company she co-founded, to take up her role as the party's strategy director next month.

Ms Mattinson said: 'I am very much looking forward to joining Keir Starmer and his team.

'The coming months will be challenging but I will be proud to play a part in helping Labour reconnect with the voters it has lost.'

There was a small bright spot for Labour last night as Sadiq Khan retained his job as London Mayor, although Tory candidate Shaun Bailey far exceeded expectations and slashed his majority.

They also secured the Cambridge and Peterborough mayoralty as the dramatic realignment of the UK's political landscape continues.

However, in the latest punishing results from other key battlegrounds the Conservatives gained control of Amber Valley in Derbyshire from Labour, after winning 13 of the 16 seats being contested.

And another expected victory could cause a serious headache for Sir Keir, as Tracey Brabin securing the West Yorkshire mayoralty would mean a by-election in her Batley & Spen constituency.

Labour was seemingly unable to find anyone to make the case for Sir Keir on the BBC's flagship Marr Show political programme today.

In more evidence of the bitter war threatening to tear Labour apart, details of Ms Rayner's use of first class rail tickets were leaked to the Sunday Times. Her allies insisted she only did so for safety reasons after the murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Rayner is a survivor from the Corbyn era, and the defenestration of the party's most senior woman - who represents a Northern seat - from a key role sparked a backlash from all sides.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell pointed out that Sir Keir had promised on Friday to take 'full responsibility for the election result in Hartlepool & other losses', but was now 'scapegoating everyone apart from himself'. 'This isn't leadership it's a cowardly avoidance of responsibility,' the Corbynite said.

Mr McDonnell told the Marr Show that ditching Ms Rayner as national campaign co-ordinator was a 'huge mistake'.

'I haven't spoken to Angie. And let me be clear, I don't have any brief for Angie  I didn't support her as deputy leader, I supported Richard Burgon,' he said.

'When the leader of the party on Friday said he takes responsibility for the election result in Hartlepool in particular and then scapegoats Angela Rayner, I think many of us feel that is unfair, particularly as we all know actually that Keir's style of leadership is that his office controls everything.

'It is very centralised and he controlled the campaign, so many of us think it is really unfair.

'What public relations genius thought this was a good move on the very day, actually, we were having successes  Andy Burnham in Manchester, Steve Rotheram in Liverpool, Paul Dennett in Salford, Marvin down in Bristol, Sadiq in London.

'The very day we're recovering a bit and having successes, then they do this. I just think it is a huge mistake.'

A Labour source said: 'Keir said he was taking full responsibility for the result of the elections and he said we need to change. That means changing how we run our campaigns in future. Angela will continue to play a senior role in Keir's team.'

It came as former Cabinet minister Andy Burnham piled more pressure on Sir Keir, by blasting the party for being too 'London-centric', while adding in a tweet: 'I can't support this.'

The former health secretary, who quit as an MP after losing the leadership to Jeremy Corbyn, also hinted that he would be prepared to have another tilt at the top job after being overwhelmingly returned as Greater Manchester mayor.

Keir Starmer sacked Angela Rayner (centre, pictured with unsuccessful West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Liam Byrne, right) as Labour Party chairwoman and campaigns co-ordinator tonight over Thursday's dismal election fiasco, in a move that looked certain to plunge the party into a new civil war

Mr Burnham, who has been dubbed 'King of the North' after taking on Boris Johnson over Covid regulations last year, won a second term as mayor with an increased share of the vote, on an increased turnout, from 2017.

Tories gain more Red Wall council seats... but lose ground in their own heartlands The Tories gained more ground in Red Wall areas today as the last council results trickled in - but lost ground in their own traditional stronholds. The Conservatives gained control of Amber Valley in Derbyshire from Labour after winning 13 of the 16 seats being contested. Nine seats were seized from Labour. But Labour gained five seats in Worthing, with the Tories only narrowly retaining control of the council in their Sussex heartlands. Keir Starmer's party also added a county council seat from the Conservatives in Chipping Norton, the affluent Cotswold area where David Cameron lives. The Conservatives now have 19, with Labour on 15 and the Liberal Democrats three. The Liberal Democrats also took control of St Albans council, having previously been tied with the Tories. Advertisement

Mr Burnham, who has been dubbed 'King of the North' after taking on Boris Johnson over Covid regulations last year, won a second term as mayor with an increased share of the vote, on an increased turnout, from 2017.

It left him the most senior and successful elected Labour Party politician outside the parliamentary leadership of the party.

In an interview with Sky, Mr Burnham suggested he would entertain becoming leader of the Labour Party 'in the distant future', adding: 'If the party were ever to feel it needed me, well I'm here and they should get in touch.'

He added: 'I have tried twice to be the leader and it has never worked, so I'm not under any illusions that it has never worked for me in the past.

'I feel I am in the best job in the world and we have a massive job ahead of us but I'm here to help the Labour Party if they need it - but they need to change, let's be really clear about this.

'They have lost an emotional connection with parts of the country that is going to take a lot of work to get back, so I think the party has to do a lot of soul-searching about these results and understand why we have done well in Wales, places like Greater Manchester, and it really needs to then buy in to English devolution and build from the bottom up - that's what these results are telling them.'

One usually supportive Labour MP told MailOnline of the axing of Ms Rayner: 'Not the best idea. She has been useless in the campaigning role, but then so has his own office.'

A frustrated moderate MP said: 'His office is full of political incompetents who act like they are in an edition of the West Wing without any political antenna. They make no attempt to connect with the PLP and think elected politicians are an inconvenience.'

Lord Mandelson vented anger at the agitating from hard-Left figures for another lurch back towards Corbynite policies.

The former Cabinet minister told Times Radio that Sir Keir's problem was that he had 'underestimated the scale of the challenge' and needed to be 'bold' about making changes.

'At the beginning, I think he underestimated the scale of the challenge he was taking on,' the peer said.

'And I think he underestimated the scale of the transformation that was needed to meet voters expectations of what they wanted to see the Labour Party do and change and to take on.

'Second, I think after the devastating result of the 2019 election he assumed the party would show some humility, and willingness to change.

How 'Grangela' Rayner's tough upbringing gave her a touch of steel Angela Rayner has drawn heavily on her time as a one-time struggling teenage mother during her rise to the top of the Labour movement. The 41-year-old, who has been MP for Ashton-under-Lyne since 2015, proudly welcomed her own granddaughter at the age of just 37 with a tweet jokingly referring to herself as 'Grangela'. The married mother-of-three was just 16 when she had her first son, Ryan, and has told how becoming pregnant so young 'saved' her. Her teenage relationship with Ryan's father ended quickly and she has since married Unison official Mark Rayner. But speaking at a Labour Party fringe event in 2019, she said it was her ambition to be a good mother which has driven her. Her politics was also shaped by her early life, being forced to drop out of school aged 16 with no qualifications after becoming pregnant, which she said was the best thing which could have happened to her. 'I was in the Manchester nightclub scene at 13 and thought affection from men - the wrong type of affection - was the right thing,' she told the Spectator. 'I lost about six friends before I was 18. They died through a drug overdose, or killed in a car, joy-riding. 'But once I got pregnant it wasn't just my life I was messing around with. I had somebody to look after.' Living on a Stockport council estate with her baby son Ryan, she continued to tie down a job in a care home to keep her independence and went back to take exams. Ms Rayner's steeliness was developed earlier in her life when she was forced to look after her bipolar mother, whose mental state left the family struggling to make ends meet. She later became a trade union representative, fast rising to be the most senior Unison official in the North West. Her husband Mark is also a trade union officer and the couple have two children - Jimmy, 11, and Charlie, 10. Advertisement

'And I'm afraid I think that the assumption, in the case of some leading members of the party, was misplaced. Just look at the opposition of John McDonnell, Diane Abbott and other supporters of Jeremy Corbyn who were responsible for that devastating defeat.

'They're not showing humility and willingness. They're not showing a preparedness to change.They are just remaining stuck in a rut, looking backwards and trying to justify and vindicate themselves and the policies on which we lost the last election very, very badly indeed.'

As Mayor of Greater Manchester Mr Burnham has built his own successful brand. But his success is widely seen as coming through his high profile, as a former Labour government minister - and his distance from the Labour Party.

Despite first becoming MP for Leigh in 2001 and serving as a government minister during 17 years of New Labour, he has railed against the poor-relation status of the North and taken to regularly bashing the Westminster establishment.

He also served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet, which has led to an often-heard criticism within Labour ranks - that Mr Burnham, having served in Tony Blair's pro-EU, globalising Labour Party and Mr Corbyn's socialist, red-in-tooth-and-claw version, he is a weather-vane who goes with the flow to ensure his own electoral success.

Mr Burnham left Westminster to become Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017 and crucially was removed from his party's decision to back a second referendum on the Brexit vote, the cause of anger among northern Leave voters.

Labour has blamed the coronavirus pandemic for hampering its campaigns across Britain after the Tories racked up a string of stunning poll victories in the local elections.

Labour was thrashed in the Hartlepool by-election, with Jill Mortimer securing a majority of almost 7,000, while Tory Ben Houchen won a second term as mayor of Tees Valley with a whopping 73 per cent share of the vote.

And the Conservatives gained control of a series of councils, including Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Dudley, Harlow and Nuneaton and Bedworth  reversing the mid-term slump often suffered by governing parties.

With the Tories also winning seats across the West Midlands, senior figures were increasingly confident that the region's mayor Andy Street will secure a second term in office when returns there are announced today.

Ministers have predicted that Boris Johnson could rule longer than Margaret Thatcher as results showed the Tories could take 36 more Westminster seats from Labour at the next General Election.

They believe there has been a permanent shift in the UK's political identity and claimed Mr Johnson - who has been the premier since July 2019 - could outlast Margaret Thatcher's 11 years in Downing Street, The Times reports.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the count for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections at the Glasgow Emirates Arena yesterday

Andy Burnham piled more pressure on Sir Keir, saying he 'can't support' Angela Rayner's firing

They believe the Tories must establish an advantage by winning the 'culture wars' and challenging 'woke' views. Meanwhile sources told the Guardian Sir Keir is now considering moving Labour out of London to reconnect with 'Red Wall' voters.

However, Mr Johnson is facing a constitutional clash with Nicola Sturgeon as she renews her push for another Scottish independence referendum after winning her own mandate in Scottish elections.

Labour infighting flared with frontbencher Khalid Mahmood announcing he was quitting Labour's front bench in protest at the 'woke' leadership.

The former defence spokesman and West Midlands MP said the party had been 'effectively captured' by a 'London-based bourgeoisie, with the support of brigades of woke social media warriors'.
An Australian vet dubbed the 'Jungle Doctor' has helped save endangered animals all over the world, fitting prosthetic legs to elephants who have walked over landmines.

Dr Chloe Buiting started her rewarding work in 2018 when she shadowed a vet team in Chiang Mai, helping helping treat elephant's abscesses caused by landmines on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

'The hospital does groundbreaking work that helps elephants who have lost their legs from landmines,' she told 7 News.

Dr Chloe Buiting started her rewarding work in 2018 when she shadowed a vet team in Chiang Mai

An Australian vet dubbed the 'Jungle Doctor' has worked all over the world, fitting prosthetic legs to elephants who have walked over landmines

Despite the heartbreak of seeing elephants in such pain, Dr Buiting said it's been incredibly rewarding to give them the quality of life they wouldn't otherwise have

Despite the heartbreak of seeing elephants writhe in pain, Dr Buiting said it's been incredibly rewarding to give them the quality of life they wouldn't otherwise have.

The doctors would remove the protheses at night and re-fit them on the elephants in the morning.

Dr Buiting said this was done by coating the leg in talcum powder before putting on a protective sock.

'Then, the padded prosthetic is fitted to the site, adjusted and tightened with a ratchet system,' she said.

Dr Buiting said some of her career's most 'eye-opening' moments came from her time spent treating elephants and rhinos in Africa.

'Sadly, a lot of animals there are facing severe pressures. From habitat loss to wildlife crime and animals being sold on the black market, Africa can truly be a brutal place,' she said.

The Aussie vet worked in South Africa, taking care of elephants from areas frequented by poachers.

Dr Buiting said some of her career's most 'eye-opening' moments came from her time spent treating elephants and rhinos in Africa

She spent time along the South Africa-Mozambique border, relocating elephants that were in danger of being killed for their tusks

Dr Buiting said everyday Australians can make small changes in their day-to-day lives to pitch in and help endangered animals

She spent time along the South Africa-Mozambique border, relocating elephants that were in danger of being killed for their tusks.

Dr Buiting said everyday Australians can make small changes in their day-to-day lives to pitch in and help endangered animals.

She said knowing what youre buying, where it came from, and what the environmental consequences of it are is a good place to start.
But the naturalist was pro abolition and wrote that slavery made is 'blood boil'

A university has been slammed by academics for putting Charles Darwin on a list of 'racist' scientists as part of a guide to 'decolonise' its biology curriculum.

Sheffield University has created a handbook for students and lecturers in its science department to help 'tackle racial injustice' by 'reflecting on the whiteness and Eurocentrism of our science'.

As part of the guide, the department created a list of 11 'problematic' scientific figures - including Darwin - whose views 'influenced the type of research they carried out and how they interpreted their data'.

An explanation next to the 19th century naturalist's name says that Darwin 'believed that his theory of natural selection justified the view that the white race was superior to others'.

But the guide provides no information about Darwin's strong support for the abolition of slavery, something he referred to as his 'sacred cause'.

Sheffield University has been slammed by academics for putting Charles Darwin (pictured) on a list of 'racist' scientists as part of a guide to 'decolonise' its biology curriculum

He also included his views on slavery in his notebooks following his five-year expedition of the globe on HMS Beagle.

Writing on his return from visiting the colonial world, he damned the slaver 'who has debased his Nature & violates every best instinctive feeling by making slave of his fellow black.'

'It makes one's blood boil to think that we Englishmen and our American descendants, with their boastful cry of liberty, have been and are so guilty,' he continued.

The handbook however says that the likes of Darwin must be historically caveated when lecturers teach his seminal theory of evolution.

It says his voyage on HMS Beagle, when he collected plant and animal samples, was to map colonies.

As part of the guide, the department created a list of 11 'problematic' scientific figures - including Darwin - whose views 'influenced the type of research they carried out and how they interpreted their data'

It also suggests dropping the use of the terms 'founding father', 'idols' and 'geniuses' to avoid 'hero worshipping' scientific figures.

'UK science is inherently white, since the discipline developed from the European scientific enlightenment,' it adds. 'When viewed in this way, it is clear that science cannot be objective and apolitical.'

The guidance has however received a negative reaction from academics, with some describing it as 'authoritarian' and 'arguably a violation of academic freedom'.

Professor James Moore, a biographer of Darwin, told The Telegraph: 'Almost everyone in Darwin's day was "racist" in 21st century terms, not only scientists and naturalists but even anti-slavery campaigners and abolitionists.

The guide also suggests dropping the use of the terms 'founding father', 'idols' and 'geniuses' to avoid 'hero worshipping' scientific figures

'Darwin's wokeness was most obvious in his maintaining the full common humanity and unity of the races in the face of a rising anthropology that insisted the races were in fact separately originated and unrelated species, thus offering justification of atrocities that Darwin is now blamed for.'

Prof Nigel Biggar, an Oxford historian, added that the assumption Darwin's 'colonial mapping' was about oppression was 'false' given that the British Empire was emancipating slaves at the time of Darwin's expiditions.

'Before propagating this ideology, did Sheffield University secure the consent of academic staff, and does it now allow for conscientious objection? If not, its conduct is authoritarian and arguably a violation of academic freedom.'

Other scientists named in the handbook include Julian Huxley, a supporter of the theory of natural selection who the Sheffield states 'believed that the lower classes were genetically inferior and should be prevented from reproducing and even sterilised'.

The handbook however admits Huxley was 'a strong critic of Nazi race-theory and published several anti-racist pieces'.

A University of Sheffield spokesman said: 'We are not removing key historical figures from our curriculum, but we are adding those who have also made significant contributions to the fields of maths, science and engineering that are not currently represented.'
Comes after two veterans were acquitted of killing IRA commander Joe McCann in 1972

But it has been revealed the ban also includes IRA atrocities carried out in Britain

Government plans to ban Troubles-related prosecutions will also halt investigations into mainland IRA attacks such as the Birmingham pub bombings, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Families of victims have told of their fury after learning the plans would stretch to include IRA attacks on the mainland.

Terrorist attacks on the UK mainland were not covered as part of the prisoners' early release scheme in the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement.

But the Mail on Sunday has learned the government is planning to extend an effective ban on prosecutions to include IRA atrocities carried out in Britain.

Asked whether a proposed 'statute of limitations' would apply to the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings and other terrorist attacks on the mainland, a government source confirmed: 'It would be all Troubles-related deaths.'

The Mail has learned the government is planning to extend an effective ban on prosecutions on Troubles-related incidents to include IRA atrocities carried out in Britain, such as the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings (pictured)

The proposals have been criticised as an effective 'amnesty' with a fierce backlash from victims' groups and those on both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland.

Relatives of those killed by the IRA have campaigned for attacks, including the Birmingham pub bombings, to be re-investigated by authorities.

In 2019 an inquest ruled the 21 victims of bombs at the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs in Birmingham were unlawfully killed.

It did not establish who was responsible but in November a 65-year-old man from Belfast was arrested in connection with the investigation and later released.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the Birmingham bombings, said of the government plans: 'It's a disgrace. Murder is murder and these people should be brought to justice.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the Birmingham bombings, said of the government plans: 'It's a disgrace. Murder is murder and these people should be brought to justice'

'We've had 47 years and waiting and here they are kicking us again to give another amnesty to terrorists.

'Why does the government want to allow despicable murderers to walk free?'

It is also understood the government is still considering whether the plans could bring a stop to cases currently in the courts.

Officials are understood to be wary of discussing the move as negotiations are still at a delicate stage.

The development could mean the end of trials into veterans charged over shootings during the Troubles and former IRA man John Downey who is set to face trial for the murder of two Ulster Defence Regiment volunteers in a bomb attack in 1972.

Last week the trial of two paratrooper veterans, both in their 70s, over the fatal shooting of IRA commander Joe McCann collapsed after a judge ruled the evidence was inadmissible.

Another four Northern Ireland veterans have been charged with offences including murder relating to shootings dating back to 1972.

It comes after news at least 16 British Army veterans facing charges over shootings during the Troubles will have their cases reviewed following the collapse of a landmark trial. Pictured: A British soldier sits on patrol in the Falls Road area of Belfast in July 1970

A further 12 are awaiting decisions on charges in relation to incidents almost 50 years ago.

Charlie Eames, a clergyman and former policeman whose uncle James Eames was allegedly killed by Mr Downey, said: 'I'm disgusted by this.

'How can you stop a case that is already in the courts? People should be brought justice where there is evidence.'

Former Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer, who marched with around 400 people in protest at the fresh investigations into former soldiers yesterday, has also criticised the proposals.

On Tuesday the Queen's Speech announcement will merely repeat previous pledges to introduce legislation to 'address the legacy of the Troubles' as 'no final legislative decisions have been made'.

But it is understood the current plans would establish a 'truth and reconciliation' process similar to that used in post-apartheid South Africa, where individuals can come forward to give evidence without fear of prosecution.

A government source said: 'A statute of limitations is one of the things under consideration.

'It would be a way to encourage greater disclosure of information for victims' families and encourage meaningful efforts towards reconciliation.

'There would not be the threat of prosecution hanging over people.

'It could take 20 years to go over every one of the 3,500 Troubles-related deaths.

'Twenty more years of Northern Ireland not being able to move on is not something anyone would want.'

However, lawyers for victims groups warned against a blanket ban on prosecutions and said it should only be granted to individuals who agree to give evidence to any inquiry.

Matthew Jury, of McCue & Partners, said: 'If the government proceeds with this proposal, amnesties should only be given to those who actively and effectively engage in the truth and reconciliation process. They can't be unconditional.'
A former modelling boss is assisting French detectives who are investigating historic allegations of rape and sexual abuse at the Elite agency.

The whistle-blower claims top executives had a scoreboard they called 'the podium of p***y' where they awarded points for bedding women with more points for virgins and younger models.

French prosecutors revealed last year they were investigating allegations of rape and sexual abuse made against former agency boss Gerald Marie.

The claims, which Marie has strenuously denied, were made by 13 women - four of whom are British.

Gerald Marie de Castellac (left), the ex-husband of supermodel Linda Evangelista (right), is the subject of an investigation by French authorities after 13 women accused him of sexual abuse

They say they were assaulted during the 1980s and 1990s while working with Marie, the former European head of Elite.

Now, businessman Omar Harfouch, who has worked with the agency, is reportedly assisting French authorities with their investigation and has shed light on the culture he claims to have witnessed, according to the Sunday Times.

Mr Harfouch, who worked with Elite over three years, told the newspaper: 'I explained to the police, to help them in their investigation, how it worked.

'Gerald [Marie] and a few bookers from the agency had a board where they would write down who slept with the most women. The criteria for this competition was their ages.

Lebanese businessman Omar Harfouch has said he is helping detectives with the investigation and described Marie as a 'sexual predator' who used 'vulgar' language to talk about women

'The younger they were, the more points, and the more virgins, the more points. At the end of each fashion week, they would compare their exploits.'

Harfouch, whose relationship with the agency ended acrimoniously, described Marie as a 'sexual predator' and said he often used 'vulgar' language when speaking about women.

Lisa Brinkworth, a 53-year-old former BBC journalist, is one of the lead complainants in the investigation, claiming Marie sexually assaulted her in 1998 while she was working undercover to expose sexual crimes in the fashion industry.

She told the Times she was 'so grateful' that Harfouch has spoken out and urged other executives to do the same.

American model and former face of Calvin Klein Carrie Otis, 51, has also accused Marie of raping her when she was 17 while working in Paris.

The former face of Calvin Klein first spoke out about her experience in an explosive memoir in 2011.

A spokeswoman for Elite World Group, which owns Elite's European agencies told the newspaper: 'Gerald Marie has never worked at Elite World Group. We find these alleged criminal acts egregious and abhorrent.'

Elite is now made up of two companies with US and European arms. Marie worked for the European company up to 2010.
Sixth formers at a top grammar school have sent a newsletter to the pupils as young as 11 explaining how to bind their breasts.

The move has prompted the Safe Schools Alliance to report Nonsuch High School for girls in Cheam, Surrey to the Department of Education.

In a statement,the school, which is headed by Amy Cavilla, defended the newsletter, saying it aims to 'inform and promote understanding of LGBTQ+ issues'.

Sixth formers at a Nonsuch High School in Cheam, Surrey have sent a newsletter to the pupils as young as 11 explaining how to bind their breasts

The move has prompted the Safe Schools Alliance to report Nonsuch High School for girls in Cheam, Surrey to the Department of Education. Headteacher Amy Cavilla is pictured above

The newsletter instructed people on how to bind their breasts for a 'flatter, more masculine appearance' as well as included links to sites with more information on the practice.

According to a report in The Times, if chest binding was too uncomfortable, surgery to remove breast tissue was suggested.

'My fear is that girls will follow these links. I cannot understand why a newsletter would be produced for girls in a school with such information, especially those as young as 11.' a mother with two daughters at the school told the publication.

'I cannot understand why a school would tell girls that you can bind your breasts so tightly that it harms your breasts and then if it hurts that they can chop their breasts off.

'Why are they telling my children this?'

Nonsuch last had a school inspection in 2013, which found that it 'continues to be good' and celebrates diversity among students

The Safe Schools Alliance referred the school to the Department of Education, describing the newsletter as 'disturbing'.

In a statement, the school said of the newsletter, written by the LGBTQ+ student society, had the intention of 'communicating safety advice to young people who may be considering risky practices ... Interest and curiosity are not necessarily fixed to a specific age group.

'Information can safeguard children seeking answers to questions they may have that they cannot find safely in isolation.'

Nonsuch last had a school inspection in 2013, which found that it 'continues to be good' and celebrates diversity among students.
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Nicola Sturgeon is facing warnings that her own lawyers could block her independence push - after Michael Gove urged her to focus on fixing the NHS rather than breaking up the UK.

The Scottish Tories have called on the Lord Advocate, the law chief north of the border, to make clear to Ms Sturgeon that she does not have powers to trigger a vote without Boris Johnson's permission.

The intervention came as Ms Sturgeon appeared to back off her timetable for another ballot, merely suggesting she might try to bring forward legislation next year.

Meanwhile, Mr Gove said Ms Sturgeon should think again about her 'priorities' in the wake of the Holyrood results, where the nationalists saw a boost in support but failed to reach the high bar of gaining complete control.

Mr Gove pointed out that in 2011, before the 2014 independence referendum was triggered, the SNP had managed to get an overall majority - adding that unionists received more votes overall in this election.

He told Sky News that if Scots were asked whether they wanted politicians to concentrate on the the health service or the constitutional settlement it would be the 'NHS by a landslide'.

However, Mr Gove suggested the UK government itself will not go to court to block an attempt by Ms Sturgeon to hold a wildcat referendum. 'We're not going to go there,' he said.

Boris Johnson last night threw down the gauntlet to Ms Sturgeon over Scottish independence by urging her to join a UK-wide council of war to rebuild the nation after Covid.

The Prime Minister called on Ms Sturgeon to join 'Team UK' to tackle the legacy of the pandemic - but she immediately appeared to reject the offer by mocking the 'supposedly clever manoeuvre'.

Mr Johnson's invitation will be seen as a move to head off demands for another independence referendum by tying Ms Sturgeon into a national rebuilding exercise.

He congratulated the SNP leader on her success in the elections, before saying he believed 'passionately' that 'the interests of people across the UK and in particular the people of Scotland are best served when we work together'.

Michael Gove told Sky News that if Scots were asked whether they wanted politicians to concentrate on the the health service or the constitutional settlement it would be the 'NHS by a landslide'

Boris Johnson (right) has said there should not be another Scots independence referendum for decades. Ms Sturgeon (left in Edinburgh today) insists a majority of MSPs in the Scottish parliament stood on a manifesto supporting a referendum

The Conservative Party smashed through further parts of the red wall, but failed to gain significant ground in Scotland and Wales, according to this week's election results

Citing the success of the vaccine rollout 'from Gretna to John o'Groats', he said: 'This is Team UK in action.'

Mr Johnson also invited First Ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland to the Covid summit 'to discuss our shared challenges and how we can work together in the coming months and years to overcome them'.

But Ms Sturgeon dismissed the offer today, insisting she had received a mandate from Scots for another independence attempt - even though both sides agreed the 2014 contest was a 'once in a generation' decision.

'For this to end up in court, which is not something I ever want to see, it would mean a Conservative government had refused to respect the democratic wishes of the Scottish people and the outcome of a democratic election and tried to go to the Supreme Court to overturn Scottish democracy,' she told the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

Ms Sturgeon said she 'wouldn't rule out' legislation on a referendum being tabled at Holyrood early next year.

The SNP leader added: 'The people of Scotland re-elected me as First Minister with the first task of continuing to steer us through this pandemic, getting us into recovery.

'Then, of course, there is a question about what kind of recovery do we want? What kind of country are we rebuilding to?

'That brings into sharp focus where do decisions lie. I am not sure the kind of recovery Boris Johnson envisages is one that the majority of people in Scotland would support.'

She insisted the SNP would 'lay out frankly the challenges an independent Scotland would face' in advance of any referendum vote.

Speaking about a possible transition to independence, she stated: 'I am not saying it would be challenge-free, but it is absolutely the right thing for Scotland because it puts control over our future and the kind of country we become into our own hands.'

Ms Sturgeon said an independent Scotland would initially continue to use the pound, saying it 'is likely to be a period of years' before it could look to set up its own currency.

65 seats are needed for a majority in the Scottish Parliament

However, she did not address the fact that all new entrants to the EU are obliged to join the Euro.

On the 'team UK' summit being convened by Mr Johnson, she said: 'I will work with the Prime Minister and anybody in the interests of Covid recovery, of course I will, I have done it all through the last year.'

But she swiped: 'I also want to be in a position where our decisions around the Covid recovery long-term are not dependent on decisions Boris Johnson takes.

'Because I guess at some point we will find out that takes Scotland in a direction we don't want to go in.'

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross told reporters this afternoon that Ms Sturgeon was 'focusing her argument on a hypothetical court battle to perhaps distract attention from the fact that she has now, on two occasions, failed to secure a majority government'.

He insisted the Lord Advocate could play an 'absolutely crucial' role in the future of the UK, saying the senior law officer must 'uphold the competency of what the Scottish Government can and cannot do'.

Mr Ross said: 'If the Lord Advocate does not believe something is within the competence of the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliament he is there in his dual role as both the most senior legal adviser to the First Minister and the Scottish Government, and of course a member of the Scottish Government cabinet.

'His role, or whoever is in that position if there is any change, is absolutely crucial.

'And of course they have a Scotland Act to base their decisions on in terms of competency in what the Scottish Government can and cannot do.'

Mr Ross, who was returned to Holyrood on Thursday, continued: 'Nicola Sturgeon is framing this as a battle believes she can force the Government into, to take the Scottish Government to court.

'But let's look at the Scotland Act and what the Scottish Government have within their own competencies. And I think currently Nicola Sturgeon is jumping many steps ahead.'

Mr Ross insisted: 'It is not within the competency of the Scottish Parliament to hold another independence referendum. In 2014 we had the gold standard, which was one which had secured a section 30 order.

'And I would expect the holder of the office of Lord Advocate to uphold the competency of what the Scottish Government can and cannot do.'

Mr Gove said the question of whether a referendum will happen is 'not an issue for the moment', while stressing that 'of course' the Scottish people have a democratic right to break away if they want to.

'Of course, the people of Scotland, as we saw in the referendum in 2014, they have that right, but it is absolutely important that we concentrate now on the issues in front of us,' he said.

'Of course, one of the things to bear in mind is that while Nicola Sturgeon obviously secured a good result, the SNP did not get a majority in this election as they did in 2011.

Ms Sturgeon on the steps outside Bute House in Edinburgh this afternoon after the SNP delivered another strong election showing - but fell short of an overall majority

Ms Sturgeon gave the thumbs up as she returned to her office following the dramatic voting on Super Thursday

Douglas Ross, pictured second left with his MSPs at Holyrood today, has said the Scottish Lord Advocate should stop Nicola Sturgeon trying to call a referendum without Westminster's permission

'In 2011 the SNP under Alex Salmond got a majority, a referendum then followed. It's important to remember that at that time every party in the Scottish Parliament thought that it was appropriate to hold a referendum then.'

Asked whether the Westminster government would take legal action to block a second border poll, Mr Gove said: 'No, what're working on doing at the moment is working together to deal with all the challenges that we face across the whole United Kingdom.

'If we get sucked into a conversation about referenda and constitutions then we are diverting attention from the issues that are most important to the people in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.

'I hope that what people want from a Holyrood government, and also from the Westminster government, is a commitment to work together on these issues.

'So, instead of concentrating on the things that divide, let's concentrate on the things that unite and let's concentrate on all of us to work together to serve the people that just vote for us.'

Referencing the SNP's desire for a second referendum, Mr Gove added it was 'a slightly skewed set of priorities to imagine that that is the most important issue' in the light of the pandemic recovery.

Pressed on whether the UK Government would look to block legislation from the Scottish Parliament pushing for a second referendum, Mr Gove said: 'We are not going to go there.'

He added: 'I think if you had a referendum on the question of whether or not they should be talking about the constitution or the NHS, I think it would be the NHS by a landslide.'

To the relief of No 10, the SNP fell just short of the 65 seats needed to win an outright majority at Holyrood.

The SNP eventually secured 64 seats. The Conservatives won 31, with 22 to Labour, the Greens on 8 and the Lib Dems on 4. Alex Salmond's new Alba party failed to win a seat.

With the Green candidates also standing on a mandate to hold another referendum in the next five years, it means the London Government is facing a coalition in favour of such a vote. But Ms Sturgeon's hopes of an outright majority were dashed when tactical pro-unionist voting helped the Tories to hold Aberdeenshire West by more than 3,000 votes.

Despite Mr Johnson's implacable opposition, the SNP leader vowed to push ahead with plans for a rerun of the 2014 referendum, leading to the prospect of a Supreme Court battle between Holyrood and Westminster.

Ms Sturgeon said that rejecting her party's calls would amount to a refusal 'to accept Scottish democracy'. The most recent polls have shown Scottish voters split roughly 50/50 on independence.

As the count continued yesterday, it was clear the SNP would fall one single seat short of an overall majority

Mr Johnson, pictured with the new Tory MP for Hartlepool, Jill Mortimer, left, has written to the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland inviting them to a summit to discuss a post-Covid recovery plan

In his letter to Ms Sturgeon, Mr Johnson said: 'While the UK's broad shoulders have supported jobs and business the length of the country, we know that economic recovery will be a serious shared responsibility because the pandemic's dam-age runs deep... from hours of lost school learning, to backlogs in the NHS and courts. Overcoming them will require the same spirit of unity and co-operation which marked our fight against the pandemic.'

Mr Johnson concluded his letter by saying: 'I am confident that by learning from each other we will be able to build back better.'

However, yesterday senior Tories accused Ministers of making a 'strategic' tactical error early in the pandemic that gave the SNP in Scotland and Labour in Wales a 'slam dunk' electoral boost.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory party leader, told The Mail on Sunday that using health service legislation rather than the UK-wide Emergency Powers Act 'meant 'we had Drakeford and Sturgeon up in front of the cameras day in, day out, laying claim to successes that were in fact the UK Government's, like vaccines.'

A senior Government source confirmed the choice of legislation 'unquestionably shored up the Labour and SNP vote. The fact Sturgeon can appear before the nation for more than a year, talking about matters of public health, has had an effect, there is no shadow of a doubt.'

It is understood the decision to use the health legislation was argued by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. A source said he 'underestimated how devious Sturgeon and Drakeford were going to be in taking credit for policies'.

And writing in today's Mail on Sunday, former Tory Chancellor Lord Lamont said the possibility of a Scottish breakaway 'is so real and so damaging that, from now on, this threat demands the Prime Minister's attention above all else'.

Last night, Mr Johnson said: 'These results are an instruction to us to keep our focus on what matters  more jobs and investment, better public services and levelling up opportunity in every single community.

'Voters have put their trust in Conservative representatives, councillors and mayors and we must deliver for them. We will have a laser-like focus on the people's priorities.'

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory party leader, told The Mail on Sunday that using health service legislation rather than the UK-wide Emergency Powers Act 'meant 'we had Drakeford and Sturgeon up in front of the cameras day in, day out, laying claim to successes that were in fact the UK Government's, like vaccines'

Wealthy Tories with the Queen as a neighbour save the Union... for now: Victory in Aberdeen West where the Royals holiday at Balmoral stops SNP majority

By Patricia Kane for The Mail on Sunday

In the face of a Nationalist tsunami sweeping Scotland, one tiny pocket of the nation managed to thwart the SNP's bid to seal an overall majority and put a dent in its bid for separation.

Aberdeenshire West  the constituency that takes in the Queen's Highland home of Balmoral  had been a key target for Nicola Sturgeon and a win would have given her a firm moral mandate to hold a repeat of the 2014 independence referendum.

But voters just outside the Granite City threw their weight behind the union with the SNP kept at bay in second place by the Conservative incumbent, Alexander Burnett, who even managed to increase his vote share.

Tactical voting by pro-Union supporters played a part, with many Labour and Liberal Democrat voters temporarily 'lending' their vote to the Conservatives who stood the best chance against the separatists.

Crown connection: The Queen's Balmoral summer holiday home, pictured above, lies within the constituency, which had been a key target for Nicola Sturgeon

Last night, Mr Burnett, who saw his share of the vote go up 9.1 per cent, said he was 'absolutely delighted' at the 'resounding support for his party' in the constituency, which was the only seat in the whole of the north east of Scotland that the SNP failed to win.

He said: 'If we have the mantle or title that stopped the SNP getting a majority, I am happy to take that.

'I am under no illusions that some of the people who voted for me are not always people who vote Conservative and I'm very grateful and appreciative to Liberal Democrats and Labour who lent me their vote this time.'

The constituency takes in Royal Deeside in the south, including the Balmoral estate, widely thought to be the Queen's favourite residence.

While famously never entering into political debate, the monarch said in 2014 ahead of the Scottish independence referendum that she hoped 'people will think very carefully about the future'.

The area's rich Royal heritage boosts its tourism, while the local oil and gas industry has helped make it one of the most affluent areas in the country.

One key issue was thought to be Brexit, with the impact on food exports from the largely agricultural area thought to be an influence on how people might vote. But the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on tourism, concerns about the oil and gas industry in a post-Covid recovery and views on independence also all played a part.

Mr Burnett, a Banchory-based property developer and business owner, was up against Fergus Mutch, the SNP's former head of communications, who lives in Braemar.

A map showing the results in Scotland. Many Labour and Liberal Democrat voters temporarily 'lent' their vote to the Conservatives who stood the best chance against the separatists

The law graduate previously worked as a parliamentary assistant to Alex Salmond when he was Scotland's First Minister. In the end, Mr Burnett polled 19,709 votes to Mr Mutch's 16,319.

Tactical voting in Galloway and West Dumfries is also thought to have played a part in incumbent Finlay Carson not only seeing off a challenge by the SNP's Emma Harper but increasing his majority.

His win now completes a Tory blue frontline along the border between Scotland and England, while much of the rest of the country is SNP yellow.

Ms Sturgeon was hoping to reach the 65-seat majority mark to give her a stronger mandate to hold a repeat of the 2014 independence referendum, despite Boris Johnson saying now is not the time.

She is certain to remain First Minister, possibly pursuing a coalition with the pro-independence Greens, setting up a constitutional battle for Scotland's future.

Ms Sturgeon upped the ante last night, by warning that any legal attempts to block a new referendum would 'fly in the face of Scottish democracy.' She has vowed to push ahead with plans for a Scottish referendum, while the PM insisted he would not back the 'irresponsible' move that could break up the union.

Any attempt by Scottish politicians unilaterally to try to hold a referendum would lead to a Supreme Court battle between Holyrood and Westminster.
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Police have been given more time to question a man in his 20s who was arrested in connection with the death of PSCO Julia James.

Detectives arrested a British man after the PCSO's daughter urged a potential witness who posted information on Facebook to contact the police.

Kent Police were last night questioning the suspect from the Canterbury area, following their appeal on Friday for help in identifying a mystery man deemed to be of 'crucial importance' to their investigation.

Officers have been granted a 36-hour extension to his detention.

Responding to the appeal, a woman came forward and posted information on the Facebook page. Though it was buried by dozens of other posts, it was spotted by Mrs James' daughter Bethan Coles, also a police officer.

Ms Coles, 31, urged the woman: 'Please go to the police if you have any information. We would be so grateful x.' The woman, who did not want to be named, later posted to say that she had made contact with officers.

It comes after forensic teams were yesterday seen searching a property in Aylesham, a village just a mile away from where 53-year-old Mrs James was discovered dead on April 27, next to woods in the hamlet of Snowdown.

The National Crime Agency said it was still supporting the local force with officers from its Major Crime Investigative Support unit as well as giving them access to specialists.

Neighbours of Mrs James earlier said they are too scared to leave home alone amid fears the killer could be someone they know. Women are frightened to walk their dogs on their own and the local running club has told members they should exercise in pairs.

Kira and Sam Mandon-Jones, who walked their rescue dog Mocha two weeks ago in the wood near where Mrs James' body was found, said they will no longer take that route.

And a woman called Annette now refuses to take her border terrier Sidney to the area by herself, saying she 'definitely wouldn't go over the fields'.

Meanwhile Mrs James' husband Paul broke his silence to write on Facebook 'I miss you so much Luvly xxx' under an image of the two.

Detectives arrested a British man in his 20s in connection with the murder of PCSO Julia James (left) after her daughter Bethan Coles (right) urged a potential witness who posted information on Facebook to contact the police

Responding to the appeal, a woman came forward and posted information on the Facebook page. Though it was buried by dozens of other posts, it was spotted by Mrs James' daughter Bethan Coles, also a police officer

Women are frightened to walk their dogs on their own and the local running club has told members to run in pairs after the 53-year-old (pictured) was killed in Snowdown, Kent, on April 27

Two forensic police officers carry away materials from the house in Aylesham, Kent as they continued their searches

Police taped off the house in Aylesham as forensic officers conducted searches. Two officers stood outside the detached property on a new build housing estate on the outskirts of the village

Kira and Sam Mandon-Jones, who walked their rescue dog Mocha two weeks ago in the wood near where Mrs James' body was found, said they will no longer take that route. Pictured: Mrs James with her Jack Russell Toby

Police yesterday taped off the house in Aylesham as forensic officers conducted searches. Two officers stood outside the detached property on the new build housing estate on the outskirts of the village.

Officers with clipboards were going door to door speaking to people living in surrounding houses.

A neighbour living further up the road, who asked to remain anonymous, said they first saw police tape around the house when they woke up yesterday.

Kent Police said in a statement: 'A search at a property in Sunshine Corner Avenue, Aylesham is linked to enquiries being made in relation to the murder of Julia James. There is no further guidance at this stage.'

The update came after officers arrested the British man - who is in his 20s and from the Canterbury area - eight miles from the crime scene.

A police spokesman said: 'Officers investigating the death of Julia James have arrested a man in connection with her murder. A man in his 20s from the Canterbury area was arrested at 9.30pm on Friday 7 May 2021, and remains in custody.'

Forensic teams on the scene in Aylesham are pictured during their searches of the house. It comes after they arrested s suspect last night

Forensics officers continued to remove evidence from an address in Aylesham, Kent following the arrest of a man in his 20s in connection with the murder of PCSO Julia James

Despite the arrest, police continue seek the assistance from members of the public who may have been in the Snowdown area between 1pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday, April 27

NSIOA Noel McHugh, from the NCA's Major Crime Investigative Support unit, added: 'The NCA is providing a significant amount of our niche capabilities in support of this high-priority investigation led by Kent Police. While we cannot go into any further detail in order to protect the investigation, I hope outlining the breadth of our work illustrates our commitment to seeking justice for Julia'

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards said: 'We continue to urge anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to contact us.

'If you were in the Snowdown area between 1pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday 27 April, please contact us.

'This includes anyone local who may have seen something out of place at the time, or who came across someone who made them feel uneasy - such as feeling compelled to cross the road or change the route they were walking.'

NSIOA Noel McHugh, from the NCA's Major Crime Investigative Support unit, added: 'The NCA is providing a significant amount of our niche capabilities in support of this high-priority investigation led by Kent Police.

'While we cannot go into any further detail in order to protect the investigation, I hope outlining the breadth of our work illustrates our commitment to seeking justice for Julia.

'MCIS officers are extremely experienced in supporting such investigations and, along with the wider NCA, work closely with police forces throughout the UK every day as part of our collective, whole system response to tackle serious crime.'

Masked police officers talk outside the house being searched by forensic officers. It comes after they arrested a suspect in the case

Police officers from Kent Constabulary are pictured holding clipboards as they stand outside the house being searched

Police cars line a road in Kent in connection with the murder of Mrs James on Saturday morning. Searches were conducted near where her body was found in a field

Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said he did not know who the killer was, if they were a man or woman, what weapon was used nor any motive. A post-mortem found she died from significant head injuries.

Mrs James' husband Paul, 57, changed his Facebook profile picture to he and Mrs James and wrote: 'I miss you so much Luvly xxx'. It is believed to be the first time Mr James has commented.

He also used a 'Help us find #justiceforjulia' frame around the picture - which Mrs James' son in law Chase Coles said more than 8,600 have added to help the family's appeal.

Kent Police this week expanded their search area around the small village and have been looking for clues at several locations, including the woodland.

And Crimestoppers was offering a reward of up to 10,000 for information leading to the conviction of Mrs James' killer.

Commenting on the reward on Facebook, Mr Coles wrote: 'Huge thank you to Crime Stoppers who are now offering a 10,000 reward for anyone with crucial information.

'Please, we have to keep sharing all we can! Someone knows something! Julia was taken from us in such a barbaric way. No family should have to endure this.

'We need to find the inhuman and absolute evil person responsible before it happens again! They cannot be allowed to walk among us!'

A officer speaks to another as he holds a serious crime scene log as forensics conducted their searches on Saturday morning

The image of the man - which shows him wearing a black hoodie and carrying a duffle bag - was hoped to mark a major breakthrough for baffled Kent Police. But they later said they needed no more information about him after he was identified

Paul James, 57, changed his Facebook profile picture to he and Mrs James and commented underneath it: 'I miss you so much Luvly xxx'

It is believed to be the first time Mr James has commented publicly since Mrs James, 53, was found bludgeoned to death in woodland with a 'severe traumatic injury' near her home in Snowdown, Kent, on Tuesday, April 27

Detectives 'do not know the motive of the attack' or if killer was a random stranger A number of key issues were raised at a press conference into the murder: 'Motiveless attack' Assistant Chief Constable of Kent Police Tom Richards said detectives investigating the murder of PCSO Julia James are still are not aware of a motive and have not made any arrests. Speaking eight days after the incident, he told a press conference he is keeping 'an open mind', adding: 'I do not know the motive of this attack. I do not know if it's somebody she knew. 'I do not know if it's a stranger attack, of course that possibility is particularly frightening to local residents.' Appeal for witnesses He said he wants to hear from people who were in the location on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of last week. 'We're genuinely interested in any information. If anybody has got any concerns, any suspicions, we really want to hear about it,' he said. 'Most experienced investigators' working on the case ACC Tom Richards said the PCSO Julia James case is 'a hugely challenging investigation', adding: 'Of course in many, many such investigations we have a suspect right from the outset or very, very early on.' He said the 'most experienced investigators' are working on the case. 'It's why we're keeping that open mind and we're looking at every single possibility, but of course it's why I'm appealing today for as much assistance from the public as possible. 'I think the public are one of our most important assets in this investigation. 'They've been absolutely fantastic in their support, but I do need that to continue. 'I'm hoping the picture we've released today might just spark a memory in someone,' he said. Murder is 'number one priority' for force Kent Police is treating the case of murdered PCSO Julia James as its 'number one priority', the force's assistant chief constable Tom Richards has said. Speaking at Folkestone Police Station on Wednesday afternoon, he told reporters: 'I'm confident we're going to put absolutely every effort into it, we're meeting with the family, we're giving them those reassurances, this is the number one priority for Kent Police at the moment. 'This type of attack is incredibly rare, we're not linking it to any other offences which makes it a particularly difficult investigation. 'But we've got the very best staff working and every resource necessary dedicated to this inquiry.' Advertisement

A special 'Justice for Julia' Facebook page was also set up on Thursday in an attempt to 'Turn Facebook blue for Julia' to keep her at the forefront of people's minds.

While Kent Police said they did not know what the murder weapon was, Chief Constable Pughsley told BBC Radio Kent Mrs James was killed in the 'most brutal of circumstances'.

When asked whether the killer had struck before, Mr Pughsley said: 'I hope not.'

The chief constable said he has asked national police forces to help in their investigations to take the pressure of worn out Kent officers who are working '24 hours, seven days a week'.

He said the National Crime Agency was drafted in to investigate the 'style of the attack', as well as the killer's motive.

Other officers will help with door-to-door inquiries for the next four to six weeks, he added, while some work on the 'painstaking' inch-by-inch finger search of the scene where Mrs James' body was found.

He said: 'It's a massive case. As you would imagine we throw absolutely everything at every murder and this is a murder of Julia in the most brutal of circumstances on April 27.

'So pretty much since that time we've had hundreds and hundreds of officers and staff working 24 hours, seven days a week.'

He added: 'We're about to go to national police forces to ask for some help on that, that went out on my behalf yesterday.

'And as you would expect pretty much every single chief constable in the land is offering whatever assistance they can to help find the murderer.'

He said the force did not know the motive for Mrs James' murder, but said they have 'a really wide mind to why this has happened'.

Mr Pughsley added: 'We do not at this time have a focused suspect. We have lots of lines of inquiry, lots of people to think about, lots of work to do.

'But we need to just get that little bit of luck, little bit of public information, little bit of forensic examination to come back to identify this individual so we can capture him or her.'

When asked why he was reaching out to national forces, he replied: 'So there's probably three things.

'The style of the attack. We've got expertise from the national crime agency who have been really helpful with regards to motive and/or any other reason this person may have done that, so there's some specialism coming in from the NCA.

'We've got lots of detectives doing house to house and investigative work. But also, as much as they don't want to, they need a little bit of a rest every now and again.

'So we've got detectives coming in from other forces to help us for the next maybe four to six weeks. And then we've got the painstaking, but incredibly important, inch-by-inch finger search of the scene which as you know was a massive rural area.

'We are looking for that tiny piece of evidence whether it be on an exit route or an entry route or somewhere along the way to identify and again tie in the murderer. As for the suspect, we are not narrow on that.

'We are looking anywhere for the suspect, whether or not he or she travelled into the area, whether they're from the area, whether they're a Kent resident, whether they're further afield.

'It matters not to us. We are looking wide and broad for him or her.' He said the force is 'not 100 per cent sure' on what weapon was used to kill Mrs James.

He added: 'It was a severe traumatic injury to Julia but it would be wrong to talk about what style of weapon was used until we: One, have the suspect and two, have some more detail about the weapon that was used.'

Mrs James was found near her home in Snowdown, Kent, on April 27. Pictured: Police continuing their search around the Spinney Lane area on Thursday

Officer were seen to enter the former Snowdown Colliery at around 1pm on Thursday afternoon as part of their search

Police vans on Thursday parked outside a former colliery site near PCSO Mrs James' home as the police search for clues in relation to her death

Kent Police's Assistant Chief Constable Tom Richards held a press briefing (pictured)

When asked if the killer had struck before he said: 'To be fair, I don't know. That's a brutally honest answer. I don't know.

'Because we don't know yet who the killer is. I hope not and we're going to do everything we can to try and capture this person as quickly as we possibly can.'

Appealing to the attacker, he said: 'You will never ever ever completely get away with this. You'll have to keep looking over your shoulder and at some stage we'll be there to get you and we will get you. The best thing you can do is hand yourself in.'

On Tuesday police patrols stopped a total of 449 cars and spoke to drivers and passengers who could have information.

The force on Thursday released a map of the local area, saying they remain keen to hear from anyone who was inside a red section of fields between 1pm and 4.30pm on the day Mrs James was murdered.

Mick Duthie, director of operations at charity Crimestoppers, announced a reward of up to 10,000 for any anonymous information that leads to the conviction of Mrs James' killer.

He said: 'The public, like our charity, have been horrified at this heart-breaking loss of such an innocent life. Our thoughts are very much with Julia's family and friends at this terrible time.

'Crimestoppers is here to help people who  for whatever reason  won't or can't speak directly to the police, but want to do the right thing. By contacting our charity with information, we guarantee that you will stay 100 per cent anonymous.

Search teams on Thursday expanded their perimeter and could be seen examining hedgerows and a field around a mile away from a white forensic tent where Mrs James' body was found

'We're not interested in who you are and will never ask for your details  all we want is information, however small, that might help find those behind this murder.

'Julia's life has mercilessly been taken away. If you know who was involved, please remember our charity's unique service guaranteeing your anonymity is here for you.

'Crimestoppers has been taking crime information since our charity began in the late 1980s. Every day over a thousand people contact us online and over the phone.

'By contacting us, you can help  anonymously  to have the person behind Julia's murder face up to the consequences of their violent actions and you may even prevent someone else from coming to harm.

'Our UK Contact Centre is open 24/7 on 0800 555 111 or you can use our simple and secure anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.'

Meanwhile, it emerged this week detectives believe Mrs James left her home only around an hour before she was found bludgeoned to death.

She had taken her beloved Jack Russell Toby out for a walk when she was brutally attacked. Detectives hunting the killer tested the dog for forensic clues to try and track down her murderer.

Police had not previously revealed what time she left the house in the quiet hamlet near Dover, where she was working that afternoon, before her body was discovered at 4.08pm.

But a new appeal for information leaflet now suggests that Mrs James set off just after 3pm once she finished her shift.

It was only around 60 minutes later members of the public found her dead on a public bridle path on the edge of Ackholt Wood, and called the police.

The flyer being handed out locally read: 'Kent Police is keen to speak to anyone who is yet to come forward with information about the murder of PCSO Julia James.

'Julia was found next to Ackholt Wood, near to Aylesham Road, Snowdown, at around 4pm on Tuesday 27 April 2021. She had been out walking her dog having left her home in The Crescent nearby just after 3pm.'

It urged anyone who was in the remote area on Monday or Tuesday who may have seen anything unusual or suspicious to call Kent Police.

Police also released a picture of Mrs James with Toby wearing the same clothes she was in before she was bludgeoned to death on a remote country footpath.

Mrs James' nephews Ryan and Dan have said their aunt's 'smile and humour could light up the darkest of rooms'.

They wrote in a heartbreaking tribute on a bunch of flowers left in Aylesham's historic market square: 'Auntie Julia. We all miss you so very much.

'Your smile and humour could light up the darkest of rooms. Words can't describe how much we all miss you. The world is most certainly a better place for having you in it. All our love. Ryan and Dan.'

Another floral tribute had a card titled 'with fond memories of sister-in-law' which read: 'Words can't say how much we will miss you. A beautiful soul inside and out. Rest in peace. Robert and Sharon.'

Kent Police's East Kent Task Force Team also left a bunch of flowers. Their tribute read: 'PCSO Julia James. Thank you for your service. You are truly missed from your police family.'

It was accompanied with the #justiceforjulia hashtag which is being used on social media to help keep the murder in the public eye.

Another card read: 'With heartfelt condolences from the women of Reclaim These Streets Deal. R.I.P Julia.'
Six returned travellers have tested positive to Covid while in hotel quarantine in Victoria.

The cases recorded on Sunday were a child, a teenage boy, and four adults in their 20s, 40s and 50s.

It's the largest number of daily hotel cases since Victoria's quarantine system reopened on April 8 following an extensive overhaul of its program.

Six returned travellers have tested positive to Covid while in hotel quarantine in Victoria

Three people in Victoria, who have tested negative, are in isolation for two weeks after visiting Covid exposure sites in Sydney after an infected man in his 50s visited several venues.

NSW Health is still unclear how the infected eastern suburbs man caught the virus, which shared the same genomic sequencing as a returned traveller from the US in quarantine.

Most current coronavirus-related restrictions across Greater Sydney will be extended for another week except for mask use in retail settings.

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.

The cases recorded on Sunday were a child, a teenage boy, and four adults in their 20s, 40s and 50s

Meanwhile, Australia's border will stay shut until 2022 as the federal government targets COVID suppression, while the opposition says a sluggish vaccination rollout will affect future freedom.

The 'tragic' events in India are a reminder of the threat still posed by the virus and there will be an assumption in this week's budget of borders opening next year, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.

'We don't move ahead of the health advice. We've got to ensure that our communities stay safe and when we suppress the virus as we've successfully done, our economy recovers,' he told the ABC on Sunday.
Anthony Albanese has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his mother 20 years after she tragically died of a brain aneurysm.

The Labor leader grew up as an only child with his single mother Maryanne Ellery - who was on a disability pension - in social housing in Camperdown, Sydney.

Mr Albanese revealed how she was rushed to hospital on Mother's Day in 2002 after a brain aneurism before dying two weeks later.

Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese (right) with mum Maryanne Ellery and son Nathan

Mr Albanese said Mother's day was 'difficult' for him because 20 years ago his mum Maryanne (pictured) went to hospital and didn't come back on the day

'Mothers Day is such a special day, but for me and many others it's always a bit difficult. Mother's Day was the day my mum went to hospital and never came back,' Mr Albanese wrote on Twitter.

He said he had flown to Sydney from Canberra to take Ms Ellery and her sister Margaret to a Mother's Day lunch.

'When I got to her home in Camperdown, I knew something wasnt right. The front door had been left open.'

'After decades of health problems, mum had a brain aneurysm, and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Mum would spend two weeks in hospital before finally passing.'

The Labor leader (right) grew up in social housing with his single mum (left) in Sydney

Mr Albanese (left) said Ms Ellery (right) had a brain aneurism on Mother's Day in 2002

Ms Ellery died on May 25 and in the twenty years since Mr Albanese said he has visited her cemetery every Mother's Day to 'remember how much she sacrificed' for him.

'Mum always gave me unconditional love. And I feel very privileged to have had that,' he wrote.

Mr Albanese has been the Leader of the Opposition since 2019, after the Labor government lost the election to the Liberal Party.

The Labor leader recently suffered another loss, as his wife of 30 years Carmel Tebbutt left him on New Years Day in 2020.

Mr Albanese believed his Italian father Carlo Albanese was dead until he was 15-years-old, and only met him at age 46 in 2009, seven years after his mum died.

Carlo died in 2014.

Ms Ellery (pictured with Nathan) died on May 25 in 2002, two weeks after being hospitalised

Mr Albanese said his mother (pictured with her grandson Nathan) 'sacrificed' a lot for him
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Diane Abbott today demanded Keir Starmer returns to the 'popular' Socialist policies from the Jeremy Corbyn era as Labour plunged further into civil war.

The former shadow home secretary lashed out at Sir Keir as she insisted Mr Corbyn only led the party to its worst general election defeat since 1935 due to an 'extraordinary media attack'.

Ms Abbott also waded into the spat over the 'sacking' of Angela Rayner from the key role as Labour chair, saying the decision was 'baffling'.

The intervention came as Sir Keir mounted a desperate bid to save his shattered leadership after the dire Super Thursday results - kicking off a reshuffle and drafting in a New Labour pollster as his strategy chief.

Speaking to Sky News' Ridge On Sunday, Ms Abbott, who described the Hartlepool by-election loss as 'distressing', said: 'I think we need to be building on the policies in the 2019 manifesto, many of which were forward-thinking and popular.

'We need to get the strategy right.'

Told that Mr Corbyn's manifesto had failed, Ms Abbott added: 'It was a manifesto that, taking the policies individually, was very popular.'

She said: 'We won Hartlepool twice under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and, importantly, with a bigger proportion of the vote.

'You can't say that Jeremy is responsible for the Hartlepool result. The disaffection in post-industrial Britain long predates Jeremy's leadership and we have to look at the roots of it.'

Diane Abbott (pictured) said Keir Starmer should go back to 'popular' hard-Left policies - insisting Jeremy Corbyn only led the party to its worst general election defeat since 1935 due to an 'extraordinary media attack'

Sir Keir (right) has been trying to move on from the Jeremy Corbyn (left) era saying Labour is under new management

There was fury among left-wingers and moderates last night after it emerged the Ashton-under-Lyne MP was being made to carry the can for the appalling elections showing.

She was elected as party deputy leader separately to Sir Keir meaning he cannot axe her entirely, with even his normal supporters conceding it was a 'bad idea' given he had pledged to take personal responsibility for the campaign.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is also expected to be another victim of a brutal reshuffle this week, with shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves tipped to replace her.

But as alarm bells started ringing over the scale of unrest in the party, shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray insisted this morning that Ms Rayner had not been 'sacked' and was instead being given a 'significant promotion'. He told Sky News she was being moved from the 'back office to the front office' as a spokeswoman.

'She didn't take any of the big decisions around Hartlepool and we've not heard anywhere in the country people saying they didn't vote Labour because of Angela Rayner,' she said.

New strategy chief Deborah Mattinson worked as a Labour pollster until the party was ejected from power in 2010, and after Jeremy Corbyn's 2019 general election defeat  the party's worst performance since 1935  penned a book analysing the collapse of the Red Wall.

She is due to leave BritainThinks, the research and consultancy company she co-founded, to take up her role as the party's strategy director next month.

Ms Mattinson said: 'I am very much looking forward to joining Keir Starmer and his team.

'The coming months will be challenging but I will be proud to play a part in helping Labour reconnect with the voters it has lost.'

There was a small bright spot for Labour last night as Sadiq Khan retained his job as London Mayor, although Tory candidate Shaun Bailey far exceeded expectations and slashed his majority.

But the party has seemingly been unable to find anyone to make the case for Sir Keir on the BBC's flagship Marr Show political programme today.

In more evidence of the bitter war threatening to tear Labour apart, details of Ms Rayner's use of first class rail tickets were leaked to the Sunday Times. Her allies insisted she only did so for safety reasons after the murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Rayner is a survivor from the Corbyn era, and the defenestration of the party's most senior woman - who represents a Northern seat - from a key role sparked a backlash from all sides.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell tweeted pointing out that Sir Keir had promised on Friday to take 'full responsibility for the election result in Hartlepool & other losses', but was now 'scapegoating everyone apart from himself'. 'This isn't leadership it's a cowardly avoidance of responsibility,' the Corbynite said.

A Labour source said: 'Keir said he was taking full responsibility for the result of the elections and he said we need to change. That means changing how we run our campaigns in future. Angela will continue to play a senior role in Keir's team.'

It came as former Cabinet minister Andy Burnham piled more pressure on Sir Keir, by blasting the party for being too 'London-centric', while adding in a tweet: 'I can't support this.'

The former health secretary, who quit as an MP after losing the leadership to Jeremy Corbyn, also hinted that he would be prepared to have another tilt at the top job after being overwhelmingly returned as Greater Manchester mayor.

Keir Starmer dropped a bombshell last night by sacking Angela Rayner (pictured together last week) as Labour Party chairwoman - although because she is the elected deputy leader he does not have powers to axe her altogether

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is also expected to be another victim of a brutal reshuffle this week.

Mr Burnham, who has been dubbed 'King of the North' after taking on Boris Johnson over Covid regulations last year, won a second term as mayor with an increased share of the vote, on an increased turnout, from 2017.

It left him the most senior and successful elected Labour Party politician outside the parliamentary leadership of the party.

In an interview with Sky, Mr Burnham suggested he would entertain becoming leader of the Labour Party 'in the distant future', adding: 'If the party were ever to feel it needed me, well I'm here and they should get in touch.'

He added: 'I have tried twice to be the leader and it has never worked, so I'm not under any illusions that it has never worked for me in the past.

'I feel I am in the best job in the world and we have a massive job ahead of us but I'm here to help the Labour Party if they need it - but they need to change, let's be really clear about this.

'They have lost an emotional connection with parts of the country that is going to take a lot of work to get back, so I think the party has to do a lot of soul-searching about these results and understand why we have done well in Wales, places like Greater Manchester, and it really needs to then buy in to English devolution and build from the bottom up - that's what these results are telling them.'

One usually supportive Labour MP told MailOnline of the axing of Ms Rayner: 'Not the best idea. She has been useless in the campaigning role, but then so has his own office.'

A frustrated moderate MP said: 'His office is full of political incompetents who act like they are in an edition of the West Wing without any political antenna. They make no attempt to connect with the PLP and think elected politicians are an inconvenience.'

Andy Burnham piled more pressure on Sir Keir, saying he 'can't support' Angela Rayner's firing

As Mayor of Greater Manchester Mr Burnham has built his own successful brand. But his success is widely seen as coming through his high profile, as a former Labour government minister - and his distance from the Labour Party.

Despite first becoming MP for Leigh in 2001 and serving as a government minister during 17 years of New Labour, he has railed against the poor-relation status of the North and taken to regularly bashing the Westminster establishment.

He also served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet, which has led to an often-heard criticism within Labour ranks - that Mr Burnham, having served in Tony Blair's pro-EU, globalising Labour Party and Mr Corbyn's socialist, red-in-tooth-and-claw version, he is a weather-vane who goes with the flow to ensure his own electoral success.

Mr Burnham left Westminster to become Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017 and crucially was removed from his party's decision to back a second referendum on the Brexit vote, the cause of anger among northern Leave voters.

Labour has blamed the coronavirus pandemic for hampering its campaigns across Britain after the Tories racked up a string of stunning poll victories in the local elections.

Labour was thrashed in the Hartlepool by-election, with Jill Mortimer securing a majority of almost 7,000, while Tory Ben Houchen won a second term as mayor of Tees Valley with a whopping 73 per cent share of the vote.

And the Conservatives gained control of a series of councils, including Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Dudley, Harlow and Nuneaton and Bedworth  reversing the mid-term slump often suffered by governing parties.

With the Tories also winning seats across the West Midlands, senior figures were increasingly confident that the region's mayor Andy Street will secure a second term in office when returns there are announced today.

Ministers have predicted that Boris Johnson could rule longer than Margaret Thatcher as results showed the Tories could take 36 more Westminster seats from Labour at the next General Election.

They believe there has been a permanent shift in the UK's political identity and claimed Mr Johnson - who has been the premier since July 2019 - could outlast Margaret Thatcher's 11 years in Downing Street, The Times reports.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the count for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections at the Glasgow Emirates Arena yesterday

They believe the Tories must establish an advantage by winning the 'culture wars' and challenging 'woke' views. Meanwhile sources told the Guardian Sir Keir is now considering moving Labour out of London to reconnect with 'Red Wall' voters.

However, Mr Johnson is facing a constitutional clash with Nicola Sturgeon as she renews her push for another Scottish independence referendum after winning her own mandate in Scottish elections.

Labour infighting flared with frontbencher Khalid Mahmood announcing he was quitting Labour's front bench in protest at the 'woke' leadership.

The former defence spokesman and West Midlands MP said the party had been 'effectively captured' by a 'London-based bourgeoisie, with the support of brigades of woke social media warriors'.
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Russia has marked the 76th anniversary of its victory in World War II with an annual Victory Day Parade.

President Vladimir Putin vowed in a speech on Sunday that Russia will 'firmly' defend national interests and denounced the return of 'Russophobia'.

He addressed thousands of soldiers and veterans at Red Square during the start of an annual parade that sees hundred of pieces of military hardware roll through the streets of Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin on Sunday vowed that Russia will 'firmly' defend national interests and denounced the return of 'Russophobia'

Ceremonial soldiers parade during 76th anniversary of t Victory Day in Red Square in Moscow, Russia on May 9

Armored vehicles take part in the military parade during 76th anniversary of t Victory Day in Red Square in Moscow, Russia on May 9

'The Soviet people kept their sacred oath, defended the homeland and freed the countries of Europe from the black plague,' Putin told the gathered crowd.

'Russia consistently defends international law. At the same time, we will firmly defend our national interests to ensure the safety of our people,' he said.

The Russian leader also denounced what he called a creeping return of ideologies of the time, when 'slogans of racial and national superiority, of anti-semitism and Russophobia, became ever more cynical'.

He decried 'attempts to rewrite history, to justify traitors and criminals, on whose hands lies the blood of hundreds of thousands of peaceful people.

'Unfortunately, many of the ideologies of the Nazis, those who were obsessed with the delusional theory of their exclusiveness, are again trying to be put into service,' he said, without citing specifics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets veterans before a military parade on Victory Day, which marks the 76th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow

Russian SU-25BM armoured subsonic military attack aircraft perform a fly-by over the Kremlin towers during the Victory Day military parade in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia

Russian Sukhoi Su-34 all-weather supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber aircrafts, Su-30SM multirole fighter aircrafts and SU-35S air-defence fighters perform a fly-by

Ceremonial soldiers parade during 76th anniversary of t Victory Day in Red Square in Moscow, Russia

The state-run RIA Novosti agency reported that more than 12,000 military personnel would take part in Sunday's parade in the Russian capital, as well as some 190 pieces of military equipment, ranging from the renowned WWII-era T-34 tank to the hulking eight-axle Yars mobile ICBM launchers.

Victory Day parades, which only became an annual event after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, also took place Sunday in dozens of cities across the nation.

During Putin's two decades in power, the public holiday has taken on increasing importance in projecting Russia's renewed military might.

On Sunday night, an enormous firework display lit up the skies of Moscow in reds, blues and yellows.

On Sunday night, an enormous fireworks display lit up the skies of Moscow in reds, blues and yellows

A fireworks display took place with the dramatic backdrop of the Novodevichy Convent on the Moskva river on Sunday night

Many former Soviet republics also celebrate the end of World War Two on 9 May. Pictured: Fireworks as part of Victory Day celebrations in Moscow

The anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, which Russia calls Victory Day, is the country's most significant secular holiday

A survey this week by state-run pollster VTsIOM showing that 69 percent of Russians view it as the most important holiday on the calendar.

A third of respondents told VTsIOM they would take part in the celebrations, while a fifth said they would watch on television.

The commemorations of the 76th anniversary of the 1945 victory come as tensions with the West have reached near Cold War times in recent weeks.

Victory Day celebrations commemorate the Red Army's military feats and the vast suffering of civilians during World War II. Pictured: Guns fire a salute in St. Petersburg on Sunday

As well as a celebration of victory, May 9 is also a time for Russians to remember the around 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians estimated to have died in the war. Pictured: Guns fire a salute in St. Petersburg on Sunday evening

Many former Soviet republics also celebrate the end of World War Two on 9 May.

The anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, which Russia calls Victory Day, is the country's most significant secular holiday, commemorating the Red Army's military feats and the vast suffering of civilians.

About 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians are estimated to have died in the war.

Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher takes part in the Victory Day military parade in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia

Russian servicewomen march in formation during the Victory Day military parade in the Red Square in Moscow

The screen shows Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking during the Victory Day military parade in the Red Square in Moscow

Russia has seen its diplomats expelled from a clutch of European countries over espionage scandals, as the United States and the European Union levied new sanctions on Moscow over the treatment of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and allegations of hacking and cyber attacks.

Moscow has stepped up military activity abroad, intervening on behalf of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria's civil war. It is also widely seen as backing pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Tensions in the conflict, which erupted after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014, have also soared in recent weeks.

Russian MSTA-S self-propelled artillery howitzers take part in the Victory Day military parade in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia

Armored vehicles take part in the military parade during 76th anniversary of t Victory Day in Red Square in Moscow, Russia

Russian Sukhoi Su-35S fighters fly over central Moscow during the Victory Day military parade on May 9

Clashes between the government and separatists have been intensifying since January in a conflict which has claimed more than 13,000 lives.

Russia last month amassed 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders and in Crimea, its biggest buildup since 2014, though it quickly announced a drawdown in what many saw as a test for new US President Joe Biden.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to Kiev in a show of support for Ukraine against Russia, and before an expected summit between Putin and Biden next month.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled with European diplomats to the pro-Russian breakaway eastern region of Lugansk to commemorate the end of WWII.

Fireworks burst red over Moscow's University building on Sunday as Russia marks the anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945

Fireworks explode over Poklonnaya Gora War Memorial Park in Moscow during Victory Day celebrations on Sunday

Fireworks over Moscow on Sunday where a huge Victory Day parade took place. The parade, which only became an annual event after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, also took place Sunday in dozens of cities across the nation
Where Hartlepool leads, England could now follow. And for Labour, that means not just many more years out of government.

It could mean the end of the party as a national political force.

Why?

Because the party I represented as an MP and as a Minister seems to have turned its back on England and Englishness.

It doesn't seem to care about England as an entity, as something distinct from Britain as a whole.

Certainly, ordinary voters outside the big metropolitan areas don't feel Labour shares its pride in being English.

That cost Labour and Sir Keir Starmer so dear in Hartlepool because it is such an English town.

Ordinary voters outside the big metropolitan areas don't feel Labour shares its pride in being English. That cost Labour and Sir Keir Starmer so dear in Hartlepool because it is such an English town, writes former Labour cabinet minister John Denham

In fact, it is simply one of the most English and least British towns in England.

Labour hung on there in 2019 because a large chunk of English voters backed the Brexit Party.

Of course, the party can say it does care and point to the fact that by-election candidate, Paul Williams spent St George's Day stuffing English flag leaflets through Hartlepool voters letter boxes.

But that trite tactic misunderstands what Englishness means.

For those voters, it's not really about the St George's Cross , let alone morris dancing or parish churches.

These English voters don't say 'I'm voting X because I'm English'. They know they are English and don't need to say so.

But they do want political parties that will stand up for England's interests  not just in Europe and further afield but crucially, within the UK itself.

Labour hung on to Hartlepool in 2019 because a large chunk of English voters backed the Brexit Party. Of course, the party can say it does care and point to the fact that by-election candidate, Paul Williams spent St George's Day stuffing English flags leaflets through Hartlepool voters letter boxes. Pictured: Conservative's Jill Mortimer waves after be elected as MP for Hartlepool

They want to defend England's interests within the Union and they usually think devolution has been good for Scotland and bad for England/.

Their Englishness carries a deep sense of belonging to their towns and villages.

When they suffer the loss of economic prosperity, a declining sense of community or feel politicians aren't listening anymore, it really hurts.

Immigration has been more disconcerting to this English sense of belonging than to those living in more diverse and mobile cities.

Wanting politicians to stand up for English interests may mean expecting them to understand all these things.

Our national identities reflect shared values that help explain the way we see the world.

Our sense of being English, or British, or both also shapes how we think about our nation, our national democracy, our sense of belonging to place and community.

These English voters don't say 'I'm voting X because I'm English'. They know they are English and don't need to say so. Pictured: People walking in the Headland area of Hartlepool

It is here that the Conservatives are doing so well.

Now, Boris Johnson actually only rarely says anything about England. He talks more about the Union.

But he has an Anglo-centric British nationalism that appeals to ordinary voters.

He thinks and talks about the Union as the extension of England's interests and institutions, ignoring the complaints of the Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish.

This very English attitude alienates voters in the rest of the Union and may well lead to its demise, but it cements a bond with voters who want English interests prioritised.

Of course, Brexit too chimed with the English desire to deepen national democracy and national sovereignty.

The crisis Labour faces is now existential.

Former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister John Denham is Professor of English Identity and Politics at Southampton University

There is no law of political science which says that Labour must always be with us.

Yes, it has a comfortable base amongst younger, better educated metropolitan voters, but these are too few to win a general election.

And a Labour Party that cannot win nationally will soon shed votes to the Greens and the Liberal Democrats.

Only the unfairness of First Past the Post stands between Labour and the dire fate of so many European social democratic parties.

To have any chance of governing again, Labour must win back English England.

But first, it has to want to. Labour doesn't even talk about England or the English. Its constitutional commission wants England divided into hated regions.

The party says Brexit is done but shows no understanding why people voted for it.

The English attachment to values of community, solidarity and place are regarded as inherently reactionary.

Labour's Unionism doesn't offer the visceral sense of 'being for the English' that Johnson provides.

The limp Union flag hanging behind Starmer is a soggy Britishness, not English enough for England, nor Scottish enough for Scotland.

Even this shallow Britishness repels many of Labour's 'more British' members who reject patriotism entirely.

Judging from last week's council election results, what happened to Labour in Hartlepool last week is spreading across other parts of the North and the Midlands.

Even then, there is nothing inevitable about English support for the Conservatives.

There is an England beneath the surface that is both patriotic and progressive  one that values the traditions and achievements of England and the social progress of recent decades.

This England is confident and ambitious for the future. If the Labour Party does not have the audacity to summon it into existence, no other party will.

And it doesn't?

Well, it could simply wither away.

This is the danger now.

In an age of identity politics, Labour lacks that vital ingredient  an identity.

Former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister John Denham is Professor of English Identity and Politics at Southampton University.
A university drop-out capitalised off TikTok to make $1million in just one year selling ingenious hair wands spruiked by Australia's biggest influencers.

When Mia Plecic launched the Slick Hair Company in December 2019, just months before the Covid pandemic lockdown, she didn't foresee the overnight success that would come from her idea.

So far, Ms Plecic's company has sold 20,000 mascara-like wands called the 'Slick Stick,' which comb down flyaway hairs and give customers a sleek bun or ponytail.

'I started using TikTok during Covid and didn't realise how powerful it was as a tool for growth and for organic growth and being able to reach different regions around world,' she told news.com.au.

Mia Plecic's company has so far sold 20,000 mascara-like wants called the 'Slick Stick,' which comb down flyaway hairs and give customers a sleek bun or ponytail

At the time she was still running the budding business out of her Melbourne one-bedroom apartment, where she also keeps her stock

The 29-year-old said she awoke one morning to realise one of her TikTok videos gained five million views and $30,000 in sales overnight

'I never fathomed I could sell a products in Iceland or Saudi Arabia and countries we wouldn't generally target.'

The 29-year-old said she woke up one morning to realise one of her TikTok videos using her product gained five million views and $30,000 in sales overnight.

At the time she was still running the budding business out of her Melbourne one-bedroom apartment, where she also keeps her stock.

Ms Plecic's hair wand comes in a small tube and sells for $24.99 for a single stick, or $49.99 for a pack of three - the most popular option, she says.

'I think it has been popular as a product in that it's so easily marketed as you can share that instant result on social media and you can see it working before your eyes,' she said.

The success of the product hasn't come cheap though. Ms Plecic has forked out $100,000 on Instagram influencer marketing to generate sales.

Slick Hair Company, which has expanded into selling hair scrunchies, will be rolled out in 400 pharmacy stores in the next four to six weeks.

Ms Plecic said the Slick Stick is different to similar products on the market, because it doesn't leave hair crisp or oily and slides off with the stroke of a brush.

'The beauty of this product is you can brush it out at end of the day and it doesnt leave any residue,' she said.

Ms Plecic said the Slick Stick is different to similar products on the market, because it doesn't leave hair crisp or oily and slides off with the stroke of a brush

The success of the product hasn't come cheap though. Ms Plecic has forked out $100,000 on Instagram influencer marketing to generate sales

So far, Ms Plecic's company has sold 20,000 mascara-like wands called the 'Slick Stick'

'I'm not a hairdresser, I've never claimed to be, but I'm a problem solver. If I'd buy it, I'll sell it.'

In 2015 she launched teeth whitening brand Pearly Whites Australia which turned over a staggering $2million in its first six months, but lost leadership of the company after listening to 'ill-advice'.

'When investors don't hold your same vision and don't have the same work ethic as you, it never works out,' she told Daily Mail Australia last year.

Looking back, Ms Plecic says that period taught her resilience and almost everything she knows about business, as well as pushing her to persevere with her ambitions no matter how difficult things become.

'You can fall down 10 times but it doesn't matter as long as you get up 11,' she said. 'You only fail when you stop doing what you love.'
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HMS Severn returned to base in Portsmouth this morning after seeing off French fishermen off the coast of Jersey together with HMS Tamar following a row over post-Brexit fishing rules.

The Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol vessel sailed into Portsmouth Naval Base after it was scrambled amid an escalating standoff with French skippers who have threatened to blockade Calais.

The confrontation began after some French boats were refused licences to fish in Jersey's waters under post-Brexit regulations, with some 70 trawlers staging a protest at Jersey's capital St Helier.

Retreating after the two Navy gunships arrived, Paris warned that it could cut off electricity to Jersey - which gets 95 per cent of its power supply from France - if the dispute is not resolved.

The comment led to former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt calling for a 'halt' to the 1.2billion AQUIND Interconnector project between France and Britain.

The authorities in Jersey have promised further talks to help resolve the row, but the French government hit out at a 'British failure' to abide by the terms of the UK-EU trade deal and warned it would 'use all the leverage at our disposal' to protect the fishing industry.

The European Union also accused Jersey of breaching the deal signed by the UK and Brussels.

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey after the River-class offshore patrol vessel was scrambled along with sister ship HMS Tamar

Fishermen in Portsmouth welcomed back the return of HMS Severn from its deployment to assist the fishermen of Jersey

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey after the River-class offshore patrol vessel was scrambled along with sister ship HMS Tamar to the protest by French fishermen over fishing rights

It comes as Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron are set to hold emergency 'peace talks' to end the 'Battle of Jersey'. The world leaders, who control Europe's two largest armies, will try to restore their 'brotherly' relationship amid the post-Brexit chaos.

Meanwhile a fishing leader from the island called for a 'show of good faith' from France after 'some pretty extreme threats'.

President of Jersey Fishermen's Association Don Thompson said 'the real hardship genuinely is on this side and I'm seeing my colleagues going out of business'.

Government officials have said relations between Britain and France were 'not where we want them to be' after the face-off in the Channel. Mr Johnson and Mr Macron are understood to be speaking in the next few days to try to salvage the alliance.

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base

Fishermen in Portsmouth welcomed back the return of HMS Severn from its deployment to assist the fishermen of Jersey

Fishermen in Portsmouth welcomed back the return of HMS Severn from its deployment to assist the fishermen of Jersey

The Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol vessel was welcomed home today after it was scrambled along with sister ship Tamar last week amid a standoff with French skippers who threatened to blockade Calais

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey

Crew on Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn smile and wave at Portsmouth

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey

Why are Jersey and France warring over fishing rights? What were the pre-Brexit arrangements for fishing waters? Until January 1 this year, the UK was subject to the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). That meant that fleets from EU states had equal access to the the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of other countries. EEZ areas stretch 200 nautical miles from the coast of each state, or to a maritime halfway point between neighbouring countries. The British fishing industry had long complained that the arrangements meant EU fleets were plundering what should be their catch. What has changed? The post-Brexit trade deal sealed between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen before Christmas gave EU fleets transitional rights to UK fishing waters. The EU fishing quota for UK waters was reduced by 15 per cent this year, and will go down another 2.5 percentage points each year until 2026. From that point the UK will in theory have the right to ban the bloc's fishing fleets altogether, although there will need to be annual negotiations. Crucially for the current situation, UK and EU vessels now require a licence to fish in each other's waters. What are the French angry about? A row has erupted over the specific regulations introduced by the Jersey government to implement the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. They require French boats to demonstrate they have a history of fishing in Jersey's waters in order to get licences, with Jersey adamant that is what the TCA sets out. However, the French authorities claim these 'new technical measures' for accessing waters off the Channel Islands have not been communicated to the EU. As a result they have been dismissed as 'null and void'. There are also disputed allegations that Jersey has been dragging its heels in approving licences for boats that have applied. So, what could happen now and would it ever REALLY end in war? There is a huge amount of sabre-rattling going on, with the UK deploying the navy to counter an extraordinary blockage by French fishing vessels. French ministers have been backing their fishing fleet, threatening to cut power to the Channel Island in retaliation. When such confrontations develop there is always the risk of a miscalculation and real clashes. Boris Johnson has urged the French to use the 'mechanisms of our new treaty to solve problems' rather than resort to threats. There are rumours of a call between Mr Johnson and Emmanuel Macron, although No10 said there is nothing arranged yet. Advertisement

A senior Government source told the Times they were both hoping to 'dial down the rhetoric' before the G7 summit in June.

The insider said: 'We're a bit like a pair of brothers. We're the closest allies and there is no fundamental unhappiness but things are bumpy.'

Mr Thompson said the incident followed 'some pretty extreme threats' from the French.

'Our expectations were that things probably weren't going to get out of hand, but on the other hand if you consider a Government-level threat to sever electricity ties that would have meant hospitals being shut down,' he said.

'In other parts of the world if something like that happened to Iran or Russia or other countries, other states, that would be considered almost an act of war.'

He added: 'The real hardship genuinely is on this side and I'm seeing my colleagues going out of business, fishermen that have done nothing else all their life, made a commitment to the industry since they were very young, having to sell their boats and walk away from the industry.'

Mr Thompson called for a 'show of good faith from France' in what is a 'highly political' situation affected by the repercussions of the Brexit referendum.

'Jersey people didn't even vote, didn't even have the right to vote in Brexit,' he said.

'Everything that's happened here in the way that we've become a third world state is entirely by default and it's really unfortunate that we seem to be coming under the spotlight and being accused of using the Brexit scenario to our advantage when actually the opposite is true.'

The first physical standoff ensued when a flotilla of tiny French fishing vessels took to Jersey where two Royal Navy ships met them.

Tamar and Severn returned to the mainland after the retreat by the French vessels. But in a sign the row is far from over, the fishermen threatened to blockade Calais, saying they would stop British goods from entering the EU unless all of their boats were allowed to fish in Jersey's waters.

Up to 8,500 trucks travel through the French port each day. Oliver Lepretre, chairman of the Northern France fisheries committee, said: 'The fishermen are saying that if we don't get what we want, we will go and block Calais.'

Mr Lepretre said a protest was possible 'within a few days' and trawlers from Normandy could carry out copycat action at the port of Cherbourg.

He said Eurocrats at the European Commission 'needed to move their a***' and trigger the retaliatory measures laid out in the Brexit agreement struck with Britain last year. He added: '[The British] are blocking our boats by any means possible.'

A Government source hit back, saying: 'The difficulties the French claim to have should be resolved by dialogue, not endless blockades.

'We also have a newly ratified trade agreement with appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms if needed. This sort of disruption benefits no one.'

Britain is asking French trawlers to provide electronic tracking data from 2012 to 2016 to prove historical fishing links to British and Channel Islands waters.

But Mr Lepretre said many French vessels were not fitted with GPS technology at the time.

HMS Severn sailed back to Portsmouth this morning after seeing off French fishermen together with HMS Tamar off the coast of Jersey following a row over post-Brexit fishing rules

Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn returns to Portsmouth Naval Base from Jersey

Fishermen in Portsmouth welcomed back the return of HMS Severn from its deployment to assist the fishermen of Jersey

Fishermen in Portsmouth welcomed back the return of HMS Severn from its deployment to assist the fishermen of Jersey

He added: 'We knew that there would be problems with fishing. We said that a war would come from French fisheries.'

Mr Johnson said he was 'pleased that the situation in Jersey has been resolved'.

The Prime Minister thanked the Royal Navy for its 'swift response', adding: 'The UK will always stand resolutely by the people of Jersey.'

France's hardline Europe minister Clement Beaune, a close ally of president Emmanuel Macron, dismissed the deployment of Navy gunships, saying: 'We won't be intimidated by these manoeuvres.'

In response to Britain's move, the French maritime authority for the Channel sent a pair of armed police patrol boats to Jersey 'to ensure the protection of human life at sea'.

During the protest at St Helier, local fishermen said flares were let off and some of the French boats entered the harbour for around an hour. Footage posted online apparently shows a French boat ramming the stern of a Jersey vessel.

Boris Johnson (left) and Emmanuel Macron (right) are set to hold emergency 'peace talks' to end the 'Battle of Jersey' after French fishermen threatened to blockade Calais

About 70 French trawlers (several seen above) staged a protest at Jersey's capital St Helier

The standoff came after some French boats were refused licences to fish in Jersey's waters under post-Brexit rules. In response, French minister Annick Girardin warned that Paris could cut off electricity to Jersey. Pictured: Saint Helier

Locals watch as French fishing boats leave Jersey waters following their protest in front of the port of Saint Helier, with a Royal Navy ship in the background

He had earlier voiced his 'unequivocal support' for the actions taken by Jersey's government.

A Government spokesman added: 'We are pleased that French fishing boats have now left the vicinity of Jersey. Given the situation is resolved for now, the Royal Navy offshore patrol vessels will prepare to return to port in the UK.

'We remain on standby to provide any further assistance Jersey requests.'

It is understood Mrs Girardin is refusing to speak to Environment Secretary George Eustice over the issue. And Paris has yet to trigger the official Brexit dispute resolution mechanism.

The skipper of one French vessel even claimed they were ready to 'restage the Battle of Trafalgar', but another, Ludovic Lazaro, soon announced the blockade was over, adding: 'Now it's down to the ministers to find an agreement. We are not going to be able to do much.'

Eurocrats backed France in the row, claiming Britain had created 'additional conditions' for issuing licences to French trawlers. European Commission spokesman Vivian Loonela said the rules were a breach of the Brexit treaty.

An onlooker at the port in Jersey captured the moment a British vessel (right hand side of image) is forced to spin around to avoid a side-on collision with a French boat seen hurtling towards it. The brown French vessel does end up smacking into the side of the British boat without causing significant damage

The Jersey government has said that of the 41 French boats that applied for licences last Friday, 17 were unable to provide the evidence needed to carry on fishing in the island's waters.

Dimitri Rogoff, president of the Normandy fishing committee, said: 'Fishermen shouldn't be the ones blockading Jersey to get what they want. If we don't obtain our goals, the minister needs to turn off the lights.'

The French government said it was acting in a 'spirit of responsibility' in response to a 'British failure' to abide by the terms of the Brexit trade deal.

The Liberal Democrats criticised the Government's 'gunboat diplomacy', adding: 'When our governments disagree we should resolve our differences with grown-up conversation and negotiation, not with cannons in the Channel.'

Meanwhile Portsmouth MP Ms Mordaunt wrote to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to stop the AQUIND Interconnector.

She told the News: 'Recent events are further evidence that the interconnector is not in our national interest.

'It will make us less resilient, it's a strategic error and it potentially will undermine further negotiations that we may wish to have with the EU and certainly member states.'

She also described the threat to cut off electricity to Jersey by France's maritime minister Ms Girardin as 'sinister'.
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Spaniards have celebrated the end of a six-month national night-time Covid curfew with raucous New Years Eve-style early hours' street parties.

Large groups of revellers chanted 'Freedom' and sang songs as they unleashed their emotions and boozed on take-out alcohol after the threat of fines of more than 500 was lifted.

There were reports of clashes between partygoers and police in some parts of Madrid as officers tried to dissolve large gatherings of people without face masks on.

Spaniards have celebrated the end of a six-month national night-time Covid curfew with raucous New Years Eve-style early hours' street parties

Large groups of revellers chanted 'Freedom' and sang songs as they unleashed their emotions and boozed on take-out alcohol after the threat of fines of more than 500 was lifted

Partygoers gathered on a beach in Barcelona in the early hours of Sunday after the state of emergency was lifted at midnight

A couple kiss as they celebrated the end of the state of emergency in Spain on a street in Barcelona on Sunday morning

The surreal scenes, dubbed today by local media as a New Year's Eve night in May, came 48 hours after Spain's popular Brit holiday destinations were hit with the hammer blow of failing to make the UK's 'green list'

The surreal scenes, dubbed today by local media as a New Year's Eve night in May, came 48 hours after Spain's popular Brit holiday destinations were hit with the hammer blow of failing to make the UK's 'green list'.

The bizarre end to a six-month Spanish government-imposed state of alarm which provided the legal framework for restrictions including the night-time curfew, meant millions of Spaniards had to be indoors by 11pm on Saturday but were free to go out at midnight.

Many youngsters in Spain's two largest cities Barcelona and Madrid are said to have carried on partying anyway as they counted down the 60 minutes to the recovery of their freedom of movement.

The end of the state of alarm has given rise to a confusing situation in Spain in which Covid restrictions vary wildly between regions.

Restrictions on movement around the country have been lifted, meaning the Costa resorts currently deprived of British tourists can welcome back holidaymakers from across the country.

It was a bizarre end to the national night-time curfew, because millions of Spaniards had to be indoors by 11pm on Saturday but were free to go out at midnight

There were reports of clashes between partygoers and police in some parts of Madrid as officers tried to dissolve large gatherings of people without face masks on

Hundreds of Spaniards celebrated an end of the six-month long national curfew imposed because of the pandemic by gathering in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca

Hundreds more celebrated after midnight on Saturday in the Passeig Lluis Companys of Barcelona, without observing social distancing, or wearing masks

Hundreds of people gathered on the beach of Barcelona as the state of alarm imposed by the government six months ago was lifted

The end of the state of alarm has given rise to a confusing situation in Spain in which Covid restrictions vary wildly between regions

People crowded in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, Spain, to celebrate the end of the six-months long state of emergencyat midnight on Saturday

Spain is hoping to make the UK's green list in the next British government announcement on the traffic-light system at the start of June

The night-time curfew has been lifted in most parts of Spain including its most populated region Andalucia which covers the Costa del Sol where restaurants can open till midnight and late-night bars and nightclubs until 2am (pictured, a man celebrates the end of the curfew in Madrid)

There were reports of some clashes between partygoers and police in some parts of Madrid and Barcelona in the early hours

Police patrolled the beach of Barcelona, La Barceloneta, as the curfew lifted. In some areas law enforcement broke up hordes of partygoers who were not wearing masks, or observing social distancing

The countries on the 'green list' from May 17 are: Portugal including the Azores and Madeira; Australia; New Zealand; Singapore; Brunei; Iceland; the Faroe Islands; Gibraltar; the Falkland Islands; and Israel

The night-time curfew has been lifted in most parts of Spain including its most populated region Andalucia which covers the Costa del Sol where restaurants can open till midnight and late-night bars and nightclubs until 2am.

But the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, which includes the Costa Blanca, are maintaining their night-time curfews.

Late on Saturday night 16 people were arrested for public order offences after gathering in a city centre square in the Majorcan capital Palma as the local 11pm curfew kicked in and allegedly throwing missiles including stones at police when they were ordered to leave the area.

Spain is hoping to make the UK's green list in the next British government announcement on the traffic-light system at the start of June.

Portugal and Gibraltar have been put on the green list and tourists will be able to travel there from May 17, but Spain including the Balearic and Canary Islands have been given amber status meaning quarantine on top of expensive Covid tests.

Ibiza hotel owner Jose Antonio Llano Mari, president of the PIMEEF association of small and medium-sized business on the island and neighbouring Formentera, branded the decision a 'massive blow.'

He said: 'It's a great disappointment. We have begun to receive cancellations. It's been immediate.'

Claiming the Balearic Islands should have been treated separately from the Spanish mainland because of their lower rate of coronavirus contagion, he told newspaper Periodico de Ibiza: 'The Spanish government and our regional government should make the British government change this decision so we're treated as independent islands to the rest of Spain.'

Iago Negueruela, the Balearic Islands' government's tourism minister, added: 'The decision penalises us because London is treating Spain as a country when there are many regions with much higher average contagion rates than ours.'
A veteran soldier has blasted Scott Morrison for walking on a red carpet flanked by a 'guard' of Royal Australian Air Force members while visiting a RAAF base.

A photo showed the Prime Minister walking the carpet in front of an RAAF plane as he arrived at the base in Williamtown, north of Newcastle, on Friday.

He was at the base to announce a $66million investment in regional airport runways.

It's understood the Prime Minister's office didn't organise the ceremonial welcome at the ADF base - but it didn't stop the photo from sparking backlash on social media.



An ex-veteran has slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison for walking on a red carpet flanked by a 'guard' of airforce service people while visiting an RAAF base (pictured).

Former Colonel Ray Martin said sharing the photo was 'poor form' and 'used' Australian diggers.

'In 40 years in the Australian Defence Force, with eight Prime Ministers during that time, never saw one receive a red carpet and an honour guard for an internal visit to a base. Until now. Did I miss one?,' he claimed in a tweet.

'Poor form. Diggers' detest bullsh** and being used - by all sides.'

Townsville-based Mr Martin was a commanding officer of the 1st Battalion and The Royal Australian Regiment and now works in veteran suicide prevention for the Federal Department of Health.

Mr Martin's post drew outrage on Twitter, with one person questioning: 'I wonder how my ADF friends struggling with PTSD view this use of servicemen and women.'

'A real worry that Defence would even agree to do this let alone Morrison accepting it,' added another.

Others claimed the decision to roll out the red carpet would not have come from Mr Morrison.

'This military base has form. His last visit he arrived to theme music from Top Gun (the movie). Pure theatre,' one person wrote.

Veteran Ray Martin (pictured) slammed the photo, which showed airforce members holding an Australian flag and the Royal Australian Air Force flag above the Prime Minister

Former serviceman Brendan Dwyer - who volunteers with advocacy group Veteran Clawback - wrote that he was posted to RAAF Fairburn in the mid to late 1990s and no Prime Minister was ever greeted with a carpet, flags or guard.

'34 Squadron would only have the PM met by a duty officer of a certain rank & maybe the Dep PM, on arrival. No other minister was given such treatment. Never carpet or flags or guard,' he claimed.

Mr Morrison was visiting the RAAF Base to announce a $66million investment in Newcastle Airport and other regional runways, which will be done alongside RAAF's scheduled runway maintenance at the Williamtown base.

The Prime Minister said the upgrades to the runways would mean larger aircraft like Boeing 777s and Airbus 330s could land in Newcastle.
Mr Geklik moved to Australia from his native Turkey 30 years ago after travelling

On Saturday night, a crowd of hundreds gathered to honour the local legend

Owner Memet Arslan said his business began booming after he hired Mr Geklik

Hundreds of mourners have gathered outside a Sydney kebab shop to pay tribute to an iconic flute-playing worker who died aged 61 this week.

Mario Geklik worked at Manly Seaside Kebabs for the past 20 years, but sadly passed away on Tuesday following a battle with cancer.

Owner Memet Arslan said his business began booming after he hired Mr Geklik in 2000, thanks to his charm and personality and unique flute playing skills.

Revellers flocked to the store for late-night kebabs and a show, with many customers filming Mr Geklik play his beloved instrument.

Mario Geklik worked at Manly Seaside Kebabs for the past 20 years, but sadly passed away on Tuesday following a battle with cancer

Just after midnight on Sunday, a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the store to honour the local legend

One TikTok video has even been viewed more than 300,000 times.

Just after midnight on Sunday, a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the store to honour the local legend.

One man held up a large photo of the father-of-five, while onlookers danced, clapped and cheered.

Other loving customers shared their tributes to social media, with one man dressing up as Mr Geklik.

'RIP MARIO. My saviour at 3am for a juicy kebab.' one woman wrote.

'So, so sad. Truly an icon of Manly. He's helped me on my way home many, many times,' said another.

'He was so nice. Play your flute in the sky forever xx,' another tribute read.

Mr Geklik made the hour-long trip from his home in Auburn - in Sydney's west - to Manly to work the night shift serving local revellers.

Mr Geklik made the hour-long trip from his home in Auburn - in Sydney's west - to Manly to work the night shift serving local revellers

Mr Arslan said Mr Geklik moved to Australia from his native Turkey 30 years ago after travelling all over the world.

'He would play a song on the flute and make you a kebab and you would be the happiest person in the world,' he told the Manly Daily.

'He had five children and grandchildren and when he wasn't working he would be at home with them.

'If he was going for a coffee, he would ask every single employee what they wanted and would never ask for the money.'
This is the extraordinary moment two suspected migrants emerged feet first from the side of a Polish-registered lorry after cutting a hole in its side curtain.

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week.

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday.

It is thought that the lorry driver had crossed the Channel before driving 100 miles from Dover to Hounslow without realising they were on board.

An office worker who witnessed the scene from his desk claimed the stowaways could be as young as 14 and 'possibly from Afghanistan'.

He said he looked out of his window overlooking the yard, only to see a leg 'pop out' of the newly cut hole. The witness rushed out in time to film the scene with his mobile phone as the second suspected migrant jumped out.

He described the incident as 'shocking and unbelievable', adding: 'It took less than 30 seconds for them to jump out and run away.

'They both looked very young, possibly only 14 to 16-years-old, and possibly from Afghanistan. I had not seen anything like it before.

'It was like something you see on TV, and not in real life.'

He added that the lorry driver 'ran out panicking' after seeing the stowaways make their break for freedom.

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later.

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

This is the extraordinary moment two suspected migrants emerged feet first from the side of a Polish-registered lorry after cutting a hole in its side curtain

The driver was interviewed and insisted that he had no knowledge of his uninvited guests or how they sneaked on board.

Police stayed at the scene while the lorry's cargo of boxes was unloaded so officers could check that nobody else was hiding in the vehicle.

The witness said he handed his mobile phone footage to officers, along with video from a CCTV camera which captured the pair leaving the lorry.

'The police then stayed until the lorry was completely emptied, but nobody else was inside,' he added. 'The police questioned the driver, but said he likely had no involvement as the seals of the lorry were still intact.

'Also if the driver had involvement the migrants would not have cut the side and jumped out causing damage to the lorry itself.'

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called at 12:54hrs on Thursday, 6 May to Aerodrome Way in Hounslow to reports of suspicious behaviour.

'Officers attended and were informed that two males were seen running away from a lorry.

'An area search and CCTV review was conducted, however no arrests were made. Officers searched the lorry and found that no one else was inside.'

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment.

It comes after nearly 200 migrants were intercepted by Border Force officials as they crossed the Channel last week - with the total number so far this year surpassing 2,100.

The Home Office confirmed that another 185 migrants attempted the journey in nine separate incidents.

These latest arrivals mean that the total number to make the crossing this year is now 2,293 - including 223 in January, 308 in February, 831 in March and 746 in April.

French authorities prevented at least three events involving 40 migrants last Saturday.

Two Italian ports also faced an influx of hundreds of migrants after a charity ship sailed toward a Sicilian port with 236 people rescued in the Mediterranean from traffickers' boats with a further 532 being rescued by the Italian coastguard.

In March, Priti Patel announced plans to overhaul Britain's immigration regime by giving border guards patrolling the Channel greater powers to turn back migrant boats.

The crackdown will be dependent on France and other countries accepting the return of migrants.

The Government's new plan for immigration, published in full on March 24, revealed the bill for the asylum system is set to rise to more than 1.3billion this year, from just under 1billion in 2019-20,
A gang of five metal detectorists have admitted illegally plundering ancient artefacts from protected historic sites during a series of night-time raids.

Known as nighthawking, the quintent unearthed and stole bronze axe heads and old coins from Beeston Castle, in Cheshire and the Grade II-listed Roche Abbey in Yorkshire while using metal detectors.

According to legend, Richard II is said to have buried royal treasure in the grounds of Beeston Castle, although none has ever been discovered, while Roche Abbey is home to the remains of a 12th Century monastery.

A criminal gang of five illegally unearthed ancient coins and other artefacts from Beeston Castle in Cheshire and the Grade II-listed Roche Abbey in Yorkshire using metal detectors

Their nighthawking haul included bronze axe heads, ancient coins and an antique signet ring

Chester Magistrates Court heard English Heritage and police discovered the crime after the grounds at both sites were found littered with holes in December 2019.

Analysis of a suspect's mobile uncovered a five-strong nighthawking WhatsApp group, as well as details of their haul.

Mark Harrison, head of Heritage Crime Strategy for Historic England, said: 'A decade ago we didn't have the techniques necessary to investigate this criminal behaviour.

'We have now developed the expertise, capability and partnerships to identify and prosecute the small criminal minority of nighthawks.

'The overwhelming majority of metal detectorists comply with the legislation and codes of practice.'

Curtis Barlow (left) and Francis Ward (right) were part of the five-strong nighthawking gang

Gary Flanagan, 33 (left) and John Lorne, 29 (right) also admitted illegally plundering the sites

Daniel Lloyd, 33, of Droylsden, was the fifth gang member banned from metal detecting at English Heritage sites

Mr Harrison added: 'When thieves steal artefacts from a protected archaeological site, they are stealing from all of us and damaging something often irreplaceable.'

English Heritage properties curator Win Scutt said: 'Illegal metal detecting robs us of our past.

'Whilst this prosecution is good news, sadly the damage incidents like these cause can never be repaired.

'Beeston Castle and Roche Abbey are protected in law because of the lessons we can learn from their unique archaeology.

'Unlawful attacks like these can cause such insight to be lost forever.'

Mr Scutt added: 'The ground beneath us is a wonderful library of our past. Metal detectorists cut through these unread pages destroying all the information forever just to tear out a precious trinket usually lost in a private collection.

The gang were heavily criticised for causing damage to the 'nationally important' historic sites

'We are grateful to Cheshire Police and Historic England for their persistent and innovative approach to investigating this case, and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

'English Heritage is dedicated to preserving these nationally important archaeological sites.

'The damage incidents like these cause can never be repaired and the chance to learn about these important sites is lost for ever.

'We are grateful to Cheshire Police and Historic England for their persistent and innovative approach to investigating this case, and bringing the perpetrators to justice.'

The five appeared at Chester Magistrates last Friday, after the investigation by Cheshire Police, Historic England and South Yorkshire Police.

They were handed a five-year CBO banning them from metal detecting at any English Heritage site - a first for Cheshire and the North West.

Richard II is said to have buried treasure in the grounds of Beeston Castle in Cheshire

Gary Flanagan, 33, and John Lorne, 29, admitted taking coins and artefacts from Beeston Castle and Roche Abbey in December 2019.

Flanagan, of Audenshaw, Greater Manchester, was handed 1,100 in fines and costs while Lorne, of Droylsden, Greater Manchester, must pay 1,760.

Daniel Lloyd, 33, and James Ward, 32, both of Droylsden, admitted taking bronze age axe head's and coins from Beeston Castle in December 2019.

The ruins of Roche Abbey in Yorkshire is one of two sites targeted by the gang of nighthawkers

Lloyd was ordered to pay 600 while Ward - who also admitted producing a small quantity of cannabis - was ordered to pay 1,430.

Curtis Barlow, 32, of Droylsden, admitted taking coins and artefacts from Roche Abbey in December 2019 and ordered to pay 572.

All five were each ordered to pay an 85 victims surcharge and must forfeit their metal detectors, worth an estimated value of 1,000.

PC Ashley Tether, of Cheshire Police's Rural Crime Team, warned: 'The theft of historic items and damage to monuments and listed buildings is an assault on our history.

'The impact on the historic ground they have damaged should not be underestimated.

'Although no exact value can be determined for the artefacts taken, they are a piece of national history that help us understand our past.

'Once these items are lost or damaged they can't be replaced.

'We lose the context and the story that may have helped us to understand our ancestors better.'

PC Tether added: 'Their WhatsApp group clearly showed what they were up to.

'What followed was a number of months of carefully identifying and cataloguing the historic artefacts they had taken with the help of Historic England experts.

'The items these men took for their own gain are part of our rich history.

'They need to be protected which is why we embarked on a complicated investigation with Historic England and South Yorkshire Police.

'These men are now barred from metal detecting near historic sites in England and Wales.

'If they want to do so, they need to show the land owner a copy of the criminal behaviour order (CBO).

'If you see them not adhering to this restriction, report it to police on 101. Breaching such orders can result in a prison sentence.'
bank of thick marine fog causing him to lose control of the plane

Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to a British pilot who was killed yesterday when his plane crashed into the sea off a beach in Spain.

Paul Lowry, 66, died instantly in the accident near the port city of Cartagena.

A canoeist helped pull his body out of the water with the help of a second man who was enjoying a day out on his longboard. It was taken ashore on a small boat which was in the area.

An autopsy was expected to take place today and the results sent to a local court.

An investigation is ongoing into the cause of the crash, said to have happened in thick fog.

Pictured: Paul Lowry, 66, who died instantly when his plane crashed into the sea off the west coast of Spain after he hit a 'freak' bank of thick marine fog that caused him to lose control of the aircraft

The dead man, originally from Smethwick near Birmingham and a former worker at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital before he moved to Spain with his wife Anne, was described as an experienced pilot by the head of flights at the small airdrome he took off from shortly before his light aircraft went down.

The alarm was raised just before 11.30am yesterday when Mr Lowry's plane crashed into the sea off Descargador Beach close to Cartagena where the expat lived.

He had taken off shortly before the tragedy from Totana Airdrome near the town of Totana around 60 miles north-west of the crash scene.

Javier Martinez Pacheco, head of flights at the airdrome, said: 'He was a very experienced pilot who had been flying for many years.

'He was also a very serious pilot who never did anything silly with his plane when he was in it.

Paul had taken off shortly before the tragedy from Totana Airdrome near the town of Totana around 60 miles north-west of the crash scene.

'You know there's risk attached to a hobby like flying but what's happened is obviously very regrettable and tragic.

'We are mourning the loss of a companion and suffering with his family and feeling absolutely devastated.

'Other people were going to fly with him but ended up staying to do maintenance work and he went out alone.'

He added: 'It appears he could have come across a bank of coastal marine fog in an area where it doesn't normally form and got into problems because of that.

'Paul was one of around seven Brits who are members of the Aeroclub Totana air club here.

'He was an excellent person who was also ready to lend a hand when needed.'

Initial local newspaper reports Paul was performing acrobatic stunts in the air before the accident were rubbished by police sources and Mr Martinez Pacheco.

He said: 'Paul followed all the rules. He was very correct and responsible in the way he flew in this plane and others he had before.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard, the police force investigating the accident, confirmed a probe was ongoing

'It looks like he's just had bad luck and encountered a freak weather phenomenon which is unheard of in that area and could have caused anyone problems by disorientating them.'

A spokesman for the Civil Guard, the police force investigating the accident, confirmed a probe was ongoing.

The Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC), the Spanish national agency responsible for air traffic investigation, will also conduct its own separate investigation.

Cartagena mayoress Ana Belen Castejon wrote on Twitter: 'My sincere condolences to the friends and loved ones of the man who has died.

'Sadly nothing could be done to save his life.'

Luis Martinez Escudero, one of the men who helped pull the Brit's body from the sea, told a local paper: 'We saw a body floating face down in the water five minutes after the plane came down.

'I put the body on the longboard I was on with the help of a canoeist who also headed to the same spot.

'We then transferred the dead man into a boat that turned up and took him to a nearby port.'

He also described weather conditions at the time as 'extremely foggy.'

Another pilot who left the airdrome shortly before the Brit who lost his life yesterday morning is understood to have complained about low clouds.

A spokesman for a regional government-run emergency response coordination centre said: 'We can confirm the death of a man aged 66 who suffered a light aircraft accident in Cala Reona in the municipality of Cartagena.'
A third of Americans yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine say they would be more likely to get the shot if offered $100, a study has found.

The cash incentives proved far more persuasive than an endorsement from a doctor or pharmacist, a public health expert such as Anthony Fauci or a polarizing political figure like Joe Biden, the New York Times reported.

But not everyone was swayed by money: 15% of those surveyed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) COVID-19 Health and Politics Project said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered $100.

The prospect of not having to wear masks was another effective inducement.

Some 63% of participants said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it meant they no longer had to wear a mask.

The revealing data comes as the number of Americans receiving their vaccines has fallen.

More than 3 million vaccination shots were being administered every day in mid-April, but the rolling average daily rate has now slipped below 2 million.

Lynn Vavreck, a principal investigator of the UCLA Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, wrote in the New York Times that 'at this later stage of a vaccine campaign  when attention has now turned to the hesitant  the net benefit seems to be tilting toward payment'.

Some states are already offering incentives, including cash payments for driving neighbors to vaccination sites.

Bars in some areas have even offered shots of alcohol for those getting their vaccines.

Private businesses such as Trader Joes and Dollar General have also offered financial inducements to staff who take up the vaccine.

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However, not everyone is convinced by a cash reward: 19% of those surveyed said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered a $100 payment. Experts say there is a fine line between a 'incentivizing and coercion'

Vaccine rates hit a peak in the US on April 10 when 4.63 million received the vaccine, but have slipped back since then. Some have linked the declining numbers to a pause in the J&J vaccine on April 13

The UCLA study examined the likelihood of people to get vaccinated when offered $100, $50 and $25.

At $100, 34% said they would be more likely to take a shot, at $50, 31% said they would be more likely, and when the amount was $25, 28% said they would be more inclined.

But some among the 7249 people randomly surveyed said they would be less inclined to be vaccinated if offered a cash payment.

When offered $100, 15% said they would be less likely to take a shot, 17% said they'd be less inclined if they were offered $50, and 15% said they would be dissuaded from taking the vaccine if they were offered $25.

The effect was greatest for unvaccinated Democrats, 48 percent of whom said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it came with a $100 payment.

The long-running study has also examined Americans' likelihood to get vaccinated by political persuasion.

It found that vaccine endorsements by political figures brought about strong partisan reactions.

A Donald Trump vaccine endorsement in 2020 decreased the uptake among Democrats, while increasing the uptake for Republicans.

Similarly, an endorsement by Joe Biden in 2021 saw fewer Republicans take up the vaccine shot.

Meanwhile, private companies such as Trader Joes and Dollar General are already offering their employees cash bonuses to get vaccinated. Trader Joes is giving two hours pay to workers who get the shot, Dollar General will give its employees four hours pay.

In Detroit, residents are being offered $50 prepaid cards to anyone who drives their neighbors to get vaccinated.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site. Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose

A third of yet-to-be vaccinated Americans would be more likely to get the shot when offered $100, a UCLA study has found

Maryland is offering $100 to state employees who receive the vaccine, and West Virginia announced last week that it would give $100 savings bonds to anyone aged between 16 and 36 who gets the shot.

In New Jersey, anyone over 21 is eligible to receive an alcoholic beverage with its 'Shot and a Beer' program.

In Texas, public health leaders are weighing up offering cash to convince the vaccine skeptics.

'I think we do need to have a discussion about incentives,' Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County's interim health authority, told KXAN.

Echoing the USLA findings, Escott said there was a 'thin line between motivation and coercion'.

The number of people taking the vaccine peaked on April 10 when 4.63 million Americans received the shot in a 24-hour period.

Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose.

On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration announced it was pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they study serious illnesses that developed in six American women.

It resumed 10 days later, but experts believe the pause stoked fears among the vaccine hesitant that they were not safe.

'There is a portion of the population that because of the pause, that's the straw that broke the camel's back, they're not going to get vaccinated,' Paul Shelton, executive vice president of pharmacy at AdhereHealth LLC, told the Wall Street Journal.

A recent poll shows just how much of an uphill climb it will to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The Economist/YouGov poll asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the shot.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

Infection rates have declined sharply as more Americans receive the vaccine

The death toll in the United States has slowed markedly in recent months, but is still heading towards 600,000

Stalling vaccination rates have left experts wondering if America will ever reach herd immunity, when a high enough proportion of the population are vaccinated to effectively snuff out the danger of infection.

Herd immunity was once estimated to be around 70 percent, but with the emergence of more in infectious variants - including the now-dominant B117 variant first identified in the UK - the needle has likely moved, experts told the New York Times.

Now, north of 80 percent of Americans would likely need to be vaccinated against the virus to prevent resurgences.

That simply may not be possible, considering that between 20 and 30 percent of Americans are still vaccine hesitant.

'It is theoretically possible that we could get to about 90 percent vaccination coverage, but not super likely, I would say,' Dr Marc Lipsitch, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health epidemiologist, told the Times.

Wyoming has the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy in the country, with an estimated 32 percent of people saying they won't get the shots in at least 11 of the state's 23 counties.

The state also has the fourth lowest rate of vaccination, with 34.1 percent of its population having had one or more doses of Covid vaccines, and 28 percent fully vaccinated. Daily cases in Wyoming are holding steady at about 60 a day.

Mississippi lags furthest behind, with 31.1 percent of residents having had one or more doses and just 23.8 percent fully vaccinated. The prospects of its vaccination campaign look poor as well, as 30 percent of people in six of its counties are hesitant to get vaccinated.

Herd immunity may be especially hard to reach in these states, and hotspots for vaccine hesitancy could be the Achilles heel that allows coronavirus to continue to resurge, if the U.S. doesn't adopt a strategy to quickly quell emerging outbreaks.

Meanwhile, confirmation that pregnant mothers are safe to receive the vaccination is being welcomed as a vital step forward in eliminating the virus.

And there is growing evidence that vaccinating women now may have knock-on benefits for any children they have in the future, too.

Since the immunity provided by a COVID vaccine is passed down to the foetus, wide take-up of the shot will eventually lead to a generation of children with in-built resistance.

While the risk that COVID poses to pregnant women and babies is generally low, studies have shown that women who catch it while pregnant are two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely  which can endanger the newborn. However, the shot dramatically reduces this risk.

Despite this, experts say that roughly one in five pregnant patients are hesitant about getting a COVID shot.

Other studies suggest this is likely to be higher  the results of a poll of more than 1,000 pregnant women, reported last week, showed at least one in three werent sure theyd have one.
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Police on Sunday gave the go-ahead to the annual Jerusalem Day parade, a flag-waving display of Israeli claims to all of the contested city, despite days of unrest and soaring Israeli-Palestinian tensions at a flashpoint holy site.

Monday's parade will pass through Jerusalem's Old City, part of east Jerusalem, which was captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The march was approved amid ongoing clashes between police and Palestinians in the Old City, the emotional epicentre of the long-running conflict, that left 90 people injured.

Before dawn Sunday, thousands of Muslim worshippers skirmished anew with Israeli police at the gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City. Videos on social media showed Palestinians hurling water bottles and rocks at officers, who fired stun grenades.

Police on Sunday gave the go-ahead to the annual Jerusalem Day parade, a flag-waving display of Israeli claims to all of the contested city, despite days of unrest and soaring Israeli-Palestinian tensions(pictured, 2019 Jerusalem Day parade)

The march was approved amid ongoing clashes between police and Palestinians in the Old City, the emotional epicentre of the long-running conflict. (pictured, a Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli security forces on Saturday night)

Clashes started on Saturday after Israeli police blocked Muslim pilgrims from Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny), the holiest night of Ramadan

Saturday night's clashes left 90 people injured, including this woman who was hurt while protesting near Jerusalem's Damascus Gate

Amos Gilad, a former senior defense official, told Army Radio that the Jerusalem Day parade should be canceled or rerouted away from the Old City's Damascus Gate, saying 'the powder keg is burning and can explode at any time.'

The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is considered the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. It has been a tinderbox for serious violence in the past.

But, police spokesman Eli Levi said Sunday that there were no plans to call off the Jerusalem Day parade, despite the rising friction and the potential for violence. He said police were constantly assessing the situation.

Monday afternoon's march marks Israel's capture of east Jerusalem and is typically attended by hardline nationalist Israelis, who wend their way through the Damascus Gate of the Old City and through the Muslim Quarter to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.

The annual event is widely perceived as provocative, and this year's parade comes at a particularly volatile time.

The march coincides with an expected decision Monday by Israel's Supreme Court on the fate of dozens of Palestinians who are fighting attempts by Israeli settlers to evict them from their homes in Jerusalem's Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

Palestinians and international rights groups portray the planned evictions as an ongoing campaign by Israel to drive Palestinians from traditionally Arab neighborhoods, especially in the heart of Jerusalem. Israel has cast the Sheikh Jarrah evictions case as a mere real estate dispute.

The neighborhood has been the scene of regular confrontations, particularly during Ramadan, between Palestinian residents and their supporters on one side, and Israeli police and ultra-nationalist Israeli activists on the other.

The neighborhood has been the scene of regular confrontations, particularly during Ramadan, between Palestinian residents and their supporters on one side, and Israeli police and ultra-nationalist Israeli activists on the other

The planned parade comes after two nights of violence in which Israeli police fired a water cannon at Palestinian protesters and blocked busloads of Muslim pilgrims headed to the Al-Aqsa mosque (pictured, Jerusalem Day parade in 2019)

The annual event is widely perceived as provocative, and this year's parade comes at a particularly volatile time, but police have no plans to cancel it

The planned parade comes after two nights of violence in which Israeli police fired a water cannon at Palestinian protesters and blocked busloads of Muslim pilgrims headed to the Al-Aqsa mosque.

At least 90 Palestinians were wounded in violent confrontations with police in Jerusalem overnight from Saturday to Sunday, when Muslims marked Laylat al-Qadr, or the 'night of destiny,' the holiest period of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

On Friday, more than 200 Palestinians were wounded in clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and elsewhere in Jerusalem, drawing condemnations from Israel's Arab allies and calls for calm from the United States, Europe and the United Nations.

Addressing a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel 'will not allow any extremists to destabilise the calm in Jerusalem. We will enforce law and order decisively and responsibly.'

'We will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all faiths, but we will not allow violent disturbances,' he said.

On Sunday, COGAT, Israel's defense ministry body controlling crossings with the Gaza Strip, said it had suspended entry of 350 Gaza merchants until further notice because of the upsurge in violence.

The flare-up in hostilities comes at a crucial point in Israel's political crisis after longtime leader Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition. His opponents are now working to build an alternate government. If they succeed, Netanyahu would be pushed to the opposition for the first time in 12 years.

Addressing a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel 'will not allow any extremists to destabilise the calm in Jerusalem. We will enforce law and order decisively and responsibly'

At least 90 Palestinians were wounded in violent confrontations with police in Jerusalem overnight from Saturday to Sunday, when Muslims marked Laylat al-Qadr, or the 'night of destiny,' the holiest period of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan

On Friday, more than 200 Palestinians were wounded in clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and elsewhere in Jerusalem, drawing condemnations from Israel's Arab allies

The flare-up in hostilities comes at a crucial point as Israel faces a lengthy political crisis. Police defended their violent dispersal of Palestinian protests as security moves, but these were seen as provocations

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel as a 'cruel terrorist state' amid the escalation of already heightened religious tensions

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel as a 'cruel terrorist state' amid the escalation of already heightened religious tensions that have unleashed the worst unrest in the holy city in years, as the Palestinian Red Crescent reported 90 people injured on Saturday night. Israeli police said one officer was injured.

He said: 'Israel, the cruel terrorist state, attacks the Muslims in Jerusalem - whose only concern is to protect their homes ... and their sacred values - in a savage manner devoid of ethics.'

The violence in Jerusalem was 'an attack on all Muslims', he said, adding that 'protecting the honour of Jerusalem is a duty for every Muslim'.

He urged all countries, in particular Muslim countries, to react and called on the United Nations to 'stop this persecution'.

Police defended their actions as security moves, but these were seen as provocations by Muslims who accuse Israel of threatening their freedom of worship.

Protests broke out on the Israel-Gaza border late on Saturday following the clashes in Jerusalem's Old City.

Israeli forces blocked busloads of Muslim pilgrims headed to the Al-Aqsa mosque on the holiest night of Ramadan

Police defended their actions as security moves, but these were seen as provocations by Muslims who accuse Israel of threatening their freedom of worship

Palestinian protesters burn tyres amid clashes with Israeli security forces at the Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus city, in the occupied West Bank

Protests broke out on the Israeli-Gaza border late on Saturday, the holiest night of Ramadan, following clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday night

Competing claims in east Jerusalem, home to the city's most sensitive Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites, lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have triggered major rounds of violence in the past.

Police said they dispersed the protest in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood where demonstrators had thrown stones at security forces.

Saturday night is 'Laylat al-Qadr' or the 'Night of Destiny,' the most sacred in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Islamic authorities estimated 90,000 people were gathered for intense nighttime prayers at Al-Aqsa.

'The right to demonstrate will be respected but public disturbances will be met with force and zero tolerance. I call on everyone to act responsibly and with restraint,' Israeli police chief Koby Shabtai said.

Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to violence in annexed east Jerusalem, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police have left scores of Palestinians injured.

After delivering his Regina Caeli prayer from the window overlooking St Peter's Square, the pope said he was 'following with particular concern the events that are happening in Jerusalem. I pray so that this might be a place of encounter and not violent clashes, a place of prayer and of peace,' he said.

'I invite everyone to seek shared resolutions so that the multi-religious identity and multi-culture of the holy city might be respected and so that fraternity might prevail. Violence only generates violence. Let's stop these clashes.'

Jordan warned Israel on Sunday to stop what it described as 'barbaric' attacks on worshippers in the Jerusalem Aqsa mosque and said it would be stepping up international pressure, an official statement said.

The kingdom, which has custodianship of Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem, said Israel should respect worshippers and international law safeguarding Arab rights in the disputed city.

Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to violence in annexed east Jerusalem, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police have left scores of Palestinians injured

Police said they dispersed the protest in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood where demonstrators had thrown stones at security forces

In Jerusalem, police said they made three arrests for attacks on officers, while Palestinians reported 13 other arrests earlier in the day

Israeli police are deployed during clashes with Palestinians at Damascus Gate on Laylat al-Qadr during the holy month of Ramadan

Palestinian medics said 205 Palestinians were injured in the clashes at Al-Aqsa and other flashpoints around Jerusalem

Israeli troops fired tear gas toward Palestinian protesters along the Gazan border, where protesters burnt tyres during a demonstration against rising violence

After weeks of nightly violence, Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were bracing for more conflict in the coming days

Gazans gathered at Al Omari Mosque, observing Covid-19 measures, to pray on Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan, on Saturday

On the border with the Gaza Strip, troops fired tear gas toward Palestinian protesters, as officials said three incendiary balloons were launched into Israel, causing fires but no injuries.

In Jerusalem, police said they made three arrests for attacks on officers, while Palestinians reported 13 other arrests earlier in the day.

On Friday, riot police stormed Al-Aqsa mosque compound, unleashing rubber bullets and sound grenades after they said Palestinians threw rocks and fireworks at officers.

Police said 18 officers were injured and several hospitalised.

Palestinian medics said 205 Palestinians were injured in the clashes at Al-Aqsa and other flashpoints around Jerusalem.

Gazan protesters carried Palestinian flags as they dodged tear gas fired by Israeli security forces during the demonstration on Saturday night

In response, aircraft struck a military post for Hamas, the militant group ruling the territory. There were no reports of casualties in either attack

The Israeli military said Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the country's south that fell in an open area early on Sunday

The violence was the worst in years to rock Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina, located on the site Jews revere as the Temple Mount

A Palestinian protester runs from Israeli security forces outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City

On Saturday, protesters chanted, waved Palestinian flags and threw stones before police moved in

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police actions.

'Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship,' he said in a meeting of security officials.

The violence was the worst in years to rock Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina, located on the site Jews revere as the Temple Mount.

Palestinians have held nightly protests in Sheikh Jarrah against an attempt by Israeli settlers to take over Arab homes.

On Saturday, protesters chanted, waved Palestinian flags and threw stones before police moved in.

Dozens of Arab Israeli protesters also gathered across Israel in solidarity with Sheikh Jarrah residents, holding up signs that read 'the occupation is terrorism'.

Israeli security forces arrest a protester during a demonstration by Palestinians against a possible eviction of local Palestinian families

A member of Israeli security forces tries to detain a Palestinian protester outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City

Police blocked buses filled with Arabs headed for Jerusalem from northern Israel, saying they would not be allowed 'to participate in violent riots'.

Instead, hundreds marched on highways leading to the city.

The Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, urged Palestinians to remain at Al-Aqsa until Ramadan ends, warning that 'the resistance is ready to defend Al-Aqsa at any cost'.

Outside the Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, Palestinians set fire to a barricade before police on horseback dispersed the protesters.

The United States - a staunch Israeli ally whose tone has toughened under US President Joe Biden - said it was 'extremely concerned' and urged both sides to 'avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace'.

'This includes evictions in east Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions and acts of terrorism,' the State Department said.

An Israeli policeman holds a weapon during clashes with Palestinians on Laylat al-Qadr

Palestinians gather amid burning tyre fumes and tear gas fired by Israeli security forces during a demonstration by the Israel-Gaza border

The European Union called on the authorities 'to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions,' saying 'violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable'.

Russia voiced 'deep concern' and called the expropriation of land and property in the occupied Palestinian territories including east Jerusalem 'a violation of international law'.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he held the Israeli government responsible for the unrest and voiced 'full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa'.

Yair Lapid, an Israeli politician attempting to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent encouragement to police officers.

'The state of Israel will not let violence run loose and definitely will not allow terror groups to threaten it,' he tweeted.

Palestinian protesters burn tyres amid clashes with Israeli security forces at the Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus city, in the occupied West Bank

Israeli police officers fire stun grenades towards Palestinian demonstrators during clashes at Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem's Old City

The clashes in Al-Aqsa drew sharp rebukes across the Arab and Muslim world.

Jordan condemned Israel's 'barbaric attack' and Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan and Qatar were among Muslim countries that blasted Israeli forces for the confrontation.

Israel also drew criticism from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that signed normalisation accords with the Jewish state last year.

Iran called on the United Nations to condemn the Israeli police actions, arguing that 'this war crime once again proved to the world the criminal nature of the illegitimate Zionist regime'.

Tensions are expected to remain high in Jerusalem.

Israel's supreme court is to hold a new hearing in the Sheikh Jarrah case on Monday, when Israelis mark Jerusalem Day to celebrate the 'liberation' of the city.
Dubai's long-haul carrier Emirates will ship aid from the World Health Organization and other groups into India for free.

The move is to help fight a crushing outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, the airline said Sunday.

The offer by Emirates, which has some 95 flights weekly to nine cities in India, initially involves aid already in Dubai but may expand across the carrier's network as time goes on.

Medical supplies are pictured as they are ready to be sent to India at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 9

Emirates has some 95 flights weekly to nine cities in India. File image of an Emirates flight above

That could mean major savings for aid groups as airfreight costs have skyrocketed amid the pandemic. Demand for flown cargo stands at record levels worldwide.

Emirates made the announcement at Dubai's International Humanitarian City, already home to a WHO warehouse that's been crucial to the distribution of medical gear worldwide.

A WHO worker on a forklift moved boxes of tents made in Pakistan and rolls of net shades from South Korea preparing for the initial flight planned for Thursday. That will be used to construct field hospitals for India's overwhelmed health care system.

Nabil Sultan, the divisional senior vice president for Emirates SkyCargo, said the initial priority would be shipping aid out of Dubai, rather than elsewhere from its network. While airfreight costs stand at record prices, Sultan said offering free shipping for aid to India now was important for an airline that has flown to the South Asian country since the carrier's founding in 1985.

Medical supplies are pictured as they are ready to be sent to India at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 9

"Our relationship with India in particular goes a long way and at times like this, I think it's absolutely essential that we make sure that essential commodities get to India and to the Indian people," Sultan told The Associated Press. "This is the time for us to give back."

As India has grown into an economic power, so has Emirates and its base of Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel. The airline serves as a key link in East-West travel.

Passenger numbers from India for Emirates, just under 3 million in 2008, grew to 5.5 million a decade later. That's some 10% of Emirates overall annual passenger load, with more coming from the surrounding countries on the subcontinent. Millions of Indians also live in the United Arab Emirates and comprise a key part of its labor force.

Then came the pandemic and the fierce outbreak now burning through India. Infections have surged there since February, fueled by variants and the government's permission for massive crowds to attend religious festivals and political rallies. On Saturday alone, India reported over 400,000 new cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Since the pandemic began, India has reported 21.8 million cases and nearly 240,000 deaths, though experts say even those figures likely are undercounts.

The UAE banned in-bound passenger flights from India in late April, though cargo flights continued and passenger planes return with their seats now empty. Emirates already had been shipping in masks, gloves and other protective gear, as well as diffusers as oxygen remains in short supply for those gasping to breath in the throes of the virus, Sultan said.

A forklift driver loads the medical supplies which will be sent to India at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai

As the Indian diaspora tries to send in more aid, Sultan said the airline would evaluate whether to expand the program to include shipments coming from outside of Dubai as well. Operating with groups already in Dubai ensure that they have the right paperwork and contacts to make sure the most vital aid reaches there first, he said.

"As a phase two and three, we will be looking at a range of opportunities for people to sort of donate if they wish, where we can provide capacity to those sort of donations and move them to India," Sultan said.

All this comes as air cargo has reached record levels after flights around the world halted when the pandemic first took hold. The International Air Transport Association, an aviation trade organization, said in March it saw the highest levels of demand ever as the world's economy slowly began to pick up.

Workers prepare the medical supplies to be sent to India at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 9

Per pound, costs for airfreight worldwide are up by some 75%, according to data provider WorldACM. That's as airlines like Emirates still have jumbo jets sitting on tarmacs, waiting for demand and international restrictions to lift to restart routes. Dozens of Emirates' double-decker Airbus A380s stood parked at the nearby Dubai World Central's Al Maktoum International Airport.

Robert Blanchard, who oversees the emergency operation in Dubai for the WHO, praised Emirates for offering the free cargo flights. His warehouse continues to juggle aid for the coronavirus while shipping out gear for cholera and Ebola outbreaks with just eight staffers. He warned that while countries in the West and in the UAE enjoyed quicker access to vaccines, what India faces serves a warning to the rest of the world.

"There's a long way to go before we get back to normal," Blanchard said. "And although the vaccines offer a lot of promise, what we're seeing is that the quantities that are available and the rate of distribution is simply not enough to handle the pandemic."
Andrew Yang is garnering backlash on Twitter for saying 'sh*t' during a campaign stop at a church in Brooklyn, with users claiming it wasn't the place to use such language.

'I moved here as a 21-year-old law student at Columbia,' Yang, who is running in the 2021 New York City mayoral race, said at St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn Heights during a Saturday campaign event.

'I didn't know sh*t,' the candidate chuckled.

There appeared to be some nods of general agreement in the crowd of a few dozen supporters gathered to hear Yang speak.

Many Twitter users, however, were not happy with Yang's choice of words.

'So disrespectful the way you cussed in church,' one user wrote of Yang. 'You're definitely not mature enough to run the city.'

Andrew Yang made a stop at a church in Brooklyn on Saturday in his bid to be the next mayor of New York City

During the event Yang said 'sh*t', which drew criticism on Twitter

Many of the few dozen attendees at the town hall at St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn appeared to nod in agreement when Yang said: 'I moved here as a 21-year-old law student at Columbia. I didn't know sh*t'

Twitter users were not happy with Yang using profanity in a church, claiming he isn't 'mature enough to run the city'

'He's in a church........ he shouldn't be cussing in a church,' another wrote.

A third tweeted: 'Saying sh*t in church...real classy'.

A spokesperson for Yang reasoned to the New York Daily News that the use of profanity was part of a campaign town hall and not a religious service.

'Andrew was having a good time with the audience at today's town hall, laughing and sharing stories,' the candidate's spokesman Jake Sporn said.

'As everyone there knew, he has incredible respect for the church and this wasn't a service.'

Yang continued in his remarks Saturday: 'It's like when you show up as a 21-year-old like, you know, it's like ', the candidate cut himself off and threw his arms up.

'I have the kind of life and career that I could never have even imagined as that 21-year-old, and every single good thing that has happened to me personally and professionally was made possible by New York City,' he said.

Yang, 46, was one of the several Democrats who ran in the 2020 presidential primary. He ended his race on February 11, 2020 and endorsed now President Joe Biden.

Now he is vying to take Bill de Blasio's seat, who has served since 2014 and cannot run for a third consecutive term under current New York City law. After a four-year break, de Blasio could launch another bid for mayor if he wished.

'Wonderful meeting voters in Brooklyn Heights at St Ann's Church today! Met some phenomenal people - we will do this again!' Yang wrote with images of his speech and with supporters who came to the town hall.

The New York City mayor race has 16 Democratic candidates in the running.

Yang usually polls best and is considered the favorite so far in the crowded race, but in one survey released earlier this week Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams pulled ahead.

Most voters still say they are undecided as the June 22 Democratic primary approaches.
A mystery object seen in the sky in India has left locals baffled, wondering if it was a fireball or part of the Chinese space rocket that crashed in the Indian Ocean last night.

Eyewitnesses described a sparkling object which pulsed in the sky for several seconds before vanishing.

Some speculated the object might have been a spaceship, or even debris from the Chinese rocket, Long March 5B.

A mystery object seen in the sky in India has left locals baffled, wondering if it was a fireball or part of the Chinese space rocket that crashed in the Indian Ocean last night

The 18-tonne rocket reentered Earth's atmosphere near the Maldives last night, broke upon reentry and crashed into the Indian Ocean.

Footage of the strange fireball showed the bright orange object with yellow spheres appearing to expand and contract in the sky.

Other eyewitnesses speculated the unidentified object was a fireball, burning helium balloon, or a space ship.

Ali Mohammad said: 'The UFO was extremely bright like a fireball circling around night skies. It was something that I haven't witnessed my entire life it spooked me'.

In the video, a curious young onlooker can be heard asking her father, 'is it burning helium balloon or the spacecraft?'

A similar shiny object was found by a Pakistani pilot in January.

He spotted the shiny unidentified object near Rahim Yar Khan while operating an Airbus A-320 from Karachi to Lahore.

In 2012, a luminous flying object was also reported flying over Ladakh in India's Himalayan border with China.

Footage of the strange fireball showed the bright orange object with yellow spheres appearing to expand and contract in the sky. Eyewitnesses speculated the object was a fireball, burning helium balloon, or a space ship

China's Long March rocket crashed near the Maldives in the Indian Ocean early on Sunday.

The Long March 5B - comprising one core stage and four boosters - lifted off from China's Hainan island on April 29 with the unmanned Tianhe module, which contains what will become living quarters on a permanent Chinese space station.

Debris from Chinese rocket launches is not uncommon within China. In late April, authorities in the city of Shiyan, Hubei Province, issued a notice to people in the surrounding county to prepare for evacuation as parts were expected to land in the area.

The empty core stage has been losing altitude since last week, but the speed of its orbital decay remained uncertain due to unpredictable atmospheric variables.

It is one of the largest pieces of space debris to return to Earth, with experts estimating its dry mass to be around 18 to 22 tons.

In 2020, debris from another Long March rocket fell on villages in the Ivory Coast, causing structural damage but no injuries or deaths.

China's Long March rocket crashed near the Maldives in the Indian Ocean early on Sunday
Ledell Lee was convicted in the murder of Debra Reese and was sentenced to death

Four years after an Arkansas man was executed for murder, attorneys for his family say that new DNA evidence found on the murder weapon could prove his innocence.

Ledell Lee, 51, was executed by lethal injection in 2017 for the brutal killing of 26-year-old Debra Reese, who was sexually assaulted and murdered in her Jacksonville home in 1993.

But attorneys for his family say DNA belonging to someone else has been found on the handle of a bloody tire thumper that was used in the killing.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and the Innocence Project - a national organization that seeks to overturn wrongful convictions - say the DNA has not been identified, but will be tested against samples added to a national database.

'We are grateful there is new evidence in the national DNA database and remain hopeful that there will be further information uncovered in the future,' said Patricia Young, Lee's sister.

Young sued the Jacksonville City Council to allow further DNA tests on the evidence last year.

Ledell Lee (pictured center) was executed by lethal injection in 2017

Patricia Young and her sister, Shantel Tidwell, announced in 2020 they were suing the Jacksonville City Council to allow for new DNA testing in Reese's homicide

The results of the latest tests 'proved to be incomplete and partial,' said Attorney Nina Morrison, an attorney for the Innocence Project, but could pave the way for further evidence that could prove Lee's innocence.

The testing would not rule out Lee as the possible source of one of multiple hairs and hair fragments recovered from the scene, the attorneys told The Washington Post.

Reese had been home alone on February 9, 1993, when she was struck approximately 36 times with the tire thumper her husband left her as a means of protection while he was working as a truck driver.

Witnesses said they saw Ledell Lee - then 27 - leave Reese's home and walk down the street.

He was arrested less than an hour later, according to THV 11.

Lee was sentenced to death in October 1995, and maintained his innocence up until he was executed in April 2017.

Lee was executed by lethal injection in 2017. He is pictured in an image released by the Innocence Project

At a news conference on May 4, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson defended Lee's execution

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge was unmoved by the latest DNA tests, and said the evidence against Lee 'demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that he murdered Debra Reese.'

In a news conference on May 4, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, defended Lee's execution.

He said the new evidence is 'inconclusive' and 'the jury found him guilty based upon the information they had.'

'Whenever you make tough decisions, whenever you have to carry out the decision of a jury, you realize that it's been reviewed by the Supreme Court at every level,' Hutchinson, who scheduled Lee's 2017 execution, said. 'They affirm the convictions, and it's my duty to carry out the law.'

The woman who prosecuted the case against Lee had also previously expressed confidence that the jury did the right thing in sentencing him to death all those years ago, according to the Washington Post.

After he was arrested in the Reese homicide, Lee's DNA had been linked to four other crimes - three sexual assault cases and another homicide, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, but the homicide and one of the assault charges were ultimately dropped.

In the Reese case, Lee's family and advocates said, prosecutors relied heavily on eyewitness testimony from Reese's neighborhood, who said they saw Lee walking around the neighborhood the morning she was killed, but Lee was never linked to the crime through DNA analysis.

'Instead, the state convicted Mr. Lee by vastly overstating the nature and significance of the limited forensic testing conducted at that time, including tests that its own experts admitted were ultimately 'inconclusive,' the court documents said.

They further argued that a review uncovered flaws in the evidence used against Lee, including a biased photo lineup. Groups had previously submitted affidavits from forensic experts questioning this evidence, and raising questions about the prosecution's claim that a partial shoe print found at the scene matched Lee's shoe size.

The ACLU asked for new DNA testing prior to Lee's execution and claimed that Lees intellectual disability stemming from fetal alcohol syndrome was 'never noticed let alone brought to the court or the jurys attention.'

The group joined forces with the Innocence Project to push for the testing, but the Arkansas Supreme Court ultimately upheld Lee's conviction.
The fiancee of a British millionaire who was shot dead by his model ex-girlfriend has claimed a business rival ordered his killing and fears she may be next.

Maria Korotaeva, 27, said her husband-to-be Andrew Bush, who was dubbed 'Mr Bling of Marbella', had received death threats in the weeks before his murder and a jewellery competitor could have ordered the hit.

Mr Bush, 48, was shot once in the arm and twice in the head by Slovakian swimwear model Mayka Kukucova at his Spanish villa in April 2014.

Now Russian-born Ms Korotaeva has claimed in a new tell-all book that she believes Kukucova was actually instructed to carry out the killing over Mr Bush's plans to established a jewellery business in London.

Slovakian swimwear model Mayka Kukucova (pictured) shot Andrew Bush to death

Maria Korotaeva said her husband-to-be Andrew Bush, who was dubbed 'Mr Bling of Marbella', had received death threats in the weeks before his murder

Mr Bush was shot once in the arm and twice in the head by Kukucova at his villa in 2014

The Bristol businessman had jetted out to Malaga with a new lover - who found his ex-girlfriend Kukucova, then 26, waiting in his bed armed with a .38 revolver

According to the Sunday Mirror, Ms Korotaeva says: 'A couple of weeks before his murder, Andy was in Germany at a jewellers conference.

'He came back really upset, saying that someone - a rival entrepreneur, I think - was threatening him because of his plans.

'We think Mayka was told if she did the murder she would get three or four years.'

At Kukucova's trial in 2016, the court heard how the bikini model had become 'obsessed' with Mr Bush after their split in November 2013.

Andrew Bush, dubbed 'Mr Bling of Marbella', with girlfriend Maria Korotaeva

At Kukucova's trial in 2016, the court heard how the bikini model had become 'obsessed' with Mr Bush after their split in November 2013

On the night of the murder, Mr Bush asked Ms Korotaeva to marry him

The 26-year-old had begun stalking him and, from April 2, 2014 - three days prior to his death - had been in his house in Malaga without his consent.

On the night of the murder, Ms Korotaeva and Mr Bush had been out for dinner when the businessman asked his lover to marry him.

The Bristol businessman had jetted out to Malaga with a new lover - who found his ex-girlfriend Kukucova, then 26, waiting in his bed armed with a .38 revolver.

Kukucova escaped to her home country 2,000 miles away but later handed herself in to authorities before being extradited to Spain. She was jailed for 15 years in 2016 but had her sentence reduced in 2017 to 13 years.

After the Slovakian national refused to leave, Mr Bush told Ms Korotaeva, then 20, to go to the car and phone the police. Ms Korotaeva then heard three gunshots and later found her partner lying in a pool of blood.

Maria Korotaeva, the girlfriend of murdered Bristol businessman Andrew Bush

Swimwear model Kukucova appearing in court in Malaga, Spain, May 24, 2016

The ordeal left Ms Korotaeva with depression for 18 months and she fears 'dangerous' Kukucova will come after her when she is released.

'It's already been seven years,' she said. 'There's not very long left until she comes out. I'm worried that she may come and find me. What stops her? Nothing.

'You can find me easily because of my social media.'

After a brief stint in Tenerife and a short time living in the UK, Ms Korotaeva now lives in Russia where she wrote her story during lockdown.

Just days after Mr Bush's death, Ms Korotaeva said: 'There's no way of putting into words how you feel when somebody you love is killed right there in front of you.

'We had so many plans for the future and now there's nothing.'

Ms Korotaeva, who later got married but divorce two years later, described her late partner as 'the love of my life'.

The couple had plans to move to London together after she had finished her degree at University of West England in Bristol.

Mr Bush also left behind an ex-wife, Samantha, and daughter, Ellie Mason Bush.
One of Britain's most wanted men who was on the run for eight years for his involvement in an international drug trafficking plot has been arrested in Dubai.

Michael Paul Moogan, 35, evaded international police forces for eight years using a number of false identities the National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed today.

He was featured in Operation Captura's most wanted fugitives campaign after a raid on a Dutch cafe in 2013 which was used as a front by an international drug cartel.

Operation Captura is a multi-agency operation to detain criminals wanted by UK law enforcement who are hiding abroad.

Moogan, from Liverpool, is the 86th person arrested under Operation Captura - an NCA fugitive campaign run in conjunction with Crimestoppers.

He was apprehended on April 21 this year in Dubai as a result of a joint operation between Dubai Police and the NCA.

One of Britain's most wanted men Michael Paul Moogan (pictured) has been apprehended in Dubai and will be extradited back to the UK to stand trial in connection to drug trafficking ring

Moogan had been on the run since a raid on a cafe in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, which was suspected of being used as a front for meetings between drug traffickers and cartels.

The cafe was central to a plot to bring hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the UK every week.

Working with the Dutch National Crime Squad, the NCA became aware of information that linked Moogan and two other British men to the Cafe de Ketel - a business not open to the public that could only be entered via a security system.

During the raid, investigators found handguns, a radio scanner, hundreds of thousands of Euros, a cash-counting machine and dozens of mobile phones.

During other raids in Rotterdam, police also seized two machine guns.

NCA officers suspected that Moogan and his associates were involved in plans to import drugs from Latin America to the EU.

At the time of the raid, only one of the men, Robert Hamilton, 71, from Manchester, could be found.

He was jailed for eight years in 2014 after pleading guilty to drug charges.

Pictured: Robert Gerrard was jailed for 14 years in 2017 for drug trafficking offences

The other man, Robert Gerard, 57, from Liverpool, handed himself in to the NCA after three years on the run claiming the pressure was too much.

He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and was jailed in 2017 for 14 years.

Moogan is the 86th person arrested under Operation Captura  an NCA fugitive campaign run in conjunction with Crimestoppers.

NCA officers established Moogan was using numerous false identities to avoid capture.

Dubai Police believe that after entering the UAE using a different identity, he tried to avoid CCTV in an attempt to elude detectives.

Utilising the latest capabilities, including the Criminal Data Analysis Centre, they were able to track him down.

NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland said: 'This arrest is the result of years of investigation involving a range of law enforcement partners in the UK, Europe and Middle East.

'We are extremely grateful to those partners for their assistance in ensuring Moogan now faces justice and particularly thank the Dubai Police for their efforts to track him down. He will be returned to the United Kingdom to face trial.

'This case should serve as a warning to others on the run from the NCA - we have a global reach, we never give up and they can never rest easy.'

NCA Director General (Operations) Steve Rodhouse added: 'The arrest of Moogan further reflects great co-operation between the Dubai Police and the NCA.

'I'd like to commend their work, in particular detectives from the General Department of Criminal Investigation in Dubai, who showed exceptional professionalism and were able to use all the techniques at their disposal to locate him and carry out this operation.'
Merkel sees China-EU investment pact "mutually beneficial:" report

Xinhua) 10:17, May 09, 2021

A freight train bound for Hamburg, Germany is ready to depart at the Shijiazhuang international land port in north China's Hebei Province, on April 17, 2021. (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)

Merkel remained convinced that the China-EU investment deal was a "very important undertaking" despite "all the difficulties that will surely arise with the ratification," the AFP said.

BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the China-European Union (EU) investment deal laid the foundations for "mutually beneficial" trade, citing such advantages as more reciprocity on market access, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Merkel made this remark in a speech to her conservative CDU (Christian Democrats Union)/CSU (Christian Social Union) alliance on Wednesday, the AFP reported.

Merkel remained convinced that the China-EU investment deal was a "very important undertaking" despite "all the difficulties that will surely arise with the ratification," the AFP said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Sydney's samurai sword killer and his fiancee have revealed why they went on the run with more than $20,000 in cash and five nunchucks following the gruesome crime.

Ice-fuelled armed robber Jet McKee stormed Blake Davis' Forest Lodge home in August 2018 and hit the 31-year-old in the eye with knuckle dusters - temporarily knocking him out.

Davis' fiancee Hannah Quinn then chased after the balaclava-clad McKee who had taken her handbag.

Davis regained consciousness and ran outside before striking McKee with his samurai sword, slicing his head and killing him.

Shortly after David struck McKee, the couple ran back to their house and threw five nunchucks, a toy pellet gun and $21,000 in savings into a Menulog paper bag. They went on the run for three days before turning themselves in to police.

Hannah Quinn and Blake Davis broke their silence in an explosive 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night, filmed prior to their sentencings

Blake Davis fatally struck Jett McKee (pictured) in the head with a samurai sword after the ice-fuelled intruder fled his Forest Lodge unit in August 2018

The couple ran back to their house and threw five nunchucks, a toy pellet gun and $21,000 in savings into a Menulog paper bag and went on the run

Davis was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the hip-hop artist's manslaughter and was jailed for at least two years and three months.

Quinn, 26, last week avoided jail time but was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order after she was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact.

The couple broke their silence in an explosive 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night, filmed prior to their sentencings.

Davis, who has no memory of parts of the incident, admitted he is still perplexed as to why he packed a bag of bizarre items before fleeing the scene.

'It just shows how much my head wasn't in a good place to have five nunchucks in a bag and to be leaving with this,' Davis told Tara Brown.

'It just showed how irrational [we were] and how we were not okay at that point. We were just going off fear and impulse.

'I don't know even why those things were taken.'

Quinn's defence lawyer Lauren MacDougall believes the use of a samurai sword, avoiding the police and Quinn following McKee out of the house led to the jury convicting the couple of manslaughter

The bloody scene in August, 2018 after McKee was killed with a samurai sword

Quinn said she was terrified McKee, who at the time she believed was still alive, would come after them.

'It's like this shockwave comes through me and I'm like, "we've got to keep moving and get away from this guy who's coming after us",' she said.

With their one bag packed, the couple fled their house and hid in a laneway while a passerby called police after finding McKee bleeding out.

However, Quinn dropped the bag of money and left it discarded in the back street they had been hiding in.

When asked by Brown why she abandoned the cash, Quinn couldn't give an answer.

'I'm not really sure.. I mean, it seems crazy,' she said.

Davis and Quinn spent the next three days moving from hotel to hotel in the city and at Pennant Hills, fearing McKee or his accomplices were coming after them.

'We didn't want to go and stay with family and friends out of fear that if someone found us we would be putting our loved ones in danger,' Quinn said.

Davis said they soon became paranoid that McKee's associates were nearing in.

Hannah Quinn and Blake Davis spent their final moments together as they arrived hand in hand at the NSW Supreme Court for Davis' sentencing on Tuesday

Davis was in possession of the samurai sword (pictured) - a legal weapon - as it was a gift from his brother on his 18th birthday

'You start to question everything and start to look over your shoulder at every single person and see that there's a potential danger or threat anywhere,' he said.

'I don't think [calling the police] was even a thought at that first initial time just because we were running off fear.'

It wasn't until days later they heard on the news via a taxi's radio that McKee had died just moments after their encounter.

'I think the jury were troubled by various aspects of the case,' Quinn's defence lawyer Lauren MacDougall said.

'I think the use of the sword troubled them. I always think if he didn't get a sword, what if he got something else, would that have been a different outcome? It's an exotic object that he happened to have lying around.'

Ms MacDougall also speculated the jury 'might not have understood or accepted' why Quinn went after McKee after he fled the house.

'She left the house and followed him to get her bag back,' she said.

Justice Natalie Adams accepted Quinn stuck with the 'love of her life' out of misguided loyalty and because of her emotional attachment

Hannah Quinn (centre), 26, was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order after she was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact

'Probably also the fact that they didn't go to the police sooner I think that didn't sit well with the jury perhaps.'

Ms MacDougall also said the jury wasn't satisfied that Davis was acting in defence of his fiancee, who he thought was just seconds from being shot.

'Essentially the main thing to understand with self defence is the reaction of someone has to be proportionate with the threat or the perceived threat,' she said.

Davis in the trial gave evidence about his belief the intruder had shot him when he was hit with the knuckle dusters, and claimed he thought his fiancee's life was in danger.

But the Crown contended that no witnesses saw McKee pointing a gun at Quinn before he was struck with the sword, as professed by Quinn.

Little did the couple know, the gun found next to McKee's body only contained blank cartridges.

Justice Natalie Adams accepted Quinn stuck with the 'love of her life' out of misguided loyalty and because of her emotional attachment.

Hannah Quinn (pictured) left the NSW Supreme Court in tears after her fiance Blake Davis was sentenced over the 2018 manslaughter of Jett McKee

Davis in the trial gave evidence about his belief the intruder had shot him when he was hit with the knuckle dusters, and claimed he thought his fiancee's life was in danger

'Nothing she did that weekend showed any plan to indefinitely go on the run,' Justice Adams said.

During Davis' sentencing in March, Justice Adams accepted Davis would have been in severe pain after being punched in the face with knuckledusters by 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 told the court.

'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.
Public health officers in Bolton are going door-to-door in a bid to control the spread of the B16172 Indian coronavirus variant.

Indian variant cases have soared over the last week and Public Health officials say almost half the cases are related to travel or contact with a traveller.

The cases are spread across the country, however, the majority of the cases are in London and the North West, predominantly Bolton.

Residents living in the Bolton boroughs of Rumworth, Deane and Great Lever are being told to expect a knock on the door.

The former mill town of Bolton has been revealed as the UK hotspot for the new Covid 19 strain detected in India which has been escalated to a 'variant of concern'

They will be told about new measures in place to stop the transmission of the variant.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 strategic response director at Public Health England (PHE) said: 'We are monitoring all of these variants extremely closely.

'We have taken the decision to classify this as a variant of concern because the indications are that this VOC-21APR-02 is a more transmissible variant.'

Bolton has been revealed as the UK hotspot for the new Covid 19 strain detected in India which has been escalated to a 'variant of concern'.

Urgent measures to contain the variant are in the works in the town including surge testing and a strengthened vaccination campaign urging people to get the jab.

Areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton, Greater Manchester, registered a small number of cases of the variant, leading to widespread testing.

There are 520 confirmed cases of the strain in the country, up from 202 the previous week.

Surge testing is increased testing (including door-to-door testing in some areas) and enhanced contact tracing in specific locations.

It involves testing of people who do not have any symptoms of coronavirus.

Surge testing centres with Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests have been set up in venues including a Hindu temple in addition to a large Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) site.

Areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton, Greater Manchester, registered a small number of cases of the variant, leading to widespread testing

As well as being the hotspot for the new strain, Bolton has recorded the second highest Covid infection rate in the country with cases continuing to rise, below only Hyndburn in Lancashire.

Weekly data shows that Bolton had the second highest Covid-19 case rate in England for the seven days to May 3 up to 89 cases per 100,000 people, up 78 per cent on the previous week.

Compared to the average in the country which sits at 20.6 cases per 100,000 people for the same period.

One area, Rumworth South, has seen cases skyrocket by 500 percent, with an infection rate of 359.3 per 100,000 people.

Public health officers will be going door-to-door to explain the emergency situation unfolding in Bolton.

The Department of Health said a 'small number' of cases of the variant first identified in South Africa (B.1.351) and a cluster of cases of the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India had been found.

It comes as Public Health England (PHE) upgraded the Indian variant to a 'variant of concern'.

The majority of Indian variant cases are in the North West, predominantly Bolton, and London, where there has also been increased transmission.

Bolton Council's Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Lowey, said: 'There is no evidence these variants cause more severe illness, there is some evidence that the Indian variant spreads more easily than other Covid-19 variants so it is the one that we want to stop and contain.

No10's top scientists calculated the R rate had fallen compared to last week, when it was between 0.8 and 1.1 across England. But they said the measure was becoming less reliable because of low numbers of cases, deaths and hospitalisations

Public Health England has divided the Indian variant in three sub-types because they aren't identical. Type 1 and Type 3 both have a mutation called E484Q but Type 2 is missing this, despite still clearly being a descendant of the original Indian strain. It is not yet clear what separates Type 1 and 3

'We are working closely with our partners across the community to identify people who have the virus, to increase the numbers of our eligible residents having the vaccine and to remind us all that Covid has not gone away.

'These measures are designed to bring the virus under control, but there are basic things we can all do to stop Covid spreading.

'Wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering, maintain social distancing, keep areas well ventilated and take up the vaccine when it is offered.'

Dr Helen Wall, Senior Responsible Officer of the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme in Bolton, said:

'It is proven that vaccination has a significant impact on the spread and severity of the virus, so we will be taking steps to provide additional capacity in these areas.

'We have a good track record of vaccination and a high level of confidence in the programme already in Bolton and we aim to build on that with some targeted vaccination work to try and nip this in the bud to protect everyone in Bolton.

'We are so close to getting things back to normal; let's keep up the momentum and stop this virus from spreading further.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE INDIA VARIANTS? Real name: B.1.617  now divided into B.1.617.1; B.1.617.2; B.1.617.3 When and where was it discovered? The variant was first reported by the Indian government in February 2021. But the first cases appear to date back to October 2020. Its presence in the UK was first announced by Public Health England on April 15. There have since been at least 400 cases spotted in genetic lab testing. What mutations does it have? It has 13 mutations that separate it from the original Covid virus that emerged in China  but the two main ones are named E484Q and L452R. Scientists suspect these two alterations can help it to transmit faster and to get past immune cells made in response to older variants. PHE officials said it has split into three distinct virus types, with types 1 and 3 both having the E484Q mutation but type 2 missing the change, despite having all the other hallmarks of the variant. Is it more infectious and can it evade vaccines? The L452R mutation is also found on the Californian variant (B.1.429), even though the two evolved independently. It is thought to make the American strain 20 per cent more infectious than the original Wuhan version  even with the extra 20 per cent it is likely slower than the Kent variant. The E484Q mutation is very similar to the one found in the South African and Brazil variants known as E484K, which can help the virus evade antibodies. The South African variant is thought to make vaccines about 30 per cent less effective at stopping infections, but it's not clear what effect it has on severe illness. Professor Sharon Peacock, of PHE, claimed there was 'limited' evidence of E484Q's effect on immunity and vaccines. Lab studies have suggested it may be able to escape some antibodies, but to what degree remains uncertain. Early research suggests both the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and the Pfizer jab, still work against the variant, as well as India's own jab, Covaxin. A paper published by SAGE last week suggested two doses of the Pfizer vaccine is good enough to protect against all known variants. How deadly is it? Scientists still don't know for sure. But they are fairly certain it won't be more deadly than the current variants in circulation in Britain. This is because there is no evolutionary benefit to Covid becoming more deadly. The virus's sole goal is to spread as much as it can, so it needs people to be alive and mix with others for as long as possible to achieve this. And, if other variants are anything to go by, the Indian strain should not be more lethal. There is still no conclusive evidence to show dominant versions like the Kent and South African variants are more deadly than the original Covid strain - even though they are highly transmissible. Doctors in India claim there has been a sudden spike in Covid admissions among people under 45, who have traditionally been less vulnerable to the disease. There have been anecdotal reports from medics that young people make up two third of new patients in Delhi. In the southern IT hub of Bangalore, under-40s made up 58 percent of infections in early April, up from 46 percent last year. There is still no proof younger people are more badly affected by the new strain. Should we be worried? Scientists are unsure exactly how transmissible or vaccine-resistant the Indian variant is because it hasn't been studied thoroughly. The fact it appears to have increased infectivity should not pose an immediate threat to the UK's situation because the current dominant Kent version appears equally or more transmissible. It will take a variant far more infectious strain than that to knock it off the top spot. However, if the Indian version proves to be effective at slipping past vaccine-gained immunity, then its prevalence could rise in Britain as the immunisation programme squashes the Kent variant. Why has B.1.617.2 been designated as a variant of concern? Scientists believe this variant can spread more quickly than two other related variants seen in India. It is thought to be at least as transmissible as the variant detected in Kent last year, known as B117, which is now dominant in the UK. Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 strategic response director at PHE, said: 'We are monitoring all of these variants extremely closely and have taken the decision to classify this as a variant of concern because the indications are that this VOC-21APR-02 is a more transmissible variant.' PHE said there is currently 'insufficient evidence' to indicate that any of the variants recently detected in India cause more severe disease or make the vaccines available any less effective. How many cases have been detected in the UK? According to data by PHE released on Friday, there are, at present, 520 confirmed cases of the B.1.617.2 variant in the UK, from 202 over the last week. The report also showed 261 cases of B.1.617.1 and nine cases of B.1.617.3. The cases are spread across the country, with the majority in two areas  the North West, mainly in Bolton, and London. PHE said around half of these cases are related to travel or contact with a traveller. PHE health protection teams are working with local authorities, public health officials and NHS Test and Trace to detect cases and limit onward spread. Surge testing is expected to be deployed where there is evidence of community transmission. Is B16172 variant driving the second wave in India? India reported 412,262 new Covid-19 cases and 3,980 Covid-19-related deaths on Thursday  both new single-day records. In the past 30 days, the country has recorded 8.3million cases. However, it remains unclear whether the new coronavirus variants are driving the second wave. Experts say large gatherings, and lack of preventive measures such as mask-wearing or social distancing, are playing a key role in the spread of the virus. Although India has the world's biggest vaccine making capacity, the country has partially or fully immunised less than 10 per cent of its 1.35billion people. Advertisement

Just five new Covid deaths are recorded as cases rise 7.3 per cent to 2,047 - while number of people who have had second jab soars past 17m

By Joe Davies for MailOnline

Britain's daily coronavirus deaths fell by nearly 30 per cent today, as the number of people who have received a second dose soared past 17million.

There were 2,047 positive tests across the country, the Department of Health announced, up 7.3 per cent on last Saturday's number (1,907).

Officials also recorded just five lab-confirmed deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid swab, 28.6 per cent less than the number recorded a week ago.

The latest figures show that nearly 35.2million Britons have been given at least one dose of Covid vaccine, after another 119,349 first injections were administered yesterday.

The NHS also dished out a further 449,716 second doses, bringing the total number of people fully vaccinated against the disease to 17.2million.

Some 66.8 per cent of adults have had a first jab, while nearly a third have had their second.

It comes surge testing began in the former mill town of Bolton today, which has been identified as a hotspot for the Indian Covid variant.

British health chiefs yesterday announced India's mutant coronavirus strain is now officially a 'variant of concern'.

Public Health England say the variant  linked to an explosion of cases in India  is 'at least' as infectious as the current dominant Kent strain.

Cases of the variant, scientifically called B.1.617.2, have more than doubled in a week. It has now been spotted 520 times, with hotspots in Bolton and London.

Health officials are confident vaccines currently being used should still work against the variant but are carrying out urgent tests to be certain.

Scientists have grouped the Indian variant into three separate sub-strains, with type 2 quickly spreading in the UK. It has been found in schools, care homes and places of worship, it was reported yesterday.

The other two are genetically similar strains  B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.3  and aren't currently considered variants of concern. But PHE said their status will be kept 'under constant review'.

Despite being more infectious, health chiefs don't believe the variant is deadlier than original coronavirus strains.

The move to make the Indian variant one 'of concern' means officials can now put in place tougher measures to contain the strain, including ordering door-to-door tests and boosting contact tracing. All residents living in areas where the variant is spreading in the community will be asked to get a test, even if they don't have symptoms.

The Department of Health has announced it will start surge testing in Bolton in the BL3 postcode and has asked residents to book a test online or on the phone so they can go for one at a site or have one delivered to them at home. Surge testing in London has not yet been announced.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said that tracking of the Indian variant will be 'absolutely ruthless'.

Celebrating the Tories delivering a hammer blow to the Labour's Red Wall in the local elections, Mr Johnson told reporters: 'What we're doing there is making sure that we are absolutely ruthless in the surge testing, in the door-to-door tracking of any contacts.

'At the moment we're looking carefully at the way the Indian variant seems to function, we don't see any evidence that it is resistant to the vaccines or in any way more dangerous.'

Public Health England has divided the Indian variant into three sub-types because they aren't identical. Type 1 and Type 3 both have a mutation called E484Q but Type 2 is missing this, despite still clearly being a descendant of the original Indian strain. It is not yet clear what separates Type 1 and 3

But an expert has warned the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown might be delayed because of outbreaks of the variant.

Dr Duncan Robinson, policy and strategy analytics academic at Loughborough University, yesterdaysaid a 'political decision' may be taken to slow down easing restrictions because the strain could disproportionately affect areas where there are outbreaks.

But speaking in Hartlepool yesterday, Mr Johnson also said he 'can't see any reason' to delay the remaining steps along the out of lockdown.

Early research suggests both the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and the Pfizer jab, still work against the variant.

Cases HALVE in a month to 46,000, R rate falls slightly and is still below one, and fewer than 1,000 patients are now in hospital for the first time since September England's coronavirus cases have halved in a month, the R rate is still below one, and the number of people in hospital has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since September, promising data revealed today. Just 46,000 people had coronavirus in England on any given day last week, or one in 1,180 people, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure was around 112,000 towards the start of April  and is down 15 per cent last Friday's estimate. No10's top scientists said the reproduction rate  which tracks the spread of the virus  was between 0.8 and 1.0, meaning the outbreak is still shrinking. This was down from 0.8 to 1.1 in the previous seven-day period. Meanwhile, NHS figures show the number of infected patients in hospitals across England has dropped into three figures for the first time since the second wave spiralled out of control nine months ago. Daily admissions are now below 100. The data follows on from promising statistics from Public Health England and a symptom-tracking app yesterday, which showed the easing of restrictions on April 12 has not triggered any spike in the disease. Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to speed up his roadmap out of lockdown, with businesses and MPs warning that they risk suffering another lost summer if there are further delays. But the Prime Minister has refused to budge from plans to re-allow holidays and indoor hospitality from May 17, despite promising he would be led by 'data not dates'. Advertisement

Speaking at the Downing Street press conference tonight Jenny Harries, the head of the UK Health Protection Agency, said: 'Yes we should be concerned. Our overall positivity rates have dropped dramatically but in some areas there are some variants of concern.

'Particularly the Indian one, which has risen quite sharply in the last week or two. So in those areas, we really do want people to be extra cautious.'

She said that while scientists had determined the variant was more transmissible, they still need to monitor its affect on vaccine effectiveness and disease severity.

Ms Harries added: 'While we're watching that, we're taking a whole host of steps to ensure areas where we have seen that we have enhanced contact tracing, we're going in with messaging, working with local communities, with local directors of public health, to make sure people are really aware of the potential risk.

'We're encouraging people to continue working from home. All the things we know work.

'Socialising outdoors, even if the situation and the rules change [across the country]. It's really important that people continue to do that.

'This is likely to be a bit of a pattern as we move forward. So we need the public to do everything they have been doing in sticking to the rules but in those particular areas, being particularly careful. And we will be continuing to monitor it.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, PHE's Covid strategic response director, said: 'The way to limit the spread of all variants is the same and although we are all enjoying slightly more freedom, the virus is still with us.

'Keep your distance, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, cover your nose and mouth when inside and keep buildings well ventilated and meet people from other households outside.

'If you are told to get a test, if you have any symptoms at all or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, please make sure you get tested too.'

She said the decision to upgrade B.1.617.2 to a 'variant of concern' was because data shows it is more transmissible.

But PHE said there is currently no proof that any of the variants are deadlier or render the vaccines currently deployed any less effective.

Urgent laboratory tests are being carried out to 'better understand the impact of the mutations on the behaviour of the virus', the agency said.

It also revealed the majority of the cases being detected were in just two areas  the North West (mainly Bolton) and London.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'Working in partnership with Bolton Council, NHS Test and Trace is providing additional testing and genomic sequencing in targeted areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton.

'Everybody who resides or works in these postcodes is strongly encouraged to take a COVID-19 PCR test, whether they are showing symptoms or not.

'Enhanced contact tracing will be used for individuals testing positive with a variant of concern. In these instances, contact tracers will look back over an extended period in order to determine the route of transmission.

'By using PCR testing, positive results can be sent for genomic sequencing at specialist laboratories, helping us to identify variant of concern cases and their spread.

'People with symptoms should book a free test online or by phone so they can get tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to them at home. Those without symptoms should visit the local authority website for more information.'

Boris Johnson (pictured celebrating the Tories' by-election win on Jacksons Wharf with Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer this morning) has pledged 'absolutely ruthless' tracking of India's mutant Covid strain after health chief today officially declared it a 'variant of concern'

Data modelled by Professor Christina Pagel suggested the variants now account for 10 per cent of Covid cases in London, and between 5 and 7 per cent of cases in the South East and East Midlands

APRIL 17: In the most recent data, the variant  now split into three recognisable strains  has been found in dozens of areas and accounted for 2.4 per cent of all positive tests sampled

Data on April 3 (left) show how just a handful of boroughs had spotted cases of the Indian variants. By a week later (right) the variant had spread to more areas and started to take off in London

Reflecting on the strain's upgrade to 'variant of concern' on Twitter, Dr Robinson said: 'A *political* decision will be made. Risk of Roadmap Step 3 is clear.

'It would be prudent to delay the reopening to see how outbreaks spread or do not spread in the weeks ahead. Otherwise deprived, ethnic, urban communities may suffer disproportionately.'

But the Prime Minister yesterday said: 'I think it's been very important for our country that we're able to get through Covid as fast as we can. I think we've got to always bear in mind that this thing isn't over.

'I think the epidemiology is very encouraging at the moment but we've got to continue to be cautious, and we will continue with the cautious but irreversible steps of the road map. I can't see any reason now to delay any of the steps that we've got ahead of us, but that's going to be our programme.'
Facebook's oversight board co-chair said Sunday that the platform's rules are in 'shambles' as he explained the panel decided to temporarily maintain the ban on Donald Trump so the site can fix issues before making a permanent ruling.

Michael McConnell, who co-chairs the board assigned to look at Facebook's content moderation decisions, told 'Fox News Sunday': 'We gave them a certain amount of time to get their house in order. They needed some time because their rules are a shambles.'

'They are not transparent, they are unclear, they are internally inconsistent,' McConnell said of the platform's rules.

'So we made a series of recommendations about how to make their rules clearer and more consistent,' he added. 'And the hope is that they will use the next few months to do that and then when they come back and look at this they will be able to apply those rules in a straightforward way.'

McConnell assured Fox host Chris Wallace that former President Trump 'is held to the same rules as everyone else.'

Facebook Oversight Board Co-Chair Michael McConnell told 'Fox News Sunday' that the social media site's rules are 'a shambles'

'We gave them a certain amount of time to get their house in order,' McConnell told Fox host Chirs Wallace. 'They needed some time because their rules are a shambles. They are not transparent, they are unclear, they are internally inconsistent'

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Despite this claim, conservatives insist they are unfairly targeted online by social media sites with left-leaning values and CEOs.

On Wednesday, the board released its decision to uphold the ban on Trump's account for the next six months, in which time it will be reevaluated by CEO Mark Zuckerberg's team.

Trump was banned from Facebook  and most other social media sites  after the January 6 Capitol attack, for which Democrats blame the former president for inciting. The events ultimately led to Trump's second impeachment trial, which like the first did not result in conviction.

McConnell said Wednesday that Facebook's content moderators will ultimately have to decide whether to restore Trump's account, permanently restrict it or give a set amount of time for a suspension.

Keeping him in limbo or relying on the panel to make a decision is not an option McConnell laid out.

'Facebook must make its decision and be held accountable for what it decides,' the oversight panel co-chair said.

McConnell, 65, is a constitutional law scholar who was a Republican-appointed judge for the Tenth Circuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Since ending his tenure with the court in 2009, he has been a professor and Director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School.

In May 2020, he was appointed to Facebook's content oversight board.

Trump released a statement Wednesday claiming the decision by the board to uphold its ban on his accounts is a 'total disgrace' and claimed Big Tech will pay a 'political price' for taking away his free speech.

'What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country,' Trump fumed in a statement Wednesday.

'Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before,' he added.

'The People of our Country will not stand for it! These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price, and must never again be allowed to destroy and decimate our Electoral Process.'

In a Thursday statement, Trump said Big Tech companies banning him are just another way to dismiss and stifles his claims of widespread voter fraud and a 'rigged' 2020 election.

The Facebook and Twitter ban on Trump earlier this year  while he was still president  was an unprecedented move of censorship on a world leader. The move sparked a global debate over how much control social media and big tech should have over free speech online.

Facebook's oversight board, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg (pictured above) called its 'Supreme Court', decided Wednesday to uphold the ban on Trump for six months

The Facebook Oversight Board was set up by the platform as an apparent self-check mechanism amid growing calls for it to be split up because it is too powerful.

The board is funded by Facebook, and all of its 20 left-leaning members are paid six figures for approximately 15 hours of work a week.

The sole purpose of the oversight board is to rule on issues that are too big for Facebook or to make decisions it simply doesn't want to make.

But in their decision on Wednesday, the five deciding board members refused to rule either way, instead upholding Facebook's ban and telling the site it would need to decide for itself whether to ban the former president.

Republicans  and even many Democrats  have said the ban on Trump proves Big Tech has too much power.

Progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren said Wednesday the move exhibits Big Tech needs to be broken up.

'I'm glad that Donald Trump is not going to be on Facebook,' the Massachusetts senator clarified to Yahoo Finance. 'Suits me.'

'But part two is that this is just further demonstration that these giant tech companies are way, way, way too powerful,' Warren asserted.

'They need to be broken up in order to keep commerce flourishing,' she said, echoing her calls made during her 2020 bid to be the Democratic nominee for president.

Of Zuckerberg calling the Oversight Board the 'Supreme Court' of Facebook, Warren said: 'Listen to the arrogance of it.'

'The name of the group that made the decision is called the Supreme Court,' the Democrat congresswoman bemoaned. 'I missed the part where those people had hearings in front of Congress, and were voted on before they were made decision makers with this kind of authority.'
Sniper serial killer Lee Boyd Malvo has revealed sickening details about his 2002 killing spree in a new documentary, including how he and accomplice John Allen Muhammad engaged in 'exceptionally exciting' sex after gunning down innocent people.

Malvo and Muhammad massacred ten people and left another three wounded during a 22-day killing spree in the Washington D.C. area.

The pair were also linked to three further killings and other robberies during a murderous cross-country trip prior to the DC slayings.

Speaking to the makers of a new documentary, I, Sniper, Malvo speaks in exhaustive detail about the attacks which terrorized the US capitol.

Malvo was just 17 when he carried out the killings with Muhammad, a 41-year-old Gulf War veteran in October 2002.

Malvo later claimed to have been 'brainwashed' by his older accomplice, and also said in a 2012 interview he had been sexually molested by Muhammad.

Now 36, Malvo spent many hours speaking with the documentary makers from Vice, and for the first time reveals that the pair would have 'exceptionally exciting' sex after killing their victims, The Daily Beast reported.

'It is unnatural to kill anything,' Malvo told the filmmakers from inside Red Onion State Prison in Virginia where he is serving multiple life sentences without the chance of parole.

'But once you've done it the first time, it becomes easier each time.'

'I was a thief. I stole people's lives,' he goes on to say. 'What inside me made that possible?'

John Lee Malvo, then 17, left, and John Allen Muhammad, 41, would have post-shooting sex after massacring victims during the DC sniper terror of 2002

Muhammad, left, was a 'master puppeteer,' according to Malvo, right, who spoke extensively to the makers of a new Vice documentary I, Sniper. Malvo said he was Muhammad's 'instrument', and that he became intoxicated by the thrill of murdering people

Sniper mastermind Muhammad at a court appearance in Virginia in 2003. He was linked to 20 shootings, including 13 deaths and was killed by lethal injection in 2009

Malvo, center, leaves a pre-trial hearing in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2003. Malvo got four life sentences without parole

In the eight-part documentary series which premieres on May 10, filmmakers recorded 17 hours of conversation with Malvo in 15 minute segments - as per prison rules.

Malvo speaks about his difficult upbringing in Jamaica, where he was abandoned by his father and abused by his mother.

After moving to Antigua in 1999, he met Muhammad, who would become a father figure - and lover - to the troubled teenager.

Muhammad was filled with anger and rage at the military, white people and his own family, having threatened to kill his ex-wife and abduct their children.

Malvo repeats claims he has made in previous interviews that he was also a victim of Muhammad's, who he says coerced him to help him punish his perceived enemies.

'Muhammad was master puppeteer,' he tells filmmakers. 'I was an instrument.'

The documentary charts the pair's first murder, committed by Malvo in Tacoma, Washington, in March 2002, nine months before the Washington DC attacks.

The pair went on a murderous road trip across the country, robbing, and killing as they went.

Then on October 2, 2002, the pair began gunning down people in the D.C. area using a specially modified Chevy Caprice which allowed one of them to shoot from the trunk.

The trunk of the 1990 Chevy Caprice used by Malvo and Muhammad in the 2002 shootings. The pair cut a sniper's hole above number plate so they could shoot people while driving around

The pair began gunning down people in the D.C. area using a specially modified Chevy Caprice which allowed one of them to shoot from the trunk.

Over the next 22 days, the pair's murderous rampage would paralyze Washington DC as residents were fearful to leave their homes.

The pair left ransom notes near crime scenes, demanding $10 million and warning: 'Your children are not safe anywhere, at any time.'

On October 23, police put out a late-night alert for two men in a blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey plates. Around 3:30am the next morning, authorities arrested the pair at a rest stop off Interstate 70 near Myersville, in Maryland.

Malvo is serving four life sentences without the possibility of parole. Muhammad was put to death by lethal injection in 2009, at age 48.

At the heart of the I, Sniper documentary are the victim's stories.

Isa Nichols, the aunt of Malvo's first victim, Keenya Cooke, had not spoken publicly about the shootings in more than a decade, but she told the Associated Press the filmmakers won her over with their patience and thoroughness.

'They allowed me to honor my niece,' Nichols told the agency.

'They really did a wonderful job. Letting me work through this process.'

In March 2020, Malvo, 36, married wealthy Sable Noel Knapp, 31, inside Virginia's Red Onion State Prison on March 6, according to The Daily Beast.

Knapp is the granddaughter of a wealthy Iowa real estate developer. She is also an outspoken supporter of Bernie Sanders and Black Lives Matters.
A tourist was left clinging on for dear life after the glass panels of a 330-ft high bridge in China were damaged in strong winds.

The glass-bottomed bridge is located at a resort built into the Piyan Mountain in the Chinese city of Longjing.

A terrifying image purportedly shows a man clinging onto the railing after winds of up to 90mph blew away some of the glass panels on Friday.

A terrifying image purportedly shows a man clinging on the railing after winds of up to 90mph blew away some of the glass panels on Friday

The glass-bottomed bridge is located at a resort built into the Piyan Mountain in the Chinese city of Longjing. Above, the bridge pictured prior to the incident

A photo of the stranded tourist was initially shared to the country's Weibo social media platform, where it amassed more than four million views.

According to a report in the Straits Times, the man was stuck on the bridge for a brief period.

He crawled to safety, guided by firefighters, police, and forestry and tourism workers.

The man was later taken to hospital where he has been receiving psychological counselling following the ordeal.

The image has since been shared many times on Twitter, where people have been expressing their horror.

The image has since been shared many times on Twitter, where people have been expressing their horror

'This is basically one of my anxiety dreams played out in the real world,' one Twitter user commented.

'This is terrifying,' another said.

It is understood that the resort was closed for a brief period following the potentially fatal incident.

Chinese mountain resorts are increasingly featuring popular glass-bottom bridges as a way to attract tourists.

The city of Zhangjiajie, northwest of China's Hunan province, features a famous glass bridge which hangs an incredible 300m above the ground.

The 430m-long, 6m-wide bridge is built between two steep cliffs.
This is the moment the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent received an honorary professorship from one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's oldest and most trusted cronies.

Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, who has 'direct links with Putin', can be seen fawning over the Prince, 78, as he presents him with his honorary professorship for furthering Russian-British relations.

'Of course, this is a great joy for me,' the Prince says after he receives the honorary professorship. 'It is a very great honour to receive this title I hope this visit will help strengthen the relationship between the UK and Russia, which is not the easiest right now'

Dr Litvinenko, 65, has known Putin since the 1990s and been described as a 'close friend' of the President. His association with Prince Michael appears to substantiate claims the Queen's cousin has close connections to the 'Putinistas'.

This is the moment the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent (right) received an honorary professorship from one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's oldest and most trusted cronies

Professor Vladimir Litvinenko (left) can be seen fawning over the Prince, 78, as he presents him with his honorary professorship for furthering Russian-British relations

Prince Michael was also handed flowers after receiving the honorary professorship from the University Rector Dr Litvinenko

'Of course, this is a great joy for me,' the Prince said after he received the honorary professorship

The allegations came to light in a bombshell report in which fictitious executives were told the Prince could be hired to endorse their company to Putin's inner circle.

The Queen's cousin told undercover reporters posing as investors from South Korea in a virtual meeting that he could be hired for 10,000 a day to make 'confidential' representations to Putin's regime.

Journalists from Channel 4 Dispatches and The Sunday Times were investigating claims that Prince Michael and the Marquess of Reading were selling their links to the Russian regime.

Prince Michael said he would be 'very excited' to work with the fictitious 'House of Haedong' - which alleged it wanted to further its business in Russia by making links with Putin's inner circle.

Prince Michael, a grandson of King George V, allegedly said he would give the 'House of Haedong' his endorsement in the Kremlin for a $200,000 fee.

He added his relationship with the state could 'bring some benefit' to the firm, billed as 'new boutique fund that invests in the most regal of assets: gold'.

Journalists from Channel 4 Dispatches and The Sunday Times were investigating claims that Prince Michael and the Marquess of Reading were selling their links to the Russian regime

A representative for Prince Michael has insisted the royal has 'no special relationship with President Putin', adding they have had no contact since June 2003.

But, photographs show the royal on his regular trips to Russia, where he is greeted with a red carpet even at times of high tension with Britain.

In one visit in 2018 he traveled to the Russian capital to open Brookes Moscow School, a 25 million international academy favoured by elite Russian parents.

This visit in 2018 was only six months after Putin's GRU military spies used chemical nerve agent Novichok to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

A representative for Prince Michael has insisted the royal has 'no special relationship with President Putin', adding they have had no contact since June 2003 (pictured, Prince Michael and Putin in London in 2003)

In one 2018 visit he slipped into Moscow to open Brookes Moscow School, a 25 million international academy favoured by elite Russian parents

This visit in 2018 was only six months after Putin's GRU military spies used chemical nerve agent Novichok to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury

At the time, there was a ban on ministerial visits to Russia, yet Prince Michael - known fondly as Kentski in Moscow where he is seen as a lookalike of tragic last Tsar Nicholas II - continued to visit as he has done since the 1990s.

The Prince - who has Romanov royal blood - is known to play a big role in business promotion in Russia and has also undertaken considerable charity work in the country.

A former diplomat said: 'He has significant connections among influential business people in Moscow, and he is respected by major political figures.

'It can be hard to know where the line is between his royal duties and his personal commercial activities.'

A picture from one of the Prince's trips shows him with Russia's then wealthiest woman Yelena Baturina, wife of the former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, as well as former London mayor Ken Livingstone.

The Prince is known to play a big role in business promotion in Russia and has also undertaken considerable charity work in the country (pictured, Prince Michael speaks during the 2018 IV Russian-British Business Forum in Moscow)

A picture from one of the Prince's trips shows him with Russia's then wealthiest woman Yelena Baturina (second left) as well as former London mayor Ken Livingstone (far left)

In 2009, the Prince received the Order of Friendship from then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev (left)

Last year, when he was unable to travel to Russia, Prince Michael took part in the RussiaTalk investment forum video conference alongside both the Russian Ambassador to Britain, Andrei Kelin, and the British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert.

He has also represented the Queen in Russia, most famously at a ceremony in 1998 when he was present as the bones of murdered Nicholas II and most members of his immediate family were laid to rest in a royal vault in tsarist capital St Petersburg.

In 2009, he received the Order of Friendship from then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and in 2019 was praised for 'melting that ice of mistrust' between Russia and Britain on a visit to Yekaterinburg.

Here he also visited the Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land - the site of where Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks.

On another occasion the prince was seen proudly donning a replica of the crown that is the main symbol of tsarist autocracy - Monomakh's Cap, as worn by his Romanov ancestors.

The Prince visited the Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land in Yekaterinburg - the site of where Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks

He was praised on the trip in 2019 for 'melting that ice of mistrust' between Russia and Britain

On another occasion the prince was seen proudly donning a replica of the crown that is the main symbol of tsarist autocracy - Monomakh's Cap, as worn by his Romanov ancestors

Dr Litvinenko, 65, has known Putin since the 1990s and has been described as a 'close friend'.

He was Putin's campaign manager for his first two election campaign victories as Russian president in 2000 and 2004, and is now a billionaire and the 'richest rector in Russia'.

The rector of St Petersburg Mining Institute supervised Putin's own academic dissertation amid charges of plagiarism.

Litvinenko's own daughter Olga astonishingly claimed later that she had witnessed her estranged father ghostwriting 'Putin's thesis' in 1997.

She said: 'My father personally compiled Putin's PhD thesis, working from our dacha (country house) at Beloostrov village in Leningrad region.

'Later this thesis was recognised by Western scientists as plagiarism.'

Litvinenko's spectacular wealth came from his connection to PhosAgro, Russia's largest producer of phosphate-based fertilisers, where he had collected shares after doing consultancy work, later rising to the position of chairman.

Dr Litvinenko, 65, has known Putin since the 1990s and has been described as a 'close friend'. (pictured, Litvinenko leads Prince Michael on a tour of the Mining University in 2017)

Litvinenko helped plagiarise Vladimir Putin's doctoral thesis, his estranged daughter Olga as claimed (pictured, the academic leads Prince Michael on a university tour)

The royal's secretary allegedly told the two undercover reporters that Prince Michael could make introductions to people high up in the Russian state ahead of the meeting.

She said: 'We can certainly help in that sense. Even if he doesn't have direct contact to the person that you want, there is a way in. There is always a way in.'

There are few rules that dictate how a royal can earn private income, and Prince Michael does not receive any money from the civil list.

However, research conducted for Dispatches found that two-thirds of Britons don't believe royals should be able to personally profit from their status.

Fictitious executives were told Prince Michael of Kent (left) could be hired to endorse their company to Vladimir Putin's inner circle, a bombshell report claims

Prince Michael, a grandson of King George V, allegedly said he would give the 'House of Haedong' his endorsement in the Kremlin for a $200,000 fee. Pictured: Putin

Prince Michael allegedly drew attention to the fact Putin had bestowed upon him the Order of Friendship in his meeting with the 'House of Haedong'.

According to the Sunday Times, the Marquess of Reading remained in the call with the apparent South Korean executives after the royal left the Zoom.

While explaining the type of service he could offer in Russia, Lord Reading allegedly claimed Michael acted as 'Her Majesty's unofficial ambassador to Russia' and could meet with Putin.

The cost of the 'confidential' service was given as 50,000 for a four or five-day trip to Russia, the Times reported.

The above family tree shows how Prince Michael of Kent is related to Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Michael said his relationship with Russia could 'bring some benefit' to the firm, billed as 'new boutique fund that invests in the most regal of assets: gold'

Lord Reading said: 'Clearly Prince Michael is very interested in all that you have to say regarding Russia Well, if you want to get into Russia right, you have to go through the Putinistas.

'And the best way of getting through the Putinistas, are through himself, through Putin himself. Putin, exactly.

'I mean, I can show you an album of a picture of me with various Putinistas, about six or seven of them... and he, he has a whole lot more erm of these, of these instances, where he is seen with Putin and he will be discussing a number of different subjects, right.

'But if he is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person, erm who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold. It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful.'

Lord Reading (left) said the tension between Britain and Russia has not changed Prince Michael's (right) relationship with the Kremlin

In a statement, Prince Michael said: 'Prince Michael receives no public funding and earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years. Prince Michael has no special relationship with President Putin'

There are few rules that dictate how a royal can earn private income, and Prince Michael does not receive any money from the civil list. Pictured: The Zoom meeting

He concluded that the arrangement would be 'slightly discreet', adding: 'We wouldn't want the world to know that he is seeing Putin purely for business reasons, if you follow me.'

Asked if Prince Michael has done this before, he said: 'Yeah. I mean, he's not I mean, he's he's done He's been able to do that. But he doesn't broadcast it.'

Lord Reading also said the tension between Britain and Russia has not changed Prince Michael's relationship with the regime.

He said: 'No, it hasn't. It hasn't affected his relationship with Prince Michael. He is just generally regarded as Her Majesty's erm, unofficial Ambassador to Russia'.

Dispatches said Lord Reading had preciously used an event at Kensington Palace in 2013, in which Prince Michael was a guest, to sell access to Putin.

The event, to promote the Russian wrestling sport of Sambo, also allegedly offered opportunities to personally meet the Russian leader at a later date.

Marina Litvinenko, the widow of the murdered Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, told Channel 4 she was concerned about claims Prince Michael was selling access to Putin's regime.

In a statement, Prince Michael's office said: 'Prince Michael has no special relationship with President Putin.'

Lady Gabriella Windsor with her father Prince Michael of Kent for her wedding to Mr Thomas Kingston in May 2019

She said: 'He has to be aware that his relationship is not a simple business deal. And opening a door for business and directly with Vladimir Putin is a very toxic relationship.'

In a statement, a representative for Prince Michael insisted he does not have a 'special relationship' with the Russian leader.

They added: 'Prince Michael receives no public funding and earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years.

'They last met in June 2003 and Prince Michael has had no contact with him or his office since then.

'Lord Reading is a good friend, who in trying to help, made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been able, to fulfil.'

Lord Reading said: 'I thought the approach from the House of Haedong was genuine and I was only trying to facilitate an introduction to my friend Prince Michael.

'I made a mistake and over-promised and for that, I am truly regretful. I wasn't at my peak as I was recovering from a kidney transplant.

'For the record, the Sambo event which was eight years ago was my event and Prince Michael was simply my guest along with many other people.'
Former President Trump has weighed in after it was revealed that Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit has failed a drugs test.

The colt faces having its victory invalidated, while trainer Bob Baffert has been suspended by Churchill Downst, it has been announced.

Baffert said a post-race sample provided by Medina Spirit had tested positive for 21 picograms of the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone, over the legal limit in Kentucky racing.

Trump messaged on his new "From the Desk of Donald Trump" website: 'So now even our Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, is a junky.

'This is emblematic of what is happening to our Country. The whole world is laughing at us as we go to hell on our Borders, our fake Presidential Election, and everywhere else!'

Churchill Downs said it had suspended Baffert from entering horses at its famed racetrack and said that if the positive test is upheld, Medina Spirit's results will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the Kentucky Derby winner.

Medina Spirit, ridden by jockey John Velazquez had secured a half-length victory in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby on May 1

Trainer Bob Baffert said a post-race sample provided by Medina Spirit had tested positive for 21 picograms of the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone

'Failure to comply with the rules and medication protocols jeopardizes the safety of the horses and jockeys, the integrity of our sport and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby and all who participate. Churchill Downs will not tolerate it,' the company said in a statement.

'We will await the conclusion of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's investigation before taking further steps.'

Medina Spirit is expected to run in the Preakness on Saturday, barring some abrupt change in plans or a decision from officials at Pimlico or Marylands racing commission that would prevent him from entering the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

The only horse to be disqualified for medication after winning the Derby is Dancers Image in 1968.

Medina Spirit, ridden by jockey John Velazquez had secured a half-length victory in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Baffert won a record-setting seventh Kentucky Derby with dark bay colt.

Betamethasone is the same drug that was found in the system of Gamine, another Baffert-trained horse who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks last September.

Gamine was eventually disqualified from that finish because of that test and Baffert was fined $1,500. Betamethasone is legal under Kentucky racing rules, though it must be cleared 14 days before a horse races.

Baffert denied any wrongdoing and said he did not know how Medina Spirit could have tested positive.

Baffert's camp were informed of the news by Kentucky officials on Saturday, but the 68-year-old denied giving the horse illegal substances and said the positive test was 'the biggest gut punch in racing'.

'I was totally shocked when I heard this news,' Baffert told a news conference. 'I'm still trying to absorb it. I am the most scrutinized trainer. The last thing I want to do is something that would jeopardize the greatest sport.

'This shouldn't have happened. There's a problem somewhere. It didn't come from us. It's such an injustice to the horse. I don't feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged.'

Last month, Baffert successfully appealed against a 15-day suspension given to him by the Arkansas Racing Commission after two of his horses had tested positive for a banned substance.

Baffert said Medina Spirit had not yet been officially disqualified from the Derby and that he would launch his own investigation.

Baffert said Medina Spirit had not yet been officially disqualified from the Derby

Baffert said that he was going to be transparent with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in their own investigation.

'I don't feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged,' said

'We're going to show them everything. One thing about it in California, everything is documented every day what the horse gets. This horse was never treated with that. He's a great horse, he doesn't deserve this. He ran a gallant race.'

'I'm going to fight it,' he added. 'There are problems in racing, but it's not Bob Baffert. I don't believe in conspiracy theories, but why is it happening to me?'

In 2015, Baffert-trained American Pharoah became the first horse since 1978 to win U.S. thoroughbred racing's coveted Triple Crown. Baffert celebrated another Triple Crown in 2018 with Justify.

The failed drug test is just another in a long series of events shadowing the sport - and the Derby, its best known and most prestigious race - in recent years.

Maximum Security crossed the line first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified by Churchill Downs stewards for interference in what was an unprecedented move. Country House, which crossed the line second in that race, is now considered the winner.

In March 2020, Jason Servis - who was Maximum Securitys trainer - was part of a sweeping indictment that involved trainers, veterinarians and pharmacists in a horse doping ring. Baffert faced the doping allegations in Arkansas and Kentucky last year, and now, this.

Horse racing in the United States has come under fire in recent years for the sport's widespread use of drugs, which has contributed to the high-profile deaths of horses at tracks around the country.

Animal rights group PETA said regulators should permanently ban Baffert, whose horses have failed five drug tests in a little more than a year.

"The time has long passed for regulators to stop protecting Bob Baffert with minimal fines and finally kick him out of racing," said PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo.

Scrutiny of the sport led to the passage of the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act last year, which seeks to address inconsistencies in drug testing and create a uniform national standard of rules and regulations in the sport.

The law goes into effect in July of next year.
Libby Ruge (pictured) was 19 when she died

The friends of a teenage dental assistant and model who was hit and killed by a car while walking with her boyfriend have started an inspiring foundation in her name.

Aspiring dentist Libby Ruge, 19, was run over on Flinders Street in Wollongong about 10.30pm on November 7 when a Toyota Camry allegedly mounted the kerb and ploughed into the young couple and their two friends.

She died on the scene while her boyfriend Luke Day, 20, was unscathed and their two friends, Tye West and Eva Harrison, only sustained minor injuries.

In honour of their 'kind' daughter, Ms Ruge's mothers Jules and Julie have started the Bee Kind Like Libby foundation, which funds dental rehabilitations.

Pictured: Libby Ruge with her mothers Julie (left) and Jules (right) at her high school graduation

Pictured, left to right: Libby's mother Jules, her boyfriend Luke, her mother Julie and two friends at the scene of the crash

'Libby was the most amazing girl. She was funny. Smart. Incredibly beautiful. But most of all, she was kind,' her friend Nekeisha Vos wrote on Facebook.

'When she was younger she would get her mums, Julie and Jules, to drive her around secretly dropping off flowers and chocolates to her friends that she knew were having a tough time.

'It wasnt until she was taken that we found out how much she did this on her own once she had her driver licence and car.'

Ms Vos said her friend wanted to change people's lives by studying dentistry.

'She saw how much her own mothers life changed when she had her smile rehabilitation, and she wanted to do the same for others,' she wrote.

In February, Jules and Julie launched fundraising platform 'Bee Kind Like Libby' in a bid to raise money for the Libby Ruge Smile Foundation.

'Another of Libbys best friends, Jorja, is the first recipient and has already had her fillings all replaced and braces put on,' wrote Ms Vos.

Pictured: Luke Day (left) saying his final goodbyes to the love of his life, Libby Ruge, at her funeral

Her boyfriend Luke Day (pictured together), 20, was unscathed and knew he had to call his girlfriend's mothers, Julie and Jules, to say the life was draining from the 19-year-old's body

Libby and her boyfriend Luke planned on getting married one day and buying a big block of land.

During his speech at Libby's funeral in December last year, Luke's voice cracked with emotion as he shared his final goodbyes.

'I was so excited for our future,' he cried. 'Although it has been cut short, you will forever have my heart.

'It's not fair you've been taken so soon. I'll forever love you, until we meet again.'

To make up for the big wedding her daughter would never have, her mum Julie told Daily Mail Australia that she asked guests to dress up in bright colours - 'let's just make this beautiful for her,' she said.

'It was her last time to shine.'

Libby's cousin Dee McBeath said Libby was laid to rest in a casket spray-painted as a black Cadillac.

'The florist told us we'd need about 60 sunflowers. We ordered 200. We were told we could only have 100 people at the service venue, so we had three venues,' she said.

'It was hell trying to organise that many people, but we did it, because that's what Lib deserved.'

Police initially told the family they were preparing to fly the teenager to hospital in a helicopter, but decided to take her to Woollongong Hospital moments later (pictured, a tribute to Libby)

The families were told Libby died when they got to the hospital (pictured, Libby with her mothers, Julie, left, and Jules, right)

Lili Ford, one of Libby's best friends, organised dried flowers and the family released hundreds of live butterflies after the service.

They explained that butterflies were symbolic to the 19-year-old because she had a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her head.

Months earlier, she had wanted to get a butterfly that reminded her of her late grandmother tattooed on her arm.

A little shocked, her mother suggested she get the insect inked on her side where it wasn't so visible.

Libby's older sister (pictured) with a butterfly on her arm at Libby's funeral in November

The family explained that butterflies were symbolic to the 19-year-old because she had a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her head (pictured, a butterfly that landed in Julie's hair and on a portrait of Libby at the funeral)

'She called the people at Bondi Ink, who are usually booked a year in advance, and they had a cancellation so she went and got three tattoos that day,' Julie said.

After Libby died, Julie and Jules called the tattoo parlour, explained that Libby died and asked if they squeeze in another booking.

'The parlour dropped everything to fit us in,' the mother explained.

'I got the tattoo where Libby originally wanted it on her arm, and Jules got it on her bicep - I never would have done that before.'

When the insects were released after the funeral service, Dee said they landed on 'such specific people'.

'One landed in her mother's hair and just wouldn't leave, one landed on Luke, and on a photo of Libby,' she said.

When Libby, who had been playing with her three young nephews and a giant teddy bear Luke gave her (pictured), heard about the nosebleed she rushed to her mother's side and suggested not even going out on the fateful night so she could stay home and care for her

When someone suggested they jump the queue to get into the venue faster, Libby said no - she wanted to do the right thing - which ultimately led to her walking down the street when she was hit by a car (pictured, Libby with her best friend Lili Ford)

Julie also opened up about the final conversation she had with her 'quirky, funny' daughter just hours before her death, during which Libby offered not to go out that night.

'I had a nose bleed the night before, and I don't have nosebleeds,' the mother-of-three said. 'I was in the shower and looked at my hands and they were covered in blood.'

When Libby, who had been playing with her three young nephews and a giant teddy bear Luke gave her, heard about the nosebleed she rushed to her mother's side.

'She grabbed my face with both her hands and said, 'are you okay, Mummy? Do I need to worry about you?',' Julie said.

While her mother brushed it off as a 'silly nosebleed', the teenager was concerned.

'She held my face and asked if I wanted her to stay home that night, and I said no.'

Julie broke down when she explained that she would never have asked her daughter to stay home, but that in a cruel twist of fate, had she done so, Libby would be alive.

In a second eerie moment that almost spared Libby from her untimely death, she had also considered skipping a nightclub queue with friends, meaning she wouldn't have been on the street at the time of the crash.

Pictured: Libby Ruge with her mothers Julie (centre) and Jules (left) at her HSC art exhibition

'She had been messaging me all night, because she always did that - she always told me everything,' Julie said.

'So I know they couldn't even get in to the club that night because there were large queues due to covid.'

When someone suggested they jump the queue to get into the venue faster, Libby said no - she wanted to do the right thing.

Had they skipped the line, the group-of-four would have avoided being mowed down and the teen would still be alive.

When Luke called Julie and her partner Jules to say Libby had head injuries, they immediately got in the car, picked up his parents and drove to the scene.

Libby (pictured centre with Lili, right, and another friend, left) was working on her modelling career but also dreamed of becoming a dentist

Pictured: Libby (centre) with her sister's family, including her younger nephews who she played with hours before she died

Police initially told the family they were preparing to fly the teenager to hospital in a helicopter, but decided to take her to Wollongong Hospital moments later.

'They said there were signs of life, but she wasn't going to make it,' Julie said.

'I asked police to tell her we were there, and then in my head I heard her voice so loudly 'I have to go now Mummy, I have to go'.'

The families were told Libby died when they got to the hospital.

Julie said she is still shock and that it doesn't feel real.

'I don't get out of bed,' she said.

'Someone pulls me out. I wake up and I cry and I have pains in my chest. Then I put one foot on the floor and I breath.'

While Libby's many best friends have been reaching out to Julie for comfort, the mother has taken solace knowing her daughter's last months alive were the happiest of her life.

'She went to Byron Bay, she was going to start her bachelor of oral health after taking a gap year, and she had so many different jobs - she was always coming home saying she had a new job because she loved keeping busy.'

'I used to wonder why, but now I know it was so she could touch all these lives before she went.'

Dee also said Luke 'loved Lib with all his heart and soul'. Pictured: Libby with her older sister at her high school graduation.
The chairman of the Republican Study Committee said Sunday that Liz Cheney has 'failed' in her party leadership role by becoming a divisive figure rather than a uniting one.

'One of my jobs is to hold my Republican leadership accountable for being focused on the Republican ideals that we stand for and the single mission that we have to win back the majority,' Indiana Representative Jim Banks told 'Fox News Sunday.'

'She's failed in her mission as the chief spokesperson of our party,' he told host Chris Wallace.

'We shouldn't be talking about Liz Cheney, we should be talking about pushing back against the radical Biden agenda, and this is all a distraction from our ability to do that.'

Cheney, the GOP Conference Chairwoman, is facing a slew of criticism from her party  and will likely be ousted in a vote next week  after she upped her criticism of former President Donald Trump in the months after becoming the highest-ranking Republican to vote for his second impeachment.

Chairman of the Republican Study Committee Jim Banks said Sunday that GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney has 'failed' the party in her leadership role

The Republican caucus is holding a meeting this week to decide the fate of Cheney in leadership

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) on why they're trying to push Liz Cheney out of leadership:



"One of my jobs is to hold my Republican leadership accountable for being focused on the Republican ideals and single mission we have to win back the majority ... She has failed in her mission..." pic.twitter.com/ZNMfjHaZm2  The Recount (@therecount) May 9, 2021

Of the 212 Republican in the House of Representatives, 153 of them are members of the GOP Study Committee  making it the largest conservative caucus in Congress.

'Republicans are almost completely unified,' Chairman Banks said of the effort 'to oppose the radical Biden agenda.'

'We are almost entirely unified on this issue, except for Liz Cheney,' he clarified

'Any leader who is not focused on that,' Banks said, 'at this point needs to be replaced.'

On Wednesday, the GOP caucus will meet to decide the fate of Cheney in her elected role after top leadership, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, have publicly turned against her.

The No. 3 Republican in the House was one of the 10 GOP members who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the January 6 Capitol riots.

During Banks' interview with Fox on Sunday morning, he told Wallace that he stands by his decision to vote to challenge the results. While reasserting that President Joe Biden is the legitimate president, Banks also continued to question how the election was conducted.

'I stand by my vote to object on January 6 and stand by the Texas lawsuit,' he said. 'I have serious concerns about how the election in November was carried out.'

'That is where most Republicans in the GOP conference are unified around that single mission and goal and anything that distracts from it will hold us back from doing that,' he said, bringing it back to Cheney's future in the party.

Earlier this year, Cheney survived a secret ballot leadership vote 145-61 with the help of McCarthy.

Since then, McCarthy has questioned her ability to carry on as Conference chairwoman since her message seems so departed from the rest of the party.

Ahead of an interview with Fox & Friends last week, McCarthy was caught on hot mic telling co-host Steve Doocey he's lost confidence in Cheney.

'I think she's got real problems,' he said. 'I've had it with.

'You know, I've lost confidence,' McCarthy continued in the hot mic moment. 'Well, someone just has to bring a motion, but I assume that will probably take place.'

Then during his interview, McCarthy told Fox: 'I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair - to carry out the message.'

'We all need to be working as one if we're able to win the majority,' he added. 'Remember, majorities are not given; they are earned. And that's about the message about going forward.'

A key McCarthy ally revealed in comments to The Hill last week: 'There is no way that Liz will be conference chair by month's end. 'When there is a vote, it won't be a long conference; it will be fast. Everyone knows the outcome.'

Reports indicate thus far that Cheney isn't trying too hard or attempting to whip up support for her to hold onto her leadership role.

Top leadership is backing New York Representative Elise Stefanik to replace Cheney in House GOP leadership

The daughter of Former Vice President Dick Cheney, however, cast the battle as one far bigger than her own political career in an op/ed in the Washington Post on Wednesday.

'The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution,' she wrote.

'In the immediate wake of the violence of Jan. 6, almost all of us knew the gravity and the cause of what had just happened  we had witnessed it firsthand,' she said bringing up the Capitol riot that preceded her vote to impeach Trump.

'The question before us now is whether we will join Trump's crusade to delegitimize and undo the legal outcome of the 2020 election, with all the consequences that might have. I have worked overseas in nations where changes in leadership come only with violence, where democracy takes hold only until the next violent upheaval. America is exceptional because our constitutional system guards against that. At the heart of our republic is a commitment to the peaceful transfer of power among political rivals in accordance with law. President Ronald Reagan as our American 'miracle.'

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise has publicly voiced his support for ousting Cheney  while he and other leadership make clear their choice to replace her is New York Representative Elise Stefanik.

'House Republicans need to be solely focused on taking back the House in 2022 and fighting against Speaker Pelosi and President Biden's radical socialist agenda, and Elise Stefanik is strongly committed to doing that, which is why Whip Scalise has pledged to support her for Conference Chair,' Scalise's spokesperson Lauren Fine said.

Stefanik, not a favorite of some more far-right factions of the party, was a vocal and public defender of Trump during his impeachment hearings.
A Staten Island veterans' group is threatening to sue the city after it was denied a permit for its annual Memorial Day parade - despite New York City officials allowing Black Lives Matter rallies and even a cannabis parade earlier this month.

The United Staten Island Veterans' Organization filed a parade permit on February 27 the same way it has for the past 102 years.

But the New York Police Department denied the request in March, citing Mayor Bill de Blasio's emergency order restricting public events during the coronavirus pandemic.

But, advocates for the veterans' organization argue, other groups have been able to hold events during this time.

The city hosted the New York City Cannabis Parade on May 1, when nearly 200 weed smokers walked 17 blocks down Broadway carrying a giant inflatable joint.

Politicians including Attorney General Letitia James and Senator Chuck Schumer addressed the crowd and praised the state for decriminalizing marijuana.

Black Lives Matter protests have also been held frequently in the city since last summer.

ALLOWED: The city hosted the New York City Cannabis Parade on May 1, when nearly 200 weed smokers walked 17 blocks down Broadway carrying a giant inflatable joint

ALLOWED: Senator Chuck Schumer speaks in Union Square Park during the NYC Cannabis Parade

ALLOWED: Black Lives Matter protestors gathered at New York Public Library on May 1 to protest for safer working conditions for minorities

BLOCKED: People participate in the annual Memorial Day Parade on May 25, 2020 in Staten Island

'Under the equal protection clause, it's unconstitutional for the city to pick and choose between groups like this,' attorney Brendan Lantry said in a 'good faith' letter to the NYPD on Friday, according to the New York Post.

Lantry is an attorney with Menicucci Villa Cilmi, who is working pro bono for the Staten Island veterans.

'There's a clear double standard going on here,' he said, threatening to sue the city next week if the permit is not granted.

A spokesman for City Hall told the Staten Island Advance, however, that permit decisions are based on state guidelines for gathering during the pandemic, and police officials have told the New York Post that they have not granted any permits since the pandemic began.

BLOCKED: Dozens of cars and nearly 100 members of the patriotic motorcycle group Rolling Thunder joined the Staten Island Memorial Day parade last year

ALLOWED: Attorney General Letitia James (pictured) spoke about her support for marijuana legalization

The department will, however, provide security services to any group that holds marches and rallies.

'We have accommodated hundreds of marches, protests and other gatherings even without permits,' NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller said. 'Any group where the event is planned, the NYPD was made aware and it was conducted peacefully has been accommodated.'

The Cannabis Parade organizers were able to get their permit from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, according to rally spokesman Stu Zakim, who added, 'We had a police escort the whole way, they shut traffic down, all that stuff.'

But Lantry, who previously chaired the local Republican Party, said the Parks Department should not be granting these types of permits.

ALLOWED: Demonstrators showed their support for marijuana legalization in a march on May 1

ALLOWED: Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered at the Barclays Center and took to the streets in April in protest of the police-involved killing of Adam Toledo in Chicago

ALLOWED: A vigil is held at the Times Square for Adam Toledo, Duante Write, George Floyd other victims of police shootings in April

'There's a reason this stuff goes through [the] NYPD - for security for those in the parade and those on the sidelines,' he said in the Staten Island Advance article.

'Parks should have no role in this parade, as it never has for a century.'

The Staten Island Memorial Day Parade would be the group's 102nd annual parade. This year, they were going to particularly honor Gulf War veterans to mark the 30th anniversary of the Middle Eastern conflict

It was supposed to b a scaled-down version of their normal parade with a Patriotic Convoy,' and an estimated 1,000 participants lined up between Forest Avenue in Staten Island from Hart Boulevard to Greenleaf Avenue.

'For many of us, a parade is a form of closure,' said Jamie Gonzalez, 57, a Marine infantryman who saw combat during Operation Desert Storm. 'We gather together and support each other.'

John Haynes, CEO of the United Staten Island Veterans' Organization, added in the Staten Island Advance article that they just wanted to be able to recognize 'those veterans, current and past, who have served this great nation.'

'All we ask for is fairness under the law,' he said.
Many ventilators provided by the PM Cares fund need small repairs but as the government hospital lack staff and technicians ventilators and other medical supplies not being able to be put to use and eventually turning waste. (Representational Photo: PTI)

HYDERABAD: Lack of staff and technicians in several government hospitals in Telangana is creating a serious situation of stocked up ventilators and other medical supplies not being able to be put to use and eventually turning waste.

This is stated by functionaries of the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA).

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, association president Dr K Mahesh Kumar said there existed a shortage of medical staff even as the state has the necessary infrastructure. We do not have a biomedical engineering wing attached to the health department to maintain and repair the in-stock ventilators. Many ventilators provided by the PM Cares fund need small repairs but we lack biomedical engineers to fix them.

Many such costly machines are thus kept aside. These can be put to use if we fix the snags. Why cant we engage biomedical experts? More important than buying more machines is to maintain and use the ones that are available, said Kumar.

Corroborating this, Dr P.S. Vijayender, convener of the Telangana doctors federation, said regardless of the condition of unused ventilators, a biomedical department should be in place. The state government took the services through contractors and they stopped work due to non-payment of fees. I heard that at Gandhi Hospital and in Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (Tims), the medical equipment sent by PM Cares are kept unused due to lack of staff to operate them. While the management of Gandhi Hospital claims they have 10-20 ventilator beds available, patients are asked to go to private hospitals upon arrival.

Dr Kumar said according to his information, Tims has about 250 ventilators available but no staff to use them. 50 per cent work at a hospital is done by doctors by prescribing medicines and operating on them when it comes to treating a patient and the other 50 per cent is done by the nursing staff and ward boys. Due to staff crunch, the patient remains unattended.

Our demand is for these managements to fill all the posts, by either sanctioning them temporarily or hiring permanent employees, concluded the HRDA president.
Shelly Harmon confessed to killing her former roommate, Pamela Pitts, in March, but will not serve any jail time under a plea deal

An Arizona woman who confessed in March to killing her roommate more than 30 years ago will not face any further jail time because of a plea deal made with prosecutors.

Shelly Harmon, 50, agreed to plead guilty in March to second-degree murder and detail how she killed Pamela Pitts in September 1988.

As part of the plea deal, she would be sentenced to 20 years in prison, and would not be allowed to further discuss the case.

A Yavapai county court agreed to also give Harmon credit for the time she served for murdering her ex-boyfriend, and the many years she spent in jail waiting trial for Pitts' slaying.

Prosecutors were forced to offer the deal after a judge ruled that they could not use a host of evidence at trial, including how Harmon had murdered her ex-boyfriend.

Pitts had been at a party at a place known as 'Gordo's Pit' or 'Alto Pit' in a forest area near Prescott, a tourist town about 100 miles north of Phoenix, when she was last seen in September 1988.

Her body was found burned beyond recognition in a pile of trash at the same location about one week later, on September 29.

Soon, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said, tips started flooding in blaming a Satanic cult, a drug dealer, an ex-lover and an overdose at the party. None of the tips added up, police said, and the case went cold.

Pamela Pitts (pictured) was last seen at a party a place known as 'Gordo's Pit' or 'Alto Pit' in a forest area near Prescott, a tourist town about 100 miles north of Phoenix, in September 1988

One week after she went missing, her body was found burned beyond recognition in a pile of trash at the same location. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office investigated the homicide

Three years later, Harmon was arrested on suspicion of murdering her boyfriend, Raymond F. Clerx.

Clerx had wanted to end their relationship and was going to take their dogs.

In a burst of anger, Harmon shot him as he lay on the roof of a car watching planes overhead. She later dropped his body in a mineshaft.

Harmon confessed, and told prosecutors, 'I loved him. I was planning to spend the rest of my life with this man,' according to the Star Tribune

She was convicted in his murder in 1993, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

As her sentence was ending, police started monitoring Harmon's phone calls for information about Pitts' death, still suspecting her to be guilty in the cold case.

One call gave prosecutors what they said they needed. In it, Harmon's father said she never told him what happened.

'I had a moment. I had a huge moment,' Harmon replied.

Dennis McGrane, of the Yavapai County Attorney's Office, saw it as an admission of guilt.

'Like a sudden quarrel with the roommate,' he said. 'She wasn't planning it, but she did do it.'

Pamela Pitts' body was found burned beyond recognition in 1988 among a pile of trash outside Prescott, Arizona

A law enforcement officer found a photograph of Pitts in the wood stove of a home she shared with Shelly Harmon, who had been in a fight with Pitts over the rent

Harmon's attorney, Dwane Cates, however, said the statement could have referred to Clerx's death.

She had previously told prosecutors, 'I never killed my roommate. I never wanted to kill anyone. I loved her dearly.'

She had also said Clerx was her alibi and claimed another roommate strangled Pitts.

Prosecutors tried to draw similarities between the two cases to back up a theory that when Harmon felt threatened or abandoned, she killed. Cates called that a stretch.

Prosecutors knew Harmon was furious with Pitts over money, for wanting to move out and for sharing news of Harmon's pregnancy, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The day Pitts went missing, the court documents say, Harmon drove around Prescott looking for her and saying she'd kill her if she found her.

Harmon had also said she knew how to conceal a killing: by burning a body or dumping it down a mineshaft - a statement a judge said could be included at a trial that was supposed to start in mid-March.

Lt. Victor Dartt led the investigation into the killing, and concluded Harmon was guilty

Harmon had also said she knew how to conceal a killing: by burning a body or dumping it down a mineshaft - a statement a judge said could be included at a trial that was supposed to start in mid-March.

But prosecutors were dealt a blow when the court ruled no evidence of Clerx's death could be introduced.

The risk of unfair prejudice was too great, the court argued, as the autopsy was inconclusive because Pitts' body had been so badly burnt. She was only identified through dental records

As a result, the court ruled, no one could suggest it was a homicide, even if it was listed in the report.

At that point, the prosecutors realized they could not present the evidence they wanted to suggest Harmon was guilty of Pitt's homicide, and some witnesses had died or their memories had faded. That's when they considered a plea deal.

'It weighed heavily on us, guaranteeing an outcome versus taking a chance at trial,' McGrane said.

Harmon's attorney maintained the evidence was stronger against someone else.

In court documents, he claimed a former lead detective on the case recommended charges against another woman in 1990 and would have been the defense's star witness.

He claimed prosecutors had intentionally delayed the case, not taking it to a grand jury until after that former lead detective died in 2017.

But Yavapai County sheriff's Lt. Victor Dartt said he followed leads until they no longer checked out.

'Shelly was the only one that I could keep corroborating,' he said.

Harmon, whose maiden name is Norgard, was charged with first-degree murder in 2017. She was living outside Carson City, Nevada, after being released from prison for Clerx's death. She got married, managed rental properties, and did bookkeeping and tax work.

Harmon had not registered as a felon as required by law in Nevada, so she was picked up and told of the murder charge later, Dartt said.

Pitts was described as a 19-year-old who exuded 1980s rock style and whose room always smelled like Aqua Net hair spray. She loved animals, took care of the elderly, was kind and bubbly but also had a tough, know-it-all side

Pitts' family celebrated when Harmon confessed to Pitts' killing in March

She was offered the plea deal and recounted that she was upset Pitts was late on rent and had overdrawn a joint bank account. So, she went looking for her, the two fought and Harmon said, 'I just lost it.'

She said she hit Pitts repeatedly against the ground until she was no longer moving. As voices drew near, Harmon said, she 'freaked out.'

"I was thinking, `Oh, my God, shes dead, shes dead, and I killed her,' Harmon said.

Pitts' family found the account unbelievable, like half a story, considering she did not mention how the body was burned.

'It was just to get out of jail,' said Pitts' brother, Paul Pitts Jr. 'She got a golden ticket, and she got away with murder.'

Still, the Pitts family celebrated - it wasnt justice, but it was an ending to the decades-long case.

They remembered Pitts as a 19-year-old who exuded 1980s rock style and whose room always smelled like Aqua Net hair spray. She loved animals, took care of the elderly, was kind and bubbly but also had a tough, know-it-all side, her family said.

Pitts' mother, Carol, said Harmon will have to live with killing her daughter for the rest of her 'miserable life.'

Pitts' remains were cremated, and her family spread the ashes by Thumb Butte, a geographical landmark in Prescott, where she liked to hike and visit a creek, the Star Tribune reports.

Harmon, meanwhile, is now back in Nevada, where neighbors say she has become a generous Christian woman, whom they trust to take care of their family, homes and pets.

One friend, Mary Burgoon, said she's had a few meals with Harmon and her husband. She said Harmon was unjustly jailed and believes she pleaded guilty only to avoid prison time.

'Wouldn't you if that was the only way you could get out of there?' Burgoon said. 'I do not believe that she did it.'

Cates, however, would only say, 'This is a very sad case all the way around, and it just needed to end.'
Sadiq Khan was today relishing his election victory as he retweeted congratulations from from left-wing mayors across the world.

Out for a walk with dog Luna this afternoon, the newly re-elected London Mayor was taking his more than 200,000-vote majority in his stride.

Mr Khan polled 1,206,034 votes to Conservative challenger Shaun Bailey's 977, 601, after failing to win in first preference votes alone.

But despite seeing his majority cut from 2016's result there was an outpouring of congratulatory messages with several coming from left-wing mayors around the globe which Mr Khan was happy to retweet.

Sadiq Khan was today relishing his election victory as he retweeted congratulations from from left-wing mayors across the world

Dario Nardella, Florence's centre-left mayor said: 'congratulations my friend @SadiqKhan! Your re-election is another hope for Europe of rights, environment and peace, the Europe of cities! Lets work again together @EUROCITIES #LondonMayoralElection'

Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, tweeted: 'Congratulations to my London counterpart and friend @SadiqKhan on his re-election as the mayor of the city. Paris is standing side by side with you and London.'

A member of the Socialist Party (PS), Hidalgo is the first woman to hold the office.

Dario Nardella, Florence's centre-left mayor said: 'congratulations my friend @SadiqKhan! Your re-election is another hope for Europe of rights, environment and peace, the Europe of cities! Lets work again together @EUROCITIES #LondonMayoralElection.'

Mr Khan replied: 'Thank you Dario. It's never been more important that we unite to solve the great challenges facing our cities - and I look forward to continued collaboration on our shared vision of a fairer, safer and greener future.'

Erion Veliaj, the socialist mayor of Albanian capital Tirana pointed out that the 'great news' had come on Europe Day.

'Congrats Sadiq, and Godspeed! Thanks to everyone who pulled for our friend @SadiqKhan - he will continue to be a most progressive mayor and keep London a global example of openness and resilience in these challenging times! Bravo!'

Mr Khan pledged to 'build bridges' with Boris Johnson's government after winning a second term as Mayor of London and surviving having his majority slashed by former rank outsider Shaun Bailey.

The Labour incumbent will serve a truncated new three-year term after winning the election that was postponed from last year due to the pandemic.

But he was pushed all the way by Mr Bailey, who until yesterday had been given little hope of getting anywhere close to him.

Mr Khan tonight polled 1,206,034 votes to Mr Bailey's 977, 601, a majority of 228,433. With second preference votes included Mr Khan won 55 per cent of the vote, down from 57 per cent in 2016.

Trailing behind them were Laurence Fox who finished in sixth place and will be forced to repay his deposit after receiving only 1.8 per cent, below the required five per cent.

The Labour incumbent will serve a truncated new three-year term after winning the election that was postponed from last year due to the pandemic.

But he was pushed all the way by Mr Bailey, who until yesterday had been given little hope of getting anywhere close to him.

In a sign that will please the Tories, Mr Khan's lead over Mr Bailey is narrower than the 14-point win he achieved over Tory Zac Goldsmith in 2016.

However, it may raise questions about how well the Tories could have done if they had put more effort into supporting Mr Bailey. Boris Johnson and his most senior ministers were noticeable by their lack of appearances with him during his campaign, while making repeated visits to Hartlepool and other targets.

In a speech from City Hall Mr Bailey said: 'As I went through these, for me what was two years of campaigning, one feeling felt familiar to me, one challenge had always felt the same.

'And that was the feeling of being written off - by pollsters, by journalists, by fellow politicians.

'But it's no surprise to me that Londoners didn't write me off.'

Mr Khan said he had been handed an 'overwhelming mandate'. He won around 40 per cent of first preference votes.

Mr Khan tonight polled 1,206,034 votes to Mr Bailey's 977, 601, a majority of 228,433. With second preference votes included Mr Khan won 55 per cent of the vote, down from 57 per cent in 2016.

Labour's Sadiq Khan is hugged by one of his daughters after he was declared as the next Mayor of London at City Hall

Laurence Fox has lost his 10,000 deposit for his bid to be London Mayor after getting 1.8 per cent of the vote, below the required five per cent

Green Party's Sian Berry came third ahead of the Liberal Democrats' Luisa Porritt

Count Binface (left) won more votes than Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy.

Shaun Bailey came second with 35.3 per cent of the votes. However, Mr Khan pushed further ahead on second preference votes.

Mr Bailey focused his campaign on the spiraling knife crime in the capital, trying to paint Mr Khan as weak on law and order.

And congratulating the winner, Mr Bailey told him: 'I hope you take this opportunity to focus on the fact that people who look like me are four times as likely to be murdered than people who look like you.'

A result was expected earlier this evening, but counting was delayed after staff at one count found three unopened boxes of votes after they had finished.

Mr Khan pledged to build a 'better and brighter future' for the capital following the coronavirus pandemic in his victory speech from City Hall .

'I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart,' he said.

'I am deeply humbled by the trust Londoners have placed in me to continue leading the greatest city on earth.

'I promise to strain every sinew, help build a better and brighter future for London, after the dark days of the pandemic and to create a greener, fairer and safer city for all Londoners, to get the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

'It's in this spirit that I promise to lead London over the next three years, building bridges between the different communities in our city, building bridges across cultural, social and class divides.

'Building bridges between London and the rest of the country to ensure London can play its part in a national recovery.

'And building bridges between City Hall and the Government.

'Because we must all work together to build a brighter, greener and more equal future for London, and for our entire country, after the pandemic.

'I am proud to have won an overwhelming mandate today.'

In a surprise result the Greens' Sian Berry came third ahead of the Liberal Democrats' Luisa Porritt.

Only the top three candidates won enough votes to keep their deposit.
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Pakistan's Prime Minister has met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia.

Khan signed a number of agreements with Saudi officials and vowed to restore ties between the two longstanding allies, which became strained last year by disagreements over Kashmir and Yemen.

Prince Mohammed greeted Khan at the airport in Jeddah on what was Khan's seventh visit to the kingdom since his 2018 election.

The two held talks with Saudi officials at Jeddah's Al-Salam Palace.

'They affirmed the depth of relations between the two brotherly countries and underscored the importance of expanding and intensifying aspects of bilateral cooperation and coordination,' a Saudi statement said.

Saudi Arabia was the first foreign country Khan visited after taking office but Riyadh appeared frustrated with Islamabad last year.

Pakistan signed several agreements with its longstanding ally Saudi Arabia during Pakistani PM Imran Khan's three-day visit to the kingdom. Pictured: Khan (left) with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) on Saturday

Khan held talks with Saudi officials at the Al-Salam Palace in the port city of Jeddah on Saturday, where a number of agreements were signed

Khan's visit appeared to have restored cooperations between the two countries, which are both heavily engaged in the 'war on terror', requiring effective intelligence sharing. Pictured: Khan (left) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) converse under a photo of Saudi Arabia's King Salman

In a sharply worded statement in August, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting on Kashmir.

The call raised eyebrows in Riyadh, where it was widely seen as a warning that Pakistan was preparing to call for a session outside OIC auspices.

Saudi Arabia prides itself on its role as guardian of Islam's holiest sites and is particularly sensitive about any move that might undermine its leadership of the 57-member pan-Islamic body.

While the wealthy kingdom has supported Pakistan with billions of dollars in aid and loans in recent years, observers say the kingdom is also keen not to upset India, a key business partner and importer of Saudi oil.

Saudi Arabia recalled $1billion of a $3billion loan to cash-strapped Pakistan, and an expired multi-billion-dollar oil credit facility to Islamabad has not been renewed, a diplomatic source told AFP news agency in September.

Prior to that, Pakistan rebuffed calls to send ground troops to support the troubled Saudi-led military campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Khan's visit appeared to have restored cooperations between the two countries, which are both heavily engaged in the 'war on terror', requiring effective intelligence sharing.

'The two sides stressed the need for concerted efforts by the Islamic world to confront extremism and violence, and reject sectarianism,' the Saudi statement said.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency said that the two sides had signed agreements addressing the treatment of criminals, and crime.

They had also agreed two memorandums of understanding on combating drug trafficking, and on financing energy, water and infrastructure projects.

The two countries also agreed to establish a Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC).

'During the meeting, it was agreed to further strengthen, deepen and diversify the existing bilateral political, economic, trade, defence and security ties,' a Pakistani statement said.

'The talks were marked by exceptional cordiality and commitment to fortify the upward trajectory in the bilateral relationship,' it added.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency said that the two sides had signed agreements addressing the treatment of criminals, and crime. They had also agreed two memorandums of understanding on combating drug trafficking, and on financing energy, water and infrastructure projects. Pictured: Khan signing agreements on Saturday

The two countries also agreed to establish a Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC). Pictured: Prince Mohammed signing agreements on Saturday

Saudi Arabia's de-facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) greeted Khan (left) at the airport in Jeddah on Saturday

Pakistan has close links with Saudi Arabia, with more than 2.5million of its nationals living and working in the kingdom, but it also maintains close ties with Iran and represents Tehran's consular interests in the United States.

For decades, Pakistan has tried to balance its strong relationship with Saudi Arabia and its ties with Iran, with which it shares a near 1,000-kilometre (625-mile) border.

In 2019, Khan travelled between Saudi Arabia and Iran in a bid to calm animosities between the rival Muslim powers.

His visit to Jeddah on Saturday comes as Saudi Arabia and Iran hold secret talks in Iraq - the first significant effort to defuse tensions since the regional powers cut ties in 2016 after Iranian protesters, infuriated by the kingdom's execution of a Shi'a cleric, attacked Saudi diplomatic missions.

'The prime minister of Pakistan's visit to Saudi Arabia is an important milestone in bilateral relations,' Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan tweeted on Saturday.

'The kingdom is keen to further strengthen relations between the brotherly countries as well as enable broader economic cooperation.'

Pakistan's Prime Minister has performed the Umrah pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca while on a state visit to Saudi Arabia. Imran Khan (right) was among a relatively small number of worshippers permitted to perform the rite on Sunday amid coronavirus restrictions

In photos released by the Saudi Press Agency, Khan is circling the famous Kaaba alongside his wife (pictured), and praying at a mosque

Khan is dressed in white Ihram clothing, worn by Muslim men taking part in the Umrah and the Hajj. Unlike the Hajj, the Umrah can be undertaken at any time of year and is voluntary, rather than compulsory for those who are able to do so, as is the case with the Hajj

The Umrah is the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. It is a shortened version of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Pictured: Khan and other men pray at a mosque on Sunday

On Sunday, Khan performed the Umrah pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca.

He was among a relatively small number of worshippers permitted to perform the rite on Sunday amid coronavirus restrictions.

In photos released by the Saudi Press Agency, Khan is circling the famous Kaaba alongside his wife, and praying at a mosque.

Khan is dressed in white Ihram clothing, worn by Muslim men taking part in the Umrah and the Hajj.

The Umrah is the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. It is a shortened version of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Unlike the Hajj, the Umrah can be undertaken at any time of year and is voluntary, rather than compulsory for those who are able to do so, as is the case with the Hajj.

It is an opportunity for Muslims to pray, seek forgiveness and connect with their faith. Khan has performed Umrah several times.
A Tory candidate for a police and crime commissioner seat has been 'disbarred' from taking up the position - even if he wins - because of a 30-year-old drink-driving conviction.

Jonathon Seed was the front runner to become the next Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) role when votes are counted on Monday.

But Tory HQ has now revealed that Mr Seed will not be eligible to take up the position - because he has an old drink-driving conviction.

Mr Seed told the BBC the conviction is more than three decades old and that the party had informed him that he was still eligible to run as a PCC.

In a statement to MailOnline, a 'bitterly disappointed' Mr Seed said: 'To the best of my knowledge and belief when I applied to and became the PCC candidate I was eligible.

Jonathon Seed, a Tory candidate for a police and crime commissioner seat, has been 'disbarred' from taking up the position - even if he wins - because of a 30-year-old drink-driving conviction

'I have declared my thirty-year-old driving conviction to the Party in my applications both to be a Parliamentary candidate and more recently a PCC candidate.

'Party officials confirmed by belief that my offence did not disqualify me.'

He added: 'I have now been advised that I am disqualified as a PCC candidate and I have therefore withdraw.'

Anyone with a conviction for an imprisonable criminal offence is disqualified from becoming a police and crime commissioner under UK law.

It means if Mr Seed does win the seat, a new election will have to be held.

Mr Seed, a local Tory councillor, added: 'I will continue with my work as a local councillor and within the local community, to which I have dedicated my life for the past 20 years.'

Mr Seed ran against Liz Webster (Liberal Democrat), Junab Ali (Labour), Mike Rees (Independent) Brig Oubridge (Green) and Julian Malins QC (Reform UK) in Thursday's election.

The candidates were all vying to replace Conservative PCC Angus Macpherson - who did not stand for re-election.

Though votes were submitted on Thursday, counting for the Wiltshire PCC seat is not due to take place until Monday.

According to a 2012 article in the Salisbury Journal, Mr Seed, a former hunt master, was previously charged with breaching the Hunting Act 2004

A Conservative spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Due to a historic driving offence that has come to light, the candidate has been disbarred from becoming the Police and Crime Commissioner.'

According to a 2012 article in the Salisbury Journal, Mr Seed, a former hunt master, was previously charged with breaching the Hunting Act 2004.

The case, a private prosecution by the RSPCA, was later dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Mr Seed always maintained his innocence and described the proceedings at the time as 'an abuse of the private prosecution system'.
Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy on Sunday publicly endorsed Rep. Elise Stefanik for the post of No. 3 leader, cementing party support of the Donald Trump loyalist over Rep. Liz Cheney, an outspoken critic of the former president.

House Republicans could vote as early as Wednesday to remove Cheney, the highest-ranking woman in the Republican leadership and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and replace her with Stefanik, whose ascension has received Trump's backing.

Asked in an interview on Fox News Channel's 'Sunday Morning Futures' whether he supported Stefanik, R-N.Y., for the job of Republican Conference chair, McCarthy responded: 'Yes, I do.'

'We want to be united in moving forward, and I think that is what will take place,' he said in response to a question about whether he had the votes to oust Cheney, R-Wyo.

Party leaders, including McCarthy, have soured on Cheney after she admonished Republicans for promoting Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., said on Sunday that he supported Rep. Elise Stefanik for the post of No. 3 leader

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., center, has a moderate voting record, but has come out strongly in favor of former President Donald Trump and his claims of voter fraud

House Republican Conference chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is the No. 3 House Republican, but she has lost much support from the party after she spoke against Trump in the wake of his claims on the election

McCarthy said the leadership post must focus on a message 'day in and day out' on what he said were the problems of the Biden administration.

Cheney has taken on Republicans, including McCarthy, R-Calif., saying those who indulge Trumps false claims of a stolen presidential election are 'spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.'

In an opinion essay Wednesday in The Washington Post, she denounced the 'dangerous and anti-democratic Trump cult of personality,' and warned her fellow Republicans against embracing or ignoring his statements 'for fundraising and political purposes.'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy throws his support behind Rep. Elise Stefanik for House GOP Conference Chair:pic.twitter.com/iLD8YTHUBu  Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) May 9, 2021

She also said McCarthy had 'changed his story' after initially saying Trump 'bears responsibility' for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. McCarthy initially criticized Trump's actions, and in a private call during the insurrection, had urged the then-president to call off the rioters.

The GOP leader now says he does not believe Trump provoked the riot.

McCarthy on Sunday denied that Republicans' effort to remove Cheney was based on her views of Trump or being one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 riot.

He said she was distracting from Republicans' bid to win back the House in 2022 and successfully oppose President Joe Biden's agenda, goals that McCarthy believes will need Trump's support.

McCarthy complained last week that he had 'lost confidence' in Cheney and 'had it with her' over her continuing remarks about Trump, according to a leaked recording of his exchange on 'Fox and Friends.'

Cheney actually has a more conservative voting record in the House than Stefanik, a onetime Trump critic who evolved into an ardent ally. She previously opposed Trump's tax cuts.

'You have this real battle right now in the party, this idea of lets just put our differences aside and be unified,' said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who also voted to impeach Trump.

'Theyre going to get rid of Liz Cheney because they'd much rather pretend that the conspiracy is either real or not confront it than to actually confront it and maybe have to take the temporary licks to save this party and in the long term this country,' he said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.'

The second-ranking House Republican leader, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, already has announced his support for Stefanik.
Mike Pence will headline a Republican Party dinner fundraiser in Manchester, New Hampshire on June 3 in yet another sign he is gearing up for a 2024 presidential run.

The Hillsborough County GOP's annual Lincoln Reagan fundraiser and dinner boasts Pence as the main event. Regular tickets are $100 per person or guests can buy a VIP reception ticket for $250, which includes a photo with the forearm vice president.

The location of the event is not insignificant as New Hampshire has for the last century held the first primary race for the White House after Iowa hosts its caucuses.

Pence has been fuelling speculation more often recently that he could seek a bid for the White House after maintaining in the D.C. metro area after leaving office and slowly reentering the public eye.

Mike Pence will headline the June 3 Hillsborough County GOP's annual Lincoln Reagan fundraiser in Manchester, New Hampshire where $250 VIP reception tickets will earn attendees a picture with the former vice president

Before the upcoming fundraiser was announced, Pence traveled to South Carolina, which is the state that votes third in the GOP nominating contest after Iowa and New Hampshire. This was the first time Pence gave a formal address since the end of former President Donald Trump's administration on January 20.

During the remarks, Pence previewed he would be 'pushing back on the liberal agenda' of Biden's administration in the coming months.

'We've got to guard our values,' the former vice president said, claiming Republicans need to offer 'a positive agenda to the American people, grounded in our highest ideals.'

'Over the coming months, I'll have more to say about all of that,' he added during the speech.

On Friday, Pence traveled to Austin, Texas to speak at the Texas Victory Committee Donor Appreciation Conference, which was hosted by the former political advisor to George W. Bush and longtime Republican strategist Karl Rove.

Earlier that week, the former Trump administration's No. 2 spoke at the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List's Pro-Life Leaders Summit in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump headlined that event, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is also flirting with a presidential run, also spoke.

Pence addressed the gathering over video.

After leaving office, Pence and former second lady Karen Pence moved to a Virginia outskirts of Washington, D.C.  rather than returning to their home in Indiana. He joined the conservative Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow.

Shortly after the move, Pence began reentering the limelight by writing op/eds and participating in speaking engagements.

Pence has made no formal announcement or official moves toward a run, but all actions lean towards indicators he is setting himself up for an announcement.

While Trump has been highly critical of his former No. 2, Pence praised the past administration during his speech in South Carolina last month.

The event is the latest to fuel speculation that Pence is considering a 2024 bid. His first public speaking event since leaving office was in South Carolina, the third GOP primary contest state, on April 29, 2021

Trump, on the other hand, in complaining of the GOP not fighting hard enough to overturn the 2020 election results, targeted Pence.

'Had Mike Pence referred the information on six states (only need two) back to State Legislatures, and had gutless and clueless MINORITY Leader Mitch McConnell (he blew two seats in Georgia that should have never been lost) fought to expose all of the corruption that was presented at the time, with more found since, we would have had a far different Presidential result, and our Country would not be turning into a socialist nightmare! Never give up!' he wrote in a statement posted from his new 'From the Desk of Donald J. Trump' webpage.

Trump has all but formally announced he is running for president in 2024, telling conservative radio host Dan Bongino last month he will wait until after the 2022 midterms to make an announcement.
Melinda Gates began consulting divorce lawyers in October 2019, according to a report - around the same time as her husband's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was being called into question.

Melinda said in 2019 that her marriage was 'irretrievably broken' and had been working with lawyers since then to prepare to dissolve it, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Gateses announced their divorce last Monday with dual Twitter postings.

Bill Gates had flown with Epstein on Epstein's jet from New Jersey to Palm Beach, Florida, as far back as 2013 - four years after Epstein had served time behind bars for soliciting a minor under the age of 18 for sex.

Melinda had been concerned with her husband's relationship with the pedophile since 2013, the Journal reported.

Her concerns apparently came to a head several years later: She had been talking to New York divorce lawyer Robert Stephan Cohen as far back as October 2019.

It was that same month that the New York Times reported that Bill had met with Epstein several times, and once stayed late at his townhouse in New York.

DailyMail.com at the time also reported the flight, citing flight records.

A spokeswoman for Gates said at the time that the meetings had focused on philanthropy.

Melinda Gates has reportedly been consulting divorce lawyers since October 2019

New York-based Robert Stephan Cohen has been assisting Melinda, The WSJ reported

Lawyer Cohen has represented Michael Bloomberg, Henry Kravis and Ivana Trump in their divorces.

Bill has been speaking to lawyers including Ronald Olson, a partner at the firm Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, who has represented Mark Zuckerberg and is a board member at Berkshire Hathaway, where he sat alongside Gates and Warren Buffett, a close friend of Bill.

Bill and Melinda Gates had met Epstein in 2013, and Melinda reportedly told Bill that she found him creepy and did not think they should be associated with him.

Epstein had by that point already served time in a Florida prison, being sentenced to 18 months on sex crimes charges in a 2008 plea deal.

In was in 2013 that the Microsoft founder also flew on Epstein's private jet, dubbed the 'Lolita Express', from New Jersey to Palm Beach, Florida, according to flight records.

Despite Melinda's concerns, Gates and some staff from their Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation maintained ties with Epstein, who killed himself in his Manhattan jail in August 2019, where he was awaiting further serious sex charges.

After the initial expose of his meetings, Gates in September 2019 told The Wall Street Journal: 'I met him. I didn't have any business relationship or friendship with him.'

The divorce filing was signed on May 3 this year- she signed her divorce petition in Bellevue, Washington, near the family home and the foundations headquarters.

He signed the papers from Palm Desert, California.

The pair - one of the world's richest couples, with a fortune of $130 billion - waited until their youngest child, Phoebe, turned 18 in September to formally announce the split, according to a report.

The three children will inherit $10 million each, the Gateses had previously announced - all the rest will be given to charity, under The Giving Pledge.

There doesn't appear to be a specific incident that triggered their split, which a source told PEOPLE was the result of a 'combo of things.'

The timing of the divorce, meanwhile, seems to relate to their youngest daughter, Phoebe, turning 18 years old back in September.

'It's absolutely because their youngest child is graduating from high school, and the idea was that they stayed together through that,' the source said.

'They limped through until their kids were out of school, like a lot of people.'

Their other two children are older, with daughter Jennifer 25 years old and son Rory 21 years old.

Jennifer has said their family is going through a 'challenging stretch of time'.

'I won't personally comment further on anything around the separation, but please know that your kind words and support mean the world to me,' she wrote on Instagram.

The two were married in Hawaii back in 1994, several years after they met

Jennifer is engaged to Egyptian show jumper Nayel Nassar.

The source told PEOPLE that they do not think the split is going to get more contentious in public.

'Nobody is going to want to invite more scrutiny because it'll hurt their credibility,' the source said.

'I don't think they're so angry that anybody wants to take each other down, like you sometimes see. [Melinda is] not incentivized for that.'

Melinda pulled the trigger on the divorce on Monday, revealing in the process that a separation agreement was in place.

She said as far back as 2019 that the marriage was 'irretrievably broken,' but was not now looking for spousal support or child support.

The two still plan on working together at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and are trying to avoid public acrimony.

'They were really interested in trying to win a Nobel Prize,' says the PEOPLE source.

'So one thing that was part of this is, if it gets worse, then it ends that. It seems as if that was on the agenda, and that's for both of them.'

In a joint statement posted to their Twitter accounts on Monday, the former couple said their work with their foundation will continue but their marriage will not.

'After a great deal of thought and a lot of work, we have made the decision to end our marriage.

'Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.

'We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue to work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.'

Bill, 65, and Melinda, 56, met in 1987 while she was working at Microsoft, the company he founded.

That same year, Bill became the world's youngest billionaire at the age of 31.

The couple married in Hawaii in 1994 and would go on to establish the world's largest charitable foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in 2000.

Since then, it has contributed more than $50 billion to causes including eradicating polio and malaria. The foundation has also been a major investor in coronavirus treatments.

The reason behind their split remains a mystery but Melinda has previously suggested her husband struggled balancing work and family.
A desperate rescue operation is under way after a young whale was found stranded along the River Thames today.

A team from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) have been joined by two fire crews and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue to help rescue the aquatic mammal which was first spotted in Richmond Lock, south west London, at around 7.30pm.

Rescue teams successfully moved the infant whale - which is believed to be a minke - onto an inflatable dinghy used for marine animals just after 10pm and are now assessing its condition.

It is hoped that the team will be able to move the inflatable equipment into the deeper waters as the high tide comes in later tonight.

The scenes come just hours after crowds of concerned spectators gathered along the river as a vet checked the infant's vitals and another rescuer hosed the animal down with water after the creature became stuck on the lock's boat rollers.

The beached whale, which is around 10-13ft long, was spotted earlier in the day swimming a few miles up the river near Barnes Bridge before it became stranded in Richmond.

Spokesperson for the Port of London Authority, Martin Garside, told MailOnline: 'Rescue teams from the RNLI, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and the Fire Brigade have stabilised the situation, with the rescue teams all working together.

Rescue teams arrive to Richmond Lock, south west London, after the whale, which is believed to be a minke, is spotted

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) were joined by two fire crews and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue

The whale is moved onto an inflatable piece of equipment used to assess marine mammals

'They have managed to successfully secure the whale inside the purpose-built piece of equipment for marine mammals and the last I heard is that the whale is alive.

'The advantage of that inflatable equipment is that it will take some of the weight of the animal off the concrete but also it will allow the medics to assess the animal's condition while they look at all options.

'It does appear to be a very young animal. Very juvenile.'

Mr Garside added: 'The lock belongs to the Port of London Authority but there's a real team effort going on now.

'We've got PLA staff, British Divers and Marine Life Rescue, the London Fire Brigade, medics, the RNLI and the police assisting. The police are there as a matter of precaution, just to keep people away from the whale and from the river and the water's edge.

'There's quite a lot of activity right now. We're essentially trying to stabilise the situation with the whale so that the marine mammal experts can assess the whale. What is its health like? What is its condition?

'Until they're able to do that and get some light onto it, the situation is fairly unclear.

'In other words, we don't really know the health of the whale and the condition of the whale and the age. It's fairly small and almost certainly a minke.'

In a statement, the Port of London Authority added: 'At around 7pm on Sunday, a small whale, approximately 3-4m long, believed to be a minke whale, became stranded at Richmond Lock and Weir.

'PLA staff have attempted to assist the whale with water along with British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

'The whale is still alive and the Metropolitan Police are working to keep the public away from the water's edge.'

Jake Manketo, 20, from Richmond, said: 'Everyone here is just hoping they get it out.

'We couldn't believe our eyes when we first saw the poor fella, not every day something like this happens in Richmond.'

Earlier today, Richard Frank, who was at the scene in Richmond Lock, said: 'Seems to be a baby whale stuck by Richmond Lock Bridge... Poor thing. Being looked after by the lock keepers and waiting for experts to arrive.'

He added: 'Not moving a lot, but honestly no idea. At least someone has arrived who looks like they might know what they're doing health wise, but with low tide still to come it looks pretty tough to me.'

While another witness wrote on social media: 'This is one very very lost whale. It's gone through the whole of London to Richmond Lock.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to Richmond Lock shortly before 8pm on Sunday, 9 May to reports of a large crowd gathering.

'Officers attended to assist with crowd control.'

Members of staff from the Fire Brigade assist the RNLI and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Spectators gather near Richmond Lock after the small whale was left stranded in the waters

A man sprays the baby whale with water after it was spotted stranded along the River Thames today

Crowds of spectators have gathered along the river in Richmond Lock, south west London , after the aquatic mammal was spotted

The aquatic mammal - which is normally found in deep waters- was spotted floating in the waters earlier this afternoon

Rescuers tend to the infant whale as they wait for a team of marine experts to arrive

A woman tends to the baby mammal after it was found stranded in Richmond Lock

Earlier today, footage showed the minke whale thrashing in the waters as rescue teams attempted to move it onto the purpose-built inflatable dinghy.

Minke whales are the smallest members of the great whale family and typically grow between 26-29ft long.

The animals, which are usually found in the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, often swim together in small feeding groups and prefer cooler temperatures.

In February last year, a team of rescuers were sent out to recover a sperm whale that died after getting caught in the Thames estuary.

A small team on a Forth Linesman boat set out to recover the creature as it lay washed up on the Spitend Marshes on the Isle of Sheppey in Swale, Kent.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue - who had been keeping a close eye on the creature - said it likely died of 'natural causes' brought on by starvation, after it appeared underweight and had scarring.

The whale was found stranded and dead just before midday on February 1, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue confirmed.

The whale had appeared confused and was changing direction regularly when swimming around mudflats in north Kent.

Its body was later secured for examination by the Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme as they tried to establish why the ocean-going animal had come into the Thames estuary.

In 2019, a humpback whale, nicknamed Hessy, died in the Thames just 11 days after it was first sighted.

The juvenile female had been travelling back and forth over a stretch of five miles after it was first sighted near Dartford Bridge in Kent before it was found dead by rescuers.

Concerned social media users took to Twitter after the whale was found in the Thames

A detailed postmortem examination later found the mammal was 'nutritionally compromised' while experts found a heavy burden of parasites within the humpback's intestine.

Meanwhile in November 2019, a minke whale was found washed up underneath London's Battersea Bridge.

The carcass was found underneath the bridge by a Port of London Authority (PLA) patrol boat.

The PLA, who estimated that the whale measured around 26ft (eight metres) long, later moved the whale to one of its facilities in east London where a specialist team at ZSL London Zoo carried out a post-mortem to establish a cause of death.

Earlier that same year, Benny the beluga, who rose to national fame when he was spotted in 2018, was spotted in the River Thames at Gravesend, Kent.

Officials said the animal could have followed the fish which migrate out of the estuary early in the year.
Cases of variant forms of COVID have surged in Florida just weeks after the state was inundated with spring breakers, data has revealed.

Florida now has the distinction of being the home to the most variant COVID-19 cases in the country as state health officials reported more than 11,800 cases of COVID-19 variants on Wednesday, the Sun Sentinel reported.

In mid-March 753 cases were reported from three 'variants of concern' - the B.1.1.7, the P.1, and the B. 1.3.5.1.

That number swelled to 5,177 cases from five types of variants on April 15 and just two weeks later, the number of variant infections exploded to 9,248 on April 27, according to health data reviewed by WFTV.

In Florida, 243 people have been hospitalized with variants and 67 have died.

And since only one percent of all COVID-19 cases in Florida undergo testing to study their genetic coding, the number of variant infections is likely much higher than reported.

There are fears that the spread of variants could make vaccines less effective, and prolong the covid pandemic as people who have already had the disease or been vaccinated risk being reinfected.

The timing of the variant surge aligns with spring break, as thousands of college students and vacationers flock to the Sunshine State for vacation

Variant COVID infections have risen dramatically since March, aligning with the influx of vacationers visiting Florida for spring break (source: Florida Department of Health via WFTV)

Spring breakers (pictured) make their way to Florida beaches as the state experiences a surge in COVID variant infections

As of May 1, Miami-Dade County led the state with 2,279 variant cases, followed by Broward County with 1,950 variant cases, the Sun Sentinel reported.

The B.1.1.7 strain- first detected in the United Kingdom- is estimated to be 60% more infectious than the original dominant strain of COVID-19, it is also believed to result in more severe illness and higher hospitalization rates, Orlando Sentinel reported.

The most recent estimate is that variant strain is 67% more deadly.

There are also several reports of the South African and Brazilian variants.

The number of overall COVID infections in Florida has dropped in recent weeks as health officials report the number of variant COVID infections have surged

Overall COVID deaths are on the decline in Florida as the state reports that a total of 35,73 people have died from the virus

The timing of the variant surge aligns with spring break, coming weeks after thousands of college students and vacationers flocked to the Sunshine State for vacation.

Despite the rise in variant infections, overall COVID-19 cases in Florida are going down as state health officials reported 4.67% COVID-19 positivity rate on Friday- the second day in a row that it has dipped below five percent, ABC News 7 reported.

In total, Florida has had 2,269,806 cases of COVID and 35,731 deaths.

Around 40% of Floridians - 9 million people - have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Spring breakers gather on the beach (pictured) in South Beach, Miami as variant COVID infections surge in the Sunshine State

South Beach beaches are packed during spring break as vacationers flock to Florida as it experiences a surge in variant COVID infections

Dr. Aileen Marty, a professor of infectious disease and outbreak response at Florida International University, tells the Orlando Sentinel that the rise in variant COVID infections can be attributed to lax attitudes about the virus.

'The real problem is that everyone's acting like the pandemic is over,' she said. 'If we get lackadaisical about it...these variants can overcome some of the immunity that we've developed, and we may find ourselves in a very bad situation again.'

Dr. Marty says that the best way to prevent the spread of variants is to get vaccinated. 'I think that to the majority of the people, there are just too many numbers and letters [for the variants] to keep up with and to understand where the risk actually is right now,' she told the Orlando Sentinal. 'The most important thing to know is that we need to get more people vaccinated. Any level of protection is better than no level of protection.'

A third of vaccine skeptics would get COVID-19 shot if offered a $100 cash incentive, study finds

A third of Americans yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine say they would be more likely to get the shot if offered $100, a study has found.

The cash incentives proved far more persuasive than an endorsement from a doctor or pharmacist, a public health expert such as Anthony Fauci or a polarizing political figure like Joe Biden, the New York Times reported.

But not everyone was swayed by money: 15% of those surveyed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) COVID-19 Health and Politics Project said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered $100.

The prospect of not having to wear masks was another effective inducement.

Some 63% of participants said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it meant they no longer had to wear a mask.

The revealing data comes as the number of Americans receiving their vaccines has fallen.

More than 3 million vaccination shots were being administered every day in mid-April, but the rolling average daily rate has now slipped below 2 million.

Lynn Vavreck, a principal investigator of the UCLA Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, wrote in the New York Times that 'at this later stage of a vaccine campaign  when attention has now turned to the hesitant  the net benefit seems to be tilting toward payment'.

Some states are already offering incentives, including cash payments for driving neighbors to vaccination sites.

Bars in some areas have even offered shots of alcohol for those getting their vaccines.

Private businesses such as Trader Joes and Dollar General have also offered financial inducements to staff who take up the vaccine.

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However, not everyone is convinced by a cash reward: 19% of those surveyed said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered a $100 payment. Experts say there is a fine line between a 'incentivizing and coercion'

Vaccine rates hit a peak in the US on April 10 when 4.63 million received the vaccine, but have slipped back since then. Some have linked the declining numbers to a pause in the J&J vaccine on April 13

The UCLA study examined the likelihood of people to get vaccinated when offered $100, $50 and $25.

At $100, 34% said they would be more likely to take a shot, at $50, 31% said they would be more likely, and when the amount was $25, 28% said they would be more inclined.

But some among the 7249 people randomly surveyed said they would be less inclined to be vaccinated if offered a cash payment.

When offered $100, 15% said they would be less likely to take a shot, 17% said they'd be less inclined if they were offered $50, and 15% said they would be dissuaded from taking the vaccine if they were offered $25.

The effect was greatest for unvaccinated Democrats, 48 percent of whom said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it came with a $100 payment.

The long-running study has also examined Americans' likelihood to get vaccinated by political persuasion.

It found that vaccine endorsements by political figures brought about strong partisan reactions.

A Donald Trump vaccine endorsement in 2020 decreased the uptake among Democrats, while increasing the uptake for Republicans.

Similarly, an endorsement by Joe Biden in 2021 saw fewer Republicans take up the vaccine shot.

Meanwhile, private companies such as Trader Joes and Dollar General are already offering their employees cash bonuses to get vaccinated. Trader Joes is giving two hours pay to workers who get the shot, Dollar General will give its employees four hours pay.

In Detroit, residents are being offered $50 prepaid cards to anyone who drives their neighbors to get vaccinated.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site. Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose

A third of yet-to-be vaccinated Americans would be more likely to get the shot when offered $100, a UCLA study has found

Maryland is offering $100 to state employees who receive the vaccine, and West Virginia announced last week that it would give $100 savings bonds to anyone aged between 16 and 36 who gets the shot.

In New Jersey, anyone over 21 is eligible to receive an alcoholic beverage with its 'Shot and a Beer' program.

In Texas, public health leaders are weighing up offering cash to convince the vaccine skeptics.

'I think we do need to have a discussion about incentives,' Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County's interim health authority, told KXAN.

Echoing the USLA findings, Escott said there was a 'thin line between motivation and coercion'.

The number of people taking the vaccine peaked on April 10 when 4.63 million Americans received the shot in a 24-hour period.

Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose.

On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration announced it was pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they study serious illnesses that developed in six American women.

It resumed 10 days later, but experts believe the pause stoked fears among the vaccine hesitant that they were not safe.

'There is a portion of the population that because of the pause, that's the straw that broke the camel's back, they're not going to get vaccinated,' Paul Shelton, executive vice president of pharmacy at AdhereHealth LLC, told the Wall Street Journal.

A recent poll shows just how much of an uphill climb it will to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The Economist/YouGov poll asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the shot.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

Infection rates have declined sharply as more Americans receive the vaccine

The death toll in the United States has slowed markedly in recent months, but is still heading towards 600,000

Stalling vaccination rates have left experts wondering if America will ever reach herd immunity, when a high enough proportion of the population are vaccinated to effectively snuff out the danger of infection.

Herd immunity was once estimated to be around 70 percent, but with the emergence of more in infectious variants - including the now-dominant B117 variant first identified in the UK - the needle has likely moved, experts told the New York Times.

Now, north of 80 percent of Americans would likely need to be vaccinated against the virus to prevent resurgences.

That simply may not be possible, considering that between 20 and 30 percent of Americans are still vaccine hesitant.

'It is theoretically possible that we could get to about 90 percent vaccination coverage, but not super likely, I would say,' Dr Marc Lipsitch, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health epidemiologist, told the Times.

Wyoming has the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy in the country, with an estimated 32 percent of people saying they won't get the shots in at least 11 of the state's 23 counties.

The state also has the fourth lowest rate of vaccination, with 34.1 percent of its population having had one or more doses of Covid vaccines, and 28 percent fully vaccinated. Daily cases in Wyoming are holding steady at about 60 a day.

Mississippi lags furthest behind, with 31.1 percent of residents having had one or more doses and just 23.8 percent fully vaccinated. The prospects of its vaccination campaign look poor as well, as 30 percent of people in six of its counties are hesitant to get vaccinated.

Herd immunity may be especially hard to reach in these states, and hotspots for vaccine hesitancy could be the Achilles heel that allows coronavirus to continue to resurge, if the U.S. doesn't adopt a strategy to quickly quell emerging outbreaks.

Meanwhile, confirmation that pregnant mothers are safe to receive the vaccination is being welcomed as a vital step forward in eliminating the virus.

And there is growing evidence that vaccinating women now may have knock-on benefits for any children they have in the future, too.

Since the immunity provided by a COVID vaccine is passed down to the foetus, wide take-up of the shot will eventually lead to a generation of children with in-built resistance.

While the risk that COVID poses to pregnant women and babies is generally low, studies have shown that women who catch it while pregnant are two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely  which can endanger the newborn. However, the shot dramatically reduces this risk.

Despite this, experts say that roughly one in five pregnant patients are hesitant about getting a COVID shot.

Other studies suggest this is likely to be higher  the results of a poll of more than 1,000 pregnant women, reported last week, showed at least one in three werent sure theyd have one.
She made her debut in Call The Midwife last night as a new pupil joining the nuns at Nonnatus House.

But these images show actress Megan Cusack, 24, in a rather different light  waving a four-letter placard at a 'Kill the Bill' rally outside Parliament.

The youngest member of the Cusack acting dynasty joined protesters on March 15 angry at Home Secretary Priti Patel for giving police more powers to prevent or quickly shut down demonstrations.

Miss Cusack was spotted with a placard bearing the words: '**** the racist, sexist police' accompanied by a picture of a pig.

She was also seen holding a sign reading: 'Sounds Priti ****ed to me. We will not be silenced.'

Call the Midwife actress Megan Cusack (circled), 24, joined protesters on March 15 angry at Home Secretary Priti Patel for giving police more powers to prevent or quickly shut down demonstrations

Cusack was spotted holding a sign reading: 'Sounds Priti ****ed to me. We will not be silenced'

On her Twitter and Facebook accounts, she shared a picture of her wearing a white mask with '**** this!' written on it as she joined other protesters holding up a giant yellow 'Kill the Bill' banner.

The demonstration was one of a number held across the country in protest at the Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

Miss Cusack seems to have some issues with the Home Secretary  last week the actress tweeted: 'Wow I really woke up and the first thing on my mind was how much I despise Priti Patel.'

And she does not appear to be a fan of royalty either. The day after Prince Philip's death last month she shared an article about him on Facebook with the caption: 'Alexa play 'highway to hell'.'

Cusack (left) made her debut in Call The Midwife last night as a new pupil joining the nuns at Nonnatus House. Pictured: Cusack and Helen George (right) in costume

Miss Cusack's grandfather was famed Irish actor Cyril Cusack.

Her father is theatre producer Padraig Cusack and her aunts are the acting sisters Sinead, Niamh, Sorcha and Catherine Cusack.

Her uncle is Sinead's husband Jeremy Irons and her cousin the actor Max Irons.

Representatives for Miss Cusack and Call The Midwife declined to comment last night.
ANANTAPUR: A group of techies and their friends have been on a mission to build confidence among the Covid -19 patients through various modes in Madakasira area in the district. The area is close to Bengaluru where a panic situation is prevailing with a large number of Covid positive cases and deaths being reported every day.

A few IT employees, medical and nursing professionals and their friends from Madakasira Assembly segment felt it was their social responsibility to render service to the society in such a pandemic time. Bhaskar Kantipuram, a techie presently working from home from his village in Kantipuram in Madakasira mandal, brought others on board to serve the Covid patients in the area.

Dr Yashwanth from Tumkur Hospital, software engineers An and Kumar, Rena Prate, Vera Prasad, Nuveen, a nursing student, Rajesh Babe, an agriculture graduate, and Dhanunjay, hailing from various parts of Madakasira segment, are involved in establishing a Covid care call centre, passing on crucial information to the patients. They are reaching out to even those in interior parts of the Assembly segment. The centre also appointed a few volunteers in all the five mandals in the Assembly segment.

We are helping them by providing free medical advice, treatment regimen and even medical consultations in severe circumstances. We learnt that tens of hundreds of people recovered from the Covid-19, staying at home without any hospitalisation, Bhaskar said. Alarmingly, Coronavirus was fast spreading in rural areas too and rendering advice to them on treatment and Covid management had become crucial. Since the government medical infrastructure was stretched thin, they thought of doing their bit to alleviate the sufferings of people, he said. As Madakasira is close to Bengaluru, a large number of infected people were returning to villages and spreading infections. Bhaskar said the call centre and the volunteers were spreading awareness about the virus and advising the public on what to do and whom to reach out to in times of need. We are ready to serve round-the-clock if the situation demands, added Bhaskar.
One millions Aussies between 40 and 49 will be able to receive the Pfizer vaccine 'within weeks', according to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Ms Berejiklian made the comments at the opening of the state's first mass Covid-19 vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park, which will have the capacity to administer 30,000 Covid-19 jabs per week.

The good news about vaccines comes as millions in Greater Sydney remain under increased coronavirus restrictions for another week with the authorities still unable to work out exactly how an eastern suburbs Sydney man was infected.

The NSW government expects the Homebush hub, opening on Monday and the first to open in the state, will have the capacity to It will be staffed by hundreds of medical personnel and operate six days a week from 8am to 8pm in a specially-fitted commercial building.

For its first two weeks, the hub will be open to people in categories 1a and 1b before expanding to anyone over 50 from May 24.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she hopes the state can now give out 60,000 vaccines a week, helping to boost Australia's fledgling rollout.

Ben Shepherd from RFS receives his COVID-19 vaccination at the Olympic Park Vaccination Centre in Sydney, on Monday (above)

The vaccine centre will be staffed by hundreds of medical personnel and operate six days a week from 8am to 8pm in a specially-fitted commercial building

'The mass vaccination centre will be able to administer up to 30,000 vaccines per week once it is up and running, that means around 5,000 vaccinations per day,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'The Centre, combined with the more than 100 NSW Health run clinics and hubs, means NSW Health can administer around 60,000 vaccines each week across the State.'

Victoria has now streaked 25,300 vaccine doses ahead of NSW after bringing six mass vaccination hubs online across the state.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR VACCINE IN NEW SOUTH WALES Members of the general public aged 40-49 are invited to register their interest in receiving the Pfizer vaccine through NSW Health. They will be contacted when a booking is available. People aged 40-49 can register here from 5pm today: nsw.gov.au/ From Wednesday 12 May, people aged 50 and over can book their AstraZeneca jab at the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park, if they are unable to obtain the vaccination from their GP. These bookings will be available here; covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility Advertisement

The hub opening comes fresh from the NSW government extending Greater Sydney's current restrictions for another week, except for mask usage in retail settings.

NSW Health on Sunday said it remains unsure how an infected east Sydney man caught the virus, which shared the same genomic sequencing as a returned traveller from the US in quarantine.

The man, in his 50s, subsequently infected his wife but no other close contacts to date.

Ms Berejiklian said she was 'keen to prevent a super-spreading event' given the 'missing link' between the two local cases was yet to be identified.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (above) and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (right) visit the Olympic Park Vaccination Centre on Monday. NSW said they will start vaccinating residents between 40 and 49 within 'weeks'

It means for the next week household gatherings remain capped at 20 people, mask usage remains mandatory on public transport and indoor venues such as theatres and aged care homes, and singing and dancing remains mostly banned.

Hospitality patrons are still not permitted to drink while standing, although retail customers are no longer obliged to wear masks.

NSW recorded zero new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests.

There were an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
Boris Johnson will herald a return to freedom today, vowing that Covid will not beat us.

On the back of stunning Tory local election victories, he will say the success of the vaccine rollout allows for further easing of covid restrictions.

With one in three adults now jabbed twice, the Prime Minister will declare that friends and relatives can  from next Monday  hug for the first time in a year.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes across England will be able to seat customers inside again. And gatherings of up to six people or two households will be allowed indoors.

Hotels, B&Bs, cinemas, theatres and museums are to reopen while limits on funeral mourners are scrapped.

But Nadine Dorries, Minister for Mental Health, hinted this morning that lockdown could be eased faster by Mr Johnson when he gives a Downing Street press conference at 5pm. She said shes expecting a positive announcement, adding: It is data, not dates and the data is very good.

Legislation in the Queens Speech tomorrow will be directed at the recovery from Covid-19, backing the NHS and spreading opportunity.

As the daily Covid death toll fell to just two with 1,770 confirmed infections:

League final from Turkey to the UK to save fans of Chelsea and Manchester City from a travel ban

Michael Gove said officials were involved in talks over moving the UEFA Champions

The Daily Mail-backed campaign for a national memorial for Covid victims at St Pauls Cathedral topped 1.3million;

The head of the Oxford vaccine group predicted Britons would soon be living without masks and social distancing;

With one in three adults now jabbed twice, the Prime Minister will declare that friends and relatives can  from next Monday  hug for the first time in a year

Pubs (pictured: Friends drink in a pub last year), restaurants and cafes across England will be able to seat customers inside again. And gatherings of up to six people or two households will be allowed indoors

Boris Johnson (pictured) will herald a return to freedom tomorrow, vowing that Covid will not beat us. On the back of stunning Tory local election victories, he will say the success of the vaccine rollout allows for further easing of lockdown

Boris Johnson is set to confirm the relaxation at a Downing Street press conference tomorrow, after the vaccine rolllout and plunging infections led to huge pressure from Tory MPs to speed up his plans

There are 520 confirmed cases of the strain in the country, up from 202 the previous week.

Areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton, Greater Manchester, registered a small number of cases of the variant, leading to widespread testing.

Urgent measures to contain the variant are in the works in the town including surge testing and a strengthened vaccination campaign urging people to get the jab.

Bolton has been revealed as the UK hotspot for the new Covid 19 strain detected in India which has been escalated to a 'variant of concern'.

'We have taken the decision to classify this as a variant of concern because the indications are that this VOC-21APR-02 is a more transmissible variant.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 strategic response director at Public Health England (PHE) said: 'We are monitoring all of these variants extremely closely.

They will be told about new measures in place to stop the transmission of the variant.

Residents living in the Bolton boroughs of Rumworth, Deane and Great Lever are being told to expect a knock on the door.

The cases are spread across the country, however, the majority of the cases are in London and the North West, predominantly Bolton.

Indian variant cases have soared over the last week and Public Health officials say almost half the cases are related to travel or contact with a traveller.

Public health officers in Bolton are going door-to-door in a bid to control the spread of the B16172 Indian coronavirus variant.

Mr Johnson will gather his ministers this morning to approve moving to step three of the roadmap out of lockdown next Monday after the Government said the latest data confirmed its four tests for easing restrictions had been met.

Officials believe that lifting the curbs is unlikely to risk a resurgence in virus infections.

At a press conference in Downing Street this evening, Mr Johnson will say: The data reflects what we already knew  we are not going to let this virus beat us.

The roadmap remains on track, our successful vaccination programme continues  more than two thirds of adults in the UK have now had the first vaccine  and we can now look forward to unlocking cautiously but irreversibly.

Its because of the British publics unwavering commitment that we are saving lives, protecting the NHS and controlling the virus.

Almost 15million men and women in England now have maximum protection against the virus, with two doses. Two in three adults  29.6million  have had at least one dose.

The Government said it was on track to offer all adults a first dose by the end of July.

Infection rates are at the lowest level since September and hospital admissions continue to fall, or plateau in some areas, with levels similar to those seen in July last year.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said of the jab success: This milestone is yet more evidence of the huge national vaccination effort we are in the middle of.

I pay tribute to the huge team  NHS staff, councils and of course our wonderful volunteers who are working so hard to deliver vaccines in all parts of the United Kingdom.

The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and tens of thousands of lives are being saved but the job is not yet done. I urge everyone, when the time comes, to get the jab.

Professor Andrew Pollard, the chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, said: There is a future with no social distancing and no more masks, but from a global perspective were still a long way from that.

Here in the UK weve had remarkable success through the vaccine programme and that is getting closer to happening.

Speaking on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said it was the case that friendly contact, intimate contact, between friends and family is something we want to see restored.

John Foster of the Confederation of British Industry said: Its encouraging to see the roadmap remains on track, with the certainty its provided businesses so far already appearing evident in recent economic data. All firms should be commended for their continuing efforts in keeping staff and customers safe.

The Government can inject further momentum into the economic recovery by providing companies with clarity on outstanding issues, including social distancing, Covid status certificates and the future of workplace testing beyond June 21.

Getting answers will help business cement the gains so far, laying strong foundations for the recovery, and support the planned full reopening of the economy without delay.

The Bank of England forecast last week that the economy would grow 7.25 per cent this year  the fastest peacetime rate in nearly a century.

UK records 1,770 new Covid cases - up 6% in a week - with just two daily deaths as figures show a THIRD of all adults are now fully vaccinated





Coronavirus daily deaths tumbled by 86 per cent from 14 to just 2 in a week while cases rose slightly by 6 per cent in the same period as yesterday's official figures show a third of UK adults are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The latest Department for Health figures show that the number of daily virus cases rose from 1,671 to 1,770 on last Sunday while the number of Covid-19 deaths plummeted in further evidence of the efficacy of vaccines.

Official figures also show that more than 17.6 million people have now received both jabs, with England and Northern Ireland both estimated to have given two doses to 33.6 per cent of their adult population - slightly ahead of Wales (33.4 per cent) and Scotland (33.1 per cent).

Responding to the figures for England, Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director for primary care at NHS England, said: 'Yet another incredible NHS milestone has been reached as one in three adults in England have now had both doses of the Covid vaccine - meaning that they have maximum protection from the virus.

'Reaching this milestone is no accident - it is down to months of hard work and everyone in the NHS who has played a role in this is helping to protect millions of people from serious illness and saving lives.'

Meanwhile, 35,371,669 people in the UK have now received a first dose of vaccine - the equivalent of 67.2 per cent of the adult population. Wales has given a first dose to 76.2 per cent of its adult population, ahead of Northern Ireland (66.9 per cent), England (66.8 per cent) and Scotland (65.4 per cent).

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: 'One third of adults in the UK have now had their second dose of the Covid vaccine, a testament to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff and volunteers. Thank you to everyone who has made this happen. Get your jab when called.'

Mr Johnson is set to confirm the relaxation at a Downing Street press conference tomorrow, after the vaccine rolllout and plunging infections led to huge pressure from Tory MPs to speed up his plans.

The major step will be a huge relief to grandparents, most of whom have been unable to hug grandchildren for more than a year. It is also expected that funerals will be permitted to take place for up to 30 people from May 17 - a month earlier than anticipated.

But rules for weddings and 'other life or commemorative events' will update as expected, with only 30 guests able to attend indoor receptions until June 21.

Boris Johnson tweeted: 'One third of adults in the UK have now had their second dose of the Covid vaccine, a testament to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff and volunteers. Thank you to everyone who has made this happen'

Mr Gove (left) said Boris Johnson (right) is set to confirm the relaxation at a Downing Street press conference tomorrow

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Gove said that the government wanted to restore 'contact between friends and family'.

He said: 'All being well, the Prime Minister will confirm tomorrow that there will be a relaxation, we've already indicated a proportionate relaxation on international travel, very limited at this stage because we have to be safe.

'In the same way, as we move into stage three of our road map it will be the case that we will see people capable of meeting indoors.

'And without prejudice to a broader review of social distancing, it is also the case that friendly contact, intimate contact, between friends and family is something we want to see restored.'

Asked if that meant hugs will be allowed again from around May 17, he said: 'Yes.'

Mr Gove said he was 'genuinely worried' about Indian coronavirus variants and whether they might take hold in the UK. But he said currently there was not an issue that would derail the roadmap.

He said the Government is reviewing whether pupils should continue to wear masks in schools from May 17 - something Gavin Williamson previously said will be dropped.

Ministers have faced calls from union leaders for face coverings to remain in secondary schools and colleges for longer. When asked whether mask-wearing in schools will end, Mr Gove said: 'What we want to do throughout is balance public health by making sure we can return to normal as quickly as possible.'

'I won't pre-empt that judgment, we'll be seeing more about it shortly.'

Meanwhile, the head of the Oxford University vaccine group said he believed it is the right time to ease further restrictions in England.

Professor Andrew Pollard said the country has seen the 'extraordinary success' of both the vaccination programme and the 'prolonged' lockdown.

'I think it is time to start, based on the very careful modelling that's been done, relaxing some of those restrictions,' he told BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

'That means we're in a very fortunate position here in the UK.'

On Friday, the Government announced plans to allow international travel from May 17 after months of banning most trips abroad.

It was met with criticism from industry leaders who described the 'cautious' approach to unlocking foreign travel as 'disappointing', after only 12 countries were added to the quarantine-free green list.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said up to date guidance on weddings will be issued tomorrow, confirming the limit will increase to 30 as anticipated.

'We are working with the wedding sector to facilitate a return to as near as normal as quickly as possible and understand the need for certainty to plan for the summer season,' she said.

Mr Gove was having trouble with his glasses steaming up as he left the BBC studios in Glasgow this morning

Boris Johnson (pictured celebrating the Tories' by-election win on Jacksons Wharf with Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer this morning) has pledged 'absolutely ruthless' tracking of India's mutant Covid strain after health chiefs officially declared it a 'variant of concern'

'As set out in the roadmap, the Government will increase limits for weddings and wedding receptions to 30 people at Step Three.'

An insider added: 'While we understand the unique significance these events hold in people's lives, we must continue to take necessary measures to limit the transmission of the virus.

'We do not wish to keep restrictions in place for any longer than we have to.'

The Prime Minister will also confirm that care home residents in England will be allowed to make low-risk trips to places such as relatives' gardens or a local park without having to self-isolate for a fortnight when they return,

Britain will take a huge step towards normality on May 17, when friends and family will be able to meet indoors for the first time since January under the rule of six.

Restaurants and pubs will also be able to cater to indoor customers, and foreign holidays will resume to a handful of approved 'green list' destinations.

Mr Johnson's invitation to embrace  which will be welcomed by millions of families  follows news that Britain yesterday passed another vaccine milestone with more than two-thirds of adults now given a Covid-19 jab.

There were 2,047 positive tests across the country, the Department of Health announced, up 7.3 per cent on last Saturday's number (1,907).

Officials also recorded just five lab-confirmed deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid swab, 28.6 per cent less than the number recorded a week ago.

The latest figures show that nearly 35.2million Britons have been given at least one dose of Covid vaccine, after another 119,349 first injections were administered on Thursday.

The NHS also dished out a further 449,716 second doses, bringing the total number of people fully vaccinated against the disease to 17.2million.

Some 66.8 per cent of adults have had a first jab, while nearly a third have had their second.

Public Health England has divided the Indian variant into three sub-types because they aren't identical. Type 1 and Type 3 both have a mutation called E484Q but Type 2 is missing this, despite still clearly being a descendant of the original Indian strain. It is not yet clear what separates Type 1 and 3

Surge testing has been happening in the former mill town of Bolton, which has been identified as a hotspot for the Indian Covid variant.

Mr Johnson said last week that tracking of the Indian variant will be 'absolutely ruthless'.

Celebrating the Tories delivering a hammer blow to the Labour's Red Wall in the local elections, he said: 'What we're doing there is making sure that we are absolutely ruthless in the surge testing, in the door-to-door tracking of any contacts.

'At the moment we're looking carefully at the way the Indian variant seems to function, we don't see any evidence that it is resistant to the vaccines or in any way more dangerous.'

But an expert has warned the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown might be delayed because of outbreaks of the variant.

Dr Duncan Robinson, policy and strategy analytics academic at Loughborough University, yesterday said a 'political decision' may be taken to slow down easing restrictions because the strain could disproportionately affect areas where there are outbreaks.

But speaking in Hartlepool on Friday, Mr Johnson also said he 'can't see any reason' to delay the remaining steps along the out of lockdown.

Early research suggests both the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and the Pfizer jab, still work against the variant.

Two-thirds of adults have now had their first Covid jab as Britain passes another vaccine milestone

ByStephen Adamsand Anna Mikhailova For The Mail On Sunday

Britain yesterday passed another vaccine milestone with more than two-thirds of adults now given a Covid-19 jab.

According to the latest figures, 35,188,981 people  the equivalent of 66.8 per cent of the adult population  have had their first dose of vaccine. Of those, 17,214,436, comprising 32.7 per cent of adults, have had their second shot.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: The vaccine is saving lives so when its your turn, come forward & get the jab.

More than 35 million people have received their first Covid-19 vaccination since the first patients were inoculated in December 2020

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: The vaccine is saving lives so when its your turn, come forward & get the jab.

The number of positive tests, hospital admissions and deaths have all fallen in the past week

The milestone came as just five deaths and 101 new hospitalisations were reported, down a quarter on figures last Saturday.

Despite the loosening of lockdown restrictions, there were 2,047 positive tests in the previous 24 hour period, down five per cent week- on-week. The success of Britains vaccination programme contrasts with Germany, where 39 per cent of adults have had their first jab, and France, where it is just 33 per cent.

Despite the progress in the battle against Covid-19, Boris Johnsons former adviser Dominic Cummings launched a fresh attack on his handling of the crisis. Promoting a book by US statistician Julia Galef, Mr Cummings suggested that if the 20 most influential people dealing with Covid in the Government had read her book The Scout Mindset, then 10s of 1000s who died cd still be alive.

The book encourages people to act like a scout who surveys the land, seeking accuracy and understanding rather than like soldiers who protect beliefs aggressively and ignore any evidence that we might be wrong.

Another missed chance to tackle social care crisis: Queen's Speech will NOT include relief for families with elderly relatives... two years after Boris Johnson vowed to deliver his plan

By Claire Ellicott, Political correspondent for The Daily Mail

Ministers are set to miss another chance to tackle the social care crisis this week.

Detailed measures to fix the broken sector are not expected in tomorrow's Queen's Speech despite Boris Johnson earlier suggesting they would be.

Instead, the Government has vowed to set out plans in the coming 'weeks and months' but these may not come in front of Parliament before the end of the year.

Yesterday campaigners called for decisive action as a poll showed that voters want reform of the care sector.

The survey found that two-thirds think social care should be a top priority while nearly half do not believe that ministers care enough about older people and their needs.

Ministers are set to miss another chance to tackle the social care crisis this week. Detailed measures to fix the broken sector are not expected in tomorrow's Queen's Speech despite Boris Johnson earlier suggesting they would be. Instead, the Government has vowed to set out plans in the coming 'weeks and months' but these may not come in front of Parliament before the end of the year [Stock image]

Earlier this year, Mr Johnson said it was 'highly likely' that ministers would bring forward a clear plan to 'fix' the problems in the Queen's Speech.

But sources have now indicated there will be a reference to social care plans in the speech but they will not actually be set out, suggesting any measures are not ready.

What you CAN expect from the Queen's Speech - Crime Bill to keep dangerous offenders in jail for longer and tackle knife crime by extending the use of stop and search - Online Harms Bill to tackle social media - Plans to tackle the backlog of NHS operations and cancer treatment due to Covid - Environment Bill, which will set legally binding emissions targets ahead of the UK-led Cop26 climate summit - Bill on skills and education to help young people find jobs and boost skills - Animal Welfare Bill to ensure animals are recognised as sentient beings, increase sentences for animal cruelty and ban trophy hunters importing endangered 'prizes' Advertisement

Wrangling between No 10 and the Chancellor about the huge costs of reform  perhaps as high as 10billion a year  is said to have delayed progress.

Instead, new animal rights laws and the controversial policing Bill are likely to be included when the Queen sets out the Government's legislative programme in her speech in the House of Lords.

Asked yesterday if a plan would be announced tomorrow, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove indicated this was unlikely.

'We'll be saying more about social care in the weeks and months to come,' he told Sky News's Sophy Ridge show.

Asked why there was still no plan, Mr Gove said ministers had 'quite rightly' been concentrating on dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

'People will also expect, of course, a new plan for social care to be developed and that plan will be unveiled later this year,' he added.

In a later interview, Mr Gove said a reform plan will be 'heading for the statute books' by the end of the year.

'We're working to make sure we have an effective social care plan. That work is going on,' he told Times Radio.

'So, by the end of the year you will have a specific plan heading for the statute books. We want to make sure that we can get cross-party support.

'That's the point the Prime Minister has always made. The more support we can get for it, the quicker we can be.'

In March, Mr Johnson told the Commons liaison committee it was 'highly likely' social care reforms would be in the Queen's Speech.

He said a ten-year plan was needed to bridge 'the gulf between the NHS and social care into which so many fall'.

Yesterday campaigners called for decisive action as a poll showed that voters want reform of the care sector. The survey found that two-thirds think social care should be a top priority while nearly half do not believe that ministers care enough about older people and their needs [Stock image]

In his first speech as Prime Minister in July 2019, Mr Johnson had declared: 'We will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared.' However, little progress has been made.

Yesterday's poll on the issue was carried out for care charity MHA. Chief executive Sam Monaghan said: 'There have been green papers, white papers, commissions, reviews, yet still the system remains broken. What we now need is decisive action.'

Vic Rayner, chief executive of the National Care Forum, added: 'We need to move from rhetoric to action. Now is the time for long-term ambition not yet another quick fix.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Improving the adult social care system remains a priority and we will bring forward proposals later this year.'
An urgent warning has been issued to thousands of Australian women who have had breast implants which have been linked to a rare cancer.

Women who have undergone the procedure are urged to be on the look out for symptoms of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare cancer of the immune system that grows in the scar tissue capsule and fluid around the implant.

The cancer has been linked to common 'textured' implants in surgeries going as far back as 2004.

Of the 106 Australian women diagnosed with the disease, four have died, the Herald Sun reported.

Women who have had breast implants are urged to look out for symptoms of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare cancer of the immune system (stock image)

Sixteen of the cases were from Victoria, prompting Safer Care Victoria to raise the alarm.

Between 5000 and 6000 breast implant or breast reconstruction procedures are performed in Victoria each year.

It comes after Therapeutic Goods Administration cancelled three breast implant devices last October following a review into BIA-ALCL concerns.

The risk of BIA-ALCL is estimated to be between one in 1000 and one in 10,000 and is 23 times higher in textured implants than smooth ones.

Plastic surgeons urge women with implants to not panic or get them removed as the risks associated in getting rid of them are greater than being diagnosed with BIA-ALCL.

Between 5000 and 6000 breast implant or breast reconstruction procedures are performed in Victoria each year (stock image)

Around 106 Australian women have been diagnosed with breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (stock image)

'There are some women who decide they just can't live with any risk at all and demand to have them out,' Associate Professor Gillian Farrell told the Herald Sun.

'But if there is no change in your implants at all and they have been in for a number of years and stayed exactly the same, then there is no need to be concerned.'

Those considering implants are urged to discuss the risks with their surgeon and which implants are considered safer.

Most cases of are detected in the early stages and are cured with surgery.

Symptoms include swelling caused by fluid around the implant, pain, a rash or lump developing in the breast or armpit.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry celebrated Mother's Day by donating diapers, supplies and other items to an organization that serves homeless pregnant women and their babies.

The organization, Harvest Home, shared news of the donation on their Instagram page Sunday afternoon.

The announcement of the donation came a day after Meghan made her first appearance on American television since the bombshell Oprah interview in March.

The donation announcement didn't say the value of what was contributed.

'Today, we are thrilled to have the support of Archewell Foundation, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Procter & Gamble, who are donating diapers, cleaning supplies, and other essential items to ensure that the moms and babies at Harvest Home are celebrated all throughout the year,' the caption of the post reads.

According to Harvest Home, the Mothers Day surprise was accompanied by a personal letter from the Duchess, who is the mother of two-year-old Archie.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry celebrated Mother's Day by donating diapers, supplies and other items to an organization that serves homeless pregnant women and their babies (Instagram post pictured)

Their act of kindness on Mother's Day comes as the Duchess shared a message to supporters during the Vax Live telecast (pictured)

'As a mom, and an expectant mom, I deeply appreciate the significance of community support, safe and accessible pregnancy resources, and trusted guidance in a nurturing setting,' Meghan said.

'These ingredients are essential to not just our physical health, but our mental well-being, and I commend you for leading a compassionate community that lives these values.'

Meghan continued: 'Thank you for all you do for the women and mothers who are turned away elsewhere, at no fault of their own.

'When we consider how vulnerable any mother feels during the fragile time of pregnancy, we gain perspective about how especially difficult it can be for pregnant women of color and those who come from under-resourced and vulnerable communities. I hope you will accept an offer of support to help further uplift Harvest Homes residents.'

It's unclear how much was donated to the organization, or whether Meghan and Harry had contributed anything - or if they had just lent their names to the effort and P&G provided all of the diapers and other items.

Meghan and Harry's act of kindness on Mother's Day comes as the Duchess shared a message to supporters during the Vax Live telecast.

The Vax Live concert took place at Los Angeles' Lo-Fi stadium this past Sunday. Prince Harry appeared in person, but Meghan reportedly pulled out at the last minute

Meghan's brief recorded statement aired at the conclusion of the concert's telecast and marked her first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March

Cradling her large baby bump in a red floral blouse, Meghan talked about welcoming another child: 'My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world.

'When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward.'

The Vax Live concert took place at Los Angeles' Lo-Fi stadium this past Sunday. Prince Harry appeared in person, but Meghan reportedly pulled out at the last minute.

However, her brief recorded statement aired at the conclusion of the concert's telecast - which was aired across multiple TV channels in the US on Saturday night.

It was the Duchess's first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March.
One in three adults have received both Covid jabs in a major milestone in the war against the pandemic.

Almost 15million in England now have 'maximum protection' against the virus and 29.6million have had at least one dose.

The NHS's announcement of the milestone came after the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group predicted that Britons would soon be living without face masks and social distancing.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who is also the chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, said that this 'was getting closer to happening', thanks to the 'remarkable success' of the UK's immunisation programme.

Almost 15million in England have 'maximum protection' against Covid-19 and 29.6million have had at least one dose in a major milestone in the war against the pandemic (file photo)

The head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Professor Andrew Pollard, predicted Britons would soon be living without face masks thanks to the UK's immunisation programme

He also said that ministers were right to start easing restrictions further, and that the country was in a 'very fortunate position' with both the vaccination uptake and suppression of cases from lockdown.

'It is time, based on a very careful model, to start relaxing some of those restrictions,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

Figures from NHS England yesterday showed 14.9million people aged 18 and over had been given both doses of the vaccine, nearly 34 per cent, while 29.6million  67 per cent of the adult population  have received their first dose.

In a tweet Boris Johnson said that reaching the milestone was 'a testament to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff and volunteers'.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director for primary care at NHS England, said: 'Reaching this milestone is no happy accident  it is down to months of hard work and everyone in the NHS who has played a role in this is helping to protect millions of people from serious illness and saving lives.'

Meanwhile, the UK recorded just two Covid-related deaths in the last 24 hours while figures showed there were 1,770 confirmed cases compared with 2,047 on Saturday.

Professor Pollard stressed that attention now needed to be diverted to other countries around the world  including India  facing 'absolute calamity'.

He added: 'Countries that have now vaccinated the vast majority of the vulnerable need to be rethinking priorities. We just can't stand by and see that level of catastrophe happen.'

He also said there was no need for adults under 40 who had already received their first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca to be given an alternative vaccine for their second dose.

He explained that the existing data suggested the risk of blood-clotting syndrome in second doses was very low.

On Friday, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended adults under 40 be given an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab if one was available, as a result of the  very low  chance of blood clots.
The key moves in Keir Starmer's make-or-break shadow cabinet reshuffle... Nick Brown - SACKED as party's chief whip Anneliese Dodds - SACKED as shadow chancellor; but HIRED as party chair Angela Rayner - SACKED as party chair and party campaign coordinator; but HIRED as the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rachel Reeves - HIRED as the new shadow chancellor Alan Campbell - HIRED as party's chief whip Thangam Debbonaire - HIRED as shadow Commons leader Valerie Vaz - SACKED as shadow Commons leader West Streeting - HIRED as shadow cabinet member for child poverty Lucy Powell - HIRED as shadow housing secretary Advertisement

An embattled Sir Keir Starmer last night rearranged his deckchairs as he chopped and changed parts of his shadow cabinet in a make-or-break reshuffle.

In a bold but not unexpected move, the stumbling Labour leader demoted party favourite Anneliese Dodds from the key role of shadow chancellor.

She was replaced by Oxford educated former Bank of England economist Rachel Revees - a trusted ally of Sir Keir.

In the most left-field move of the night, the Labour leader sacked veteran MP Nick Brown as the party's chief whip.

Then, in a dramatic twist to earlier events, Sir Keir reinstated Angela Rayner to his front bench - hours after axing her from her role as party chair and campaign coordinator.

In what some now consider a promotion from her previous role, the deputy party leader will now take Michael Gove to task as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Ms Dodds will replace her as party chair. However, according to some reports, Ms Rayner will still have significant influence over internal party matters.

Mr Brown meanwhile will be replaced as chief whip by Alan Campbell.

Thangam Debbonaire has been moved to shadow Commons leader, replacing Valerie Vaz.

Centrist figure Wes Streeting will take the shadow cabinet role for child poverty, while Lucy Powell, a key figure from the Miliband years, will step into the role as shadow housing secretary.

The reshuffle comes amid the continuing fallout of the party's poor local election showing and humiliating Hartlepool by-election defeat.

Last night, after the reshuffle was announced, Sir Keir said that the Labour party 'must change'. He also promised a 'relentless focus on the priorities of the British people'.

An embattled Sir Keir Starmer tonight swung the axe as he chopped and changed his shadow cabinet in a make-or-break reshuffle

In a bold, but not entirely unsurprising move, the stumbling Labour leader demoted Anneliese Dodds (pictured right) from the important role of shadow chancellor. He replaced her with Oxford educated former Bank of England worker Rachel Revees (pictured left) - a key ally of Ed Miliband during his spell as Labour leader.

In the most left-field move of the night, the Labour leader sacked veteran MP Nick Brown (pictured left) as the party's chief whip. And in a dramatic twist, Sir Keir reinstated Angela Rayner (pictured right) to his front bench, after earlier axing her from the important role of party chair.

Thangam Debbonaire (pictured left) has been moved to shadow Commons leader, replacing Valerie Vaz (pictured right)

In a statement, he said: 'The Labour Party must be the party that embraces the demand for change across our country.

'That will require bold ideas and a relentless focus on the priorities of the British people.

'Just as the pandemic has changed what is possible and what is necessary, so Labour must change too.'

New by-election woe for Keir Starmer as ex-Coronation Street actress Tracy Brabin wins race to be West Yorkshire mayor Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faces the potential of yet more by-election woe after one of his MPs last night secured a mayoral seat. MP Tracy Brabin made history by being elected as the first ever West Yorkshire mayor - and the first female metro mayor in England. But it means former Coronation Street star Ms Brabin, who also celebrates her 60th birthday today, will now have to step down from her Westminster seat of Batley and Spen. It will spark a fresh by-election in the marginal Labour constituency - which has now become a key Conservative target. The bitter-sweet Labour win in the West Yorkshire mayoral vote comes just days after the party's poor performance in the local elections and its humiliating by-election defeat in Hartlepool. The constituency, part of Labour's 'Red Wall', turned blue in Thursday's by-election as it was won by the Conservatives for the first time in the seat's 47-year history. And, with Labour holding an even tighter majority in Batley and Spen, there will now likely be fear among the party's top table of another by-election defeat when voters in the constituency head to the ballot boxes. Labour had a 4,000 majority in Hartlepool from the 2019 election. But in a historic by-election win for the Tories on Thursday, the party won the seat by almost 7,000 votes. The seat has been held by Labour since 1997, including from 2014 by MP Jo Cox - who was murdered in 2015 by a far-right knifeman. Advertisement

However the reshuffle, which came amid a myriad of finger pointing in the wake of Labour's dismal election results, appears to have done little to fix the cracks in the party.

Last night, an ally of Ms Rayner, whose earlier sacking had caused outcry from both the left and moderate wings of the party, told the Times: 'There's more confusion because of this chaotic shambolic reshuffle.'

The ally insisted Ms Rayner would still play a significant role in internal party matters through her role as position as deputy leader - to which she was elected.

The rise of Ms Reeve will be one of the big talking points of the reshuffle.

First elected to represent Leeds West in 2010, within six months she was the shadow minister for pensions.

After subsequent roles at shadowing in the Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions, Ms Reeves assumed the role of shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - opposite Michael Gove - when Sir Keir became party leader.

She was good friends with constituency neighbour Jo Cox, who was killed in 2016.

Paying a tearful tribute to her colleague in the Commons days after her death, Ms Reeves said of Ms Cox: 'Batley and Spen will go on, to elect a new MP, but no one can replace a mother.'

Politics runs in the family, and Ms Reeves is married to a former private secretary and speech writer of Gordon Brown.

Her younger sister, Ellie also has a seat in Parliament as the Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, and serves as the shadow Solicitor General.

Before arriving in Westminster, Ms Reeves worked as an economist at the Bank of England and the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Ms Dodds meanwhile will take up the important role of party chair.

Labour MP for Oxford East since June 2017, Ms Dodds was an MEP for South East England for four years before taking her seat on the opposition benches.

A year after her election, she was made shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, before receiving her promotion to the shadow front bench in April last year.

A mother of two young children, 43-year-old Ms Dodds' media skills were put to the test just days into her role as shadow chancellor, when her daughter burst in during an interview with Sky News.

'I thought she was going to stay asleep, sorry... so embarrassing,' Ms Dodds said when asked about the moment at the interview's close.

'She's thankfully under the chair now.'

Ms Dodds has now been relegated to the role of party chairman and chair of Labour Policy Review.

Before politics, Aberdeen-born Ms Dodds worked as an academic and it is thought her research focused on public policy and risk in different industries, sectors and nations.

It comes after Ms Rayner was effectively sacked as party chair yesterday, sparking anger from left-wingers and moderates, with claims the Ashton-under-Lyne MP is being made to carry the can for Sir Keir's mistakes.

Keir Starmer dropped a bombshell by sacking Angela Rayner (pictured together last week) as Labour Party chairwoman - although because she is the elected deputy leader he does not have powers to axe her altogether

Ms Rayner was elected as party deputy leader separately to Sir Keir, meaning he cannot axe her entirely - with even his normal supporters conceding it was a 'bad idea'.

However, there were claims that some ministers were discussing simply refusing to take other jobs.

There were claims that he faced the threat of a mass walk-out.

Yesterday, Liverpool MP Kim Johnson took aim directly at Sir Keir saying shifting Ms Rayner was an 'appalling act of cowardice'.

Corbynite former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott also waded into the spat, saying the decision to move Ms Rayner was 'baffling' and demanding Sir Keir reverts to 'popular' hard-Left policies.

'She didn't take any of the big decisions around Hartlepool and we've not heard anywhere in the country people saying they didn't vote Labour because of Angela Rayner,' she said.

And Jon Trickett, who was sacked by Sir from the shadow cabinet last year, tweeted: 'I don't think we should rule out a leadership challenge.'

Liverpool MP Kim Johnson took aim directly at Sir Keir saying shifting Ms Rayner was an 'appalling act of cowardice'

With almost all the council results in for England, Labour has lost more than 300 seats while the Tories are up more than 200

Diane Abbott demands return to 'popular' hard-Left policies Diane Abbott today demanded Keir Starmer returns to the 'popular' Socialist policies from the Jeremy Corbyn era Diane Abbott today demanded Keir Starmer returns to the 'popular' Socialist policies from the Jeremy Corbyn era as Labour plunged further into civil war. The former shadow home secretary lashed out at Sir Keir as she insisted Mr Corbyn only led the party to its worst general election defeat since 1935 due to an 'extraordinary media attack'. Ms Abbott also waded into the spat over the 'sacking' of Angela Rayner from the key role as Labour chair, saying the decision was 'baffling'. The intervention came as Sir Keir mounted a desperate bid to save his shattered leadership after the dire Super Thursday results - kicking off a reshuffle and drafting in a New Labour pollster as his strategy chief. Speaking to Sky News' Ridge On Sunday, Ms Abbott, who described the Hartlepool by-election loss as 'distressing', said: 'I think we need to be building on the policies in the 2019 manifesto, many of which were forward-thinking and popular. 'We need to get the strategy right.' Told that Mr Corbyn's manifesto had failed, Ms Abbott added: 'It was a manifesto that, taking the policies individually, was very popular.' She went on: 'We won Hartlepool twice under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and, importantly, with a bigger proportion of the vote. 'You can't say that Jeremy is responsible for the Hartlepool result. The disaffection in post-industrial Britain long predates Jeremy's leadership and we have to look at the roots of it.' Advertisement

Ms Mattinson worked as a Labour pollster until the party was ejected from power in 2010, and after Jeremy Corbyn's 2019 general election defeat  the party's worst performance since 1935  penned a book analysing the collapse of the Red Wall.

She is due to leave BritainThinks, the research and consultancy company she co-founded, to take up her role as the party's strategy director next month.

Ms Mattinson said: 'I am very much looking forward to joining Keir Starmer and his team.

'The coming months will be challenging but I will be proud to play a part in helping Labour reconnect with the voters it has lost.'

There was a small bright spot for Labour last night as Sadiq Khan retained his job as London Mayor, although Tory candidate Shaun Bailey far exceeded expectations and slashed his majority.

They also secured the Cambridge and Peterborough mayoralty as the dramatic realignment of the UK's political landscape continues.

However, in the latest punishing results from other key battlegrounds the Conservatives gained control of Amber Valley in Derbyshire from Labour, after winning 13 of the 16 seats being contested.

Labour was seemingly unable to find anyone to make the case for Sir Keir on the BBC's flagship Marr Show political programme yesterday.

In more evidence of the bitter war threatening to tear Labour apart, details of Ms Rayner's use of first class rail tickets were leaked to the Sunday Times. Her allies insisted she only did so for safety reasons after the murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Rayner is a survivor from the Corbyn era, and the defenestration of the party's most senior woman - who represents a Northern seat - from a key role sparked a backlash from all sides.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell pointed out that Sir Keir had promised on Friday to take 'full responsibility for the election result in Hartlepool & other losses', but was now 'scapegoating everyone apart from himself'. 'This isn't leadership it's a cowardly avoidance of responsibility,' the Corbynite said.

Mr McDonnell told the Marr Show that ditching Ms Rayner as national campaign co-ordinator was a 'huge mistake'.

'I haven't spoken to Angie. And let me be clear, I don't have any brief for Angie  I didn't support her as deputy leader, I supported Richard Burgon,' he said.

'When the leader of the party on Friday said he takes responsibility for the election result in Hartlepool in particular and then scapegoats Angela Rayner, I think many of us feel that is unfair, particularly as we all know actually that Keir's style of leadership is that his office controls everything.

'It is very centralised and he controlled the campaign, so many of us think it is really unfair.

'What public relations genius thought this was a good move on the very day, actually, we were having successes  Andy Burnham in Manchester, Steve Rotheram in Liverpool, Paul Dennett in Salford, Marvin down in Bristol, Sadiq in London.

'The very day we're recovering a bit and having successes, then they do this. I just think it is a huge mistake.'

A Labour source said: 'Keir said he was taking full responsibility for the result of the elections and he said we need to change. That means changing how we run our campaigns in future. Angela will continue to play a senior role in Keir's team.'
Tragic scenes have unfolded at a famous waterfall after a woman who was celebrating Mother's Day with her children plunged 50m to her death.

The 58-year-old was crossing Windin Falls in Cairns, Far North Queensland, at about 1pm on Sunday when she slipped in the natural infinity pool and was knocked unconscious.

Witness Blake Thomas told Daily Mail Australia that he saw her limp body getting knocked around in the whitewater.

'She was in a pool, getting pushed back and forth ... the water was like rapids. It took her and threw her off the cliff,' the 25-year-old said.

The 58-year-old mother (not pictured) was crossing Windin Falls in Cairns, Far North Queensland, at about 1pm on Sunday when she slipped

Mr Thomas said the mother, who was at the tourist hotspot with her two children and her daughter's boyfriend, fell for a few seconds before she hit the water below.

'I saw her floating ages away at the end and watched the rescue helicopter retrieve her. Very eerie,' he said.

A fellow walker called police but it took a rescue helicopter, officers on foot and a drones three hours to find her body at 4pm.

Mr Thomas said the woman was not trying to get in the pool when she slipped because the water was so rough after days of torrential rain.

Horrified onlookers blocked the entrance to the pool to ensure others hoping to catch a glimpse of the picturesque site didn't interfere with the rescue operation.

The 90-minute trek to the waterfall is only accessible through the Old Cairns Track in the Wooroonooran National Park.

Mr Thomas said there needs to be more warnings at the site, 'or at least a safety rope or bars'. Windin Falls pictured

A witness who saw her fall from the cliff said the water in the infinite pool was rough on Sunday (stock image)

'Exercise extreme caution and stay back from the edges,' the Tourism Tropical North Queensland website warns.

'There is a natural infinity pool at the top of the falls that drops deep into the valley below.'

Mr Thomas said there needs to be more warnings at the site 'or at least a safety rope or bars'.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.
A doctor who oversaw the treatment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has gone missing.

Dr Alexander Murakhovsky, 49, has not been seen since Friday after vanishing in a Siberian forest amid reports of wild bears in the vicinity.

The doctor, who had been on a hunting trip in the remote Omsk region, had overseen Mr Navalnys initial treatment after he claimed he had been poisoned with novichok by the Kremlin.

Dr Alexander Murakhovsky, 49, has not been seen since Friday after vanishing in a Siberian forest amid reports of wild bears in the vicinity

In February another doctor who treated the activist died in mysterious circumstances amid claims he had been liquidated. The following month a further medic died after suffering a stroke, prompting claims the death was suspicious.

Mr Navalny fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August last year with suspected novichok poisoning.

He was then taken to a hospital headed by Dr Murakhovsky, who said medics had found no evidence of nerve agents.

The doctor was then controversially promoted to health minister of Omsk.

He was swiftly mocked on Twitter by Mr Navalny, 44, who said: You lie, fake test results, are ready to please the bosses in any way  you get an award and a promotion. Dr Murakhovskys stuck all-terrain vehicle has reportedly been found in the forest and two bears were located nearby.

There were unconfirmed claims that he had contacted other hunters by radio to say that he would go on by foot - but was confused over which direction to go.

His friends looked for him but failed to locate the missing minister.

Russian national guards, police, emergency ministry staff and volunteers are involved in the exercises with helicopters deployed to find him.

When Dr Sergei Maksimishin died in February his colleagues said his demise was very unexpected.

It was denied he died from Covid-19, while there were also claims he had succumbed to a heart attack.

He had suffered extremely high blood pressure shortly before his death, said reports.

The issue is not whether he was involved in the treatment of Alexei Navalny, but the reason for his liquidation was his readiness to share information about the treatment that he had access to, said a post on a Telegram channel called General SVR.

Local health chiefs and doctors claimed they found no evidence of novichok in Navalnys (pictured) blood, and denied he had been poisoned

The channel - which claims access to leaked secrets from the Russian elite - did not give any direct evidence for its claim.

Navalny, 44, fell acutely ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow last August.

The plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, and Navalny was taken to the hospital headed by Dr Murakhovsky.

Local health chiefs and doctors claimed they found no evidence of novichok in Navalnys blood, and denied he had been poisoned.

But there were also claims that the hospital was full of agents of the security service FSB, which was later accused of poisoning Navalny.

He was then airlifted to Germany, where doctors concluded he had been poisoned with a military grade nerve agent.

Navalny returned to Russia and was immediately arrested.

He was jailed in February for parole violations, on what he says were politically motivated charges, and sent to a penal colony.

Navalny subsequently staged a hunger strike as tens of thousands protested across Russian demanding his release.
Sir David Attenborough has warned the world faces 'crippling problems' because of climate change after being given a role at this year's Cop26 summit.

The broadcaster, 95, said it was 'crucial' that global leaders find a solution to worsening environmental problems.

The UN's Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow in November will bring together world leaders to try to agree a plan to tackle climate change.

Sir David has been named the summit's People's Advocate and will address political leaders at the event.

In a video message, Sir David said: 'The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems. But the problems that await us within the next five, ten years are even greater.

Sir David Attenborough has warned the world faces 'crippling problems' because of climate change after being given a role at this year's Cop26 summit

'It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, Cop26, have success, and that at last the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world faces.'

He will also speak at next month's G7 leaders' summit in Cornwall.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'Sir David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured left with Attenborough in February 2020) said there was 'no better person to build momentum for further change' than Attenborough [File photo]

'There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the Cop26 climate summit in November. I am hugely grateful to Sir David for agreeing to be our People's Advocate.'

Cop26 president-designate Alok Sharma, the former business secretary, said: 'Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity and the stakes could not be higher for our planet.

'The next decade will be make, or break, for cutting global emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

'That is why I am delighted to be working with Sir David, a hero for our country and our planet, to inspire action ahead of Cop26.'
A 36-year-old Sydney man is accused of bashing his former partner before kidnapping her and her baby in Sydney's southwest on Sunday morning.

Police say the man and a 28-year-old woman were at a home in Greenacre at 9am when they began arguing.

Police say the man hit the woman repeatedly on her face, head and body and when she tried to leave with her eight-month-old son, he forced them into his car.

Man is accused of kidnapping his ex in Sydney's southwest (above)

The woman unsuccessfully tried to escape from the car twice  calling out to passers-by for help - before being forced back into the car. She was then driven to her home in Sadleir, about before the man left.

Police arrested the man on Sunday night and charged him with kidnapping, assault, breaching an apprehended violence order and breaching bail.

He's been refused bail and is due to appear in Bankstown Local Court on Monday.

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TD politburo member Kalava Srinivasulu lashed out at YSRC government for harassing TD leaders across the state.  DC Image

ANANTAPUR: D. Hirehal police in Anantapur district have registered a case against Telugu Desam general secretary Nara Lokesh for his social media comment on Rayadurgam MLA K. Ramachandra Reddy.

The case has been booked after a YSRC activist V. Bojaraj Naik lodged a complaint with police on April 30 accusing Lokesh of defaming the Rayadurgam MLA. D. Hirehal police have registered the case under sections 153(A), 505 and 506.

Police sources disclosed the issue on Saturday.

In the FIR, the complainant said through his tweet, Lokesh has provoked people against Ramachandra Reddy and damaged the latters image. The TD general secretary put out the tweet after a TD worker G. V. S. Murthy was attacked by people of Rampuram village in Karnataka.

TD politburo member Kalava Srinivasulu lashed out at YSRC government for harassing TD leaders across the state. Instead of taking action against illicit activities of YSRC leaders, why have D. Hirehal police registered a case against our party leader, he asked.
Ex-Australia Post boss Christine Holgate has a new job at a parcel deliveries business, six months after she was ousted over $20,000 worth of controversial gifts.

Since leaving her role, Ms Holgate has slammed Scott Morrison for 'humiliating her' in public after she gifted Cartier watches to executives and revealed she was 'suicidal' after being forced out of the company.

She's now joining transportation and logistics company Toll Global Express as the new CEO and plans to grow its eCommerce sales and delivery operations in competition with her old employer.

'It's doing something I absolutely love, which is growing a business, it's a big national infrastructure business, so it's all about eCommerce and trade and they are things I'm passionate about,' she told Nine News on Monday.

Scott Morrison has refused to apologise to ousted Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate (pictured)

Asked if she thought Australia Post might be a bit worried, Ms Holgate said she hoped 'they will give me a bit more of their business... competition actually does make you a bit stronger'.

Ms Holgate said many of her friends worked at the company.

The CEO resigned from Australia Post in November after it was revealed she used taxpayer funds to buy highly-paid executives four Cartier watches worth $5,000 each as a reward for signing a lucrative deal with Australia's biggest banks.

In a heated Question Time debate after the lavish gifts came to light, a furious Mr Morrison called for her to stand aside, saying 'she can go'.

Ms Holgate left her job as CEO of Australia Post over the gifting of $20,000 worth of Cartier watches to executives who landed a lucrative deal to help the business

Ms Holgate hit back in April, telling a Senate inquiry this amounted to bullying and harassment and insisting she did nothing wrong.

She also blasted the Australia Financial Review newspaper over a cartoon in which she believes she was depicted as a prostitute.

The former chief executive said she was left suicidal and took insomnia medication due to her poor mental health as a result of Mr Morrison's public rebuke.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who is chairing an inquiry into Australia Post, called on the Prime Minister to personally apologise for the way she was treated and backed her claims of being a victim of sexism.

'The treatment that Christine Holgate was given in comparison to the backing that the PM has given men who have behaved badly in his own government is just so stark,' she told ABC radio.

Ms Holgate said the watches were given as a reward to four executives who worked hard over a deal with Australia's big banks. Pictured: An Australia Post store in Sydney

Ms Holgate appeared on the Today show program on Monday, where she was asked how she would navigate the 'bonus situation' at her new job in the wake of the Australia Post Cartier watches scandal

On hearing about the reward, a furious Mr Morrison told Parliament the Cartier gifts were disgraceful and appalling.

'She's been instructed to stand aside and if she doesn't do that, she can go,' he said.

Ms Holgate, who was born in Cheshire, north England, claims she offered to go on annual leave pending an investigation and later offered to resign.

In her opening statement to a senate inquiry, Ms Holgate said: 'I was humiliated by our prime minister for committing no offence and then bullied by my chairman.

She added: 'Lucho unlawfully stood me down under public direction of the Prime Minister. This made my leadership at Australia Post untenable and seriously threatened my health.

In her opening statement to a senate inquiry, Ms Holgate (pictured) said: 'I was humiliated by our prime minister for committing no offence and then bullied by my chairman

'I have done no wrong. Their bullying of me was far from over.

'The simple truth is I was bullied out of my job. I was humiliated and driven to despair. I was thrown under the bus by the chairman of Australia Post, to curry favour with his political masters. But I'm still here and I'm stronger for surviving it,' she said.

Chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo has hit back at Ms Holgate's accusations, insisting that he never wanted her to step down.

Today host Allison Langdon took a cheeky swipe at Ms Holgate as she announced her new job on Monday.

'Any Cartier watches?', the presenter asked of her new gig.

Co-host Karl Stefanovic also quipped: 'How are you, in your new role, going to address the bonus situation... will it change the way you lead?'.

'You know, I hope I never stop recognising great people for amazing efforts,' Ms Holgate said.
Three in four care home providers are employing staff who have refused their Covid jab, a Daily Mail survey reveals today.

The worrying figures have come to light as ministers consider making vaccines compulsory for social care workers to protect the lives of vulnerable residents.

One in ten providers said between a quarter and half of employees had not been inoculated.

Some workers were worried about the safety of jabs, others had declined them for religious reasons, while several claimed the vaccination programme was a conspiracy.

Even though most occupants have already been inoculated, the vaccines will not be nearly as effective at preventing the virus as in younger, healthy groups

But by declining jabs, they are endangering the lives of frail, elderly residents in their care.

Even though most occupants have already been inoculated, the vaccines will not be nearly as effective at preventing the virus as in younger, healthy groups.

Thirty-eight care providers in the UK were questioned, covering 337 homes and 15,800 elderly residents.

Of these, 27 organisations said at least one employee had refused one or both doses.

These included two of the countrys largest providers as well as small and medium-sized organisations which are members of the National Care Association.

Jayne Connery, from the Care Campaign for the Vulnerable monitoring group, said: Its worrying staff arent being vaccinated.

I can understand families are concerned, especially if their refusal to be given the jab is going to prohibit families returning to normal visiting routines in care homes.

I dont think enough information or explanation is being given to carers and I urge the Government to make this a priority.

Some workers were worried about the safety of jabs, others had declined them for religious reasons, while several claimed the vaccination programme was a conspiracy [File photo]

Caroline Abrahams, of charity Age UK, said: To help keep older people safe and to allow as much visiting to happen as possible we urgently need everyone who works in and around care homes to be fully vaccinated.

Before going anywhere near making vaccination mandatory wed like to be clear that everything possible has been done to encourage voluntary take-up among staff.

The Department of Health is currently consulting on whether to make the vaccines a compulsory condition of employment for social care staff amid concern over the low uptake.

Care minister Helen Whately said: Vaccines are our way out of this pandemic  they protect you, those around you and have already saved thousands of lives.

I know people might feel hesitant at first about getting vaccinated but I want to encourage all social care staff to come forward for their jab if they havent already.

There is a precedent for mandatory vaccines as all doctors are required to be inoculated against Hepatitis B.

The consultation closes on May 21 and while some care home bosses believe compulsory staff vaccines will save lives, others fear it will leave the sector even more understaffed.

Latest NHS data shows 19 per cent of care home staff have refused at least one jab although there are no figures for individual homes.

One manager of a care home in west London told the Mail that a third of staff had refused the jab and said many were anti-vaxxers.

He added: One of them thought her DNA would be tampered with, another said she trusted her immunity and she wasnt going to get Covid. Another believed the virus didnt exist and had been manufactured. I have genuine concerns about people working in health and social care who say they have the interests of the elderly at heart, but then refuse to have a vaccine that could save their lives. Its not rocket science.

Other reasons for refusal by staff included pregnancy  even though mums-to-be have been urged to come forward, a fear of vaccinations and not being able to get to sites offering the jabs.

The survey also found 26 care home providers were aware that residents physical and mental health had declined due to not being able to see loved ones during lockdown. In December, the Mail highlighted this by launching its Let Them Hold Hands campaign.

Eleven providers said they were still experiencing problems accessing tests for staff and residents  nearly a year after the Government first rolled them out to care homes. And 15 providers were worried homes would be forced to close due to low occupancy levels.

Many families are reluctant to put elderly relatives in care homes following the appalling death toll during the pandemic.

Nadra Ahmed, of the National Care Association, said: Vaccination uptake has enabled us to move forward as a nation and nowhere is it more critical than in health and care settings. It is imperative workers are supported to access the vaccine, having received the information they need to make informed judgments and so protect themselves and those they support.
A 30-year-old Sydney man alleged to be an Islamic State recruit has been arrested upon his return to Australia, seen sporting a hoodie and beanie hat in handcuffs at the airport.

Mohamed Zuhbi, 30, arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Turkey about 4pm on Saturday and was arrested by counterterrorism authorities at the airport.

He was seen being escorted through the airport by officials in full PPE, himself in a black tracksuit with a hat and face mask.

Zuhbi allegedly travelled from Sydney to Turkey in 2013 and then on to Syria, where he helped foreign fighters travel to the area.

He has been charged with six terrorism-related offences including supporting a terrorist organisation and engaging in hostile activity overseas.

Mohamed Zuhbi, 30, arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Turkey about 4pm on Saturday and was arrested by counterterrorism authorities at the airport

He has been charged with three counts of provide support for another person to engage in a hostile activity in a foreign state.

Zuhbi fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link on Sunday.

He will be placed into 14-day quarantine at a correctional facility in Victoria before he is extradited to New South Wales so his case can be heard in a NSW court.

Australian Federal Police's Commander Stephen Dametto praised the quick response of police.

'We have a responsibility to prevent our citizens from contributing to violence and instability overseas,' he said.

'Our laws are aimed at discouraging Australians from fighting in overseas conflicts and endangering their lives.'

NSWPF Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, assistant commissioner Mark Walton added protecting the state remained a top priority.

Zuhbi is also wanted by US law authorities for multiple offences including conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country.
Royal Mail is to trial the use of drones to deliver health and safety equipment, such as Covid testing kits, to the Isles of Scilly.

It will be the first autonomous scheduled drone flight between the UK mainland and an island.

If successful, the technology could be used in remote areas across Britain.

The project, which has had Government funding, will first deliver PPE and testing kits to the most vulnerable and remote communities.

The company's new drone programme is going to be used to to trial on delivering health and safety equipment to the Isles of Scilly

Parcels will be flown from Perranporth in Cornwall to St Marys airport by drone, pictured, with up to 220lb (100kg) of mail at a time.

A smaller drone will then take items to delivery points throughout the islands. The 70-mile route means the craft will be out of sight from controllers before reaching its destination.

The delivery will be made to the Isles of Scilly (pictured)

Royal Mail chief commercial officer Nick Landon said the technology will help deliver fast and convenient services.

The trial will also examine what fuel efficiencies the drones could provide, as part of Royal Mails drive to reduce emissions associated with its operations.

Amy Richards, a postwoman on the Isles of Scilly, said: There are some really remote areas on these islands, and this is a terrific way to help us reach them.

Its really important for us to do all we can to help all areas of the country stay connected, especially in these difficult times.

The technology could be used to access remote areas of the country, should the trial be a success

In December, the first return flight from Lands End Airport in Cornwall to St Marys Airport on the Isles of Scilly saw the first-ever freight drone flight between two UK commercial airports.

During the first flight, the drone carried a NHS supply box out to the Isles and returned with a selection of local produce, including flowers and artisan gin.

The project, which has received Government-funding, has been developed in partnership with DronePrep, Skyports, Consortiq Limited, the University of Southampton, Excalibur Healthcare Services and Windracers Limited.
Controversial plans to ban all prosecutions relating to the Troubles in Northern Ireland would also cover unsolved IRA attacks on the British mainland, it has emerged.

The Government proposals, leaked last week, would exempt soldiers as well as terrorists from being put on trial over incidents which occurred prior to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

But it has now emerged the amnesty would also apply to incidents outside of Northern Ireland, such as the 1974 IRA Birmingham pub bombings, which killed 21 people.

Hundreds of bikers rode through London on Saturday as part of a rally campaigning for protection against prosecution for soldiers involved in the Troubles  something the Daily Mail has long called for

One of the most contentious elements of the 1998 peace deal allowed hundreds of terrorists serving prison sentences in Northern Ireland to walk free under an early release scheme.

However, this did not apply to those convicted of attacks on the UK mainland.

Asked whether the proposed statute of limitations would apply to the Birmingham pub bombings and other attacks in England and elsewhere, a Government source said: Any potential statute of limitations would apply to all Troubles-related deaths.

It comes as hundreds of bikers rode through London on Saturday as part of a rally campaigning for protection against prosecution for soldiers involved in the Troubles  something the Daily Mail has long called for.

The Government is yet to spell out firm details of the leaked proposals aimed at helping to draw a line under the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland.

It has now emerged the amnesty would also apply to incidents outside of Northern Ireland, such as the 1974 IRA Birmingham pub bombings, which killed 21 people

But ministers are also assessing whether they could stop cases already before the courts. In November, a 65-year-old man was arrested by counter-terror police at his home in Belfast in connection with the Birmingham attacks. An inquest in 2019 ruled the victims were unlawfully killed.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine was killed in the atrocity, called the proposals a disgrace.

Murder is murder and these people should be brought to justice, she said. Weve had 47 years and waiting  and here they are kicking us again to give another amnesty to terrorists.

Why does the Government want to allow despicable murderers to walk free? The proposals also include a truth and reconciliation process encouraging those on all sides to talk about historical incidents without risk of prosecution.

Details of the plans emerged after two elderly paratroopers accused of killing an Official IRA commander in 1972 were allowed to walk free last week.

Following a five-year legal ordeal, a murder trial against the veterans  known as Soldiers A and C  collapsed after just six days when the judge ruled crucial evidence inadmissible.

The fiasco prompted a renewed call to review cases against elderly former troops who served in Northern Ireland, but victims groups have rounded on plans for an amnesty which would also see terrorists cleared.

A Government source said: A statute of limitations is one of the things under consideration. It would be a way to encourage greater disclosure of information for victims families and encourage meaningful efforts towards reconciliation.
The backlash over the foreign holidays roadmap intensified last night as figures showed the grounding of planes has blown a 3billion hole in Treasury coffers.

The collapse in air passenger duty revenues sparked calls to speed up the reopening of foreign travel after just 12 destinations were cleared for quarantine-free trips from May 17.

Many of the destinations are remote or have very strict entry measures or blanket bans on UK tourists. Portugal and Gibraltar are the only countries on the green list that most Britons will realistically be able to visit this month.

Figures showed the grounding of planes has blown a 3billion hole in Treasury coffers

Tourism chiefs are also furious at ministers advising travellers not to visit countries ranked amber, such as Spain, Italy, France and Greece. It means visitors are likely to struggle to get travel insurance, effectively putting the destinations out of bounds.

There is hope that more European hotspots will make the green list by the end of June once three-weekly reviews get under way. The first will be on June 7.

It came as new figures showed the Treasury received just 582million in APD between April 2020 and 2021, compared with around 3.6billion annually before the pandemic.

The wider economy has taken a further hit of billions of pounds due to the shutdown of international travel.

Gloria Guevara, of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said: After suffering the biggest fall in contribution towards GDP from travel and tourism of the ten most important global markets  by a staggering 62.5 per cent  the UK can ill afford to be this cautious.

Karen Dee, of the Airport Operators Association, said: The figures show just how near-complete the collapse in air traffic has been as a result of the pandemic.

It is disappointing that the number of nations on the green list remains extremely limited and that vaccinated people are subject to restrictions when travelling to low-risk nations.

There is hope that more European hotspots will make the green list by the end of June, boosting options for millions of Britons

Tory MP Henry Smith, chairman of the all-party future of aviation group, said: We need to re-open to more nations as soon as possible to allow much needed summer holidays, to restart leisure travel and to reunite families.

 Negotiations are being held over playing the UEFA Champions League final in the UK, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said yesterday. The match, between Manchester City and Chelsea, was due to be held in Istanbul on May 29. But Turkey was added to the UK Governments travel ban red list on Friday.
UEFA officials will hold key talks with the Government on Monday about moving the Champions League final to Wembley, in the hope of agreeing the switch within the next 24 hours.

The Government will be asked to waive the requirement to quarantine on arrival in the UK for around 1,000 UEFA staff and broadcasters needed to put on the final.

If granted, Chelsea's clash with Manchester City on May 29 would take place in London in front of 22,500 fans.

UEFA will meet with the UK government on Monday to discuss the Champions League final

The match is due to take place in Istanbul but travel restrictions may make that impossible

UEFA insisted on Sunday that the final decision had yet to be taken, but bringing the game to London has emerged as the favoured option ahead of sticking with Istanbul or taking it to another country with fewer travel restrictions, such as Portugal.

Other UK venues, such the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, have been ruled out. A Wembley final would have significant ramifications for the EFL as the Championship play-off final is scheduled for the same day.

The likeliest outcome is that the play-off - the most valuable game in world football - will be pushed back 24 hours.

Both the EFL and the play-off contenders would rather the showpiece occasion was delayed than switched to another stadium.

In the talks with the Government, UEFA are also expected to demand that Wembley can be filled to 25 per cent of capacity, as it will for the group stages of the European Championship.

In order to comply with lockdown restrictions, the Government would have to designate the final a test event in the same way as this Saturday's FA Cup final between Chelsea and Leicester.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed fans should not be travelling to Turkey

'There are delicate negotiations that are going on at the moment,' Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said on Sunday. 'But I'm sure that fans in the UK would dearly love to see the final played here in the UK.'

Any switch to Wembley would have a knock-on effect for future Champions League final hosts, while it is expected that Saint Petersburg would remain in place for next year, with Istanbul taking the match in 2023.

The scheduled 2023 host, Munich, would move to 2025 with Wembley remaining in place for 2024, when Germany hosts the European Championship.

UEFA are also grappling with financial considerations if this season's final is switched.

Last year's final was moved from the Ataturk Stadium in the aftermath of the first wave of the pandemic, so the Turkish organisers would demand further compensation.

A third option is to move the final to Portugal, as happened last year, with Lisbon once again preferred to Porto.
Diarist Martha More once described the people of Rowberrow as savage and depraved, brutal in their natures and ferocious in their manners.

To be fair, that was back in 1790, when this corner of Somerset was a mining hub where men hacked out the mineral calamine. Todays locals are far more agreeable.

Not least in The Swan, a Grade II listed 17th Century inn made up of three former miners cottages. Indeed, the staff couldnt be less ferocious, while the sole example of depravity comes in how quickly I devour my meals here.

Stellar location: The Swan Inn is made up of three former miners homes

The Swan sits on the edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about 40 minutes drive from Bristol. Interrupted by ravines and outcrops, these unsung, handsome limestone hills yield lusty circular hikes, especially heather-topped Black Down and cave-ridden Ebbor Gorge.

Just north is the Iron Age hill fort of Dolebury Warren, while Cheddar Gorge and the enchanting Somerset Levels are within day-trip range.

Post-hiking, my weary thighs delight in The Swans slumberous atmosphere. A 2018 refurbishment has heightened its cosiness, with an assortment of comfortable brown leather and tartan chairs fireside in one room and leather banquettes in another. The high tables and chairs in the bar are laid for groups of six.

Before eating, I unwind with a pint of golden ale from The Swans owners, Butcombe Brewing Co.

Cosy: The four modern rooms in an adjoining former stable complement the more romantic but smaller ones above the pub, writes Richard

TRAVEL FACTS The Swan Inn Rowberrow, Somerset. B&B from 90 per night. For more information visit butcombe.com/the-swan- inn-somerset. Advertisement

All around are sounds of salubrious contentment: soft soul music, the skitter of cutlery on plates and happy chatter. The guests include families and several young couples enjoying a date night.

USP: A stellar location suiting walkers, cyclists and sightseers alike.

Rooms: Four modern rooms in an adjoining former stable complement the more romantic but smaller ones above the pub. Each of the new additions has an outside table, an en suite bathroom with organic toiletries and a minibar with local goodies.

Food: Pub classics such as a cheese toastie reinvented with Westcombe cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, spring onions and St Martins sourdough. After yummy lamb scrumpets with salsa verde I opted for one of its speciality flatbread pizzas  delicious and superb value.

The next morning, my full English breakfast includes scrumptious local bacon. Preceding it is toast or a good croissant accompanied by pots of tea or proper, cobweb-scattering coffee.
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Faded fishing boats bob in the water at Marina Grande, while behind them ice-cream-coloured houses in shades of pistachio, peach, raspberry and lemon are precariously perched, higgledy-piggledy, around the bay. As you arrive, this is the first glimpse you will have of Procida, a picture-postcard-perfect Italian island thats recently been chosen as Italys next Capital of Culture.

Some 14 miles off the coast of Naples, it takes just 40 minutes to arrive at the marina by hydrofoil, but its a world away from the gritty city youve left behind.

Despite the islands pretty, winding streets being the scenic backdrop of films such as The Talented Mr Ripley and Il Postino, Procida has been largely overlooked by tourists, with many preferring to visit the glitzy neighbouring isles of Capri and Ischia.

Authentic: Marina Corricella is full of ice-cream-coloured houses in shades of pistachio, peach, raspberry and lemon

One of Procidas quiet cobbled streets

By comparison, Procida is quieter and far more low-key, and oozes with authenticity.

With just 10,000 residents and at two-and-a-half miles wide, you will get the sense that most people know each other well.

Everyday scenes of local women passing the time of day by the marina wall, or fishermen chatting as they meticulously mend their nets, are par for the course.

Holidaying here means you will be eased into the very essence of slow travel  one of the reasons, no doubt, why the destination has won its prestigious award.

When it was announced that Procida had been selected, boats and ferries sounded their horns in the harbour and church bells rang out in celebration. Locals hung Il Tricolore flags from their balconies.

Its the first time any island has been awarded Capital of Culture, says Agostino Riitano, director of the Procida 2022 campaign.

So we were understandably proud. It represents a shift away from focusing on our big cities of art to the extraordinary heritage found in these smaller, southern destinations. We think of Procida as the symbol for the restart of Italy following the pandemic. It is an extraordinary opportunity for such a little island.

Found in Corricella, the oldest and most picturesque fishing village on the island, San Michele (sanmicheleprocida.com) is one of the destinations most enchanting hotels. It wont take you long to get there because, well, it doesnt take long to get anywhere  its just a 15-minute stroll from the main port.

The boutique retreat is carved out of an artfully whitewashed townhouse and has a bohemian sense of style. With just 12 bedrooms and an alfresco seafood restaurant, Il Pescatore, it gives plenty of nods to the soul of Procida. Natural elements  such as rough-hewn tables, woven rugs and rattan lampshades, all locally made  are set against a striking, white- on-white palette.

Procida is authentic, Marina Caliendo, the laid-back manager at San Michele, tells me. Many traditions are still passed on from generation to generation. Theres still a big focus on families eating together, for instance  we call it the family meeting  something that is dying out in many other parts of Italy. At the hotel, we try to capture this with cookery lessons in which guests can learn more about our local dishes, such as rabbit alla Procidana or spaghetti with sea urchins.

San Michele is typical of the characterful places to stay on Procida. There are no big resorts  instead youll find a handful of inviting boltholes, such as La Cantina dello Sgatto, a rustic B&B in the north-west of the island, or tiny, revamped fishermens houses for hire.

Via Roma is the main street and its dotted with tabacchi, tiny craft shops, bars and restaurants. An essential stop is at Bar Roma, where you can taste another island speciality  lingua di bue, a puff-pastry parcel filled with lemon cream.

The sweet treat is actually sold throughout the island and is typically eaten for breakfast, but it was at Bar Roma where it was invented in the 1950s.

Terra Murata is the historical heart of the island where you'll find a medieval fort, the 16th Century Abbey of San Arcangelo and an ancient palace

Lemons are big in Procida  many of the islands dishes, from crisp salads laced with sliced sweet pith to pasta smothered in a creamy lemon pesto, use all parts of the citrus fruit

Lemons are big here  in all senses of the word, with some growing to the size of small melons, and many of the islands dishes, from crisp salads laced with sliced sweet pith to pasta smothered in a creamy lemon pesto, use all parts of the citrus fruit. At Il Gazebo, near Marina Grande, lemon-stuffed sea bass is on the menu  delicious with a glass of local Falanghina wine.

At La Pergola, in the centre of the island, you sit under trees laden with lemons, the sharp scent filling the air, and feast on spaghetti alle vongole and lemon tiramisu.

At the highest point of Procida is Terra Murata, the historical heart of the island. As well as a medieval fort, there is the 16th Century Abbey of San Arcangelo and an ancient palace, the Palazzo DAvolos, which was an aristocrats home and later, until 1988, a prison. The old palazzo is now one of the projects benefiting from the 1 million City of Culture award. It will be reborn as an arts centre with its estate transformed into a newly imagined park. Next year a further 44 initiatives, spanning art events, architectural regeneration and sustainability ventures, will crop up.

On a clear day, from here you can gaze at the Bay of Naples across the alluring Tyrrhenian Sea. At times you may even spot the resident dolphins playing in the deep waters.

Some of the best beaches, such as the black-sand Spiaggia Pozzovecchio, known as Il Postino due to much of the film being shot here, and Spiaggia della Chiaiolella, loved by families for its clear, shallow sea, look as if they are almost within touching distance.

In reality, many of the beaches are well hidden and accessed only via steep stairways tucked away behind tumbling bougainvillea or gnarly olive trees. If you are lucky, youll spot a sign pointing in a vague direction. It all adds to the charisma of the place, and means that when you do finally sink your toes in the sand you may well have a little stretch of coastline to yourself. Soaking up the sun in blissful isolation, its easy to worry that things may soon change.

Raimondo Ambrosino, the mayor of Procida, is aware of the conundrum. He says: Being crowned Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 is a great responsibility. We welcome it with the knowledge that we must defend our identity, our values and our rituals. After all, these are the characteristics that will attract visitors to our island.
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In 1935 a book was published that provided a vivid snapshot of life in London between the wars as viewed through the eyes of a foreigner.

Now a new edition of the time-capsule tome, called The Spirit of London, has been released by publisher Batsford.

The author is Austrian traveller and writer Paul Cohen-Portheim, who was interned in the UK during World War I. His enforced stay made him fall in love with England and, in particular, London. After the war, he wrote 'England, the Unknown Isle' and later The Spirit of London, the last thing to be published after his sudden death in 1932.

His aim with the book was to reveal what was 'most remarkable, curious, or unknown in London to convey the atmosphere and spirit of London'.

The book does so through writing that channels Cohen-Portheim's affection for the city and pre-war photographs, some of which he took, of scenes including packed train platforms, throngs of commuters on London Bridge and people lying around on the grass in Hyde Park.

Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel's pick of the book's memorable images, with captions drawn from the author's descriptions.

The iconic dome of St Pauls. In the book, Cohen-Portheim writes: 'The City is truly a wood you cannot see for trees, and only, when you cross the Thames and gain a little of that distance the narrow streets deny you, will you discover its real character, that of a city of offices and warehouses surmounted by innumerable steeples and towers of churches, dominated by the huge dome of St. Pauls; and thus unique in character'

Holiday crowds at Waterloo railway station. In the book, Cohen-Portheim writes about London's 'seasons': 'A few months in each year are set apart for all that is gay and brilliant socially. Happily these are the months of spring and early summer. London has to pay for this concentration of gaiety by quiet times, for in August not only Society but the vast masses leave it, while September is quiet, too, though October brings the Little Season, not officially recognised nor as brilliant as the real Season, but in many ways pleasanter, being less of a rush. Christmas brings its traditional festivities, its turkeys and plum puddings, and the pantomimes... The early months of the year are perhaps the quietest of all; Society is hunting in the country or has gone abroad; weather and health are poor, London is gloomy... foggy, splenetic'

London Bridge and a morning influx of city workers. According to Cohen-Portheim, rush hours were 'not even really rushed' in the 1930s. He writes: 'It is just an uninterrupted but calm stream, and it is most fascinating to watch the human masses pouring into this cramped receptacle from railway and Tube stations and over the bridges, or to see it being drained'

The changing riverfront: The old Waterloo Bridge, with the new buildings on the Victoria Embankment. It was decided in the 1930s that the original structure of Waterloo Bridge should be demolished and replaced by a new one

Cohen-Portheim describes Bond Street, pictured, as being part of 'Smart London'. He explains: 'Here people of like social status as of like professions like to crowd together to the exclusion of outsiders, and thus to live in a small town of their own which alone to them is "London"'

Rush hour: A mild struggle for a northbound bus. 'It is as one whole that one remembers the City, one does not think of its separate streets. The picture conjured up is one of a medley of grey banks, offices, pillars, columns, red buses, white steeples, and a seething mass of predominantly masculine humanity, all outcrowding each other,' Cohen-Portheim writes

'The park is for all classes,' writes Cohen-Portheim, 'but nothing is more remarkable and charming to observe than the manner in which they respect each others codes. There is nothing to prevent the most ragged from lying on the grass where the chairs of fashion stand.' This picture was taken in Hyde Park and shows 'the unemployed' at rest

This image shows Camberwell, in South London. Cohen-Portheim writes: 'London is a mosaic of little cities each with its High Street, and the majority of their populations do not travel to the centre of all things for their pleasures, still less for their shopping, but are content with their own little centre of life'

Petticoat Lane market, by Aldgate, photographed by the author. He explains why Sunday was the best day to visit: 'You will find the Lane not only alive, but teeming, swarming, screeching, and bellowing on its market-day'

The Caledonian Market, Islington, which Cohen-Portheim says is 'the most stupendous Foire [fair] in the world' with 'acres of every imaginable sort of second-hand objects for sale, from broken plates to costly Chinese porcelain, from discarded stoves to Queen Anne silver, from dirty old mattresses to Chippendale chairs'

A Street in Whitechapel. Describing scenes like this in the book, Cohen-Portheim writes: 'It is the only great capital built on the system of the small one-family house; that is why, when you get away from the central parts, you find acres of streets of undistinguished little houses, with only here and there a street of shops and business to interrupt their monotony'

'A Parisian would think life in a London suburb hopelessly dull,' writes Cohen-Portheim. This picture shows houses being demolished in Stepney

The cover of The Spirit of London features the iconic illustration of Ludgate Circus and St Pauls by Brian Cook, who produced book jackets for British publishers from 1928 to 1950
They've been married for 13 years.

And Jules Sebastian has reflected on her rock-solid marriage to pop sensation Guy Sebastian, revealing that welcoming their two children - sons Hudson, nine, and Archer, seven, strengthened their bond.

'You see another side that you've never seen in your partner,' the 39-year-old fashion stylist told Daily Mail Australia.

Stronger after kids: Jules Sebastian, 39, (left) has reflected on her rock-solid marriage to pop sensation Guy Sebastian (right), revealing that having children strengthened their bond

'Before having kids, you've never seen them be a dad before, so with that comes a whole other layer of that person,' she continued.

'You become much more of a team... I mean we were a team before this, but I feel like we are co-caring for another human being.'

And for Jules, becoming parents meant having deeper conversations, which only helped solidify the union between herself and Guy.

On the same page: 'We are raising them how we were raised and that feels pretty seamless on some days, but not so seamless on other days'. Pictured with sons Hudson, nine, and Archer, seven

'You're constantly talking about how you want to raise your kids. Your lives are so cemented and so intertwined I don't think you can help become even closer,' she added.

'Guy and I have always been good communicators, he's always been an excellent communicator.

'We are raising them how we were raised and that feels pretty seamless on some days, but not so seamless on other days.'

Reality: 'We are raising them how we were raised and that feels pretty seamless on some days, but not so seamless on other days,' she said

While Guy is known for his success as one of Australia's top musicians, Jules recently took centre stage by releasing her new memoir, Tea & Honesty.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in February in the lead up to the release of the tome, Jules declared: 'I'm proud I'm Guy's wife.'

'I don't ever see it as I have to come out of his shadow. I'm so happy he has that (spotlight),' she said.

Jules said she's been 'forging her own way' for years and has finally achieved success with the release of her new memoir.

Tea & Honesty by Jules Sebastian is available now.

'I don't ever see it as I have to come out of his shadow': While Guy is known for his success as one of Australia's top musicians, Jules recently took centre stage by releasing her new memoir, Tea & Honesty
Kumail Nanjiani was seen out and about on Saturday afternoon.

The 43-year-old comedian showed off his impressively toned bicep and calf muscles as he prepared to pump some iron at a Los Angeles gym.

Nanjiani's outing comes ahead of the premiere of the upcoming Marvel film Eternals, which is slated for a November release.

Putting in work: Kumail Nanjiani was seen showing off his toned form while spending time at an outdoor gym in Los Angeles on Saturday morning

Nanjiani was dressed in a form-fitting grey tank top that placed an emphasis on his toned arms and was previously worn underneath a lighter hoodie.

He paired his neutral-toned top with a pair of loose-fitting green Champion shorts that exposed his worked-on calf muscles.

The Silicon Valley actor tied off his outfit with sets of white socks and multicolored Adidas running shoes while spending time at the gym.

The performer wore a light blue facial covering that reduced his chance of being exposed to COVID-19 during his workout session.

Covering up: The Silicon Valley actor initially covered up his sculpted form with a light grey hoodie, although he later removed his outer layer and placed his muscled arms on full display

Taking precaution: Nanjiani wore a light blue facial covering to keep himself protected from COVID-19 during his time at the gym

Although he is well known for his primarily comedic efforts, Nanjiani is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film Eternals.

The actor will portray Kingo, a superhuman being with the ability to shoot bolts of energy out of his hands who doubles as a Bollywood star.

Also set to appear in the forthcoming Chloe Zhao-directed feature are Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Kit Harington, among several others.

Development on the film began in 2018 when Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that a movie based on the Eternals would make its debut in the near future.

Major project: The comedian is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film Eternals, which entered into the development stage in 2018; he is seen with several other cast members, as well as director Chloe Zhao at San Diego Comic-Con International 2019

The feature is set to be one of the first projects in the media company's Phase Four, which deals with stories that take place in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame.

Principal photography on the feature had begun by July of 2019 and continued into the following year, with an official wrap on production occurring in February of 2020 and reshoots continuing into 2021.

In late April, Zhao expressed that she and the film's producers were in the final stages of editing the film, which is currently set to be released on November 5th.

Coming soon: Eternals is currently in the final stages of the editing process and is set to make its debut on November 5th

During an interview with Men's Health, Nanjiani expressed that, when he was approached by the filmmakers about taking a role in Eternals, he told them that he wanted to take a leading position in the project.

He recalled, 'I was like, "I dont want to be just part of a Marvel movie; I want to be a Marvel superhero."'

The actor went on to speak about how, as he wanted to change his physique for Eternals, he had to change his mindset and attitude about working out in order to cope with the intensity of his fitness sessions.

'I had to change my relationship to pain. Youre so designed to avoid it, but in that situation you really have to be okay with it. You have to want it. Its almost trying to rewire your brain,' he said.
She is newly single after splitting from ex Francesca Farago following a whirlwind romance.

And Demi Sims tipped her hat to single life as she enjoyed a girls night out with her sister Frankie in Essex on Saturday.

The TOWIE star, 25, looked glamorous in an all-black outfit complete with a fedora hat and a leather skirt with ruched detail and a front slit.

Stunning: Demi Sims tipped her hat to single life as she enjoyed a girls night out with her sister Frankie in Essex on Saturday

She showed off her incredible physique as she bared her midriff, pairing the skirt with a short crop top and a leather jacket.

The reality star added a splash of colour with her orange, kitten-heel mules that come with a square toe and carried her essentials in a matching orange bag.

Demi styled her caramel tresses in a bouncy blow dry and wore full-coverage of make up to highlight her features, using contour, blush and false lashes to achieve the look.

Stepping out: The TOWIE star, 25, looked glamorous in an all-black outfit complete with a fedora hat and a leather skirt with ruched detail and a front slit

Stylish: She showed off her incredible physique as she bared her midriff, pairing the skirt with a short crop top and a leather jacket and adding a splash of colour with her shoes and bag

Glam: Demi styled her caramel tresses in a bouncy blow dry and wore full-coverage of make up to highlight her features

She was joined by her co-star sister, Frankie Sims who opted for a neutral ensemble, wearing a full-length trench-coat.

The TV star, 26, looked stylish in a tan co-ord suit with a low-cut top as the high-waisted trousers were gathered in at the bottom.

Frankie complted her outfit with a pair of plastic, clear heels and carried a small white leather handbag.

The Sims sisters headed to popular Turkish restaurant Sheesh in Chigwell where they met with friends and enjoyed a boozy night out.

Wow: She was joined by her co-star sister, Frankie Sims who opted for a neutral ensemble, wearing a full-length trench-coat as the pair headed to Sheesh restaurant in Chigwell

Neutral tones: The TV star, 26, looked stylish in a tan co-ord suit with a low-cut top as the high-waisted trousers were gathered in at the bottom

Demi's outing comes days after her ex-girlfriend Francesca addressed their tumultuous split, saying that their love languages 'didn't match up' and it 'fizzled' [out].

The Too Hot To Handle beauty, 27, claimed she and her Demi are 'not on good terms' and said that following their break-up Demi 'blocked her, deleted her and told her to leave London'.

Francesca spoke about their split in a lengthy YouTube video posted to her channel on Tuesday, in which detailed her side of the story and the reasons for their break-up.

Happier times: Demi's ex-girlfriend Francesca addressed their tumultuous split on Tuesday, saying that their love languages 'didn't match up' and it 'fizzled' [out]

Francesca said that while things moved very quickly at the beginning of their relationship - with her asking Demi to be her girlfriend after three days - it started to 'go south' after she got sick with coronavirus.

She said: 'We lived together right off the bat and everything was great, and then I got Covid. I got really sick, it kicked my a**.

'I almost had to go to the hospital. I think that's when things started to go south between Demi and I.

Drama: She spoke about their split in a lengthy YouTube video posted to her channel, in which detailed her side of the story and the reasons for their break-up

'We were only talking to each other for a few weeks online before we met and then we moved in together right away so we never had that dating period or getting-to- know-you period.'

The reality TV star said that another factor behind the split was that she felt unsupported as she made the move to the UK to be with Demi while she filmed scenes for TOWIE.

Franscesca said: 'I was really, really stressed and I was really frustrated because I didn't really feel like Demi was helping me and I'm moving across the country for this person.

'I was spending so much money It was a lot of effort and work and I just didn't feel like I was being helped out or anything was being reciprocated.'

Whirlwind: The Too Hot To Handle beauty, 27, said that following their break-up the TOWIE star 'blocked her, deleted her and told her to leave London' (pictured in March)

However, she said the ultimate end to their relationship came from their different expectations and 'love languages' and that things just 'fizzled' [out].

'There's different things that we expected of a relationship, and [that we] need and want, there's different love languages and ours just didn't match up and that's perfectly fine,' she said.

Following the split, Francesca insisted in the video that she felt like they 'could have remained friends' but said Demi felt differently and 'blocked her'.

She said: 'After the break-up, she just blocked me and deleted me and told me to leave London and just was like: ''You're cut''.

'I didn't think I deserved that because I didn't do anything wrong, and she didn't do anything wrong.

'We just kind of fizzled and there was no more spark. We weren't like having conversations or doing anything fun, we weren't seeing anything in London, the relationship was so blah.'

It's over: Francesca said the ultimate end to their relationship came from their different expectations and 'love languages' and that things just 'fizzled'

Francesca, who is from Canada, has remained in London since her split from Demi but said that she is planning to move to the US soon.

She also used the video to address the cryptic TikTok she posted about 'getting back with an ex' just days after her shock split with Demi.

In her TikTok video, which is still uploaded on the platform and has over 13 million views, the Canadian beauty lipsyncs to Dua Lipa's Levitating.

It is captioned with 'single and ready to focus on me', then the video changes to 'my ex;' to which she mimes the lyrics: 'You want me, I want you, baby'.

Hitting out: She also used the video to address the cryptic TikTok she posted about 'getting back with an ex' just days after her shock split with Demi saying she used the wrong audio

Prior to their relationship, Francesca dated Too Hot To Handle co-star Harry Jowsey with the two splitting in June - as she revealed he was the ex in question.

Francesca said that she used the wrong audio track for the video and denied that it was meant to be about her falling for Harry again.

'I did not even realise that's how it came across until Demi messaged me,' she said.

'I wasn't really thinking and I was being stupid...and I'm really sorry for that. As long as Demi knows that I didn't mean it like that, I mean we're not on good terms but...'

This comes after Demi broke down in tears on an episode of The Only Way Is Essex last month as she told her sisters Chloe and Frankie she had split from Francesca.

The reality star admitted the relationship they had in private was very different to the one they showed in public.

Emotional: This comes after Demi broke down in tears on an episode of The Only Way Is Essex last month as she told her sisters Chloe and Frankie she had split from Francesca

Arriving to meet her sisters, Demi teared up as she said: 'Me and Francesca broke up. I feel literally heart broken but it was for the best. It was the best for both of us.

'We just weren't getting on behind closed doors. The relationship we were having in front of everyone else was a different relationship from what we were having when no one was there.

Further explaining the distance that grew between them, Demi said: 'The spark was gone. There was no conversation, it was like getting blood out of a stone.'

'I just feel so unhappy. I would've given her the world if she wanted it but, I don't know, it just didn't work. It just really hurt me.'

Demi and Francesca called it quits in April after a whirlwind four-month romance.

The pair had moved in with each other after falling in love on holiday in Mexico, and even got tattoo tributes of their initials.
Only weeks after he was cleared of groping a junior banker following a lurid court hearing, I can reveal that hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey is to split from his wife of 30 years, Nichola Pease, citing public humiliation over the case.

The surprise separation  after the couple staged a show of unity outside court during the stressful case  sets the stage for what could be one of the costliest divorces in recent British legal history.

Explaining the split, the 62-year-old Harrow and Oxford-educated banker, referring to Nichola, told me: Public humiliation is not something any girl should take.

'Humiliation': Hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey and Nichola Pease show unity outside court earlier this year

It is a mournful end to what might have been a new chapter for the couple, whose combined worth has been estimated at 825 million by The Sunday Times Rich List.

The pair were pictured arm in arm outside Westminster Magistrates Court in March after Mr Odey was found not guilty of indecent assault.

It had been alleged that in 1998 the financier launched himself upon the woman, then in her 20s, like an octopus at his 7.8 million Chelsea house. But District Judge Nicholas Rimmer said there were inconsistencies in her account and told Mr Odey he could leave the court with your good character intact.

Mr Odey who made 220 million in 2016 betting against the pound as the UK voted to leave the European Union, told me that the court case had placed intolerable pressure on his marriage, which shattered from the pressure of public scrutiny.

Ive been through the wars in every kind of way, he said. I won, but there was something publicly humiliating about the case.

Nichola, who married the Conservative Party donor in 1991 and has had three children with him, is a successful fund manager in her own right. She is chairman of Jupiter Asset Management and a descendant of the founders of Barclays.

Mr Odey, who made 220 million in 2016 betting against the pound as the UK voted to leave the European Union, told me that the case had placed intolerable pressure on his marriage

Mr Odey told me they are living apart but still on good terms.

He said: There is nobody else involved. Its essentially the sins of the past. These things are very sad.

But the larger-than-life tycoon, who set up his fund management firm with 150 million of seed money from investor George Soros, has retained his upbeat outlook, saying he was thankful for the marriage and that weve got three wonderful children, and were very lucky.

Author and Labour peer Joan Bakewell has issued a rallying cry for vigilantes to rise up and free the streets of London from the terrible scourge of, err, party-goers.

Her call to arms is targeted not at the meaner streets of the capital, but at her chi-chi Primrose Hill neighbourhood.

Baroness Bakewell last week sent a missive to her Twitter followers declaring war on weekend party-goers on Primrose Hill, including those who vandalise shops.

After getting no joy from police, the 88-year-old demanded: Time for local vigilantes  will that be legal? The Labour grande dame was once famous as the thinking mans crumpet; now she sounds more like a barm cake.

Author and Labour peer Joan Bakewell's call to arms is targeted not at the meaner streets of the capital, but at her chi-chi Primrose Hill neighbourhood

Richard's recipe for riches

He may have won a Michelin star and cooked for the Queen, but chef Richard Corrigan admits he buys all his pans from charity shops.

Richard, whose London eateries include Bentleys Oyster Bar and Grill, tells me that Hampsteads second-hand stores have plenty of posh cookware, especially Le Creuset, thats almost as good as new because they are pots for middle-class people who hang them up and never use them.

Im not paying 500 for a pot, I can get them for a fraction of that. And I wash them with only water. Crikey, Richard, after saving all that money, you can surely afford a bottle of Fairy Liquid!
The stars of MasterChef Australia are put through an array of difficult challenges while competing in the high-stakes reality competition.

But one contestant has claimed that the hardest part of filming the show actually has nothing to do with cooking.

Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, MasterChef 2021 contestant Jess Hodge, 36, explained that since signing up to the reality show she's been unable to spend much time with her family.

'I've been away from the boys for months now': MasterChef Australia 2021 contestant Jess Hodge, 36, (pictured) has revealed the hardest part about being on the show is being unable to spend quality time with her family

'I've been away from the boys for months now,' she said.

'The process started at the end of last year so it's been quite a long time. It really has been quite difficult, knowing my partner has been home looking after them by herself.'

Missing out: Jess also said she won't be spending Mother's Day with her family, thanks to the show's demanding work schedule

Jess also said she won't be spending Mother's Day with her family, thanks to the show's demanding work schedule.

'The competition itself is very stressful and a lot of pressure but knowing you have this whole other part of your life you have to put on hold,'

'Missing out on Important moments in the boys' lives and special occasions, that's really hard,' she continued.

Impressed: Judge Jock Zonfrillo (left), meanwhile told the publication that he was impressed with the commitment of this year's cast amid the global pandemic

Jess and her wife Emily share three-year-old twins Arlo and Lucca.

Meanwhile, judge Jock Zonfrillo told the publication that he was impressed with this year's commitment to the show amid the global pandemic.

'Their dedication and devotion to cooking and food is truly inspiring.'

'I genuinely hope they have now caught the bug and keep pushing hard on their obsession with food.'

MasterChef airs Sunday to Thursday at 7.30pm on TEN
Coronation Street actress Sally Carman has claimed she often gets typecast as a prostitute or drug addict.

The actress, 39, said in an interview on Saturday that while she gets offered the same roles it 'doesn't bother' her because they're usually 'the best parts.'

Sally's soap character Abi Franklin is a recovering addict, while her Shameless character Kelly Maguire was a heroin user.

Candid: Coronation Street star Sally Carman claimed she often gets typecast as the prostitute or drug addict but said on Saturday it 'doesn't bother her' because they are 'the best parts'

Speaking to The Sun, Sally said: 'I always go to TV interviews with my hair done, my make-up done and wearing really nice clothes and they go, "There we go, she's the prostitute", or "That's the woman with the drug problem".

'People love to cast me as the down-and-out, but it doesn't bother me, they're the best parts to play anyway. Some actors say they don't want to be pigeon-holed, but for me that ship has sailed.'

Sally revealed that her character Abi is described as having 'dirty' and 'greasy' hair for the visually impaired, but she said she washes her hair everyday.

She went on: 'I'm all right with it and I've done various different characters in theatre. I played a posh MP, I've done Shakespeare and for years my bread and butter was radio plays.'

Typecast: Sally's character Abi Franklin (pictured) is a recovering addict, and said at auditions 'they go, "There we go, she's the prostitute", or "That's the woman with the drug problem"'

Thoughts: Sally (pictured as heroin user Kelly Maguire in Shameless) added: 'People love to cast me as the down-and-out, but it doesn't bother me, they're the best parts to play'

Sally's character Abi was left heartbroken on Friday's episode of the soap after her son Seb Franklin died in a shocking twist.

Builder Seb passed away after suffering injuries from the attack on him and his girlfriend Nina Lucas by a gang of thugs over her goth identity.

The storyline has many similarities to what happened to Sophie Lancaster, who was murdered in a Lancashire park in 2007, and the soap has worked with a foundation set up by the late 20-year-old's mother Dr Sylvia Lancaster OBE.

Trauma: Sally's character Abi was left heartbroken on Friday's episode of the soap after her son Seb Franklin died in a shocking twist

His girlfriend Nina woke up from her coma after the shock incident but Seb's brain function was severely damaged.

In the emotional episode, Seb's mum Abi was left in tears as she sat by his bedside after being told his brain was no longer functioning.

The doctor told her: 'Sebastian failed the brain stem tests. His brain is no longer sending messages to his body.

'We were increasing the amount of organ support for Seb but I'm afraid it wasn't working and his body has shut down.

Tough: Builder Seb passed away after suffering injuries from the attack on him and his girlfriend Nina Lucas by a gang of thugs over her goth identity

'There was nothing more we could do and his heart has stopped. I'm so very sorry, he has died.'

Taking to Twitter after the episode to say goodbye to the show actor Harry wrote: 'Goodbye Coronation Street. It's been a wild 5 years on the cobbles, and I've loved every second. I've made memories that I will cherish forever and have worked with the most amazing people.

'I couldn't have dreamt of a better way to spend these years of my life. Thank you so much for all the support Seb has received throughout his turbulent time on the street, and thank you so much for the amazing response to this immensely important and relevant storyline.

Attack: Nina (pictured) woke up from her coma after the shock incident but Seb's brain function was severely damaged and he sadly passed away

'There couldn't have been a more worthy end for Seb. It was an honour to be trusted to tell this harrowing story and I hope that we have been able to make a difference and raise awareness.'

He signed off by saying: 'It's been an honour and a privilege. Lots of love, Harry x'

On Friday fans took to Twitter to share their heartbreak over the storyline.

One wrote: 'Omg just caught up on tonight's #corrie and I am a sobbing mess!!!! Such a heartbreaking story and acted so beautifully by all. Incredibly moving scenes. Rip seb @itvcorrie'.

End of an era: Taking to Twitter after the episode to say goodbye to the show Harry wrote: 'Goodbye Coronation Street. It's been a wild 5 years on the cobbles'

Another fan wrote: 'That scene of abi finding out about seb...no words. sally carman is exceptional, as is this entire storyline. #Corrie

On Wednesday, Mollie Gallagher, who plays Nina, discussed the hard-hitting storyline ahead of the episode, admitting she 'wanted to cry' after seeing her character's injuries in make-up.

The actress added that she hopes to do the important scenes 'justice' and that it 'breaks her heart' knowing this has happened and does happen in real life.

Strong reaction: On Friday fans took to Twitter to share their heartbreak over the storyline

Speaking to The Sun, Mollie said: 'I remember the first time I had the make-up done, I hadn't filmed any scenes yet and I'd just been rehearsing it in my mirror at home by myself. As soon as the makeup was done, I just wanted to cry.

'I remember looking at my reflection and thinking: 'Wow'. I already knew it was awful but when you're actually in it, I thought I could cry.

'It was a really strange feeling. I kept thinking about all the scenes and what was coming up. It did help in a way as I was able to hold that feeling when we filmed the scenes. It was a massive help.'

Awful: On Wednesday, Mollie Gallagher, who plays Nina, discussed the hard-hitting storyline, admitting she 'wanted to cry' after seeing her character's injuries (pictured in soap still)

Mollie added to the Mirror: 'Because this stuff has happened it's such an important story to tell. I felt a lot of emotions. I am really privileged to be given such an important storyline but I am also nervous because I want to do the story justice.

'I have really put my all into it and hopefully it shows. You see the human effect this has on someone who you would say is strong. Knowing this has happened and does happen breaks my heart.'

Mollie said that she worked closely with the late Sophie Lancaster's mother Dr Sylvia Lancaster OBE to make sure she was as 'accurate' as possible during the storyline.

Sylvia told the publication it was 'lovely' to speak to Mollie and that people are 'looking behind' her character Nina's clothes and image.

She added: 'It so important to get the message out there, intolerance and prejudice, we have to get it out of society. Alternative people like other minorities deserve to walk down the street without being abused physically or emotionally.'

Hard-hitting: The actress added that she hopes to do the important scenes 'justice' and that it 'breaks her heart' knowing this has happened and does happen in real life

Sylvia also appeared on Wednesday's This Morning where she praised Coronation Street for handling the storyline 'sensitively'.

She said: 'You can tell, they sort of live and breathe the work they're doing, and you know they're going to do things with sensitivity and the best they can, and you can't ask any more than that.'

Sylvia said that due to Covid her foundation has not been able to go into schools or festivals but they have still 'kept busy' by 'working in a different way'.

She added: 'Sometimes it only takes a couple of seconds stand back and think about and see what we can do and make a difference to people's lives.'

Sophie and her boyfriend Robert Maltby, then 21, were set upon and beaten in a park simply because of the way they looked on 11 August in 2007.

Murdered for dressing differently: Sophie Lancaster was just 20-years-old when she was murdered by a group of teenage boys in a park in Lancashire on 11 August 2007

Sophie's injuries were so severe, she died in hospital 13 days later, aged 20. Ryan Herbert and Brendan Harris, then both 15, were sentenced to life in prison.

Her mum, Sylvia, set up the Sophie Lancaster Foundation in her daughter's memory to focus on creating respect and understanding of subcultures in communities.

When the storyline was first discussed producers and the research team approached Sylvia who was delighted to be able to work with them to help highlight the issue.

Sophie's mother Sylvia said that the soap covering a story about the abuse alternative people face 'means such a huge amount' to her.

She said: 'I know first-hand the abuse, harassment and violence that alternative people suffer.

'Hate crime is usually directed at already stigmatised and minority groups and Sophie was assaulted three times before that final, sustained and brutal attack that took her life - but she never reported the earlier assaults.

On hand: Mollie said that she worked closely with the late Sophie Lancaster's mother Dr Sylvia Lancaster OBE to make sure she was as 'accurate' as possible during the storyline (Sylvia pictured on Quest Red series Britain's Deadliest Kids)

'Coronation Street covering this issue means such a huge amount to me. We want alternative people to know that they shouldn't be putting up with this prejudice and intolerance, and they should report it.

'We want the wider community to really appreciate the horror of this violence and understand that difference in itself, is not frightening, it just makes us all who we are.

'We will also use this platform to continue raising awareness of Sophie's case with the police and judiciary to make sure that hate crime against alternative people is recognised and treated with the degree of severity that it deserves.'

On the importance of tackling this storyline Coronation Street, producer Iain MacLeod said: 'The issue of intolerance and hatred towards people from different cultures and subcultures is arguably more relevant now than it's ever been.

'This incredibly hard-hitting storyline, which centres on a senseless act of violence, will draw in characters from all corners of our narrative universe and will, we hope, leave the audience with a clear message: everyone, regardless of how they look, how they dress or any aspect of how they live their life, should be treated with tolerance and respect.

'The story will run across the rest of the year and beyond, with many twists and turns, and will be heartbreaking and dramatic in equal measure. In the end, the story will see an optimistic outcome emerge from the traumatic attack.'
A star of The Pursuit Of Love is at the centre of a romantic mystery  and this time it doesn't involve Lily James or Dominic West.

The mother of the German actor linked to Emily Beecham  who plays Fanny Logan in the BBC adaptation of Nancy Mitford's novel  has hinted that the couple may have married.

Asked about Max Befort's relationship with Ms Beecham, Barbel Befort told The Mail on Sunday: 'This is always top-secret. They are both very busy at the moment.

'And because my daughter- in-law is a superstar, I won't talk about her. I want her to remain my daughter-in-law!'

Stars Max Befort and Emily Beecham attending the Frank LA Issue Release Celebration in Los Angeles, California

While it is unclear if Ms Befort meant 'daughter- in-law' in a legal sense, her 31-year-old son and the actress do live together in an East London flat.

They have been coy about their romance, even during a round of promotional interviews for Sulphur And White, an independent film released just before the pandemic in which they both starred.

In the new three-part BBC drama, which begins tonight, Ms Beecham, 36, plays the best friend and cousin of Linda Radlett, an aristocratic heroine played by Ms James, who is on a quest to find romance in the inter-war years.

Ms Beecham was born in the Manchester suburb of Wythenshawe and moved to Hertfordshire aged 13, but has described herself as still 'a Northern girl at heart'.

Lily James and Emily Beecham star in romantic drama The Pursuit of Love on the BBC

She auditioned for a one-year course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art when she was 18, but so impressed tutors that she was invited to do the full three-year degree.

While there, she became friends with Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Ms Beecham once said her passion for acting was fuelled when, aged 13, her mother took her to see David Hare's West End play The Blue Room in which Nicole Kidman appeared naked. 'It was very exposing and I liked that,' she said.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the comedienne has sold her treasured home, dramatically set on a windswept bluff, and has decamped to a more low-key area

She was the vicar who tried to bring verve and modernity to the sleepy TV village of Dibley, but such a transformation doesnt seem to suit Dawn French in real life.

She is moving out of the rural idyll of Fowey in Cornwall at a time when it has become too cool and trendy.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the comedienne has sold her treasured home, dramatically set on a windswept bluff, and has decamped to a more low-key area.

The 63-year-old has owned Point Neptune House, which boasts huge, arched windows and stunning sea views, for 15 years. The property is widely considered one of the most desirable houses in the town, but it is clearly visible to the growing hordes of tourists that visit.

A source last night said: Yes, Dawn is selling up, but shes very much staying in Cornwall. She just wanted a change.

Dawn is low-profile and private. The fact that Fowey has recently become cool and trendy isnt what she finds appealing per se. It can get very busy now during summer. Dawn will always love Fowey and had 15 wonderful years living there. She will miss all the locals who made her feel so welcome.

Fowey, a charming harbour town where writer Daphne du Maurier once lived, has been described as a millionaires playground and is popular with London buyers.

It voted last year to ban newly built houses being sold as second homes amid an influx of city-dwellers pricing locals out of the market.

The 63-year-old has owned Point Neptune House, which boasts huge, arched windows and stunning sea views, for 15 years. The property is widely considered one of the most desirable houses in the town, but it is clearly visible to the growing hordes of tourists that visit

The summer season sees the town overrun with tourists, particularly recently now that foreign travel is largely off the cards.

Several trendy London restaurants have opened outlets on its narrow  and previously quiet  streets in recent years, with queues around the block.

The source said that Ms French doesnt see herself in that celebrity, flashy tribe. Shes a low-key resident. Its actually not like her to have a visible, ostentatious home in the centre of town.

Ms French, who starred as Geraldine Granger in The Vicar of Dibley, moved into the Grade-II listed building in 2006 with her then-husband Lenny Henry and their daughter Billie. The couple divorced in 2010.

In 2013, she married therapist Mark Bignell in the coastal resort of Mawgan Porth.

The sale of Point Neptune House is believed to have been a multi-million-pound off-market sale through the luxury property agent Jonathan Cunliffe.

Last night, he said: We cannot say who Dawn sold Point Neptune to, only that she has bought again in Cornwall.
Wayne Cooper has denied a report that he and wife Sarah Marsh have split.

The fashion designer and the former model were said to be 'going their separate ways after a tumultuous 25-year relationship' according to Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

But in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, the entrepreneur insisted that the story is 'completely fabricated'.

No split here: Wayne Cooper has denied a false report that he and wife Sarah Marsh have split. The couple seen here in 2009

The Australia's Next Top Model star continued: 'My wife Sarah and I are currently in Byron Bay for a friend's birthday and looking at real estate.'

'We are currently speaking to our lawyer regarding a course of action in response to this damaging article printed on Mothers Day.'

The couple share two children, Ruby and Jude.

Family united: In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, the entrepreneur insisted 'the story is completely fabricated.' Seen here with children Ruby and Jude in 2014

The Sydney Morning Herald story claimed that their alleged split was a motivating factor behind the couple listing their Tamarama home last month.

Cooper and Marsh listed the property with a price guide of $10.5million.

The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house went under the hammer on May 8, reported Realestate.com.au.

Location location: The Sydney Morning Herald story claimed that their alleged split was a motivating factor behind the couple listing their Tamarama home for $10.5million last month

The home boasts 500 square metres of floor space, including a master suite with dressing room and private terrace.

There's also a studio/home office, which can be used for guest accommodation.

Meanwhile, the kitchen features a Calacutta marble benchtop and a Caesarstone breakfast island.

Set to make a profit: Wayne (pictured in 2013) and Sarah bought the property for $5.5million in 2011

This could all be yours: The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house went under the hammer on May 8, reported Realestate.com.au

Luxury: The kitchen features a Calacutta marble benchtop and a Caesarstone breakfast island

There's also a cinema, a double garage and a separate single garage.

The property even features an eight-person lift to carry residents between the four levels of the house.

Outside, there's a north-facing mosaic-tiled lap pool with spa jets and gas heating.

Wayne and his wife bought the property for $5.5million in 2011.

Roomy: The home boasts 500 square metres of floor space, including a master suite with dressing room and private terrace

Splish splash: Outside, there's a north-facing mosaic-tiled lap pool with spa jets and gas heating

Wayne is a British-born fashion designer who, after growing up in London's East End, moved to Australia in 1985.

His Australian Fashion Week shows have featured the likes of Linda Evangelista and Sarah O'Hare.

He was also a regular guest on the reality TV series Australia's Next Top Model.
They are becoming one of Australia's most famous reality TV families.

And Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis, 32, looked every inch the off-duty star as she arrived in Adelaide with her Big Brother housemate mother Mary and lookalike sister Sophie on Saturday.

The trio were spotted making their way through airport after flying into the South Australian capital for an interstate girls trip.

Girls trip! Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis, 32, touched down in Adelaide with their Big Brother star mother Mary and lookalike sister Sophie on Saturday

Martha cut a stylish figure wearing a body-hugging black dress, which featured a plunging neckline and cut-outs around the waist.

The raven-haired star paired the dress with a pair of black designer boots and a thick, silver necklace.

At times, she covered her nose and mouth with a blue surgical face mask.

Black out: Martha cut a stylish figure wearing a body-hugging black dress, which featured a plunging neckline and cut-outs around the waist

Glam: The raven-haired star paired the dress with a pair of black designer boots and a thick, silver necklace

Matriarch Mary looked equally stylish in a pair of blue jeans and white blouse.

She carried a khaki jacket in one hand while pulling her suitcase in the other.

Meanwhile, Martha's peroxide blonde sister Sophie wore a grey trench coat for the flight.

Covering up: At times, she covered her nose and mouth with a blue surgical face mask

The family are now enjoying a new round of fame since Mary appeared on the latest season of Big Brother.

On Wednesday, Martha decided to troll her mother relentlessly after she 'got glam' to do the housework amid her new-found reality TV fame.

'You're so glam now you're on Big Brother!' Martha quipped to her mother in an Instagram video. 'Do you wear makeup to vacuum? Oh my God, now that you're a celeb!'

Busy: The Instagram sensation began texting on her phone as she strolled through the terminal

Martha then ran up to Mary, who furiously pointed the vacuum tube at her daughter in rage.

'F**k off, Martha!' Mary bit back.

Indeed, Mary has caused quite the stir on Big Brother this season - only recently playing a hilarious prank on her housemates.

Designer dress on board? Martha draped a garment bag over luggage - suggesting she hd packed a glamorous outfit for the trip

Mary snuck in several hats with rude Greek sayings, and tricked a handful of her housemates into wearing them on television.

On Monday, Nicholas Benton was made aware of the prank and addressed his embarrassing predicament on Instagram.

'Hey Nick, I have a cool hat for you to wear. It means "legend" in Greek,' he captioned a photo of Mary looking mischievous on the show.

Stylish matriarch: Mary looked equally stylish in a pair of blue jeans and white blouse

Sister act: Meanwhile, Martha's peroxide blonde sister Sophie wore a grey trench coat for the flight

He then shared a gallery of photos of himself wearing the Savvas Says 'Malaka!' hats in the Big Brother house, and revealed what the word actually meant.

Malaka means 'a man who masturbates' in Greek, and is typically used as an insult similar to the English word 'w**ker'.

Mary and Sarah Jane 'SJ' Adams were involved in a double elimination on Tuesday - but all was not as it seemed.

Juggling act: She carried a khaki jacket in one hand while pulling her suitcase in the other

Big Brother whisked them away to a secret attic where they remained safe from eviction as part of 'Surprise Week'.

The pair returned to the competition by jumping out of a large cake on Wednesday night's episode, shocking their housemates in the process.

Big Brother Australia continues on Sunday from 7pm on Channel Seven
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It was the first COVID-compliant, large-scale music event for a live audience consisting of fully vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers.

Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World aired this weekend on Saturday, after being pre-taped last week at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

The show's central purpose was to call upon leadership and governments as well as the private sector and philanthropists to commit to equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World aired this weekend on Saturday, after being pre-taped last weekend at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

Serving as master of ceremonies was none other than Selena Gomez, modeling her newly bleached locks while wearing a stunning black column dress with diamond-shapes.

Selena begged viewers around the world to get vaccinated for those who were on the fence, stressing the importance of protecting not only those people, but their loved ones as well.

Presenters at the event included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are serving as campaign chairs of Vax Live.

Statuesque: She was wearing a stunning black column dress with diamond-shapes

Serving as master of ceremonies: None other than Selena Gomez, modeling her newly bleached locks

Turning up the heat: Saweetie also performed, sizzling onstage alongside masked backup dancers

Bustin' moves: They performed her song Fast (Motion)

Other presenters included Olivia Munn, Sean Penn, Ben Affleck and Chrissy Teigen.

Penn, founder of CORE, took the stage as a representative of the community outreach organization that was instrumental in the vaccine coordination in the US.

Chrissy took some time to speak at the end of the show, referring to the event and the audience in the stadium as a 'house of hope'.

Performances at the Global Citizen concert event featured stars such as Eddie Vedder, NCT 127 and recent Oscar winner H.E.R.

Lovely: Chrissy took some time to speak at the end of the show, in a peachy orange gown with long train

Stunning: The TV personality ensured she caught the eye after taking to the stage at the event on Saturday evening

Hopeful: She referred to the event and the audience in the stadium as a 'house of hope'

Other presenters included: Olivia Munn, Sean Penn (both pictured), Ben Affleck and Chrissy

Performances at the Global Citizen concert event featured: Stars such as Eddie Vedder and H.E.R. (pictured)

Accolades: H.E.R. is a recent Oscar winner for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) for Fight For You in the film Judas and the Black Messiah

Dancing: Boy band NCT 127 was also seen performing

Chief among them, however, was Jlo, who opened and closed the show and invited her gorgeous mother onstage to sing Sweet Caroline.

Saweetie also performed, sizzling onstage alongside masked backup dancers for her song Fast (Motion).

Vedder, of iconic 90s band Pearl Jam, put on a brilliant show, along with sharing a message on the importance of vaccine equity.

You've heard of them: Presenters at the event included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are serving as campaign chairs of Vax Live

She's expecting: Meghan's baby bump was evident as she spoke from home at Saturday night's event

Other musicians to take the stage included the Foo Fighters and J Balvin.

In terms of presenters, Affleck came out onstage with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, who donned a Robin costume while Ben was in a regular suit.

The gag involved Jimmy assuming that Ben would wear a Batman suit, naturally.

Chief among the performers was Jlo: She opened the show and invited her gorgeous mother onstage to sing

Here we go: The Latina star ensured her fans were not disappointed by putting on a stunning performance

Blooming lovely: She caught the eye in a glittering jumpsuit after taking to the stage at the event

Main man: Foo Fighters star Dave Grohl addressed the crowd during his band's storming performance

The 'eager to perform, fully vaccinated' Foo Fighters: The band took the stage to perform their hit song Everlong

Rocking: Eddie Vedder, of iconic 90s band Pearl Jam, put on a brilliant show, along with sharing a message on the importance of vaccine equity

Other musicians to take the stage: The Foo Fighters and J Balvin (pictured)

Gag: Presenter Ben Affleck came out onstage with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, who donned a Robin costume while Ben was in a regular suit

On a more serious note, actress Nomzamo Mbatha of South Africa took the stage to describe the plight of limited vaccine rollout throughout Africa.

She explained that while 50 million people in the US were vaccinated in the last week, only 10,000 were inoculated in South Africa.

She went on to say many in the African continent will not get the vaccine until 2023.

On a more serious note: Actress Nomzamo Mbatha of South Africa took the stage to describe the plight of limited vaccine rollout throughout Africa

Lovely: The actress wore a tasteful chocolate brown dress as she addressed viewers at the pre-recorded event

Important message: Nomzamo highlighted the plight of South Africans amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis

Appearing via livestream was President and First Lady Biden, reminding viewers that anyone aged 16 and over in the United States can now get vaccinated.

Later, Vice President Kamala Harris also made a statement via a video feed for the event.

David Letterman echoed the sentiment about the importance of vaccines, when he came out for a small standup routine.

Appearing via livestream: President and First Lady Biden reminded viewers that anyone aged 16 and over in the United States can now get vaccinated

Later: Vice President Kamala Harris also made a statement via a video feed for the event

The late night legend also presented the 'eager to perform, fully vaccinated' Foo Fighters.

Nirvana alum Dave Grohl and his band took the stage to perform their hit song Everlong, later welcoming surprise guest Brian Johnson of AC/DC.

Vax Live streamed and aired on Saturday night, on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App.
Most of us would kill to be a style icon, but actress Sienna Miller grumbles that being a fashion pioneer in the Noughties was just so tiresome.

The actress was famous for her gypsy style, but moans about how quickly cheap brands copied her.

People just liked what I wore, but then it got frustrating. Id walk past the high street and see my beautiful Moroccan belt that Id found in some obscure market being sold for like three quid.

Sorry Sienna, but not everyone can afford to do their shopping in the souks of Marrakesh!

Actress Sienna Miller, pictured left and right, with Jude Law in 2004, was famous for her gypsy style, but moans about how quickly cheap brands copied her

Crush of the week... Xanthe Gladstone

Making sustainability sexy, aristocratic Xanthe Gladstone grows her own vegetables, rears chickens and throws vegan supper parties at Hawarden Castle, the Welsh seat of her prime ministerial great-great-great-grandfather William Gladstone.

The willowy blonde, 25, is committed to saving the planet and helps supply the shop and pub at Glen Dye in Scotland, the other estate (yes, they have two!) of her parents Charlie and Caroline.

At Hawarden she also helps run the annual Good Life Experience festival where toffs and hippies enjoy music, food and... axe throwing. With skills like that, this is one girlfriend you really wouldnt want to upset!
Hailee Steinfeld took some inspiration from her birth decade on Saturday when she stepped out in Manhattan's West Village in a striking '90s-inspired ensemble.

The 24-year-old star was unmissable thanks to her hot pink overcoat, which popped against her otherwise black outfit.

The actress was seen in a moment of downtime before her schedule ramped up with the third season of her hit Apple TV+ series Dickinson and her lead turn in the upcoming Marvel series Hawkeye.

'90s girl: Hailee Steinfeld, 24, took some inspiration from her birth decade on Saturday when she stepped out in Manhattan's West Village in a striking '90s-inspired pink ensemble

Hailee's long double-breasted coat reached down past her knees and featured wide peaked lapels.

She showed off a hint of her washboard abs underneath it with her black crop top.

The 5ft8in beauty matched her shirt with low-key black leggings, and she elevated her stature with a pair of black platform combat boots.

She covered up her brunette tresses with a black-and-white warped check bucket hat from Kangol, which sells for $65 from the hat maker's website.

Pretty in pink: Hailee's long double-breasted pink overcoat reached down past her knees and featured wide peaked lapels

Back in black: She showed off a hint of her washboard abs underneath it with her black crop top, which matched her leggings and her platform combat boots

Hailee let a few strands of her hair down to frame her face, which was covered with a black mask to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Though she never needs an excuse for an eye-catching look, she revealed that she chose the pink coat in honor of her second EP, 2020's Half Written Story.

The True Grit star shared a closeup snap of herself flashing her eyes and smiling behind her mask while resting her face on her hand.

'Pink for half written story's 1st birthday,' she caption the photo.

Striking: She covered up her brunette tresses with a black-and-white warped check bucket hat from Kangol, which sells for $65 from the hat maker's website

Anniversary: Though she never needs an excuse for an eye-catching look, she revealed that she chose the pink coat in honor of her second EP, 2020's Half Written Story

Second career: The extended play was Hailee's second substantial music release and arrived five years after her debut EP, Haiz, and it received mixed reviews from critics

The extended play was Hailee's second substantial music release and arrived five years after her debut EP, Haiz.

The pandemic-era music received mixed reviews from critics.

Hailee seems to be more focused on her acting lately, as she has plenty of television projects lined up.

Her next big series is likely to be the Marvel superhero show Hawkeye, which is expected to be released on Disney+ later this year.

She stars with Jeremy Renner as Kate Bishop, who is being trained by Renner's title character in combat and archery in the hopes that she'll take over his role.

The move also leaves open the possibility that Hailey could have a more prominent role in future Marvel films, or even be part of a reconstituted Avengers down the line.

Coming soon: Her next big series is likely to be the Marvel superhero show Hawkeye, which is expected to be released on Disney+ later this year

Marvel debut: She stars with Jeremy Renner as Kate Bishop, who is being trained by Renner's title character in combat and archery in the hopes that she'll take over his role

She'll also be filming the third season of her acclaimed Apple TV+ series Dickinson in the near future.

The second season premiered in January, and the show has already been greenlit for a third season.

She stars as the poet Emily Dickinson, and critics have commended both her performance and the show's bubbly atmosphere, particularly in the most recent season, which many described as an improvement on the first season.

On Friday, Hailee posted a photo of herself in what looked like a dressing room as she hiked up her skirt to show her long stocking-clad leg.

'Identity crisis... @dickinson,' she wrote, suggesting that the next season might not be too far off.
Chris Hemsworth has honoured the women in his life with a special Mother's Day tribute on Instagram.

In a post on Sunday, the Hollywood actor, 37, shared a throwback photo of his wife Elsa Pataky, 44, posing with their three children, as well as a photo of himself cuddling up to his mother Leonie, 60.

'Happy Mothers Day to all the brilliant, hardworking, kid carrying, bar raising, husband-putting-up-with-ing woman out there!!' the Thor star captioned the post.

Tribute: Chris Hemsworth, 37, shared this throwback photo of his wife Elsa Pataky, 44, and their three children on Sunday along with a heartfelt Mother's Day message

'We salute you,' he added.

In Elsa's photo, the blonde actress is seen with her hands full as she carried her twin sons Sasha and Tristan in her arms, while daughter India sat in a sling on her back.

It comes after the Fast And The Furious star spoke candidly about her decision to step away from acting at the peak of her career to raise a family.

'We salute you': Chris also shared this black-and-white photo of himself posing with his mother Leonie, 60, at his recent 'white party' in Byron Bay

Sacrifice: Speaking to Jones magazine last year, Elsa said she'd selflessly put her acting career on hold after having children so her husband could focus on making movies

Speaking to Jones magazine last year, Elsa said she'd selflessly put her acting career on hold after having children so her husband could focus on making movies.

'I decided to focus on them and leave my career on the side, to just do little things here and there and try to be happy with that, even though it was my passion and I loved what I did,' the mother of three said.

However, as Chris' career flourished, Elsa couldn't help but feel envious.

'It was hard in some moments': However, as Chris' career flourished, Elsa couldn't help but feel envious. Pictured: Ela with her children India Rose, eight, Sasha, seven and Tristan, seven

'It was hard in some moments, because you see the person you love doing what you're so passionate about, you see them doing movies, and you wish you could too,' she added.

'But because of my family I didn't want to shoot anywhere else and it was Chris' moment, I just let him know that he could do what he had to do and we'll follow.'

Meanwhile, Elsa is currently playing the lead role in Netflix's Interceptor, which focuses on a female protagonist who must save the world from 16 nuclear missiles.

Her husband Chris is producing the movie alongside Kathy Morgan, Christopher Mapp, Robert Slaviero, and Peter D. Graves.
Angelina Jolie has candidly revealed the lessons she learned from her late mother Marcheline Bertrand.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald this weekend, the Hollywood megastar, 45, praised Marcheline for being a 'gentle' mother and said she's always tried to treat her own children with the same tenderness.

'My mother was very gentle. I can be many things in my work and in life, but I am very warm and gentle with my children,' Angelina said.

'My mother was very gentle': Angelina Joli, 45, (right) candidly shared the lessons she learned from her late mother Marcheline Bertrand (left) during an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday. Pictured together in 2001

'That kindness and warmth is a foundation that's unbelievably important. She gave me many other things and taught me many lessons,' she continued.

'But if you don't have that base, to feel valued and safe, then it's hard for any of the other messages or lessons to land.'

Marcheline died in 2007 at the age of 56 following a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer.

'I am very warm and gentle with my children': The Hollywood megastar praised Marcheline for being a 'gentle' mother and said she's always tried to treat her own children with the same tenderness

The Maleficent star also told the publication that she's stepped back from directing films to be able to focus on her six children.

Angelina shares Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, with her ex-husband Brad Pitt, whom she has been in the midst of a custody battle with since their separation in 2016.

Pitt and Jolie famously fell in love on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, while Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston.

Priorities: The Maleficent star also told the publication that she's stepped back from directing films to be able to focus on her six children

The couple married in France in 2014 after 10 years of dating, but split two years later in September 2016.

While the couple were legally divorced in 2019, things are far from amicable.

They have been at war over their kids for five years, with Brad striving for 50/50 custody with Angelina wanting full physical custody.
Ben Fordham has praised his wife Jodi Speers on Mother's Day.

The 44-year-old 2GB star spoke to Insider magazine this week with him happily saying she was the 'captain' of the plane.

'I feel busy  but I will never fully comprehend how much Jodie does to keep this family ticking along,' Ben told the publication.

Together: Radio king Ben Fordham, 44, has paid tribute to wife Jodi Speers, 38, calling her the 'captain' of their family on Mother's Day [both pictured]

'I am probably the flight attendant and Jodie is the captain in the cockpit.'

'I still think I've got a role to play, but without Jodie flying the plane there's no flight and there's no family  and there's no question on that whatsoever.

The couple who share three children - Freddie, six, Pearl, four, and Marigold, one -went on to explain how they manage their busy lives.

The couple start their day at 3.10am.

Tribute: 'I still think I've got a role to play, but without Jodie flying the plane there's no flight and there's no family  and there's no question on that whatsoever,' said Ben.

The couple employ a 77-year-old 'surrogate grandma' who helps the family get the job done doing all sorts around the house.

Ben revealed his February that he met Pam at his local Bunnings, saying he knew she would be the perfect fit.

'Most people use an agency to find babysitters,' he told Stellar magazine.

Busy: The couple went on to explain how they manage their busy lives with Jodi a morning newsreader. The couple start their day at 3.10am. Here with Freddy, six, and Pearl, four

Helping hand: The couple employ a 77-year-old 'surrogate grandma' who helps the family get the job done doing all sorts around the house. Pictured: the family

'Needless to say, Jodie was a bit skeptical. But the minute she met Pam she was convinced.'

Ben has been shooting goals since taking over from Alan Jones with top spot with a massive 18.1 per cent audience share, winning the official GFK radio survey in March.

He previously said he didn't initially want the 2GB breakfast job, and it was actually his wife Jodie Speers who ultimately made the decision for him.

Speaking to Stellar Magazine previously, Ben said he turned down the role multiple times because he wasn't sure whether it would be the 'best for his family.'
Dame Joan Collins looked effortlessly classy as she dropped into an Italian restaurant on Saturday evening for a date with husband Percy Gibson.

The actress, 87, was spotted holding hands with Percy, 56, as they made their way back to their hotel in New York City.

Joan dressed to impress as she coupled a sleek floral dress with tall black boots.

Holding hands: Dame Joan Collins, 87, looked stunning as she wowed in a sleek floral print dress while out on a date with husband Percy Gibson, 56, in New York City on Saturday evening

Joan carried a black leather Chanel handbag in her right hand and held onto Percy's hand with her left.

A bright red coat finished off her ensemble and a patterned face mask could be seen hanging from one of her hands as she enjoyed a night out in New York.

Percy opted for a smart-casual outfit for the dinner date, wearing a striped white shirt beneath a navy blazer.

He also wore a pair of blue jeans and finished his look off with a pair of black shoes.

Late date: Joan wore a scarlet coat over a floral print dress and long black boots, while Percy opted for smart-casual in jeans, a white shirt and a navy blazer

Percy was spotted wearing a single-use blue face mask as he walked along the street holding Joan's hand.

Her date comes after recent comments she made saying that the Oscars were 'very serious' and that only the winners seemed to be having any 'fun'.

The 2021 Academy Awards were held in Los Angeles on Sunday night with measures in place to ensure guests could be kept safe during the Covid pandemic, including not having a host and a socially-distanced red carpet.

Appearing on Lorraine last month, the actress said: 'I thought it was incredibly different and quite rightly, not nearly as much fun as it had been. It was very serious tonight, it didn't look like anybody was having much fun, except the winners.'

'It didn't look fun': Joan said that the Oscars appeared to be 'very serious' and that only the winners seemed to be having any 'fun' while appearing on Lorraine at the end of last month

Despite the changes impacting on how 'fun' the event seemed, Joan said she was very pleased to hear British stars Sir Anthony Hopkins and Emerald Fennell had won.

Speaking about Anthony, 83, winning Leading Actor for his role in The Father, Joan told Lorraine: 'I was longing for Tony because I've known him for a long time. I thought his performance was spectacular.'

She also praised family friend Emerald, saying: 'And I was utterly thrilled by Emerald Fennell, I've known her since she was a little girl...

'Her parents are really good friends of mine. She was great, she made a great speech. To get Best Screenplay when you're only 35, that's pretty amazing.'
He has been happily married to wife Emilie Livingston since 2014.

And Jeff Goldblum enjoyed an evening out out with Emilie as they dined at Craig's restaurant in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The actor, 68, and his partner, 38, were also joined by their two children Charlie, five, and River, four, as they celebrated US Mother's Day early.

Family: Jeff Goldblum enjoyed a family day out with his wife Emilie Livingston and their children as they dined at Craig's restaurant in Los Angeles on Saturday

Jeff cut a dapper figure for the evening, donning a black leather jacket with matching skinny jeans.

The film star also wore a black and white polka dot shirt and completed his outfit with a pair of boots.

Canadian native Emilie looked radiant in a white mini dress with a black dot print and a frilled neckline.

The dancer added height to her frame with a pair of black heels and also carried a matching handbag.

Dapper: The actor, 68, was joined by his wife Emilie Livingston, 38, and their two children Charlie, five, and River, four, as they celebrated Mother's Day early.

Jeff previously admitted he had 'never been particularly passionate' about fatherhood before having his children.

Of becoming a dad, the actor explained: 'I never thought that I was going to do it. I had never been particularly passionate [about fatherhood] or envisioned it for myself  I dont have any nieces or nephews, had never seen a birth before.

He told Radio Times: 'In the couple of lovely previous marriages I had, there was some fantasy talk about it, but never any serious business. And I always thought it was a good thing that I didnt have any drama with kids and breaking up.'

Of how he and the Olympic gymnast came to a decision about having children, he added: 'We thought about it for a year, talked about it with my therapist, went in together, and after a year of that, I said, "Yeah, this sounds kinda good, lets get married and have kids."'

Candid: Jeff previously revealed he 'never thought' he would have children before meeting wife Emilie as he wasn't 'passionate' about fatherhood

The Jurassic Park star also went on to say that he hoped, and felt, they would 'be together now' for the rest of their lives.

The American actor wed dancer Emilie in 2014, which was his third time walking down the aisle after previously tying the knot with actresses Patricia Gaul and Geena Davis.

Emilie has previously admitted it was 'scary' when she first laid bare her desire to settle down with the star.

In a sweet tribute to her husband, the athlete wrote on Instagram: 'Loved and appreciated! @jeffgoldblum always makes me feel loved- from the first day we met!

He said: 'In the couple of lovely previous marriages I had, there was some fantasy talk about it, but never any serious business'

'At first I wondered if this feeling could be true because I hadn't experienced such innocent, passionate, tender, honest love before so quickly. Some people like to play games and play hard to get.'

She continued: 'But we were just honest and aware from day one and took our relationship day by day until I had to express my feelings of wanting a family with HIM and to share the rest of my life with his beautiful soul!

'That was a scary day, opening myself up completely, knowing he might not want kids or to marry again.

'And we just kept talking about it together and with our therapist until we decided that it was the right thing to do!'
Hollywood actor Matt Damon took a break from filming the new Thor instalment in Australia on Friday, to attend a charity luncheon in Brisbane.

The American star, 50, and his wife Luciana Barroso, 45, made a surprise appearance at the event, which raised funds for domestic violence charity, Safe Haven.

It has now been revealed that Matt 'donated $10,000 (AUD)' to the charity, according to a post shared to discussion website Reddit this weekend.

Contribution: Matt Damon, 50, 'donated $10,000 AUD' while attending a luncheon in Brisbane, Australia on Friday, to raise funds for domestic violence charity, Safe Haven. Pictured with the organisation's founder Denise Hunter at the event

'My mum founded a charity fighting domestic violence. During a fundraising lunch, Matt Damon dropped in and donated $10,000,' the post read.

The Good Will Hunting actor posed for a photo at the event, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers and a grey linen jacket, with the charity's founder Denise Hunter.

Matt was described as 'genuinely interested in the topic' and having 'stayed for the entire event' according to Denise's daughter.

Online: 'My mum founded a charity fighting domestic violence. During a fundraising lunch, Matt Damon dropped in and donated $10,000,' Denise's daughter shared alongside the photo of Matt in a post uploaded to discussion website Reddit this weekend

A good cause: The Hollywood actor was described as 'genuinely interested in the topic' and having 'stayed for the entire event'. The Good Will Hunting star is pictured with a fan at the luncheon

According to The Courier Mail, Matt and his wife Luciana attended the lunch to learn more on the issues surrounding coercive control.

'He took the time to call in and have the lunch, and he was fantastic,' executive director of the organisation, Jaeneen Cunningham, revealed.

'I spoke to his wife and she said it was a fantastic thing that we were doing and they were more educated after the event.'

Funds received from the event will be used to provide early intervention and housing for women and children.

Getting educated: 'He took the time to call in and have the lunch, and he was fantastic,' executive director of the organisation, Jaeneen Cunningham, revealed to The Courier Mail on Friday. Pictured, Matt and Jaeneen Cunningham (left)

Thrills: Matt's appearance comes just days after he took a road trip to the village of Jugiong, located in the Hilltops region of NSW. The riverside town boasts just 222 residents - one of which was lucky enough to get a selfie with the star (pictured)

Safe Haven is an organisation which helps support the victims of coercive control - a social problem which has been highlighted following the deaths of women including Hannah Clarke and Kelly Wilkinson.

Matt's appearance comes just days after he took a road trip to the village of Jugiong, located in the Hilltops region of NSW.

About three hours drive from Sydney, the riverside town boasts just 222 residents - one of which was lucky enough to get a selfie with the star.

Matt has been in Australia since the start of the year for his role in Marvel's Thor: Love and Thunder.

He is reprising his comedic cameo from the 2017 Thor installment, Thor: Ragnarok.

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact White Ribbon Australia.
Torchwood star Gareth David-Lloyd has spoken out about his co-star John Barrowman's behaviour after he admitted to exposing himself on set.

On Friday, Barrowman, 54, apologised for exposing himself repeatedly while filming Torchwood and Doctor Who but insisted it was just 'tomfoolery', as the show's architect Russell T Davies denied knowing anything about inappropriate behaviour on set.

David-Lloyd, 40, who played Ianto Jones on the sci-fi series, has admitted 'professional lines were sometimes blurred' but added that Barrowman's behaviour was 'always meant to entertain'.

Statement: Torchwood star Gareth David-Lloyd has spoken out about his co-star John Barrowman's behaviour after he admitted to exposing himself on set

In a statement given to Metro.co.uk, he said: 'In my experience on Torchwood Johns behaviour on set was always meant to entertain, make people laugh and keep their spirits and energy high on what were sometimes very long working days.

'It maybe that because we were so close as a cast that professional lines were sometimes blurred in the excitement  I was too inexperienced to know any different but we were always laughing.

'The John I knew on set would have never behaved in a way he thought was affecting someone negatively. From what I know of him that is not his nature.

'He was a whirlwind of positive energy, always very generous, kind and a wonderfully supportive lead actor to have at the helm of the show.'

Candid: David-Lloyd, 40, (pictured) who played Ianto Jones on the sci-fi series, has admitted 'professional lines were sometimes blurred'

He said: 'It maybe that because we were so close as a cast that professional lines were sometimes blurred in the excitement  I was too inexperienced to know any different but we were always laughing' (pictured together in Torchwood, 2008)

It comes after a former runner who worked on Torchwood told The Guardian that his behaviour on set was 'accepted'.

They said: 'Sometimes he'd call me into his dressing room, and I would knock on the door and he'd say, "Oh, look at this", and he'd just have his willy out, standing in the doorway. It was kind of accepted that it was his thing.'

ITV was recently urged to axe Barrowman as a judge on Dancing On Ice after he admitted to repeatedly exposing himself on the Doctor Who and Torchwood sets.

Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke told The Sun on Sunday that the ice-skating competition is a 'family show' and so the actor should not be a part of it.

Reaction: ITV has been urged to axe Barrowman from Dancing On Ice after the actor admitted he repeatedly exposed himself on Doctor Who set

Shelbrooke claimed: 'Inappropriate behaviour like this is not acceptable no matter what the circumstances. ITV and the BBC have a responsibility with the standards they set.

'Dancing On Ice is a family show and ITV shouldn't be willing to indulge this behaviour in any way.

'It's incumbent on broadcasters to show they are not condoning such behaviour in any way.'

Apology: On Friday, Barrowman apologised for exposing himself repeatedly while filming Doctor Who and Torchwood (pictured) but insisted it was just 'tomfoolery'

Mark Williams-Thomas, an investigative journalist who exposed Jimmy Saville as a paedophile, told the publication that it would be 'interesting' to see how channels reacted to Barrowman's admission.

He made the comment whilst referring to how Barrowman's co-star Noel Clarke, 45, had been dropped by multiple networks and BAFTA after he was accused of being a 'sexual predator' by 20 women.

MailOnline has contacted Barrowman's representatives and ITV spokespeople for further comment.

Claim: Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said the ice-skating competition is a 'family show' and so the actor (pictured with Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean) should not be a part of it

On Friday, Barrowman told the Guardian his 'high-spirited behaviour' was 'only ever intended in good humour' to entertain colleagues on set and backstage - and not sexual harassment.

'With the benefit of hindsight, I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously,' he said. 'Since my apology in November 2008, my understanding and behaviour have also changed.'

Clarke was filmed making jokes about Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness on both programmes, showing people his penis 'every five seconds' and 'hitting it on everything'.

Explanation: Barrowman said his 'high-spirited behaviour' was 'only ever intended in good humour' to entertain colleagues on set and backstage - and not sexual harassment

Last month, a video of Clarke emerged showing him on stage during a Doctor Who Q&A with fans where he joked about Barrowman's alleged proclivity for getting his penis out on set.

Barrowman had apologised publicly after a similar incident on BBC Switch.

Clarke's two female co-stars Annette Badland and Camille Coduri are seen as he uses microphone as a prop phallus, hitting them on their legs and even resting it on Camille's shoulders, with viewers saying they were 'squirming while watching'.

Discussion: He added, 'With the benefit of hindsight, I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously'

He said: 'For the record, any men out there, do not try that at work. You will be fired and possibly go to jail.'

Clarke  who is accused of inappropriate behaviour towards 20 women over 14 years  was at the centre of further allegations he sexually harassed or touched others on BBC hit Doctor Who on Friday.

The broadcaster appeared to be broadsided by the new reports today and said it would investigate specific claims made but was 'shocked' to hear of them.

Allegations: Last month, Barrowman's co-star Noel Clarke (pictured in 2017) was accused of inappropriate behaviour over 14 years and of being a 'sexual predator' by 20 women

Clarke is said to have told one costume assistant, who had long hair, working on series one of the rebooted sci-fi show he 'liked girls with long hair' so he could hold onto it when in a specific sexual position.

Another female runner and driver on the show alleges Clarke touched her inappropriately and repeatedly asked her to go to his hotel for sex.

She told The Guardian she pleaded to the assistant director: 'I can't drive him anymore. I don't want to be on my own with him.'

Clarke denies any allegations of sexual misconduct, criminal wrongdoing or sexually inappropriate behaviour, including the latest accusations.

He was stripped of a BAFTA award he was given last month after the claims became public.

Doctor Who was where Clarke became a household name, playing the vehicle technician Mickey Smith from 2005 to 2010.

A statement from the BBC said: 'The BBC is against all forms of inappropriate behaviour and we're shocked to hear of these allegations.

Accusations: Clarke was at the centre of further allegations he sexually harassed or touched others on BBC hit Doctor Who on Friday (pictured on show with David Tennant and Billie Piper)

'To be absolutely clear, we will investigate any specific allegations made by individuals to the BBC - and if anyone has been subjected to or witnessed inappropriate behaviour of any kind we would encourage them to raise it with us directly.

'We have a zero-tolerance approach and robust processes are in place - which are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practice - to ensure any complaints or concerns are handled with the utmost seriousness and care.'

The allegations against Clarke which were made public in the Guardian include that he secretly filmed a naked audition of actor Jahannah James and that he showed sexually explicit images of women to colleagues - both claims he denies.
Angelina Jolie was promoting her new film, Those Who Wish Me Dead, on Australia's The Sunday Project this weekend.

And the 45-year-old actress looked absolutely ageless as she took part in an interview via video link.

The Hollywood star showed off her line-free visage and porcelain skin as she discussed filming her new action epic in New Mexico.

Looking good: Angelina Jolie (pictured) was promoting her new film, Those Who Wish Me Dead, on Australia's The Sunday Project this weekend

Angelina told the program that in between filming, she spent time on set with her six children, who bonded with her 14-year-old Australian co-star, Finn Little.

'Neither one of us live there. Finn's family or my family,' she explained, adding that they all played with airsoft rifles during their time off.

'We were there together and were able to air soft on the weekends, or swim and hang,' Angelina said.

Stunner: The Hollywood star showed off her line-free visage and porcelain skin as she discussed filming her new action epic in New Mexico

Family: Angelina told the program that in between filming, she spent time on set with her six children, who bonded with her 14-year-old Australian co-star, Finn Little

'I've been missing hanging out with his mum,' she added, referring to Finn's mother.

The Tomb Raider actress shares Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, with her ex Brad Pitt, 57.

Angelina and Brad have been in the midst of a custody battle since their separation in 2016.

Fun: 'We were there together and were able to air soft on the weekends, or swim and hang,' Angelina said

Family: The Tomb Raider actress shares Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, with her ex Brad Pitt, 57

In Those Who Wish Me Dead, Angelina plays a survival expert in a forest who comes along a blood-spattered boy (Finn Little) whose father has just been murdered.

She becomes the child's protector as his father's murderers attempt to hunt him down - eventually starting a raging wildfire to smoke him out.

The murderers, who are related to each other, are played by Tolkien actor Nicholas Hoult and Aiden Gillen, who starred as Littlefinger on Game Of Thrones.
Harry Styles and Emma Corrin donned their best 1950s attire as they continued to film gay romance drama My Policeman in Brighton on Sunday.

The One Direction star, 27, is taking the lead in the movie, which is set in Brighton in the 1950s, and based on Bethan Roberts' novel, focusing on police officer Tom, who is gay, but married to Marion (Emma) due to societal expectations. He goes on to have an affair with museum curator Patrick Hazelwood (David Dawson).

The pair could be seen in conversation as they went for a stroll through the city, with Emma, 25, linking arms with her co-star as the cameras caught their every move.

On location: Harry Styles and Emma Corrin donned their best 1950s attire as they continued to film gay romance drama My Policeman in Brighton on Sunday

Harry sported a navy bomber jacket for the scene along with a light grey jacket with a white shirt and tie.

The Dunkirk star also sported dark grey trousers while his locks were styled into a sleek quiff for the scene.

Emma looked radiant in a burgundy jacket with a matching belt while she wore over a teal dress with a pleated detail.

The Crown star also wore a pair of mustard shoes while she wore her blonde tresses in a vintage bob.

Plot: Harry is taking the lead in the movie, which is set in Brighton in the 1950s, and based on Bethan Roberts' novel

Filming: The pair could be seen in conversation as they went for a stroll through the city, with Emma linking arms with her co-star as the cameras caught their every move

Members of the crew could be seen nearby sorting face masks while extras wearing old-fashioned clothing were also spotted walking by Harry and Emma.

Production on the film kicked off in Brighton last month, and it is currently unclear when the film will be released.

Harry will reportedly film sex scenes with co-star David in the upcoming romantic drama.

An insider said: 'Harry will be having sex on screen and they want it to look as real as possible. The plan is to shoot two romps between Harry and David, then another scene where Harry is naked on his own.'

Dapper: Harry sported a navy bomber jacket for the scene along with a light grey jacket with a white shirt and tie

Suave: The Dunkirk star also sported dark grey trousers while his locks were styled into a sleek quiff for the scene

Style: Emma looked radiant in a burgundy jacket with a matching belt while she wore over a teal dress with a pleated detail

A source added to The Sun: 'Not much is going to be left to the imagination. Harry is throwing himself into this new role and is really excited about the challenge, even though its a daunting task.

'He always wants to do things that people wouldnt expect and challenge what people think about him  and this film will really do that.'

A spokesperson for Harry declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. MailOnline also contacted a representative for David at the time.

Baz Bamigboye revealed in The Daily Mail earlier this year that The Last Kingdom star David would portray the lover of Harry's character.

Arm in arm: The Crown star also wore a pair of mustard shoes while she wore her blonde tresses in a vintage bob

Filming: Production on the film kicked off in Brighton last month, and it is currently unclear when the film will be released

Movie: Members of the crew could be seen nearby sorting face masks while extras wearing old-fashioned clothing were also spotted walking by Harry and Emma

Co-star: Harry will reportedly film sex scenes with co-star David (pictured) in the upcoming romantic drama

An insider said: 'Harry will be having sex on screen and they want it to look as real as possible'

Rupert Everett will appear as the older version of Patrick in the film, while the former One Direction artist will be replaced by Linus Roache for scenes set years after their affair began, while Golden Globe winner Emma's character will be taken over by Gina McKee later in the film.

The film sees Tom embark on an affair with Patrick after they fall in love at first sight when they meet at Brighton Museum.

Tom's spouse becomes jealous when she discovers their passionate relationship, and decides to take drastic action during a time when homosexuality was illegal.

The source said: 'Not much is going to be left to the imagination. Harry is throwing himself into this new role and is really excited about the challenge, even though its a daunting task'

Challenge: 'He always wants to do things that people wouldnt expect and challenge what people think about him  and this film will really do that'

Love story: The film sees Tom embark on an affair with Patrick after they fall in love at first sight when they meet at Brighton Museum

The 2012 novel explores the sexual mores of the 1950s and the criminalisation of homosexuality.

The Amazon Studios production is being directed by Michael Grandage, and it will shoot from April 12 on locations in London and the South-East coast, while the more intimate moments will be filmed at one of the big film studios.

The film will be adapted by Oscar-nominee Ron Nyswaner, and Amazon will be working with Berlanti Schechter Productions.

Something funny? Emma was seen laughing in-between scenes with Harry also sporting a grin on his face

Touch up: Emma and Harry giggled away while the former had her make-up touched up by a crew member
Charlene White has revealed she has been left in tears over 'horrific abuse' from online trolls.

The Loose Women presenter, 40, told how she has been targeted by vicious social media users in the past, including some who started a petition to try and get her fired from ITV which they called the 'Sack the S**g campaign'.

Speaking to Love Sunday magazine, Charlene said she believes a lot of trolls think she is 'fair game' because she is a 'black woman in the public eye'.

Cruel: Charlene White has revealed she has been left in tears over 'horrific abuse' from online trolls

She said: 'I do get some horrific abuse. But it's the weird dynamic that because it happens so often, I'm very used to it  which I shouldn't have to be. I'm a black woman in the public eye, so for a lot of people I'm fair game.

'It all came to a head when a member of the EDL [English Defence League] said, "I've heard there's a black girl on ITV that doesn't wear a poppy" and told his followers to abuse me in any way they could find me.

Charlene said she received several thousand comments along with the petition to try and get her sacked from ITV, describing the abuse as 'overwhelming'.

She said: 'As long as it doesn't get as bad as that, it's manageable. But that upset me a lot. It takes a lot to make me cry, but it got to a point where it was really overwhelming and really did make me cry. It's never been to that particular level since.'

Awful: The Loose Women presenter, 40, told how she has been targeted by vicious social media users in the past, including some who started a petition to try and get her fired from ITV

Charlene added she gets online abuse anytime she speaks publicly about race, which she thinks is down to a lack of education.

The broadcaster is co-hosting a new documentary called Trevor McDonald & Charlene White: Has George Floyd Changed Britain?

The show looks at Britain's response to race in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing and whether there has been change since.

She said: 'It takes a lot to make me cry, but it got to a point where it was really overwhelming and really did make me cry. It's never been to that particular level since'

Charlene said she hopes the documentary will inspire conversations 'by the coffee machine' among co-workers.

The star likened the conversation around race to that previously had around sexism, saying she would like racism to be called out the same way discrimination against women is.

Trevor McDonald & Charlene White: Has George Floyd Changed Britain? airs on May 12 on ITV at 9pm.
Chandler Powell has paid tribute to wife Bindi Irwin on her first-ever Mother's Day.

Bindi, 22, just became a mother after welcoming the couple's daughter Grace Warrior earlier this year.

Chandler, 24, shared a photo of the pair cuddled up together with a newborn alongside a moving caption.

Sweet: Chandler Powell has paid tribute to his wife Bindi Irwin on her first-ever Mother's Day. Bindi, 22, just became a mother after welcoming the couple's daughter Grace Warrior

'Happy Mother's Day to my amazing wife,' the former wakeboarder began his tribute.

'This is your first Mother's Day yet it feels like you've been doing this forever. Grace and I are both lucky and grateful to have you in our lives. We love you so much.'

On Wednesday, Bindi reflected on her own relationship with her mum Terri, 56, sharing a sweet tribute to her ahead of Mother's Day.

Sweet: 'Happy Mother's Day to my amazing wife,' the former wakeboarder began his tribute. 'This is your first Mother's Day yet it feels like you've been doing this forever. Grace and I are both lucky and grateful to have you in our lives. We love you so much'

Bindi shared a picture of the pair hugging on Instagram and called Terri a 'real life Wonder Woman'.

'Thank you for showing me the infinite power of a mama's love,' Bindi captioned the post.

She added: 'You are the real life Wonder Woman. I love you beyond description.'

Love: On Wednesday, Bindi reflected on her own relationship with her mum Terri, 56, (left) sharing a sweet tribute to her ahead of Mother's Day

Wildlife warrior Bindi welcomed her first child with Chandler on March 25.

Their daughter Grace Warrior Irwin Powell was born on their first wedding anniversary.

Grace's middle names are a tribute to Bindi's late father Steve, who coined the term 'Wildlife Warrior' to promote his conservation efforts at Australia Zoo.
Mario Falcone has revealed his son Parker, two, was rushed to hospital on Saturday after getting a piece of sweetcorn stuck in his nose.

The former TOWIE star, 33, told how he and his fiancee Becky Miesner spent four hours in A&E and documented the hospital dash on Instagram.

Mario shared a video of himself on his Stories leaving the hospital with Becky, 32, and Parker and explained: 'So, it's been a very eventful evening.

Scare: Mario Falcone has revealed his son Parker, two, was rushed to hospital on Saturday after getting a piece of sweetcorn stuck in his nose

'Parker, at dinner time, got a little bit of sweetcorn stuck in his nose so we tried everything  tried to help him blow it out, tried mother's kiss that didn't do anything.

'So we took him to A&E and waited for four hours to see someone and two minutes before we could see the ear, nose and throat specialist he coughed and sneezed it out himself.'

Mario then turned the camera around to show his son holding hands with Becky and added: 'He also thought he needed an ambulance when we were at home and he was asking for an ambulance. But, yeah'

He returned to his Stories on Sunday morning to say he was surprised to see Parker woke early after his hospital trip.

Hospital: Mario shared a photo of Parker holding the piece of sweetcorn in his hand and smiling at the camera in the hospital waiting room

He wrote: 'So after 4 hours in A&E waiting to have a little piece of sweet corn removed from his nose he ended up coughing and sneezing it out himself!'

He said: 'After last night's sweetcorn escapade, you would have thought that Parker would have liked a nice long lay-in this morning, being as he went to bed at half 11.

'But, nope, no, no... to rub salt in the wounds he got up at 10 past six this morning. So we're a very tired household and I've done the honourable hero dad thing and been to Starbucks to get us breakfast and Becky and I a very strong coffee. But today's going to be a struggle. No more sweetcorn, ever.'

Mario also shared a photo of Parker holding the piece of sweetcorn in his hand and smiling at the camera in the hospital waiting room.

He captioned the photo: 'So after 4 hours in A&E waiting to have a little piece of sweet corn removed from his nose he ended up coughing and sneezing it out himself!'

Clip: Mario shared a video of himself on his Stories leaving the hospital with Becky, 32, and Parker and explained: 'So, it's been a very eventful evening'

It comes after Mario was forced to call off his Italian wedding last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The father-of-one and the make-up artist were scheduled to tie the knot last May in the hard-hit country following a three-year engagement.

Mario insisted he's hopeful their nuptials will go ahead this summer, telling Hello! magazine: 'We hope to have the wedding in June, so we have to see how guests feel and if it's safe to fly.

'I always wanted to get married in Italy because of my heritage and we found this venue on the coast with insane views.'
Lisa Curry celebrated her first Mother's Day since the death of her daughter Jaimi in September, on Sunday.

After posting a series of photos featuring son Jett, daughter Morgan, and her grandchildren to Instagram, the 58-year-old revealed both her happiness and heartache.

She wrote: 'A beautiful Mother's Day morning spent with my beautiful husband, mum, children and little boo boos.

Emotions: Lisa Curry celebrated her first Mother's Day since the death of her daughter Jaimi in September, on Sunday. Pictured with son Jett, daughter Morgan, and her grandchildren

'It was difficult to hide my sadness today... there are so many emotions... always being tugged from happiness to sadness,' she wrote.

The three-time Olympian went on: 'Every single person is on this earth because of a mother. Our role as mum is never ending.

'We try so hard every single day to protect you, to comfort you, to teach you what's important, to be kind to others, to follow your dreams... and then when you leave our nest, to do your best.

Family: Posting a series of photos featuring her surviving children to Instagram, the 58-year-old shared both her her happiness and heartache

Moved: 'It was difficult to hide my sadness today... there are so many emotions... always being tugged from happiness to sadness,' she wrote. Lisa's mother is pictured second from right

'To all our children, on earth and in heaven, you are our greatest achievements and our greatest loves. I am your mum and I love you with everything I have.'

She concluded the post with the names of her three children: Jaimi, Morgan and Jett.

Jaimi, who was the daughter of Lisa and her ex-husband Grant Kenny, tragically died on September 14 last year, at the age of 33.

Lisa added: 'To all our children, on earth and in heaven, you are our greatest achievements and our greatest loves. I am your mum and I love you with everything I have'

Mixed feelings: Lisa is pictured with her husband husband Mark Tabone

The former athlete announced Jaimi's death in an emotional social media post on September 15 - one day after her passing.

It was later reported that Jaimi had battled alcoholism and an eating disorder before her death at a Sunshine Coast hospital.

Lisa and Grant, 57, are also parents to Jett, 27 and Morgan, 29.

For confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. Alternatively, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
He split up with his ex-girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou in February following a series of furious rows.

And James Lock looked like he may already have moved on as he was spotted in the company of Love Island's Rachel Fenton on Saturday.

The TOWIE star, 34, departed Jin Bo Law rooftop bar at the Dorsett City hotel in London in the company of the blonde beauty, 28, with the pair seen holding hands as they left in a taxi together.

Cosy: James Lock looked like he may already have moved on from ex Yazmin Oukhellou as he was spotted in the company of Love Island's Rachel Fenton on Saturday

The pair were joined by a group of friends on the night out including James' TOWIE co-star Pete Wicks.

James and Rachel were seen in close conversation outside the venue, with Rachel placing her hand on the reality star's waist.

Rachel, who appeared on the second series of Love Island, looked sensational in a white crop top which she wore with a matching skirt.

The TV star wrapped up in a white jacket and let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders for the evening.

Close: The TOWIE star, 34, departed Jin Bo Law roof bar in London in the company of the blonde beauty, 28, with the pair seen holding hands as they left in a taxi together

Night out: James and Rachel were seen in close conversation outside the venue, with Rachel placing her hand on the reality star's waist

Fun: Rachel looked in good spirits as she chatted with James outside the venue

James kept it casual as he wrapped up in a black leather jacket and also sported a pair of dark jeans.

However, a source told MailOnline: 'They are just friends, James is single and not dating anyone.'

MailOnline has also contacted representatives for James and Rachel for comment.

It comes after James' ex Yazmin hinted she's in a new relationship as she captured her romantic weekend in the UAE after being lavished with gifts for her 27th birthday.

The former TOWIE star clinked a champagne glass with a mystery man before taking a ride in a Lamborghini and sitting down for dinner at the Burj Khalifa.

Outfit: Rachel, who appeared on the second series of Love Island, looked sensational in a white crop top which she wore with a matching skirt

Looking good: The TV star wrapped up in a white jacket and let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders for the evening

Outfit: Rachel added height to her frame with a pair of open-toed heels

Casual: James kept it casual as he wrapped up in a black leather jacket and also sported a pair of dark jeans

TV: Rachel entered the Love Island villa during series 2 on day seven and was dumped eight days later

In the first telling photo uploaded to her Instagram account on Bank Holiday Monday, Yazmin showcased her sensational figure in a Dior swimsuit as she posed next to her collection of luxurious birthday gifts.

Yazmin wrote alongside the picture: 'I woke up like this [birthday party emoji]. Feeling so grateful and blessed today best birthday feel truly spoilt. [confetti emoji].' (sic)

One follower commented: 'It's all about the designer. I like you have found happiness with your new boyfriend moved on quick but it is what it is.'

A second quipped: 'Anyone else wondering who the fella is?' while a third penned: 'You deserve it! '.

History: Prior to her stint on Love Island, the beauty worked as a nurse

Honest: On an episode of TOWIE last month, James admitted he doesn't want to have kids with 'the wrong person'

Split: MailOnline revealed James and Yaz mutually agreed to cut ties after their relationship turned toxic in February

Apart: James flew home to the UK and is back on TOWIE while Yazmin chose to remain in Dubai

A source previously revealed to MailOnline: 'James and Yazmin haven't been in a good place for a while now'

They added: 'Living together in Dubai only put further strain on their relationship'

Later on Monday, Yazmin relaxed on decking by the Dubai waterfront with her mystery male companion.

The duo clinked their champagne flutes, while the gentleman flashed his inked arm and diamond encrusted watch.

On an episode of TOWIE last month, James admitted he doesn't want to have kids with 'the wrong person' as he reflected on being single after the pair's split.

They added: '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'

Breakup: A spokeswoman for Yazmin said: 'I can confirm James and Yazmin have split up'

Past: The Essex couple had experienced a tempestuous relationship, splitting up and reconciling on a number of occasions after they first started dating in 2017\

New love? It comes after James' ex Yazmin hinted she's in a new relationship as she captured her romantic weekend in the UAE

MailOnline revealed James and Yaz mutually agreed to cut ties after their relationship turned toxic in February, with James flying home and Yazmin staying 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.'

'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.'

Who is he?: The former TOWIE star clinked a champagne glass with her mystery man before taking a ride in a Lamborghini and sitting down for dinner at the Burj Khalifa

'Feeling so grateful and blessed today': Her followers took to her social media account to question the identity of her possible new boyfriend

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.
Sam Burgess has shared a sweet tribute to his mum and nan as he celebrates Mother's Day.

The former rugby star, 32, shared a photo of himself alongside his mother Julie Burgess, in an Instagram post.

He also shared a photo in which he posed with his grandmother, the pair wearing surgical masks.

Mum's the word: Sam Burgess has shared a sweet tribute to his mum and nan as he celebrated Mother's Day. Pictured alongside his mother Julie Burgess, in an Instagram post (pictured)

Sam wrote in the caption: 'Happy Mother's Day to all mums out there. You are all truly amazing, none more so than my legend of a mum.

'I couldn't not mention my Nan too. So pure and full of wisdom. Lots of love - we hope you've all had a great day,' he added.

The British athlete will soon be put to the test in the highly anticipated second season of SAS: Australia.

Sweet: He also shared a photo in which he posed with his grandmother, the pair wearing surgical masks. Sam wrote in the caption: 'Happy Mother's Day to all mums out there. You are all truly amazing'

Last week, one of the show's Directing Staff revealed that the former NRL star was put through 'some horrendous' tasks on the selection course.

Mark 'Billy' Billingham told Nova's Fitzy and Wippa the ex-Rabbitohs player was a 'good contender' when the show was filmed in the NSW Blue Mountains.

Radio host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli noted that Sam had previously shown impressive toughness on the field - particularly when he led the Rabbitohs to victory at the 2014 NRL Grand Final with a broken cheekbone.

Ready to rumble: The British athlete will soon be put to the test in the highly anticipated second season of SAS: Australia

'We know he's tough, but it's a mental strength of how much he wants it in that moment, is that right?' Wippa asked.

'It comes down to mental strength to be honest. I won't give too much away, but you've named a good one there,' Billy, a decorated former SAS solider, replied.

'He's a big boy, he's going to struggle with certain things and we put him through some horrendous tasks,' he added. 'I won't tell you how far he got, but he did well.'
Lily Collins returned to work on Sunday as filming continued on the French Riviera for the eagerly anticipated second season of Emily In Paris.

The Netflix show joined millennial BBC drama Normal People and madcap documentary Tiger King as one of quarantine's biggest TV hits after launching in October 2020.

And with season two expected to air later this year, leading lady Lily, 32, stepped into the precocious Emily's designer shoes for another scene on location in sunny Saint Tropez.

Here we go: Lily Collins returned to work on Sunday as filming continued on the French Riviera for the eagerly anticipated second season of Emily In Paris

Sporting a breezy floral minidress, the actress daughter of Genesis star Phil Collins was in high spirits while being readied for her next scene by a group of assistants.

She added to fashion conscious Emily's seasonal look with a patterned summer hat, while a highly distinctive handbag rounded things off.

Evidently pleased with the character's latest ensemble, Lily took a series of cheerful selfies while idling on the outdoor set between takes.

Upbeat: The actress was in high spirits as she idled on the set in Saint Tropez between takes

Don't mind me: Sporting a breezy floral minidress, the actress daughter of Genesis star Phil Collins was in high spirits while being readied for her next scene by a group of assistants

Say cheese: Evidently pleased with the character's latest ensemble, Lily took a series of cheerful selfies while relaxing on the outdoor set

Lily stars as the titular character in Emily In Paris, a Chicago native who moves to Paris for work.

Once there, she tries to establish herself professional and create new friendships while struggling with the culture clash.

Although several critics found the show charming, many criticised it for being slight and narrow-minded in its comparison of Midwestern American values to French values.

It did however enjoy an enormous following, with 58 million households streaming the show during its first month on air.

Success: Season one of Emily In Paris enjoyed an enormous following, with 58 million households streaming the show during its first month on air

Picture perfect: The actress smiled as she posed for some self-taken snaps on Sunday

Finishing touches: She added to fashion conscious Emily's seasonal look with a patterned summer hat, while a highly distinctive handbag rounded things off

That's better: Lily took the weight off her feet while waiting to be called for another scene

Let's talk: She passed the time by chatting to a co-star on the exterior set

The series was the subject of controversy earlier this year when it was nominated for Best Television Series in the musical or comedy division at the Golden Globes and Lily was nominated for Best Actress in the same division, while much more critically acclaimed shows were snubbed.

In February, the Los Angeles Times reported that 30 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that awards the Golden Globes, had been flown out to France for a two-night stay at a $1400-per-night hotel and treated with a visit to an esteemed private museum.

When the Golden Globes nominations were announced, several critics lambasted the organization for passing over acclaimed shows including Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You in favor of Emily In Paris.

Natural beauty: Lily caught the eye as she relaxed in the shade on Sunday

Centre stage: The actress stars as the titular character in Emily In Paris, a Chicago native who moves to Paris for work

Getting the message: Lily appeared to check her phone while filming season two of the hit show

Back in October Lily revealed to Glamour that she used to severely pluck her eyebrows up through high school, before her mother Jill Tavelman told her to lay off.

Now, she does all the upkeep herself in order to prevent anyone else from thinning out her recognizable feature.

'I do it all myself  I simply look in a magnifying mirror, get the tweezers and follow the line. I dont let anyone touch them,' she explained.

'I really think less is more and I like to mess them up. But to be honest, I do maintenance every night.'

Watch Normal People on Stan in Australia.

Covered up: The actress later pulled on a stylish tan coloured robe as she made her way across the set
Naya Rivera's ex-husband Ryan Dorsey has paid tribute to the late actress with a touching Mother's Day post.

The actor, 37, posted a photo of the Glee actress spending quality time with their son Josey Hollis, five, at an ice cream parlor.

'We can't say the word happy but we'll say thank you for being a mother & giving me this sweet amazing boy,' Ryan captioned the photo.

Naya was just 33-years-old when she tragically drowned during a boating trip with her son at Lake Piru last year.

Remembrance: Ryan Dorsey paid tribute to his late ex-wife Naya Rivera by sharing an image of her with the couple's son Josey to his Instagram account on Sunday morning

Naya and Rivera remained on good terms after finalizing their divorce in 2018.

Twere first romantically connected in 2010 when they briefly dated but eventually broke up due to the performer's lifestyle.

Prior to becoming involved with the Justified actor, the actress was involved with Tahj Mowry, who wrote a tribute to his former girlfriend shortly after her passing.

Serious sentiment: The actor also wrote a brief message in the post's caption where he thanked his deceased former spouse 'for being a mother & giving me this sweet amazing boy'; the two are pictured in 2014

On-off couple: Dorsey and Rivera briefly dated in 2010 and broke up before eventually reconnecting and getting married; they are seen in 2014

The Step Up star also briefly dated her Glee co-star Mark Salling, although they maintained a rocky relationship and separated after two years.

Rivera went on to begin seeing rapper Big Sean, who broke the news about their connection in April of 2013.

The former couple would go on to announce their engagement in October of the following year but eventually split up the following April.

After the end of their relationship, the rapper released a single entitled I Don't F*** With You, which was seen by many as a diss track aimed at Rivera, although the performer eventually expressed regret for penning the song.

Not mincing words: Rivera was previously engaged to Big Sean, although they later broke up and he wrote a diss track that many interpreted as being aimed at the actress; the two are pictured in 2013

Following her split with the songwriter, Dorsey reconnected with his former flame, and they went on to tie the knot at a 2014 wedding in Mexico.

Shortly after they rekindled their romance, Rivera informed her husband that she had an abortion shortly after they originally split in 2010, with the actor reportedly remaining supportive of his wife's decision.

The two went on to welcome their son in 2015 and separated the following November only to both reconcile and re-file for divorce in 2017.

That year, the actress was arrested and charged with domestic battery after allegedly hitting Dorsey in the head, although the actor requested to have the charges dropped.

Going strong: Dorsey and Rivera welcomed their son Josey Hollis in 2015, although they separated the following year and finalized their divorce in 2018; they are seen together in 2016

The two finalized their divorce in 2018 and agreed to split custody of their son, currently aged five, with an adjustment to their agreement being made in 2020.

Rivera disappeared in July of last year while spending time with Josey at Lake Piru in Ventura County, California, where she regularly decamped to relax.

Dorsey joined her relatives during the search effort for the actress, and her body was eventually found by a team of divers, with the cause of death being given as accidental drowning.

Many of her past co-stars paid tribute to the actress after her passing, and her ex-husband kept quiet about the situation until after her funeral.
Catherine Tyldesley recreated her wedding photos with her husband Tom Pitfield to mark five years since they tied the knot.

In this week's Hello! magazine, the actress, 37, slipped back into her elegant bridal gown by Philip Armstrong as she posed alongside her personal trainer spouse and their son Alfie, six, for a stunning shoot at Colshaw Hall in Cheshire.

The former Coronation Street star discussed the prospect of growing her family and also touched on how her body felt 'like it was pregnant' as she experienced a hormonal imbalance in her body for an accompanying interview.

Before and after: Catherine Tyldesley recreated her wedding snaps with husband Tom Pitfield and their son Alfie, six, to mark five years since they tied the knot (pictured L in 2016, R now)

In the original image, the performer and her long-term spouse cradled their little one, who was one at the time, as they exchanged vows at the grand manor house.

The screen star swapped her blonde locks for her light brunette tresses while looking as glamorous as ever in the new picture.

Meanwhile, the thespian revealed she put on a stone and had morning sickness as a result of her recent illness, which she didn't disclose.

The TV star shared: 'My body seemed to think it was pregnant. I took so many tests as I was convinced I was actually pregnant and even had morning sickness, but in fact my body was just mimicking a pregnancy.

'I put on a stone in weight': The former Corrie star, 37, touched on how her body felt 'like it was pregnant' as she experienced a hormonal imbalance in her body (pictured last month)

'So many children need good homes': The actress echoed her comments during a Q&A session with fans late last year

Options open: On the prospect of having more children, the Viewpoint star said: 'We are so happy as a three, but if it happens, that's wonderful

'My endocrinologist said she'd never seen such a reaction. It felt like I'd given birth without having a baby. I put on a stone in weight even though I was eating well and training hard. It is only now that I feel I've got my body back.

Out now! Read the full story in Hello! magazine, out now

On the prospect of having more children, the Viewpoint star said: 'We are so happy as a three and we don't ever feel like there is anything missing, but would I like another child? Yes, I think I would, so if it happens, then that's wonderful.'

The Salford native added that she feels 'very passionate' about adoption, hailing the process as 'one of the greatest things you can do for another person.'

Catherine echoed her comments during a Q&A session with fans late last year, stating: 'I'd like another as some point. I've always said I wanted two. Maybe adoption. So many children needing good homes.'

The mother-of-one has been keeping busy since quitting her role of Eva Price on Coronation Street in 2018, appearing on shows such as sitcom Scarborough and ITV police drama Viewpoint.

Read the full story in Hello! magazine, out now.
On Sunday, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's youngest son Joseph Baena paid tribute to his mother Mildred 'Patty' Baena on Mother's Day.

The Guatemalan 60-year-old chef secretly mothered the 23-year-old real estate agent with her famous 73-year-old boss, which ended his 25-year marriage to wife Maria Shriver.

Arnold and the 65-year-old journalist - who parented Christopher, Katherine, Christina, and Patrick - never divorced following their 2011 legal separation.

'Happy Mother's Day!' Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's youngest son Joseph Baena (L) paid tribute to his mother Mildred 'Patty' Baena on Sunday

Joseph has truly followed in the bodybuilding, acting footsteps of Schwarzenegger - perhaps more than any of his four older children.

Last Monday, Baena - who boasts 294K Instagram followers - was 'super excited' to announce his new job with ARIA Silicon Beach Real Estate.

The former Alpha Tau Omega frat brother will also portray Nico in fellow Pepperdine grad Ifeanyi's TV pilot Scam Squad, which is now in post production.

Meanwhile, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt paid tribute to her 'queen mother' by sharing a slideshow of nine never-before-seen snaps.

Lovechild: The Guatemalan 60-year-old chef (R, pictured in 2020) secretly mothered the 23-year-old real estate agent (L) with her famous 73-year-old boss, which ended his 25-year marriage to wife Maria Shriver

Still not divorced: Arnold and the 65-year-old journalist (M) - who parented (from L-R) Christopher, Katherine, Christina, and Patrick - never divorced following their 2011 legal separation

Ironic: Joseph has truly followed in the bodybuilding, acting footsteps of Schwarzenegger (R, pictured January 15) - perhaps more than any of his four older children.

'Happy Mother's Day to the world's greatest mother and happy first Mother's Day as a grandmama!' the 31-year-old NY Times best-selling author gushed.

'You've taught me everything I know about motherhood, about unconditional love, kindness, acceptance, and you mother with such joy and ease. As I wrote in @thesundaypaper you've made each of us feel beyond loved always.

'We would all rather hang out with you and each other than anyone else and you are the greatest grand mama to [my daughter] Lyla Maria! She beams with JOY when she sees you, and today she's all yours! I hope to be half the mother you are. I love you deeply.'

Katherine's famous husband Chris Pratt posted a snap of her beaming while wearing a backless swimsuit in an infinity pool.

'Shoot me a DM!' Last Monday, Baena - who boasts 294K Instagram followers - was 'super excited' to announce his new job with ARIA Silicon Beach Real Estate

Wrapped! The former Alpha Tau Omega frat brother will also portray Nico in fellow Pepperdine grad Ifeanyi's TV pilot Scam Squad, which is now in post production

'Happy Mother's Day to my sweet @katherineschwarzenegger,' the Minnesota-born 41-year-old wrote.

'This is your first year as a mom, your third year as a step mom, and 31st year as a hot momma. Thank you for everything you do for us. We love you!'

The Before, During, and After Baby podcaster is also stepmother to Chris' eight-year-old son Jack from his eight-year marriage to Mom star Anna Faris, which ended in divorce in 2018.

Pratt was famously introduced to Schwarzenegger by Shriver at church in June 2018.

'World's greatest mother!' Meanwhile, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt paid tribute to her 'queen mother' by sharing a slideshow of nine never-before-seen snaps

The 31-year-old NY Times best-selling author gushed: 'You are the greatest grand mama to [my daughter] Lyla Maria! She beams with JOY when she sees you, and today she's all yours! I hope to be half the mother you are. I love you deeply'
Georgia Steel put on a sensational display on Sunday, taking to Instagram to share a slew of scantily-clad snaps from the set of her Ibiza photoshoot with lingerie brand Hunkemoller.

The former Love Island star, 23, slipped into a variety of bikinis while lounging poolside, and made sure to treat her fans to a peek at some of her sizzling looks.

Georgia donned a black wraparound two-piece in one photo, raising her hands above her head as she looked to the right of the frame, and in another, the brunette beauty leaned against a white wall while wearing a terracotta-hued bikini.

Wow: Georgia Steel, 23, put on a sensational display on Sunday, taking to Instagram to share a slew of scantily-clad snaps from the set of her luxury Ibiza photoshoot

Elsewhere, the TV personality reclined on some steps, pointing her toes as her glossy hair cascaded down her back.

Stepping into the pool with another model, Georgia donned a chic white two-piece bikini, and wrapped an arm around her companion's back.

In one particularly cheeky snap, the former reality star put her peachy bottom on display as she leaned through an open window, playfully captioning the photo: 'Bum shot.'

After wrapping up her busy day in front of the lens, the Yorkshire-native enjoyed a spin in a convertible car, throwing her hands up into the air as she zipped around in sunny Spain.

Gorgeous: In another snap, the brunette beauty leaned against a white wall while wearing a terracotta-hued bikini

It comes after the Love Islander, who turned 23 in March, recently revealed her excitement to be embarking on a solo mission to build her own home.

She told fans on social media: 'Can't believe my dream home is actually happening. Words can't explain how excited/grateful I am for this next step in my life. I'm just so overwhelmed. As if this is me doing this... Little George wouldn't believe it.'

She is taking on the venture solo after speaking openly about how happy she is being single.

Like a natural: Elsewhere, the TV personality reclined on some steps, pointing her toes as her glossy hair cascaded down her back

Georgia famously had a whirlwind romance with Callum Izzard, 26, in August 2019 when they met during the filming of Ex on the Beach: Peak Of Love, with the couple becoming engaged just a month later.

The couple split in April last year after a seven month romance, with the hunk soon moving out of their home together.

Prior to that, Georgia dated Sam Bird, 28, after meeting in the Love Island villa in 2018, but they split three months after leaving the show.

Team work: Stepping into the pool with another model, Georgia donned a chic white two-piece bikini, and wrapped arm around her companion's back

Cheeky: In one particularly cheeky snap, the former reality star put her peachy bottom on display as she leaned through an open window, playfully captioning the photo: 'Bum shot'

Fun: After wrapping up her busy day in front of the lens, the Yorkshire-native enjoyed a spin in a convertible car, throwing her hands up into the air as she zipped around in sunny Spain

Speaking on a podcast last year, Georgia addressed her past relationship and noted it was a 'toxic' one, though she didn't name any names.

The beauty said that she had to spend some time 'finding herself', but added that though she's not quite there, she's looking forward to the future.

Georgia said: 'The last relationship I was in was quite a toxic relationship so it definitely took some time to rebuild my confidence, to find myself again.

'I would definitely say that now, I am almost there.

'I feel like the future is bright, there's good things ahead.'

Hinting that she didn't truly know her ex boyfriend, she added: 'The next one, I'll get to know the person before so I will never be in the same situation as the last.'

New home: It comes after the star, who turned 23 last month, recently revealed her excitement to be embarking on a solo mission to build her own home
Grenfell Tower firefighter Ricky Nuttall recalled suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as he appeared on Sunday's first episode of SAS: Who Dares Wins series six.

The contestant, 39, broke down as he discussed the tragedy, which tragically claimed 72 people's lives after a blaze tore through the residential block in west London in 2017.

Ricky surprised Ant Middleton, Jason Fox, Mark Billingham and new DS Melvyn Downes when he completed an abseiling task in just five seconds, but voluntarily quit the show at the end of the latest edition in rural Scotland.

'I'd cry and I wouldn't know why': Grenfell Tower firefighter Ricky Nuttall recalled suffering from PTSD as he appeared on Sunday's first episode of SAS: Who Dares Wins series six

The brave recruit failed to impress the hard-nose team during a hill sprint, which marked the first challenge of the series.

Despite getting off to a slow start, Ricky made a shock comeback when he was placed at the top of the list for the second duty.

The reality star was later interrogated by the cast when he touched on his background.

Ricky said: 'The last three years... I suffered PTSD. I'd start crying and I didn't know why.

Emotional: The contestant, 39, discussed the tragedy, which tragically claimed 72 people's lives after a blaze tore through the residential block in west London in 2017

They're back! Ant Middleton, Jason Fox, Mark Billingham lead the series with new DS Melvyn Downes

They're back! Ant Middleton (second from left), Jason Fox (left), Mark Billingham (right) lead the series with new DS Melvyn Downes (second from right)

'I tried to rescue someone and we had to turn back and that guy died. You want everyone to survive, and it's f*****g heartbreaking. This course to me was a chance to start a new chapter in my life.

'I do have some demons, and I hope I can overcome it during the course. When things don't work out how you want them to, it hurts. I have a Saviour complex, I'm used to helping others.'

June 14 will mark four years since a small kitchen fire on the fourth floor in the high-rise turned into the most deadly domestic blaze since the Second World War.

A total of 72 residents lost their lives and a further 74 sent to hospital with non-fatal injuries.

Baring it all: The group was later forced to strip off in front of each other in the cold, before heading into their accommodation

Eek! The brave recruit failed to impress the hard-nose team during a hill sprint, which marked the first challenge of the series

She's out! The recruits were expected to complete a 'hell run' up a hill in just 40 minutes, with Shireen, 28, being eliminated after falling behind the rest of the team

Tough: 'It's too heavy', the contestant complained, before Billy said: 'Shut up. The f*****g state of you! You've been taken off as a liability'

What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. People with PTSD often suffer nightmares and flashbacks to the traumatic event and can experience insomnia and an inability to concentrate. Symptoms are often severe enough to have a serious impact on the persons day-to-day life, and can emerge straight after the traumatic event or years later. PTSD is thought to affect about one in every three people who have a traumatic experience, and was first documented in the First World War in soldiers with shell shock. People who are worried they have PTSD should visit their GP, who could recommend a course of psychotherapy or anti-depressants, the NHS say. Combat Stress operate a 24-hour helpline for veterans, which can be reached on 0800 138 1619. Advertisement

Ricky was among the firefighters who battled for nearly 24 hours before the inferno was eventually brought under control at 1.14am.

Moments later, the TV star handed in his number and left the bootcamp. The programme kicked off with new DS Melvyn instructing the contestants to place their faces in pools of mud as they ran through a field.

The group was later forced to strip off in front of each other in the cold, before heading into their accommodation.

The recruits were expected to complete a 'hell run' up a hill in just 40 minutes, with Shireen, 28, being eliminated after falling behind the rest of the team.

Too much: Champion circus artist Holly, 32 - who is the show's first-ever trans participant - collapsed

'I'm a fighter and I'll keep on fighting': The Derby native touched on her motivation behind joining the show after she was examined by a medic

'It's too heavy', the contestant complained, before Billy said: 'Shut up. The f*****g state of you! You've been taken off as a liability.'

The female Muslim contestant recently claimed she was prevented from preforming at her best because of 'insensitivity' towards her faith and gender.

Shireen said she feared she would catch hypothermia after refusing to strip off in front of the cameras and fellow contestants because of her beliefs.

The entrepreneur also complained that she was not served any halal food and became constipated after being unable to use a bucket as a toilet while men were present.

The North London native told MailOnline: 'Being on the show was an incredible experience and something that will live with me forever. But I do believe that cultural insensitivity towards my Muslim faith and being a woman, held me back.

'After a mud challenge, the other contestants were comfortable stripping off in front of each other and the cameras but as a Muslim woman, I couldn't do it.

'I had to keep on wet clothes, which left me cold and shivering and I was worried that I would catch hypothermia. I had to wait until I could change my clothes privately.

'The toilet was one of two outdoor buckets and I wasn't able to go properly during my time on the set because men were using an adjoining one. Because of my culture I wasn't comfortable doing that.

'I believe that there needs to be greater diversity on the show and the only way you can do that is by being more aware of cultural sensitivities.

'I'm going to be the dark horse': Dental engineer Kieran, 25, was the last to complete the course, but still seemed determined as he spoke about his speech impediment

'These are all barriers that are preventing people from diverse backgrounds from participating in Who Dares Wins and even joining the British armed forces.

'The programme has already had problems around Ant Middleton, and I feel that Channel 4 need to address the issues that I'm raising.'

Stripper Esther, 28, followed in her footsteps by being booted off the show, while champion circus artist Holly, 32 - who is the show's first-ever trans participant - collapsed.

The Derby native touched on her motivation behind joining the show after she was examined by a medic, stating: 'I kept going and going, next I was face down on the ground.

'I just tried to find my place in the world so got bullied quite a lot. If I was to tell the world who I was, I was going to let my family down. I hated myself for it.

'I still have my male genitalia and I plan to get rid of it in the future. I'm a fighter and I'll keep fighting.'

Dental engineer Kieran, 25, was the last to complete the course, but still seemed determined as he spoke about his speech impediment.

What the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (HCLGC) is calling for, three years after the devastating Grenfell fire The parliamentary committee report into high-risk residential buildings, which is titled, Cladding: Progress of Remediation, calls for: The Government to ensure all buildings of any height with ACM cladding to be fully remediated of all fire safety defects by December 2021. Buildings with other fire safety defects, including non-ACM cladding, should be remediated before June 2022. The Building Safety Fund to be increased to address all fire safety defects in every high-risk residential building, potentially costing up to 15 billion. Any residential building where works have not commenced by December this year to be subject to a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), with a new national body created to step in where councils are 'unable or unwilling to act'. Advertisement

The electrician said: 'I have a stutter, I can't even say my last name. I'm going to be a dark horse, that's going to be me.'

Melvyn, who led operational tours in Iraq and Northern Ireland and served more than two decades in the Armed Forces, appears alongside Ant for the new series filmed before the latter was axed from the show.

He is the first mixed-race member of the SAS team, recruited to replace Ollie Ollerton who departed the show last year.

Having served over 20 years in the Armed Forces, the survival expert also spent 12 years in the SAS and is now a Scout Leader, and insisted that his position on the show isn't simply to boost Channel 4's 'diversity drive.'

In March, former solider Ant was dropped by Channel 4 bosses due to his 'personal conduct', with him fiercely denying claims that he was axed for making 'inappropriate' comments to female staff.

He told The Sun: 'I know people are going to say it's all about race, but I don't see it that way. To be a part of this programme you've got to be competent to do the job, that's number one.

'Because I had 24 years in the British military, got to senior rank as a Warrant Officer and led countless SAS operations, I think I have got the necessary experience first of all to back it up.'

Father-of-three Melvyn grew up on a council estate in Stoke and for the past decade has been living in Dubai working for both British Scouting Overseas and corporate security.

The new series features a surprise twist with one of the Directing Staff going undercover among the 21 recruits taking part.

This civilian series and the upcoming celebrity version were both recorded last year before Ant, who is now in Australia filming the country's version of the show, was axed from the show by Channel 4 bosses.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 told MailOnline at the time: 'Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.

'Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.'
Felicity alum Scott Speedman's girlfriend - Juillet Swimwear co-founder Lindsay Rae Hofmann - announced on Mother's Day that they were expecting their first child.

The expecting 30-year-old captioned her first-ever baby bump Instagram snap: 'In full bloom! Baby girl Speedman coming soon!'

The London-born, Canadian-raised 45-year-old has no social media accounts, so it was up to Lindsay to unveil their blessed baby news.

Congratulations! Felicity alum Scott Speedman's girlfriend - Juillet Swimwear co-founder Lindsay Rae Hofmann - announced on Mother's Day that they were expecting their first child (pictured February 14)

The expecting 30-year-old captioned her first-ever baby bump Instagram snap: 'In full bloom! Baby girl Speedman coming soon!'

And while Speedman and Hofmann are not engaged, the parents-to-be have been a hot item since the summer of 2017.

The Real Girl Series podcaster's BFF Jessica Lucatorto also Instastoried a snap of her bump captioned: 'Watching this tiny belly grow has been so special!'

Jessica and Lindsay's other gal pal Giana Francesca Califano were so excited to become 'aunties' they sang to her bump while chilling poolside.

Babymama: The London-born, Canadian-raised 45-year-old has no social media accounts, so it was up to Lindsay to unveil their blessed baby news

'Lova!' And while Speedman and Hofmann are not engaged, the parents-to-be have been a hot item since the summer of 2017 (R)

The Real Girl Series podcaster's BFF Jessica Lucatorto also Instastoried a snap of her bump captioned: 'Watching this tiny belly grow has been so special!'

'Your aunties love you!' Jessica and Lindsay's other gal pal Giana Francesca Califano were so excited to become 'aunties' they sang to her bump while chilling poolside

On April 24, Scott (born Robert) wrapped his recurring role as 'CEO and uncommunicative father Matthew' in third season of You, which premieres in late 2021 on Netflix.

Co-creators Sera Gamble + Greg Berlanti's critically-acclaimed psychological thriller stars Penn Badgley as stalking bookstore clerk Will Bettelheim.

This summer, the Run This Town actor will fly to Athens, Greece to film David Cronenberg's trans-humanism sci-fi flick Crimes of the Future alongside Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart.

Premieres in late 2021 on Netflix! On April 24, Scott wrapped his recurring role as 'CEO and uncommunicative father Matthew' in third season of You alongside Penn Badgley (pictured)
She is expecting her first child with her restauranteur boyfriend, Nathan Dalah.

And Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler was simply glowing as she left a session at the gym on Sunday.

The 28-year-old's baby bump was on show in tight black activewear.

Fit mama! Pregnant Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler was glowing makeup free as she showed off her baby bump in tight activewear after leaving Vive Active gym over the weekend

The brunette beauty was clad in black leggings and a stylish racerback singlet top.

The Kiwi-born stunner accessorised with a chic Dior leather handbag and some trendy tinted Aviator shades.

Makeup free, her pregnancy glow was on show and she tied her brunette locks up in a casual bun.

Georgia and her beau Nathan announced their pregnancy news last month.

Simply stunning: The brunette beauty was clad in black leggings and a stylish racerback singlet top

Nathan, a co-founder of the Fishbowl restaurant group, revealed they're having a daughter in his separate announcement.

The couple had confirmed their romance in February last year, and already share a puppy together, called Chilli.

In the past, Georgia has been romantically linked to Hollywood stars including Nick Jonas, Leonardo DiCaprio and Harry Styles.

Chic: The Kiwi-born stunner accessorised with a chic Dior leather handbag and some trendy tinted Aviator shades

When prodded about Harry's song Kiwi on Channel Seven's The Morning Show in 2017, the star's face dropped before addressing the question.

The song Kiwi on Styles' self-titled debut album has long been rumoured to be about the Georgia and features the curious lyric: 'she said "I'm having your baby, it's none of your business".'

'Definitely don't have a baby... that's what the song is all about,' she said, adding: 'I think it's highly unlikely.'
Pete Wicks was seen looking extremely happy as he embraced a mystery blonde woman outside a London bar on Saturday.

The TOWIE star, 32, cut a dapper figure in a signature black outfit as he chatted with the glamorous woman and smiled at her, before sharing a hug.

Lothario Pete, who has carved out a reputation for his womanising on the hit ITVBe show, looked delighted as he chatted in the street with his companion.

Who's that? Pete Wicks was seen looking extremely happy as he embraced a mystery blonde woman outside a London club on Saturday

The pair shared a sweet hug before Pete walked off grinning.

His tresses were styled in waves and he sported a stylish pair of shades for the evening.

Mailonline has contacted Pete's representatives for comment.

Good night? The TOWIE star, 32, cut a dapper figure in a signature black outfit

Good to see you: Lothario Pete, who has carved out a reputation for his womanising on the hit ITVBe show, looked delighted as he chatted in the street with his companion

Hug: The pair shared a sweet hug before Pete walked off grinning

This comes after Pete revealed that he has such a bad reputation as a ladies' man that he has even been romantically linked to his own mother.

The TOWIE hunk says he is linked to anyone he even 'stands next to' including his mum Tracy, 59, after they were photographed together at an event.

The Lothario explained that he was snapped while having a cigarette outside with her and the next day read that he was with a 'mystery blonde'.

Awkward: Pete has revealed that he has such a bad reputation as a ladies man that he has even been romantically linked to his own mother

Pete told The Sun: 'I don't have the best reputation when it comes to women so if I stand next to a woman everyone thinks I've s*****d her.

'A couple of years ago I was at my mum's for an event. I was outside having a cigarette with my mum.

'There was a picture of me the next day which said 'Pete with mystery blonde'.'

Fame: The TOWIE hunk says he is linked to anyone he even 'stands next to' including his mum Tracy, 59, after they were photographed together at an event

Pete added that that was the point he realised he needed to focus more on his work than going out, saying he knew it was 'time to take a step back'.

Pete's various rocky romances have been documented on TV since he joined TOWIE back in 2015, earning him a 'player' reputation.

The reality TV star had a famously explosive break up with Megan McKenna on the show and more recently broke Chloe Sims' heart after the pair admitted to a secret two-year relationship.

Funny: The Lothario explained that he was snapped while having a cigarette outside with her and the next day read that he was with a 'mystery blonde'

His most recent fling has been with much younger cast member Ella Rae-Wise, 20.

They became the talk of Essex after their drunken kiss was revealed last month on the show.

Pete then admitted there was some 'sexual tension' between the pair during a recent episode of TOWIE.

The past: The reality TV star had a famously explosive break up with Megan McKenna on the show (pictured in 2017)

The reality star also apologised for making the blonde beauty feel 'mugged off' when she claimed he'd been 'downplaying' their embrace to others.

During a run in at a cafe, Pete said to her: 'Yeah, it is sexual tension and I flirt when I see you, especially when you look like that, what do you expect me to do?'

The week before Pete made it clear to his latest love interest that he still wanted to keep things extremely casual.

It's over: More recently Pete broke Chloe Sims' heart after the pair admitted to a secret two-year relationship (pictured in 2019)

The Lothario told Ella over cocktails: 'Listen, we kissed it's not the biggest news in the world is it? I do think you're beaut and I do think we get on really well...

'You know I can't be in a relationship.'

But Ella wasn't put off by Pete's aversion to commitment as she said: 'I ain't asking for a relationship.'
American rapper Common, recently enlisted Damian Marley for a Reggae remix of his What Do You Say (Move It Baby) track, featuring PJ, which originally appeared on his A Beautiful Revolution Part One EP which was released in 2020.

Common made the announcement on his social media pages a few days ago, where he wrote of how pleased he was to work with the youngest son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, who now joins a list of collaborators which include Stevie Wonder, Chuck D, Lenny Kravitz, and The Roots Black Thought.

Its an honor to work with @DamianMarley. This remix took me to another place that I had never been musically. Ive always been a fan of reggae music and dance hall and to work with one of the greats has been inspiring. This remix makes me want to move even more Also, s/o to @justpeej for her melodic vocals, he noted on Instagram.

Common is known for hits such as Glory (with John Legend), Love Is, I Used to Love H.E.R, Retrospect for Life and Gold.

The remix with Marley has also been complemented with a visualization by young Jamaican artist Bonito Thompson.

We know were in good company working with CommonThroughout the years his music has always been uplifting and he always has positive things to say, and that is a big part that we do in our music and our faith. We try to encourage people in the right direction. So were in good company and both work for a common cause in that respect. Its been a pleasure, Damian said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone Magazine.

According to Udiscovermusic, Damian brought a fresh aesthetic to the project, with his remix giving the song an upbeat reggae feel, transposing his aesthetic onto the groovy original.

In addition to PJ on vocals, Common recruited a core band for the Reggae project which includes Robert Glasper on keys, Karriem Riggins on drums, Burniss Travis on bass, Isaiah Sharkey on guitar.

Common is also quoted in a release as saying that the track was offering music to uplift, heal, and inspire listeners dealing with racial injustices as well as other social injustices.

Its affirmation. Its recognition. Its elevation. Its music to go with a movement. Because the truth is, there is still so much work to do. Regardless of the outcome of the election, we need to make sure things do not return to the status quo. The intention of this first EP is to channel all of our pain and outrage into something productive, inspirational, and good. Its to help lead a movement into our next phase of the work to be done, he said.

Although this is his first reggae collab, Common is no stranger to Reggae having performed at the Reggae Sumfest music festival in Montego Bay in 2015, in at was his debut performance on the island.

At the time, Common, who says he is inspired by the likes of Michael Jackson and Maya Angelou and the group Earth Wind and Fire, had mentioned that he had never worked with a Jamaican artiste before, but if he had a chance, he would love to work with Beenie Man, whom he described at the time as being dope.

He had also pointed out that he had visited Jamaica as a child and that he thought Jamaica was beautiful, with fun people and a culture that he respected. In addition he also laid tracks in Jamaica, having visited to record in Port Antonio while working on Like Water for Chocolate, which was his first album for a major label.

It stood out for me to come there and record and be out by the Blue Lagoon. Jamaica is one of those places where its its own place. Its beautiful, the people are strong, and they got soul, he said.
The decision to set up the temporary hospital was taken in view of difficulties in transport of oxygen to hospitals located far away.  Representational image/AFP

ANANTAPUR: A temporary 500-bed hospital will soon be set up near Arjas Steel Plant in Tadipathri mandal to meet the emergency needs of Covid-19 patients from Rayalaseema region. The beds would have oxygen supply and ventilators and the plant with an active oxygen plant can meet oxygen demand considerably in these critical times.

Patients from Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts and also from nearby areas in Karnataka can make use of the medical facility.

The decision to set up the temporary hospital was taken in view of difficulties in transport of oxygen to hospitals located far away. District Collector Gandham Chandrudu said the hospital would be set up in 5 acres of land. The oxygen being produced in the steel plant would help save many lives as it can be swiftly supplied to the hospital.

A team of representatives led by Minister Shankara Narayana, Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah, Tadipathri MLA K. Pedda Reddy inspected the proposed site on Saturday. The steel factory director, Jayaprakash Devaraj, briefed them on production of oxygen and agreed to cooperate with the district administration and supply oxygen in needed quantities to the hospital.

Minister Shankara Narayana said the government was firm that no death should occur due to Covid-19 and for want of oxygen. He hoped the temporary hospital would meet the needs of Rayalaseema.
Hyderabad: The first day of delivery of the second dose of Covid-19 vaccines in the state witnessed chaotic scenes at nearly all the vaccination centres with people lining up for spot registrations and getting the shots.

However, since many had also booked their slots previously for Saturday using the Cowin portal, before the health departments announcement of Friday restricting vaccination till May 12 only to those waiting to get their second dose, there was a lot of confusion at many vaccination centres with people who pre-booked their slots also turned up for their shots.

At most vaccination centres, all run by the government, there were no stocks of Covaxin and people looking to get their second Covaxin shot had to leave without getting the second dose. We have no idea till the time we get the vaccine vials which one they are, whether Covishield or Covaxin. And people too do not have any way of finding out which centre has which vaccine, a doctor in charge of a vaccination centre in the city said.

It may be recalled that the vaccination drive till May 12 will be restricted to only those seeking their second dose. But the health department did not say how such people can find out where they would get which brand of vaccine. A person who received one brand of vaccine, cannot take any other and must get the second shot too of the same brand.
Hospitals are unable to fully allot the available beds and are denying or discouraging admissions owing to lack of oxygen. They say the supplies are barely enough to meet the needs of those undergoing treatment.  Representational image/AP

Kadapa: Faced with shortage of oxygen supply, government as well as private hospitals are denying admission to patients arriving with breathlessness issues and gasping for the life-saving gas.

Though the district administration is striving to create more beds should there be a need, arranging adequate oxygen supply to the need has become a gruelling task for officials.

As against the requirements of around 26 kiloliters of oxygen, the district is allotted only 20 kiloliters by the state government. Even the fully allotted quota is not being fulfilled as the two agencies engaged to supply oxygen are hardly supplying 17.5 kiloliters a day. They are hard-pressed to cater to the demands of not only the four major government Covid hospitals in the district but also 17 private hospitals treating corona patients.

Oxygen is supplied to the district from Bellary. Liquid oxygen is sent to District Central Hospital (RIMS), Kadapa, District Hospital at Proddatur, Corona Hospital at Fatima Medical College in Kadapa, and Area Hospital at Pulivendula. These agencies convert some liquid oxygen into gas at their own plants and supply to all private hospitals through cylinders.

The shortage of oxygen meant that even the four major corona hospitals in the district are not providing all the beds to patients due to inadequate supply of oxygen. For instance, RIMs in Kadapa has a capacity of 700 beds but uses only 400 beds. Only 120 patients are admitted as against 150 beds at Proddatur Hospital. The medical college can serve only 100 patients though it has 250 beds for want of oxygen.

Authorities say they are helpless in denying admissions as they need to provide full medical care to the admitted patients.

District Collector Chevuru Harikiran said he had written a letter to the government, requesting 25 kiloliters of oxygen a day. He said if the number of patients increased further, the need for oxygen would also increase drastically and all these issues were discussed with the higher authorities. He hoped that the oxygen supply to the district would increase soon.
The connectivity pact will also promote fast and effective roll-out of 5G on the basis of global standards and enhance cooperation through submarine cables and satellite networks.  PTI

New Delhi: After a gap of eight years, India and the European Union (EU) on Saturday agreed to resume negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a parallel investment protection agreement. Both sides also agreed on a Connectivity partnership covering digital, energy, transport and people-to-people connectivity that will also include sustainable joint projects in third countries, most notably in the Africa, Central Asia and Indo-Pacific region.

These decisions were taken during a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the heads of state or government of all the 27-member states of the bloc with a focus on expanding overall cooperation in areas of trade, investment and connectivity.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed the decision to restart trade talks after an eight-year break as a "landmark moment. She also said that since 2013 nothing happened in the trade talks as the Modi government came to power and wanted to begin the talks afresh.

The connectivity pact will also promote fast and effective roll-out of 5G on the basis of global standards and enhance cooperation through submarine cables and satellite networks. In a veiled message to China, both sides also underlined their commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region and discussed action to combat climate change.

Participating virtually as a special invitee in the two hour-long India-EU Leaders Meeting that was attended by European Council President Charles Michel and leaders of the 27 EU member-nations at Porto, Portugal, hosted by its Indian-origin PM Antonio Costa, PM Modi welcomed the growing convergences between India and the EU on regional and global developments" and thanked the EUs swift aid to India to tackle the raging pandemic. He also requested the EUs support for the India-South Africa proposal for a TRIPS waiver on vaccine production-related patents, adding that the EUs support at WTO for this waiver will ensure that we can scale up the vaccine production for equitable and global access and save lives.

EU countries are sending medical equipment and drugs worth an estimated $120 million to India as part of international efforts to help it fight Covid-19.

MEAs secretary (West) Vikas Swarup said, Negotiations on both the Trade and Investment Agreements will be pursued on parallel tracks with an intention to achieve early conclusion of both of them. As you know, the negotiations were suspended in 2013 after several rounds of talks spanning six years. Both sides have worked intensively over the last few months to arrive at a common understanding.

On the connectivity pact, the joint statement said, We launched today a sustainable and comprehensive Connectivity Partnership that upholds international law, conforms with international norms and affirms the shared values of democracy, freedom, rule of law and respect for international commitments. A separate document on the partnership added, The Partnership will support sustainable digital, transport and energy networks, and the flow of people, goods, services, data and capital centred on equity and inclusivity....

Both sides also welcomed the resumption of the India-EU Human Rights Dialogue earlier this month as per a decision reached last year.
The Chief Minister also directed the finance department to immediately release the pending Rs 28 crore because of which the two super speciality hospitals, one each in Warangal and Adilabad, remained incomplete for more than a year now. (Photo: Twitter @TelanganaCMO)

HYDERABAD: In a bid to give a much-needed break to the fatigued medical and health staff in the state, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday directed officials to make use of the services of 50,000 odd MBBS graduates for a brief period of two to three months.

The Chief Minister also directed the finance department to immediately release the pending Rs 28 crore because of which the two super speciality hospitals, one each in Warangal and Adilabad, remained incomplete for more than a year now.

Of the Rs 300 crore allocated for both the hospitals, the Centre gave a grant of Rs 240 crore but the state government could not provide its matching grant till now.

The equipment was lying idle and though IT minister K .T. Rama Rao announced the issue of orders releasing Rs 30 crore to Adilabad RIMS some time back, the finance department is yet to arrange the funds.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to take immediate measures to appoint 729 staff in both the hospitals put together.

Chandrashekar Rao held a review on Covid-19 containment operations at Pragati Bhavan with Ministers T. Harish Rao and E. Dayakar Rao along with Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and other senior state officials.

Significantly, the officials informed the Chief Minister of the availability of adequate oxygen and remdesivir injections in the state. They said 7,393 beds are available in government hospitals, including 2,470 beds fitted with oxygen supply and 600 with ventilators. Health staff is available round the clock with required medicines, they said. However, Rao said that remdesivir injections should be made available in private hospitals also.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to invite applications from the 50,000-odd medical students who have completed MBBS and are qualified. Nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists and other paramedical staff should also be immediately engaged and paid respectable salary, he said.

Rao also announced that the temporary staff who came forward to serve should be given weightage marks when they apply for government jobs. He urged young doctors to come forward to serve the people, who are facing a difficult situation.

Those interested can apply online by logging into https://odls.telenagna.gov.in/medicalrecruitment/home.aspx, he said

The Chief Minister also decided that five kgs of rice per person for two months would be distributed free to all white ration card holders in the state and the number of private teachers being extended state help of `2,000 per month and 25 kgs of rice would be enhanced from 1.2 lakh to two lakh.
Its now a Third World War. In the nineteenth century, Prussias Maj. Gen. Carl von Clausewitz had said: War is a mere continuation of policy by other means. That is what the Peoples Republic of China is now engaged in -- waging war in order to dominate the world.

We have now entered the third year of this epic campaign, which began in 2019 on a low key. The Chinese strategy was simple -- to subdue without shooting -- and to bring India to its knees. This has now turned into a conflagration. New Delhi was totally unprepared and last year, as the threat of the pandemic rose, it got caught up in health issues and couldnt put adequate infrastructure in place. This monumental misjudgment led to vast numbers of Indians shivering down their spine, failing as usual to read Chinese malice.

Its not just India. The world is in the midst of a long-drawn, protracted Third World War, the first salvo of which was fired by Beijings dictator-for-life Xi Jinping from Wuhan in 2019, to fulfil the Communist Party of Chinas twenty-first-century ambition of becoming the planets numero uno power.

The seeds were sown at Wuhan, President Xis favourite venue to showcase his countrys new global ambitions. Remember the Wuhan spirit of 2018  when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Chinese strongman in the aftermath of the Dokalam standoff earlier that year? The prime target was, of the West, and specifically the United States; but Beijing then changed course towards the secondary target, India; decimating Delhis health and resources through a second-wave warhead that penetrated through the fragile firewall of Lutyens Delhis diplomatic gullibility, political vulnerability and strategic inability to retaliate against the CPCs malice. This not only brought Delhi down, forcing it to kowtow to the world for aid and help, but now threatens the very existence of Indias demography.

As fatalities rise across the land and corpses pile up, the killer epicentre of the war has ferociously revived across the whole of India, wreaking havoc of the kind not seen by Indians before. Without a bullet fire or a bomb dropped, the flames of war are about to send Indias economy and its health systems into the ICU. Indias defence and diplomacy are on a psychological ventilator, with the polity embarrassed and bruised for going into an avoidable and premature celebration to declare victory over the China-origin virus pandemic.

New Delhis enormous misjudgment in assessing the incendiary punch of the conflagration has sunk a nation of 1.3 billion into an unprecedented state of pessimism and panic, dejection and depression. India also miscalculated the swift course change of the Third World War, because unlike all belligerents in previous conflicts in human history, its mass killing spree without military mobilisation doesnt have any visible or definite contours.

The deathly blow of the Chinese-origin virus (Covid-19) is far worse than the physical devastation and destruction that India faced in either the First or the Second World War. The outreach of this virus has been more devastating than the poison gas in the First World War (used by Britain, Germany and Austria-Hungary in the trenches adjacent to the Franco-German border and beyond) and the subsequent reduced use by combatants in the Second World War following the public revulsion caused after the 1914-1918 war.

In the twenty-first century, however, the Chinese-origin virus has already affected around 320 million people globally and is now on an uncontrollable overdrive. Having afflicted 20 million-plus Indians and killing over 200,000 of them, this silent chemical-biological killer is infecting around 400,000 people in India every single day, with around 3,500-4,000 succumbing every day. The funeral pyres are everywhere, not just in crematoria: ambulances, alleys, parks, car parks, riversides are seeing corpses lit before the last rites.

Compared to the two world wars of the twentieth century, which were largely fought in Europe and other parts of the planet, this is the first world war in which India is one of the principal battlegrounds. Make no mistake. Even at the height of the bloodshed between the belligerents, the First World War was a European war, leading to 30 million deaths. It happened mostly on the European heartland, Russia, Turkey, Mesopotamia and East Asia, in which a maximum of 40 nations were directly involved or affected.

The 1939-1945 Second World War, however, killed 60 million people, double that of the First World War, with the devastation centred mostly in Europe, the Soviet Union, North Africa, Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific islands. Mainland India survived a direct assault, along with most of the African continent, Australia, plus North and South America.

Compare these with the Chinese-virus killer of the Third World War! It has spared no one, except perhaps the country of its origin, as is being claimed by the CPC in its centenary year. Hence, of the 223 countries (sovereign, semi-independent, autonomous, dependents) in the world, all are under attack except one! Isnt it a World War of one (among 223) against 222?

In the midst of this calamity comes the offer of proposed assistance to India from Mr Xi, who is also the CPCs general secretary! Should India accept it? As far as Beijing is concerned, we can emulate what then PM Manmohan Singh had done in 2004, in the aftermath of the tsunami, to politely refuse any assistance, at least from the CPC. India can seek or accept aid or help from any of the remaining 222, but not from the one that is actively trying to turn this country into a vassal state at a time of its distress. China has already proved that it is an existential threat to a large number of countries. Now the Third World War looms large, with the threat of the airborne Made in China germ/virus hovering over the planet.

You dont have to look very far for evidence of the Hans mischievous thought and intent. On Weibo, see the image of a Chinese rocket launch positioned next to a photo of Covid-19 victims being cremated in India. The text read: Lighting a fire in China versus lighting a fire in India. This nasty, nefarious image was published by an account of the official Chinese law enforcement agency -- CPC Central Political, Legal Affairs Commission -- that has millions of Weibo followers. It shows the Chinese rejoicing at the sight of funeral pyres of Indian victims of the Third World War. Will nemesis catch up one day?
April may be a cruel month but May heralds the beginning of the holiday season. For some reason, the English prefer to go abroad at the only time the weather is tolerable  in the summer months. It was in the late nineteenth century that Parliament decided to have a summer break. The issue was the pollution of Thames. It stank. Members wanted the windows open due to the heat but that brought in the stink. So they decided to abandon the Westminster Palace for the summer. That brought summer holidays all around.

And now the traffic lights are back again  to guide you whether you can travel to a particular country or not. Australia and New Zealand have made it to the green traffic lights, including others like Iceland, along with very few other countries. Which means that the Brits can travel there without having to quarantine for 10 days at a hotel chosen by the government when they return . But countries like India  and some of its neighbours like Nepal and Pakistan fall into the red list. Thus while we know that right now there is a travel ban between the two countries  if any British citizen wants to travel to India they need to quarantine for ten days in a hotel upon their return, plus all the tests they have to undergo. Some people are deeply unhappy that these restrictions are still in place, despite the vaccine. But that is our Brave New World  perfect only for armchair travellers !

So we still have rules of how many others you can meet and how closely they must be related. For instance, six members of two families can meet, etc. But it is only around the third week of June that many of these restrictions are going to be removed  we hope that we can last that long! But of course getting back to normal will come with fresh caution as undoubtedly a life free of Covid and its many mutations is still far away. So while the traffic lights may turn green, many of us will still hang on to our masks.

Even so, it is not all pleasure and no work. May is also the month when local elections take place. Plus this year, elections to the Scottish Parliament. Municipal elections in England were cancelled last year due to our first (of many but we did not know it then) lockdowns.

Mind you, despite all the difficulties the country has been through, the Prime Minister is still riding high. Perhaps it is the optimism that he exudes  with the tousled hair and Houdini-like escape mechanisms. Throughout his career, he has got away with much, much more than any one else, and he carries no guilt for any wrong or fault he has committed. He apologises and carries on, a formula that has worked wonderfully.

Normally, the government party does not do well in the four yearly local elections as they are out of sync with general elections. But lucky Boris is emerging triumphant all over the English regions. The Labour Party under its leader Sir Keir Starmer (a rare Knighted MP) was hoping to reverse their losses in the North where they were supposed to have a Red Wall. It had crumbled in the last general election. Alas, it cannot be rebuilt by Sir Keir, and Boris has once again managed to convince voters that he is their best good news guy.

In London though things are different, the mayor of London has a four-year term. Boris was twice the mayor of London. But in 2016, Sadiq Khan, the Labour candidate, captured London. He has already had a bonus extra year due to the postponement of the election. Now he has won, and extended his stay for three more years. Thus he becomes not only the first minority ethnic candidate to continue to head one of the biggest cities in the world but now will establish the enviable distinction of having been mayor for a eight years. So come 2025  prepare for Sadiq to turn his mind to leadership of the Labour Party and take a gamble on becoming the first minority ethnic Prime Minister of UK. Of course he may be running against Rishi Sunak or Priti Patel as the Conservatives prime ministerial candidate. Who could have thought even 10 years ago, such a thing could happen?

And meanwhile a quick note on the publicity outreach of the two duchesses. Both Kate and Meghan are doing their best to stay in the limelight. Who would have thought the ever productive Meghan Markle even had a book in her, and this time it seems to be a cute little childrens book. She has come up with one called The Bench, dedicated to her husband Harry  but written for her son. Undoubtedly a money-spinner good or bad it means that now we all know what gift to buy a toddler.

One person who may not buy it will be the Duchess of Cambridge for reasons which are far too well known, especially after Oprah. But the competition is heating up  as William and Kate have their own YouTube channel now. While the two duchesses continue their duel at dawn, from safely across the pond one wonders, what next?
Still indulging in vaccine supremacy, U.S. now itches for vaccine diplomacy

10:33, May 09, 2021 By Qing Ming ( People's Daily Online

Four months ago, the coronavirus situations in the U.S. and India were worlds apart, with Americas daily COVID-19 cases soaring to between 150 and 250 thousand while Indias single-day case numbers had just touched down to their lowest point at 8,635. Four months later, the contrast remains, but just in the opposite direction: now the U.S. is in a much better off position with 46% of its citizens having gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while India is meanwhile heading straight down a slippery slope, shattering world records for daily case counts one day after another.

What is even more striking than the two nations intersecting fates, however, is that India, which is one of the world's largest vaccine producers, is struggling to mass-produce enough doses even for its own citizens, with Americas disappointing delays in lifting exports bans on raw materials having played no small role in this debacle.

Despite US President Joe Bidens promise to share AstraZeneca doses and his support for waiving COVID-19 vaccine patents, he cant wipe away the gritty truth that America and its G7 allies went about hoarding a sizable share of worldwide vaccine stocks, swaying the international vaccine distribution and supply chain first and foremost in favor of themselves. Yes, they havent blocked the poor countries of the world from accessing COVID-19 vaccines, but they have nevertheless purchased available vaccines in bulk through bilateral deals; nor have they barred poor countries from directly producing vaccines, yet they instead acted simply to cut off the export of key raw materials.

Representatives pose for a group photo during the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign and development ministers at Lancaster House in London, Britain, on May 4, 2021. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

On May 5, at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting, a joint statement imbued with privilege, conceits and cliches was issued, blathering on about other countries internal affairs while conjuring up solutions to issues the group failed to address from the get-go (if not having contributed to making these issues even worse). But the ministers clearly forgot to comment on what the clique had done from the outset to aggravate an unfair situation of vaccine distribution that had been one of their own making (that is, by signing self-serving bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies reserving orders for billions of doses), nor did they comment on why the U.S. had thwarted others attempts to acquire raw materials even with its millions of as-yet-unused doses sitting in storage.

America and some of its allies vaccine supremacy lies in the fact that they deploy their authority willy-nilly and abuse their dominant position on what at first appears a seemingly understandable basis  namely, that their citizens (many of whom are reluctant to wear masks or loath to engage in social distancing) should have privileges to get the shot first. Even though the clique would go to every length to slam Trumps America First policy, in practice, theyve never completely forgone the same insular mindset. Thats no less shocking and immoral than rounding up and stockpiling all the bottled water from the shelves for ones own personal use during a water crisis as workers elsewhere are dying of thirst in front of the bottled water assembly lines.

A doctor shows a box of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Varoslod, Hungary, Feb. 24, 2021. (Tamas Vasvari/MTI via Xinhua)

On May 7, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, alongside previously authorized Pfizer-BioNTech, Astrazeneca/SK Bio, Serum Institute of India, Janssen, and Moderna vaccines, highlighting that its efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalized disease was estimated to be 79%, all age groups combined.

Following WHOs go-ahead for the Sinopharm vaccine, a WHO official acknowledged Chinas efforts to provide and donate vaccines to vulnerable countries, according to Reuters, especially nations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia who have found it exceptionally difficult to request access to doses from the rich world, noting that China has offered support to the COVAX program by providing COVID-19 vaccines mainly to poor countries.

The U.S. has not shown the slightest hint of appreciation towards China in its efforts to help ameliorate a crisis we are all facing together, instead having continued to smear China from the very beginning: questioning the efficacy of the Chinese vaccines, disputing the transparency of the WHO expert teams Wuhan trip, and labeling Chinas donations and exports of vaccines as vaccine diplomacy, a mere drive to secure geopolitical influence .

Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2021 shows a scene of the WHO-China joint study press conference in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Its not hard to see that the U.S. is falling into the same hypocritical rut and following the same hegemonic patterns when it comes to the issue of vaccines. One can plainly see that Americas targeting of China with its groundless accusation of economic coercion at the G7 meeting is just a mirror image of its own flagrant economic coercion directed against China : whether its the U.S. and American allies exclusion of Huaweis 5G equipment, citing so-called absurd concerns over state-sponsored surveillance that reflects a self-imposed paranoia of getting spied on, much like what the NSA had itself done to the German Chancellery and other foreign targets for decades, as well as Americas trumped-up accusations of genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang, which illustrates Americas own ugly past of slaughtering Native Americans and enslaving African Americans. It comes as no surprise then that the U.S. is weaponizing Chinas vaccine donations, belittling it in an attempt to gain geopolitical leverage, Janus-faced maneuvering that the U.S. intends to deploy at its own behest and yet fearing such behaviors on the part of other countries on the world stage.

The U.S. is the last major power to enter the race for global vaccine diplomacy, but still has the opportunity to win it, said Dave Lawler, an editor at Axios, in his opinion piece entitled U.S. could fill vaccine diplomacy void as other powers struggle, a roadmap for how America could win the vaccine diplomacy race. He got it right that America is second only to China in terms of production but has barely exported any vaccine doses at all as China has exported more doses than all the other major players combined, yet his argument that China and Russia had hoped to play a role as early birds seeking to win the vaccine-for-influence race was wide off the mark as it was in fact the U.S. who had plans all along to join the race as a latecomer and before crossing the finish line first.

Workers unload China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese government to Ethiopia, at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 30, 2021. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)

When it comes to China and the U.S., the doer vs. talker divide between the two countries has a deep-seated origin concerning sharing vaccines: they have a view to vaccines and foreign assistance that is quite divergent. While China regards vaccines as a public good to which all nations should be afforded access, the U.S. sees their premium vaccines as exclusive assets, highly coveted commodities that are only trotted out as donations if the act is captured on TV screens and in Newspaper headlines. China has provided vaccine assistance to more than 80 countries and three international organizations, exported vaccines to over 40 countries, and carried out vaccine research and production cooperation with more than 10 countries as Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted on May 6 at a regular press conference, while the U.S., on the other hand, has continued to repeat empty promises of assistance and yet has delivered little of real value, with news coverage meanwhile flooded with hollow words or, worse still, pathetic name-calling.

Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque administers a dose of the Russia-made COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik V" in the arm of a health worker in Manila, the Philippines, on May 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

Russia has also fallen victim to Americas unwarranted attacks. In an episode of The Daily, a New York Times podcast, released on April 26, titled Why Russia Is Exporting So Much Vaccine, the country was accused of peddling its Sputnik V vaccines to gain influence at the expense of its people. The opening part of the episode was certainly intriguing to listen to as it expanded on the Soviet Unions marvelous achievements in vaccine development; then suddenly, the program started to repeat the same old patterns of smearing and slandering other countries (well then again, what can you expect?). It is fascinating to see American journalism issuing a hit piece on Russiathis episode is biased propaganda disguised as news, said one comment. I am very disappointed at this episode. The Daily intentionally avoided the most important question in this health crisis: by helping small countries first, does Russia save more lives? another comment read. Some comments also pointed out that in the U.S., Moderna's [vaccine] is the only vaccine approved in [the] country that is truly all American while the Pfizer vaccine was not developed in the US, but in Germany. Whats more, Pfizer reported that its COVID-19 vaccine brought in $3.5 billion in revenue during the first three months of this year, nearly a quarter of its total revenues.

Combo photo of U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. U.S. President Joe Biden on April 26 promised to support India hit hard by COVID-19 in a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Xinhua)

The resurgence of COVID-19 cases in India, Nepal, and in other countries is truly a disturbing turn in the course of the worldwide fight against the virus. Equally concerning is the downright antagonism that the U.S. and some of its allies have shown towards those few countries that have acted to deliver vaccines to those in most need while stepping up efforts to make vaccines a public good. Next time this clique feels like criticizing anyone, they should just remember that all the people in this world havent had the advantages that theyve had, and that theyd ought to begin to walk the walk than merely talk the talk.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun)
Detectives are appealing for information following a report of an aggravated burglary at a property in Derry on Friday night.

The incident happened at around 11.30pm in the Friel Close area of the city.

Detective Sergeant Galbraith said: It was reported that a number of masked men, some of whom were armed with hammers, gained entry to a flat.

A male occupant was assaulted during the ordeal and has sustained a minor injury to his head, which could, of course, have been much more serious.

"The female occupant, while not physically injured, has been left extremely shaken.

The property was ransacked, with items thrown from the upstairs windows. A number of windows were broken, and various household appliances were also smashed.

This was a reckless and worrying attack, which could have resulted in serious injury  not only to the occupants, but to any potential passers-by.

Our enquiries are continuing.

I am appealing to anyone with information, or who noticed any suspicious activity in the area, to contact detectives at Strand Road on 101, quoting reference 2282 of 07/05/21.

Alternatively, a report can be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
A man has been arrested after a pensioner was robbed yesterday in Derry.

The woman was standing at a bus stop at Fergleen Park in the Galliagh around 2pm when a man in his 40s approached her and grabbed her late husband's wallet which she was carrying.

The pensioner was pushed to the ground during the incident.

A police spokesman said they arrested a man last night before locating the wallet and its contents.
Neetu Kapoor Reveals Ranbir Kapoor Was Obsessed With G.I. Joe, Talks About Her Best Mother's Day Lunch With The Actor

Neetu Kapoor got candid about her relationship with her kids Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahani this Mothers Day and relived some wonderful memories from their year growing up during an interview.

The veteran actress who speaks often and proudly about her kids' accomplishments revealed all about her best Mothers Day lunch with son Ranbir from before he became a Bollywood star. She also spilled the beans on the actors G.I. Joe obsession as a kid.

Looking back at the several occasions on which her kids made her feel special, Neetu recalled one lunch outing with Ranbir and told Filmfare, He was an Assistant Director. He made some money. So, on Mothers Day, he took me to a restaurant for lunch. That was the best Mothers Day. Sharing details she said that the place had Rs. 100 buffets and they filled their plates in one go.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54)

Recalling a visit to her daughter while she was studying in London, Neetu remembered how Riddhima saved up some money from a part time job and received her at the airport in a Limo with champagne at 11 am in the morning.

Neetu said she and her late husband Rishi Kapoor tried to give their kids a normal upbringing. She spoke about how as students Rishi Kapoor asked them to travel economy when they studied abroad and they got a small amount as pocket money.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54)

Looking back at things that cheered her kids up Neetu talked about Ranbirs obsession with G.I. Joes and how Raddhima once wrote her long letter after she was refused for getting highlights in her hair at 15.

Talking about her relationship with Ranbir now the actress commented on their shared love for movie and how he helps her pick scripts now. We always discussed movies. Since the beginning, we shared such a relationship. Now, I also discuss the scripts that come to me. Any films offered to me, I discuss with him, she said.

On the professional front, Neetu Kapoor will now be making her comeback to movies after several years with the film Jug Jugg Jeeyo which also stars Kiara Advani, Varun Dhawan and Anil Kapoor.
Rangoli Hits Back At Karan Patel For Calling Kangana 'Comedian', Says 'You're The Most Nalla Person This Country Has Ever Produced'

Kangana Ranaut's Twitter account has been permanently suspended after she had tweeted about the Bengal violence and incited even more violence to combat it, thus violating the social media's community standards. However, it looks like the system has gone back to before Kangana had her Twitter account, and the action has shifted to Instagram. It is once again Rangoli who has been posting non-stop for her sister now. After hitting back at designer Anand Bhushan, Rangoli has now called Yeh Hai Mohabattein actor Karan Patel names.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rangoli Chandel (@rangoli_r_chandel)

Well, a few days back, Kangana had made a tweet about planting more trees because we are using 'forcefully' using oxygen via oxygen cylinders. To the tweet, Karan Patel had called Kangana 'The most hilarious stand-up comedian this country has ever produced'. To this, Rangoli retorted by calling Karan 'nalla'. She wrote, And you are the most Nalla person this country has ever produced, who has not done anything for environment who is just a bojh on Mother Earth. Have some gratitude and feel better! @karan9198. See the post here:

Well, looks like we are back in the old days. We wonder if Rangoli would be now retorting to every criticism that comes in Kangana's way!
Sidharth Shukla Shares An Adorable Snap On Mothers Day; Rubina Reveals How Her Mom Is Helping Her Recover

While mothers should be honored every day of the year for all that they do and all that they are, we try to make their day even more special on Mothers Day. Celebrating his mother on this occasion, Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla shared a beautiful picture of him and his superwoman of a mother, Rita Shukla. Along with the post, he penned a heartwarming note which read: Acknowledging all your love and sacrifice on this special day because you make my everyday. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sidharth Shukla (@realsidharthshukla)

Bigg Boss 14 winner Rubina Dilaik, on the other hand, thanked her mother for taking care of her while she recovers from coronavirus. Rubina shared, She is up all night, just checking on me, she cooks variety of dishes as I cant taste and smell , she plays music for me , she makes sure I am comfortable ! I couldnt have been on my path to recovery so soon , had she not been around...... I love you mom. Along with this sweet post, Rubina shared adorable pictures of her mommy dearest.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rubina Dilaik (@rubinadilaik)

Rubina is currently in her home town Shimla recovering from COVID-19. She tested positive for the virus on May 1st and announced that she is home quarantined for the next 17 days. Meanwhile, her husband Abhinav Shukla has jetted off to Cape Town to participate in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.












Ten Years of ECHR : 1998 - 2008 show need of Revival in 2009-2010 coinciding with 2009 EU Election

A threefold, coordinated move by new Top French Political actors in the 2009 EU Parliament Elections, expressed in Strasbourg a will to boost Europe's Political dimension close to Citizens' concerns, going from protection of Economy to defence of Human Rights.

The move met an exceptional ECHR's call for a "revival" of Human Rights' protection mechanism', in a Mega-Conference, early 2010.

Obviously focusing on June 2009 Elections to EU Parliament, it involved from the outset the recently nominated "dual" Head of French Governing Party (UMP) Michel BARNIER and Rachida DATI :





- "As President Sarkozy has clearly said, we (France) are in favor of a Strong, Sovereign and Independent, Political Europe, which protects its Citizens, and not for a large Super-Market, nor for a Europe under influence",

"This goes for everything, including Energy", added to "EuroFora" the experienced former EU Commissioner, Minister of Foreign affairs, currently of Agriculture and Sarkozy's new pick as Leader of the Governing party UMP to EU 2009 Election, Michel BARNIER .

- Human Rights are important because they are at the Heart of the Political Europe that we aspire for : I.e. a Europe able to act and protect its Citizens, stressed also the New French Minister for European affairs, Bruno LE MAIRE, while meeting Strasbourg's Journalists at his first visit to the CoE.

This is one of the main interests for CoE, which is also a natural place for cooperation between EU countries and Russia or Turkey, which was recently helpful at the Middle East crisis, he added.

The move gained momentum with French Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati's main observations at ECHR's 5Oth Anniversary :

- "While we are seeking Europe's Borders and Identity, you (ECHR) remind us also of its Values", Human Rights, Dati noted.

Citizens seek more and more often ECHR's help, and the tempo accelerates, Europa awaits a symbol, while national legal orders are not freezed

And she expressed "support" to ECHR President Jean-Paul Costa's call to satisfy the vital need to revigorate the PanEuropean Court by deciding big changes at a High-Level Conference open to a large audience, a kind of "Etats Generaux" of Human Rights, at the beginning of 2010.

It's not so much the recently growing number of applications for Russia or Ukraine etc, which seems to be Costa's main concern : In fact, the cases declared "admissible" are much fewer...

But rather the persistent violations of Human Rights, sometimes very grave (ie. murders, torture, abritrary deprivation of liberty, oppression of freedom of speech, destructions of homes/properties, etc), despite numerous, repeated condemnations by ECHR. So that CoE's Ministers, due to "supervise execution" of ECHR's judgements, are overloaded.

F.ex. most Media noted that Turkey still remains, even in 2008, the 1st among 47 CoE member States in the number of condemnations by ECHR : 257, compared to 233 for Russia, with a population more than the double..

The problem is that it's not the 1st time at all : During all the last Decade 1998-2008, Turkey was condemned by ECHR much more than any other State, and for particularly grave violations :

- 1.652 condemnations, compared to 605 for Russia, 548 for Poland, 494 for France, 476 for Ukraine, etc.

Italy's second place with 1.394 condemnations is a misleading false appearance : In fact, most of them (999) concern mere "procedural delays" in national courts. Same for France.

On the contrary, Turkey was condemned 180 times for Killings, 192 times for Torture or Inhuman/Degrading treatments, 340 times for arbitrary deprivation of Liberty, 528 times for "Unfair trial", and 169 times for oppression of Freedom of speech, (etc). And the latest, 2008 numbers, indicate no change in this trend, (See supra).

The current Spanish CoE Presidency (November 2008 - May 2009) has made of the implementation of ECHR's judgements its 1st Priority.

ECHR's President, Jean-Paul Costa, stressed in its 2009 Annual Press Conference, CoE Member States' obligation to implement the judgements, according to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Moreover, if CoE's Committee of Ministers delays to ensure implementation, then, the repetition of violations in similar cases provokes a multiplication of complaints tabled to the Court, which overload the mecanism for the protection of Human Rights, denounced Costa.

A series of Debates on "the situation of Human Rights in Europe", focusing on the "need to fight against Impunity" of perpetrators of grave crimes, is currently prepared by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly for the session of June 2009.

The final Timing comes shortly AFTER the EU Elections, but the main Reports should have been adopted before.

Meanwhile, French President Sarkozy and German Chancelor Merkel's recent call "for a Political Europe" in 2009 EU Elections (See earlier "correspondence from Paris, Elysee Palace), seems more and more endorsed also by other EU Countries' Top MEPs :

Thus, f.ex., EU Parliament's 1st vice-President, Greek MEP Mrs Rodi KRATSA, speaking to "EuroFora", agreed that 2009 EU Election would be a "naturally good" opportunity to debate what really interests EU Citizens : "The Future of a Political Europe, able to face the Economic Crisis, with a Culture and identity which attracts the People"
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Mayor's Office Press Release

City of Houston Signs Agreements with Kingdom of Denmark Focused on Furthering Efforts Related to Water, Climate Change, and Resilience

May 7, 2021 -- The City of Houston and the Kingdom of Denmark have formed a partnership to address the realities of our changing climate. On Monday, May 3, 2021, Mayor Sylvester Turner welcomed Her Excellency Lone Dencker Wisborg, Ambassador of Denmark to the US, to Houston City Hall.

To commemorate the occasion, the leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share knowledge and best practices to address mutual concerns. The MOU commits to furthering both governments' efforts to find resilient water management solutions, improve climate mitigation, advance environmental restoration, and develop efficient water and wastewater management practices.

Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock also signed an agreement with Denmark Consul General Morten Siem Lynge to explore possibilities of energy optimization and resource recovery at wastewater treatment plants.

Following the signing, participants took part in virtual and in-person discussions covering a wide range of topics, including resilience, water management, infrastructure, and climate.

I thank Councilmember David Robinson, Chief Resilience Officer Marissa Aho, Director of the Mayors Office of Trade and International Affairs Christopher Olson, and all City of Houston representatives who participated in the workshops, said Mayor Turner It is through partnerships like this one with Denmark that allow us to meet the challenges of climate change and achieve a greener and more sustainable world. We look forward to our collaboration and knowledge sharing to provide a better quality of life for all of our citizens. If this world is to be saved, it will take each and every one of us to do it. And, as the Chair of Climate Mayors and the mayor of this city I dont think there could be a better relationship than the one we establish with Denmark.

Mayor Turner serves as the Chair of Climate Mayors, a bipartisan network of more than 470 U.S. mayors demonstrating climate leadership through meaningful actions in their communities.

It is a great honor to be a partner with the City of Houston through this memorandum of understanding on important issues such as sustainable and efficient water and wastewater management, climate resiliency and urban planning, said Ambassador Wisborg. Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to our existence, and mitigating and adapting to climate change is one of our most important goals. Water is central to that. Houston, like Denmark, is known for innovation and science, and I am optimistic that our collaboration will be key in lowering climate impacts related to water management. I hope that it will be inspirational to multiple actors in Texas, Denmark - and beyond.

Through this partnership, the Citys participation in the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED for Cities, Local Government Leadership Program, and other efforts, Houston continues to emerge as a climate and resilience leader.

Houston released the Resilient Houston Strategy and the Houston Climate Action Plan in 2020, the Houston Incentives for Green Development in 2019 and 10 Complete Communities Action Plans in 2018 and 2020 and is in the progress of implementing the goals, targets, and actions prioritized within these plans.




By Kwak Yeon-soo







Disney's latest live-action film, "Cruella," will hit theaters in Korea first, with a May 26 release date, Walt Disney Korea said, Friday. This comes two days before the film's U.S. release date.







Set in the 1970s, the movie centers on Cruella de Vil's life prior to her penchant for mass murdering puppies in London and turning them into fur coats, as was depicted in the 1961 film, "101 Dalmatians."







Emma Stone will portray the burgeoning designer Cruella, known at the time as Estella, who balances her day job with her ambition of becoming a successful fashion designer.







The cast includes Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, and Mark Strong.







"The Devil Wears Prada" screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna wrote the early drafts of the script for "Cruella," which was later finalized by "Favorite Queen" screenwriter Tony McNamara. "I, Tonya" filmmaker Craig Gillespie helmed the film.







Meanwhile, many other Hollywood studios have announced their plans to release their films in Korea first. "Those Who Wish Me Dead," featuring Angelina Jolie, opened in Korea on May 5, nine days prior to its U.S. release date on May 14.







Another action blockbuster, "Fast and Furious 9," is scheduled to hit theaters in Korea on May 19, a month before the film's U.S. release date.


China's large Long March 5b rocket has fallen to Earth mostly as expected, much to the chagrin of critics. According to the BBC, Chinese media said debris from the uncontrolled reentry splashed into the Indian Ocean just West of the Maldives at about 10:24PM Eastern. It's unclear if any debris hit land, although harm to people or property was unlikely given the location.

The rocket launched on April 29th to carry a Tiangong space station component into orbit, and started losing altitude soon afterward. A 2020 rocket is believed to have spread some debris on Ivory Coast in western Africa.

US officials unsurprisingly blasted China for its handling of the reentry. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson accused China of "failing to meet responsible standards" for space debris, arguing that the country should have done what it could to reduce risks for people below. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin echoed the statement.

China is unlikely to change its ways any time soon. State-backed press treated American concerns as "hype" and anticipated a water landing. Still, it's a sharp contrast to modern US launches, some of which now include reusable rockets where few if any parts are unaccounted for.
Details of the industry-hobbling Colonial Pipeline cyberattack are starting to emerge. Reuters and Bloomberg say the hack was likely the work of a cybercriminal group, and that the ransomware gang DarkSide appears to be the primary suspect. Bloomberg claims DarkSide stole almost 100GB of data in two hours on May 6th as part of a "double-extortion scheme" where intruders threatened to both leak company data and lock Colonial out of its information.

It's not certain if Colonial agreed to pay a ransom. The oil and gas giant reportedly asked FireEye's Mandiant forensics team to help investigate the breach.

The attack was important enough to get the US government's involvement, regardless of who was responsible. Officials were scrambling to help Colonial restore its fuel supply business, while Reuters understood that a government investigation was in the "early stages." President Biden received a briefing on May 8th.

If DarkSide or a similar group is involved, this would represent one of the most impactful ransomware campaigns to date. Hackers have targeted city governments and other key infrastructure before, but Colonial's reach could lead to extensive problems if it can't recover quickly. The company provides nearly half of the East Coast's fuel supply, including at airports. A lengthy shutdown could restrict travel across the US and have a knock-on effect for the American economy at large.
Armie Hammer was recently seen in public for the first time since rape allegations surfaced in March.

The actor was seen in the Cayman Islands, where his estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, has been staying with their children since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

In a video and photos exclusively obtained by Page Six, the actor was spotted with two older people and three other women which was described as his "friends".

In the said video, the eyewitness described the actor's mood as "super chill" and "casual"

According to The New York Times, the "Call Me By Your Name" actor is still under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department because of his rape allegations a few months back.

READ MORE: Bill and Melinda Gates Still Have One Ambitious Goal Amid Sudden Divorce

The rape issue in March

The allegations began to spark in March of this year when a woman who identifies herself as Effie, gave a press conference with her lawyer, Gloria Allred, claiming that the actor "violently" raped her in April 2017, she also claimed that the actor "mentally, emotionally, and sexually" abused her by "banging her head against the wall"

"I thought he was going to kill me," Effie said in the press conference, "I was constantly emotionally distressed and I lost interest in living" she added.

Efflie claims that she had an on-and-off relationship with the actor that began on Facebook in 2016, the relationship was said to last for four years.

In a statement provided to IndieWire, Andrew B. Brettler, Hammer's attorney, claims that all interactions between the actor and Effie was consensual.

"From day one, Mr. Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [Effie] - and every other sexual partner of his for that matter - have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. [Effie's] attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve." the attorney stated.

Hammer was married since 2010 and separated from his wife in 2020.

The actors estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, answered a fan question from Instagram in April asking her why she has been quiet on social media, Chambers answered "Focusing on healing, my babes and work,"

"A lot I've wanted to share, but hasn't felt right" she added, seemingly talking about the allegations against her estranged husband.

READ ALSO: Olivia Rodrigo Slams "Sexist" Comments About Her Songwriting Style
A study of more than 173,000 women in Denmark, presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) held online this year, suggests that girls with a higher body mass index (BMI) during childhood are less likely than their peers with a lower BMI to develop breast cancer as adults, both before and after the menopause.

The findings contrast with those for adult BMI, which indicate that women who gain weight after menopause have an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. While the authors are unsure why children with a higher BMI appear to be protected against breast cancer, they caution that having overweight or obesity can have many adverse impacts on general health.

"Our results suggest that having a higher BMI during childhood may lower your risk of breast cancer both before and after the menopause. But we must be really clear that weight gain should not be considered as a way of preventing breast cancer", says lead author Dr Dorthe Pedersen from Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. "There are so many health risks linked with having overweight or obesity, it is vital for women to maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives."

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with around 55,000 women diagnosed every year in the UK alone, and almost 1 in 5 cases developing in those under the age of 50. Previous research has established a link between increased BMI in adult women and a lower risk of breast cancer before the menopause, but an increased risk after menopause. Although a high childhood BMI may be protective against the risk of overall breast cancer, past studies had not been large enough to investigate the link by type menopausal status.

To provide more evidence, Danish researchers analysed data for 173,373 women from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register born between 1930 and 1996 (aged 25 to 91 years now) who had information on height and weight measured at annual school health examinations from ages 7 to 13 years. Cases of breast cancer were identified by linking with the Danish Cancer Registry.

During an average of 33 years of follow-up, 4,051 women were diagnosed with breast cancer before the menopause (at 55 years of age or younger), and 5,942 women after the menopause (after age 55 years).

The analyses suggest "inverse associations" between childhood BMI and breast cancer risk before and after the menopause, which means that breast cancer risks decreased as BMI increased. For example, when comparing two 7 year-old girls with an average height and one z-score difference in BMI (equivalent to 2.4 kg), the girl with the highest BMI had a 7% lower risk of developing pre-menopausal breast cancer and a 10% lower risk of developing post-menopausal breast cancer than the girl with the lower BMI.

The authors say that further studies are needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying these associations. They acknowledge that the findings are associations only, so no conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and point to several limitations, including that the study used BMI as a marker of fat mass, but children with the same BMI can have different body fat distributions and overall levels of body fat.

###




Live price charts of cryptocurrencies are shown on a market board at a crypto asset exchange in Seoul, April 27. Yonhap



Gov't needs to take cue from advanced countries



By Yi Whan-woo



The financial authorities here are facing growing calls to recognize cryptocurrencies as a new asset class and preemptively overhaul regulations in order to prevent virtual asset-related fraud and protect individual investors.



Such calls come as cryptocurrencies are increasingly becoming a mainstream form of investment in Korea. According to Coin Market Cap, a popular data source for price changes in "crypto assets," the combined daily turnover at the nation's top four cryptocurrency exchanges  Bithumb, Upbit, Coinone and Korbit  reached 4.5 trillion won ($4 billion), May 7, triple the size of the trading volume on the main KOSPI bourse.



The financial regulators, however, have been refusing to set up rules and relevant laws on crypto assets citing their huge volatility. They believe that such assets lack the features required to be considered as a money equivalent, such as a means of payment or significant worth.



Their conservative stance has drawn criticism from cryptocurrency investors, who are complaining about the government's dubious stance of seeing no monetary value in crypto assets, while at the same time trying to tax gains from them.



During a National Assembly hearing, May 6, Prime Minster-nominee Kim Boo-kyum accused the government of being "irresponsible."



Kim said the government "should not leave investors hanging just because it is not sure about what to do."



Lee Jong-koo, a former high-ranking official at the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and a senior official at the Korea Blockchain Association, has urged the administration to enact a new law on regulating crypto assets.



"There is no unified and consistent law on crypto assets, while there are millions of cryptocurrency investors, and daily turnover reaches tens of trillions of won," he said.



Park Sung-joon, head of the Blockchain Research Center at Dongguk University, voiced a similar view.









"Since the creation of the cryptocurrency market, the government has not changed a bit in its refusal to recognize the market. This will only make the situation worse, so the government should begin to overhaul related policies," he said.





Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Eun Sung-soo speaks at a National Assembly meeting, April 22. Eun is one of the top financial regulators who refuse to recognize cryptocurrencies as financial assets. Yonhap
Researchers have successfully developed a new Strep A human challenge model, paving the way to test vaccines against the common deadly bacteria that causes sore throats, scarlet fever and skin sores.

The collaborative research effort, led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and published in The Lancet Microbe, found the model, which deliberately infected healthy adult volunteers with the bacteria in a controlled environment, was safe and would now be used to trial Strep A candidate vaccines.

Strep A infections affect about 750 million people and kill more than 500,000 globally every year - more than influenza, typhoid or whooping cough. Strep A can also cause severe life-threatening infections like toxic shock syndrome and flesh eating disease and post-infectious illnesses such as acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and kidney disease.

Strep A infections disproportionately affect young children, the elderly, pregnant women and Indigenous Australians. There is currently no vaccine available to prevent Strep A and can only potentially be treated with antibiotics.

MCRI'S Dr Josh Osowicki said given Strep A only naturally infected humans, researchers were limited in what they could learn in the lab and using animal models.

"Human challenge models can be used to test vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tests, as well as driving all sorts of wonderful scientific collaborations to understand more about how diseases work and how to stop them," he said.

"We have developed the only current Strep A controlled human infection model, ready to be used as a platform to evaluate new vaccine candidates and therapeutics."

Dr Osowicki said the research team tested a Strep A strain they believed would cause a strep throat and was unlikely to cause acute or chronic health problems.

The study involved 25 volunteers, aged 18-40 years who stayed at Nucleus Network, a phase 1 clinical trials unit based in Melbourne for up to six days with blood tests and saliva and throat swabs collected regularly.

Dr Osowicki said 85 per cent of participants developed a convincing case of strep throat, well up on the at least 60 per cent anticipated.

"Starting at one-tenth of the dose used in old 1970s studies, we applied our special Strep A strain on the back of each participant's throat," he said. "To our surprise, from the very first participant at the low starting dose, our strain caused strep throat in most participants."

The volunteers developed mild to moderate symptoms including a sore throat, sweats, fever and headache. All quickly recovered and were followed up for six months after they were sent home, according to the study.

Melbourne resident Tania O'Meara's daughter Eden was just 11 months old when she almost lost her leg to a flesh-eating bacterial infection caused by Strep A.

"We put our daughter to bed with what seemed like a cold but the next morning she woke up with a fever and was very pale, limp and dehydrated," she said.

"We took her to the hospital but the doctor couldn't get the IV drip in because Eden was so dehydrated and they were forced to drill it into her leg. They also noticed that the skin on her leg looked like it was turning a different colour."

Ms O'Meara said Eden required surgery on her right calf to remove the dead flesh.

"We were told that she could die and we braced ourselves so it was a miracle that they were able to save her leg and even her calf muscle," she said.

Eden, now three, needed three more surgeries and has since made a full recovery.

Ms O'Meara said she was relieved that a vaccine for Step A may not be too far away.

"I don't want any other family to experience what we went through. It is an absolute tragedy that this bacteria is cutting so many lives short," she said.

MCRI Professor Andrew Steer said the team expected to start testing candidate Strep A vaccines developed by researchers in Australia and overseas before the end of the year.

The trials, to be conducted in Melbourne, would involve about 50 participants receiving a candidate vaccine or placebo and having the Strep A challenge strain applied on their throats.

"The global burden of Strep A is an unmet public health challenge. We hope this research will accelerate the development of a vaccine and move things forward to bigger field trials," Professor Steer said.

"A vaccine for Strep A will save hundreds of thousands of lives every year and prevent millions of infections that send children and adults to the hospital or doctor."

###

Researchers from the University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Monash University, Griffith University, The University of Tennessee, The University of Queensland, Oxford Vaccine Group and Telethon Kids Institute also contributed to the study.

Publication: Joshua Osowicki, Kristy I. Azzopardi, Loraine Fabri, Hannah R. Frost, Tania Rivera-Hernandez, Melanie R. Neeland, Alana L. Whitcombe, Anneke Grobler, Sarah J. Gutman, Ciara Baker, Janet M.F. Wong, Jason D. Lickliter, Claire S. Waddington, Manisha Pandey, Tibor Schuster, Allen C. Cheng, Andrew J. Pollard, James S. McCarthy, Michael F. Good, James B. Dale, Michael Batzloff, Nicole J. Moreland, Mark J. Walker, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Pierre R. Smeesters and Andrew C. Steer. 'A controlled human infection model of Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis: an observational, dose-finding study (CHIVAS-M75),' The Lancet Microbe. DOI: 10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30240-8

*The content of this communication is the sole responsibility of MCRI and does not reflect the views of the NHMRC.

Available for interview:

Dr Joshua Osowicki, MCRI Tropical Diseases Research Group

Professor Andrew Steer, MCRI Theme Director, Infection and Immunity

Tania O'Meara, mum of Eden, 3, who had a flesh-eating bacterial infection caused by Strep A
Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to press ahead with plans for a new referendum on leaving the United Kingdom after pro-independence parties won a majority in Thursdays parliament elections.
In February 2021, India and Pakistan agreed to strictly observe all previous agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors, and to address core issues and concerns. It was their first joint statement in over eight years. But will the agreement be upheld this time? Both countries have come close to an all-out military conflict several times in the past two decades. DW takes a look at factors that are driving the hostility between the two South Asian neighbors.
The Pound Sterling to Canadian Dollar is seen almost 0.4% higher on Monday, with the pair quoted at 1.70796 at the time of updating.

Crude oil prices gained some support in Asia on Monday from the closure of the US Colonial Pipeline by a ransomware attack.

Commodity prices also overall posted strong gains which underpinned the Canadian dollar in global markets.

Traders were, however, still attempting to digest weaker than expected employment data from the US and Canada on Friday.

The Canadian currency overall maintained a strong tone with the US Dollar (USD/CAD) exchange rate posting 44-month lows.

The Pound to Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) exchange rate continued to recover from 2021 lows near 1.6850 posted last week, although gains were limited to just above 1.7000.

GBP/CAD Exchange Rate Benefits from Sharp Canadian Unemployment Rate Uptick

The British Pound Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) exchange rate recovered ground ahead of the weekend thanks to a surprise increase in the Canadian unemployment rate.

While forecast had pointed towards the unemployment rate picking up in April the extent of the jump from 7.5% to 8.1% left the Canadian Dollar on the back foot.

With the labour market showing renewed signs of weakening CAD exchange rates were left biased to the downside on Friday, especially as the corresponding participation rate also weakened.

An unexpectedly negative average hourly wages figure added to the bearish picture, putting the Canadian Dollar under greater pressure even as the general sense of market risk appetite improved.

Although the UK construction PMI fell short of forecast this was not enough to weigh on the GBP/CAD exchange rate at this stage.

Negative UK Gross Domestic Product Forecast to Weigh on GBP/CAD

However, the GBP/CAD exchange rate may struggle to hold onto a positive footing in the week ahead as anticipation for the UK gross domestic product report grows.

With the first quarter GDP data set to release on Wednesday the mood towards the Pound could easily sour in the coming days.

As the quarterly growth rate is expected to fall into negative territory, showing a -1.8% contraction in the first three months of the year, GBP exchange rates look vulnerable to selling pressure.

Confirmation that the UK economy lost fresh momentum at the start of 2021 could weigh heavily on the appeal of the Pound, even if the monthly growth rate proves more encouraging in nature.

Even if the economy looks set to return to a stronger footing in the second quarter the GBP/CAD exchange rate is likely to trend lower in response to any GDP negativity.

A widening of the March trade deficit could also put the Pound under additional pressure this week, as confidence in the trade outlook continues to deteriorate.

Pound Canadian Dollar Outlook

With fresh Canadian economic data lacking from the calendar for much of the coming week the potential for any Canadian Dollar rally appears limited.

Unless investors find some fresh cause for confidence in the underlying health of the Canadian economy CAD exchange rates are likely to remain on a generally softer footing.

However, Fridays manufacturing sales figure could offer the Canadian Dollar a potential rallying point.

As long as sales rebound from the -1.6% contraction seen in February this may help to shore up the Canadian Dollar against its rivals in the short term.
SAN MARCOS  The appearance of a humdrum, sunken field of grass across the street from an Army Reserve center here belies the sites importance to an industry being primed for swift growth in Texas: the cannabis business.

Right now, the most visible sign of activity is a mound of dirt used for a mid-April groundbreaking ceremony by the multistate company thats investing $25 million to build a cannabis cultivation and retail facility here.

Its a bold move that may say a lot about the state of the industry in Texas  and what such a company sees coming down the pike.

Related: New medical marijuana facility near San Antonio promises 'hundreds' of jobs

I suspect if you grabbed a random person on the street and asked them if cannabis was legal in Texas, they would probably look at you like youre crazy and say no, said Marcus Ruark, president of goodblend Texas, which is preparing the site for its 63,000-square-foot marijuana growing facility.

The notion that its crazy is because cannabis is still illegal in Texas, which is home to some of the strictest anti-marijuana laws in the nation. But a gradual expansion of the states limited medical marijuana program in recent years could soon give way to an industry thats accessible to a broader swath of Texans.

While still relatively low, the number of Texans utilizing the states medicinal marijuana Compassionate Use Program has grown by 180 percent over the past year. Some estimate there are about 2 million Texas patients eligible to use cannabis, but many just dont know about the program.

So weve started making an investment in that and getting the word out and increasing awareness, and I think thats definitely helping, Ruark said.

For now, goodblend Texas is one of only three companies licensed to cultivate and sell marijuana in the state. The others are Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation and Fluent, which is a subsidiary of Cansortium, a publicly traded marijuana holdings company.

Statewide, just over 300 physicians are licensed to prescribe medical marijuana. And as of March, there were only 4,919 patients registered with the Compassionate Use Program, according to the Department of Public Safety. A year earlier, just 1,757 people were registered to use medical marijuana in Texas.

The number of medical marijuana patients in the state is growing about 10 percent month over month every month, so its actually pretty robust growth for the patients who are accessing the program, Ruark said.

Monte Bach / Staff artist

While steadily increasing, the number of Texas patients pales in comparison to whats seen in nearby states such as Oklahoma, where roughly 8 percent of the states population  over 300,000 people  are medical marijuana patients, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. In Louisiana, which has a population less than one-fifth of that of Texas, there were 4,350 medical marijuana users at the end of 2019.

Still, the growth in numbers of Texas patients utilizing medical marijuana is prompting the $25 million investment by Parallel, the parent company of goodblend Texas, to build in San Marcos.

Parallel, which is led by chewing gum magnate William Beau Wrigley as CEO, reached a deal to enter the public markets later this year through a special purpose acquisition corporation, or SPAC.

Texas isnt the companys first rodeo. It owns medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida, Massachusetts and Nevada and recently acquired retail shops in Chicago, bringing to about 50 its number of locations nationwide. That includes 42 retail stores, along with cultivation and manufacturing sites. When Parallel announced in February that it is going public, the company said it expected to generate $447 million in revenue this year.

The initial public offering gives Atlanta-based Parallel a $1.88 billion valuation.

Illustration courtesy Parallel

The companys incoming San Marcos facility will service medical marijuana patients in the area while providing supply to meet the states growing demand, Ruark said.

And it will create hundreds of jobs in the area, the company has said. It already delivers its products to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston.

Even with the medical marijuana patient count already growing, a bill passed last month by the Texas House would massively expand the pool of patients eligible to use cannabis.

House Bill 1535 would allow patients suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer or other conditions approved by the state health department to be treated with medical cannabis. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth.

To become law, it still must clear the Senate and be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

It would be a small step toward changing Texas status as one of the most restrictive among the 47 states that allow medical marijuana programs. When the Compassionate Use Program was created by the Legislature in 2015, it initially allowed only patients with intractable epilepsy to be treated with marijuana.

In 2019, another bill allowed those with particular diseases, such as autism and incurable neurodegenerative disorders, or people with terminal cancer, to be eligible.

The growth in medical cannabis, both in Texas and across the nation, made it a nearly $6 billion industry in 2019, according to New Frontier Data, an analytics company that tracks the industry. By 2025, New Frontier said, it expects medicinal sales nationally to top $16.3 billion.

Passage of HB 1535 would be a logical step forward in Texas methodical adoption and expansion of medical marijuana, Ruark said.

On ExpressNews.com: Largest-yet expansion of Texas medical marijuana program advances in Legislature

Texas has had an incremental approach to building this Compassionate Use Program, and I think thats one of the reasons its been so successful, he said. Weve continued to prove that the (CUP) works, that patients are benefiting from this, that prescribers are comfortable prescribing this medicine.

The bill would also increase the cap on the amount of the chemical that gets users high  THC. Currently, medical cannabis in Texas can contain just 0.5 percent THC, which is slightly more than the amount found in over-the-counter CBD products.

Klicks bill would raise the THC cap to 5 percent. While Ruark and other marijuana advocates in Texas applauded the proposed increase, others say the cap is still too low.

After the House passed HB 1535, the advocacy group Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy released a list of recommendations for lawmakers on the bill moving forward.

One is to allow doctors to determine the optimal strength and dosage for each individual patients medical needs, the group said. This means there should be no list of qualifying conditions/symptoms nor any THC cap, both of which restrict a doctors ability to properly treat their patients.

In House testimony on the bill last month, David Bass, a retired Army major and director of the advocacy group Texas NORML, said he still would not enter the Compassionate Use Program while the THC limit remains at 5 percent.

I use cannabis as medicine now, illegally  instead of taking opioids and psychotropic medication, Bass told the Public Health Committee in April. I want to try the (Compassionate Use Program) medicine, but my experience is 20 percent THC flower is what I need, and what has worked for me since 2012.

Ruark didnt comment on other changes hed like to see the Legislature make to the Compassionate Use Program. But he suggested lawmakers in two years could again change rules to the current bill if it passes  such as raising the THC cap further  like they did in 2019 to expand the number of eligible conditions.

Another two years go by, I think everyone will have learned even more, and well see what happens, he said.

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy is also calling on legislators to protect doctors and patients from any federal penalty for marijuana use, as well to allow third-party testing of cannabis for consumer protection.

Other bills under consideration in the current session would reduce penalties for marijuana-related offenses and expand marijuana research.

Despite any misgivings about HB 1535, Ruark said it could increase access for cannabis statewide and potentially be a primer for greater change down the road.

We have huge opportunities now to help more Texans, Ruark said, and that 2 million number will be even higher if this bill is successful.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Dalia Avalos, 24, was in her second trimester, and she and her 4-year-old daughter Maliyah were riding out the pandemic at Dalias parents house in Caldwell, just outside College Station. The baby was a boy: Dalia and her boyfriend, Joseph Cockerham, had already named him Cash. Her dad, Jose Balleza, hoped Cash would have red hair like Cockerham. A red-haired grandson would brighten things up.

Near the end of February, though, Dalia felt awful. Her lower back ached. She had a fever and couldnt catch her breath. A urinary tract infection, she thought: potentially dangerous, but also common during pregnancy. She took herself to the nearest emergency room, expecting to be sent home with antibiotics.

But the hospital tested her for COVID-19  it tested everyone  and to her shock, the test came back positive. Everyone in the house had been COVID-careful because they were all at high risk: Dalia because she was pregnant; her parents because they were in their 50s and both on dialysis. Jose, a retired construction worker, had diabetes, too. It had cost him a leg.

But COVID it was: Dalias oxygen levels were dropping fast.

In College Station, she was admitted to the ICU. She was alone: COVID rules prohibited even her family from being with her. She could hardly breathe. And she was scared  for herself; for her baby; and for Maliyah. Four is far too young to lose your mother.

MORE FROM LISA GRAY: As COVID rages in India, Peter Hotez's vaccine provides hope to prevent future waves

Texas Childrens Hospital, in Houston, is a magnet for the regions highest-risk pregnancies and births, and in early March, its doctors received an urgent call about Dalia: An otherwise healthy young woman, in the late stages of a very viable pregnancy, was in danger of dying. On March 4, an ambulance delivered her to Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women.

Though her oxygen levels were dangerously low, Dalia was conscious. A nurse told her that shed have to be put on a ventilator. That meant shed need a tracheotomy, and shed be heavily sedated.

First, though, the nurse helped Dalia make a couple of calls. Her parents were sick, so she talked with her older sister, and with Cockerham.

Then she went to sleep. For more than 20 days.

Her life was very much at risk

By the time Dalia arrived at Texas Childrens, the doctors knew something she didnt: Dalia wasnt the only person in the household whod come down with COVID. Everyone else had, too. Both Dalias parents had been hospitalized.

That, said Dr. Edward Hickey, the surgeon who directs Texas Childrens Adult Congenital Heart Disease program, made the team all the more determined to keep unconscious Dalia and her baby alive. Nurses and doctors are human, and Dalias story got under their skins. The stakes were extremely high, he said.

On the ventilator, Dalia kept getting worse. Lungs arent built to have air forced into them. Her pneumonia grew into acute respiratory distress syndrome  ARDS  in which the lungs air sacs fill with fluid leaking from tiny blood vessels. Her life was very much at risk, said Hickey.

Her lungs were failing. With most COVID patients, to make it easier to breathe, hospitals could use a simple technique called proning: They roll the patient onto their stomach, which gives the lungs more room to expand. Because Dalia was pregnant, Hickeys team couldnt do that.

The medical team was also worried about Dalias baby. It was hard to tell how he was doing. When a pregnant woman is asleep, her baby is too, explained Dr. Abida Hasan, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Texas Childrens: Its harder to tell if a baby is in distress.

It was obvious that we had to get the baby out, Hickey said  even though the baby was nowhere near ready to be born. An average pregnancy lasts 40 weeks; any birth before 36 weeks is considered premature. Dalia was just over 29 weeks.

On March 6, Hickey and other specialists were in the delivery room, on stand-by, watching as Hasan performed a C-section. Dalia was still unconscious, still hooked to the ventilator. The delivery went smoothly  the best-case scenario, Hasan called it.

Newborn Cash was tiny: 2 pounds, 15 ounces. The medical team swung into action, whisking him to the neonatal intensive care unit. He needed an incubator to keep him warm, machines to help him breathe, and tubes to feed him a nutrient solution.

At 29 weeks, he was born pretty ill and not able to breathe or digest food on his own, said neonatologist Dr. Minal Patel.

Even so, the specialists were not alarmed: Texas Childrens NICU is one of the largest in the country; it handles even tinier preemies. Im shocked and amazed every day about how much tiny babies can withstand and overcome in their first few weeks of life, said Patel. Although premature infants like Cash are fragile, they are also very resilient.

Born so early, he was still covered in lanugo: downy fetal fur, stuff that usually goes away in the third trimester. The soft, fine hairs were red.

Blood to the heart

As soon as Cash was delivered, Hickeys team also swung into action, flipping Dalia onto her stomach, into the prone position. Her breathing improved  enough that Hickey hoped that nothing more drastic would be needed.

But it wasnt enough. Five days later, still unconscious, she was deteriorating. Her blood oxygen levels were low. Her organs were failing.

We had to implement ECMO, said Hickey. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a particularly extreme, last-ditch form of life support. Unlike a ventilator, which forces air into the patients lungs, ECMO acts as like a lung outside the patients body. One tube sucks blood out of the heart and into a machine that oxygenates it; another tube returns that blood to the heart.

MORE FROM LISA GRAY: She's found vaccine appointments for 500 people. For free.

That extremely artificial state of affairs cant last forever. But by temporarily replacing Dalias lungs, ECMO bought the doctors time to focus on her other failing organs  her kidneys, her liver, her brain.

The day after Easter

On April 5, the day after Easter, Dalia slowly came to. She couldnt talk. She wasnt sure why she was lying on a hospital bed.

The medical team was thrilled. She had woken up! said Hickey. We knew then she was going to beat this.

The nurses, dressed in the beekeeper-like gear that COVID requires, explained it all. Shed given birth while she was unconscious. Baby Cash was premature but doing well. Theyd taped his photos to the wall where she could see them. He was in the NICU, and shed get to meet him when they were both strong enough.

Dalia asked about her family. Given her phone, she began texting, asking if everything was OK there. That evening, her older sister and three brothers gathered for a videochat. Haltingly, they broke the news.

Her daughter Maliyah, they said, had sailed through COVID with no problem. And their mom had come out of the hospital OK. She was using an oxygen tank at home, but she was OK.

Their dad had died.

Dalia was stunned. It was too much to take in: Jose, her dad, would never meet his grandson  the one with the red hair, not just on his tiny head, but on his fuzzy back, too.

Almost five pounds

On April 7, nurses brought Cash to Dalias room  by then he weighed 4 pounds  and she was able to hold him for a couple of hours before he had to go back and be fed through tubes. After that, shed do her physical-therapy walks on the NICU floor and go visit. She got better fast.

Shes home now in Caldwell, with her mom and Maliyah. The house is really different without my dad, she said. Maliyah misses playing with him, misses being spoiled. Her mom misses him. The dogs miss him. Sometimes we just sit around being sad, Dalia said.

She doesnt dwell on how close she too came to dying. When her doctors tell her story, its dramatic; when Dalia tells it, shes matter-of-fact. Her voice doesnt break when she talks about how scared she was in the hospital. It breaks when she talks about missing her dad.

Shes trying to focus on the future  on bringing Cash home, on being his mother. Hes still in the NICU, but hes thriving. He can breathe on his own, is nursing from a bottle, and weighs almost 5 pounds.

Dalia hopes hell be strong enough to come home next week  not in time for Mothers Day, but close enough. She and her mom have been getting his room ready and buying things such as baby clothes and a carseat  making the preparations she thought shed have time for in her third trimester.

Maliyah cant wait to met her little brother. Dalias mom cant wait to hold her red-haired grandson in her arms.

Were all ready to have him here, Dalia said.

lisa.gray@chron.com
DENVER (AP)  An officer in Colorado was shot in the leg and police launched a search for the shooter.

Officers responded late Saturday to a home in Denver on a report of a person on a porch who did not belong there, Division Chief Ron Thomas told reporters early Sunday.
Screenshot National Weather Service

The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for areas north of Bexar County Sunday afternoon, warning of the possibility of large hail and damaging winds.

Residents of 10 counties, including Comal, Kendall, Hays and Travis, could see hail as large as apples and wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour until 10 p.m. Lightning strikes were expected to be frequent, according to the NWS.
A Bexar County grand jury last year decided not to indict a couple accused of attempting to kidnap a child in their far West Side neighborhood, and the charges were dropped.

Now they are suing Sheriff Javier Salazar for making social media comments about their arrest, which they said turned an argument they got into while walking their dogs into death threats that forced them to move.

Chris Schapira and Patricia Benitez filed the lawsuit May 3 in state district court, accusing Salazar of defamation and slander. The suit also names Kayla Flores, the childs mother, and says she instituted criminal proceedings against Plaintiffs with malice.

On ExpressNews.com: Woman charged in death of San Antonio cyclist faces $20 million lawsuit - and so does 'unknown' bar

The two seek monetary damages, but no specific amount.

According to the lawsuit, Schapira and Benitez were walking their dogs on Oct. 19, 2019. One of their dogs had just had surgery, so they shortened their usual trip from four blocks to two, using an unfamiliar street.

They passed a house with several children, a teenager and an adult outside. A girl about 3 ran after Patricia and Chris, attempting to make contact with the dogs, the lawsuit states.

When the little girl reached out to one-eyed Curly, the dog whod had the surgery, Schapira told her no and suggested she pet Pugsley, the other dog on Benitezs leash. When Pugsley was trying to playfully jump on the girl, Benitez pulled back to prevent contact, the lawsuit states.

At that point, Patricia (one arm in a cast and the other holding a leash) and Chris (coffee in one hand and a leash in the other) asked the little girl if she should be out there and told her she needed to go back to her house, the lawsuit states.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

When Flores ran to get her daughter, the adults began to argue. When the couple told Flores to go home with her child, she began cursing and told Benitez she would (expletive) her up, and break her other arm, the lawsuit states.

At no point did anyone discuss anything concerning anything other than the fact that the unsupervised child had approached the dogs on her own and without an invitation, but Flores became angry when the couple said she was not watching her child, according to the suit.

The pair were arrested hours later at their home and charged with attempted kidnapping, the lawsuit states. Officers took Schapira into custody with guns drawn, in full view of the neighborhood and in the presence of media, which were already on location, and Benitez was arrested a short time later, the suit states.

Online court records indicate they spent two days in jail before each posted a $7,500 bond.

The suit said that Flores and Salazar ferociously attacked Plaintiffs in the media, news and social outlets.

In one example, the lawsuit states, Salazar posted about Plaintiffs, their arrest, their mugshots (next to a picture of Salazars badge), the existence of video (that never existed) and commenting that [t]his was such a brazen daylight attempt to kidnap a three-year-old girl that I just have to think as a career police officer this cant be the first time something suspicious like this has happened with these folks.

In short, Salazars posts were shared over 1,800 times, with over 28 people wishing death upon Chris and Patricia, the lawsuit states.

Attempts to reach Salazar and Flores for comment were unsuccessful. The Bexar County District Attorneys Office declined to comment on the pending lawsuit against the sheriff.

The lawsuit points to 23 examples of social media comments against the couple, whose home address also was shared numerous times. The comments included the suggestions, Blow their brains out, Lady would have more than a broken arm, Public hanging, and Throats would be cut and left in the woods.

As a result of the relentless barrage of insults, attacks and outright threats  all under the umbrella and protection of Salazar  Chris and Patricia were, inter alia, forced to live in motels for months, sell their home and eventually relocate to another city to try and salvage their lives and their businesses, the lawsuit states.

The grand jury declined to indict Schapira and Benitez on May 8, 2020. Online records show the case was closed Nov. 7.

Salazar was quoted in the lawsuit saying, What the grand jury ultimately decided cannot change what transpired. Had the mother of that little girl not looked up in time and confronted these two people, theres no way to know what would have happened.

Chris Gale, an attorney representing the couple, said Friday that Salazar went outside the scope of his office and suggested the sheriffs public posture about the case was related to his re-election bid.

Gale had attempted to sue Salazar and Flores in federal court on behalf of Schapira and Benitez but Flores was dropped from the case before it was dismissed on March 31 because of jurisdiction problems.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Crowds gathered Sunday for the traditional, outdoors Mothers Day Mass at the Oblate Lourdes Grotto and Tepeyac de San Antonio, a festive event that draws multiple generations from the same families and the largest local Catholic event paying tribute to mothers each year.

For some, Sundays services marked their first return to church since the coronavirus pandemic erupted last year. But worshipers wore face masks and practiced social distancing while enjoying the serenity and beauty of the outdoor setting beneath stately trees while seated in front of the grotto.

When services ended, carnations were given to all mothers in the audience. At the 11:30 a.m. Spanish Mass, mariachi performers also paid tribute.

San Antonio resident Kathleen Boucher, 52, a mother of three, attended the 9 a.m. English Mass with three generations of her family. She noted her family has attended the Mothers Day Mass at the Oblate Lourdes Grotto for more than 20 years.

This was a big deal, to be able to come today, said Boucher, who normally worships at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Stone Oak area. I think its more crowded than its been in the past, which is a great thing.

Its always been something weve looked forward to ... Its the serenity and the peacefulness of being outside. Its always an excellent homily.

On ExpressNews.com: From Army interrogator to pastor  how a tattooed motorcycle lover came to lead a Southtown church

Father Tom Ovalle reminded listeners that mothers give life, but real mothers give something more  they teach their children and others they care for about their worth, value and importance.

The greatest contribution that parents  and others  can make is to affirm and love children so those youths are aware of their own significance and worth, Ovalle said. He reminded the congregation of the 2011 film The Help, in which a maid working for a Mississippi family in the 1960s tells a child overlooked and neglected by her own mother: You is kind, you is smart, you is important.

Every time that we affirm another person, and we lift them up by our love, by our care and our concern, we are reflecting the very love of God, Ovalle told the crowd.

There might be some people here this morning who feel themselves crippled in life because they were not loved as they should have been by a parent, he added. Or they were not affirmed to the fullest. He asked worshipers in that situation to think of others, such as the maid in The Help, who may have stepped into their lives to do what their parents would not.

If those people are still alive, today would be a good day to call them or to visit them or to tell them personally and express our gratitude to them, Ovalle told the crowd. So for mothers and grandmothers and aunties and foster mothers and spiritual mothers and mentors and educators and counselors and therapists - today, we give thanks.

Ronald Cortes /Contributor /

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios Virgin Mary front yard shrines part of Christian history of faith and devotion

Sundays Mass also included a prayer of special intentions for parents who lost a child and for those whose longing for children has gone unfulfilled.

Among those in the crowd were Alma Gutierrez of San Antonio and her daughter, Marquette University student Sevilla Muniz, 21, who were attending their first Mass since the pandemic started.

Since this is an outdoor Mass, we decided this would be the best place for us to come celebrate, Gutierrez said.

Leandro De La Cruz of Stonewall also attended one of Sundays Mothers Day Mass celebrations with his family. Theyve taken part in the Mothers Day celebration at Oblate annually for several years.

Its always really special, he said. We enjoy coming out here  It just keeps us coming back.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare




Nearly 70 percent of South Koreans believe that the use of a vaccination passport, which proves that a person has been fully vaccinated against the virus, will help the economy, a poll showed Sunday.







The poll from the Federation of Korean Industries, a major business lobbying group here, showed 67.4 percent expect the adoption of the passport will vitalize the economy.







With the passport, 36.4 percent said they would like to take trips overseas, with 41.2 percent of them pointing to Europe as their preferred destination.







The poll, which surveyed 838 adults nationwide, showed 62 percent of people believe the country's vaccination rate is the key to initiate the vaccination passport use, while 15.7 percent pointed out international agreements as an important factor.







If the passport is authorized for use, 43.5 percent said it should be given to businessmen first, followed by public officials for international affairs with 24.1 percent, and Korean scholars and students with 15.7 percent.







The poll also showed that 60.8 percent of people predicted herd immunity next year, while 29.3 percent expected it after 2023.







Only 9.9 percent answered that it can be achieved in November like the government targeted.







Herd immunity refers to a scenario where enough people in a community develop immunity to a virus so that transmission is halted.







The survey respondents on average gave 55.3 points out of 100 for the country's vaccine supply scheme, indicating that health authorities need to work harder to secure a stable rollout of vaccines amid global shortage woes.







Regarding COVID-19 vaccines for use, only 7.8 percent said they would accept Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, while only 1.2 percent approved of Chinese vaccines like Sinopharm and Sinovac. (Yonhap)


FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  There was no shortage of tips about who killed Pamela Pitts, a rowdy but compassionate 19-year-old whose body was found burned beyond recognition in a pile of trash in 1988.

A Satanic cult. A drug dealer. A cowboy. An ex-lover. A guy nicknamed Halftrack. Or maybe it was an overdose at a spot in central Arizona where people went to party.

It would take more than 30 years, some prison calls and an eyebrow-raising plea deal before a convicted murderer would confess and the mystery would partly be solved. But in a shocking twist, a court recently agreed Pitts killer wouldn't spend any more time behind bars.

Over the years, investigators couldn't pin down the evidence they needed to arrest anyone. The tips that poured in didn't add up. The slaying had stoked widespread fear about a killer on the loose around Prescott, a tourist town about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Phoenix.

And then the case went cold.

Yet, suspicion followed Pitts' roommate, Shelly Harmon, for the 20 years she spent in prison for fatally shooting her ex-boyfriend, Raymond F. Clerx. As her sentence was ending, police reopened the Pitts case and started monitoring Harmon's phone calls, eventually collecting 20 hours' worth of recordings, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

One call gave prosecutors what they said they needed to connect Harmon to Pitts' killing. In it, Harmon's father said she never told him what actually happened.

I had a moment. I had a huge moment, Harmon replied.

Dennis McGrane of the Yavapai County Attorney's Office saw it as an admission of guilt.

Like a sudden quarrel with the roommate," he said. She wasn't planning it, but she did do it.

Harmon's attorney, Dwane Cates, said statement could have referred to Clerx's death.

Clerx had wanted to end the relationship and was going to take their dogs. In a burst of anger, Harmon shot him as he lay on the roof of a car watching planes overhead. She stored his body in the trunk of her car for two weeks before the smell became overpowering and she dropped it in a mineshaft.

Before confessing, Harmon said, I loved him. I was planning to spend the rest of my life with this man.

With Pitts' death, Harmon's story changed over the years: She said Clerx was her alibi. She said she was never at the party spot outside town where Pitts went missing on Sept. 16, 1988. She claimed another roommate strangled Pitts. At one point, Harmon declared, I never killed my roommate. I never wanted to kill anyone. I loved her dearly.

Prosecutors tried to draw similarities between the two cases to back up a theory that when Harmon felt threatened or abandoned, she killed.

Cates called that a stretch and argued prosecutors may have well said, They were both human, they both breathed air."

What prosecutors did have is that Harmon was furious with Pitts over money, for wanting to move out and for sharing news of Harmon's pregnancy that she wanted to keep from her father, according to court documents.

The same day Pitts went missing, Harmon drove around Prescott looking for her and saying she'd kill her if she found her, the documents say. Harmon also said she knew how to conceal a killing: by burning a body or dumping it down a mineshaft  a statement a judge said could be included at a trial that was supposed to start last week.

But prosecutors were dealt a huge blow when the court ruled no evidence of Clerx's death could be introduced. The risk of unfair prejudice was too great, the court said.

Plus, the autopsy was inconclusive because of the extent of Pitts' burns. The court ruled that no one could suggest it was a homicide or probable homicide, though that was listed on the report. Pitts was identified through dental records.

Prosecutors acknowledged that they faced a trial without the evidence they had hoped to present. Some witnesses also had died or their memories faded, and the records were incomplete. That's when they considered a plea deal.

It weighed heavily on us, guaranteeing an outcome versus taking a chance at trial," McGrane said.

Harmon maintained the evidence was stronger against someone else. A former lead detective on the case recommended charges against another woman in 1990 and would have been the defense's star witness, Cates wrote in court documents.

He accused prosecutors of intentionally delaying the case, not taking it to a grand jury until a month after the former detective died in 2017. Harmon was charged with a first-degree murder.

Yavapai County sheriff's Lt. Victor Dartt, who got the case as a new detective in 2011, said he followed leads until they no longer checked out.

Shelly was the only one that I could keep corroborating, he said.

Harmon was living outside Carson City, Nevada, after being released from prison for Clerx's death. She got married, managed rental properties, and did bookkeeping and tax work. Neighbors and friends called her a brilliant and generous Christian woman, entrusting her to care for them, their pets and their homes.

Harmon had not registered as a felon as required in Nevada, so she was picked up on that allegation and told of the murder charge once she got to a sheriff's office, Dartt said.

In March, she agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and detail how she killed Pitts. Until then, authorities thought someone else may have witnessed the killing and had not come forward.

Harmon said she was alone. In court, Harmon recounted that she was upset Pitts was late on rent and had overdrawn a joint bank account. So, she went looking for her, the two fought and Harmon said, I just lost it.

She said she hit Pitts repeatedly against the ground until she was no longer moving, no longer breathing. As voices drew near, Harmon said, she "freaked out.

I was thinking, Oh, my God, shes dead, shes dead, and I killed her,' said Harmon, whose maiden name was Norgard.

The Pitts' family found the account unbelievable, ridiculous and weak, like half a story. Harmon did not talk about how Pitts' body was burned.

It was just to get out of jail," said Pitts' brother, Paul Pitts Jr. She got a golden ticket, and she got away with murder.

Harmon was sentenced to 20 years but received credit for the time she served for Clerx's death and the years she spent in jail awaiting trial in Pitts' slaying.

Still, the Pitts family celebrated  it wasn't justice, but it was an ending to the decadeslong case. They remembered Pitts, who exuded 1980s rock style and whose room always smelled like Aqua Net hair spray. She loved animals, took care of the elderly, was kind and bubbly but also had a tough, know-it-all side, her family said.

Her remains were cremated, and her family spread the ashes by Thumb Butte, a geographical landmark in Prescott, where she liked to hike and visit a creek.

Her father bought dinner and drinks at a restaurant after the March 1 court hearing. The family crowded around a framed picture of Pitts and smiled, thankful for the work law enforcement put into the case.

Pitts' mother, Carol, said Harmon will have to live with killing her daughter for the rest of her miserable life.

None of Harmon's family or friends were at her final court hearing, according to court documents.

She's barred by the plea agreement from talking about the case. And her usually chatty attorney, Cates, would only say, This is a very sad case all the way around, and it just needed to end.

Harmon, now 50, is back in Nevada, friends say. Mary Burgoon said she's had a few meals with Harmon and her husband. She said Harmon was unjustly jailed and believes Harmon pleaded guilty only to avoid prison time.

Wouldn't you if that was the only way you could get out of there? said Burgoon, a past president of the Carson City Republican Women's Club. I do not believe that she did it.

___

This story has been corrected to show the month the trial was supposed to start is May.
In his big speech last week, President Biden complained about Russia's interference in our elections but his intelligence community, led by his appointee Avril Haines, right, says there wasn't any.

By Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigations

May 7, 2021

The Biden administration is misquoting its own intelligence findings on Russia in what some former U.S. intelligence officials say is a subtle but significant effort to continue to delegitimize the Trump presidency.

In his speech before a joint session of Congress last week, President Biden complained about Russia's interference in our elections, even though his intelligence czar had released a report the previous month formally dismissing the idea Moscow had interfered in the 2020 election or the 2016 election.

In an Intelligence Community Assessment on foreign threats to U.S. elections released March 10, Bidens Office of the Director of National Intelligence, run by Democratic appointee Avril Haines, made a distinction between efforts to influence and efforts to interfere with American elections. Although this sounds like semantics, in the field of international norms, it represents a crucial difference.

The ICA defined election influence as overt or covert efforts by foreign governments or actors to indirectly affect an election through candidates, political parties, voters or their preferences, or political processes. In contrast, it defined election interference as the far more serious matter of foreign states targeting the technical aspects of the election, including casting and counting ballots, or reporting results.

At worst, the U.S. intelligence community has concluded Moscow tried to influence elections, but not interfere in the security of them. What this means is that while Russians may have conducted influence operations targeting campaigns through cyber activities or propagating online disinformation, the intelligence agencies found they never actually interfered in the electoral process, such as voting or the tabulation of results.

Asked about the president misrepresenting the findings of its report and sending mixed messages to the public, ODNI spokesman Michael Kaplun referred questions to the White House, which did not respond to requests for comment.

The Biden-ordered report was consistent with a 2017 report released by the Obama administration that found no evidence Russia interfered in the 2016 election. In fact, the terms interference or interfere are found nowhere in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which was subtitled Russias Influence Campaign Targeting the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. The ICA assessed that Moscows goal was to influence U.S. public opinion ahead of the 2016 election. The word influence is mentioned more than 50 times in the report.

J. Michael Waller, a national security analyst and instructor at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, said Russia's influence operations targeting the 2016 campaign were comparatively tame next to its attempts to influence previous elections, noting that Moscow has tried to meddle in almost every American presidential election since 1924.

But this hasnt stopped politicians, investigators and the media from exaggerating Russias 2016 intrusive propaganda efforts and making the American public think it had somehow directly interfered with the election process and results. Polls have shown that almost half of Americans believed the Kremlin tampered with the 2016 election and even stole the election for Trump. By perpetuating this myth, some critics warn, Biden is aiding Moscows objective of sowing voter distrust in the U.S. electoral system and democratic process.

The Biden team is painting the Russian spy apparatus to be all-powerful in subverting American democracy, while undermining American citizens confidence in their own institutions, Waller said.

Bidens misleading language in his address to Congress followed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen contradicting the language her agency used in announcing sanctions against the Russian government for its attempts to influence U.S. elections. In an April 15 press release, Yellen went beyond that finding to claim todays actions highlight how multiple Russian officials, proxies and intelligence agencies coordinated to interfere with recent U.S. elections (emphasis added). The Treasury Department did not reply to requests for comment.

Some former intelligence officials say the president and his party continue to use the Russian interference trope for political reasons to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Donald Trumps presidency and the broader America First movement.

They're still sore Trump won in 2016 and still wont accept his win as legitimate, said Fred Fleitz, a former CIA analyst and chief of staff for former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton. They dont care about the facts.

Experts do point out, however, that if Vladimir Putins regime didnt actually interfere with U.S. elections, it wasnt for lack of trying. Christopher Hull, a senior fellow at the Washington-based group Americans for Intelligence Reform, said that while its not accurate to claim Russia interfered in recent elections, U.S. intelligence did find that Russian-tied actors tried to hack state infrastructure and networks used to manage some election functions. But it also found that they did not materially affect the integrity of voter data, the ability to vote, the tabulation of votes, or the timely transmission of election results.

Too many Democrats have decided that Russian interference is now a handy way to accuse political opponents of treason and investigate them for it, Hull said, referring to the controversial Trump-Russia collusion probe the FBI launched with help from the CIA. That investigation is now itself the subject of a criminal investigation led by Special Counsel John Durham. (Durham secured a conviction earlier this year of a senior FBI attorney who pleaded guilty to falsifying evidence used to obtain a warrant to monitor a former Trump campaign adviser. The hard-nosed prosecutor recently expanded the scope of his investigation to include "private third parties" and added investigators and staff, according to people familiar with the probe.)

Hull said that U.S. intelligence has been "politicized and weaponized" since 2016, and he fears it will only get worse in the absence of serious reforms. The Russia narrative has grown too valuable to abandon, he said, and will be trotted out whenever it comes in handy.

Thousands of Interference Stories

Others worry that propagating false dogma about Russia interfering in American elections risks further inflaming tensions between two nuclear powers -- who could otherwise be allies on a number of fronts, including counterterrorism -- at a time when Chinas hegemonic ambitions grow more threatening.

Tensions are unnecessarily higher now  even more dangerous because of Putins gravitation toward communist China, to which the Biden team has raised few objections, noted Waller, a self-described "Russia hawk."

In addition, Biden cited election interference to justify a new round of sanctions and other punishments. "With regard to Russia, I made very clear to President Putin that while we dont seek escalation, their actions have consequences, Biden said in his prime-time speech to Congress. "I responded in a direct and proportionate way to Russias interference in our elections."

Biden was echoing the misleading language long invoked by journalists and pundits. Since mid-2016, the phrase Russian interference in the election has appeared 8,885 times in news articles and TV news broadcasts, as well as speeches and congressional testimony, archived by Nexis.

Major media outlets have also exaggerated the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence reports they've cited. Last August, for example, the New York Times mischaracterized a U.S. intelligence report. Under the headline, Russia Continues Interfering in Election to Help Trump, U.S. Intelligence Says, the Times claimed that the Kremlin was trying to interfere in the 2020 race in a repeat of 2016. Actually, the intelligence report it cited merely judged that some "actors linked to the Russian government were trying to influence Trump voters through social media propaganda. At the same time, the same intelligence report downplayed the chances of actual election interference: [I]t would be difficult for our adversaries to interfere with or manipulate voting results at scale.

Even official investigative documents have mistakenly referred to the Russian election activities as interference, leaving the impression they had the effect of blocking or obstructing the election process.

In May 2017, then-acting Attorney General Rod Rosensteins original "scope letter outlining Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation used the misnomer, calling for "a full and thorough investigation of the Russian governments efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential campaign."

In turn, Mueller incorrectly titled his 2019 final report "Report on the Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Mueller not only found no election interference, but no evidence the Trump campaign or any individuals associated with it conspired with Russia.

Members of Trumps team were sloppy and stupid concerning Russia, but not coopted, Waller said, summing up the findings.

Mueller did indict several Russians and Russian entities for crimes associated with running a trolling" operation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allegedly to steer the 2016 election in Trumps favor. Last year, however, the government quietly dropped charges against the main defendant  Russian-based Concord Management and Consulting LLC -- which Mueller had accused of bankrolling the operation.

We were prepared for trial and intended to win, said Eric Dubelier, the lead Washington lawyer who represented Concord. In an interview, Dubelier contended the case was a publicity stunt so Mueller could show he was doing something about Russians.

After a federal judge ordered prosecutors to spell out their bill of particulars for trial, including identifying the Russian-paid social media ads they claim violated the law, it was revealed that the entire so-called Russian influence operation cost less than $5,000, not the hundreds of thousands of dollars hyped by the media. Ultimately the online ad campaign added up to just $2,930, according to court documents. The small sums cast fresh doubt on the extent of alleged influence the Russians could have had in swaying votes ahead of the election.

Although the indictment portrayed the Russian firms as executing a treacherous campaign of information warfare" to support Trump, it turned out that some of the operations were run against Trump and in favor of Hillary Clinton. Still others aided Democratic presidential challenger Bernie Sanders.

In its recently released report on Russian activities during the 2016 election, the Senate Intelligence Committee followed suit in using the hyperbolic term interference to describe the allegations of meddling. The five-volume report was published under the rubric Russian Active Measures Campaigns and Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election."

In an April 2020 press release, the Senate panel described what Russia did as aggressive interference, and claimed its bipartisan report found the Obama-ordered 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment correctly found the Russians interfered in our 2016 election, when in truth the ICA found no such thing.

Missing from the Senate report was the revelation that a federal interagency group created during the 2016 election by the State Department and FBI  known as the Russian Malign Influence Group -- found no evidence of Russian interference in the election. Stephen Laycock, the Eurasian section chief of the FBIs counterintelligence division, testified last year that allegations of Russian interference in the election did not even come up during the groups discussions. During his recently declassified closed-door testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Laycock made it clear that the issue he and other counterintelligence officials discussed was the allegation of Russian influence, not interference.
The NFU has written to the government as part of a coalition of 18 organisations to explain how its approach to sky lanterns is now 'significantly out of date'.

The farming union is calling on Environment Minister Rebecca Pow to 'act now' to make the use of sky lanterns illegal.

The letter details how in other countries the release of sky lanterns is considered a crime due to the harm they cause animals, habitats and the countryside.

By enacting Section 140 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Ms Pow can prohibit or restrict the importation, use, supply or storage of injurious substances or articles, such as sky lanterns.

So far, 152 local councils have already banned the release of sky lanterns on council property but with no national legislation in place, the countryside and farms remain unprotected.

One farming businesses who had been affected by the release of sky lanterns were Jonny and Tamsin Fuller, who run an arable and livestock farm in Cambridgeshire

In 2013, the farming couple lost a cow after it ingested wire from a sky lantern, leaving them with a newborn calf that had to be hand reared.

And in April 2016, a fire was started by a sky lantern on a nature reserve in Dorset where it burned and destroyed a total area of 40 acres.

It killed a range of wildlife and the habitat they lived in.

NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts said countries around the world were already recognising the dangers of sky lanterns.

"Countries like Australia, Brazil and Germany already have national bans, and we must join them," he said.

This is a simple but incredibly effective and impactful step the government can take towards a safer, cleaner and greener rural Britain.

"We wouldnt light a naked flame in our home and walk away, so why would we send one into the air with no idea whose home or habitat it could eventually destroy?

Who signed the letter?

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, CEO of Keep Britain Tidy

Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association

David Bowles, Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)

David Brown, Deputy President of the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU)

Des Payne, Safety Team Leader of The British Horse Society (BHS)

Dr Ed Hayes, Head of Public Affairs, The Kennel Club

Ellie Brodie, Head of Land Management at The Wildlife Trust

Eoghan Cameron, Chairman of The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC)

Gina Bradbury Fox and Julia Bradbury, Managing Directors of The Outdoor Guide

John Davies, President, NFU Cymru

Mark Bridgeman, President of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA)

Mark Coulman, National Chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association

Mark Hardingham, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC)

Martin Kennedy President of the National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS)

Paul Branch, Head of Claims of NFU Mutual Insurance UK (NFU Mutual)

Sandy Luk, Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Conservation Society UK (MCS)

Stuart Roberts, NFU Deputy President

Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance
Renu Dalal reminisces about memories with her mother, the late Tarla Dalal, and their shared passion for food and living life to the fullest







For us, like for most children, summer holidays meant fun, frolic, and merrymaking. It was a time for the entire family to spend together, at home or on vacation. Experimenting with vegetarian cuisines was always on the agenda. My mother, the late Tarla Daral, used to make lovely cakes, mocktails and delicious ice creams during those hot summer months. I vividly remember how she used to encourage me to take cooking classes for teenagers during the summer breaks. She taught me to effectively explain the art of cooking.



I have lots of fond memories with my mother. Of our wonderful holiday trips. Of her photoshoots for her books, the sheer excitement in the house when her cooking classes were on. I have loving memories of my father cyclostyling the recipes in the office, to be distributed to the students.







What I treasure the most is the unconditional love my mother lavished on me throughout her life. She was always extremely supportive and loving, but, at the same time, she always made sure to make me aware of my mistakes. She was my best friend, philosopher, and guide for life, besides being the most amazing mother.



Following in her footsteps, I want to have her ability to communicate simply. Her zest for life was unending, and she would always look forward to tomorrow, which is something I have tried to inculcate in my life as well. It is from her that I have learned to be an independent woman. She instilled in me the seeds of compassion, encouraged me to always be helpful and to try to bring happiness to everyone around me.









I have imbibed her passion for cooking, for creating different menus, and for bringing something exciting and new to the table every time. I have written two cookbooks, Modern Vegetarian Recipes and Simple & Delicious Vegetarian Recipes and, just like in her iconic books, the recipes are simple, innovative, and delicious. I learned from her that the measurements of ingredients should be perfect, with easy-to-follow instructions, to get a perfect dish with a perfect taste on the table. That is the recipe to spread happiness and joy in peoples lives. I have imbibed her passion for cooking, for creating different menus, and for bringing something exciting and new to the table every time. I have written two cookbooks, Modern Vegetarian Recipes and Simple & Delicious Vegetarian Recipes and,like in her iconic books, the recipes are simple, innovative, and delicious. I learned from her that the measurements of ingredients should be perfect, with easy-to-follow instructions, to get a perfect dish with a perfect taste on the table. That is the recipe to spread happiness and joy in peoples lives.



While we were growing up, my mother gave cooking classes and wrote a lot of books. Her cooking classes were legendary in Mumbai; she had a long waiting list of students patiently waiting to learn from her. Back then, it was said that if a girl is to get married in Mumbai, she must attend Tarla Dalals cooking classes. But, one of the things the world doesnt know about my mother is her humility despite being honoured with a Padma Shri. She never let her success change anything for us. At home, she was our loving mother and a wonderful wife, always down to earth, willing to answer every question put to her with apparent ease, and to make everyone comfortable around her.











If she were here today, we would be spending lots of time together, discussing politics, the stock market, and the current situation. We would discuss how to make a difference and help others to the extent we could. And, of course, we would talk about menus and recipes, food presentation, the newest trends in food and cooking to bring to the table, and how to create magic in the kitchen.



Images courtesy Renu Dalal



Also see: Licypriya Kangujam On Mothers Day: Moms The Wind Beneath My Wings
Times are tough in our country and every single frontline worker has geared up like a superhero and helped people cope up with the current COVID-19 crisis. Showing their gratitude, many actors have come forward to contribute by donating money, food kits or resources to help these frontline workers and one such actor working toward the cause is Anushka Sharma.

Anushka, along with her husband Virat Kohli, started a fundraiser to procure resources in these tough times when medical facilities are hard to get by. The actor raised around 4 crores to help out in this fight against the virus. Today, Anushka posted a beautiful video, thanking the healthcare and frontline workers for their relentless work in the last one year. She posted, A huge shoutout to all the frontliners working tirelessly day and night, putting their lives at risk to save ours. India stands by you.

Check out the video below.
One of Shah Rukh Khans most noted works has been Sanjay Leela Bhansalis 2002 drama, Devdas. The film was a big hit and brought together SRK with Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the classic tale of love and heartbreak. Ever since that blockbuster, fans have been speculating another collaboration but nothing seems to have struck a chord for the ace director and the superstar until now.

A report in an online portal suggests that SRK has finally liked a film that Bhansali has been wanting to make for almost four years. Its a project titled Izhaar, based on the life of a man who cycled from India to Norway for a girl. This unconventional story seems to have piqued the interest of both SRK and SLB.





A source revealed, It was a film that Bhansali wanted to do with SRK around four years ago. It's a love story revolving around this couple - an Indian man and a Norwegian girl. It's based on the real-life story of the guy who cycled all the way to Norway for love.

Apart from this, SLB is currently winding up Gangubai Kathiawadi with Alia Bhatt and SRK is working on Pathan with Deepika Padukone and John Abraham.
Kim Chang-yong, National Police Agency Commissioner General, receives an AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus at a public health center in Jongno, Seoul, April 27. Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon



By Lee Hyo-jin



A police officer has lodged a petition with the nation's human rights watchdog claiming that he and his colleagues have been forced by their superiors to receive COVID-19 inoculations.



Kim Gi-beom, a sergeant at Gimhae Jungbu Police Station in South Gyeongsang Province, filed the petition with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, April 30, against National Police Agency (NPA) Commissioner General Kim Chang-yong and head of Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Lee Moon-soo.



In the petition, Sergeant Kim accused Commissioner Kim and Lee of violating officers' human rights, privacy and right to pursue happiness stipulated in the Constitution.



"Unlike their promise that each individual officer will be given a choice on whether to receive a vaccine, superiors at police agencies have virtually coerced officers into getting it," he said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency.



The sergeant, who received an AstraZeneca jab April 29, said he was one of many officers who were inoculated out of fear that they would be penalized if they failed to do so. At some police stations, members who refused to participate in the vaccination program were asked to submit letters explaining why or have a meeting with their superiors, according to Kim.






NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2021 / Most small business owners and entrepreneurs had to do serious rethinking of their businesses and marketing strategies in the past 12 months. According to Fortune Magazine, almost 100,000 small businesses have closed during this time period, while others had to get creative and pivot to improve their existing business model just to stay afloat. For survival, new sales and customers are top priority.



Small business owner responding to new customer inquiry. Image Credit: 123rf.com / Roman Samborskyi.

In the early stages of small business, goals might vary depending on how success is defined. For many businesses, goals often fall under two main categories: raising brand awareness and acquiring new customers. A huge priority has been to get new customers in order to offset significant losses in revenue over the previous year.

100,000 Small Businesses Have Recently Closed

Yet, in order to do that, raising brand awareness plays an important role. For some businesses, that is no longer possible. According to Fortune Magazine, nearly 100,000 small businesses that temporarily shut down due to the pandemic are now completely out of business.

For businesses struggling to keep their doors open, the most important objective is to find one core marketing strategy, that when focused on, becomes a growth lever for new business. Distinguishing 'who' your target buyers are, will give your marketing efforts direction and focus. To bring in tangible sales results, those efforts need to be tailored to the ideal target audience for a business.

Email Marketing Listed as a Top Small Business Marketing Strategy for Growth

In "2021 Ideas for a Small Business Marketing Strategy On a Budget," Salesforce.com suggests to launch, or relaunch, an email marketing lead nurturing program. Business is all about relationships, and relationships need attention in order to grow and stay strong. Growing relationships with potential customers is called lead nurturing.

By developing strategic email messaging, it builds and maintains relationships with customers at every stage as they research, purchase, and grow with your brand. Even a cold email marketing strategy works if done correctly. Collecting your customers' email addresses and sending them communications from your favorite email marketing platform on a regular basis, keeps your business at the top of their minds. Salesforce has used a successful email marketing strategy to grow more than 150,000 customers that use their sales platform annually.

"Many businesses typically engage in 'spray and pray' marketing. That is, trying too many different things and waiting to see what works. Entrepreneurs end up getting impatient and stop doing marketing consistently. This is not an option for small businesses during these times. The marketing strategy should be to focus on one or two proven methods, and email marketing is one of them," said Ben Argeband, Founder of Swordfish AI, a tech company that provides email address lists and other B2B contact information for email marketing campaigns.

Small business marketing strategies were discussed in Issue #162 of Contact Finder magazine. Image Credit: Contact Finder.

About Campaign Writer:

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For a strategic exploratory conversation on how your company can increase sales, visit https://CampaignWriter.com. Or, call toll-free +1-877-463-9777 within the United States, or +1-702-997-1222 if calling Internationally.

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I tow a 9k+ 5th wheel with a 6.2 and 3.73 gears. I live pretty close to sea level, but I've had it in the blue ridge mountains a fair amount (they're not the Rockies but they're something) and while I'm definitely not winning any races, I've been satisfied. There's been several times when I've gotten in the slow lane with the commercial trucks when I'm approaching a hill, and halfway up the hill found myself passing them. In a few weeks my wife and I will be going from central Virginia, out to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and back so I'm going to be working it hard, but I'm not stressed about it. I will say that shifting into M on hills and selecting the gear I want is an absolute must. Just putting it in Drive and hammering down isn't going to happen.To be clear, if I had the option of 4.30's, I would definitely take it. I was buying used and the one I finally found was sold before I could get to the dealer, so 3.73 is what I have.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a news conference at Seoul City Hall, April 29. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government



By Jun Ji-hye



Controversy is rising over Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's recent hiring of a conservative YouTuber as his new public relations secretary.



Some critics claim that the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) could have a strong leaning toward political conservatism under Oh's term, while others say it is within the conservative mayor's authority to select someone who can deliver his message correctly.



Oh was elected Seoul mayor in the April 7 by-election under the ticket of the conservative main opposition People Power Party.



The YouTuber in his 20s, who ran a channel that used to have some 23,000 subscribers when active, was known for uploading videos critical of liberal President Moon Jae-in, and embroiled in controversy after omitting the honorific title of the President and instead calling him "Mr. Moon" in several videos.



According to the SMG, the new PR assistant, who is referred to as a "message secretary," will be in charge of drafting and modifying the mayor's speeches and other messages to be announced by his office.



The young YouTuber is known to have no job experience prior to participating in Oh's Seoul mayoral campaign.



The message secretary post is categorized as a "special civil service" grade 8 position that is available for those who have no particular qualifications and civil service career.



The hiring of the YouTuber received mixed reactions from online commentators, with some saying that the mayor overlooked the importance of political neutrality which a public relations secretary must have, while others said that the post does not require any qualifications, thus there was no problem with the hiring.



"I think the hiring was absurd. I expect other right-wing YouTubers to be more active from now on in a bid to hold such a position," an internet user wrote on an online community, dubbed Clien, which tends to be favorable to President Moon and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).



Another commentator pointed out that it was difficult to understand why Oh hired a young person who had no prior job experience as his message secretary, which is an important position that manages all press releases issued under the mayor's name.



Others mentioned that the YouTuber has effectively closed the YouTube channel and deleted all of its videos amid growing controversy over political bias.



"If the person was blameless, why delete all the videos?" one commentator wrote.



On the other hand, some people said that they could not find any problem with the hiring as the post does not require particular qualifications. They also pointed out that former Mayor Park Won-soon, who belonged to the DPK, had hired many liberal figures in key posts under his office.



"It is natural for a mayor to hire people who have similar political orientations," another internet user wrote. "There is no need to argue about a mayor exercising authority over personnel affairs."



Regarding the issue, the SMG official denied that the YouTuber has right-wing tendencies, saying he had uploaded a variety of videos not only about political views, but also about the economy.



"We believe he is the right person to deliver the mayor's messages to young people more effectively," a city official said.






[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.]

Kicking Off on May 13, Players Worldwide Will Compete in Supercar-Exclusive Tournaments in Asphalt 9: Legends or Placement in Grand Finals in September, Winners to Receive Prizes from Lamborghini



Paris, France, May 7, 2021  Gameloft for brands, leader in the creation of gaming and gamified experiences for brands, in partnership with Lamborghini, and ESL Italy, is thrilled to announce the first Lamborghini Mobile esports competition for Asphalt 9: Legends, the latest game in the Asphalt racing franchise, which recently crossed the 1 billion download mark across the series.



Starting from May 13, gamers from all over the world will be able to participate with their Essenza SCV12 in the first Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Challenge, with a round of three qualifiers, one playoff and a big final broadcasted on September 18th. This esports challenge offers to players the opportunity to win fantastic Lamborghini prizes and experience the super limited edition hypercar Lamborghini Essenza SCV12, the most powerful naturally aspirated 12-cylinder ever, capable of outputting over 830 hp, developed by Lamborghini Squadra Corse and designed by Lamborghini Centro Stile. Only forty of these supercars were ever manufactured, making this a very special experience in Asphalt 9: Legends.



"Were thrilled to partner with Lamborghini to welcome the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Challenge in Asphalt 9 Legends said Alexandre Tan, SVP Brand Partnerships & Advertising at Gameloft. "Through this innovative partnership in the biggest mobile racing game franchise, Gameloft for brands creates meaningful connections between the brand and players by bringing an engaging experience to the Asphalt 9: legends audience



More information about the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Challenge can be found here .



Screenshots of the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 in Asphalt 9: Legends can be found here .



A trailer for this event can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFwyaezUMWw



###



About Gameloft for brands

With a monthly audience of 250 million active players, 300 million impressions, and an average playtime of 27 minutes per day per user, Gameloft for brands offers advertisers a unique level of visibility and engagement with their audiences. To date, Gameloft for brands has delivered more than 10,000 campaigns for prestigious brands such as Air France, Coca-Cola, Ford, FOX, Automobili Lamborghini, ING, Netflix, Procter & Gamble, Samsung and LEGO, in over 40 countries around the world (North America, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, etc.) and our work has been honored with over 50 awards from marketing organizations.



All trademarks referenced above are owned by their respective trademark owners.
President should reflect on policy blunders



President Moon Jae-in enters his fifth and last year in office Monday, but he is in no mood for a celebration due to the loss of public trust in his administration. Regrettably, he is not receiving high scores for his performance as the country's head of state.



His approval rating hit a record low of 29 percent at the end of last month, according to a Gallup Korea poll. This means more and more people are withdrawing their support for Moon, especially after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) suffered a crushing defeat in the April 7 mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan.



The gloomy mood has been caused by his policy failures. Moon promised to usher in a fair and just society when he took office in May 2017 following the impeachment of then President Park Geun-hye over a massive corruption and power abuse scandal. But his administration has moved in the opposite direction by trying to protect corrupt officials and politicians, while going all-out to eliminate the "old evils" of the previous government.



An increasing number of people are turning their back on the Moon administration which is becoming more hypocritical than ever. In a word, President Moon has yet to meet the public's mounting calls to build a better society and restore democratic values; and many now argue that the current government is virtually no different from the corrupt and incompetent Park administration.



Moon has made little effort to bring real change to the nation. He wasted time and effort, "taming" the prosecution to prevent it from investigating his confidants, including former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, over allegations of bribery, election fraud and influence-peddling. His government also tried hard to cover up its data manipulation aimed at closing an aging nuclear reactor earlier than planned to push for his nuclear phase-out policy.



In addition, the President has reneged on his promise to cooperate with the opposition. The DPK has not hesitated to railroad many controversial bills through the National Assembly by using its supermajority. It has neglected to create bipartisanship with the main opposition People Power Party over important issues ranging from national security and diplomacy to the economy and public health.



The Moon government and the DPK have failed to stabilize the overheated housing market. They have focused too much on suppressing demand with restrictions on mortgages, and higher taxes on homeowners. They have also been negligent in their efforts to create jobs and improve living standards. As a result, the income and wealth gap between the rich and the poor has widened.



Now Moon needs to reflect on his policy blunders. He should not repeat the same mistakes he has made over the last four years. First of all, he must restore the value of fairness and justice to win back the hearts and minds of the people. Then he should come up with new policies to bring runaway housing prices under control, defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, stabilize people's livelihoods, and speed up economic recovery. Otherwise he cannot avoid becoming a lame-duck president.


China steps up crackdown on phony charities

Chinadaily.com.cn) 14:25, May 09, 2021

The Ministry of Civil Affairs holds a regular news conference on May 8, 2021. [Photo/mca.gov.cn]

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has intensified the crackdown on fraudulent charities and other "illegal NGOs" with measures such as limiting their access to conference venues, publicity resources and manpower, an official said on Saturday.

Government officials and members of the Communist Party of China have also been explicitly barred from participating in their events, said Huang Ru, deputy head of the ministry's bureau of NGO administration.

"The aim is to rein in the illegal operations by tightening scrutiny over the legal entities' involvement," she said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

The moves were part of a sweeping campaign launched last month by the ministry and 21 other central agencies to clamp down on the unregistered NGOs, which have masqueraded as foundations, industrial associations and other nongovernmental groups to rake in money from the public.

Some of the organizations have included "China" and "national" in their titles to suggest government endorsement, and some others have adopted titles similar to established charities in hopes of passing as big name entities, Huang said.

She said that the "soil" still exists despite central authorities' efforts to curb such illegal operations, adding such operations have infringed on the public interest, jeopardized stability and economic growth, and tarnished the image of the government.

"It will be a long-term, arduous and complex task," she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Samsung Display's campus in Asan, South Chungcheong Province / Yonhap



By Kim Bo-eun



Unions are exercising growing influence at tech firms amid an industry-wide movement by workers seeking better compensation.



The wave of calls for better compensation was triggered by demands early this year by unions of major firms in the tech sector, such as SK hynix, SK Telecom and Naver. Employees have contended that they deserve better pay given their companies' sharp growth in earnings.



Samsung Display, for instance, is facing a possible walkout by workers due to wage issues. The union at Samsung affiliate succeeded in winning majority support for a possible strike, based on a recent survey whose results were unveiled Saturday. Among the union members, 71.8 percent agreed to take action.



"The reason behind the overwhelming support for collective action is due to complaints against the management which has not been communicating with employees," the union said in a statement.



The conflict centers on the union's calls for better compensation. The union has been calling for a 6.8 percent wage hike as well as risk allowances offered to employees who are involved in hazardous duties. But the management has maintained that it cannot raise the wage growth rate above the 4.5 percent that was agreed upon by a labor-management council.



"The documents that were exchanged at the wage negotiations held eight times over the past three months showed poor conditions that are not on par with Samsung Display as the world-class company it claims to be," a union member stated at a protest at Samsung's headquarters in southern Seoul on May 6.



The union has asked a labor ministry committee to intervene in the dispute. The committee seeks to help resolve the dispute, but can suspend its mediation if differences between labor and management appear difficult to narrow. This enables the union to stage a legal strike.



The display maker's 2,300-member union was launched in February 2020. If it decides to go on strike, it would be the first collective action taken by the union since its inception.



Meanwhile, office workers at SK hynix have taken legal action against the company over its performance-assessment system. The workers are part of a separate union representing clerical workers. They claim that they were excluded from negotiations that took place to introduce the system, which they state is disadvantageous for them.



The controversy that escalated at SK hynix earlier in the year over bonuses led to SK Chairman Chey Tae-won to returning his 3 billion won salary he received from the chip making affiliate last year. SK hynix also provided perks, such as cash equivalents and company shares to employees. SK Telecom and Naver's management also rushed to take similar measures after unions demanded better compensation.


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The headquarters of Hyundai Motor and Kia, both affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group, in southern Seoul / Korea Times file
Citizen Survey Data

Yes: 19 percent

No: 81 percent

Two times a week or more: 1 percent

Two to four times a month: 1 percent

Once a month or less: 22 percent

Not at all: 76 percent

Reponses by Demographic Groups

Age Group Contacted elected officials Attended local public meeting 2x week or more Attended 2-4 local public meetings per month Attended local public meetings once a month or less Did not attend a local public meeting 18 to 24 years 7% 0% 1% 10% 89% 25 to 34 years 12% 0% 1% 13% 86% 35 to 44 years 17% 0% 1% 22% 76% 45 to 54 years 20% 1% 1% 26% 72% 55 to 64 years 25% 1% 2% 28% 69% 65 to 74 years 26% 1% 2% 30% 68% 75 years or older 22% 1% 2% 27% 71%

Race Contacted elected officials Attended local public meeting 2x week or more Attended 2-4 local public meetings per month Attended local public meetings once a month or less Did not attend a local public meeting American Indian or Alaskan Native 20% 1% 1% 24% 73% Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander 10% 0% 0% 16% 83% Black or African American 22% 1% 2% 25% 73% White 19% 1% 1% 23% 75% Other 22% 0% 2% 19% 78%

Length of Residency Contacted elected officials Attended local public meeting 2x week or more Attended 2-4 local public meetings per month Attended local public meetings once a month or less Did not attend a local public meeting Less than 2 years 7% 0% 0% 9% 90% 2 to 5 years 13% 0% 1% 16% 82% 6 to 10 years 18% 0% 1% 23% 76% 11 to 20 years 23% 1% 2% 27% 70% More than 20 years 23% 1% 2% 28% 69%

Annual Income Contacted elected officials Attended local public meeting 2x week or more Attended 2-4 local public meetings per month Attended local public meetings once a month or less Did not attend a local public meeting Less than $25,000 16% 1% 1% 17% 82% $25,000 to $49,999 18% 0% 1% 19% 79% $50,000 to $99,999 18% 0% 1% 22% 76% $100,000 to $149,999 20% 1% 2% 27% 70% $150,000 or more 22% 1% 2% 28% 69%

In his first few months in office, Park City, Utah, Mayor Jack Thomas has heard from quite a few constituents. His office phone rings off the hook. Going out for lunch takes about twice as long as before, too, as he constantly fields concerns from residents who walk up. If you want a quiet moment, he jokes, youve got to leave town.The small resort community is home to some of the nations more vocal residents. In a recent survey, 28 percent of city residents reported contacting elected officials to express their opinions and 37 percent said they had attended a local public meeting over a 12-month period.Nationwide, though, citizen participation in local government remains abysmally low. The National Research Center (NRC), a firm that conducts citizen surveys for more than 200 communities, compiled data forshedding light on the types of residents who are most active. Overall, only 19 percent of Americans recently surveyed contacted their local elected officials over a 12-month period, while about a quarter reported attending a public meeting.In many city halls, extremists on either side of an issue dominate public hearings. Those who do show up at the sparsely attended meetings are often the same cast of characters week after week. But some public officials have found ways to reach a much wider segment of residents.Park Citys Mayor Thomas said hell go door-to-door along the towns main corridor to gauge resident sentiment about everything from new development projects to air quality and garbage pickup. If you want to have a government thats rooted in the community, you better start that way, Thomas said. Its all about trust.NRC survey data identifies types of residents who are the most active or, in some cases, the least vocal. Individuals living in a community for more than 10 years, for example, are about three times more likely to attend public meetings and contact elected officials than new residents. Among racial groups, Asians tend to have the lowest participation rates. Low-income residents also arent as active as those earning six-figure incomes.In general, residents often arent compelled to weigh in on an issue unless it negatively affects them, said Cheryl Hilvert of the International City/County Management Association. Its for this reason that much of the citizen engagement in communities is confined to typical hot-button issues, such as planning and zoning meetings.Many residents dont think they have time to participate. Others, particularly newer residents with lower participation rates, may not know where or how to get involved, Hilvert said.Survey data further suggests that younger residents arent inclined to speak up. Those under the age of 35 attend meetings and contact elected officials at far lower rates than those over 35. Hilvert suspects their busy lifestyles may have something to do with it, especially if they have children.Connecting with these groups of residents requires stepping outside of city hall and meeting residents on their own turf. Park City officials say theyve held meetings in school lunch rooms, performing arts centers and with local homeowners associations.To truly engage the community, Hilvert said, managers have to think broader about it than in the past.Some localities employ unconventional approaches to raise the level of citizen engagement. When the city of Rancho Cordova, Calif., debated permitting more residents to raise chickens on their properties last year, it launched an online Open Town Hall. More than 500 residents visited the interactive forum to make or review public statements. It is noisy and smelly enough with pigeons, turkeys, feral cats, and untended dogs without adding chickens to the mix, wrote one resident. The city drafted an ordinance reflecting citizen input, then emailed it to forum subscribers.Outreach efforts through local media or civic organizations help further community involvement. Some residents also form Facebook groups or online petitions to promote their causes.The city of Chanhassen, Minn., relied heavily on social media to connect with citizens when it confronted an issue thats about as contentious as any local government can face: a proposal to build a new Walmart. The city posted regular updates on its Facebook page and uploaded all documents online. Laurie Hokkanen, the citys assistant city manager, said residents continued hearing rumors even after the city rejected the companys rezoning proposal. As a result, staff kept lines of communication open.A vote by the city council does not end the issue for residents who are invested in it, Hokkanen said. Its important to tell people you appreciate their input.Source: National Research Center: National Citizen Survey dataSource: National Research Center: National Citizen Survey dataSource: National Research Center: National Citizen Survey dataSource: National Research Center: National Citizen Survey data
A little more than 100 years ago, the celebrated architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham offered his famously bombastic advice to those who wished to change the face of Americas cities. Make no little plans, he said. They have no magic to stir mens blood. ... Make big plans; aim high in hope and work.Burnhams meaning was clear. Great cities, he believed, owed their greatness to monumental buildings, big and elegant parks, and visionary blueprints outlining goals that would take decades to achieve.As time went by, Burnhams florid exhortation took on the status of a cliche, but generations of architects and planners absorbed it, reaching back for it time and again to justify grandiose proposals to the politicians and philanthropists paying for them. It seems only fair to hold Burnham partially responsible for the massive urban renewal projects that turned city centers into the profoundly unappealing places most of them became in the middle and later years of the 20th century.For the next century, it might be helpful if someone came along who could offer urban practitioners a dose of Burnham in reverse. Something akin to, Be careful about making huge plans, because they take forever, cost too much and generate myriad unintended consequences. Make small changes that improve everyday life for ordinary people; make them right away and build on small successes to try something a little more ambitious.I dont expect anybody to use those words, but its fun these days watching a new movement that explicitly advocates a strategy of improving cities one small step at a time, with a series of carefully targeted strokes that might be compared to the way non-Western healers restore people to health through the application of tiny pinpricks. The comparison to acupuncture is appropriate enough that practitioners have borrowed the term to describe what they are doing. They call it urban acupuncture.Urban acupuncture is the creation of small playgrounds in city neighborhoods where children have no place to play; the planting of trees along thoroughfares desperate for a little shade; the construction of pop-up parks on tiny plots of land that used to be mere parking spaces; the setting aside of pedestrian zones that give walkers a safe refuge from the automobiles bearing down on them.The work is performed quickly, and it is performed cheaply. It doesnt in any way absolve political leaders from doing the big things expected of them: running schools, managing transit systems or disposing of municipal waste. But it operates on the assumption that small, seemingly inconsequential improvements can be the difference between urban monotony and an atmosphere of urban adventure.Urban acupuncture isnt exactly a household term yet in planning circles, but developers and public officials are starting to use it to describe what they hope to accomplish. In Kansas City, Mo., this year, a newly formed development firm said it planned to practice urban acupuncture in converting an old middle school building into a center for community vitality and an old high school into a center for creativity and innovation. In Louisville, Ky., a group working on a depressed community called Portland said it would use urban acupuncture to transform blocks riddled with abandoned row houses into a functional city neighborhood.Whether those efforts represent genuine innovation or the co-opting of an attractive phrase is hard to tell. But there is one big-city mayor who is making urban acupuncture the centerpiece of his urban revival strategy, and that is Eric Garcetti in Los Angeles. Almost from the day he became mayor in 2013, Garcetti began talking about urban acupuncture to describe his plan to revitalize the main thoroughfares of as many as 40 city neighborhoods. Acts of urban acupuncture are ways to attract investors, Garcetti told one audience. He said his initiative would include pocket parks, bike corrals, sidewalk repairs and a long list of other efforts that seem to fit cleanly under the acupuncture label.All of these enthusiasts owe a large debt to a very unusual man. Jaime Lerner, a 76-year-old Brazilian architect, began talking about urban acupuncture in the 1970s as the mayor of his city of Curitiba. In recent years he has brought it wider attention by giving impassioned speeches to audiences around the world. Ive always nurtured the dream and the hope, Lerner says, that with the prick of a needle, diseases may be cured. And what works for patients, Lerner believes, can work for cities. Almost always, he insists, it is a spark that sets off a current that begins to spread. This is true urban acupuncture.Curitiba isnt a tiny place -- the population is currently about 1.7 million -- but it is only the eighth-largest city in Brazil, and compared to the countrys two giants, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, it is a backwater.Still, the news of Lerners pinprick experiments began reaching the outside world not too long after he began his first mayoral term in 1971 at the age of 34. In his first year as mayor, after his public works department assured him that turning a busy street into a pedestrian zone would take several months, Lerner organized a crew and did it in 72 hours. In acupuncture, he said afterward, the prick of the needle has to be quick.Later in his mayoral career, Lerner attracted attention by giving poor people groceries in exchange for garbage; it was an effort to control the citys serious waste disposal problem. When the cost of new lawn mowing equipment turned out to be more than he thought Curitiba could afford, Lerner brought in sheep to cut the grass and used the wool to pay for childrens programs.Some of Lerners initiatives in Curitiba gave him a reputation as more of a showman than a serious student of government, but that reputation was largely overcome with his implementation of a new bus system that essentially created the concept of bus rapid transit for cities around the world. In addition to providing buses that moved at higher than usual speeds on dedicated travel lanes, Lerners system was full of small innovations that made the passengers more comfortable, such as bus stops that looked like train stations and vehicle doors that opened at platform level, eliminating the need for passengers to climb up and down in order to ride. It was creative acupuncture, Lerner said of his bus project, and a great victory over laborious mediocrity.After completing three terms as mayor of Curitiba and seven years as governor of the surrounding state of Parana, Lerner began devoting much of his time to refining and promoting his ideas about urban government. He published a short book called, aimed at explaining what he meant by the term and how urban leaders could apply it to their communities. This fall, after nearly a decade, it was translated into English.Lerner is a disciple of the late urbanist Jane Jacobs, and there are echoes of Jacobs in the vignettes and aphorisms that make up the bulk of his book. More than anything else, Lerner believes, urban acupuncture is an effort to preserve or restore community identity. The city is the last refuge of solidarity, he declares. Good urban acupuncture is about drawing people out to the streets and creating meeting places.Sometimes that means pocket parks. Sometimes it means redesigning sidewalks to be friendlier to pedestrians and bicycles. Occasionally, as happened in Curitiba during Lerners mayoralty, it means using public money to subsidize a coffeehouse whose threatened disappearance would rob an entire neighborhood of its only real gathering spot. Or it might mean a public campaign to restore single-screen movie theaters that are being swallowed up by the nearest multiplex. In Lerners view, one-screen theaters were community meeting places of a kind that no multiplex can duplicate.In addition to his experiences in Curitiba, Lerner points to other community icons that he notices thriving or declining in different parts of the world. He sees New Yorks 24-hour groceries, owned largely by Korean immigrants, as havens of safety and sociability that didnt exist in earlier decades. He walks through an Arabian souk and muses that the marketplace is acupuncture of identity at a time when many cities are losing theirs. He takes heart when he notices that the chaotic city of Beijing is trying to create more pedestrian spaces. Just a pinprick here and there, he says hopefully, might be enough to bring back the old-fashioned streets and the city buses.One of the simplest and most effective forms of urban acupuncture, Lerner believes, is the planting of treesjust about everywhere and as many as possible. Trees, he says, are acupuncture that ease the pain caused by the absence of shade, life, color and light. He recalls the time he told residents of Curitiba that the city would bring them trees for shade if they would promise to water them. Two decades later, Curitiba had planted a million new trees.Lerner sometimes comes off as more of a dreamer than a pragmatist, but then again, its hard to imagine anything much more pragmatic than planting a tree or widening a sidewalk to benefit pedestrians. And its worth remembering that Lerner didnt create his urban visions from the comfort of tenured academia or from a job in a planning firm. He spent the better part of two decades as an elected mayor and as a governor. What he accomplished is hard to do from a position in the clouds.Jaime Lerner understands just what he means by urban acupuncture. Whether the planners and public officials who borrow the term will all have the same understanding seems doubtful. On the other hand, theyre bound to grasp some of it. And as Lerner himself would say, thats one pinprick in the right direction.
Voter Turnout Declines in Largest U.S. Cities

Just over a fifth of registered voters cast their ballots in the Los Angeles primary and runoff elections that ushered in Mayor Eric Garcetti last year. The elections continued a persistent downward trend in voter participation thats not limited to Los Angeles. In New York, Bill de Blasio won a landslide election that similarly saw the lowest voter turnout since at least the 1950s. More recently, just over a quarter of voters showed up for the District of Columbias hotly-contested mayoral primary  the lowest turnout in more than 30 years.Voter turnout for local elections, typically held in off-cycle years, has historically lagged behind state and federal races set to take place in November, but recent results suggest its slowly becoming even worse.University of Wisconsin researchers providedwith elections data covering 144 larger U.S. cities, depicting a decline in voter turnout in odd-numbered years over the previous decade. In 2001, an average of 26.6 percent of cities voting-age population cast ballots, while less than 21 percent did so in 2011. Turnout for primary and general local elections fluctuate from year to year, but long-term trends in many larger cities suggest voter interest has waned.Aaron Weinschenk, who studies the issue at the University of Wisconsin, said its possible that turnout in municipal elections could still drop lower. I wonder if the negativity surrounding government in general is seeping into local government, he said, and polluting politics at all levels.If local turnout doesnt improve, the implications could extend much further than the ballot box. Low-turnout elections typically arent representative of the electorate as a whole, dominated by whiter, more-affluent and older voters. Recent research published by a UC San Diego professor found such elections contribute to poorer outcomes for minorities, including uneven prioritization of public spending.Long ago, political machines routinely mobilized a healthy cadre of big city voters with often predictable results. Later, during the 1960s and 70s, more than two-thirds of registered voters cast ballots in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere when power shifted to racial and ethnic minorities. But now, voter participation in big cities is typically low, prompting officials to explore ways to get more people out to the polls.In Los Angeles, officials formed an elections reform commission after the citys dismal turnout in 2013. Commission Chairman Fernando Guerra, who directs a research center at Loyola Marymount University, attributes the citys declining turnout rates to a lack of partisan competition from Republican candidates and a diminishing racial divide. No longer is a Latino running for mayor a major challenge to the status quo, he said. Municipal candidates may hold different views on a few issues, but when theyre of similar backgrounds and political leanings, the differences appear less stark to voters.Of all proposals to boost voter turnout, moving the election date to coincide with state or federal elections has, by far, the greatest effect. Thats what the commission in Los Angeles has proposed to do. Weinschenks research indicates that shifting mayoral elections to presidential years results in an 18.5 percentage point jump in turnout, while changing to November of a midterm election yields an 8.7-point average increase.Even-year elections can also save taxpayers money. The Maryland General Assembly voted to delay Baltimores next local election by one year, lining it up with the 2016 presidential election to save the city an estimated $3.7 million.So why havent more localities moved their municipal elections? The top concern often cited is that local races receive less voter and media attention when they appear on crowded ballots. Holding elections in off-years also allows elections offices to try out new procedures and better train staff.Guerra doesnt think those are good enough reasons not to make the shift. Its not right to define voters as informed or uninformed, he said. Whatever system leads to the greatest number of voters participating is the one we should implement. The lower the turnout, the less Guerra said voters resemble the entire electorate. In cities like Los Angeles and Houston, its often the Hispanic precincts that vote at the lowest rates.Other recommendations of the Los Angeles commission include improving voter registration outreach, creating a network of early voting locations, promoting voting by mail and using shopping centers and other non-traditional locations as polling places. A separate panel also recently proposed that the City Council study offering cash prizes to randomly-selected voters, the legality of which is a bit murky.Some argue merely getting more people to the polls won't inevitably yield the best government. We naturally assume more turnout is better, but thats not necessarily always the case, said Eric Oliver, a University of Chicago professor who has written a book on local elections. This thinking suggests voters can't just head to the ballot box without being informed as well.While generally low, big cities turnout rates vary greatly. Many on the low end are in Texas -- only about 11 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the most recent mayoral elections in Fort Worth and Dallas, both of which held competitive open-seat contests. By comparison, 44 percent of registered voters came out for San Diegos special mayoral election earlier this year.Research suggests partisan local elections experience higher turnout rates, in part because nonpartisan contests lack cues that motivate voters to turn out. Localities in whichmayors have more power also see higher turnout rates. Differences in voter turnout in local and higher-level races arent nearly as apparent in many other countries. In fact, voters typically participate at greater rates in municipal elections than national races in Japan and France.According to Oliver, barring a scandal or major initiative, local politics mostly functions in an equilibrium state that isnt conducive to generating voter interest. Interestingly, although Americans arent apt to vote in municipal elections, Gallup surveys indicate they trust local government more than the state or federal levels.Motivating more voters to participate in local elections is difficult. But while governments cant instill voters with enthusiasm, Oliver said they can make it easier for citizens to find information and remove barriers preventing people from voting to make for a stronger, more representative government.SOURCE: Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, Los Angeles City Clerk, New York Board of Elections, Office of the Philadelphia City CommissionersNOTE: Turnout shown for general mayoral elections and special elections in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. Los Angeles holds nonpartisan mayoral primary elections; results also include runoff elections.
Sunday'sMagazine examines a "violence interruption" program in Chicago that is premised on an affirmative answer to this provocative question. As author Alex Kotlowitz properly notes, a number of cities have seen gun violence surge in recent years. The result has been an almost desperate interest in models that work. Kotlowitz's cover story strongly suggests that Chicago's program is a breakthrough, one deserving widespread attention and emulation.I'm not so sure.I say this not simply because I'm writing a story about a different approach to reducing gun violence for Governing's June issue. The sweeping claims Kotlowitz makes for Chicago's program -- that violence is a virus and that Chicago's "Ceasefire" program is, very possibly, the cure -- both strike me as a stretch. Moreover, it muddies the water about what researchers know about what does work.The trouble starts with the name. The "Ceasefire" program described by the Times is the creation of epidemiologist named Gary Slutkin. The program employs a cadre of "interrupters" -- street-savvy ex-felons -- who step in after a violent act has occurred and try to prevent the aggrieved party from retaliating.But there's another "Ceasefire" program -- Boston's Operation Ceasefire, a violence intervention program that in the mid-1990s deployed police, feds, probation, parole, social workers and -- wait for me here -- youthful "streetworkers" to send gangs a message that violence would no longer be tolerated. Operation Ceasefire was, at least for a while, a remarkably effective intervention . Chicago's (new) Ceasefire program takes one part of Boston's (original) Operation Ceasefire -- the streetworkers -- and makes that the entire program.The idea of using streetworkers -- Slutkin calls them "interrupters" -- is an interesting one (and, incidentally, an old one). Chicago's Ceasefire program certainly seems to be doing interesting things with them. But the Times's article raised some red flags.The Chicago program seems to rely largely on fifty-year-old ex-cons -- men who are often two generations removed from the young men they're dealing with. In contrast, Boston's Streetworkers tend to be in their twenties and thirties. Is the old guard really that effective?Maybe. However, contrary to the claims of the story, we don't yet know that with any certainty. Rigorous evaluation simply wasn't built into the design. Given that the program was created by an epidemiologist, that's disappointing. It's always hard to buck the political pressure to spread around the benefits of a program that might be successful, but better evaluation is not impossible. Resources are limited, so focus the intervention in certain areas, while selecting other demographically comparable areas as control groups. See what happens. But Ceasefire didn't do that. Instead, it claims credit for violence reductions while treating increases in violence as an argument for more funding.Show a hammer a nail, and the hammer wants to hit it. Show an epidemiologist a social problem, and he sees, well, an epidemic. Gary Slutkin and his "interrupters" seem to be doing good work. Any right-minded person would wish them well. But stripped of its epidemiological jargon, it's not so clear that they're doing something fundamentally new.But let's assume that Slutkin is right. If his program does generate a 20 percent(ish) reduction, that's certainly nothing to sneer at. But it still doesn't seem to be producing the kind of results that original model did -- and still does. At roughly the same time Ceasefire was up and running in Chicago, the city's Project Safe Neighborhoods group, which includes a broad local, state, and federal stakeholders, including both law enforcement agencies and community groups, was trying a variant of Boston's original Operation Ceasefire model. Moreover, they built a quasi-experimental design into the program, which allows for more rigorous evaluation. The result is that after two years, officials were able to point to a 35 percent-plus reduction in homicide , with a fairly high degree of certainty that the program works.Chicago's Ceasefire program isn't the only way to address urban violence -- or even the best -- at least based on what we know so far.
During my (nearly) four years with City Accelerator, the effort to encourage innovation in government has involved more than two dozen cities, including those offering proposals and those that went on to become participants. As a group, this collection of very different and diverse communities has explored a broad range of topics and initiatives. By any measure, its impressive. Looking back over the course of the work and in a somewhat personal attempt to sum things up, please permit me to offer the following thoughts and observations.Innovation is by definition: The introduction of something new (per Merriam-Webster). And as most true innovators will tell you, that introduction of anything new often involves change, and change is often not well received. Its one thing to introduce something new and quite another to get that new thing fully accepted and adopted. The process requires leadership -- a strong, dedicated and determined champion (or team of champions) -- to move things along from beginning to end. The road to successful innovation is often rough and tortuous. The cost in political capital or even personal popularity can be quite high.when making the choice to pursue innovation, its essential that the leadership accept the task with eyes wide open -- fully aware that it might sound interesting and exciting at the outset, but at times it might not be all that much fun.Since innovation is rarely quick and easy, the process must move along with all due speed. Talented leadership and staff members tend to come and go. When smart and creative workers are assigned to an innovative task, the very value of their unique skills, abilities and commitment might suddenly result in a promotion or lead to a totally new career path outside of government. The effect of such a staff change can be devastating in the course of a long-term project.Alternately, the winds of politics can change abruptly. Sudden controversy can prevent the most courageous champions from making the necessary moves to drive innovation forward. Term limits and challenging elections can cause a loss of momentum or even total reversal. Even the best of mayors and city managers dont remain in their positions forever. When looking back at the group of City Accelerator communities that started down the path of innovation with us, its remarkable just how much change in staff and leadership has occurred in a relatively short period of time.The window of opportunity to effect innovation and to successfully implement positive change can slam shut suddenly and without warning. So, move quickly.If there is no push back, then there is most likely no innovation. I have never seen anything worth doing that did not generate some resistance. Late in my last term as mayor, I decided to resurrect what seemed like a minor issue that had been sidelined a few years earlier: the city flag. The citys old flag was almost identical to the State of Tennessee flag and, as a result, was rarely used due to the confusion between the two. The city had designed a new flag in the 1990s and had even held public hearings to set the stage for adoption. For whatever reason, the process was never completed. So, I brought it forward and members of the council predicted quick and easy passage. I disagreed and figured there would be push back and resistance. Sure enough, people who had never seen the old flag suddenly came forward and proclaimed their allegiance to it. Its a long story, but we managed to secure enough council support for adoption of the colorful new flag and now everyone seems to remember that they were in favor of it in the first place.Its human nature to hold fast to the status quo and if anything is worth doing, someone will resist it.Seattles mayor made the right call when he moved the citys neighborhood organizational structure toward a greater use of social media and away from traditional meetings. He took a strong and courageous stand and probably felt the sting of adverse public opinion as a result. He was quickly targeted by those who were tied to the old system and did not fully understand the new. But he noted that by narrowly aiming our civic engagement resources at citizens willing and able to attend meetings, we might be missing a much larger part of todays population. He was right. And while another example was not a City Accelerator community, I could not help but be impressed that Roanoke, Va. -- a city of 90,000 -- has 180,000 Facebook followers.Its the Digital Age and social media is here to stay. Lets use the new technology.And yet, we are not all Millennials. In the course of pursuing its City Accelerator project, Philadelphia confirmed that citizens -- particularly the elderly and low income -- are much more likely to pay attention to something that comes in the mail if it is in a large brown envelope that has been hand addressed. Furthermore, simple forms that are easy to read and use everyday language are more often completed and returned.It should have been obvious, but it was worth the investment to confirm that sometimes the old ways are still the best ways.If youre going to stir things up, do it right. The necessary commitment of time and energy might as well serve some greater purpose. This isnt the best example of innovation, but its still a good example of human nature: In the 1950s, two major thoroughfares in Chattanooga were made into a one-way pair of streets to facilitate east/west traffic movement through downtown. When much of the heavy traffic and practically all the large trucks began to use the newly constructed Interstate Highways in the late 1960s, dramatically reduced traffic volumes enabled the city to rethink the earlier action. Over the years, a number of adjustments were made in intersections and traffic signals to address serious safety problems. Finally, the decision was made to restore the streets to a full two-way configuration. Adverse reaction was swift and dramatic. A committee to Save our Streets was formed that included among its leaders a former mayor, a former city traffic engineer and a current member of the city council. Even some property owners and businesses that had resisted making the streets one-way in the 1950s showed up to challenge the new plans half a century later.Despite predictions of disaster, the council majority held firm and the streets were restored to two-way status. The transformational action accomplished what decades of incremental efforts had failed to achieve. Suddenly, the streets were safer and the properties along the way became more desirable and prosperous. Even some of those who had opposed both changes 50 years apart admitted that the disruption of the most recent action was worth it.While baby steps might eventually get you there, giant steps are faster and usually more effective.The term innovation has become such a buzzword that we often see it misused in referring to something old and familiar -- something that has been around for a long time. We have all seen leaders -- especially elected leaders -- mislabel something as an innovation when it really isnt. Traffic cameras and police body cameras are no longer innovations. LED lights were an innovation 10 years ago, but the ability to use that technology in new and different ways might still qualify as an innovation now. It can be dangerous to try and pass something off as an innovation when a few key strokes in a Google search can quickly determine that its really not so new after all.It might not seem to be a very important point to some, but in the business of change, please let us not diminish the value of the term innovation.As we are passing through this particular time in history, lets make the most of it. Innovation might be a buzzword, and in some cases it might accurately be characterized as more marketing hype than actual substance, but for now its useful. As a city planner for the last 40+ years, managing change has always been a constant challenge throughout my career. It has always been my belief -- confirmed by decades of observation -- that there can be no true progress without true change. So lets call it innovation and make it popular. At the very least, it gives license to those who are reluctant and encouragement to the faint of heart. Perhaps by making innovation something to be sought after, something to be capitalized upon and ingrained in the culture, those timid and reluctant leaders that might otherwise cling tenaciously to the status quo will be moved to relax their grip just a bit and accept something new, different and better.Its an exciting time to be in the business of cities, and City Accelerator is helping to make it a successful and productive Age of Innovation.
Korean nationals from India arrive at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. The government has dispatched special flights to India to bring back Korean residents as COVID-19 infections there spread rapidly. Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korean companies operating in India said Sunday that they were minimizing their number of employees on site and monitoring developments there as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country spirals out of control.



According to the Indian government, the number of daily COVID-19 infections cases remained at over 400,000, Sunday, despite several states imposing strict lockdown measures.



Over 700 Korean firms operate in India and most of them have taken measures to have staff work from home while repatriating their family members. Some have reduced production as they run manufacturing facilities in compliance with quarantine rules imposed by local governments.



New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and other major Indian cities where local branches of Korean companies are located have been implementing full lockdown measures, including suspending the operation of local government offices except for essential services.



Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has pledged to ensure the safe return of Korean nationals from India, and on Sunday a plane carrying 164 Korean citizens arrived at Incheon International Airport from New Delhi.









It was the third special flight sent by the government, following two previous ones  one to Chennai that returned 172 Koreans and the second to Bangalore that repatriated 203 people. Most of the passengers on the third flight were employees of Samsung Display who were working on the construction of a new plant. An additional 12 flights are scheduled to transport Korean citizens out of India this month.



To help India fight the spread of COVID-19, Samsung Electronics recently announced it will donate $5 million to the central and state governments.



The company, which operates a smartphone manufacturing facility in Noida and a home appliance factory in Chennai, has told its employees there to work from home, and is paying the airfares of the family members of its Korean employees to return home on the special flights.



"We are currently operating our production facilities in compliance with the quarantine policies of the local Indian governments. We are also covering the cost of airplane tickets for family members of our employees to help them return to Korea," an official said.



Samsung said it will donate $3 million to the central government of India as well as the states of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; and $2 million worth of medical supplies, including 100 oxygen generators, 3,000 oxygen cylinders and 1 million low dead space syringes. Additionally, the firm will cover any vaccination fees for its 50,000 employees.





Indians cover their faces as a precaution against the coronavirus line up to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 at a medical college in Prayagraj, India, May 8. AP-Yonhap
Esteban Ocon does not appear to be in the running for a works Mercedes seat for 2022.

Team boss Toto Wolff has made it clear he wants to retain Lewis Hamilton, but strong rumours are linking George Russell with Valtteri Bottas' current position.

As for Ocon, the 24-year-old was another Mercedes junior but he is currently on loan to Alpine.

The Frenchman is currently impressing at the Enstone team alongside F1 legend Fernando Alonso.

"I made a few changes in my team over the winter," Ocon said in Barcelona. "The guys are amazing. We went to the factory together after Portugal to prepare. Nobody wanted to rest.

"With more experience, I know the car and the team better. We are now better at implementing what I say when we set up the car," he added.

As for the suggestion his current form might put him in the running to replace Bottas at Mercedes, he said on Saturday: "I want to concentrate on my job at Alpine."

Wolff seems to agree that Ocon staying at the French team is the most likely outcome for 2022.

"The situation with Esteban is a little strange," he said. "For a long time he was in our program at Mercedes but now he is a driver with the Alpine factory team. That is a fact.

"I think he is doing well there - he is developing and making progress," the Mercedes chief added. "He is also French.

"So all of the stars came together for him. I think that first of all he will decide how his career continues before we give an opinion on our side," Wolff said.

(GMM)
Colonial Pipeline is the largest refined products pipeline in the US, transporting more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily to meet the energy needs of consumers from Houston, Texas to the New York Harbor. On 7 May, the Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cyberattack involving ransomware. In response, the company took certain systems offline to contain the threat; this has temporarily halted all pipeline operations.





Colonial Pipeline is 5500 miles in length, and links refineries on the Gulf Coast to the eastern and southern US. The pipeline supplies nearly half of the US East Coasts fuel supply; a prolonged outage could spike gasoline prices just as the summer driving season is approaching.

Upon learning of the issue, the company engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm, which has launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident, which is ongoing. The company also contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies.

The US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, Eric Goldstein, said:

We are engaged with the company and our interagency partners regarding the situation. This underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector. We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats.

Colonial Pipeline Company is a privately held company with headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia. Originally founded by nine oil companies in 1962, today Colonial is owned by five entities:
The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the core module of China's space station Tianhe, takes off from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, China, April 29. Reuters-Yonhap



A large segment of a Chinese rocket is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere early Sunday, but Beijing has downplayed fears of damage on the ground and said the risk is very low.



A Long March-5B rocket launched the first module of China's new space station into Earth's orbit on April 29.



Its 18-tonne main segment is now in freefall and experts have said it is difficult to say precisely where and when it will re-enter the atmosphere.



Space-Track, using US military data, tweeted that the window for re-entry is now predicted to be 0104-0304 GMT Sunday, but cautioned that the uncertainty about the timing made the location difficult to pinpoint.



The US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California "will not know the precise location until AFTER" the rocket has landed, Space-Track said.



Chinese authorities have said most of the rocket components will likely be destroyed as it descends.



"The probability of causing harm... on the ground is extremely low," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters on Friday.



Although there has been fevered speculation over exactly where the rocket  or parts of it  will land, there is a good chance any debris that does not burn up will just splash down into the ocean, given that the planet is 70 percent water.










Haiti - Politic : Launch of a new web portal on vocational training





This week was the launch of the new Internet portal "PROFORMAH", designed and developed by Haiti Tech, set up by the State Secretariat for Vocational Training in collaboration with the consortium Swiss contact / Caritas Switzerland.



During an official ceremony, Secretary of State Maguy Durce presented this new thematic web portal dedicated to the promotion and popularization of training in its various variations, in particular Technical and Vocational Training, University Training, Initial Training, Training and the Recognition and Validation of Acquired Professional Experience (RVAEP) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31278-haiti-politic-towards-the-implementation-of-the-law-on-the-validation-of-achievement-and-professional-experience.html



It is also a monitoring device that allows you to follow the latest news in the sector and keep abreast of developments and trends in the training industry in general. A source of information for schoolchildren, students, professionals looking for information on training, scholarships and jobs.



According to Durce, this new portal accessible on https://sef.gouv.ht/portail/ gives access to the main training institutions, national and international organizations involved in the world of training . It can also be considered as a monitoring device that will allow everyone to follow news in the training sector and the evolution of training trends in relation to market needs. Service offers, service requests will be presented as well as training grants that will be open to competition.



Levelt Joseph, the coordinator of the RVAEP, stressed that this was one of the most interesting outcomes of the four-year agreement dealing with the Qualification and Access to Work System (SQUAT) binding since 2018 the Haitian State, via the Ministry of Education and the Swiss Confederation through the Swiss Contact / Caritas Suisse Consortium.



Israna Germain program manager at the Swiss Embassy in Haiti expressed her joy at the launch of this portal. "The Swiss Embassy's support for the training sector once again illustrates our commitment to support public and private actors working for social and economic inclusion in Haiti"



As for Monica Del Sarto, responsible for the SQUAT project, she says she hopes this initiative will allow young Haitians to find training opportunities that will facilitate their successful entry into the labor market.



Although officially launched, PROFORMAH remains in development, some information will be added as the relevant institutions will manifest.



S/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/05/08

On May 6th, actor Jin Goo appeared on the SBS Radio program hosted by Kim Young-chul-I to discuss his upcoming movie "You're so Precious to Me" which is set to be released later this month. In the introduction to the film, Jin Goo described his character in rather unfavorable terms. Jae-sik is a thief who isn't scared of anything. Jae-sik approaches a visually and hearing impaired little girl who lost her mother as part of a scheme to earn money.

Kim Young-chul-I asked Jin Goo if it was easier to make such a movie now that he had his own children. Jin Goo married his wife in 2014 and now have two children aged five and six. While Jin Goo acknowledged that having children had indeed improved his ability to emphasize with them compared to his bachelor years, he stated that the role of an actor was to transcend such limitations.

Kim Young-chul-I also asked if Jin Goo had given his children presents for Children's Day, which was on May 5th. Jin Goo replied that he gave his children books, as opposed to candy, to try and cultivate them an appreciation for culture and the ability to better self manage their time. Kim Young-chul-I also asked about time Jin Goo had recently spent in Jeju, to which Jin Goo replied that he tried many foods there but like sesame noodles the best.

Elsewhere, Kim Young-chul-I asked if "You're so Precious to Me" was an attempt to change his image and Jin Goo replied in the affirmative. Jin Goo noted that he was known for playing rough characters, and that this one allowed him to show a softer side. "You're so Precious to Me" will premiere in South Korean theaters on May 12th.

Written by William Schwartz
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Palestinian protesters hurl stones at Israeli security forces amid clashes in Jerusalem's Old City, Saturday. AFP-Yonhap



Tensions ran high Sunday in annexed east Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinians were wounded in a weekend of clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces, sparking global concern that the unrest could spread further.



The violence around Jerusalem's revered Al-Aqsa mosque compound and the Old City, mostly at night, is the worst since 2017, fueled by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem.



The unrest swept parts of occupied West Bank and a rocket was fired early Sunday from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, with the Israeli army saying it responded with an air strike that struck a Hamas military post.



Tunisia's foreign ministry said it has called for a meeting Monday of the UN Security Council to discuss the escalating violence amid growing international calls for an end to the unrest.



Some 100 Palestinians were wounded in Saturday's overnight clashes, many hit by rubber bullets and stun grenades, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.



Israeli police said of its 17 officers were wounded.



The previous night more than 220 people, again mostly Palestinians, were hurt after Israeli police stormed Al-Aqsa after they said Palestinians threw rocks and fireworks at officers.



On Saturday night, thousands of Palestinians packed Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site which Jews revere as the Temple Mount, to hold special Ramadan prayers.



Israeli police set up roadblocks saying it wanted to limit access to the Old City and avoid "violent riots", effectively preventing hundreds more from joining the prayers.



A bus heading to east Jerusalem was stopped and some Palestinians detained for questioning by police, an AFP reporter said, while hundreds of Palestinians marched on highways to the Holy City.



"They want to stop us from going to Al-Aqsa," said Ali al-Komani, 40, outside the holy site.



Heightened tensions



Saturday's Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny) was a peak of the holy fasting month, believed to be the night when the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.



The prayers at Al-Aqsa were held peacefully, but violence flared elsewhere in east Jerusalem, in the West Bank and on the border between the blockaded Gaza Strip and Israel, correspondents said.



Israeli mounted police deployed outside Damascus Gate, a key access point to the Old City of Jerusalem, as agents fired stun grenades to disperse Palestinian protesters.



Palestinians pelted riot police with stones and set fire to a makeshift barricade, and a woman with a bloody face was escorted away from the scene by a rescuer, reporters said.



Police said they detained nine people for "disrupting public order" and warned that "all means will be used to maintain calm."



Police also dispersed a rally in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where Palestinian families facing eviction from their homes in a dispute with Jewish settlers are expecting a Supreme Court ruling on Monday.



Police fired stun grenades and water cannon at protesters who pelted them with stones, while a group of Palestinians clapped and sang "We will return."



A reporter for Israeli public television tweeted footage of a Jewish driver whose car was attacked with stones and windows shattered at the entrance to Sheikh Jarrah.



At an Israeli army checkpoint in the West Bank, troops fired tear gas grenades, some of which Palestinian protesters caught and hurled back using slingshots.



In Gaza, Palestinians packed tires inside vehicles and drove to the border with Israel where they set them on fire. They also fired incendiary balloons across the frontier.





Pope Francis speaks from a window of the apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Sunday. AFP-Yonhap


Location: San Jose - California

Location: United States of America Detroit

Job Description Position Summary The Initiative Account Manager is responsible for establishing executive level relationships at assigned accounts and engaging in market making opportunities through the development and implementation of outcome-focused sales strategies and plans. This individual will acquire new business to meet or exceed annual sales goals and grow market share. Owns the account strategy for new and incremental growth within assigned accounts and communicates to extended teams on an account by account basis.

Identifies, builds and leverages relationships with executives within assigned accounts through direct sales and business development activities

Establishes a trusted advisor relationship with customers, understands customer processes, business drivers and organization model while providing guidance on customer's strategic initiatives

Builds and deploys funnel growth plans to identify, prioritize, and works towards new client acquisition

Manages lead follow-up activities within assigned accounts, and utilizes a driven mindset to continuously identify new prospects

Follows the Rockwell Automation sales process: knows assigned accounts, plans for growth, maintains a healthy funnel, drives opportunities to closure and evaluates performance to goal.

Creates customer business outcomes by translating application knowledge, industry expertise/best practices and development of high-level strategies

Represents Rockwell Automation capabilities and establishes new accounts and revenue and develops account penetration plans to increase customer share in assigned initiatives.

Persists in the face of obstacles through collaboration with multiple cross-functional internal and external teams to design and deliver effective, customer-focused solutions.

Proactively collaborates with the North America Regional Industry Managers and OEM Segment Leaders.

Qualifies customer opportunities, engages the appropriate resources and coordinates the solution design to impact the customer's decision process and presents solutions to the customer (value proposition).

Maintains accurate assessment of target and opportunity funnel within the Dynamics Customer Relationship Management system.

Teams with corporate Contracts and Negotiations group to come to terms with customers. Obtains agreements and prices to support the proposal effort. Negotiates contract terms and conditions (T&Cs), pricing, discounts and allowances.

Sets and helps manage internal/external partner expectations.

Ensures thorough familiarity with company policies and procedures. Appropriately applies policies and procedures in compliance with government laws. Policies and procedures include, but not limited to: Standards of Business Conduct, Intellectual Property, Control Environment, Information Protection, ISO 9000 & 14000, government regulations (e.g. health, safety, quality and environmental). Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Ability to travel locally 50% of time or more

Legal authorization to work in the US is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.

Preferred Qualifications Valid driver's license.

Software industry experience

Prior experience in technical sales, industrial distribution, manufacturing operations, systems integration, or an engineering firm

Experience working with all levels of an industrial automation plant (customer) including VPs, plant engineers and OEM machine builders.

Demonstrated ability to sell at the senior management & executive levels and convey Rockwell Automation's products & services in a manner which demonstrate tangible economic value.

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The US Colonial Pipeline Ransomware cyber-attack closes network, one of the after-effects is a gas shortage and a price hike per gallon.

US Colonial Pipeline Ransomware cyber-attack crippled by hackers

According to reports, the operator Colonial Pipeline after an online hack caused by ransomware, the company shut down the entire network, impacting nearly half of the East Coast'sCoast's fuel supply, reported Epoch Times.

After learning about the attack on Friday, the firm said it shut down networks to mitigate the threat. According to the firm, this action also temporarily halted operations and compromised some of its IT systems.

If the shutdown persists, there are concerns of a price spike at the pump ahead of the peak travel driving season, and it has exposed how exposed the United States'States' fuel infrastructure is to hackers.

Brian Bethune, an applied economics professor at Boston College, said the effect on consumer prices should be marginal as long as the shutdown does not last more than a week or two. "Moreover, it indicates how weak our infrastructure is to these types of cyberwarfare," he said, noted USA Today.

The shutdown happened when energy prices are still increasing as the economy reopens after easing pandemic restrictions. According to the AAA auto club, the nationwide average for a gallon of standard gasoline has climbed 4 cents from Monday to $2.94.

Read also: China Attempts to Steal Coronavirus Research Through Heightened Cyber-Attacks, US Says

From the US Colonial Pipeline Ransomware cyber-attack hacking on Friday, gasoline futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 0.6 percent to $2.1269 a gallon. In comparison, diesel futures rose 1.1 percent to $2.0106 a gallon, outpacing crude oil gains. Meanwhile, cash prices for gasoline and diesel in the Gulf Coast fell slightly on expectations that supplies would build up in the area.

Sources say the firm supplies 2.5 million barrels of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined products each day through pipelines that stretch 5,500 miles (8,850 kilometers) through Gulf Coast refineries to the eastern US.

Enter the DarkSide

Investigators of the US government say it's still in its early stages; one former official and two industry sources suggest the hackers would be most likely a highly experienced cybercriminal squad. According to the former government official, investigators suspect a group called "DarkSide" by the cybersecurity research community is responsible.

DarkSide is notorious for using ransomware to extort money from victims while avoiding post-Soviet countries.

Colonial said last Saturday that the malicious software used in the attack is ransomware. Its malware that encrypts data and asks for money to regain access to the system. Over the last five years, the malware has grown in popularity.

Cybersecurity industry sources say the cybersecurity firm FireEye has been brought in to respond to the threat. FireEye did not respond to a call for comment.

Noted by Reuters, the Transportation Security Administration is collaborating with other agencies to address the situation. Colonial did not have any further information or a timeline for when its pipelines will be shut down.

According to Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska and a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the cyberattack was a premonition of things to come. Noting how vulnerable the US has become under the leadership of Joe Biden.

"This is a play that will be continued, and we are not adequately prepared," he said, adding that lawmakers should pass a plan to harden sectors against such attacks. The US Colonial Pipeline Ransomware cyber-attack will not be the last to be hacked.

Related article: Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Calls Splitting the NSA, Cybercom Disturbing

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A bomb explosion in the Afghan capital of Kabul happened; the blast took the lives of 30 people close to a girl's school. No one claimed credit for the bloody bomb attack that rocked an already fragile situation as the US and coalition forces starts pulling out.

Bomb Explosion in Afghan Capital slays civilians

The bomb rocked Kabul last Saturday as it exploded close to a girl's school in the majority Shiite district located west of Kabul. It was a savage blast that claimed 30 lives; worse was the victims, primarily young pupils between 11 and 15 years, reported The Epoch Times.

An extremist Sunni Muslim party has declared war on Afghanistan's Shiite Muslims, who make up the country's minority. Last year, a vicious attack in a maternity hospital in the same city, which killed pregnant women and newborn babies, was blamed on ISIS by Washington, cited in CBS News.

According to the Afghan government and the Taliban that denied any attack, they both condemned. The Taliban said the perpetrators aimed the terror attack on civilians, not armed soldiers.



Over a series of targeted killings of civil society activists, journalists, and Afghan professionals, the Taliban, and the Afghan government have exchanged allegations. Though ISIS has asserted responsibility for some of the killings, others remain unaccounted for.

While no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion, the Afghan ISIS terrorist group has taken credit for previous violent attacks in the same neighborhood.

According to Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian, the bomb explosion in the Afghan Capital is being investigated, and the death toll could rise further.

Read also: US General Says Withdrawing From Afghanistan Is a Problem

As the withdrawal accelerates in the coming weeks, the top US military officer said Sunday that Afghan government forces face an uncertain future and possibly some "bad possible consequences" against Taliban insurgents.

The attack occurred just days after U.S. officials told the last 2,500 to 3,500 American troops to leave the country. They'll be out no later than September 11th. The departure takes place against the backdrop of a revived Taliban, who now rule or prevail over half of Afghanistan.

Information shared by the Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian, ambulances were rushing to evacuate injured from the blast near Syed Al-Shahda school in the Shiite majority neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi.

The explosion was deafening, said the locals. While there was no announcement of multiple blasts, one eyewitness, Naser Rahimi, told The Associated Press how he heard three separate explosions. Rahimi also estimated that the death toll would almost certainly rise due to the explosion's sheer force.

While no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, the Afghan ISIS terrorist group has claimed responsibility for previous brutal attacks in the region.

Angry crowds struck ambulances in Dasht-e-Barchi, beating health workers as they attempted to evacuate the injured, according to Health Ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigar Nazari. Residents were urged to comply and give ambulances unrestricted access to the site, he said.

Bloodstained school backpacks and books were reportedly strewn around the street in front of the school, and smoke was rising above the area, according to images circulating on social media.

Associated Press journalists saw at least 20 dead bodies lined up in hallways and rooms at one local hospital, as well as scores of injured people and victims' families rushing in.

Both Arian and Nazari said that at least 50 people were also wounded in A bomb explosion in the Afghan Capital.

Related article: Obama Administration Allotted Money to an Al-Qaeda Affiliate From 2014 to 2015

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A legendary scientist Wernher von Braun may have predicted in his 1952 science fiction novel that the name "Elon" would rule over planet Mars.

Wernher von Braun May Have Predicted Elon Would Conquer Mars

Dr. Wernher von Braun, the German rocket scientist who went from designing Nazi missiles to assisting the United States in getting NASA off the ground, wrote a book in the years after WWII speculating about life on Mars  and how human civilization will be led by an "Elon," according to a published article in Fox News.

Dr. von Braun may have predicted this in his 1952 science fiction novel titled "Project Mars." Even though the book was written 70 years ago, it became trending on social media last week, according to a published article in the New York Post.

Moreover, Von Braun was a key figure in the advancement of rocket science. The book portrays a Martian government headed by ten men who report to a chief "elected by universal suffrage for five years under the name or title of Elon."

Read Also: SpaceX Safely Sends Crew to ISS Using Recycled Rocket, Capsule

What is Project Mars?

The book titled "Project Mars" is a space fantasy about a mission to planet Mars, according to a published report in CNET. In the book, Von Braun imagined a representative democracy on Mars, with a president-like king known as Elon.

Von Braun wrote in his book "The Martian government was directed by ten men, the leader of whom was elected by universal suffrage for five years and entitled 'Elon.' Two houses of Parliament enacted the laws to be administered by Elon and his cabinet."

In his fictitious nation, the upper legislature consists of 60 people chosen for life terms by Elon, and they can vote yes or no on legislation but cannot amend or change it in any way. The lower house is elected, not by country, but by occupation.

Speaking about destiny, did you know that Von Braun's 1953 book "Mars Project," referenced a person named Elon that would bring humans to Mars? Pretty nuts pic.twitter.com/m28yFU4Ip6  Toby Li (@tobyliiiiiiiiii) December 30, 2020



He clarified that this was due to transportation infrastructure making the entire globe accessible in four hours and Martians having made racial discrimination, nationalism, and "local patriotism" redundant.

Elon Musk's Reaction

An article contributor from CNET discussed the name "Elon" in the book "Planet Mars." However, it only gained more attention in December 2020 when reporter Toby Li tweeted about this passage from the book.

Elon Musk responded and tweeted, "Are we sure this is real?" He also added, "Destiny. destiny. No escaping that for me."

Just last month, Elon Musk has jokingly declared himself as the "Imperator of Mars" on his Twitter bio.

On the other hand, one Twitter user said that the name "Elon" in the book does not refer to a person, but rather, it was a term used to reference the name of the position like an elected meritocratic president.

This could also be a coincidence as according to the baby-name site Nameberry, the name "Elon" means "oak tree in Hebrew," It was also mentioned on the page that "Before Musk arrived on the scene, Elon was the name of a Biblical judge."

Related Article: 60 New SpaceX Starlink Satellites Aboard Into Orbit as Over 500,000 People Order Internet Service



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In the Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, scientists train bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19. This unusual study is a contrast to studies using dogs as COVID-19 detectors.

Bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19 is under research

According to the article reported by Newsmax, scientists at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands claim to have trained more than 150 bees to detect samples of the virus based on their smell.

It was sought to devise a means to find ways to detect the coronavirus, other than dogs. Though it seems unusual, the scientists embarked on the usual idea that bees can detect the virus, said the Hill last Saturday.

Scientists are working on a hypothesis that bees could be conditions as scent detected of the COVID-19 virus, just as effectively as a dog's nose.

The university said in a press release on May 3 that it collaborated with InsectSense, a start-up, to condition the bees to stick out their tongues as a visual signal when they detected the virus, noted Wageningen University.

According to the institution's press release, bees, like dogs, are particularly sensitive to the biochemical changes in an infected body that emit an odor and can be detected in minutes.

Based on the press release, "bees can sense volatiles with a precision of parts per trillion." "They locate flowers, for example, a few kilometers away. Bees, like dogs, can be designed to detect volatiles and scents in just a few minutes."

Scientists said the bees were trained using the Pavlovian Method. They were rewarded with a sugar-water solution every time they were subjected to the scent of a COVID tainted sample. The training method only took a few minutes to achieve training bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19.

Read also: Scientists Train Sniffer Dogs to Detect COVID-19

Using the same method for dog training achieved the results that the Dutch researchers consider their goal: finding COVID in infected people.

Since bees can be located worldwide, it could prove a highly successful diagnostic system in low-income countries. Machines could be designed to rapidly train them and deploy them via a second small machine to classify people, told to the press release.

Poorer countries will benefit from using these insects with a more affordable method. Presently richer countries are the ones who can afford more advanced test devices to detect virus carriers.

Sources say the school Wageningen University Research is a collaboration between Wageningen University and the Wageningen Research Foundation.

The school stated that more than 12,500 students and 6,500 staff from over 100 countries work at the school to research safe food and living conditions for business and government populations.

Wim van der Poel, a professor at Wageningen University, told The Hill. "Especially in lower countries, not all laboratories have that." "Bees are everywhere, and the hive isn't overly complex."

Research has yet to be peer-reviewed; the results show that using several insects per sample, the virus can be identified with a 95 percent accuracy rate, stated the professor.

According to the story, two teams of dogs from 360 K9 Group were deployed to sniff essential staff, NASCAR officials, race teams, and vendors as they entered the track.

Wageningen's effort to develop bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19 will be investigated further for the validity of the researchers' claims, noted Fox Sports.

Related article: K-9 Dog Sniffs Out 24 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in NYC Pad

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The second Sunday of May in the United States typically starts with a bouquet, sometimes breakfast in bed, and homemade cards to celebrate Mother's Day. Here are some of the Mother's Day traditions around the world that you should know.

Mother's Day Traditions Around the World

Mother's Day is one of the special holidays that everyone celebrates across the globe. Each country has different ways of celebrating Mother's Day to honor all mothers who gave all their love and support to the family.

In the United States, Mother's Day is traditionally celebrated every second Sunday of May. This became a nationally recognized holiday across the country in 1914, according to a published article on Britco.

Here are some of the Mother's Day traditions around the world that you should know, according to a published article on Scholastic:

1. India

Durga, the goddess of mothers, is honored each October during the 10-day Durga Puja festival. The festival, which is believed to have originated in the sixteenth century, is both a ceremonial ceremony and a time for family reunions. Durga has returned to her parents' house to show off her children in one story. Families prepare meals, collect presents, and decorate their homes for the festival for weeks.

Read Also: President Biden's Dogs Moved Out of White House

2. Japan

Following WWII, a variant of Mother's Day became popular to console mothers who had lost sons in the war. Carnations are commonly seen during this March holiday because they reflect the sweetness and stamina of motherhood in Japanese culture. Originally, children will give a red carnation to a living mother and a white one to a deceased mother. White has now become the standard color.

3. Ethiopia

The Antrosht festival, which takes place at the end of the rainy season in early autumn, is devoted to mothers. When the weather finally breaks, family members from all over gather at their homes for a big meal and celebration. Traditionally, daughters bring vegetables and cheese, while sons bring beef. They cook a meat hash and sing and dance to share the tales of family heroes.

4. United Kingdom

The fourth Sunday of Lent is "Mothering Sunday." In the 1700s, the day was commemorated by young house servants coming home to spend time with their mothers. This tradition arose from an older one in which families who had passed out would return to the church they had previously attended. Today, the holiday is also religiously based, with several churches giving out daffodils for children to present to Mom. Girls traditionally prepare a fruitcake for their mothers.

5. France

In 1920, the French government started granting awards to mothers of big families to thank you for their assistance in rebuilding the population after so many lives were lost in World War I. Following World War II, the government proclaimed the last Sunday in May to be Mother's Day. A flower-shaped cake has replaced the traditional gift.

6. Finland

On the second Sunday of May, Finns also observe Mother's Day. And the comparisons between the festival and the one in the United States don't end there. Finnish mothers, like American mothers, are showered with presents, roses, and the like. But the Finnish president still plays a role. Every year, the leader recognizes a community of outstanding mothers who their families or groups have selected. Recent selections include single mothers, adoptive mothers, and mothers who have adopted children with special needs.

Related Article: Comfy and Stylish Women's Athleisure Clothing



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Former Pelicans big man Will Magnay, who was on a two-way contract with New Orleans until he was waived last month, has returned to his home country of Australia, signing with the Perth Wildcats for the rest of the 2020/21 campaign, per a press release from the team.

The opportunity to play basketball again, at such a historic team like Perth, is exciting, Magnay said in a statement. Im just dying to get back on the court.

A 610 center, Magnay appeared in just one game for the Pelicans as an NBA rookie, going scoreless in three minutes. He also averaged 9.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 1.5 BPG in 10 appearances (22.2 MPG) for the Erie BayHawks in the G League. He was released in April when New Orleans signed James Nunnally to a two-way deal.

Magnay, who will turn 23 next month, played one year of college ball at Tulsa in 2016/17 before heading back to Australia, where he spent his first three professional seasons under contract with the Brisbane Bullets in the National Basketball League. He was named the NBLs Most Improved Player in 19/20 and was the runner-up for the Best Defensive Player award, earning him a shot in the NBA this season.
PBOC seeks views on WMP pilot

China Daily) 14:49, May 09, 2021

Employees of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Macao help a local resident carry out a transaction. ZHONG XIN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

The People's Bank of China, the central bank, on Thursday released a document with fresh details, including quotas, on the proposed Greater Bay Area Cross-Boundary Wealth Management Connect and sought public feedback on the same.

The WMC is a pilot program that proposes to facilitate residents of the GBA, which spans nine cities in Guangdong province, and Hong Kong and Macao, to make cross-boundary investment in wealth management products, or WMPs, distributed by banks in the GBA.

What is noteworthy in the document is the proposed aggregate quota of 150 billion yuan ($23.22 billion) and a limit of 1 million yuan per person for cross-boundary WMP investments in the GBA.

The central bank would be able to adjust the two quotas in certain situations. Its local branches in GBA will report on the usage under the aggregate quota on each working day, the PBOC said.

The PBOC, financial regulators of banking, insurance and security investment services, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Monetary Authority of Macao jointly issued the regulatory details included in the document.

The connect program, if implemented, will mark a further step toward convertibility of the renminbi, the Chinese currency, under the capital account.

The pilot proposes that GBA residents can buy WMPs via a close-loop channel of funds within the banking system. The pilot will likely have both southbound and northbound components, according to the PBOC document.

Southbound investors should be residents of the nine cities in Guangdong province and have a minimum of two years of investment experience, with no less than 1 million yuan in net family financial assets at the end of each month over the last three months. Or, they should have total family financial assets of no less than 2 million yuan at the end of each month over a period of three months to the investment day.

Cross-boundary remittances will be renminbi-denominated, with currency conversion conducted in offshore markets. Fund transactions will be conducted through the PBOC's Cross-Boundary Inter-Bank Payments System, or the CIPS, according to the document.

Experts said the pilot program aims to support development of the GBA and deepen financial cooperation between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, with a view to promote the opening up of the mainland's financial markets.

They also said cross-boundary remittances under the scheme will be conducted and managed in a closed-loop through the bundling of designated remittance and investment accounts, to ensure the funds are used only for WMP investments.

Anthony Lin, CEO of Greater Bay Area, Standard Chartered, welcomed fresh details of the pilot program. This, he said, will help "banks to prepare for the reported launch of the Wealth Management Connect later this year".

Standard Chartered's clients on the mainland generally prefer fixed-income products for cross-boundary investment. They are also more interested in stocks of Chinese companies listed in offshore markets, as well as US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Chinese companies, Lin said.

He further said investors in Hong Kong and Macao generally look for higher returns from mainland assets, especially those related to the "new economy" and in areas of consumption, infrastructure, manufacturing and technology, as well as RMB-denominated assets.

Standard Chartered has set up a project team to prepare for the Wealth Management Connect. In April, it launched the first fund product under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program, which helps investors on the mainland to invest in GBA-related assets.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Oscar Lee Asberry knew that at 68, he was supposed to start planning his retirement.

After all, he deserved it: Hed spent half a century as a nursing assistant, taking care of other people with physical and mental impairments.

But he had a dream to fulfill: His mother, who died in 1987, hoped and prayed that at least one of her eight children would attend college. As the youngest and only child still living, it was up to Asberry.

So instead of planning a retirement party, Asberry walked into the admissions office at Texas Southern University in 2019 and enrolled.

On Saturday, the crowd at TSUs Alexander Durley Stadium erupted in cheers as 70-year-old Asberry smiled wide and accepted his diploma.

I did it for my mother and Im able to say I was successful at bringing her pride and honor, Asberry said.

To cap off the celebration, Asberrys commencement speaker Saturday was civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represented families in high-profile cases such as Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown and George Floyd, whos family members were in attendance..

Crump thanked the group of graduates for being co-counsels in the court of public opinion by tweeting, posting and fighting for justice for families he has represented, including the $27 million settlement he just secured for the Floyd family, the guilty verdict for Floyds killer, Derek Chauvin, and the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.

My grandmother told me, if you ever get a chance to speak truth to power, she said, you do it baby, you do it, he said. And as I stand here and look out at the graduating class of 2021, I see such awesome power, you have no idea how powerful you are. You cannot fathom the things youre going to accomplish in this world, the influence you are going to bestow upon this world.

He reminded the graduates that education is something nobody can take away from you, and that they should bring it back to their friends and family members who were unable to make it this far.

My mother said make sure, when you get at the table, help provide a seat for another brother or sister to get at that table, Crump said. We gotta remember everyone wasnt blessed like you are today graduating from the great Texas Southern University. You gotta take this great education  back to the hood.

He also called upon the graduates to fight to make America a place where everyone has equal opportunities.

Justice Thurgood Marshall said that the basis of the American constitution is simply this: That a black baby, a brown baby, a native baby born to a black mother or a brown mother or a native mother, the most uneducated minority mother, the most inarticulate minority mother, the most impoverished minority mother  has the same exact rights as a white baby born to a white mother, the most educated white mother, the most articulate white mother, the mother affluent white mother, just by virtue of that baby drawing its first breath, he said.

I know thats not the case in America right now, but I challenge anyone to say thats not what were fighting for, he said. What we are really doing at Texas Southern University is we are helping America be America for all Americans.

Along with delivering the commencement speech, Crump presented TSU with a $20,000 check to establish the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Endowment Scholarship.

Right now, there is a young man or a young woman like George (Floyd) with a lot of potential as long as we can make sure they can live long enough to reach the destiny that God has for them, Crump said. I believe this scholarship will help create new opportunities for the next U.S. representative, the next U.S. Supreme Court (justice), who knows, possibly the next president of the United States.

Asberrys degree has been a long time coming. He went to school to be a nurse in the late 1980s, but wasnt able to graduate.

He largely stopped thinking about college after that. But then a woman at his church, who worked for TSU, asked him to come by her office one day in 2019. He had no intention of enrolling, he said.

He walked out a TSU Tiger.

Two years later, a bow-tied Asberry has his bachelors of science degree in health studies in hand  despite working full time while attending school.

And he plans to use it.

Asberry currently is working for a family and plans to stay as log as they need him, he said. He will then apply to hospitals with the hopes of working in their credentialing department.

Im going to work until I cant work anymore, Asberry said. I want to work as long as I have the energy.

Alex Stuckey is an investigative reporter with the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
Cherika Argus arrived at Briscoe's Place last October on the edge, her rental and credit history in tatters.

The south Houston rooming house with 20 small rooms was her best alternative to the streets.

"I didn't want to live in a shelter," said Argus, 37. "The shelter and homeless life is no life for a mother and a 17-year-old son."

Her sanctuary from the streets, however, nearly killed her.

On March 16, a fast-spreading fire set her bedroom door ablaze, sending her scrambling to escape.

Two residents died trying to get out, likely hampered by the haphazard interior with its maze of rooms, locked exit doors and lack of windows that city officials say violated building codes.

The deaths brought renewed attention to problems posed by rooming houses, which serve as refuges of last resort in a city where affordable housing is in precious short supply.

Rooming houses in Houston face little scrutiny from local or state governments, with spotty inspections for occupancy or safety permits and a hodgepodge of city records that complicates overseeing the facilities, the Chronicle found in a review of city permitting, fire and complaint records.

Even limited oversight can save lives.

A week after the fire at Briscoe's Place, 29 people escaped a fire at a southwest Houston boarding home, where the owner had made improvements ordered by the fire department.

Fire officials say the changes likely made the difference in getting people out the doors.

Overregulation of the facilities, however, could make housing more costly, potentially increasing homelessness.

"What is the alternative if these get shut down?" asked Dennis Borel, with the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. "We don't have a good answer to that. Is the alternative no housing? Is this the de facto lowest housing available? And if we close them, then what?"

DEVELOPMENT: Mayor Turner steps up efforts to oversee rooming, boarding houses

Hundreds of complaints

City officials admit they have no idea how many rooming houses operate in Houston.

The state regulates nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and halfway houses, and the city registers boarding homes - facilities that house three or more unrelated adults and provide some sort of services.

But beyond basic building codes, no agency regulates rooming houses or bunkhouses, the low-cost rentals where residents often pay weekly for a bed.

Complaints about them, however, are plentiful. City call data from the 311 hotline shows more than 450 complaints since 2014 about "unsafe boarding houses," a broad category that can include rooming houses and other types of multi-resident housing.

Fifty locations had two or more complaints, and the Chronicle review found more than a dozen that appear to be operating as rooming houses.

Track resident concerns about unsafe or unregulated boarding houses Houston residents called the city more than 450 times over the last three years with concerns about unsafe or unregulated boarding houses. The complaints to the citys 311 system including an alert more than a year ago for Briscoes Place, an unregulated rooming house where two people died trying to escape a fire there. Source: Houston 311 data | Created by Rachael Gleason/Houston Chronicle

Tangled city records, however, make it nearly impossible to determine whether those buildings are safe. Permits - if they exist at all - are often out of date, based on prior ownership and different uses for the buildings, and documentation is disconnected from related records in other city departments.

Occupancy permits, for example, are issued by the Department of Public Works and Engineering, but other safety and construction inspections go through the fire and building departments. Complaints to the city's 311 hotline, meanwhile, are investigated by the Department of Neighborhoods.

"What this highlights is a gap in information sharing," Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said. "Currently, there is no functional common records management system that would allow the city's building inspection program to mine data from multiple sources ... to track, score, and prioritize inspections of high-risk premises."

City officials say it could take years before all the departments' databases are fully linked. After the fires, the city's Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department reviewed the city's boarding home regulations with other key departments "to ensure that appropriate measures are being taken to protect public safety," ARA Deputy Director Lara Cottingham said.

The department is considering clarifying a city ordinance to define city-regulated homes that house the elderly and disabled as personal care residences rather than boarding homes, to clearly distinguish them from other types of lodging facilities, she said.

Two fires in two weeks

Today, Briscoe's Place sits empty and boarded up amid the vacant storefronts along Griggs Road, an iron chain wrapped through the front door.

Moses Briscoe - the owner of the damaged rooming house - declined recently to comment about the fire and its aftermath, as he worked next door in his upholstery business. He told the Chronicle after the March fire that he operated the building to give people who might otherwise live in their cars a place to stay.

Ten years ago, Briscoe received a certificate of occupancy to use the site as a banquet hall. In 2014, he paid the fire department to inspect the building so he could receive a permit for a boarding house, documents show.

The fire department denied the permit weeks later, however, and Briscoe never obtained a certificate of occupancy to operate the building as a rooming house for more than 16 people, according to city records.

The fire inspection did not cite the improper lock at the front door, nor the lack of windows for the interior bedrooms. The Department of Neighborhoods investigated a 2015 safety complaint and concluded the building was not overcrowded, but the city has not yet released a copy of the report.

Other city records show that employees from three departments visited the building more than a half-dozen times since 2014, but apparently never questioned whether the facility met basic life-safety or building codes.

Briscoe's Place resident Cherika Argus searches through the rubble for her purse that contains her ID on Thursday, March 16, 2017, in south Houston. Two residents died and one was injured after a fire broke out early at the boarding house. less Briscoe's Place resident Cherika Argus searches through the rubble for her purse that contains her ID on Thursday, March 16, 2017, in south Houston. Two residents died and one was injured after a fire broke out ... more Photo: J. Patric Schneider, For The Chronicle Photo: J. Patric Schneider, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Fatal fire exposes lax oversight by city, state of Houston's rooming houses 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Miles away and just days after Briscoe's Place erupted in flames, an early morning fire broke out at a registered boarding home in the 12700 block of Corona Lane at South Dairy Ashford.

Fire safety inspectors had visited that home in December 2015, ordering the building's owner to repair bedroom windows, add smoke detectors in the stairwells and signs at the exit doors, and install dead bolts to allow easier escape.

Larry Thomas, who ran the boarding home, said he's glad inspectors alerted him to potential problems.

"They made me aware of what we needed to do," he said. "It was a tremendous help."

Thomas started running the home after his own experience living in similar facilities, while recovering years ago from a serious illness. The 3,000-square--foot, seven-bedroom home on Corona Lane housed more than two dozen people, depending on the time of month and their finances.

"I tried to run a family-oriented environment," he said. "It wasn't no rootie-toot operation."

After the inspection, he bought smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and new door locks, and developed a fire evacuation plan.

The fire broke out March 23. He woke up that day smelling smoke, and he and his son found flames in the attic.

"We got everybody out before it got too bad," he said.

Fire department officials credit the changes he made with saving lives.

"When you have a structure that is going to house multiple occupants, evacuation can always be an issue," Houston Fire Captain Ruy Lozano said recently. "When a fire came in, not only were the occupants notified early, the ability to evacuate was made easier by all those safety measures that were put in place."

Thomas is not sure he'll be able to reopen. On a recent visit, the front of the house appeared largely undamaged, but flames had chewed through much of the rear roof and debris lay scattered throughout.

Getting people off the streets

Better enforcement - instead of more regulations - could make rooming houses safer for residents, said John Hernandez, who owns more than a dozen across the city.

He rents out about 500 rooms for about $80 to $100 a week to tenants who typically earn $1,000 or less a month.

"I want to help people have a place to stay," Hernandez said.

He makes every effort to keep renters safe by keeping his buildings up to code and regularly maintained.

"We have a full-time maintenance crew," he said. "We maintain our properties ... fairly decent, for the condition and rent we get. We have our crew out there every day."

Records from the fire department show inspectors have visited many of his properties, citing some with minor violations that appear to have been corrected.

"The standard regulations they have now, I think, are more than enough," he said. "They just may need to be enforced a little more often."

Residents shared mixed reviews of his facilities online. One person complained about poor upkeep and cleanliness at one location, while a renter at another left a five-star review.

"It's a roof over your head and you have your own room," she wrote.

At the Everett Bunk House just off Main Street in the quiet Near Northside neighborhood, owner Richard Salinas modeled his place on the bunk-style barracks he slept in during his military service.

First wake-up is at 3 a.m., for early morning workers. At 7 a.m., everyone has to get up, said the retired Houston police officer and former U.S. Marine with a bristly gray mustache.

"You have an hour to [expletive], shower and shave," Salinas said.

He houses 50 to 70 people a night for $12 a day, and recently expanded. Tenants include restaurants and warehouse workers, and day laborers, some of whom stay for months or even years.

"What I'm trying to do as a bunk house owner is get people off the street," he said. "My place is the last stop before rock bottom."

On a recent visit, the facility had a fresh coat of paint, the grass recently mown.

"If there's a permit, I have it," he said.

Looking ahead

For residents living on limited income or disability checks, rooming homes provide stability, said Eva Thibaudeau, director of programs at the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County.

"It's filling a need," Thibaudeau said. "The problem is we're not doing it in a very safe or scrutinized manner."

Legislators have grappled with the issue for years. A 2008 report to the Texas Legislature found more than 845 boarding houses across Texas, with a lack of widespread local regulation.

RELATED: 70 years ago: The deadliest disaster in Houston's history

The report called for increasing housing options for low-income, elderly, disabled and mentally ill residents, and recommended that state and local communities support development of special housing with extra services for people with mental illness.

Some Texas cities have a more hands-on approach to regulation. In Austin, multi-resident facilities such as boarding homes, bunkhouses, and fraternities fall under a broad category of "rooming houses," said J.D. Meier, manager at the city's code enforcement division.

Any facility with more than six residents must obtain a license and pass an annual inspection, he said.

State Sen. Jose Menendez, who worked on legislation eight years ago to regulate group homes, said costs kept more-expansive legislation from passing.

"The big thing is no one has the financial wherewithal to be able to pay attention to this - no one is choosing to put the finances there," he said.

He filed a bill this legislative session to further regulate boarding homes, which would allow prosecution of owners or employees if they mistreat residents - similar to provisions for nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

"It's important, yes, to have good community-based [housing] options," Menendez said. "But they have to be safe."

Finding a home

More than a month after the fire at Briscoe's Place, Cherika Argus has moved into a new apartment in a new neighborhood in northwest Houston. But she spent all of her savings to do so.

She doesn't have a refrigerator or stove. Virtually all of her paperwork is gone, burned up. And she's still trying to acclimate to the neighborhood.

"It's stressful," she said.

Argus was credited with helping save more than a dozen people escape from the fire. She ran door-to-door, knocking to alert people about the blaze.

One of the women she helped to escape has since died, from what she believes was the stress of the whole incident.

"I'm not the only one stressed behind this, there are a bunch of people stressed behind it," she said. "It took a toll on everybody."

Houston Chronicle reporter Margaret Kadifa contributed to this report.
Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

A teen underwent surgery Saturday after he was shot when a group of friends played with a gun that discharged in southeast Harris County, authorities said.

Police didnt release the condition of the teen, who was not identified, when he was taken to the hospital after the 2 p.m. shooting in the 2800 block of West Bay Area Boulevard, said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Cowardice

Regarding Partnership fails, (A12, May 6): I have lived in many regions of the country, but always felt pulled to return to Texas. The article citing the reasons for Sylvester Turner and Lina Hidalgo dropping the Greater Houston Partnership as a platform to present their State of the City and the County was very disturbing.

Bigger businesses have stood tall in their opposition to voting restricting legislation in other states, yet the GHP cannot muster the strength to render support in opposition of the pending Texas voter legislation. Delta, Home Depot and Coca-Cola to name a few stood tall in Georgia in voicing their opposition to similar legislation in Georgia. And according to the article, no meeting was held to establish the consensus of the GHP, which indicates the leadership took a position and then stood by their position.

I can understand the fear some members might feel about the possibility of being ostracized by other members of the GHP, but voting rights are fundamental to democracy. I get the sense the Republican party is fearful because minorities normally tend to vote as Democrats, but to cut access to the right to vote by a Republican legislature in the name of voter security is cowardice and contrary to who we are as a country and particularly who we are as Texans.

Mark Niles, Houston

Redistricting for dummies

Regarding Creatures concocted to protect power, (A11, May 4): I would apply this method of drawing up voting districts in all our states. Start at the top right portion of a state. Got the numbers you need? Draw two lines. Go down and draw the next two lines. Get to the bottom of the state, move over and go up. Keep the lines as simple as possible. I dont ask who lives there. If you want to run in that district you must represent the people there. They pick you, you dont get to pick them. Adjust every 10 years as needed. Maybe have several colleges and universities work up the districts together. Keep it simple and honest.

Jeff Cook, Houston






Position Objective: Provides direct care to employees, volunteers and physicians as patients in a culturally, developmentally, and ethically appropriate manner. Essential Job Duties: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Consistently and thoroughly assesses patients to collect data and identify learning needs according to established standards and policies. Administers pre-employment, random, and for-cause drug screens by working with the HR team, supervisors, and employees, explaining and executing processes accurately. Administers health screens for all new employees by evaluating all information, administering proper immunizations, refers for additional screenings when necessary, contacts recruiters with final information. Performs annual or biannual health programs on all Health System employees and follows up on all non-compliant employees. Evaluates all laboratory and x-ray data with Employee Health Physician and educates employees concerning the results as needed. Provides educational material and counseling on current health issues and mandatory parts of the employee health program. Offers recommended but not mandatory immunizations to all employees and volunteers. Maintains employee health records and information in strict confidentiality. Administers the Worker's Compensation program by providing first aid and managed care to all injured employees, keeps communication open with all parties and process bills in efficient manner. Compiles data adheres to regulations and policies of AAHS Infection Committee, OSHA and CDC. Maintains membership on the AAHS Infection Committee and shares pertinent information to all. Educational/Experience Requirements: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. Required License/Certifications: Current licensure as a registered nurse by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

CPR.

Certification in Occupational Health preferred. Working Conditions, Equipment, Physical Demands: There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens. Physical Demands - Light work. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work. The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The above job description is an overview of the functions and requirements for this position. This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list encompassing every duty and requirement of this position; your supervisor may assign other duties as deemed necessary.


Imperial Valley News Center

Teacher Appreciation Week via America Newscape - Laura Caler

Odessa, Washington -

Justin Case of America Newscape interviews Odessa Washington's Laura Caler as part of the Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 series.

Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated in the first full week of May, from May 2 through May 8 in 2021, and is when teachers get the extra credit they deserve.

Whether you have a teacher, know a teacher, or are a teacher, there are endless ways to give a little extra support to teachers and teachers organizations. Teaching is known to be a time-consuming and challenging profession, so this week is our chance to say thank you to those that play or have played such a huge role in our lives.

Teaching is one of the oldest professions  in 561BC, the first private teacher in history was one of the most learned men of all time, Confucius. In Ancient Greece, there was huge value placed on educating children, and in the 1600s the Pilgrims also placed a similar emphasis on the practice.

By the 19th century, politicians began to believe that education was needed for political order, and elementary through college education was widespread and public, and the need for teachers has been growing ever since!

Though the origins of Teacher Appreciation Week are somewhat murky, its clear that it was in 1944 that an Arkansas school teacher, Mattye White Woodridge, wrote to politicians and educational professionals about the demand for a day to appreciate teachers. However, it wasnt for nearly a decade until the idea was introduced to Congress by none other than Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1953, she was successful in convincing lawmakers to adopt the day.

After the National Education Association (NEA) and Kansas and Indiana state affiliates lobbied Congress again to create National Teacher Day on March 7, 1980, they continued to observe it yearly even though Congress did not. They did this until 1985 when the Assembly transformed the single day into the first full week of May.
Imperial Valley News Center

FBI Releases 2020 Statistics on Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty

Washington, DC - According to statistics reported to the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2020. Of these, 46 officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 47 officers died in accidents. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks were released today in the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) portion of the Crime Data Explorer website. Previous editions of the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted publication, which contain data from 1996 to 2019, are available on the fbi.gov UCR Publications page.

Felonious Deaths

The 46 felonious deaths occurred in 25 states. The number of officers killed as a result of criminal acts in 2020 was two less than the 48 officers who were feloniously killed in 2019.

The 5- and 10-year comparisons show a decrease of 20 felonious deaths compared with the 2016 figure (66 officers) and a decrease of 26 deaths compared with 2011 data (72 officers).

Officer Profiles. The average age of the officers who were feloniously killed was 39 years old. The victim officers had served in law enforcement for an average of 12 years at the times of the fatal incidents. Of the 46 officers:

41 were male

5 were female

32 were white

10 were Black/African American

2 were Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

1 was American Indian/Alaska Native.

The race of 1 officer who died was not reported.

Circumstances Encountered by Victim Officer Upon Arrival at Scene of Incident. Of the 46 officers feloniously killed:

9 were ambushed (entrapment/premeditation)



7 died as a result of investigative or law enforcement activities

2 were drug-related matters 2 were handling a person with a mental illness 1 officer who died was conducting a traffic violation stop 1 was conducting a high-risk traffic stop 1 was investigating a motor vehicle crash



7 were assisting other law enforcement officers

2 officers were assisting by deploying tire deflation devices 1 was assisting with a high-risk traffic stop 1 was assisting with an officer down (requiring emergency assistance) 1 was assisting with a vehicular pursuit 1 was assisting an officer requiring emergency assistance (that was not a pursuit) 1 was assisting with a nonemergency circumstance



5 were responding to crimes in progress 2 were reported as a shooting/shots being fired (not active shooter situation) 2 were reported in the category titled other crime against property 1 was a burglary



4 were responding to disorders or disturbances

3 were responding to a domestic disturbance (family quarrel, no assault) 1 was responding to a domestic violence call



3 were involved in arrest situations 2 were attempting to restrain/control/handcuff the offender(s) 1 was providing verbal instructions to the offender



2 were responding to citizen complaints 1 was a traffic complaint 1 was a verbal complaint regarding a noncriminal violation



2 were involved in tactical situations serving/attempting to serve an arrest warrant.



2 had encountered or were assisting a person experiencing an emotional disturbance.



2 were killed during an unprovoked attack.



1 was serving/attempting to serve court order (eviction notice, subpoena, etc.)



1 was assisting a motorist.



1 was killed in an incident reported in the category of other.

Weapons. Offenders used firearms to kill 41 of the 46 victim officers. Four officers were killed with vehicles used as weapons. One officer was killed by the offenders use of personal weapons (hand, fists, feet, etc.). Of the 41 officers killed by firearms:

21 were slain with handguns

10 with rifles

10 with firearms in which the types of firearms were unknown or not reported.

Regions. Felonious deaths were reported in all four U.S. regions.

24 officers were feloniously killed in the South

11 in the Midwest

10 in the West

1 in the Northeast.

Suspects. Law enforcement agencies identified 44 alleged assailants in connection with the felonious line-of-duty deaths.

20 of the assailants had prior criminal arrests

5 of the offenders were under judicial supervision at the times of the felonious incidents.

Accidental Deaths

Forty-seven law enforcement officers were killed accidentally while performing their duties in 2020, an increase of six when compared with the 41 officers accidentally killed in 2019. The majority (26 officers) were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

Officer Profile. The average age of officers who were accidentally killed was 40 years old; the average number of years the victim officers had served in law enforcement was 10. Of the 47 officers accidentally killed:

43 were male

4 were female

37 were white

9 were Black/African American

The race for 1 victim officer was not reported.

Circumstances. The 47 officers accidentally killed died in a variety of scenarios:

26 died as a result of motor vehicle crashes. 24 while operating cars, SUVs, trucks, or vans 2 while operating an ATV or a motorcycle

12 were pedestrian officers struck by vehicles

5 were killed in firearm-related incidents

2 officers drowned during rescue operations

1 officer died as a result of an aircraft crash

1 officer died in a fall.

Use of seatbelts. Of the 24 officers killed in motor vehicle crashes while operating cars, SUVs, trucks, or vans, eight were wearing seatbelts and five were not. Data about seatbelt usage was not reported for 11 of the officers.

Regions. Accidental deaths were reported in four U.S. regions.

29 of the accidental deaths occurred in the South

9 in the West

7 in the Midwest

2 in the Northeast.

Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2020

Release schedule. To provide a more timely release of data to the public, todays release provides three categories of data. These categories include data and statistics concerning officers feloniously and accidentally killed and statistics about federal officers killed and/or assaulted. The remaining portions of the information, which present data reported to the FBI concerning law enforcement officers assaulted in the line of duty in 2020, will be available later this year:

Assault data will be released in the fall and will include national statistics about officers assaulted in the line of duty.

Detailed assault Data will be released in the fall and will include statistics and narratives concerning a subset of assault incidents in which officers received injuries with firearms or knives/cutting instruments.

LEOKA 2020 data is available exclusively on the FBIs Law Enforcement Data Explorer (a subset of the Crime Data Explorer).
Imperial Valley News Center

California Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition as a Felon

Sacramento, California - Carlos Biviescas, 29, of Vacaville, was sentenced Tuesday to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in May 2020, Biviescas was arrested for driving on a suspended license. A search of his car revealed a backpack containing a ghost gun loaded with an extended magazine containing 29 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. The backpack also contained an additional 21 additional rounds of ammunition. Biviescas cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of two felony offenses.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the Solano County District Attorneys Office, the FBIs Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Departments renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Imperial Valley News Center

San Jose Residents Charged With Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud In Automobile Resale Scheme

San Francisco, California - A criminal complaint was unsealed Wednesday in federal court charging Seymur Khalilov, Ramil Heydarov, and Orkhan Aliyev with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.

According to the complaint, between 2016 and the present, Khalilov, 32; Heydarov, 31; and Aliyev, 31, all of San Jose, conspired to purchase high-mileage vehicles, roll back the odometers, and falsify documentation to make the vehicles appear newer. The co-conspirators then allegedly sold the vehicles on Craigslist at significant profits. The complaint alleges defendants fraudulently sold at least a dozen vehicles in this way for a total of at least $300,000. In addition, the complaint states that the number of cars and amount of money at issue will likely change as the ongoing investigation into the scope and extent of the scheme continues.

The complaint describes the multiple steps taken by the coconspirators to defraud purchasers of the cars. For example, the complaint describes how defendants purchased high-mileage or old-model vehicles and then, with the assistance of other co-conspirators, rolled back the odometers of the vehicles. Further, the defendants altered documentation related to the vehicles, including titles and registrations, to reflect the lower mileage amount and other fraudulent information. The complaint alleges the fraudulent alterations were made with the goal of increasing the prospective sale price of the vehicles. In addition, when selling the vehicles, the defendants portrayed themselves as the prior owners of the vehicles, including by altering California identification cards, so that the defendants true names would not appear in the vehicles transaction history.

Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  1349. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C.  3553.

The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The defendants each made their initial federal court appearance earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson. Aliyevs next court date is May 6, 2021, and Khalilov and Heydarovs next court date is May 7, 2021.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ankur Shingal is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Soana Katoa. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Motor Vehicles Investigations Division in Vallejo, the San Ramon Police Department, and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigations.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Calexico City Officials David Romero and Bruno Suarez-Soto Sentenced to Prison for Bribery

Calexico, California - Former Calexico City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem David Romero, along with Bruno Suarez-Soto, a former commissioner on the citys Economic Development and Financial Advisory Commission, were each sentenced to two years in prison today for taking bribes in exchange for guaranteeing a City permit for a cannabis business.

In pronouncing sentence, U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo observed that public officials should not take positions of power to line their own pockets and that the pairs conduct taints how we hope to believe democracy works.

Romero and Suarez-Soto, both Calexico residents, previously pleaded guilty on June 11, 2020 to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Per their plea agreements, Romero and Suarez-Soto accepted $35,000 in cash bribes from an undercover FBI agent whom they believed represented investors seeking to open a cannabis dispensary in Calexico. In return, Romero and Suarez-Soto promised to guarantee the rapid issuance of a city permit for the dispensary, and to revoke or hinder other applicants if necessary to ensure that the bribe payers application was successful. Moreover, both men admitted they had taken other bribes in the past. In fact, referring to this corrupt arrangement, Suarez-Soto told an undercover agent that This isnt our first rodeo.

Romero previously served as Calexicos Mayor Pro Tem, meaning he was set to become Mayor in July 2020. Suarez-Soto was appointed to the City commission responsible for promoting business and community growth and coordinating with prospective developers to help them invest in the City of Calexico. Both men resigned their positions with the City in June 2020 as part of their plea agreements.

Public office is a public trust, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Anyone who violates that trust by selling the governments business to satisfy their own greed should face a reckoning. Citizens of this district deserve no less.

The FBI, to include our Imperial County Resident Agency, remains committed to investigating all levels of public corruption, including those engaged in pay-to-play and bribery schemes, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. This case is one example of how the FBI will bring to justice those who use their positions of power to harm our communities and diminish public trust.

According to court documents and their plea agreements, Romero and Suarez-Soto met with the undercover FBI agent three times in December 2019 and January 2020. They demanded a $35,000 bribe at their first meeting on December 19, 2019. In return, Suarez-Soto told the agent that his application would be guaranteed once the payment was made. He assured the undercover that he and Romero wouldnt disappear after the payment, and Romero explained I cant [disappear]. Im Mayor Pro Tem. In July, Ill be Mayor. If anything, I ran based on this platformwhich is cannabis.

When the undercover agent asked whether his payment would get his application to the front of the line of other applicants, per court filings, Suarez-Soto answered, Hell yeah, and Romero told him he didnt want to say it in front of everybody, but it will. Romero added that he could revoke permits from other applicants if he wanted, to ensure that the undercover agents submission would succeed. Romero did demand that the undercover agent pay the bribe up front, however, because he complained that he had burn[ed] favors and pull[ed] strings for other parties before who refused to pay after the favors were rendered.

At the second meeting, on January 9, 2020, Suarez-Soto told the undercover agent that having Romero on board would help the agent cut through the bullshit [red] tape at City Hall, according to court filings. When the undercover agent sought to clarify what would happen with his application, Romero told him that the people who have to approve your license were Romeros best friends at the entire City Hall. When the undercover asked whether Romeros best friends had already signed off on the plan, Romero responded F*ck, yeah! and laughed. When the undercover agent handed Suarez-Soto two envelopes totaling $17,500 in cash in the parking lot with Romero looking on, per court documents, he asked the men whether were good. Romero responded, Trust me.

Both defendants admitted in their plea agreements that they accepted a second round of cash payments totaling $17,500 in a restaurant parking lot on January 30, 2020 as part of the scheme. They also acknowledged that they accepted both payments intending to be influenced in the performance of their duties on behalf of the City of Calexico, and that the $35,000 collective bribe was not the first they had accepted as part of their scheme.

As set out in court records, both defendants were interviewed by the FBI following the second cash payment, and both were warned it was a crime to make false statements. Nevertheless, each defendant lied repeatedly to the interviewing agents, attempting to distance themselves from the corruption that had just taken place.

Acting U.S. Attorney Grossman praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Pilchak and prosecutors Ryan Crosswell and Joshua Rothstein of DOJs Public Integrity Section, and FBI agents for working hard to achieve the outcome in this case.

DEFENDANTS Case Number 20cr1215-CAB

David Romero Age: 37 Residence: Calexico, CA

Bruno Suarez-Soto Age: 29 Residence: Calexico, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Commit Federal Program Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections

371 and 666(a)(1)(B)

Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine.

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Imperial Valley News Center

California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun

Sacramento, California - U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Billy Paul Dunn, 48, of Sacramento, today to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Dunn has been previously convicted of six felony offenses as well as misdemeanor crimes of violence for threats with intent to terrorize, assault with a deadly weapon, and battery on a non-cohabitating spouse. Dunn was released from state custody on Post Release Community Supervision in October 2019. In August 2020, Dunn was arrested with a loaded gun.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and the Sacramento County Probation Department with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.

This case is brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Departments renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Imperial Valley News Center

FBI San Francisco Announces New Strategy to Combat Hate Crimes

San Francisco, California - The San Francisco Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is announcing a new strategy to identify and investigate hate crimes in Northern California.

A hate crime is defined as a violent criminal act against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. Hate crimes are often underreported to both federal and local law enforcement.

We understand that some individuals may be afraid to come forward to law enforcement, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair. I want to assure the community that the FBI works to protect all victims of crimes, regardless of their country of national origin or immigration status. Acts of hate and racism have no place here and will not be tolerated.

FBI San Francisco is surging our resources to combat hate crimes, and we will use all authority granted to us by federal law to investigate civil rights violations, said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. I urge members of our community to report any hate incidents to local or federal law enforcement so we can bring offenders to justice. The FBIs robust strategy to identify and investigate hate crimes in Northern California demonstrates, once again, the agencys longstanding commitment to civil rights enforcement, said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. We applaud and support these efforts and will continue to coordinate closely with the FBI in this vital enforcement area. In addition, we will do our part to ensure all federal law enforcement components are using the available tools to prosecute and bring to justice anyone who violates the hate crime statutes, and will vigorously enforce the federal civil rights laws.

The FBI San Francisco Divisions strategy to combat hate crimes includes federal investigative activity, law enforcement partner coordination, community outreach, and public awareness:

Increase FBI Investigative Activity

FBI San Francisco is actively enhancing its existing investigative resources to investigate federal hate crimes. The division has experienced, specialized FBI special agent hate crime coordinators who are training more special agents to conduct hate crime and civil rights investigations. These special agents will also conduct outreach to community groups to spread awareness, build trust, and encourage additional reporting of hate crimes to the FBI.

Improve Law Enforcement Coordination

FBI special agents are actively working with local and state law enforcement partners and tribal authorities throughout Northern California to offer assistance and training on federal hate crime statutes. FBI San Francisco is encouraging law enforcement partners to refer possible federal hate crime cases to the FBI. In many instances, federal investigations may run parallel to and in coordination with local law enforcement investigations of violations of California state hate crime laws.

The FBI works closely with state, local, and tribal authorities on investigations, even when federal charges are not brought. FBI resources, forensic expertise, and experience in identification and proof of hate-based motivations often provide an invaluable complement to local law enforcement hate crime cases. Many cases are also prosecuted under other state statutes such as murder, arson, or more recent local ethnic intimidation laws.

Increase Community Outreach

FBI San Francisco has been rapidly increasing outreach efforts to minority associations, religious organizations, and community groups to promote cooperation and reduce civil rights abuses. Transparency and trust are fundamental to increase the reporting of hate crime incidents to law enforcement.

Launch Public Awareness Campaign

The FBI is encouraging the reporting of all incidents of bias and hate by expanding public education and outreach. FBI San Francisco has launched a social media awareness campaign and currently is running an advertisement on a San Francisco Muni train to encourage the public to report hate crimes to the FBI. Members of the public can report information on tips.fbi.gov in any language.

The FBI is the lead investigative agency for criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes. The Bureau works closely with its local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners around the country in many of these cases. Hate crimes are the highest priority of the FBIs civil rights program because of the devastating impact they have on families and communities. The Bureau investigates hundreds of these cases every year, and we work to detect and prevent incidents through law enforcement training, public outreach, and partnerships with community groups.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you believe youve been the target or victim of a hate crime or other violation of your civil rights, please contact the FBI San Francisco Division by calling (415) 553-7400 or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous and can be made in an individuals native language. If you are a member of an impacted community and would like to engage with us in this critical work, our FBI community outreach team can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Imperial Valley News Center

Neurosurgeon and Two Affiliated Companies Agree to Pay $4.4 Million to Settle Healthcare Fraud Allegations

Sioux Falls, South Dakota - Neurosurgeon Wilson Asfora, M.D. of Sioux Falls, and two medical device distributorships that he owns, Medical Designs LLC and Sicage LLC, have agreed to pay $4.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations relating to illegal payments to Asfora to induce the use of certain medical devices, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, as well as claims for medically unnecessary surgeries.

Medical Designs and Sicage agreed to pay an additional $100,000 in penalties to settle allegations that they violated the Open Payments Program by failing to report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Asforas ownership interests and payments made to Asfora.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Asfora, Medical Designs, and Sicage each will be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs for a period of six years.

Physicians who accept kickbacks and perform unnecessary surgeries put their patients at risk and increase healthcare costs for everyone, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Department of Justices Civil Division. We will continue to hold physicians and medical device companies accountable for unlawful financial arrangements that undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that over the course of nearly a decade, Asfora, Medical Designs, and Sicage knowingly and willfully engaged in three kickback schemes to allow Asfora to profit from his use of over a dozen devices in his medical procedures. First, the United States alleged that Medical Designs and Sicage paid Asfora profit distributions in exchange for Asfora using Medical Designs and Sicages devices in his spine surgeries. Second, the United States alleged that Medical Designs acted as a distributor, reselling other manufacturers spinal devices and splitting the profits with Asfora when he used those devices in surgeries. Third, the United States alleged that Asfora solicited and received kickbacks from medical device manufacturer Medtronic USA Inc. in exchange for using its SynchroMed II infusion pumps, which are implantable devices used to deliver medication to patients. At Asforas request, Medtronic allegedly paid the kickbacks to Asfora through a restaurant he owned with his wife, called Carnaval Brazilian Grill, in the form of lavish meals and alcohol for Asfora and his friends, colleagues, and business partners.

In addition, the settlement resolves allegations that Asfora knowingly submitted false claims to federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary procedures using the devices in which he had a financial interest. Despite receiving numerous warnings that he was performing medically unnecessary procedures  including warnings from his own physician colleagues  Asfora allegedly continued to perform such procedures while personally profiting from his use of devices sold by Medical Designs, Sicage, and Medtronic.

Fraud in the healthcare arena is taken very seriously by the Department of Justice, said Acting U.S. Attorney Dennis R. Holmes for the District of South Dakota. South Dakota is fortunate to have many honest and dedicated healthcare providers who strive daily to provide high quality services. Dr. Asfora and his companies violated the trust that so many others have worked hard to earn.

Kickback dollars can corrupt the high quality medical care patients deserve and taxpayers fund, said Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). We have excluded Dr. Asfora and his two medical distributorships from receiving Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health program dollars.

This settlement also resolves Medical Designs and Sicages liability under CMS Open Payments Program, which was established by the Affordable Care Act and requires medical device companies to disclose to CMS physician ownership interests and certain payments or other transfers of value to a physician.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims that Drs. Carl Dustin Bechtold and Bryan Wellman brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against Asfora and Medical Designs. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Bechtold, et al. v. Asfora, et al., No. 4:16-cv-04115-LLP (D.S.D.). The whistleblowers will receive $880,000 of the settlement proceeds.

This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Dakota, with assistance from HHS-OIG. As a result of its efforts, the United States has recovered a total of more than $33 million relating to conduct involving Asfora, including a False Claims Act settlement with Sanford Health entities for $20.25 million in October 2019 and a False Claims Act and Open Payments settlement with Medtronic for $9.21 million in October 2020. This matter and the related matters were investigated by Trial Attorneys Christopher Terranova and Harin C. Song and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan K. Roche and Ellie J. Bailey.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Imperial Valley News Center

Three Florida Men Charged in $46 Million Health Care Fraud, Kickback, and Money Laundering Conspiracy

Miami, Florida - Three telemarketing company owners were charged for their alleged participation in a $47 million health care fraud, kickback, and money laundering scheme involving the referral of medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests to labs in exchange for kickbacks.

An indictment, unsealed Monday, charges Christian McKeon, 35, and Athanasios Ziros, 42, each of Boca Raton, Florida, with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, multiple counts of substantive health care fraud and kickback offenses, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and substantive counts of money laundering offenses. Also, an information, unsealed today, charges Gregory Orr, 64, of Boca Raton, with one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks and one substantive count of receipt of kickbacks for his alleged role in this scheme.

According to the indictment, McKeon and Ziros allegedly participated in a scheme to operate a telemarketing campaign targeting Medicare beneficiaries in an effort to induce them to accept cancer genetic tests regardless of whether the tests were medically necessary or eligible for Medicare reimbursement. As part of the scheme, McKeon and Ziros allegedly offered and paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies in exchange for doctors orders for expensive cancer genetic tests. The doctors orders were written by doctors contracted with telemedicine companies, even though those telemedicine doctors had no prior relationship with the beneficiaries, were not treating the beneficiaries for cancer or symptoms of cancer, did not use the test results in the treatment of the beneficiaries, and did not conduct a proper telemedicine visit.

According to court documents, all three men sold these signed doctors orders for cancer genetic tests to labs in exchange for illegal kickbacks. The indictment and information allege that the defendants caused one of the labs to submit approximately $46 million in claims to Medicare, of which over $27 million was paid. The indictment further alleges that the lab paid McKeon, Ziros, and others kickbacks totaling over $14 million, and that McKeon and Ziros laundered these unlawful proceeds knowing that the transactions at issue had been designed to conceal and disguise the nature, source, and control of the proceeds.

McKeon made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm Division. Ziros and Orr are scheduled to appear for their initial appearances in front of Magistrate Judge Matthewman on May 5.

The counts charging conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud count, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and substantive money laundering are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The counts charging health care fraud and anti-kickback violations are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Finally, the conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks count is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBIs Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector Generals (HHS-OIG) Miami Region made the announcement.

Trial Attorney Patrick Queenan of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Brown of the Southern District of Florida is handling the forfeiture aspect of the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

Any doctors or medical professionals who have been involved with alleged fraudulent telemedicine or genetic testing marketing schemes should call to report this conduct to the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

An indictment and an information are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Union Official Sentenced for Violent Extortion

Indianapolis, Indiana - An Indiana man and former business agent of Iron Workers Local 395 was sentenced Monday to more than four years in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion.

Thomas Williamson Sr., 70, of Schererville, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2020. According to court documents, Williamson organized and led an assault on a group of non-union ironworkers as part of an attempt to obtain a contract to perform construction work on the Plum Creek Christian Academy, a school affiliated with the Dyer Baptist Church in Dyer, Indiana.

In January 2016, Williamson learned that a non-union ironworking company was performing work for the Dyer Baptist Church, which he considered to be in Local 395s territory. On Jan. 6, 2016, Williamson visited the construction site and made threats to the workers to get them to stop work on the site. Upon being rebuffed, Williamson then visited the church and attempted to persuade church officials to use Local 395 for the project instead of the non-union workers.

The day after these efforts failed, Williamson returned to the construction site along with then-Local 395 president Jeffrey Veach and a group of rank-and-file union members. At Williamsons direction, the union members executed a coordinated and brutal assault on the non-union workers, beating their victims with loose pieces of hardwood, punching them and kicking them. The attack left one of the non-union workers with a broken jaw that required several surgeries and prolonged hospitalization.

Veach also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and was separately sentenced to 42 months in prison in September 2020. Under federal law, both Williamson and Veach will be barred from holding any union position for at least 13 years following the end of their prison sentences.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division made the announcement.

The FBIs Indianapolis Field Office and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Chicago Regional Office investigated the case with assistance from the Dyer Police Department in Indiana.

Trial Attorneys Alexander Gottfried and Robert Tully of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case. Assistant Chief for Labor-Management Racketeering Gerald Toner provided invaluable assistance in the prosecution of this case. Through its Labor Unit, the Organized Crime and Gang Section supports federal criminal prosecution in cases involving labor-management relations, internal union affairs, and the operation of employee pension and health care plans.
Imperial Valley News Center

Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax and Drug Charges Arising from Multimillion-Dollar Marijuana Enterprise

Boston, Massachusetts - A Massachusetts woman pleaded guilty today to tax evasion, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and money laundering.

According to court documents and the criminal complaint, Deana Martin, 53, of Milton, owned and managed Northern Herb, an illegal marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018. While Northern Herb purported to sell medical marijuana, it did not require a customer to provide proof of a medical marijuana card. Furthermore, it is alleged that Northern Herb would deliver marijuana to unattended locations (such as a front door or hallway) where unknown third parties might have access to it. Northern Herb used locations in Canton, Milton, Foxborough, and Hyde Park to store and distribute marijuana, and employed at least 25 workers.

From May 2016 through July 2018, Northern Herb had total revenue exceeding $14 million. Northern Herb did not pay taxes on its profits nor withhold taxes due from its employees wages. Martin paid many of the employees in cash and did not collect or pay the IRS withholdings that were due nor file with the IRS required reports documenting the payments made to Northern Herbs employees and independent contractors.

U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman today accepted Martins guilty plea but reserved acceptance of the plea agreement that, if accepted, would guide the sentence to be imposed. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1, 2021.

On the drug counts, Martin faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. On the money laundering counts, Martin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the money laundered. On the tax count, Martin faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. Martin also faces restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Departments Tax Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell of the District of Massachusetts; Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey Covington of the IRS-Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance with this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts and Assistant Chief Kathleen Barry of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Imperial Valley News Center

Incyte Corporation to Pay $12.6 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for Paying Kickbacks

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - A pharmaceutical company headquartered in Delaware has agreed to pay $12.6 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks.

Todays settlement resolves allegations that, from November 2011 through December 2014, Incyte Corporation purportedly used an independent foundation as a conduit to pay the copays of certain federal beneficiaries taking Incytes drug Jakafi, which was approved to treat myleofibrosis in 2011. Specifically, Incyte was the sole donor to a fund that was opened in November 2011 to assist only myleofibrosis patients. After the fund opened, the government alleges that Incyte used the fund to pay the copays of federal beneficiaries taking Jakafi who were ineligible for assistance from the fund because they did not have myleofibrosis. Incyte managers pressured the foundation, through phone calls and emails, to provide economic assistance to these ineligible patients, and Incytes contractor helped ineligible patients to complete applications submitted to the fund for assistance. The government alleges that through this conduct, Incyte caused false claims for Jakafi to be submitted to Medicare and TRICARE.

Drug companies undermine the integrity of federal health care programs and contribute to rising drug costs when they illegally use foundations to cover patients costs for their own drugs, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Departments Civil Division. This resolution reflects the governments continuing commitment to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for this conduct.

Pharmaceutical companies cannot skirt the anti-kickback rules by disguising their inducements to federally-insured patients as charitable donations, said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams for the Eastern District of Pennseylvania. This resolution shows our offices continuing commitment to holding drug companies accountable for this conduct.

Protecting TRICARE, the health care system for U.S. military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. Submitting false claims for ineligible patients compromises the integrity of the TRICARE program. Today's settlement is the result of a joint effort with the U.S. Attorneys Office, DOJ Civil Frauds, and HHS-OIG, and it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who engage in health care fraud.

When a beneficiary obtains a prescription drug covered by Medicare or TRICARE, the beneficiary may be required to make a partial payment, which may take the form of a copayment, coinsurance or a deductible (collectively copays). Congress included copay requirements in these federal programs, in part, to serve as a check on health care costs, including the prices that pharmaceutical manufacturers can demand for their drugs.

Under the Anti-Kickback Statute, a pharmaceutical company is prohibited from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration  which includes money or any other thing of value  to induce federal beneficiaries to purchase the companys drugs. This prohibition extends to the payment of patients copay obligations.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Justin Dillon, a former compliance executive at Incyte. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Dillon v. Incyte Corp., No. 2:18 -cv-2642 (E.D. Pa.). Dillon will receive approximately $3.59 million of the recovery.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the governments emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The matter was investigated by Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer Cihon of the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Koob and Matthew Howatt and Auditor George Niedzwicki of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Productivity software company Basecamp made the news recently for banning "societal and political discussions" at work, following in the footsteps of Coinbase's similar policy. On the surface, this move seems reasonable. Political discussions can get heated and be a distraction for busy employees with work to do.

But as a mother who employs other mothers, I know that it's impossible to separate what's happening in society from work.

Pre-pandemic, working mothers experienced a very real motherhood penalty, impacting their job prospects, career advancement, and lifetime earning potential. Over the past year, it's only gotten worse. More than two million women left the workforce, with the number of women citing child care as their reason increasing by a staggering 178 percent. Women of color were disproportionately impacted, experiencing job loss at higher rates with less access to paid sick leave and child care benefits.

Instead of building a work culture that suppresses the very real issues facing mothers in the country, CEOs and leaders should be advocating for a more equitable future that makes it possible to be a working mother in America. Now is absolutely the time to get political and change the status quo.

Understanding the motherhood penalty

Working moms currently make up about a third of all working women. Pre-pandemic, the majority of mothers working both full-time and part-time wanted to be working because they felt it was the ideal arrangement for them to support their families.

Despite this, mothers have historically been less hirable than women without children. One report found that women without children received twice as many hiring callbacks as mothers, and were eight times more likely to be recommended for promotion by management.

Most striking, when mothers are hired, they earn less than other women. Analysis shows that motherhood costs $16,000 per year on average in lost wages.

Tapping into the motherhood advantage

At my company, Winnie, over half of our employees are women, and 35 percent have children under the age of 10. Our workplace looks like this not by chance. We set out to build a company that would be an incredible place for parents to work. We did this first and foremost because my co-founder and I knew this would be a strategic advantage based on how mothers actually perform in the workplace.

There's a direct correlation between motherhood and productivity at work -- productivity that increases with the number of children a mother has. Mothers of two or more children were found to be more productive than mothers of one child, and mothers, in general, more productive than non-parents.

Research also shows that when women are well represented among leadership positions, companies are 50 percent more likely to outperform their peers. The advantage of having mothers in the workplace is not only upheld by data but also public opinion, with 89 percent of Americans agreeing that working moms in leadership positions bring out the best in employees.

Let's get political

Even with all the advantages that working mothers bring to the workplace, women's labor force participation is currently at a 33-year low.

We now have an opportunity to change that. President Biden just revealed his American Families Plan, an ambitious plan to provide unprecedented supports to families and children in this country. Whether or not you agree with every part of the plan, this national spotlight means company leaders have an opportunity to advocate for real change.

One part of the plan is national paid leave. The United States is currently one of the only developed countries with no national paid leave. The result is that mothers disproportionately drop out of the workforce. The corporate world can and should lead by example here until the country catches up.

Generous parental leave is often considered in the context of mothers, but perhaps not as intuitive is the importance of including fathers in this benefit. Research shows that when fathers are given better access to parental leave, they become more engaged in caregiving responsibilities and take on a more equal share of household tasks. Employers can support working mothers by extending parental leave to all parents, and ensuring that both men and women take equal leave.

Another part of the plan is an investment in our caregiving infrastructure, from universal child care to investments in the care workforce. There are many ways companies can recognize the importance of caregiving work. Whether you provide onsite child care or simply give employees flexibility and freedom to handle daycare pickup or a sick child, you're sending the message that caregiving is essential.
F Murray Abraham is bellowing down his camera lens about an actor he found unbearable. He was a nightmare! he roars. The star of stage and screen is in full blaze, not unlike his Oscar-winning turn as the malevolent Salieri in Amadeus. Only hes a few decades older now, and on Zoom. I said: never again. Years passed, and I bumped into him on the street and he seemed very nice. So I took this other film with him, and it was a disaster. He was the same bum he was originally!

Disappointingly, Abraham wont name the actor in question. Is this person still with us, at least? Unfortunately, yes. A mental note is made to scour his IMDb page for clues later on. But some people like to work that way, the 81-year-old continues. They like to start conflict, you know? He takes a breath, as if weighing up whether or not to go further. I used to be kind of a pain in the ass, but Im absolutely wonderful now.

For better or worse, Abrahams reputation precedes him. Today, the actor is an unexpected funnyman. On Apple TV+s Mythic Quest, which begins its second season this week, he brings theatrical verve to the role of a clueless sci-fi novelist who writes the back-stories for video games. Hes best known, however, for his villains: the aforementioned Salieri; a ruthless music manager in Inside Llewyn Davis; Frank Lopezs underboss in Scarface. If hes in something, hes probably being dastardly in it. Off-screen, he seemed to follow suit. In the wake of Amadeus, Abrahams name would become shorthand for Oscar winners who struggled to follow up their awards victories with work of equal acclaim. Before and after his win, rumours of feuds and on-set discord stuck to him.

He apparently clashed with Sean Connery on the set of 1986s The Name of the Rose, leading director Jean-Jacques Annaud to dub him an egomaniac. Meg Tilly, who left the cast of Amadeus a few weeks into production due to an injury, has called him a terrible person. Why was he so difficult to work with back then? Well, he sighs. It was just hubris. Thats all. I started to really believe some of the reviews I was getting. I really thought I knew what I was doing. I didnt know any more then than I do now, but I felt like I should be treated with a little more respect and all that crap.

Has he tried to make amends with those he may have hurt? Thats interesting, he says, patting his chin. Some of my closest friends are alcoholics. Theyve cleaned up. Three of them, actually. But they talk about the 12-step programme, and how one of the steps is making amends. And what I did, when I took to heart what they were saying, was I tried contacting all the people I thought I had offended. Because there were things that I remembered having done that I was so embarrassed about. Things that Im not proud of at all. So I contacted a bunch of people, and some of them accepted my apology. Some didnt know what the hell I was talking about. Some never responded at all. I did try. But it was a great relief.

Abraham is chatting from the Manhattan apartment he shares with his wife of 58 years. He is witty, candid and undeniably a little scary. At one point during our conversation he suddenly erupts, calling out for a live-in healthcare professional to shut the door to the room hes sat in. As a request, its innocuous, yet delivered with the ferocity of Zeus. Its that famous voice of his that does it, with its silky gravity and immaculate enunciation. Abraham could probably make ordering a pizza sound vaguely menacing.

On Mythic Quest, a workplace comedy set in a video game studio, hes nowhere near as frightening. He plays CW Longbottom, a once-revered author of unbridled space smut. Hes also the not-entirely-clued-in octogenarian responsible for all the parts of a hit game that its players dont particularly care about  aka the cutscenes, which develop character and provide exposition yet interrupt gameplay. The show has similar rhythms to the cult sitcom Community, with its proclivity for the eccentric and the unexpectedly powerful. A season two episode of Mythic Quest  thats more or less a two-hander between him and guest star William Hurt  probably marks the first time Abraham has been asked to deliver both an emotive monologue on grief and authorship and defecate in the top drawer of a writing desk. But hes admittedly been around for a while, so whos to say?

Abraham and Rob McElhenney in Mythic Quest (Apple)

Dont get me started on how much I like this show, he beams, before heaping praise on his fellow cast members, including Its Always Sunny in Philadelphias Rob McElhenney, the shows crew and even its first-rate catering. After Amadeus, I became known as a heavy, but Ive always preferred to make people laugh. Is it strange to have appeared in so many comedies on stage  including A Midsummer Nights Dream, Sexual Perversity in Chicago and many by his late friend Terrence McNally  yet be known as deathly serious? It is an odd disconnect. Its a little frustrating. But in most of the villains that Ive played, theres always a hint of humour. Fortunately for me, the people who run Mythic Quest recognise that in me and Im forever grateful.

The show also marks a return to his roots. Despite a dramatic adolescence growing up on the border of Mexico  hes regularly referred to his teenage self as a hoodlum  Abraham gravitated towards comedy when he caught the acting bug via one of his teachers. He is hilarious as the flamboyant proprietor of a gay bathhouse in 1979s The Ritz, a big-screen adaptation of McNallys celebrated play, but struggled professionally in its wake. The only parts I was offered for about a year after that were gay roles, he remembers. I didnt mind, Ill do anything, but I said... you know, I can do other things.

He also grew angry. He remembers working as an extra, in his early film days, and being outraged at how the stars sometimes treated the crew. He was so outraged, in fact, that he began writing down their names on a little piece of paper. I said, One of these days Im going to be famous, and when I am, Im going to get even with you and you and you, he says, stubbing his finger towards the camera lens for emphasis. One day, he continues, he was caught in an enormous downpour. Undressing at home, he took the paper with the list of names on it out of his pocket, and was horrified. The ink had run. And I kept looking at the list trying to figure out who was on it. I remember thinking, Next time, Im going to write this list in pencil!. And as I was saying that I thought: you know, youre crazy! He chuckles to himself. It was the luckiest thing. Throw that list away, baby! Gods trying to tell you something.

That didnt rescue him from later hubris, though. Abraham is nicely aware of his contradictions, and that his strict moral code about the behaviour of others didnt stop him from messing up himself. The worst thing is you dont think youre doing it, he says. You keep telling yourself, Well, Im certainly not succumbing to that! But when you say that, it means you are.

Abraham and Tom Hulce in Amadeus (Moviestore/Shutterstock)

Amadeus had come as a shock. While he was known on the New York stage at that point, Abrahams casting in the film was unexpected  director Milos Forman had deliberately sought out relative unknowns for the parts of Salieri and his rival Mozart. It opened up a floodgate of attention and opportunity, but also shrunk his social circle. He lost many actor friends. After my success, they began to drift away. Not all of them, but its almost as though they were a little upset that they hadnt experienced the success that I was experiencing, he says. Its a delicate line to tread. It really is. Because I think I was probably insufferable. Im not insufferable now, I really am not. He lets out a half-laugh. I have to keep telling myself that! But I think that I was insistent on being right about everything. I mean, thats absurd, you know? Im sure I went through a period like that. That could be why I lost some of those friends, by the way. I mean, Ill take the responsibility.

Post-Oscar, Abraham at first rejected villainous parts that riffed on Salieri and took up on an offer to teach incoming drama students at Brooklyn College instead. The quality of his film roles subsequently began to dim. He was in a low-budget sci-fi film called Slipstream with Mark Hamill, and played Arnold Schwarzeneggers duplicitous best friend in Last Action Hero. Before his recent on-screen resurgence, in series like Homeland and films such as Wes Andersons The Grand Budapest Hotel, Abrahams fluctuating fortune was made easier by his wife, he says. Theyve been together since 1962, and have two children. Shes been a rock to me. She put up with my tirades and my anger and my He shakes his head from side to side. All that crap we put ourselves through.

Abraham in Inside Llewyn Davis (Kobal/Shutterstock)

When Abraham speaks of his earliest years as a struggling actor, practically begging for work at New Yorks Public Theater in the late Seventies, and then coming home to a comforting partner, its easy to think of Inside Llewyn Davis. The Coen brothers cast Abraham as a cold power-player left unimpressed by one of his auditionees. I dont see a lot of money here, Abrahams character surmises, in one of the most gutting cameos in recent memory. Did Abraham know a lot of men like that? I still know them, he jokes. Theyre running the country! He based the character on several different people hed encountered along the way. Generally its really hard for me to hide the way I feel, he says. Every time I try, its like Im being a phoney. Hes sometimes managed it, but only when hes been particularly hungry for work. There are times when you need the job so desperately that you dont tell the truth. You try to guess what it is they want. If you havent worked for six months, youll do whatever it takes, and that really hurts. It hurts your pride. But Ive done it. Ive been there.

Thats the allure of performance, though, and what keeps him coming back to film sets and the stage. Abraham is 81, financially comfortable, and had more off-camera tumult than most. Hes entitled to a sit-down by now. But wheres the fun in that? He remembers his wife sitting in on an interview he was doing a few years ago. Theyd have 10 questions that theyd ask a working actor, and the last question was: What would you do if you knew tomorrow was the end of the world? And my wife instantly jumped in to answer for me: Hed look for work.

Mythic Quest season two is streaming now on Apple TV+, with new episodes premiering weekly
Explosions caused by a car bomb and mortars outside a school in Kabul killed at least 55 people and wounded over 150, mostly girls  an atrocity blamed on Taliban insurgents.

Most of the casualties were students coming out of the Sayed ul Shuhada school, a security source told Reuters.

Afghan television channel ToloNews showed chaotic scenes, with books and school bags strewn across a bloodstained road, and residents rushing to help victims.

"It was a car bomb blast that occurred in front of the school entrance," an eyewitness told Reuters, adding that but seven or eight of the victims were schoolgirls going home after finishing their studies.

"I was with my classmate, we were leaving the school, when suddenly an explosion happened, " 15-year-old Zahra, whose arm had been broken by a piece of shrapnel, told Associated Press.

"Ten minutes later there was another explosion and just a couple of minutes later another explosion," she said. "Everyone was yelling and there was blood everywhere, and I couldnt see anything clearly." Her friend died.

At a nearby hospital, staff wheeled in injured students while dozens of distressed relatives searched for their sons and daughters.

"I do not know what country we are in ... We want peace and security," a grieving relative of one of the victims told Reuters.

Relatives try to identify bodies at a hospital after the bomb near a school in Kabul, Afghanistan (AP)

Kabul has been on high alert since Washington announced plans last month to pull out all U.S. troops by Sept. 11, with Afghan officials saying the Taliban have stepped up attacks across the country following the announcement.

No group has claimed responsibility.

President Ashraf Ghani blamed Taliban insurgents, but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the group was involved and condemned the incident.

The explosions were in a heavily Shi-ite neighbourhood that has faced brutal attacks by Islamic State militants over the years, including one on a maternity ward almost exactly a year ago.

The Taliban and United States last year signed an agreement to end the 20-year war, which started with U.S. and allied forces invading Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States by al Qaeda, whose leader, Osama bin Laden, was being given shelter by the Taliban government.

AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
On a bright August morning in 1960, after two days of sailing from Japan, hundreds of passengers rushed on deck as someone shouted, I see the fatherland!

The ship pulled into Chongjin, a port city in North Korea, where a crowd of people waved paper flowers and sang welcome songs. But Lee Tae-kyung felt something dreadfully amiss in the paradise he had been promised.

The people gathered were expressionless, Lee recalled. I was only a child of eight, but I knew we were in the wrong place.

Lee and his family were among 93,000 people who migrated from Japan to North Korea from 1959 to 1984 under a repatriation program sponsored by both governments and their Red Cross societies. When they arrived, they saw destitute villages and people living in poverty but were forced to stay. Some ended up in prison camps.

We were told we were going to a paradise on earth, said Lee, 68. Instead, we were taken to a hell and denied a most basic human right: the freedom to leave.

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Lee eventually fled North Korea after 46 years, reaching South Korea in 2009. He has since campaigned tirelessly to share the story of those 93,000 migrants, giving lectures, speaking at news conferences and writing a memoir about a painful, mostly forgotten chapter of history between Japan and Korea.

His work comes at a time of renewed interest in North Korean human rights violations, and when leaders in Japan and South Korea remain particularly sensitive about opening old wounds between the two countries.

As the Korean War came to an end, the Japanese government was eager to get rid of the throngs of Koreans living in slums

It was my mother who urged my father to take our family to the North, Lee said. And it was her endless source of regret until she died at age 74.

The Lees were among 2 million Koreans who moved to Japan during Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. Some went there looking for work, others were taken for forced labour in Japans Second World War effort. Lacking citizenship and financial opportunities, most returned to Korea after the Japanese surrender.

But hundreds of thousands, among them Lees family, remained as the Korean Peninsula was plunged into war.

Lee was born in Japan in 1952. The family ran a charcoal-grill restaurant in Shimonoseki, the port closest to Korea  a reminder that they would return home.

As the Korean War came to an end, the Japanese government was eager to get rid of the throngs of Koreans living in slums. For its part, hoping to use them to help rebuild its war-torn economy, North Korea launched a propaganda blitz, touting itself as a paradise with jobs for everyone, free education and medical services.

Lee's primary school in Japan, he said, screened propaganda newsreels from North Korea showing bumper crops and workers building a house every 10 minutes. Marches were organised calling for repatriation. A pro-North Korea group in Japan even encouraged students to be recruited as birthday gifts for Kim Il Sung, the countrys founder, according to a recent report from the Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human Rights.

Chinese and North Korean officials at Kaesong, in 1951, where negotiations were held daily to discuss a ceasefire in the Korean War (Keystone/Getty)

Japan approved of the migration despite the fact that most Koreans in the country were from the South, which was mired in political unrest. While Japanese authorities said ethnic Koreans chose to relocate to North Korea, human rights groups have accused the country of aiding and abetting the deception by ignoring the circumstances the migrants would face in the communist country.

By leaving for North Korea, ethnic Koreans were forced to sign an exit-only document that prohibited them from returning to Japan, the Citizens Alliance report said. The authors likened the migration to a slave trade and forced displacement.

Most of the migrants were ethnic Koreans, but they also included 1,800 Japanese women married to Korean men and thousands of biracial children. Among them was a young woman named Ko Yong Hee, who would later become a dancer and give birth to Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea and grandson of its founder.

When Lees family boarded the ship in 1960, his parents thought Korea would soon be reunited. Lees mother gave him and his four siblings cash and told them to enjoy their last days in Japan. Lee bought a mini pinball-game machine. His younger sister brought home a baby doll that closed its eyes when it lay on the bed.

It was the last freedom we would taste, he said.

He realised his family had been duped, he said, when he saw the people at Chongjin, who all looked poor and ashen. In the rural North Korean county where his family was ordered to resettle, they were shocked to see people go without shoes or umbrellas in the rain.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il meets with Korean People's Army personnel in September 1988 (AFP/Getty)

In 1960 alone, 49,000 people migrated from Japan to North Korea, but the number sharply declined as word spread of the true conditions in the country. Despite the watchful eye of censors, families devised ways to warn their relatives. One man wrote a message on the back of a postage stamp: We are not able to leave the village, he wrote in the tiny space, urging his brother in Japan not to come.

Lees aunt sent her mother a letter telling her to consider immigrating to North Korea when her nephew was old enough to marry. The message was clear: The nephew was only three.

To survive, the migrants often relied on cash and packages sent by relatives in Japan. In school, Lee said, children called him ban-jjokbari, an insulting term for Koreans from Japan. Everyone lived under constant fear of being called disloyal and banished to prison camps.

For North Korea, they served as hostages held for ransom, said Kim So-hee, co-author of the report. Families in Japan were asked to pay for the release of their relatives from prison camps.

Lee became a doctor, one of the best jobs available to migrants from Japan who were denied government jobs. He said his medical experience allowed him to witness the collapse of the public health system in the wake of the famine in the 1990s, when doctors in North Korea were forced to use beer bottles to construct IVs.

He fled to China in 2006 as part of a stream of refugees, spending two and a half years in prison in Myanmar when he and his smuggler were detained for human trafficking. After arriving in Seoul in 2009, Lee helped smuggle his wife and daughter out of North Korea. But he still has relatives, including a son, stuck in the country, he said.

His wife died in 2013, and now Lee lives alone in a small rented apartment in Seoul. But I have freedom, he said. I would have sacrificed everything else for it.

Lee has formed an association with 50 ethnic Koreans from Japan who migrated to North Korea and escaped to the South. Every December, the group meets to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the mass migration in 1959. His memoir is nearly complete. His generation is the last to have firsthand experience of what happened to those 93,000 migrants, he said.

Its sad that our stories will be buried when we die, Lee said.

 The New York Times
Being a young woman, with my white mini skirt and false blonde hair, seemed rather an advantage when I wrote Mary, Queen of Scots, says 88-year-old Antonia Fraser, the historian and widow of Harold Pinter, talking candidly about her first bestseller in 1969. But it wasnt always so rosy for her as a female writer.

When Fraser wrote her next book, a biography of Oliver Cromwell, in 1973, she received one particularly presumptuous review. It said, What does this nice middle-class woman know about the torments of Oliver Cromwell? recalls Fraser. I replied in a lecture that I was not middle-class or nice. But the remark, What is a woman doing writing about Cromwell? I mean, I didnt pay any attention. Fraser, who is softly spoken and endearing, is talking to me from her drawing room in Londons Holland Park about inequality  the subject of her new book, The Case of the Married Woman. The other side, she continues, was a great friend of mine, also a writer and historian, saying, You know, you write like a man, and I realised it was a great compliment. Nowadays it would be seen as sexist, but then Id never even heard of the word.

Fraser might come from aristocratic lineage  she grew up in Oxford and was the eldest child of the Earl of Longford and his historian wife, Elizabeth  but there is nothing haughty about her. Dressed in a purple dress and a jacket adorned with purple flowers, she offers me tea and chocolate biscuits  brought by her housekeeper, who has been pushing a carpet sweeper up and down the hallway.
Bindi Irwin has celebrated her first Mothers Day as a parent with a family portrait portraying her late father Steve Irwin.

On Sunday, Irwin, who recently gave birth to her and her husband Chandler Powells first child, a daughter named Grace Warrior, posted the portrait, which sees the newborn cradled in her grandfathers arms.

Celebrating my first Mothers Day. This day embodies the extraordinary gift of family. Thank you to The Monkey Brush for bringing my family and Chandlers together in these stunning works of art. I wish we could all be together but sometimes life has other plans, the 22-year-old captioned the photo. To my beautiful daughter, always know that you are loved beyond description.

Irwin also shared the drawing, which includes her mother Sue, her brother and Powell, on her Stories, where she added the caption: Family forever.

In a second portrait, the couple, who welcomed their first child on 25 March, can be seen posing with Powells family.

On Powells Instagram, he also honoured his wifes first Mothers Day with a photo of the couple holding their newborn.

Happy Mothers Day to my amazing wife, the new father wrote. This is your first Mothers Day yet it feels like youve been doing this forever. Grace and I are both lucky and grateful to have you in our lives. We love you so much.

Irwins emotional post remembering the late Crocodile Hunter star comes after she paid tribute to her own mother earlier this week, sharing a photo of the pair wearing their matching Australia Zoo uniforms.

Thank you for showing me the infinite power of a mamas love. You are the real life Wonder Woman. I love you beyond description, Irwin captioned the photo.

Since becoming a mother, Irwin has kept her fans regularly updated with her daughters progress. Last month, Irwin shared a photo of the infant in an Australia Zoo outfit, revealing that her daughter had received her first khakis and met the zoos tortoises in celebration of becoming one month old.

Were so proud of our Wildlife Warrior princess. I know our darling girl is going to grow up caring for Mother Earth and all her animals, she added at the time.
In September 2018, the founder of Dogecoin was lying in bed, scrolling through Twitter, when a direct message appeared in his inbox. It was from Elon Musk.

The SpaceX and Tesla CEO was being plagued by "annoying scam spammers" and the software-engineer-turned-cryptocurrency-creator Jackson Palmer had a solution. They exchanged messages and Palmer shared some computer code that could help Musk.

The scammers had been bombarding Musk's tweets with replies from fake accounts that mimicked his profile name and picture in an attempt to extort cryptocurrencies like bitcoin from his followers.

Palmer had written the script after becoming a target himself due to his high profile within the cryptocurrency community. Five years earlier he had become one of the early pioneers of the technology by creating a digital currency that quickly attracted a devoted following  but it was only ever meant to be a joke.

In late 2013, while working for the software giant Adobe, Palmer created a "tongue-in-cheek cryptocurrency" inspired by the Shiba Inu Doge meme. "Investing in Dogecoin," he tweeted. "Pretty sure it's the next big thing."

Alongside fellow developer Billy Markus, Palmer purchased Dogecoin.com and rolled out a peer-to-peer digital currency in the style of bitcoin. Described on its website as "fun and friendly internet money", that is "favoured by Shiba Inus worldwide", Dogecoin's popularity grew in tandem with that of the original doge meme.

In its first few weeks, an active Reddit community formed around Dogecoin, extolling the "much wow" potential of the nascent coin. Soon they were using their collective power for fundraising, successfully raising enough of the cryptocurrency to send the Jamaican bobsled team to the Winter Olympics, sponsor a Nascar driver and bring water to a drought-stricken region of Kenya.The attention such stunts brought to Dogecoin saw its value rise even further and within a year its market cap had risen to more than $90 million.

The Dogecoin Ford, driven by Josh Wise, in the garage during the Nascar Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway on 2 May, 2014 in Talladega, Alabama (Getty Images)

But the influx of capital and the prospect of getting rich quick saw parts of the community turn "toxic", as Palmer put it, with more focus put on the price rather than good causes. It was at this point, in early 2015, that its creator decided to check out.

"I saw the space being overrun by opportunists looking to make a buck," he later reflected in a piece he wrote for Vice, lamenting the dissipation of that early spirit.

"I quickly learned, a passionate community of people throwing around money is like blood in the water to the shark-like scammers."

Recommended Bitcoin scams on the rise as crypto fraudsters tempt victims with fake celebrity endorsements

After seeing its value slide with its reputation for several years, Dogecoin once again came to prominence during the market-wide price rally in 2017/18, which saw a fresh wave of meme aficionados jump aboard the crypto rocket that promised to take them "to the moon".

A few months after Musk and Palmer's private Twitter exchange, the technology billionaire posted a satirical news article about "crazy imaginary internet money", alongside a meme with the caption "Dogecoin rulz".

Musk, who first made his fortune as the co-founder of online payments giant PayPal, also changed his Twitter bio to read: "CEO of Dogecoin."

Musk's love for dogecoin does not come as a surprise for anyone who follows his Twitter feed, which punctuates news of rocket launches and electric car updates with memes and offbeat references to online culture.

In a recent Q&A session on the app Clubhouse, Musk revealed that he even had his own "meme dealers" who create and curate content for him to post.

During that same interview, he spoke about Dogecoin in a way that echoed Palmer's original intentions for the cryptocurrency.

"Occasionally I make jokes about Dogecoin, but they are really just meant to be jokes," he said.

He paused, before adding: "But fate loves irony... The most entertaining outcome is often the most likely and arguably the most entertaining outcome, and most ironic outcome, would be that Dogecoin becomes the currency of Earth in the future."

While replacing traditional currencies on Earth seems ridiculous, Dogecoin's astronomical ambition may be less so given Musk's plan to set up a human colony on Mars. Responding to a Twitter thread in December, Musk agreed a "Mars economy will run on crypto".

Each time Musk has tweeted about Dogecoin, its price has spiked. When he did it again this week, the cryptocurrency shot up in value by $2 billion in the space of minutes.

Since Musk and Palmer exchanged messages back in 2018, the multi-CEO has gone on to become the world's richest person, with a net worth in excess of $200 billion.

Dogecoin has also seen its fortunes swell, briefly seeing its market cap peak above $9 billion in late January. But far from being a crypto billionaire, Palmer has nearly nothing to show for his role in creating one of the world's most popular cryptocurrencies.

The technologist, who still works for Adobe, revealed in a 2014 interview that he had given away the bulk of his holdings in the charity fundraisers that took place in the early days of Dogecoin.

"Lot's of people assume [I made a fortune], but absolutely not," he said.

"I did buy a jar of massive Nutella with my doge, which sits on my desk at work."
An out-of-control Chinese rocket has finally fallen to Earth over the Indian Ocean, according to organisations who had been tracking it.

Chinas Long March 5B rocket was originally launched in late April to carry the first part of Chinas Tianhe module, which will serve as the core of its planned crewed space station. But the rocket booster itself went into orbit, and began an uncontrolled re-entry that led to fears it could come down above a populated area.

It had been difficult to predict where or when the spacecraft might fall back down to Earth because of an array of unknown details, both about the rocket itself but also the way that the atmosphere would act on it.

The rocket made its re-entry at 3.24 UK time, just west of the Maldives, according to Chinese officials posting on Weibo. Most of the debris was destroyed during the re-entry, and those remains fell into the ocean, the post said, though it gave no indication of how it had gathered that information.

The website Space-Track, which had been publishing official data from the US Space Force, said in a tweet that people tracking the rocket can relax. The rocket is down, it wrote.

We believe the rocket went down in the Indian Ocean, but are waiting on official data from the Space Force squadron tasked with cataloguing objects in orbit, it said.

It will be difficult to confirm for sure where and when the rocket re-entered for some time. Much of it will be destroyed by the re-entry and then impact, and the organisations tracking it watch for radar signals and so can only say for sure that it has stopped its orbit when they decisively stop.

Given the fact the rocket appears to have re-entered above the ocean, there may also be no eyewitnesses or video footage of the rockets arrival.

It was not immediately clear that the re-entry was definitively safe, and the co-ordinates given by Chinese authorities were close to the Maldives. But there were no immediate reports of problems, and no indication that any debris from the re-entry had been found.

Despite fears that the arrival of the rocket could endanger people on the ground, experts had cautioned that a re-entry over water was most likely, simply because it makes up three-quarters of the surface of the Earth. The chances of actually being hit by any piece of the rocket were miniscule.

An ocean re-entry was always statistically the most likely, tweeted Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who had been tracking the spacecraft throughout its descent. It appears China won its gamble (unless we get news of debris in the Maldives). But it was still reckless.

The Long March 5B rocket is one of the biggest pieces of space debris to return to Earth. China launched another version of the rocket, almost exactly a year ago, which crashed into houses in Ivory Coast when it came back down to Earth in a similar uncontrolled re-entry.

The rockets have been integral to Chinas near-term space ambitions - from the delivery of modules and crew of its planned space station to launches of exploratory probes to the Moon and even Mars.

Debris from Chinese rocket launches is not uncommon within China. In late April, authorities in the city of Shiyan, Hubei Province, issued a notice to people in the surrounding county to prepare for evacuation as parts were expected to land in the area.
Broadcaster, naturalist and national treasure Sir David Attenborough turns 95 on May 8.

Its almost impossible to overstate his influence. Attenborough has brought us iconic documentaries including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth had various animals named in his honour (including the ghost shrimp from Madagascar known as Ctenocheloides attenboroughi), and, more recently, campaigned to raise awareness around the climate crisis and the effect its having on the natural world.

Attenborough started working at the BBC in the 1950s, and over his long career hes travelled the globe, meeting new and unusual animals and giving us a glimpse into the wonders of nature. These are just some of the creatures hes met along the way

Animals  David Attenborough and his son Robert  London

In the 1950s Attenborough went on an expedition to the former British Guiana (now known as the independent country of Guyana), and made one of his first programmes for the BBC: Zoo Quest. Here, hes pictured with his son Robert in 1955, with a coatimundi  a close relation to the raccoon  brought back from the country.

Attenborough and a capybara after giving a lecture about his expedition to British Guiana in 1956

After giving a lecture about the expedition, Attenborough showed excited children a capybara from Guyana

Animals  David Attenborough and Georgie the Cockatoo  Richmond, London

Here, the naturalist and his daughter Susan are pictured with a sulphur-crested cockatoo called Georgie in 1957.

Sir David Attenborough with meerkat on shoulder for The Life of Mammals, Kalahari Desert, South Africa

Attenborough travelled to the Kalahari Desert in South Africa and met with some of the local meerkats for his 2002 documentary series The Life Of Mammals.

Sir David Attenborough holds 'Inti', an armadillo from Edinburgh Zoo

One of Attenboroughs more unusual red carpet guests was Inti, an armadillo from Edinburgh Zoo.

Sir David Attenborough with Ganas, a six year old Komodo dragon at ZSL London Zoo in Regent's Park, London

In 2016 the broadcaster officially renamed the Attenborough Komodo Dragon House at ZSL London Zoo  and here hes with Ganas, a six year old Komodo dragon.

Sir David Attenborough with an Australian bearded dragon

Continuing in the lizard theme is the time Attenborough held an Australian bearded dragon, after receiving an honorary degree from Queens University in Belfast in 2013.

As Butterfly Conservation President, Attenborough is no stranger to getting up close and personal with butterflies  and here he is with a south east Asian Great Mormon variety in 2012.

Attenborough has had a lifelong fascination with frogs: they were the first animals he kept as a boy.

A whole episode of the 2018 series Dynasties was dedicated to these animals: the painted wolves of Zimbabwe.

This is the moment Attenborough said Boo to a sloth, in 2002 show Life Of Mammals. He called them one of the most extraordinary plant predators  and one animal that I dont need to sneak up on.
The owner of a Northern California bar where authorities say made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards were sold to undercover state agents for $20 each was arrested in what officials call the first such foiled operation they are aware of nationwide.

The plainclothes agents from California's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control said they were told at the Old Corner Saloon in Clements to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes and then watched as employees cut the cards, filled in identifying information and bogus vaccination dates and laminated the finished products.

On the back where they put the two dates when you were vaccinated, they used two different color pens to make it look like it was two different times," supervising agent Luke Blehm said Friday. So they went to some effort to make it look authentic.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

In California, officials have allowed venue operators to offer easier access to people with proof of vaccination. That includes preferential access to large events such as concerts and sporting events and allowing venues to create vaccinated-only sections where social distancing requirements are not as strict.

Acting on an anonymous tip to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, four undercover agents went to the bar several times in April and bought four fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They also reported seeing at least eight others buy fake cards, but haven't uncovered how many were sold.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and arrested its owner. Agents said they found another two completed cards and 30 additional blank cards along with a laminator and cutting device.

This is such a new case. We looked for some other guidance from other cases around the country and we haven't been able to find one like this at all, Blehm said.

Fake cards have been advertised on social media and online sales platforms, he said, prompting the California attorney general's office to send cease and desist warnings to those entities.

But it's the first example he's found of someone selling cards out of a bar.

With just one such report so far, California law enforcement and regulatory agencies said Friday that they're not mounting the kind of sustained task force approach they used last summer to make sure business owners were following safety guidelines designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

If we see this, we'll do an investigation and take action on it, Blehm said. This is on the radar, but this is the only one we know of so far.

Other federal and state authorities in California said they've not seen similar counterfeit operations.

But federal, state and local officials on a joint task force that looks for criminal activities are keeping a watchful eye, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services.

They actively are looking for stuff like this, he said. They're looking for folks that are doing things like selling vaccines or fraudulent vaccines on the open market, vaccine cards."

The FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general in late March warned the public to be aware of individuals selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards and encouraging others to print fake cards at home. That notice also warned of internet-based sales.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

Anderson was arrested on suspicion of three felonies, including identity theft, forging government documents and possession of an unregistered firearm. He also is accused of falsifying medical records, a misdemeanor.

It is disheartening to have members in our community show flagrant disregard for public health in the midst of a pandemic, San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said in a statement. Distributing, falsifying or purchasing fake COVID-19 vaccine cards is against the law and endangers yourself and those around you.

California officials also are also pursuing disciplinary action against the bar.

___

Associated Press writer Olga R. Rodriguez contributed to this story from San Francisco
Seven in 10 women consider government action to stop sexual harassment, rape and domestic abuse to be inadequate, new research has found.

Exclusive polling by YouGov, carried out for The Independent, also shows that three-quarters of women say men in society dont pull their weight in keeping women and girls safe from violence.

Around a fifth of men deem men to be doing enough in backing women up, which is almost three times the number of women who believe this is the case.

Polling, exploring what people think would make Britain safer for women, comes after debates around male violence against women and girls in the wake of Sarah Everards killing.

The 33-year-old marketing executives case triggered an outpouring of anger as women shared personal stories about being sexually harassed, assaulted, or abused by men in public spaces, with many blaming the government and authorities for failing to take mistreatment of women seriously enough.

Researchers found six in 10 women deem the police not to be doing enough to tackle violence against women and girls, while around half of men agree.

Shaista Aziz, a womens rights campaigner, told The Independent: This research shows again how much work society must do to challenge and dismantle patriarchy and the harm and damage its doing to women and girls.

The responses show again how low levels of trust are in the criminal justice and policing system to hold perpetrators to account.

A woman is killed by a current or ex-partner every four days in England and Wales, while one in four women will suffer domestic abuse at some point during their lives.

Meanwhile, a recent survey by UN Women found 97 per cent of young women in the UK said they had been sexually harassed, while 80 per cent reported experiencing sexual harassment in public spaces.

Researchers polled more than 1,000 women aged between 18 to 24 and found the sexual harassment included being groped, followed and coerced into sexual activity.

The poll found around nine in 10 women deem tougher sentencing for sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic abuse would be very effective in tackling these issues, while only around half of men said the same.

Marsha De Cordova, the shadow women and equalities minister, told The Independent: The government have dragged their heels on action against violence against women and girls. The death of Sarah Everard and ensuing outrage must be a watershed moment for change.

It is positive to see that the public supports action to toughen sentences to keep perpetrators of violence against women and girls off the streets for longer.

Labours plan to keep women safe would toughen sentences for rapists and stalkers, prioritise fast-tracking rape cases in our courts, introduce new laws to prosecute sexual harassment and introduce whole life sentences for men who rape, murder and kidnap women.

Campaigners have long warned rape has been effectively decriminalised in the country, with prosecutions and convictions for sexual assault and rape reaching record lows last year. Government data shows in the year to March 2020 that just 1.4 per cent of 55,130 rape cases recorded by police resulted in prosecution.

Andrea Simon, director of End Violence Against Women Coalition, noted the exclusive findings demonstrate very few women deem men to be doing enough to tackle the behaviour and comments of fellow men.

She added: Which highlights just how important the role of men is in speaking out against the attitudes that condone, tolerate and minimise sexual harassment and assault of women. Crucially, women do not find the government and criminal justice system is doing enough either.

And a huge amount of work needs to go into ensuring that women have confidence to come forward and report abuse. This can only happen if victims are believed, reports are taken seriously, and specialist womens services are resourced to provide support.

Changing social attitudes over time are leading to more women rejecting the notion that they should be concerned with how to stay safe, and instead, the focus of womens safety needs to be squarely on how we prevent and identify men who commit offences.

Ms Simon noted educating young people about sexual consent and respectful relationships at school will stop some abuses but argued high-quality interventions with known perpetrators are needed to stop them inflicting harm on more women.

Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK, argued in spite of the shocking frequency of harassment, girls told us they dont know where to report it  adding that current laws are not fit for purpose.

The leading charitys research found one in three girls in this country have been harassed in their school uniforms. A separate study by Plan International which came out last spring found young women say sexual harassment, including men indecently exposing themselves, has become worse during the lockdown.

Researchers, who polled more than 1,000 young women and children aged between 14 and 21, found one in five have suffered harassment on the streets since the government implemented stringent social distancing measures  with a fifth of them saying the issue of harassment has got worse in lockdown.

Maya Tutton, who runs the Our Streets Now campaign to end street harassment with her sister Gemma, said the latest study shows that educating boys is one of the key routes for tackling this problem.

She added: Our Streets Now is working to get public sexual harassment onto the curriculum and into schools in order for this cultural change to take place.

A Home Office spokesperson said keeping women and girls safe from violence and abuse is a key priority for the government.

The representative added: Just this week, the domestic abuse act was signed into law and provides protection to millions of people as well as strengthening measures to tackle perpetrators.

Following the tragic case of Sarah Everard and the subsequent outpouring of stories from victims and survivors, we reopened our call for evidence and the 180,000 responses received will inform our new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

The government has also provided more funding for measures such as street lighting and CCTV, as well as introducing Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Sexual Risk Orders and Stalking Protection Orders.
European Union leaders this week urged the White House to lift restrictions on Covid-19 vaccine exports to boost global supplies, after the US announced its support for waiving intellectual property restrictions on vaccine patents.

We dont think, in the short term, that its the magic bullet, European Council President Charles Michel said during a summit in Portugal on Saturday.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany  home to Pfizer vaccine collaborator BioNTech  said she sees more risks than opportunities in releasing vaccine patents.

The problem is not that people are sitting on their patents and not taking action, she said.

Liberalising the patents, even temporarily, does not guarantee the production of the vaccine, said Italys prime minister Mario Draghi.

Their comments follow White House support for waiving the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement under the World Trade Organization, which has effectively provided pharmaceutical companies monopoly control over vaccine production, potentially locking out poor countries from expanding their supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Waiving those protections could allow other countries to make copycat vaccines without fear or legal action or sanctions under global trade agreements.

Dr Anthony Fauci has rejected criticisms from drugmakers that lifting patent protections will prevent them from scaling up production.

They can scale up, he told ABCs This Week on Sunday. Youve got to give them credit  theyve really just really done something that is really quite impressive in the way theyve gotten their vaccine supply up and out for the rest of the world.

Dr Fauci, who serves as President Joe Bidens chief medical adviser, said waiving those protections is not going to necessarily interfere with pharmaceutical companies efforts to ramp up their production.

More than 100 developing countries have urged the WTO to waive those restrictions following a proposal that was filed jointly by India and South Africa back in October 2020.

Humanitarian aid groups and more than 400 government officials across Europe, including the World Health Organizations director general, have also urged the WTO to lift intellectual property provisions on vaccines and equipment.

The US under Donald Trumps administration opposed the waiver along with the UK, European Union, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Norway and Switzerland.

The US does not have a formal ban on exports but has focused on domestic distribution and overcoming broader challenges of vaccine hesitancy and limited vaccine and healthcare access among Americans.

The US has pledged to share up to 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and shipping out materials to help India boost production of its own Covishield vaccine.

Moderna has also pledged up to 500 million doses of its vaccine to Covax, the United Nations effort to boost global vaccine supply. Through the agreement, the company will provide its first 34 million doses by the end of the year with the rest through 2022.

Roughly one-third of the US is fully inoculated, having received both required doses of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Sunday.

Roughly 45 per cent of the US has received at lease one dose, but demand is slowing or has reached a plateau, according to a report this week from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The low rates signal that the US is not likely to reach herd immunity, a point at which a significant amount of the population has developed an immune response to the virus to avoid spreading it to others. White House coronavirus adviser Jeff Zients told CNN on Sunday that the US goal is to reach a sustainable low level of infections.

Dr Fauci  who has previously warned about protracted legal battles over the IP debate  stressed that the endgame is to get people vaccinated in the US and abroad.

India is the largest vaccine-producing country in the world. Theyve got to get their resources, he said on Sunday. Thats the reason why other countries need to chip in to be able to get either supplies for the Indians to make their own vaccines.
Coffee giant Starbucks is said to be considering leaving Facebook over the negative/insensitive, hate speech-related comments it receives on its posts about social justice issues.

BuzzFeed News reports that frustration with such comments has reached a point that it may remove its page.

The report is based on internal discussions seen by the outlet that were written by Facebook employees who manage the platforms relationship with the worlds largest coffee company.

Starbucks is in the process of evaluating their organic presence on FB, and whether they should continue to have a presence on the platform at all, a Facebook employee wrote.

Anytime they post (organically) in regards to social issues or their mission & values work (e.g. BLM, LGBTQ, sustainability/climate change, etc.) they are overwhelmed by negative/insensitive, hate speech related comments on their posts.

The same employee said that the coffee companys team responsible for community management has struggled to moderate hateful comments and cannot disable them.

Were Starbucks to leave the platform, it would not be the first company to do so, but it would be by far the largest.

Elon Musk removed the pages of SpaceX and Tesla in 2018, as part of a campaign to #DeleteFacebook during the Cambridge Analytica scandal relating to privacy online and data collection.

Both companies kept their presence on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, but have not returned to the main platform.

In 2020, Starbucks joined hundreds of other companies in the Stop Hate for Profit campaign that saw them cease advertising on Facebook to push for a tougher stance against hateful and racist content.

Starbucks spokesperson Sanja Gould would not confirm if the company was considering removing its Facebook page, but told Buzzfeed in a statement that the coffee corporation stands against hate speech.

While some changes have been implemented, we believe more can be done to create welcoming and inclusive online communities, she said about Facebook.

We work collaboratively with all companies we do business with to ensure any advertising done on our behalf is in alignment with our brand standards.

Facebook spokesperson Dani Lever told BuzzFeed that Facebook offers tools to limit this content from appearing on partners pages including ways for brands to control those who can comment on their posts.

She added: Our teams work with our clients around the world on various issues and as this post shows we are working with them to keep hate off of their pages.
A Republican lawmaker has insisted that a sweeping Texas electoral reform bill is voter enhancement rather than voter suppression as the controversial legislation passes the states House.

The lone star state has become the latest to advance new GOP-backed limits on voting in the wake of the 2020 election and Donald Trumps election defeat.

Voting-rights advocates and Democrats have condemned the passage of such measures and have argued they will disproportionately disfranchise voters of colour.

The Republican-led restrictions cleared the Texas House on Friday, with lawmakers now expected to negotiate a final version of the legislation for approval.

Republican state representative Briscoe Cain, who authored the House version of the voting bill, insisted that the restrictions would have a positive impact on election processes.

We dont need to wait for bad things to happen to protect the security of the election, Mr Cain said. I dont believe that this is voter suppression; I believe it is voter enhancement.

GOP officials have pushed the new controversial limitations in states that were targets of Mr Trumps baseless claims of voter fraud during and after the election.

Following the signing of similar legislation in Georgia, which flipped from red to blue during the election and in two subsequent run-off races, high-profile companies activists spoke out vehemently against the bill.

On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also signed parallel legislation into law, a day before the vote on the Texas bill.

Sylvia Albert, voting and elections director for Common Cause, which advocates for expanded voter access said such states are seeing first hand the impacts of Mr Trumps big lie.

She said: We are seeing them use this opportunity to create deliberate barriers to voting for Black and brown voters. Its un-American.

Republican supporters argue that the new limits, which will likely impact mail-in voting, are needed to instil public confidence and improve the security of state voting processes.

One way or another, in Texas, Democrats have practically no path to stop the bill in the GOP-controlled legislature, with governor Greg Abbott saying the bill was one step closer to his desk.

However, Democratic representatives warned of their intention to put up a legal fight against the measures.

You have your vote, you have your majority. But guess what? I look forward to seeing you in federal court, said Democratic state representative Trey Martinez Fischer said on Friday.

Reporting by the Associated Press
Donald Trumps desire to take revenge on his political enemies is starting to frustrate his close allies, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The newspaper reports that a number of Republican officials, including some of the former presidents allies, are becoming annoyed that Mr Trump is wasting his time on petty rivalries and grievances.

Supporters reportedly wish that Mr Trump would instead focus his energy on cultivating new projects, supporting GOP politicians, and protecting policies from his time in office.

The newspaper cites interviews with 13 former White House officials, Republicans, aides, and allies, many of whom ask to remain anonymous to discuss details of personal conversations.

Speaking of the former presidents thinking since his election loss last year, one former senior White House official reportedly said: All the 2022 stuff is, Well, whats in it for me?

Mr Trump has focused recent attacks on certain Republican members who have sought to dissuade the GOP from allowing him influential standing in the partys future in recent months.

In particular, Mr Trump has targeted those who voted to impeach him in his second Senate trial such as the Wyoming representative Liz Cheney, who he recently branded a warmongering fool.

The Post reports one adviser said that Mr Trump is utilising revenge endorsements to lash out at such political enemies in an attempt to displace them from their roles in the party.

According to the newspaper, Mr Trump is desperate to remain at the centre of national attention and to maintain total dominance and control over the GOP and its supporters.

However, the former president is also struggling to stay relevant amid his ongoing banishment from social media, with the Facebook Oversight Board upholding his ban from the platform.

Axios reported exclusive data from NewsWhip in May which showed that social media interactions concerning the president had fallen by 91 per cent since January.

The newspaper says in a bid to overcome such obstacles the former president is looking at creating a Trump media group through which to share content and offer premium subscriptions.

He has also reportedly privately discussed the possibility of plans to run for president again in 2024 while maintaining his refusal to admit defeat in last years election.

The former president has made no formal announcement regarding possible plans for another presidential campaign in 2024. Rumours have continued to circulate as to whether he will decide to run.

Mr Trumps spokesperson Jason Miller told the outlet that the former president has been supportive of various policy groups and deserves recognition for not declaring positions on 2022 contests too early.

When Ive talked to him, the conversations are more about moving forward than they are grievance, Senator Lindsey Graham, an ardent ally of Mr Trump told The Post on Friday.

It used to be 70-30 grievances about the election and people he doesnt like. Its now a majority of the conversations that are about winning in the future. He is trying to get systems in place to run.

The Independent has contacted the office of Donald Trump for comment regarding the claims in the article.
Marylands Republican Governor Larry Hogan critisised the circular firing squad where were just attacking our own party as congressional Republicans mull whether to oust third-ranking GOP Rep Liz Cheney from her leadership spot for voting to impeach Donald Trump after his stolen election lies fuelled the Capitol insurrection.

It just bothers me that you have to swear fealty to the dear leader or you get kicked out of the party, he told NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday.

His comments follow remarks from South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who admitted to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday that its unlikely the party can move forward without the former president.

I would just say to my Republican colleagues, can we move forward without President Trump? he said. The answer is no.

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, among seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict the former president during his second impeachment trial, told the network that for us to win in 2022 and 2024, we need everybody.

If you look at polls, there is a whole group of folks that agree with Liz Cheney, he said. We need those who feel as Liz. We need those who feel as Lindsey.

The fractured GOP  which has endorsed dozens of pieces of legislation embracing the persistent myth of widespread voter fraud while courting the nationalist base that supported Mr Trump  has reportedly turned to US Rep Elise Stefanik as Ms Cheneys replacement.

Ms Stefanik voted against Mr Trumps sweeping tax cuts in 2017 and was critical of the previous administrations anti-immigration agenda, including the Muslim ban and construction of a US-Mexico border wall, but she has emerged as a rising figure among GOP lawmakers in a party dominated by an America First caucus relitigating election results and mired in culture war grievances against a Democratic majority in Congress and in the White House.

She has secured the complete and total endorsement of Mr Trump for the GOP conference chair, following her emphatic support for the former presidents spurious legal challenges and false claims of mail-in ballot irregularities that allegedly tainted the results of the 2020 presidential election.

She sought to make her case as an ally to Mr Trump and urge the partys support for the former president during an appearance on Steve Bannons War Room podcast on Thursday.

I fully support the audit in Arizona, she said, referring to the partisan audit underway in a state that Joe Biden won by more than 45,000 votes, confirmed by three other recounts. We want transparency and answers for the American people. What are the Democrats so afraid of?

In an op-ed for The Washington Post this week, Ms Cheney criticised House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy  who was caught on a hot mic telling Fox & Friends that he lost confidence with Ms Cheney and has had it with her  for reversing his position on Mr Trump in the wake of the Capitol assault on 6 January.

She warned Republicans that while embracing or ignoring Trumps statements might seem attractive to some for fundraising and political purposes, that approach will do profound long-term damage to our party and our country.

The GOP must form a broad coalition across the political right, she said, or risk losing future elections if her colleagues abandon the rule of law and join Trumps crusade to undermine the foundation of our democracy and reverse the legal outcome of the last election.

Weve got to get back to winning elections again and we have to be able to have a Republican Party that appeals to a broader group of people, Mr Hogan said on Sunday.

I think what most people want, really, is truth, he said. I dont happen to support conspiracy theories.
Journalists and civil rights groups were outraged this week after The Washington Post revealed that, while Donald Trump was president, the Department of Justice obtained the phone records of its journalists from their time covering allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

We are deeply troubled by this use of government power to seek access to the communications of journalists, Cameron Barr, thePosts acting executive director, said in a statement . The Department of Justice should immediately make clear its reasons for this intrusion into the activities of reporters doing their jobs, an activity protected under the First Amendment.

Free press advocates reacted with similar dismay.

The Justice Department shouldnt go spying on journalists at the whims of an administration, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Friday on Twitter. This should never have happened. When the government spies on journalists and their sources, it jeopardizes freedom of the press.

These are all things journalists should ASSUME the government does, national security reporter Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept added, noting that the Biden administration has defended their predecessors seizures and the Obama administration was similarly aggressive towards the press. Obamas admin also spied on journalists and used the Espionage Act repeatedly against whistleblowers. Obamas DNI Clapper lied to Congress about surveillance and his CIA spied on the Senate torture investigators.

The Justice Department defended its use of the phone data, which captured phone numbers and call durations during the target period, as a rare step done with authority, whose real target was leakers and not the press themselves.

While rare, the Department follows the established procedures within its media guidelines policy when seeking legal process to obtain telephone toll records and non-content email records from media members as part of a criminal investigation into unauthorized disclosure of classified information, Marc Raimondi, a spokesman for the Justice Department, told the Post. The targets of these investigations are not the news media recipients but rather those with access to the national defense information who provided it to the media and thus failed to protect it as lawfully required.

Though it wasnt clear what specifically provoked the searches through the records, Post reporters broke major stories about Trump allies like Jeff Sessions meeting with the Russian ambassador to discuss the Trump campaign, as well as the Obama administrations efforts to investigate Russian interference.

The Obama administration, for its part used the 1917 Espionage Act more often than all other administrations combined to prosecute leakers.
The Republican governor of Maryland described Donald Trumps presidency as the worst four years that his party has ever endured.

Larry Hogan, a frequent Trump critic, told NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday that the GOP has now shaped itself into a sort of a circular firing squad against its members.

I think weve got to get back to winning elections again, and we have to be able to have a Republican Party that appeals to a broader group of people, Mr Hogan said. And we have to get back to having a bigger tent as [Ronald] Reagan talked about and not continuing to  look, we had the worst four years weve had, ever, in the Republican Party.

Republicans lost the White House and control of both chambers of Congress with 2018 and 2020 elections.

Successful politics is about addition and multiplication, not subtraction and division, Mr Hogan said.

Republican leadership is lining up behind efforts to unseat Ms Cheney as GOP conference chair  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise and the former president have endorsed Elise Stefanik, who has embraced Mr Trumps baseless election fraud narrative, including an ongoing audit of election results in Arizona steered by Republicans in the state senate.

Ms Cheney was among 10 House Republicans who joined Democrats to vote to impeach then-president Trump for his role inciting supporters to riot at the US Capitol on 6 January in an effort to block Joe Bidens presidency.

Republicans should be focusing on solving problems or standing up and having an argument that we can debate the Democrats on some of the things that the Biden administration is pushing through, Mr Hogan said.
Republican governors in five states are cutting off extended federal unemployment aid to residents that was set to expire in September.

As states begin relaxing coronavirus restrictions, governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana and South Carolina have revived long-running GOP arguments that unemployment payments prevent people from returning to work, despite mounting fears among workers of Covid-19 exposure in low-wage jobs, and childcare costs in areas where options are limited or unavailable during the public health crisis and other concerns.

The cuts will prematurely target the $300 in additional weekly federal payments on which millions of Americans have relied throughout the pandemic in addition to their state-level payments.

The $300 federal supplement helped thousands of Arkansans make it through this tough time, so it served a good purpose, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said in a statement. Now we need Arkansans back on the job so that we can get our economy back to full speed.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte claimed that too many employers in the state cant find workers. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster claimed that in many instances, these payments are greater than the workers previous pay.

A statement from the US Labour Department said that weve seen no evidence of lower rates of workers reentering the workforce or higher rates of businesses worried about employee availability.

The GOP arguments are nothing new  Republicans have long stated that they believe unemployment insurance payments can discourage work, and business owners have often complained that people are not willing to work for the wages offered.

Job openings soared to more than 8.1 million on Monday, opening a debate among labour advocates and workers arguing that employers must meed the demand with appropriate wages and benefits in the economic fallout from the pandemic, while workers also are waiting for schools and daycare centres to fully reopen to be able to return to work.

Republican complaints are also inflamed by a nation eager to resume business as usual and opposition to a Democratically controlled Congress and White House that supports extending unemployment assistance as well as a number of federal safety nets.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina said he was disappointed in the statement from his states governor.

We might be talking about the big lie as it related to the elections, but very close to that is this notion that people dont want to work, he told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday.

I have met a lot of people who have stayed out of work because they cant find childcare for their children, he said. This notion that people are not going to work because theyd rather stay at home, make more money drawing unemployment  Ive been hearing that all of my life. Its not true, its never been true.

Employers added 266,000 jobs in April, according to Fridays April jobs report from the US Labor Department, but unemployment overall rose slightly from 6 per cent to 6.1 per cent.

But 331,000 jobs were added in leisure and hospitality, the most gains in any sector, signalling that the narrative of a slowdown or labour shortage for bars and restaurants  among the first signs of returning to normal as more hospitality businesses open  has not happened.

Job increases last month were largely among the lowest-paying sectors, like hospitality, which are more likely to benefit from the supplemental federal benefits.

Heidi Shierholz, policy director at the Economic Policy Institute, said that Labor Department data reveals that claims of worker shortages in the hospitality industry are largely the result of frustration on the part of restaurants that they cant find workers to fill jobs at relatively low wages.

Hard to single out unemployment benefits as dampening job growth in the lowest-wage industries when those same industries are the ones with the fastest job growth, said economist Ben Zipperer.

South Carolinas labour department estimated that if half of the people currently receiving unemployment go back to work, a best-case scenario considering the number of jobs available, they will earn roughly $372m in collective wages from employers  compared to the more than $600m in benefits that the state is rejecting from the federal government.

The jobs report also underscored the stark disparities in distribution of domestic labour. Roughly 165,000 women aged 20 and older dropped out of the workforce between March and April, meaning they are neither working or looking for work, after 495,000 women returned to work in March, according to an analysis from the National Womens Law Center.

The net number of women who have left the labour force since the start of the pandemic is nearly 2 million, the report found.

Were still digging out of an economic collapse, Joe Biden said in remarks on Friday. The economy still has 8 million fewer jobs than when this pandemic started. More workers are looking for jobs and many cant find them. While jobs are coming back, there are still millions who are looking for work.

Regrowing the economy also is in tandem with a public health crisis that officials are working to combat through an aggressive vaccination campaign that is beginning to plateau, as demand winnows and hesitancy persists.

More than 4.2 million Americans are not working because they are concerned about getting or spreading Covid-19, according to Census survey data from the second half of April.

Nearly 2.5 million Americans experienced coronavirus symptoms or were caring for someone who did, and 6.8 million said they were caring for children who were not in school or daycare, the survey found.

Rebecca Dixon, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, said in a statement that ending fully federally funded pandemic unemployment insurance programs is cruel, ill-informed and will disproportionately impact women and communities of colour that need aid the most.

This crisis is far from over, she said.
Nasa has denounced Chinas irresponsible attitude to space safety after debris from an out-of-control rocket fell to Earth.

The Long March 5B was launched in late April as part of a mission aimed at building Chinas planned space station. But the rockets booster began an uncontrolled re-entry after going into orbit, sparking fears that debris could hit a populated area.

The China Manned Space Engineering Office said the majority of debris burnt up as it re-entered the atmosphere and was cited by state media as saying that some remnants landed in the Indian Ocean.

The US Space Command confirmed that debris had fallen over the Arabian Peninsula, but said that it was unknown whether it struck land or water.

Nasa administrator Bill Nelson, a former senator and astronaut, criticised Chinas approach to safety standards and transparency.

Spacefaring nations must minimise the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximise transparency regarding those operations, he said.

Its clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

He added that it was critical that China and all spacefaring nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently in space to ensure the safety and sustainability of future space activities.

The Long March blasted off from Chinas Hainan island on 29 April, carrying the first part of the countrys Tianhe module which is to serve as the core of its space station.

It made its re-entry at 3.24am BST, just west of the Maldives, according to Chinese officials.

Harvard University astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said that the potential debris zone could have been as far north as New York, Madrid or Beijing and as far south as southern Chile or Wellington, New Zealand.

It makes the Chinese rocket designers look lazy that they didnt address this, he said.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at Chinas foreign ministry, said at a press briefing before the rockets re-entry that its common practice for parts of rockets to burn up when they reach the atmosphere.

The likelihood of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities [are] extremely low, he said.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who had been tracking the spacecraft throughout its descent, said an ocean re-entry was always statistically the most likely but had not been guaranteed.

It appears China won its gamble, he tweeted. But it was still reckless.

The first Long March 5B rocket was launched in May last year. Pieces of this rocket struck the Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings.

Ten further missions to complete Chinas space station are planned for 2022.
The death toll from bombs planted outside a girls' school in the area of Afghanistan's capital Kabul, populated largely by the Shiite Hazara community has risen to 50, according to news agency AFP.

Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian told reporters a car bomb detonated in front of the Sayed Al-Shuhada School on Saturday, and when the students rushed out in panic two more bombs exploded.

He said more than 100 people were wounded, adding that most of the victims were female students.

An Afghan man cries next to his daughter's body after a blast, at a hospital in Kabul/Reuters

The explosions rocked the west Kabul district of Dasht-e-Barchi -- a regular target of Sunni Islamist militants -- as residents were out shopping ahead of next week's Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

It comes as the United States military continues to pull out its last 2,500 troops from violence-wracked Afghanistan, despite faltering peace efforts between the Taliban and Afghan government to end a decades-long war.

Taliban suspected behind the attack

Family members and relatives mourn inside a hospital while sitting next to the bodies of victims who died in a blast/AFP

No group has so far claimed the attack, but Afghan officials including President Ashraf Ghani have blamed the Taliban.

"The Taliban are behind this attack. They have carried out similar attacks on education institutions in the past," said Arian.

The insurgents have denied involvement.
The family of Shaurya Chakra recipient Lt Col (retd) Ratan Kumar Sen has donated his body to a medical college in Jaipur, as per PTI.

This was one day after he died due to illness.

iStock

His final farewell was performed at the Mission Compound following COVID protocols.

PTI

The funeral procession reached the JNU Medical College, Jagatpura, for body donation, according to his familySen's wife, 2 and grandchildren survive him.

He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in 1972 and deployed in Jammu and Kashmir in 1994 as part of 2nd Rashtriya Rifles for counter-insurgency operations.


In what's probably a first-of-its-kind announcement from any state, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned Rs 60 lakh from Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) to feed stray animals during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in five municipal corporations, 48 municipalities and 61 Notified Area Councils (NACs).

The state government has fixed the unit cost per day for all municipal corporations, municipalities, and all NAC areas to meet the expenditure in this regard.



The state government has asked civic bodies to make necessary provisions for providing food to the stray animals in urban and semi-urban areas of the state during the Covid-19 lockdown.





Reuters

Earlier in the day, the Odisha government decided to prioritise the vaccination of 18 to 44 age group people in the five municipal corporations of the state where the positivity rate of COVID-19 infection is relatively high.

"The state has started the process of procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for vaccination of I8 to 44 year age groups from the state's own fund. Presently, as the manufacturers are able to supply low quantity of vaccines, we are starting 18 to 44 year age group vaccination only in five municipal corporations," wrote additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra in a letter to all district collectors on Saturday.





File Photo

Thousands of stray animals in the state may have a hard time finding food leading to starvation and other consequential issues amid the lockdown in the state from May 5 to May 19.

Therefore, the Housing and Urban Development Department has directed all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state to make necessary provision of food for the stray animals.
A woman uses a smartphone in front of a laptop on April 3, 2019. An Indian American couple in Georgia has been sentenced for laundering money on behalf of India-based phone scammers. (representational image/Issouf Sanogo/AFP via Getty Images)
Burma Myanmars NUG Snubs ASEAN Talks

Protesters call for ASEAN not to endorse the military regime in Myanmar. / CJ

Myanmars civilian National Unity Government (NUG) says it will not negotiate with the military regime against the will of the people, despite calls from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for talks.

It was the second refusal to cooperate by the shadow government after it rejected a joint junta-ASEAN statement which said, all parties shall exercise utmost restraint. The NUG said the sole perpetrator of violence is the military regime.

The ASEAN summit, attended by coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on April 24, called for a five-point consensus, including dialogue among all parties to seek a peaceful solution.

Many in Myanmar were disappointed by ASEANs exclusion of the NUG from the summit in Indonesia and believe it shows ASEAN does not understand the situation.

The failure of ASEANs leaders to demand the release of detainees has left many in Myanmar disappointed.

Myanmars people say they already have a civilian government democratically elected in the 2020 General Election.

Min Aung Hlaing said he would consider the leaders recommended steps for solving the crisis after the situation stabilizes.

ASEAN is planning to send an envoy to Myanmar next week to hold further talks with Min Aung Hlaing and other junta leaders.

Few people in Myanmar have any hope ASEAN can resolve the crisis.

On Saturday, Duwa Lashi La, the NUGs vice-president, said Myanmar appreciates ASEANs efforts to end the crisis but the bloc should listen to Myanmars people.

The path for negotiations agreed at the ASEAN summit is not what the people of Myanmar want, Duwa Lashi La said.

He said the NUG will consider negotiations only when the public wants talks.

Civilians have armed themselves with homemade air guns, firearms and slingshots since March 14 when the military regime intensified its crackdowns on peaceful protests, leaving around 100 dead in a single day.

Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin State are seeing an increasing number of attacks on junta troops by civilian resistance forces.

Peoples defense forces have been formed elsewhere.

The NUG formed a peoples defense force on Wednesday to stop the regimes violence and end over 70 years of civil war.

The regimes crackdowns on protesters, mass detentions and raids continue.

Between the Feb. 1 coup and Saturday, more than 770 people have been killed by the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

More than 3,800 people, including elected leaders, members of the National League for Democracy, election commissioners, doctors, journalists, writers and protesters and artists, have been detained.

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Burma Veteran Myanmar Activist Faces Hate Speech Charges

Ko Mya Aye, the former 88 Generation student leader and now a leading member of the Federal Democratic Force group. / The Irrawaddy

The prominent democracy activist Ko Mya Aye, who has spent more than three months behind bars since the February coup, faces hate speech charges under Article 505(c) of the Penal Code for incitement, which carries up to two years in prison.

According to his family, the regime filed the case against the Muslim activist based on a 2014 email about his work with ethnic armed organizations, Burman ethno-nationalism and the importance of working together for federal democracy.

The email was found on his seized phone. Article 505 prohibit statements which could incite anyone to commit any offence against anyone or any community.

The former 88 Generation student leader and now a leading member of the Federal Democratic Force group, is one of the activists whose homes were surrounded and detained at gunpoint on Feb. 1, immediately after the coup. More than 100 elected leaders, government officials, activists and politicians were also detained during the military takeover.

It was two months before his family learned he was detained in Insein Prison, Yangon, on April 1.

Even though we are used to this situation, as my father was jailed before, we were really worried as we heard nothing about him for two months, his daughter Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, a human rights activist based in London, told The Irrawaddy.

Ko Mya Aye was arrested twice under the former junta for his political activism during and after the 1988 uprising and served a total of 12 years in prison. After his release in 2012, the activist continued his unfinished democratic struggles for a federal democracy under both the semi-civilian U Thein Sein government and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyis civilian government, which was overthrown in the coup.

It is not surprising as they are suing [detainees] with any charges. But it is really absurd to bring such charges which are completely against what my father was doing, Wai Hnin Pwint Thon said.

The political prisoner is facing trial at a court inside Insein Prison. The regime set up temporary courts inside prisons to hear political cases for security reasons. The judge, law officer and defense lawyer are the only outsiders allowed to attend trials inside the prison. No relatives are allowed to attend.

Ko Mya Aye has not seen his family and cannot have open conversations with his lawyer, his daughter said.

The lawyer said my father told him he doesnt want to ask any witnesses to testify as he doesnt trust the judiciary under the junta, Wai Hnin Pwint Thon said. On May 21, the court will start hear one of the prosecution witnesses.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which is tracking killings and detentions since the coup, at least 776 people have been killed and 4,885 individuals were detained, of whom 3,813 remained behind bars.

Ko Mya Aye conveyed a message to pro-democracy activists through released student activists in April, calling on protesters to avoid arrest.

This is the last battle to win, he told them.

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Americas rare private island resort makes waves with a complete rebuild and redesign is how Conde Nast described Little Palm Island Resort & Spa located in Little Torch Key on mile marker 28.5 of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.

Little Palm Island is only one of two Florida properties to make Conde Nast Travelers 2021 list of the best new hotels & resorts in the world.

White Elephant Palm Beach in Palm Beach County was the only other Florida resort to make the list.

Conde Nasts Hot List of this years top hotel features only 69 winners chosen who represent the best of the best out of the thousands of resorts to choose from around the globe.

Only 23 resorts out of the 69 selected are in the United States.

Conde Nast said Little Palm Island Resort & Spa was chosen after winning their Readers Choice Awards in the years 2017, 2018, and 2020. The adults-only, private island resorts is redefining the exotic castaway fantasy, right on American soil.

The resort sits on a private, four-acre island where every suite sits facing the ocean, with almost every suite looks out onto white sandy beaches, the publication wrote about Little Palm.

California led the U.S. states in number of properties placed on the list with 5, including Montage Healdsburg located in Sonoma County wine country. New York State was next with four properties on the list, including The Rockaway Hotel in Queens.

Worldwide, Japan and Mexico has the most properties on the list with five each

For the complete list of this years 2021 Hot List winners by Conde Nast Traveler, click here.
Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving forward. -- Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein has an excellent point  life is a balance. I remember as a child Mother would say life isnt fair. Id say, Mommy, how can you say that? In my mind, we had rules and we had to obey them. The rules applied to everyone equally. Shed reply, It comes with age. Now I get it!

We grow up with rules learned in school, home and church (be it Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu). All those rules are built on the tenet of being fair to others and yourself. Two that come to mind are the Ten Commandments and The Golden Rule. Examples are, Do unto others as you would have them to unto you. Thou shaltl not murder. And thou shalt not steal. Then we mature and find out that The Golden Rule often means: He with the gold, rules.

It also turns out there are different types of stealing. Its OK for the hungry man to steal bread to feed his family; its not OK for Madoff to steal money from extremely wealthy people. Its OK to murder in self defense, but its not appropriate to murder if you simply want your husband dead. The rule is the same, but the punishment depends on specific facts.

Boomers are famous for pushing the envelope and breaking rules. We were the hippies, the peaceniks, the anti-Vietnam protestors and the wild ones who didnt trust anyone over 30. I remember being in high school in Singapore after the first of the Boomers began breaking societal rules  the government came down hard on all residents. No more blue jeans, no more long hair, you were executed if you were distributing drugs, and publicly caned for a myriad of petty crimes. In Singapore, the rules were paramount, and several Americans were caned, and deported. In the US we tolerate civil disobedience, but not in Singapore.

Boomer women also began forging new traditions and breaking the glass ceiling. Carly Fiorina was the first female CEO of a Fortune Top 20 company. She did not inherit the business from family; she was chosen from her Hewlett Packard peers. As we watched President Biden (Greatest Generation) address Congress, he had two women behind him. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Greatest Generation) and Kamala Harris (Boomer).

Boomers are still pushing that envelope. We are not retiring, were working until we decide we want to quit. Turning 60 is not the end of life, its the beginning of a new era in our lives. We are still on that bicycle, balancing and moving forward.

About H. Frances Reaves, Esq.

A graduate of University of Miami Law School, Frances spent ten years as a litigator/ lobbyist. She founded Parent Your Parents to assist seniors and their children through the myriad of pitfalls and options of "senior care".

If you have any questions or comments contact Frances at hfrancesr@parentyourparents.com
As Sony tries to address shortages in the production of its immensely popular Playstation 5 console, a design overhaul could be on the way. Its hardware team has been reported to be working on this new model that would feature a new processor from AMD.

New 6-nm AMD Chip to Power Redesigned Playstation 5

According to leaks supplied on PC Magazine, the redesigned PS5 could carry more power, thanks to a new AMD Zen 2 chip that was made using a six-nanometer (6nm) process, as against the current 7nm, which potentially would make it more powerful.

This 6nm node would provide up to 18-percent density improvement than the current 7nm node currently running in PS5 consoles. No claimed enhancement, however, was reported for clock speed or power consumption.

Read also: PS5 DualSense Controller Problem Solved: What Is Joystick Drift and Does It Have a Fix? It Only Lasts for 400 Hours?

A small single-digit improvement in performance depending on the silicon characteristics, but console manufacturers, such as Sony, that use die shrinks for this kind of improvement would go extra lengths j just to guarantee that the experience is as identical as possible.

Production of Redesigned Playstation 5 in 2022, Says Report

As DigiTimes quoted sources as saying that production of the new refurbished PS5 will start by next year. It also revealed the new redesigned console would be unveiled by the second or third quarter of 2022.

Such console redesigns are normal, and provide the opportunity for improvements and address bugs, and likewise lead to lesser manufacturing costs. Sony has done the same for its previous Playstation consoles although it has come much earlier for the PS5, thanks to the semiconductor shortage, as per reports.

In addition, bottlenecks in other wafer production areas, such as display drivers and Wi-Fi chips have emerged. As such wafer yields continue to slow down Sony's PS5 production line, enhancing it with smaller chips could help.

Playstation 5 Redesign Largely Due to Cost Reduction

But observers see the use of a new system on a chip (SoC) is largely due to cost reduction. According to ExtremeTech, analysts suggested that only the full-fat version of the PS5 just breaks even at sale. The PS5 Digital Edition, it said, may currently be sold below cost. This would definitely lead to Sony's moves for a redesign, with a slight reduction in the die size would allow them to build more dies per wafer.

However, Sony admitted that the design overhaul was necessary to meet the PS5 demand. The electronics giant's chief financial officer, Hiroki Toroki confirmed that in order to fulfill its sales objectives, the company would find a secondary resource (for semiconductors) or change the design. Though the redesign would cover the internal structure of the console, Sony might even consider changing the external look of the console, at least repainting it perhaps, after it received criticism online saying the gaming monster looked like a Wi-Fi router.

Related article: PS5 Restock Update: Walmart, Target Could Have Stocks Soon After Amazon Drop-Price and Where to Buy
Scores of people were injured Saturday as Israeli police fired water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse Palestinian protesters in annexed east Jerusalem, a day after fierce clashes at the citys Al-Aqsa mosque.

The fresh violence, a day after more than 200 people were wounded at the mosque, prompted international calls for an end to the violence.

Police said they dispersed the rally in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood where demonstrators had thrown stones at security forces.

Officials said Sunday a rocket had been fired from the Gaza Strip, with the Israel Defense Forces responding by striking a military target in the south. Earlier, officers had fired tear gas towards protesters on the border.

In Jerusalem, police said they made three arrests for attacks on officers, while Palestinians reported 13 other arrests earlier in the day.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 90 people were wounded in Saturdays clashes in Jerusalem, revising up their earlier estimate of 53.

AFP journalists in Jerusalem said Israeli riot police had fired rubber bullets, sound grenades and water cannon on Palestinians Saturday, some of whom threw projectiles at the police. One officer received a head injury, said police.

On Friday, riot police stormed Al-Aqsa mosque compound, after they said Palestinians threw rocks and fireworks at officers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the police actions.

Israel is acting responsibly to ensure respect for law and order in Jerusalem while allowing freedom of worship, he said in a meeting of security officials.

The violence was the worst in years at Al-Aqsa, Islams third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina, located on the site Jews revere as the Temple Mount.

 A focal point 

Palestinians have held nightly protests in Sheikh Jarrah against an attempt by Israeli settlers to take over Arab homes.

On Saturday, protesters chanted, waved Palestinian flags and threw stones before police moved in.

Dozens of Arab Israeli protesters also gathered across Israel in solidarity with Sheikh Jarrah residents, holding up signs that read the occupation is terrorism.

A reporter for Israeli public TV tweeted footage of a Jewish driver whose car was attacked with stones and windows shattered at the entrance to Sheikh Jarrah Saturday.

Police blocked buses filled with Arabs headed for Jerusalem from northern Israel, saying they would not be allowed to participate in violent riots.

Instead, hundreds marched on highways leading to the city.

Thousands of worshippers stayed on at Al-Aqsa on Saturday for Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny), a peak of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, urged Palestinians to remain at Al-Aqsa until Ramadan ends, warning that the resistance is ready to defend Al-Aqsa at any cost.

Outside the Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalems Old City, Palestinians set fire to a barricade before police on horseback dispersed the protesters.

 Extreme concern 

The Quartet of envoys from the European Union, Russia, the United States and the United Nations expressed deep concern over the violence.

We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, they wrote.

The United States  an Israeli ally whose tone has toughened under US President Joe Biden  said it was extremely concerned and urged both sides to avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace.

This includes evictions in east Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions and acts of terrorism, the State Department said.

The European Union called on the authorities to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions, saying violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable.

Russia voiced deep concern, calling the expropriation of land and property in the occupied Palestinian territories including east Jerusalem a violation of international law.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he held the Israeli government responsible for the unrest and voiced full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa.

Yair Lapid, an Israeli politician attempting to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, backed the police.

The state of Israel will not let violence run loose and definitely will not allow terror groups to threaten it, he tweeted.

 Barbaric attack 

The Al-Aqsa clashes drew sharp rebukes across the Arab and Muslim world.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Israel as a cruel terrorist state in a speech in Ankara Saturday, calling on the United Nations to intervene to stop the persecution.

Jordan condemned Israels barbaric attack and Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Pakistan and Qatar were among Muslim countries that blasted Israeli forces for the confrontation.

Israel also drew criticism from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that signed normalisation accords with the Jewish state last year.

Iran called on the United Nations to condemn the Israeli police actions, arguing that this war crime once again proved to the world the criminal nature of the illegitimate Zionist regime.

Tensions are expected to remain high in Jerusalem.

Israels supreme court is to hold a new hearing in the Sheikh Jarrah case on Monday, when Israelis mark Jerusalem Day to celebrate the liberation of the city.
European leaders postpone decision on patent waiver of COVID-19 vaccines

Xinhua) 15:14, May 09, 2021

LISBON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday at the end of the social summit of the European Union (EU) held in the Portuguese city of Porto that leaders of the EU countries understand that there are "more pressing issues" than patent waiver on vaccines against COVID-19.

Speaking to journalists, von der Leyen said this topic "is important," but will be discussed "in the long term, not in the short or medium term."

According to her, Europe should not "lose sight of the main urgencies," which are "production of vaccines as soon as possible and how they will be distributed in a fair and equitable way."

The EU executive stressed that "the European Union is the pharmacy of the world."

"Up to today, 400 million doses of vaccines have been produced in the European Union. And 50 percent of them -- 200 million doses -- have been exported to 90 different countries in the world. So we invite others to do the same," she added.

According to her, "this is the best way, in the short term, to address bottlenecks and lack of vaccines worldwide."

"We have now delivered over 200 million doses to the European people. So we are on track to achieve our objective of enough doses being delivered in July to vaccinate 70 percent of the European adult population. Close to 160 million Europeans now have already received a first shot of the vaccine, that's over 25 percent of the EU population," she noted.

She also announced that the EU has concluded the negotiations with BioNTech-Pfizer for a new contract which secures 1.8 billion doses of vaccines through 2023.

Von der Leyen was glad to report that the legal and the technical work on the EU travel certificate -- the vaccination certificate -- is on track for the system to be operational in June.

The U.S. on Wednesday agreed to support waiving IP restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

French President Emmanuel Macron said during the social summit that he is "available to debate the proposal, but that this is not the solution" to increase the speed of vaccination.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Saturday that the U.S. proposal to suspend patents on COVID-19 vaccines "will not guarantee an increase in the supply of vaccines."

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the EU has been "exemplary" in its contribution to the COVAX mechanism, which helps the poorest countries to have access to vaccines.

"At the European Council, we are all aware that no one will be protected until there is a global immunization. EU member states have been contributing to support the countries most in need," he said at the end of the two-day social summit.

Twenty-four of the 27 EU heads of state and government attended the two-day meeting to set the bloc's social agenda for the next decade. The summit was hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
The outgoing prosecutor of the International Criminal Court met with a high-level Afghan delegation to discuss allegations of war crimes in the country, the court said Sunday.

Fatou Bensouda met with the delegation led by Afghanistans foreign and justice ministers on Friday in The Hague, where the court is based, and the day-long discussions were productive, the court said in a statement.

Bensouda last year launched an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, notably by US military personnel.

The Trump administration had subsequently imposed sanctions on the top prosecutor, but the measures were revoked in April after US President Joe Biden took office.

Fridays meeting was organised following Afghanistans request in March last year for the court to defer its investigation, the court statement said.

At the meeting, detailed presentations provided further insights into investigative steps taken or planned by the national authorities in Afghanistan and an opportunity for the (prosecutors office) to seek clarifications on a number of discussion points, it added.

The statement said the Afghan delegation pledged to work with the court to hold accountable those responsible for atrocities.

I have great admiration for the courage and resilience of the people of Afghanistan who have withstood tremendous adversity through decades of conflict and violence, Bensouda was quoted as saying. They deserve tangible justice without delay.

Afghan Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar described the meeting as historic and very constructive.

At this decisive moment for our countrys future, we have made encouraging progress in charting the way forward to ensure that no crimes will go unpunished, he added.

The Gambian-born Bensouda is leaving her job in June and will be replaced by British human rights lawyer Karim Khan.

The ICC, set up in 2002 to bring to justice those behind war crimes, is a court of last resort that seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts.
Lawyers representing the alleged financier of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Felicien Kabuga, have requested that charges against him be dropped on the grounds he is unfit for trial.

In a May 6 filing to the UN courts branch in Tanzania, lawyer Emmanuel Altit said that medical reports prove that his 84-year-old client could not withstand trial.

Pursuing the case under these conditions would constitute a serious breach of Felicien Kabugas rights and would put into question the fairness of the trial, the document, seen by AFP Sunday, states.

The court and the parties involved now have enough evidence to rule that the case must be stopped, the lawyer added.

Altit asked that in the event the court rejects his motion for dismissal, Kabuga should be freed on bail.

Once one of Rwandas richest men, Kabuga allegedly helped set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to kill the Tutsi cockroaches and funded militia groups.

He was arrested in France last May and transferred to the court in The Hague in October to answer to charges of playing a key role in the killing of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The Rwandan faces seven counts including genocide, incitement to genocide and persecution.

In a recent interview with AFP, Kabugas eldest son, Donatien Nshimyumuremyi, said his fathers health had significantly deteriorated.

We can say without a doubt that he is physically and mentally unfit for trial and also to assist his attorney, he said.

Nshimyumuremyi said that apart from being frail and ill, his father had hurt himself after falling twice in prison.

His trial is set to start in several months.

The UN says 800,000 people were murdered in a 100-day rampage that began in April 1994 in Rwanda, in scenes of horror that shocked the world.

An ally of Rwandas then-ruling party, Kabuga allegedly helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), whose broadcasts incited people to murder.
The seven-day average of Covid-19 vaccines administered in the United States has dipped below 2 million per day for the first time since early March -- a sign of the continued decline in demand for coronavirus immunizations.

According to data published Saturday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the seven-day average of doses administered now sits at 1.98 million. The last time the daily average was below 2 million was March 2.

It's an indicator that vaccinations are gradually slowing, even though the US remains far short of the levels of immunization needed to reach herd immunity.

About 113 million people, or at least a third of the population, have been fully vaccinated, per CDC data. About 45.6% of the population, or 151 million people, have received at least one dose of a vaccine. But experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have estimated 70-85% would need to be immune to possibly reach herd immunity.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky addressed flagging vaccine administrations earlier in the week, telling CNN the slowdown was expected.

'We knew that we would have a lot of supply by the end of April, early May,' she said, 'but we also knew that this would be the time that we had people who were more hesitant, that people wouldn't be rushing to be getting a vaccine.'

The dip in demand has already led to the closures of some mass vaccination sites, and more continue to follow suit: Officials announced Wednesday that one such site at Oakland Coliseum in California would close this month after a 'rapid reduction' in vaccine appointments.

And on Thursday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced the National Guard was scaling back its involvement at mass vaccination sites, citing reduced demand -- though he also said the state is 'in a good place on the vaccine front.'

This comes as the Biden administration set a new goal to vaccinate at least 70% of US adults with at least one dose by July 4. As of Saturday, only four states had done so: Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Vermont.

In an interview with CNN's Pamela Brown on Saturday, Andy Slavitt, the White House's senior adviser for Covid-19, acknowledged vaccination rates have plateaued in some parts of the country, leaving some pockets 'at risk for future outbreaks.'

'That's where I think some of the myths around vaccines and vaccine hesitancy may have taken hold and they may be present,' he said. 'So I think we need to be very patient and continue to allow people in those communities to hear from people they trust.'

'If you're not sure if you want to get vaccinated, my advice is just, ask your doctor or ask your pharmacist what they think or ask someone you know who's been vaccinated -- and I think that will help you make a decision about whether or not you want to get vaccinated,' Slavitt added. 'This is an individual decision.'

CDC director acknowledges possibility of vaccine boosters

As experts grow concerned about a possible Covid-19 surge in the winter, the CDC's Walensky acknowledged it's still possible seasonal vaccine boosters will be necessary.

'We want to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst,' Walensky told actress Jennifer Garner in an interview streamed on Instagram.

Researchers at the CDC are looking into whether a booster specific to variants that are already in the US will be needed as well as if protection from the virus fades over time, Walensky said.

'We are doing the studies on boosters to see if we will need them, and that is six months, one year, two years -- we don't really know,' Walensky said. 'But we want to be prepared for them should we need them.'

If the US does need them, officials have processes already in place to get them out.

'The vision would be that we would do it in the same way that we do flu vaccine,' she said. 'We hope we don't have to do it every season, but we're preparing in case we do.'

Slavitt said Saturday that data coming out next week indicates that vaccines authorized for emergency use in the US are proving effective against the Covid-19 variant spreading through India. He said that while the variant is 'certainly causing more trouble,' it's 'not nearly as troublesome' as other variants.

'Americans should expect that if they're not vaccinated, they're going to be more exposed,' Slavitt said. 'If they are vaccinated, I think they can look at these variants, and there's going to be very good levels of protection so far.'

Expanding vaccine authorization

Meanwhile, vaccine manufacturers are preparing for the long haul.

Pfizer/BioNTech, whose vaccine currently has an emergency use authorization, announced the initiation of its application to the US Food and Drug Administration for full approval for people ages 16 and older.

This would be the first Covid-19 vaccine to be assessed for full approval from the FDA.

'We are proud of the tremendous progress we've made since December in delivering vaccines to millions of Americans, in collaboration with the U.S. Government,' Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, said in a statement. 'We look forward to working with the FDA to complete this rolling submission and support their review, with the goal of securing full regulatory approval of the vaccine in the coming months.'

The FDA is already poised to authorize the company's vaccine in children and teens ages 12 to 15 by early next week, a federal government official told CNN.

The vaccine also has been undergoing a safety and efficacy study in children ages 6 months to 11 years, and the company said it expects to submit for FDA emergency use authorization for children ages 2 to 11 in September.

CNN medical analyst Dr. Celine Gounder said 'for some people, seeing a full approval from the FDA will indeed give them more confidence that these vaccines are safe and effective.'

'And it's important to understand that the CDC and FDA will continue to do safety monitoring even after a full FDA approval,' she added. 'That's just business as usual.'

Conflict over asking about vaccination status

Health experts have hailed vaccination as the ticket back to a sense of normalcy, but officials have come up against conflicts over who can monitor vaccination decisions.

Wyoming is the latest state to prohibit state agencies from asking people whether they have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Under a directive signed Friday by Gov. Mark Gordon, the state boards and agencies are ordered to 'provide full access to state spaces and state services, regardless of a constituent's COVID-19 vaccination status.'

'Vaccine passport programs have the potential to politicize a decision that should not be politicized,' Gordon said in a written statement. The press release notes that the governor has been vaccinated and encourages the residents of his state to voluntarily be vaccinated.

Unlike a similar order signed by the governor of Florida, the Wyoming directive is only mandatory for the state government.

However, it says local governments and private businesses 'are encouraged' to follow Gordon's directive.

Florida's law prohibits businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. said Thursday it could cause the company to suspend Florida departures and move its ships elsewhere.

'At the end of the day, cruise ships have motors, propellers and rudders, and God forbid we can't operate in the state of Florida for whatever reason, then there are other states that we do operate from, and we can operate from the Caribbean for a ship that otherwise would have gone to Florida,' CEO Frank Del Rio said during the company's quarterly earnings call.

'In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision,' Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
CAVE JUNCTION, Ore.  Oregon State Police says that troopers have arrested a suspect following a fatal shooting during a concert in Cave Junction around midnight.

Around around 12:01 a.m. Sunday, deputies from the Josephine County Sheriffs Office responded to a reported shooting incident in the 1300-block of Rockydale Road in Cave Junction. Information reported to Deputies was that a person had been shot at a concert. Upon arrival, deputies found one person dead at the concert.

Detectives from the Oregon State Police responded to the Sheriffs Office request for investigative assistance with this incident. 27-year-old Trenton Cole Kepple was arrested by Oregon State Police for the charges of 1st Degree Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

The name of the victim will not be released at this time. Oregon State Police personnel along with Sheriffs Office personnel continue to investigate this incident.
MEDFORD, Ore-- According to data collected by the Oregon Health Authority, Jackson County experienced its second week in a row last week of declining Covid-19 cases.

From May 2 through May 8, data from OHA shows that Jackson County experienced 217 cases of coronavirus. That's more than a one hundred case decrease from three weeks ago, 324 cases on the week of April 18, and about a 60 case decrease from two weeks ago.

This comes as Governor Kate Brown moved Jackson County, along with several other Southern Oregon counties, back into 'High Risk' restrictions last Friday after the state experienced below a 15% increase in total hospitalizations.

Vaccinations across Jackson County are increasing steadily as more than 84,000 people have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. More than 73%, or about 61,656 people, of that total amount of people vaccinated so far are fully vaccinated.

According to OHA's new vaccination tracker, Jackson County vaccinated almost 10,000 people this past week, a trend which the county has been following over the last several weeks.

More than 142,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered across Jackson County. 73,126 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 65,339 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 3,916 doses of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine have been administered in Jackson County.
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Kisses, hugs, cuddles, breakfast in bed/beautiful brunch outdoors is how I remember celebrating Mothers Day with my kids in the past, but 2020 was a bit different.

As a physician caring for children with COVID-19, along with being a mother of 2 young children, the celebration during this pandemic had been an unusual experience.

I vividly remember Mothers Day, May 10, 2020

The first surge of cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to COVID-19 had just hit our region. New York City was declared the epicenter in March 2020 and exactly 6 to 8 weeks later, the tsunami of children affected with MIS-C started arriving at every hospital in New York. It caught us by surprise. A few weeks ago, we had received the U.K. alert about a mysterious illness affecting children after a COVID infection resembling Kawasaki Disease, where children appeared more critically sick, presenting in shock, cardiac dysfunction, myocarditis, neurological or hematological complications.

Being a pediatric cardiologist, I had cared for the first MIS-C child admitted to our hospital in April when we all struggled to make sense of this illness. It was my turn for a weekend call which happened to be on Mothers Day. Anticipating a busy day, I kissed my kids, who were sleeping on a cozy Sunday morning, and left the house early, hoping to be back home soon. I knew that my 5-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son had been planning a special day for me secretly with their dad. I had seen them work on their cards, whispering to their dad, giggling, and making plans excitedly with oohs and aahs. I loved every bit of it, looking forward to being surprised and pampered by them that day! Little did we know, the day would unfold differently.

It was 3 p.m. already. Inpatient rounds had dragged longer than usual due to the additional MIS-C/COVID huddle where subspecialists, hospitalists, PICU staff huddle in a corner, trying to reach a consensus regarding the plan for every MIS-C child. I had finished seeing all new consults, discussed plans with the teams and families, and tried to complete my notes, hoping to be home for late lunch with family. Soon Tigertext on my phone started beeping. A 5-year-old rule-out MIS-C had just presented to the ER, looking very sick. As I discussed the plan, a stat consult was requested on a newborn transferred with cyanosis and tachypnea.

After evaluating the newborn, performing an echocardiogram, and finalizing a plan with NICU, I rushed to the ER. The child was positive for SARS-CoV2. He was febrile (104 degrees) and was irritable. Donning the PPE gear, I entered his room. As I discussed the history with the parents, I examined him and performed an echocardiogram to check his cardiac function. Not a happy camper, he started crying and screaming. He flung his arms, trying to push me away. The parents and nurse tried to hold him down while I tried to get a quick look at his heart with my probe.

Being extremely upset, he fought back. In the shuffle, he grabbed my face shield and mask, accidentally pulling it off my face. I tried to stop him and attempted to adjust my PPE. The echocardiogram revealed moderate-severely depressed left ventricular function. For a moment, forgetting about my own worries, I tried to get the necessary images as soon as possible and then left the childs room. A comprehensive treatment plan was discussed, medications were started, and he was admitted to the PICU. I had lost track of time and checked my watch. Just then, a sudden fear gripped me. The realization about what had just happened hit me. I could feel the little distressed child in the ER crying, coughing, breathing on my face. When my mask and face shield had temporarily come off, had I been exposed to the virus?

Pulling my car into our driveway, I saw my kids looking expectantly out the window. A big smile came to their faces, and they rushed out the door to hug me. One look at them, and tears swelled up in my eyes. As they came running towards me, I stopped them. I explained that until I was tested for the virus, they had to stay away from me. They looked confused and sad. They told me that they had planned a scavenger hunt for my gift, flowers, and baked cookies. My 5 year old said that she had missed me at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and wondered if we could at least have dessert together. I explained that I couldnt sit together with them. I blew them kisses from a distance while we all cried. She was very upset for not being able to even hug me and cried herself to sleep as my husband put them to bed while I self quarantined in a separate room and cried too. This Mothers Day was devoid of all cuddles and kisses. It instead was filled with fear and sadness.

Many children admitted with MIS-C at our hospital had been unintentionally exposed to the virus by their parents/loved ones. I could now identify with those mothers, experiencing guilt as they accompanied their children to the hospital. In medicine, we are often told to dissociate ourselves from our patients to become better physicians. I believe in the contrary. When vested in your patient, you strive further towards their care. Its especially hard not being attached to the child and family if you have kids of your own. Hence when the mothers had questions about the long-term effects of MIS-C on the childs heart, it led me to look for answers in ways where my training and expertise could help. We obtained important cardiac magnetic resonance findings in these children in the acute phase of illness. Although logistically challenging, it played an important role in the pursuit of answers and understanding this disease process.

This pandemic has brought to light some stark realities of life. As health care workers, we are expected not to complain as we signed up for this job. But the truth remains, in this pandemic, it is not our health alone that we worry about. The health of our families and children is at stake too. The anxiety, fear, guilt of bringing home the virus to loved ones, along with the mental stress of managing sick patients and sharing the concerns of distressed parents ends up taking a heavy toll on our health and well-being.

Although I had stressors, I also had some inspiration at home. Being a two-physician family, our work schedules, along with remote schooling earlier, had left our two kids with no parent or friend. Yet they navigated the school work all by themselves amazingly well and never complained. They truly were superstars! My mother was my other inspiration. She has been a lone fighter, living alone in India in social isolation, trying to be safe during this entire pandemic which puts me in awe of her! (Admittedly, I worry about her every day, but she continues to smile and inspire me.)

During this pandemic, mothers worldwide have faced many challenges, including layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, halt at promotions, working on covid floors during pregnancy, balancing work and family, taking care of loved ones living far away. This has left little time for them to think and care for themselves. The few things that have been reinforced to me by this pandemic is that health truly is wealth, close friends and family are invaluable, mothers have nerves of steel but do require lots of TLC and time to decompress (family time with hugs and cuddles, me time to do something you like, time with girlfriends are some good options).

As we celebrate Mothers Day this month, lets remember to take care of ourselves and each other.

To all the super moms out there, wishing you a very Happy Mothers Day! Do take time out for yourself. You deserve it.

Supriya Jain is a pediatric cardiologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State University students are reacting to university's vaccine requirement announcement made on Tuesday.

RELATED: OSU PLANS TO REQUIRE COVID-19 VACCINATION THIS FALL

KEZI spoke to several students who were in favor of this decision.

"I'm excited to go back to normal, have more classes in person," OSU junior Emily Lew said. "Especially, like our smaller hands-on labs that we have here at Oregon State. I'm pretty excited about that."

Several students including Annie Olsen, a junior at OSU said this is a step towards getting back to normal.

"Really missing in person classes and the learning we get from that. Online has been really hard. Especially when we're talking upper division classes. So being able to be more in hands on or with the professors will be really helpful."

Oregon State University is planning to require all students and faculty to receive a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to campus in the fall, according to university officials.

Students participating in online-only learning will not be required to get vaccinated, but the university is encouraging all members of its community to get the shot.
EUGENE, Ore. -- After the Right to Rest bill failed to move out of committee in the Oregon state legislature, proponents of the bill are speaking out. One of them is White Bird Clinic in Eugene.

Heather Sielicki is the clinic's operations coordinator. She said if the bill had passed, it would have stopped the government from relocating members of the unhoused population.

"Right now, there are thousands of people on the streets. Here in Eugene, over 3,000 unsheltered," Sielicki said. "We can't just keep moving people along. There needs to be more car camping spots and places for people to tent camps."

Sielicki said this is not the first time this bill has been introduced in the state's legislature, but this time it received more support than ever before.

"The pandemic has really made visible the extent of our homelessness crisis as well as just the ongoing stigma around mental health and poverty in our community," Sielicki said.

The White Bird Clinic is an organization in Eugene that aims to assist undeserved communities including the city's unhoused and disabled populations.
The Irish Government must ensure that there is no delay in the rollout of the Digital Green Certificate, according to Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher.



Mr Kelleher was commenting as the European Parliament was finalising its position ahead of negotiations with the Commission and European Council this week.



Good work is being undertaken at Parliament level this week. Based on previously announced timelines, it is expected that the trilogue negotiations will conclude by the end of May.

We then expect Member States to take up to six weeks to roll out their systems, in alignment with agri EU guidelines. All going well the DGCs should be available by mid-July.



Sadly, there have been reports in the Irish media that the Irish Government will not be in a position to rollout the certificates until August at the earliest. Some have mentioned technological challenges, such as linking data from the HSE in terms of vaccinations, PCR testing, and current/prior virus status, and data from private providers.



However, the question really needs to be asked, why is Ireland always the slowest to implement new and innovative technology solutions? A certificate of this nature has been on the cards since the New Year so why was no groundwork done in advance.

What must not happen is the other 26 EU members begin operating the scheme, and Ireland being left behind.



Whether we like it or not, international travel and tourism are part of our economic future. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake. Hospitality businesses across Ireland desperately need tourists to recoup the losses of the past 14 months.

Also crucially, Irish people will want to travel, take a break and see family living overseas. The Green Digital Certificate must be in operation by mid-July - no ifs, no buts, and no maybes.

Every resource of the State, and if necessary, private support, must be deployed to make it happen on time, concluded Mr Kelleher.
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Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
ROME, MAY 9 - A man in uniform, whom the volcano's ferocity had thrown to the ground and killed in a few seconds, his face thrust into the sand, his arms bent forward seeking support. New excavations are set to begin at Herculaneum in the next few weeks, and archaeologists have returned to the ancient beach to complete searches which started 40 years ago, in the early 80s, when the remains of 300 fugitives were found right in this spot. The digs are aimed at conserving the ancient UNESCO site but will also serve to bring to light in its entirety the ancient path that led from the beach to the majestic Villa of the Papyri. Just recently site director Francesco Sirano conducted a dig that sheds fresh light on the identity of one of the victims who was discovered and catalogued in the first campaign. Initially identified as a simple soldier, the director tells ANSA, this man, with the preserved remains of part of his armour and the tools he carried in a sort of knapsack, may have had a more important role. "He may be," Sirano explained, "an officer of the fleet that took part in the rescue mission launched by Pliny the Elder to help the people in the towns and villas nestled on this part of the Bay of Naples". A navy soldier who came to rescue the desperate people of Herculaneum, crammed in their hundreds for hours on the beach and inside the 'fornixes' or storing containers which were normally used for stowing nets and fishing equipment. A man who didn't make it, he too was killed in a few devastating instants by the pyroclastic surges that swept down from Vesuvius and here engulfed houses, people and things at a speed of 80-100 kilometres per hour, also pushing dozens and dozens of bodies into the sea. One of the peculiar aspects of the archaeological site of Herculaneum is the fact that the conditions of the eruption, due to a different interplay of volcanic flows from that in nearby Pompeii, enabled the conservation of organic material, ranging from furniture to fabrics. The skeleton that is the protagonist of this story, classified with the number 26, was found with the traces of armour and a shoulder bag, a sort of rectangular knapsack, containing an assortment of small carpentry tools. Around his waist he wore a leather belt richly decorated with silver and gold plates, from which hung a sword, also decorated and fitted with a precious ivory hilt. There was an equally precious dagger on the other side of the body. And next to the corpse a considerable haul of coins, 12 silver denarii and two golden ones in all, a sum which at the time corresponded to the monthly wages of a Pretorian Guard. Bone analysis has revealed that he was a man aged between 40 and 45, used to physical activity and in good health. A soldier, then, but from what corps? The notion that he was stationed at Herculaneum has been ruled out, Sirano says, "because army garrisons in the Vesuvian area are not reported". So only two possibilities remain: that he was either a Pretorian or a member of the rescue fleet. The presence of Pretorians in the first century AD has been documented in the Bay of Naples and also in Pompeii, the director adds, but always on special duties. There are, however, two elements that appear to favour the second hypothesis, that he was a fleet soldier, indeed an officer tasked with the impossible mission of saving the people of Herculaneum: on the one hand the richness of his panoply of arms, very similar to those found in 1900 in a dig at Pompeii's Bottaro area and worn by what seems to have been a high-ranking officer or perhaps even the admiral of Pliny the Elder's fleet; and on the other hand the work implements that were in the knapsack that the Herculaneum man was carrying on his back and would identify him as a 'faber navalis', a well-known figure on Roman military ships, the engineers, the highly specialised carpenters. And last but not least, Sirano says, there is the hefty sum of money he had with him and the fact that the man's remains were found a short distance from the remains of a military vessel. Pending the completion of the new restoration work on the weapons of the Herculaneum soldier, all hypotheses remain open. But the novelties that have emerged from the dig, Sirano underscores, are already confirmation of the truly exceptional historical and archaeological interest of an excavation on Herculaneum's ancient beach. The dig may produce many new elements contributing to a historical and archaeological reconstruction of Ancient Rome's military corps. In the meantime, thanks to collaboration with the Packard Foundation, the new digs will get under way in a matter of days. The works will cover an area of around 2,000 metres and will see professionals from the Herculaneum Conservation Project working alongside the Park's experts. The expectations, 40 years after the first campaign, are very high. (ANSA).
Ahmedabad/Mumbai, May 8: Cases of mucormycosis, a fungal infection, are rising among COVID-19 survivors, causing blindness or serious illness and even death in some cases, health officials in Maharashtra and Gujarat said on Saturday. The cost of treatment for this disease is also a matter of concern, some doctors said.

Mathur Savani, chairman of Surat-based Kiran Super Multi-speciality Hospital, said mucormycosis patients are coming to his hospital from Surat district as well as other parts of Gujarat.

"Fifty mucormycosis patients are being treated at our hospital and 60 more are awaiting (treatment). They all came to our hospital in the last three weeks and have recovered from COVID-19 recently," Savani told PTI. Seven such patients lost eyesight, he said. What Is Mucormycosis? From Symptoms to Its Link With Coronavirus, Here's Everything About Potentially Fatal Fungal Infection.

The civil hospital in Surat has set up a separate facility for such patients, said in-charge Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Ketan Naik. In Ahmedabad, at least five mucormycosis patients are being operated upon every day at the civil hospital at Asarva, a senior doctor said.

"We are receiving five to 10 such cases (daily), especially since the second wave of COVID-19 started," said Dr Devang Gupta, ENT specialist at the hospital. "At least one out of five cases is related to eyes. Several of them are suffering from blindness," he said.

In Maharashtra, at least eight COVID-19 survivors have died due to mucormycosis while 200 others are being treated, said Dr Tatyarao Lahane, who heads the Directorate of Medical Education and Research of the state government.

"They survived COVID-19 but the fungal infection attacked their weakened immune system," Dr Lahane told PTI. This disease is not new, but it is on rise among COVID-19 patients because the use of steroids elevates sugar level and some medicines suppress the immunity of these patients, he said.

"In such a situation, the fungus infects the patient easily. If it reaches the brain, it can prove fatal. In one such case, one of the eyes of a patient had to be removed permanently to save his life," Dr Lahane said.

The fungus, also called `black fungus', is present in the environment, but those with suppressed immunity or co- morbidities are more vulnerable to its infection, he said. Symptoms of mucormycosis include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision, Dr Lahane said.

Speaking about treatment, he said, "A patient generally needs a type of injection for 21 days. The basic cost of this injection is around Rs 9,000 per day." Dr Hetal Marfatia, professor and head of the ENT department at the government-run KEM hospital in Mumbai, said a surge in mucormycosis cases is being witnessed in the last two weeks. "On average, two or three such patients are visiting the hospital every day," he said.

Many of these patients come from outside Mumbai and cannot afford the treatment cost, he said. During the first phase of COVID-19 pandemic the fungal infection typically came to light a couple of weeks after patients were discharged, Dr Marfatia said.

"But now, some patients are contracting this infection while undergoing COVID-19 treatment," he added. Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul on Friday had said that mucormycosis cases were being found in patients with COVID-19. COVID-19 Positive Test Report Not Mandatory for Admission in Hospitals, Says Union Health Ministry.

"It is caused by a fungus named mucor, which is found on wet surfaces. It, to a large extent, is happening to people who have diabetes. It is very uncommon in those who are not diabetic. There is no big outbreak and we are monitoring it," he said at a press conference after a hospital in Delhi flagged rising cases.

"When a patient is on oxygen support, it should be ensured that water does not leak from the humidifier (to prevent the growth of the fungus)," he said, while also calling for "a rational usage" of steroids and medicines such as Tocilizumab to treat COVID-19 patients.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, May 8: Hospitals in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune and Mumbai have reported cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus. Triggered by coronavirus (COVID-19), mucormycosis has a mortality rate of over 50 per cent. The rare fungal infection can cause blindness and turn fatal if left untreated. The cases are on rise in Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra with experts seeking urgent intervention from the government. Mucormycosis, COVID-19-Triggered Fungal Infection, Found in 6 Patients at Delhi Hospital.

What is Mucormycosis?

Mucormycosis is a type of serious fungal infection. Also called black fungas, mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These molds live throughout the environment. People with weakened immunity from an illness are more prone to mucormycosis. If not detected and treated on time, it can cause death. Mucormycosis Kills 9 in Ahmedabad, Reports Suggest Could be Linked to COVID-19.

What Are Symptoms of Mucormycosis?

People infected with mucormycosis initially experience pain under the eyes. The infection usually starts from the nose and spreads to eyes. After the infection spreads, it may cause one-sided facial swelling, severe headache, fever, sinus congestion and eventually partial vision loss or in worst case death.

Mucormycosis-Coronavirus Link:

COVID-19 patients are more vulnerable to mucormycosis because coronavirus weakens their immunity system. The fungal infection also occurs to diabetic people who suffered from COVID-19. COVID-19 patients who have been given steroids for treatment and have co-morbidities are more prone to mucormycosis.

What Steps Should Be Taken to Prevent Mucormycosis?

Good hygiene is highly important. If one is suffering from illness like COVID-19, s/he should avoid touching eyes and nose often. If you notice swelling around your nose, eyes or throat, you must consult a doctor for a checkup. Early detection of mucormycosis can prevent the infection from spreading.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2021 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
After being accused by the United States as the 'co-conspirator' in drug trafficking, the Police in Honduras excavated 1.5 tons of cocaine buried in the ground of a small village in the northern portion of the country.

Based on the statement of the Honduran police, they have found around 1,450 packets of drugs. All of it was hidden inside 58 sacks buried in three large holes dug using heavy machinery. The drugs had apparently been brought to Francia, which is an area close to the coast.

According to WION, Miguel Perez, the head of the special forces police directorate, shared that the haul was the result of intelligence work and demonstrates the hard work done by the National Police Honduras in coordination with other institutions in the country. Perez also added that their target is to dismantle drug structures that operate in the country.

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Just this year, the Honduran police mentioned in their statement that they have seized more than eight tons of drugs.

Moreover, the Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez has stepped up the fight against drug cartels. Even his own brother, Tony was found guilty in the U.S. court in October 2019 of conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S.

Last March, the Honduran President's brother, former Congressman Tony Hernandez, was sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking and other charges.

Meanwhile, during his trial, the U.S. government argued that the former congressman in Honduras was a large-scale drug trafficker. The U.S. government also accused that Tony smuggled more than 185 tons of cocaine into the U.S.

However, Judge P Kevin Castel found that Tony Hernandez had acted as an intermediary in providing bribes to politicians, which includes his own brother, the president of Honduras, and the ruling of the National Party, Department of Justice reported.

In addition, U.S. prosecutors also stated that the Honduran President had been a 'co-conspirator' in other crimes that were committed by his brother. But so far, the Honduran president has not faced any charges.

Furthermore, President Hernandez, who styled himself as a champion in the fight against drugs, has continuously denied all of the allegations and his connection to drug trafficking.

On the other hand, a New York jury found Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez guilty of drug trafficking March this year. Ramirez is an associate of the Honduran president.

During the trial of President Hernandez's associate, prosecutors in the U.S. stated that the Honduran leader had helped Fuentes smuggle tons of cocaine into the country.

But President Hernandez accuses the justice system of the US of giving credibility to drug lords who seek "revenge" for having been extradited to the United States by his government.

Cocaine Spike

On March 19, the Honduras police had their largest seizure when they discovered 1.6 tons of cocaine stored at a vacant lot in the Iriona municipality, Colon. Just weeks later, authorities also found 911 kilos of cocaine stored at a bodega in a nearby town. InsightCrime reported.

RELATED ARTICLE: El Chapo's Wife Emma Coronel Could Dismantle Sinaloa Cartel by Cutting Deal With U.S.: Report

WATCH: Drugs on fire: Cocaine seized from cartel incinerated in Honduras | AFP - AFP News Agency
A federal grand jury has indicted Derek Chauvin and three other former Minneapolis police officers for civil rights charges over the death of 46-year-old George Floyd.

According to their three-count indictment, former cops Derek Chauvin, 45; J. Alexander Kueng, 27; Thomas Lane, 38; and Tou Thao, 35, willfully disregarded George Floyd's constitutional rights.

Chauvin, Kueng, and Thao allegedly violated Floyd's right to be free from unreasonable search, seizure, and excessive force, Washington Examiner reported. The indictment also stated that all four former police officers failed to provide Floyd with medical aid.

Thao and Kueng were just seen standing between bystanders while Derek Chauvin was pinning Floyd to the ground. It was recorded in a video shot by a bystander and local traffic camera around the area.

The indictment is separate from the Minneapolis case, wherein a jury convicted Derek Chauvin of murder and manslaughter charges last month. The three other officers are each facing aiding and abetting charges and will be tried this summer.

READ NEXT: Minnesota AG Keith Ellison Admits He 'Felt a Little Bad' for Convicted Derek Chauvin

Derek Chauvin Trial

Derek Chauvin has filed for a new trial after the court convicted him of murdering George Floyd.

Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, petitioned the court as he alleged that Chauvin's constitutional rights had been violated after presiding judge Peter Cahill declined to change the trial's venue.

In addition, Nelson claimed that the pretrial publicity had deprived his client of a fair trial, NPR reported.

Prosecutorial and jury misconduct and a verdict contrary to law were also among the errors that Nelson mentioned.

"The publicity here was so pervasive and so prejudicial before and during this trial that it amounted to a structural defect in the proceedings," Nelson said.

Nelson also blamed the jury, the court, and the prosecution for the alleged unfair treatment of Chauvin.

The 12 jurors were composed of four Black people, two people identified as multiracial, and six white people.

Derek Chauvin is now awaiting sentence, which is scheduled sometimes in June. The sentence for unintentional second-degree murder is usually 12.5 prison years.

However, prosecutors were calling for an additional penalty due to certain aggravating factors. It will be Cahill's decision if he imposes an "enhancement."

Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Police Federation said they respected the jury's decision. The federation is a not-for-profit organization representing the more than 800 police officers in this city.

"We also want to reach out to the community and still express our deep remorse for their pain, as we feel it every day as well," the federation said as BBC News reported. The federation added that no one won in this case.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lauded the result of George Floyd's case. Kamala Harris urged lawmakers to pass the George Floyd bill seeking to reform policing practices in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Derek Chauvin is also facing another federal indictment for placing his knee on a 14-year-old boy's neck for 17 minutes, causing the minor to pass out in 2017.

Chauvin also allegedly violated the boy's right by detaining him without any justifiable reasons, USA Today reported.

George Floyd's Murder

George Floyd only bought cigarettes at a convenience store in South Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. A cashier had alleged that the $20 that Floyd used to pay for was a counterfeit. The shop assistant then called the police.

George Floyd was then wrestled to the ground and pinned him under their weight. Derek Chauvin then pressed his knee into the back of Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as the Black man pleaded for his life.

READ MORE: House Rejects GOP Bid to Censure Rep. Maxine Waters Over Derek Chauvin Trial Remarks

WATCH: Derek Chauvin, 3 Other Ex-Cops Indicted on US Civil Rights Charges in George Floyd Death - From WGN News




A district attorney from Pennsylvania pleaded guilty on Friday to pressuring clients for sex when he was a defense attorney.

Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman also coerced the victim to keep quiet about it, according to an Associated Press report.

Chad Salsman, who earlier claimed that the case against him was a pack of "vicious lies, resigned from office three months after he claimed that he had not committed such crimes. He further claimed that he was the victim of a political tactic by the state's top prosecutor.

As a defense attorney, Chad Salsman had represented a number of women when it comes to child custody matters and some criminal cases.

Some of his clients struggled with addictions and had a history of being sexually abused, according to a WTAJ news report.

Salsman's office was allegedly the main venue for the several assaults, and that he had raped the women on his office desk.

The district attorney then directed them to his private bathroom to clean up using paper towels or cleaning wipes. Aside from the rape charges, he was also accused of trying to interfere with the investigation.

READ NEXT: Arizona Man Arrested for Groping a Girl Sitting Next to Him on Flight

Chad Salsman's Case

Chad Salsman's pattern of predatory behavior was not known until he was arrested on Wednesday. He was then charged with over a dozen crimes, including sexual assault, intimidation of a witness or victim, and indecent assault.

"The details of these assaults are incredibly disturbing, and they are criminal," Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania's attorney general, said as reported by New York Times.

Shapiro noted that Chad Salsman abused his position of authority as a lawyer and a public official.

"The victims in this case were relying on him to be their advocate, to represent them at a time when they felt powerless, and instead they ended up being preyed upon," Shapiro said in the report.

The accusers told the court that the 44-year-old district attorney groped them, sought nude photos, and forced or pressured them into sexual acts.

According to witnesses, Chad Salsman had used music or noise-canceling device to blur out the noise coming from his office in Bradford County.

The Pennsylvania attorney general's office said Salsman pleaded guilty to reduced charges of witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, and promoting prostitution.

But he still faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in state prison with a $25,000 fine under the plea agreement. Salsman will be sentenced on Jul. 9, according to a Daily Mail report.

Shapiro said that he has a responsibility to stand up for the most vulnerable in "our Commonwealth." He noted that they had already arrested 90 public officials for charges related to public corruption, embezzlement, sexual assault, and other abuses of power.

Several of Salsman's staff testified of seeing his women clients leaving his office in distress. They added that their boss made an effort to hide the abuse during his time working for the private sector.

The jurors stated that Chad Salsman, appointed as district attorney in January 2020, used his knowledge of the victims' vulnerabilities to sexually assault them.

One incident detailed how Salsman stopped charging a client in a custody case after she started having sex with him. The woman involved told Salsman that she had been raped.

Salsman then directed her to enter his office through a back door and undress.

"He picked these victims because they didn't have another choice," Shapiro noted.

READ MORE: 9-Year-Old Girl Held Captive, Beaten and Molested by Indiana Man

WATCH: Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman Pleads Guilty, Resigns Amid Sexual Assault Investigation - From WETM 18 News




A California man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds for a Mexican drug cartel using bitcoin.

Gregory David Werber, 58, was accused of laundering drug money for a Mexican drug cartel that distributed heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in several states, the Department of Justice said in a statement released on Friday.

"There is no way to judge how many people have been hurt by this drug cartel and all of the people who suffered from drug addiction... You were helping violent people do violent things," U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan said during the sentencing hearing.

According to acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman, those who collect cash and send it over international borders to drug suppliers are vital players in feeding the addictions and damaging the communities.

Werber was identified as the key money launderer for a drug distribution network. It was discovered during an 18-month investigation between 2017 and 2018.

This Mexican drug cartel allegedly distributed crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills in Western Washington counties, namely Pierce, Kitsap, King, Skagit, and Snohomish.

READ NEXT: El Chapo's Wife Emma Coronel Could Dismantle Sinaloa Cartel by Cutting Deal With U.S.: Report

Gregory David Werber's Money Laundering Activity for a Mexican Drug Cartel

Gregory David Werber was among the more than 30 people arrested in December 2018 in connection with a multi-state drug trafficking network led by Mexican drug cartel members in Mexico.

The drug trafficking organization allegedly used a Manhattan Beach, California cryptocurrency business to launder and transfer money to Mexico.

The owner of that business was Gregory David Werber, who allegedly used his bank account to deposit drug cash and convert it to bitcoin to be sent to drug conspirators in Mexico.

The drug busts that occurred from Dec. 5 to 6 were large in scope. More than 400 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers executed 51 federal arrest warrants and search warrants on more than 35 vehicles and 50 buildings.

Aside from Washington, this Mexican drug cartel was also allegedly operating and spreading heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and meth in Utah, New York, Arizona, Oregon, California, and Tennessee.

Authorities confiscated thousands of fake fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills, other drugs, and weapons during these operations. "It's a trans-national criminal organization... responsible for importing large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine as well as laundering drug proceeds back to Mexico," said Keith Weis, DEA Special agent for Seattle, as reported by My Northwest.

The investigation started with the Bremerton Police Department's controlled buys of heroin through Facebook. In addition to coded cell phone conversations, authorities said many Mexican drug cartel members also communicated via Facebook messenger.

U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes said that fentanyl overdoses are growing at a peaking rate in Washington State. Hayes lauded the DEA and their federal state and local law enforcement partners who developed the evidence that led to the arrest of those involved, Lynnwood Today reported.

Dr. Caleb Banta-Green of the University of Washington echoed Hayes' sentiment. Banta-Green told MyNorthwest that there was a 70 percent increase in deaths related to fentanyl in 2017.

The doctor added that people would often try to use pills instead of heroin as it is seen safer, which is historically true. However, it contributes to the rise of drug overdoses across the country.

Weis noted that fentanyl is being produced behind the curtains, noting that organizations can produce the drug around the clock. Weis added that it is much cheaper than actually growing and producing opium for heroin.

Records showed that Gregory David Werber has prior federal convictions for credit card and passport fraud, transporting stolen goods, and smuggling, as well as prior state convictions for drug trafficking, fraud, grand theft, and escape.

The California man's criminal conduct, in this case, started within months of his 2017 release from state prison after a nine-year sentence for a drug distribution conviction in Ohio.

The Department of Justice said that Werber is forfeiting $69,000 in cash to the government, and he will be on three years of supervised release following his 58-month prison sentence.

READ MORE: U.S.-Mexico Efforts Against Mexican Drug Cartels Have Unraveled: DEA

WATCH: Mexico's Cartels Are Deadlier Than Ever Despite the Pandemic - From Vice News




Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador publicly accused the United States government of violating his country's sovereignty just before an online meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris.

But ahead of the talks, Lopez Obrador clarified that his comment was not on the agenda and it was not his intention to create a bad atmosphere. The issue indeed did not arise during the Mexican President's meeting with Kamala Harris on Friday.

The meeting, which was a portion was publicized, focused on immigration, which is a key issue in the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Also, trade, border security, and the pandemic were tackled by the two officials during the meeting.

According to the Associated Press, the Mexican President emphasized during his meeting with Kamala Harris that they will help on immigration issues. Lopez Obrador also assured Kamala Harris that they could count on the Mexican government in resolving the crisis.

However, with Mexico facing critical congressional and state elections on June 6, Lopez Obrador dedicated a part of his news conference earlier in the day to express his outrage over a funding decision by the U.S. Agency for International Development, ABC News reported.

The Mexican president stated that it is an interventionist act that violated their sovereignty. He added that Mexico has already filed a diplomatic note with the U.S. Embassy.

READ NEXT: Honduran Authorities Unearth Tons of Buried Cocaine in Country's Northern Village

Beyond U.S.-Mexico Border

But after less than two hours, it was all smiles and compliments for both country leaders when they met. The meeting came ahead of the planned actual visit of Kamala Harris in the country on June 8.

Lopez Obrador has commended President Joe Biden for his confidence with Kamala Harris as he gave the responsibility of finding ways to address the root causes of migration to the vice president.

The Mexican President also said he planned to pitch again the proposal that he floated at Biden's climate summit last month. Lopez Obrador wanted the U.S. to fund a major expansion of one of his signature programs called "Planting Life."

This program of Lopez Obrador provides cash payments to farmers who plant certain lumber and fruit-bearing trees. The target of the Mexican government is to help keep Mexicans in their rural communities.

Aside from the U.S., Mexico has also offered help in Central America. But the more challenging part of the Mexico president's pitch is that the U.S. grants six-month work visas and eventually citizenship to those who will join the program.

Just like the Trump and Obama administrations, the Biden administration has been overwhelmed by the surge in the number of migrant children and families who arrived at the southern border.

Most of the migrants come from Central America, but the number of migrants in Mexico has risen as well, Times of India reported.

Kamala Harris shared on Friday that they have agreed to work together in establishing a strategic partnership to address the root causes of migration, spur economic development, and the expansion of security cooperation.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said on Friday that the Vice President mentioned that Mexico "is our closest neighbor" and that the two countries share not only a border but the values of dignity and respect.

READ MORE: Border Patrol Seizes 67 Lbs. of Meth at Immigration Checkpoint, K-9 Team Detects Narcotics

WATCH: VP Harris Discusses Immigration Causes With Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - From Forbes Breaking News
A San Francisco man will face hate crimes following an "unprovoked" attack on Asian men in the city last week. The announcement was made by San Francisco's District Attorney, Chesa Boudin on Saturday, Fox News reported.

Racially Motivated Attacks

The authorities identified the 26-year-old suspect in the multiple Asian attacks as Sidney Hammond. In a tweet, District Attorney Boudin noted that Hammond's attacks on his victims were identified as racially motivated.

San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) noted that Hammond was arrested on April 30, when he was reported to assault an Asian man who was pushing his one-year-old baby in a stroller. Hammond was also reported to be charged with aggravated assault on the day he was arrested.

READ NEXT: California Universities Condemn Hate Crimes on Asian-Americans, Increase Efforts to Curb Racism

"Attacks on our AAPI community and especially on our elderly residents are horrifying," said Boudin in Fox News, adding that the incidents are also horrifying to the entire community "that has been living in fear."

Hammond is currently detained in San Francisco County Jail. The outlet furthered that the San Francisco man had a history inside the prison, as he was released out of jail for an incident on March 28 where he allegedly "threatened and assaulted" an employee while he was stealing.

San Francisco Man and His Victims

Hammond was involved in multiple Asian attacks, which, according to SFPD, happened on two different days.

On April 30, Hammond assaulted the Asian man with his baby outside a grocery store, leading to his arrest.

"I couldn't protect my child. I was on the floor and he was in a stroller that was slowly rolling away," said the 36-year-old Asian in New York Post, adding that the incident was horrifying for a parent.

He also victimized a 61-year-old Asian man a day before that incident.

 SUSPECT SEEN PUNCHING ASIAN DAD IN MISSION BAY, CAUGHT ON VIDEO ONE DAY BEFORE HITTING ANOTHER ASIAN MAN /  TW

I obtained the surveillance video that SFPD says it used to identify aggravated assault suspect 26-year-old Sidney Hammond. pic.twitter.com/bdjQCFOgSE  Betty Yu (@BettyKPIX) May 8, 2021

The 61-year-old was reported to be struck in the head while he was walking. Surveillance footage acquired by a KPIX reporter revealed that the suspect approached the victim and suddenly punched him, making the 61-year-old lose his balance.

Although Hammond was already arrested, the SFPD pointed out that the case is still an open investigation.

Other Attacks vs Asians

This is not the first reported incident of attack against Asians in San Francisco. Earlier this week, another Asian hate crime took place in the city.

A stabbing incident involving two Asian women took place in the busy streets of San Francisco on Tuesday at the intersection of Fourth and Stockton Street. Victims were identified as a woman in her 30s and an elderly. The 54-year-old who was suspected of stabbing the victims is now under the custody of the authorities and was arrested at 600 block of Eddy Street.

"We are fighting for the victims in these attacks," said Boudin in his tweet adding that their movement is also for all the victims of hate crimes. Meanwhile, Hammond, the San Francisco man who attacked the Asian men happened on April 29-30, 2021.

READ MORE: Senate Approves Hate Crime Bill With Bipartisan Support

WATCH: Asian American Attack: Assailant Punching Asian Man Pushing Stroller In SF Caught On Video - from KPIX CBS SF Bay Area
Tawny Kitaen, famous for her role on the music videos of Whitesnake in the 80s, died at the age of 59. Orange County coroner's office confirmed Kitaen's death at around eight in the morning, Friday, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The authorities listed the said incident as "residential death" in her Newport Beach home. However, Variety noted that the reason behind Katen's death has not been revealed by the authorities.

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Tawny Kitaen's Death

Sgt. Steve Oberon from the Newport Beach Police Department said in NBC Los Angeles that their officers were in the area following a report about an "unresponsive woman" inside the residence. The officers were already in the area around 1:51 in the afternoon. Newport Beach Fire Department paramedic pronounced that the music video star was dead on the scene.

Oberon noted that the coroner of the county has prompted the investigation about the incident. The sergeant also noted that their officers are not yet done with their report.

In an Instagram post, a statement was posted by the music video star's children, Winter and Raine, expressing their grief on the sudden incident.

"We are heartbroken and saddened to announce the death of our mom," said Wynter and Raine in the post. The children also expressed their gratitude to the fans of their mom noting that Kitaen's legacy will live forever."

Three days before her death, Kitaen posted a self-portrait on her Facebook account expressing her "care" towards her fans. She posted the photo with #tawnykitaencaresaboutyou.

Who is Tawny Kitaen

Kitaen was born in San Diego, California, and started her career in 1983 when she appeared on the cover of back-to-back albums by RATT, a heavy metal band. Variety noted that during that time, Kitaen was dating the guitarist of the band, Robin Crosby.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that in 1987, Kitaen appeared on Whitesnake's music video for the hits "Here I Go Again," "Still of the Night," "Is This Love?" and "The Deeper the Love." Kitaen also starred in "Bachelor Party" as Tom Hanks' character's fiancee.

Kitaen also appeared in some of the reality shows "The Surreal Life" and "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

"It was my pleasure to represent Tawny. She was a joy to work with," said Michael Goldberg in Variety. Goldberg was Kitaen's agent and the vice president of talent at Goldberg Creative Associates.

Apart from being a celebrity, Kitaen also entered the married life. In 1989, the music video star married Coverdale, but they ended their marriage two years after.

She then married Chuck Finley in 1997 and gave birth to her two daughters. However, Tawny Kitaen also divorced Finley in 2002. Shortly after, Kitaen pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge, when she reportedly kick Finley in the face with a high-heeled shoe. After the incident, Kitaen attended a spousal battery counseling program.

READ MORE: Ghislaine Maxwell Seen With 'Black Eye' in First Pic From Prison

WATCH: Tawny Kitaen of Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" Dies at 59 - from E! News
Bethlehem is seeking housing providers to help families at risk of becoming homeless.

These include housing development organizations, property owners, and landlords who are compassionate and have a desire to give back to the community. Providers who have the capacity to provide short-term or transitional homes for families or individuals who are either homeless or at-risk of being homeless are being asked by the city submit a Letter of Interest. Information for a Letter of Interest is available here.

City officials say private property owners and housing providers who own or are purchasing vacant housing units, requiring renovation are perfect candidates. In return, the city is providing both rental subsidies and housing rehab grants for interior and/or exterior improvements as incentive.

Grant funding is being used to help the city create programs and services to lead to safe environments for families in need, under COVID-19 relief aid.

City officials say the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the financial stability of families in search of housing. Through rental subsidies, the city has helped nearly 200 families remain in their homes, but there are families who remain at risk of becoming homeless this year.

Mayor Bob Donchez said he has been on the front line in efforts to prevent homelessness.

It is my hope, that with the right partners and staff in place, our city will move toward effective and lasting solutions, the mayor said.

Additionally, Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead this past week issued a statement following a ruling from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia striking down the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions national moratorium on evictions established in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The United States Department of Justice is appealing the ruling.

Snead said residential renters and landlords should not wait to pursue assistance available through the states Emergency Rental Assistance Program. She added the ruling bodes a dangerous path ahead as recovery continues from the economic insecurity created by the pandemic.

During a period of great danger to health and well-being and unprecedented loss of employment and income, the eviction moratorium has allowed people to remain housed -- a basic need that can help those most affected by the pandemic in the last 15 months have a sense of stability necessary to weather these crises, Snead said.

A recent report from the United States Census Bureau found that more than 30% of statewide adults are behind on rent or mortgage payments and could face eviction or foreclosure in the next few months. A wave of evictions would be disastrous for local economies that have already been strained by the pandemic and would bring about another public health crisis, Snead said.

A rapid spike in homelessness would further destabilize individuals and families in a way that could lead to significant, long-term health and economic disparities lasting far beyond this pandemic, she added.

I urge anyone who has experienced financial hardship because of this pandemic and is behind on rental payments to apply for ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) now, she said. This is a lifeline for renters and landlords, an investment in our long-term economic recovery and our personal well-being. Do not wait  start the application process now so you do not have to risk eviction and further instability and uncertainty. This program exists so that when the moratorium ends, we can all focus on our recovery and moving forward. Let it help you.

Gov. Tom Wolfs Administration built the ERAP in partnership with the General Assembly through Act 1 of 2021 to distribute $569 million to statewide households through partnerships with local leaders. An additional $278 million in rental assistance was directly allocated to the states largest counties by the federal government. Funding for ERAP comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and further rental assistance funds included in the American Rescue Plan Act are expected to be available later in the year.

Households may be eligible for up to 12 months of assistance to cover past-due or future rental and/or utility payments. The amount of a households monthly rent or utility bills does not preclude eligibility, but the amount of ERAP assistance provided to a household is determined by program administrators at the county level.

Assistance can be provided to a tenant for future rental payments, and for unpaid rental or utility arrears that were accrued on or after March 13, 2020 on a residential rental property. Counties may choose to provide additional assistance to eligible households if funds remain available.

To qualify for assistance, a household must be responsible to pay rent on a residential property and meet each of the following criteria:

One or more people within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One or more individuals in the household can show a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

The household has an income at or below 80% of area median income, which varies by county.

Applicants will need to provide the following information: head of households personal information; income information for all household members aged 18 and older; rental lease and amount owed; landlords name and contact information. If applying for utility assistance, applicants must provide utility expenses and utility provider information.

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.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Consolidated Storage has ridden its share of ups and downs in the manufacturing sector.

The Tatamy maker of vertical shelves, platforms and storage systems recently figured out how to ride the wave of e-commerce by inventing a safe way to cross over large warehouse conveyor belts.

The conveyor crossover led to doubled sales last year for the business at 225 Main St. in Tatamy.

The success might never have happened were it not for some last-minute financing four years ago to save the plant.

In 2017, the building owner wanted to sell, according to Consolidated Storage President Robert Ammerman. Consolidated Storage sells its products under the Equipto brand.

There was no way to know whether the new building owner would renew Consolidated Storages lease, which was due to expire shortly.

It wasnt cost effective to move all the heavy metal fabrication equipment to a new location, either, Ammerman said. The plant couldnt afford to shut down over the amount of time it would take to move, he added.

So the company had to either find a way to buy the building or shut down and put its 104 employees out of work.

How do you run a business while youre making such a major move? The business wouldnt have survived, and there were a lot of jobs on the line in a community that really needs companies that can pay a living wage, Ammerman said.

Ammerman secured loans to buy the building, but a financer backed out at the last minute. On the brink of Consolidated Storages closing, government lender Seedcopa stepped in.

Seedcopa provided a $2.2 million loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration to supplement a $5.5 million bank loan.

A major factor in attaining that loan was the ability to retain 104 jobs in a community that needs companies to pay living wage jobs, said Seedcopa Managing Director Sherwood Robbins.

With the plant safe, the company looked in 2019 for ways to tap into the growing market for e-commerce. The solution was a portable staircase and catwalk that can easily be assembled to allow workers to cross over industrial conveyor belts in warehouses.

If you have a conveyor, you need to have a way to cross over it or the safety folks wont give your permission for it, Ammerman said.

Equipto sales doubled in 2020. The work force has now swelled to 125 employees.

If I could wave a magic wand wed hire 20 people tomorrow, Ammerman said. Job seekers can apply at equipto.com.

Consolidated Storage was founded in Aurora, Illinois, in 1907. Among its first clients was the Ford Motor Co. The company made metal body parts for the Model T. The company expanded and opened its Tatamy facility in the 1970s.

Consolidated Storage at 225 Main St. in Tatamy sells its industrial products under the brand name Equipto.Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com

Consolidated Storage at 225 Main St. in Tatamy sells its industrial products under the brand name Equipto.Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
Regional Hospital Mullingars emergency departments and hospital has issued an apology this weekend over long waiting times having reached 'full capacity'.

The Westmeath hospital is extremely busy and seeing a lot of seriously ill patients, many of which are over 75 years of age with a variety of complex healthcare needs.

A spokesperson said this evening (Sunday, May 9): "We apologise for the distress or inconvenience caused to patients or their loved ones who are experiencing long wait times.

"The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented our consultants are doing additional ward rounds to facilitate discharges and we are working with the community to discharge patients where it is appropriate to the community.

"The hospital is asking that people think about all their care and treatment options, the length of time you may be waiting in ED should you not require urgent care and we would ask that people keep our ED services for the patients who need them most.

"However, if you are seriously injured or ill the ED will assess and treat you as a priority. We ask the public to please adhere to all Public Health Guidance and wear a face covering and keep socially distanced, wash your hands frequently and to wash your hands frequently."

The public in the hospital's catchment area are reminded:

"Contact your GP immediately if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Do not attend the ED. Call your doctor immediately if you think you have one or more symptoms of coronavirus (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, loss or change in your taste or smell).

"The COVID-19 test and GP consultation is provided free of charge. Your doctor will assess you over the phone and can arrange a COVID-19 test. Early diagnosis means you can get the help you need and take steps to avoid spreading the virus to someone else. Remember, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, you need to self-isolate at home for 10 days, while people in your household will need to restrict their movements.

"The increase in cases in recent weeks shows that the virus is actively circulating in the community at moment. GP out of hours services can arrange a COVID-19 test at the weekend to check if you have the virus. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 over the weekend- call your GP out of hours service."

Last Friday Westmeath reached the third worst spot in Irish counties for new cases of Covid-19, under Kildare and Donegal.
A new councillor joined Laois County Council at the online April meeting, but there was contention at his first meeting over his placement on eight different committees.

Ballybrittas farmer PJ Kelly was co-opted by Fine Gael replacing Cllr Tom Mulhall who had to step down mid-term for health reasons.

Chief Executive John Mulholland congratulated him.

I extend a warm welcome to Laois County Council. It is quite an amount to take on board, the system of local democracy at work. I am glad to hear Tom is doing well and convey best wishes, he said.

Fianna Fail Cllr Pascal McEvoy who competes for the same votes in the Stradbally area also welcomed him and offered assistance.

Cllr PJ Kellys first meeting was as a four hour phone call, replacing a normally big occasion attended by family in council chambers.

This is not as strange to me compared to the chamber because I dont know any different. Im stepping into Toms shoes but Ill never fill them. I thank Fine Gael councillors who have been a good help to me and Ill do my living best, he said.

Cllr Kelly was proposed by party colleague Cllr Aisling Moran and seconded by Cllr Thomasina Connell.

PJ will make an excellent councillor and I hope Tom makes a full recovery, Cllr Moran said.

All of Cllr Mulhalls previously held committee seats were filled by him, but not without an insistance for others to have a chance of being voted in.

The six independent, Sinn Fein or Labour councillors that make up the 19 Laois councillors, proposed and voted for some of their own members to fill several of those roles.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said she was very disappointed, after welcoming Cllr Kelly that the roles were not automatically given to Cllr Kelly's.

It was always on the good will and respect of the party to choose their replacement. It's my understanding it's in the party's remit who they propose, the same as electing a councillor. That seat is a Fine Gael seat, she said.

I disagree, this is democracy being played out. I don't think you find in any legislation where positions are singled out for any single party, said Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

Laois County Council agreed that the committee seats were at the discretion of councillors and the votes went ahead.

Outnumbered by the 13 majority votes of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, it was a token gesture with Cllr Kelly taking all positions.

He is now on the climate action and community strategic policy committee, the joint policing committee, committees for placenames, for local traveller accommodation and for rural water monitoring, Portarlington Enterprise Centre, Laois Partnership Company and the Irish Public Bodies AGM.
The absence of the distinctive call of the curlew in our rural landscape is concerning. Irelands native breeding curlew has declined by 96% in the past 30 years, one of the most drastic declines of any bird species across the entire European Union.

The biggest threats to curlew at a local level are changes in land use (eg, afforestation and intensification of agriculture), extreme pressure from predators of curlew eggs and chicks (mostly foxes, grey crows and mink) and failed environmental policy.

Curlew will begin to breed and nest from April 1 until the end of the summer. You may see curlew feeding in rough damp pastures as the adult birds use their distinctive long bills to forage the ground for worms and other invertebrates. Curlew may also be heard flying overhead, usually in pairs at this time of year.

Laois and Kildare is one of nine regions nationwide where the Curlew Conservation Programme (CCP) is in place. This programme is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as well as the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The main aim of this project is to protect the remaining breeding curlew population (approx. 150 pairs in Ireland).

Within Laois and Kildare, there is a small team to help support breeding curlew through one-to-one engagement with local people, especially farmers, who are key to achieving success. Practical management work is also being carried out for the species in the form of nest protection or predator control.

This not only benefits the curlew, but a wide range of other sensitive ground nesting birds such as the hardy red grouse, iconic hen harrier and bog bleating snipe. Local sheep farmers in our project areas are also hugely grateful for this work as it protects their livestock, notably lambs, from damage by foxes.

Local farmers, landowners and walkers can be a huge help in facilitating access to confirmed/potential curlew breeding sites, providing local advice and reports of sightings and undertaking essential land management options to help save our precious curlew.

If you would like to let the local project team in Laois/Kildare know of any curlew sightings during the spring and summer, get involved with the project or engage in habitat improvement works, please get in touch by emailing agri.Ecology@chg.gov.ie.

David OBrien is a curlew advisory officer, at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
A man who acted as a ghost broker for his friends and acquaintances, giving false information to car insurance companies to get cheaper policies, has been ordered to carry out community service.

On Friday Vasile Braileanu (43) was ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two year prison term for defrauding a number of motor insurance companies of about 13,000.

Braileanu, with an address at Adamstown Avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to 15 fraud-related offences, including dishonestly inducing insurance companies to give policies at a reduced premiums and making, using and possessing false documents such as No Claims Discount and Experienced Driver certificates.

Braileanu committed the ghost broker offences between April 2015 and November 2017, when his house was searched by gardai who had been tipped off to his operation.

He also admitted to being the customer of a ghost broker in September 2013, when he got a cheaper premium and then became interested in doing it himself, the court heard.

Garda George Thurlow told John Byrne BL, prosecuting, that when interviewed, Braileanu admitted to brokering 30 policies for friends and acquaintances using fake documents. However, investigating gardai only found evidence of 10 policies that had been brokered.

Braileanu said he received about 400-600 in payment for brokering each policy. In one example, he got a motor insurance premium from Allianz Insurance down from 1292 to 692 by submitting false documents, the court heard.

Gardai searching his home found a ghost brokering kit and templates for documents such as No Claims Discount and Experienced Driver certificates.

Garda Thurlow agreed with defence counsel that Braileanu was at the lower end of the scale compared to other ghost brokering operations he had investigated. It was a small operation and an amateur operation, he said.

Braileanu did not advertise his business on social media but operated by word of mouth, the court heard.

He is originally from Moldova and has a wife and two children. He holds a degree in construction but was working as a bus driver up until the pandemic. He is now on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

Sentencing Braileanu, Judge Martin Nolan said he was acting as a shadow agent to induce insurance companies to issue cheaper insurance policies. It seems impossible to believe that his customers didn't know that something suspicious was happening, he said.

The court heard that the fraudulent insurance polices were cancelled once they were discovered, but the customers who took them out were treated as injured parties.

Judge Nolan accepted it was an amateur operation and he ordered Braileanu to carry out 240 hours of community service. He adjourned the case to July 7, to ascertain that Braileanu is deemed suitable.
Two experienced guidance counsellors have developed a range of career camps for second level students to help inform them about subject choices, what different careers involve and the various paths to achieving your dream job or career.

Faustina McLoughlin from Rooskey (daughter of Neil Moran and Loretta Mulligan) and Breda Ann de'Courcey from Cleggan, Connemara, both teach in secondary schools in Dublin but have identified a need for one-to-one mentoring and better research skills for teenagers who may be unsure what course or career to pursue.

While young people are resilient, Faustina feels they can be under pressure with schoolwork and, at times, bombarded by information on a wide range of career options.

They may not have access to guidance classes in the same manner that they have for mainstream subjects. They may lack the knowledge and skills to compare a course and a college, to discover an alternative pathway, to find what is the right fit for them, says Faustina who has over 15 years' teaching experience.

Breda-Ann adds: Most students don't understand what a career is or how to select a path to take. They think of engineers as building bridges, pharmacists as working in a pharmacy, but those qualifications open so many other doors and opportunities. What students dont always understand is that constant learning and development is a journey.

Together, we want to teach students the tools to understand that and to research the options they have to grasp what it is to work in a field. Very few people work in the same job for 40 years anymore and we want to facilitate that understanding.

The camps are about students taking ownership of key decisions about their future.

The focus of our camps is not just on skills and knowledge development but also an understanding on how to use them. Students will leave our camps with better research skills, better decision-making skills and better awareness of learning opportunities and available to them, explains Breda-Ann.

Participants will learn, discover and achieve. Our sessions are prepared and delivered with the learner in mind, allowing them to interact and engage in a supportive environment. We use video case studies, stories and carefully designed worksheets to enable participants to become active participants on all of our camps. We embrace ICT tools such as Mentimeter, Padlet and Kahoot, adds Faustina.

Both ladies are members of the Teaching Council and of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and are garda vetted. They also take a holistic approach to students' development encouraging them to get involved in extra curricular activities at school and college.

The Covid-19 pandemic and extended periods of remote learning may have restricted some students' access to career guidance, says Faustina.

"Our career guidance camps will make students more aware of all the options available to them. They will learn how to research the different pathways into their desired course/career from Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, to apprenticeships to courses on the National Framework Of Qualifications (Levels 6-9).

Breda-Ann says subject choice is important. Its important that senior cycle students pick their subjects carefully as subject choice can have unintended negative consequences that may not become apparent until sixth year when students realise that they dont meet the subject matriculation requirements for entry to a course they wish to pursue.

"In our experience, we find that students might discredit certain science disciplines for example, without knowing what the career or course content is actually really about. We show them how to explore course content and understand the benefits and outcomes from specific course choices," she explains.

You can book your place and find out more information at www.mycareerguidance

camp.ie

Parents and teens can follow the ladies on instagram @mycareerguidancecamp to get notifications about upcoming events, CAO, UCAS & EU application updates and all that is career guidance related, as well as competitions for free places.
The death has occurred of Nuala DEASY Marble Crest, Kilkenny City, Kilkenny / Limerick City, Limerick 8th May 2021, peacefully, at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, after a short illness. Nuala, beloved sister of Angela, John and Loretta, sadly missed by her loving family, brother-in-law John (Flynn), nieces Irene, Geraldine, Sarah and Emer, nephews Brian and Colm, grandnieces and grandnephews, extended family, neighbours and friends. May Nuala Rest in Peace.

In accordance with current Government/H.S.E. guidelines, a private funeral for family and close friends will take place for Nuala (max of 50 people). For those unable to attend due to restrictions, you may view the Requiem Mass online at 11am on Wednesday (12th May) at the following link www.stpatricksparishkilkenny.com Funeral afterwards to Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dublin. House private please.

If you wish to leave a message of condolence for Nuala's family, you may do so on rip.ie

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The death has occurred of Jeremiah (Jer) ROCHE Caherhayes, Abbeyfeale, Limerick who passed away peacefully at Milford Care Centre on Saturday May 8th 2021. Jer is very sadly missed by his devoted wife Marian, children Michelle, Mairead, Jeremiah and Stephen, (Jer is predeceased by his infant baby Michael), brother John, sons-in-law Sean and Conor, daughter-in-law Jodi, grandchildren Ronan, Jack and Emma, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousin Michael, other relatives, neighbours and friends.

A private family funeral will take place for immediate family due to Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings.

Funeral cortege will depart Jers home on Tuesday at 10.00 a.m. and travel via Kilconlea Upper and the Hill Road on route to Church of the Assumption Abbeyfeale to arrive for Requiem Mass at 11.00 a.m. Requiem Mass will then be live streamed on the following: www.churchservices.tv/abbeyfealeparish Burial afterwards in Reilig Ide Naofa.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of this page or send Mass cards and letters of sympathy by post C/O Harnetts Funeral Home, The Square, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. You may also send your condolences by email to: harnettsfuneralhome@gmail.com Rest In Peace

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THE Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that a man who is accused of sexually assaulting his cousin should face trial in the district court.

The 47-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Newcastle West Court last week to face a single charge relating to an incident which occurred nearly two years ago.

The offence is alleged to have occurred at a location in County Limerick during the early hours of September 10, 2019.

It is the State case that the defendant inappropriately touched the woman without her consent.

During a brief procedural hearing, Inspector Padraig Sutton confirmed the views of the DPP indicating the matter is to be dealt with summarily.

While noting this, visiting judge Bernadette Owens said she was not willing to determine jurisdiction as she is unlikely to be presiding over any future hearing.

Legal aid was granted and barrister Cian Kelly said his client was seeking specific disclosure from investigating gardai given the nature of the allegations.

The matter was adjourned to June.
A RIVER rescue in Limerick city on Saturday night involving the FireSwift rescue boat and a helicopter is understood to have been a false alarm.

Limerick Fire and Rescue Service received a call-out at 9.53pm regarding a person believed to have been seen entering the Shannon.

Two appliances rushed to the scene and the FireSwift vessel was immediately launched. Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter R115 was called in to assist with the search.

After two hours of searching the location, the emergency services were stood down. It is understood that the report was a false alarm due to good intentions.

While this was taking place Limerick Fire and Rescue Service also received a call-out to a fire in an apartment off the Dock Road. The fire was quickly brought under control. No serious injuries have been reported.
Virgin Medias #BackingBusiness initiative is coming to Limerick this Monday morning. The initiative, which aims to support five businesses across the Munster region with bespoke digital transformation packages, Ireland AM will be broadcasting live from Limerick from 7am  10am.

As part of the show, Ireland AMs Alan Hughes will be showcasing a number of local businesses including Niall Colgan Hairdressers, White Feather Boutique and will also be joined by Limerick-native Celia Holman Lee who will be talking about the growing importance for Irelands boutique businesses to have a strong ecommerce presence.

The new #BackingBusiness initiative, in collaboration with Digital Business Ireland (DBI), Permanent TSB, Milk Bottle Labs and Munster Local Enterprise Offices, has now opened for applications. Businesses throughout Limerick City and County can enter here

Ireland AM presenter Alan Hughes said: Im really looking forward to promoting Virgin Medias #BackingBusiness initiative and speaking with a few of the fantastic local businesses who are opening their doors once again, now that lockdown restrictions are easing across the country. Its more important than ever to help promote and support local businesses and Mondays show is going to be a great opportunity for our viewers to see a selection of some of the best located in Limerick.
Debris from a Chinese rocket re-entered Earths atmosphere over the Indian Ocean, Chinese officials said, easing days of anxiety that pieces would fall on densely populated areas.

The China Manned Space Engineering Office said the Long March-5B rocket made the re-entry at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time on Sunday. Most of the components of the rockets wreckage were burned up and destroyed during the re-entry, it said.

The rocket was sent into orbit to ferry a core component of its space station, the Tianhe module, on April 29. It was the first of a series of planned launches as China begins construction on the space station.

The rockets size, about the height of a 10-story building, and concerns from space-monitoring organizations that the entry back to earth wouldnt be controlled caused worry in recent days, as various tracking organizations predicted potential landing sites covering swaths of the planet.

While there was a minuscule chance of the debris hitting populated areas, the episode has raised the issue of responsible space behavior, with China ramping up its space program and private corporations globally engaging in space activity.

Bill Nelson, who leads the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, criticized the re-entry on Saturday saying, It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

Chinas Foreign Ministry said Friday that the risks of harm were small. Spokesman Wang Wenbin said that authorities were watching the situation and that because the upper stage of this rocket had been deactivated, most of its parts would burn up upon re-entry, minimizing chances of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities.

Among other space initiatives, China plans for its first permanent space basethe Tiangong space stationto be operational by next year. The space station is seen as a rival to the much larger International Space Station, and in the coming months, China is planning more launches to send cargo and crew to the Tianhe module that the rocket launched.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Citizen Penn opens in Hollywood in 2019, with Jamie Foxx, in high spirits, introducing Sean Penn at a benefit gala for Haiti. It doesnt take long for the spirits to come crashing down to earth, as Penn, founder and spokesman of the J/P Relief Organization, hits the audience with a Debbie Downer buzzkill. The Russians, he says, are testing hypersonic nuclear weapons; populist demagogues are turning the world economy into a game; and climatologists, warns Penn, give us 11 years before global catastrophic failure. He adds, Lies, greed, rage, sexism, and racism threaten to induce further violence in our own streets. But then, just as youre getting ready to see people streaming toward the exits, something funny happens. Penn says that its the cardinal rule of fund-raising not to bum out the crowd. He then spreads his hands and grins, acknowledging thats what he just did.

That he can be so deadly serious is very Sean Penn; that he can laugh at himself about it is also very Sean Penn. Citizen Penn is a documentary about Penns life as an activist  specifically, his decade-long mission to improve life for the people of Haiti  and if you go into it thinking that youre going to be rolling your eyes at the ultimate self-deluded celebrity do-gooder, the movie may stop you in your tracks. As Citizen Penn demonstrates, Sean Penns activism isnt for show. Its for real.

Yet youd be forgiven if you needed a bit of convincing. The template for Penns extracurricular missionary zeal has always been: He walks the walk, instead of just talking the talk. Where other celebrities preach about saving the world in self-righteous signifiers, he takes action by going on the scene (to Baghdad during the Iraq War, to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to Haiti following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake), and by staying there long after the disaster-relief-volunteer-as-photo-op window has closed.

In Haiti, we see him set up a sprawling tent hospital that serves thousands of people and saves many lives. He works 20-hour days for months, appearing periodically on Anderson Coopers nightly CNN broadcast, but also staying long after the cameras have gone. The organization he founded has hung in there for a decade, raising money, coordinating volunteers, helping to rebuild the country.

Yet Citizen Penn does acknowledge, without making too big a deal of it, that theres a way that Sean Penns trouble-spot dedication can dovetail a little too exquisitely with his image, creating a kind of aging-James-Dean-of-the-killing-fields persona.

In Citizen Penn, the films director, Don Hardy, interviews Penn sitting at home in what appears to be a downstairs rec room with a guitar and a grand piano and wall-to-wall carpeting that looks like teal AstroTurf. The actor himself cuts quite a figure, with his denim shirt and Brillo-pad hair and mustache that makes it look like hes still trying to play some knockoff of Rupert Pupkin. He smokes incessantly (American Spirits), which is one of those used-to-be-cool-but-is-now-so-uncool-that-its-actually-cool Sean Penn things, and you can hear his devotion to the smoking in his voice, which is gravelly, with a bit of a quaver to it. Hes 60, and thats a lot of years of hard living, but once you get past the studiously disheveled Penn trappings, hes remarkably articulate and informed and compelling to listen to. He makes the case for taking action, and doesnt explain why he feels compelled to. Its written all over his weary-rubbery face.

We were an airplane that built itself after takeoff, he says of the J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which was ultimately renamed CORE. Thats a perilous ride in so many ways. Penn was mocked by many for cozying up to the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez (a socialist with dictatorial tendencies), but whatever your view of Penns visit to Venezuela, he wound up asking Chavez to provide 350,000 bottles of morphine for emergency medical relief in Haiti, and Chavez came through. (These were drugs needed to ease the pain of amputations, among other things.) Penn fought to keep the tent hospital standing, he worked hand in hand with the U.S. military, he helped to relocate the adjacent refugee camp when it was threatened by mudslides, and he secured the funds to clear literally miles of earthquake debris from the streets of Port-au-Prince.

Some of this is stirring stuff, and all of it is worth learning about, but as a documentary Citizen Penn is more diligent than riveting. It may sound perverse to say that the film doesnt have much in the way of a dramatic conflict, but a good documentary often needs one, and Penns ongoing mission of mercy in the impoverished hellscape that Haiti, for a time, became is presented as a series of battles that are met, fought, and (mostly) won. Penn keeps saying, in essence, Its not about me. Yet the whole reason were watching this movie is that it is about him. I personally would have liked to hear more about how Penns activism gets threaded through the other currents of his life. Watching Citizen Penn, I believe in the depth of his compassion, much as I believe in Jane Fondas or Bob Geldofs. I also believe that Sean Penn is a complicated person who carved out the role of the conscience of Hollywood for complicated reasons. If you want to get a hint of those, you need to wait for a different documentary.

Reviewed online, May 7, 2021. MPAA Rating: Not rated. Running time: 93 MIN.

Production

A Discovery Plus release of a KTF Films presentation of a Casual Automaton production. Producers: Shawn Dailey, Don Hardy. Executive producers: Ellen Fair, Kim Forbes Tramel, Dan Braun, Josh Braun.

Crew

Director, screenplay: Don Hardy. Camera: Mike Abela, Captain Barry Frishman, Don Hardy, Liam Storrings, Dan Gillett, John Burns. Editor: Don Hardy. Music: Linda Perry.

With

Sean Penn, Anderson Cooper, Ann Lee, Cecile Accilien, Captain Barry Frishman, Dr. Raul Ruiz, Dr. Justine Crowley, Faine Lartigue, Dr. Jean-Marc Dagout, Tommy Prato, Edner Nonez, Alastair Lamb, Dr. Dominique Valentin, Laurent Lamothe, Avery Herrell, Amani Phillips.

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Miley Cyrus opened the May 8 episode of Saturday Night Live with a song dedicated to all the moms out there.

Taking place the night before Mothers Day, this episode has historically been treated as a Mothers Day episode, with special songs and sketches dedicated to and often featuring cast members mothers. This cold open was no different.

Standing on stage at Studio 8H, she sang part of Dolly Partons Light of a Clear Blue Morning before bringing out some of the NBC late-night sketch comedy series cast members and their real-life mothers, including Kate McKinnon and Laura Campbell, who did a quick impression of Molly Shannons Mary Catherine Gallagher, and Aidy Bryant and Georganne Vinall, the latter of whom plugged her daughters show. When Bryant noted that SNL is not just her show, Vinall followed it up by plugging the third and final season of Shrill on Hulu.

Kyle Mooneys mother Linda Kozub Mooney noted that he owed her two Mothers Day gifts since they couldnt spend this time last year together.

I kind of thought the trip out here was the gift, he said, to which she replied a firm, No.

Beck Bennett and Mikey Day appeared on stage together with their mothers, which resulted in a gag in which Days mother said she couldnt wait to be able to hug, but she was talking about Bennett. Meanwhile Chris Redds mother joked that she hadnt seen him since Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and our spring break vacation, and Kenan Thompson said his mother, Elizabeth Ann Thompson, taught me everything I know, including reaction shots, which lead to them showing off a classic one. Heidi Gardner appeared with her mother, as well, although she said, They didnt write me a joke, and then later pulled her mother back on stage while Cecily Strong didnt want to say her punchline because she was just too happy her mother was there.

Melissa Villasenors mother complimented her on her ability to do impressions, though when Villasenor attempted to impersonate her own mother, she was told, That one needs work. Chloe Fineman told her mother she was her best friend, to which she was told her mothers best friend was Finemans father. And we must go, dads asking Elon Musk for financial advice, Fineman said as they exited stage right.

Bowen Yangs mother kissed him on stage and then sprayed Purell on his face, and Ego Nwodims mother told her she was proud of her but of course would be more proud if Nwodim was a doctor. New cast members Lauren Holt and Punkie Johnson toasted with their mothers, and when Johnsons mother downed the whole glass, she said, What? Its been a long year.

Pete Davidson joke-lectured his mother about being more responsible when she admitted she almost didnt make it because she was playing Madden with [Timothee] Chalamet, while Colin Josts mother was holding cards she said Michael Che gave her to read live. You shouldnt do that, youre going to get our whole family canceled, he said.

Cyrus continued singing in between the appearances and wished both Parton, who is her godmother, and her mother Tish Cyrus a happy Mothers Day before everyone appeared for the iconic Live from New York sign off. She was tapped as the episodes musical guest, while billionaire businessman Elon Musk was the host. Musk did not appear in the cold open.

Saturday Night Live airs live coast-to-coast Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC. For the first time ever, the show was also live-streamed on YouTube for the international audience.

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Toei Animation, a leading Japanese animation house with a seven-decade history, has announced the release of a new Dragon Ball Super movie in 2022.

Based on a comic by Toriyama Akira that debuted in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1984 and has sold 260 million paperback copies worldwide, the Dragon Ball franchise has long been a money spinner for Toei, with TV anime, films, games and merchandise in the mix.

The new film is the second based on Dragon Ball Super, a sequel to the original Dragon Ball manga that debuted in both manga and anime form in 2015. The first film, Dragon Ball Super Broly, directed by Nagamine Tatsuya and scripted by Toriyama, earned $120 million worldwide following its December 2018 release in Japan.

In a statement Toriyama said he is heavily leading the story and dialogue production for another amazing film. Well be charting through some unexplored territory in terms of the visual aesthetics to give the audience an amazing ride, he added.

The Dragon Ball series and its assorted sequels and spinoffs follow the adventures of Son Goku AKA Goku, a boy based on a main character in the ancient Chinese epic Journey to the West. Using martial arts skills and superpowers, Goku battles a long list of baddies from various corners of the universe. In the Dragon Ball Super story arc, he attains godlike powers to fight Beerus, the God of Destruction, and his allies with the help of his similarly super-powered friends. Be prepared for some extreme and entertaining bouts, Toriyama says in his statement.

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In the opening scene of Chino Moyas grimmer-than-Grimm dystopian fairy tale collection, Undergods, a pair of grungy near-future garbagemen scour the ruins of a ghostly former metropolis looking for bodies. Like the Black Plague cleanup crew in Monty Python and the Holy Grail  the occasionally too-efficient bring out your dead! guys  it doesnt matter whether the corpses they come across are even fully deceased: The collectors toss the bodies into the back of their cart either way. Should the poor souls turn out to still be alive, they can always sell them for precious cans of scarce food back at the depot.

Moyas vision may be bleak  and vision is the right word to describe the Spanish-born directors stunning capacity to create images and atmosphere  but theres something unnervingly familiar about the world he creates in his feature debut. Between that twisted introductory vignette and the three uniquely cynical episodes that follow, Undergods displays a sense of humor so dour that the movie cant rightly call itself a dark comedy. Horror would be more appropriate, even though its maker clearly intends this Twilight Zone-adjacent collection as a form of bleak social satire, one that looks like a cross between Franz Kafka and the Orwellian 1984 Apple commercial directed by Ridley Scott.

No wonder Scott connected with the film, coming on as an executive producer of a project that could conceivably take place in another corner of the future world he once imagined (and whose English-speaking ensemble hails from all over the world, cast for the forlorn, chiseled look of their faces). If Blade Runner depicted culture advancing in one direction, toward flying cars and neon skyscrapers, then Undergods spins the globe in the opposite direction  to a place where technology has stalled and all that remains is the elephant graveyard of a once-idealist industrial city.

The two corpse collectors (Johann Myers and Geza Rohrig) begin the journey by talking about their dreams  not happy dreams, but the kind that continue to haunt you hours after waking. As K shares his latest nightmare, Moya cuts from a fly-infested pile of bodies to an extreme closeup of a sludge-like stew in a couples kitchen. The set suggests an Edward Hopper painting, as harsh overhead lighting casts shadows into the actors eye sockets. A man (Michael Gould) and his wife (Hayley Carmichael) are having dinner when a kindly-seeming stranger (Ned Dennehy) buzzes. He says he has locked himself out and asks to stay the night. Then he proceeds to make himself at home  which is to say, he adjusts the apartment to his own tastes, seduces the wife and so on.

The dream does not end happily, if it was even a dream to begin with. Moya interweaves his three tales in such a way that its not always clear where reality is meant to leave off. Thats because the stories take place in a world more recognizably our own than the dreary, Delicatessen-like framing device, where Vangelis-style synth music underscores the surrealism and Soylent Green is on the menu. Each of the three chapters plays like a downbeat parable, but instead of lingering on the final sad-trombone twist  the fatalistic wah wah of lifes inevitable unfairness  Undergods just moves along to its next set of victims.

Side characters from the first segment introduce the second, as a girl asks her father (Khalid Abdalla) for a different bedtime story and receives in return a not at all child-appropriate fable about a businessman (Eric Godon) who attempts to steal the blueprints for a device almost certain to make him rich, only to have the inventor (Jan Bijvoet) retaliate in kind. This yarn is familiar enough to have been recycled from Aesop or some medieval text, though the visuals place it in the same vaguely soviet realm as the rest of Moyas movie. Just when it seems to be reaching its climax  as the man and his would-be son-in-law (Tadhg Murphy) fumble their way through the dark  the characters tumble into the clutches of K and Z.

Audiences may not even realize that chapter has ended when the next begins, since the two seem to overlap in a gulag-like prison where a man named Sam (Sam Louwyck) has been eating gruel and sleeping on cold cement floors for 15 years. And then one day, he shows up in the living room of his former wife (Kate Dickie), who has since remarried to a sad-sack company man (Adrian Rawlins). Sams return instantly destabilizes household, much as the strangers arrival did in the first story. In fact, the two situations are so similar, its not clear why Moya felt compelled to include them both. But even if hes taken us down this road before, the execution is unpredictable enough to keep things interesting.

Once all the episodes have played out, theres a disconcerting yet clearly intentional sameness to the films various parts. Coming at the same themes from different angles, the three lessons serve to upend the comfort and perceived control that fathers, husbands and first-world patriarchs have traditionally enjoyed. Moya doesnt specify when his movie is set  as in the films of Terry Gilliam, this future is cobbled together from discarded parts of our past  and yet the politics of Undergods directly relate to the power shift at play in the world today. It preys on the anxieties of those least willing to relinquish their position, while celebrating those whove been crushes beneath their heels for so long. In Moyas imagining, the underdog is elevated to hero, while the gods whove controlled them for centuries are toppled like so many soviet statues.

Reviewed online, Los Angeles, May 7, 2021. Running time: 92 MIN.

Running Time: Running time: 92 MIN.

Production

(U.K.-Belgium-Estonia-Serbia-Sweden) A Gravitas Ventures release of a BFI presentation, in association with Wallonia-Brussels Federation for Audiovisual and Cinema, Casa Kafka Pictures  Belfius, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Film Institute, of a Z56Film production, in co-production with Velvet Films, Homeless Bob Prods., Media Plus, Filmgate Films With Film I Vast, Black Dog Films, in association with FRA Films, Scott Free Films. Producer: Sophie Venner. Executive producers: Mary Burke, Pablo Burguera, Ana Gonzalez de Gastejon, Kai Hsuing, Jake Scott, Zorana Piggott, Tomas Eskilsson, Juan Lamo de Espinosa, Jaime Lamo de Espinosa. Co-producers: Sebastian Schelenz, Katrin Kissa, Goran Djikic, Sean Wheelan.

Crew

Director: Chino Moya. Camera: David Raedeker. Editors: Walter Fasano, Tommaso Gallone, Maya Maffioli. Music: Wojciech Golczewski.

With

Geza Rohrig, Johann Myers, Ned Dennehy, Hayley Carmichael, Khalid Abdalla, Jan Bijvoet, Eric Godon, Tanya Reynolds, Tadhg Murphy, Katriina Unt, Sam Louwyck, Kate Dickie, Adrian Rawlins, Burn Gorman. (English dialogue)

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WOODLAWN, Md. (AP)  A Maryland man who neighbors said had a long history of aggression went on a rampage over the weekend, shooting or stabbing three people to death and setting his home on fire before responding officers fatally shot him, police said Sunday.

A news release from the Baltimore County Police Department identified the victims and offered the clearest picture so far of what the department said unfolded on a residential street in suburban Baltimore early Saturday morning.

According to police, a preliminary investigation indicates 56-year-old Everton Brown forced his way into a neighboring house, where he stabbed and shot Ismael Quintanilla, 41.

As Sara Alacote, 37, ran from that home in an attempt to escape, Brown chased her outside, fatally shooting her several times, the news release said. When two neighbors emerged from their home, Brown shot them as well, according to police.

One of those two, 24-year-old Sagar Ghimire, was later pronounced dead, the news release said. The other gunshot victim, who was not identified, is recovering from his injuries.

At some point during the course of events, Brown also set fire to his residence, police said. The scene was a charred mess  a fire official said Saturday that the building where the fire started, as well as one adjacent to it, collapsed and a third dwelling was heavily damaged.

Police received numerous calls reporting both the fire and an active shooter. Responding officers who were wearing body cameras encountered Brown in the parking lot, police said.

Four fired shots at him until they were able to take him into custody, according to the news release. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators later found several homemade explosive devices in one of Browns two vehicles, police said. They also recovered a handgun and large knife.

Police have not provided a motive or details about what preceded the attack. They said Sunday they were still conducting interviews and processing the scene.

Gail Watts, a longtime resident of the neighborhood who said she witnessed the attack unfolding, told The Associated Press on Saturday that many in the neighborhood thought Brown was mentally ill. She said he was aggressive toward women and often accused neighbors of surveilling him.

Other neighbors who spoke with the Baltimore Sun, which had written about Brown in 2008, described similar threatening, erratic behavior.

Detola Laditan, whose parents have lived nearby since 2005, told the newspaper Brown had been terrorizing the residents on the street as long as theyve lived there.

Everybody knew something was going to happen, Laditan said. "Everybody lived in fear.

Brown unsuccessfully sued the Department of Justice in federal court in 2012, the newspaper reported, alleging the agency had been running surveillance on him for more than five years and had unlawfully denied a public records request seeking records of said surveillance.

A judge dismissed the lawsuit, writing in his decision that Browns videos of purported aerial surveillance by the FBI generally show only stars or other celestial bodies," the newspaper reported.
As capacity on public transport increases to 50% from tomorrow as part of the phased reopening of the country, Bus Eireann is advising its Longford customers to travel outside of peak times, to book a guaranteed seat for inter-regional Expressway travel and to be prepared for greater demand on some services, especially during periods of fine weather, at weekends and morning/evening commute times.

It is very welcome that public transport will now be operating at a capacity of 50% and we look forward to playing our part in the safe reopening of society.

"For Bus Eireann that means carrying between 20 and 30 passengers on board, depending on vehicle size, said Allen Parker, chief customer officer.

As restrictions begin to ease across the country we anticipate there may be capacity pressures on certain routes at certain times of the day.

"Therefore we are encouraging our customers to ensure their journeys are carefully planned, to pre-book a guaranteed Expressway seats online and to travel off-peak  that is, after 9am and avoiding 4-6pm where possible. Fine weather increases demand especially for routes to the coast, and people should keep this in mind too.

A significant investment in technology since last summer means that guaranteed seat booking is now available for all Expressway interregional routes at expressway.ie, including for holders of free travel passes.

"We strongly urge customers to make use of this new facility to ensure they have a guaranteed seat for their journey, as walk up seats may not be available at all, said Mr Parker.

Another difference we are very aware of is that with the vaccination programme well underway, we are looking forward to welcoming back people who may have been cocooning since March 2020.People who may not have used Bus Eireann services in the past year will notice some changes, many for the better.

- Bus Eireann has introduced new services and schedules, so if you havent travelled for some time, check buseireann.ie and expressway.ie to plan your trip.

- Be sure to book your outbound and return journeys on Expressway.ie so as to guarantee your seat  a new facility not previously available.

- The 50% capacity limit relates to seated and standing passengers. Passengers are asked not to sit in the marked-off aisle seats and to leave two rows behind the driver vacant. The 50% capacity limit is clearly marked on board.

- The law requires people to wear face masks throughout their journey. Drivers wear a face mask while passengers are boarding and alighting. Face masks are available at vending machines in stations.

- Hand sanitising units are available on board and in stations.

- Bus Eireanns vehicles are cleaner than ever, with touchpoint cleaning during the day and deep cleaning overnight.

- Waiting areas have been reduced in stations so please do not arrive for your journey more than 15 minutes in advance, you may have to wait outside the station.

We ask our passengers for their continued understanding and respect for all our frontline employees as we work together to protect everyone and support the safe reopening of the country.

"We are delighted to be able to connect people once again, and encourage people to monitor the @buseireann and @ExpresswayIRE Twitter feeds for service updates, added Mr Parker.

Bus Eireann encourages customers to use Leap Cards, Automatic Ticket Machines and online ticket purchase to minimise the use of cash. Tickets can be purchased at www.buseireann.ie

Longford man raises over 20k for Ewings Sarcoma A Longford man has raised over 26,000 for Ewings Sarcoma Research thanks to over a thousand generous people donating to his Shave or Dye fundraiser.
American interventionism as a source of humanitarian crisis

21:11, May 09, 2021 By Li Haidong ( People's Daily Online

U.S. military vehicle is seen passing through the Tal Tamr area in the countryside of Hasakah Province in northeastern Syria on Nov. 14, 2019. (Xinhua File photo)

American interventionism has brought about multiple tragedies in the world, which is a stark reminder for us to remain extra vigilant against the erratic behavior and actions of the United States.

Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. had launched a so-called "humanitarian intervention" in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, transformed other countries politically and socially under the so-called doctrine of "the responsibility to protect," instigated wars against other countries in the name of anti-terrorism, and grossly interfered in other countries' domestic affairs under the pretext of protecting democracy and human rights.

The interventionist actions of the U.S. has disturbed public order in countries and regions all around the world, many of which have led to a large number of civilian casualties and the mass exodus of local populations, as well as the occurrence of numerous tragedies and humanitarian disasters.

In the 1990s, American-led interference in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia precipitated the outbreak of national and ethnic hostilities, triggering a series of vengeful confrontations in the region. Nearly 300,000 people died in the Bosnian War and the Kosovo War, while three million became refugees as a result of the armed conflict. After all the bloodshed, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ended up in an acrimonious break-up and disintegrated into several smaller and weaker countries.

The war initiated by the U.S. in Afghanistan, which has lasted 20 years from October 2001 up until today, has displaced 11 million people and has killed over 30,000 innocent civilians.

Meanwhile, the Iraq War launched by the U.S. in 2003, as well as the Syrian Civil War in which the Americans have played a major part, created a vacuum for incubating radicalized terrorist forces, most notoriously in the form of ISIS, while further fueling the outbreak of other incidental clashes in the Middle East, not to mention having led to a huge humanitarian tragedy in which over 200,000 civilians died and more than five million became homeless.

In the final analysis, all these interventionist actions of the U.S., disguised in mendacious excuses, have ended up causing severe humanitarian disasters in affected countries and regions.

The sustained war and chaos triggered by American interventionism have constantly compelled refugees to seek refuge in other countries and regions, exacerbating humanitarian disasters that were already a life-and-death situation for people on the ground. Most of the refugees in the Middle East and North Africa have sought refuge in Europe, while those in Latin America have flooded into the U.S. They have suffered from untold horrors while fleeing from their own countries, with many of them even having been separated from their families. A large number of refugees were rejected by their destination countries or put into detention facilities where their search for freedom fell on deaf ears.

However, life isn't easy for those who have made it to their host destinations, either. These refugees have often been discriminated against, excluded and attacked by local residents. Moreover, the social order in the communities that have received these foreign migrants are often characterized by chaos and an extreme sense of instability.

This has been the experience in Germany, which is today the largest refugee-hosting country in Europe. Receiving over 200,000 displaced people, the country is now suffering from severe economic and social impacts, and the German government has since been fiercely questioned for its handling of refugee-related issues. In Denmark and Sweden, direct conflict has erupted between local communities and refugee groups.

Successive refugee crises, brought on by Americas interventionist actions, have contributed in large part to undermining regional stability, with some developed countries that once espoused the value of human rights now being accused of disrespecting the human rights of incoming refugees. The stable and delicate social order in these countries that has been a feature of the past is now in great danger due to the flood of refugees from conflagrations abroad.

The ceaseless interventionist actions of the U.S. have placed the country itself into a deep humanitarian crisis. During the past two decades, military intervention has cost taxpayers in the country more than US$6 trillion, while the costs associated with clandestine activities, such as those in support of the so-called "Color Revolutions", have also added up to significant sums.

The U.S. is willing to spend huge amounts of money on interventions and military exercises overseas, many of which give rise to humanitarian disasters, but rarely assigns any of its discretionary spending on improving its race relations and the basic human rights of vulnerable groups living within its borders, let alone other measures to improve human rights conditions at home or abroad.

Political elites in the U.S., who are addicted to foreign intervention abroad and reluctant to improve the ability to govern at home, have become unwitting cheerleaders for a country that is now facing extreme and growing political, class and racial divides. Both the death toll wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken the lives of 568,000 American citizens, and the emotive case of George Floyd, point to the fact that American interventionism will only come back to hurt the country itself in the end. It's a huge irony, therefore, that the U.S. has become a model for aiding others in times of humanitarian crisis.

In a word, the interventionist actions of the U.S. are of good to no one and instead serve as a source of humanitarian disaster and human rights violations. The U.S. may continue to take such rash actions in the future, but more and more countries have realized that they must work together to firmly say no to such interventions, in this way promoting stability and sustained order around the world.

(Li Haidong is a professor with the Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University.)

Related reading:

U.S. human rights violations: exporting turmoil and leaving other countries behind in chaos

The sin of U.S. colonialism: Americas genocide against Native Americans

Ethnic minorities in the U.S. have long suffered from bullying, discrimination

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
State

World red cross day celebrated across the state

file photo

DIMAPUR: | Publish Date: 5/8/2021 2:24:29 PM IST

: World Red Cross Day (WRCD) is celebrated every year on May 8 to acknowledge the beliefs of the Red Crescent Movement and the International Red Cross. The day also signifies appreciation for the volunteers who are always ready to help the needy. In Nagaland, various Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) branches across the state celebrated that day under the theme, unstoppable.

Correspondent

LONGLENG, May 8 (NPN): IRCS Longleng branch celebrated WRCD on Saturday at DCs conference hall with DC Longleng, M. Shayung Phom as special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that Red Cross Society was a voluntary organisation where members sacrificed their lives in protecting and assisting the world in times of natural disasters, wars, epidemic diseases etc.

DC called upon the gathering to enhance the dignity of selfless service in protecting the lives of humankind in times of emergency such athe present COVID-19 pandemic where people need to extend every possible help, based on the fundamental principles of Red Cross Society which includes humanity, impartiality, voluntary and neutrality.

He also said that observing the day helped people become aware about the organisation and how it played an important role in times of distress.

Meanwhile, honorary secretary of the Red Cross society Longleng, YB Angam Phom highlighted the significance of the day.

He said that Jean Henry Dunants idea of voluntary, impartial and humanitarian services to victims of war was immortalised in the formation of Red Cross Movement globally.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by EAC Hq. Longleng, Pechano Kikon, Bible reading prayer by Police Baptist Church Longleng, pastor Chingthai Phom while vote of thanks was delivered by IRCS Longleng treasurer H. Leisha Phom.

Zunheboto: ICRS Zunheboto branch observed WRCD at DCs conference hall on the theme wear mask to protect yourself and others and stop the spread of COVID-19 adhering to all safety protocols.

According to DIPR report, while delivering the welcome address, honorary secretary Dr. Hokishe Kiho briefed about all the activities carried out by IRCS Zunheboto branch such as assistance to the returnees from outside the state, financial assistance to families affected by landslides, material assistance while visiting villages affected by natural calamities and others.

Meanwhile, DC and chairman of IRCS, Zunheboto branch, Peter Lichamo said that assistance provided by the Red Cross societies all over the world was well acknowledged because of the exemplary contributions the society provided to the needy at times of crisis and which he said was why the Red Cross Society was one the premium organisations that was respected and honoured.

He also said that the district branch should prepare itself in case of a worst blow during the pandemic. He appealed the members to always be ready and to make themselves available for the needy.

Speaking on the theme of the programme, CMO Zunheboto Dr. Akaho Sema stated that India was now entering the 3rd stage of the pandemic which means that the virus was spreading rapidly and the community spread was now inevitable.

He informed that unlike the earlier stages, contact tracing was no more possible, which was resulting in covid positive detection of more than 4 lakh and 3500 deaths everyday in an average across the country.

He expressed regret that there were still certain sections of the people who advocated against the only practical solutions such as wearing of masks, washing of hands, sanitising and getting vaccinated.

Earlier, IRCS advisor Dr. Huskha Yepthomi spoke on the inception of the Red Cross Society, vote of thanks was delivered by former vice chairman Hokugha Sukhalu who appealed to the IRCS Zunheboto not to be stagnant and to activate itself at this time of crisis in whichever way possible. The programme was chaired by vice chairman Kashito Yepthomi and invocation was said by Asheto Kiba.

Kohima: In commemoration of WRCD, IRCS Kohima branch visited the Good Samaritan Old Age Home at Meriema on the theme, together we are unstoppable emphasising on the triumphant spirit of humanitarian service worldwide.

In a press release, ICRS Kohima honorary secretary, Thehiechulie Louis Solo stated that the visit was accompanied by the office bearers and managing committee members of the Kohima district branch.

It may be mentioned that the team donated such as blankets, mask, groceries and some amount in cash to the home.

Mon: IRCS Mon branch observed WRCD at DCs conference hall with DC & IRCS chairman Mon, Thavaseelan K as special guest.

In a press release, honorary secretary, Nyamto Wangsha stated that during the programme, the special guest lauded the dedicated services of IRCS Mon and expressed his enthusiasm to extend all possible help to them in order to reach to the poor and needy when the need arises.

Meanwhile, CWC chairperson Raju Thapa Magar delivered the PowerPoint presentation on the activities of ICRS Mon branch during the period of 2020-2021

Earlier, the programme was chaired by IRCS Mon executive chairman KS Anil Kumar, invocation by Ashim Konyak and vote of thanks by Nyamto Wangsha.

To commemorate the day, IRCS Mon presented relief to the differentl abled persons.
The U.S. will likely ease up on indoor mask guidelines in real time as COVID-19 vaccinations continue to increase, Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday.

I think youre going to probably be seeing that as we go along and as more people get vaccinated, Fauci, the top White House medical adviser, told ABC News This Week. We do need to start being more liberal as we get more people vaccinated [because] the number of cases per day will absolutely go down. Were averaging about 43,000 a day. Weve got to get it much, much lower than that. When that gets lower, the risk of any infection, indoor or outdoor, diminishes dramatically.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adjusted its mask recommendations in late April, saying many unmasked outdoor activities such as running or walking were safe, especially for vaccinated Americans. The CDC also relaxed guidelines for some indoor activities, noting that masked vaccinated people can attend worship, visit restaurants or bars or partake in indoor exercises class.

But most people should still don masks indoors around people who are not vaccinated. Large crowds without social distancing should still be avoided, the CDC says.

We know the virus spreads very well indoors, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last month, arguing the agency would only further relax indoor mask recommendations after new daily cases were below 50,000.

Fauci, in an interview with NBC News Meet the Press on Sunday, noted that mask-wearing dramatically impacted the most recent flu season. He said more Americans may start wearing masks seasonally to prevent respiratory infections.

I think people have gotten used to the fact that wearing masks ... clearly, if you look at the data, it diminishes respiratory diseases. Weve had practically a non-existent flu season this year merely because people were doing the kinds of public health things that were directed predominately against COVID-19, he said.

Former Food and Drug Administration chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CBS News Face the Nation that COVID-19 cases were down to a point right now where we can ... start lifting these ordinances and allowing people to resume normal activity. Certainly, outdoors, we should not be putting limits on gatherings anymore and we should be encouraging people to go outside. States where infection rates are low should also see relaxed indoor public health guidelines, Gottlieb argued.

Both the town of Brookline and the city of Salem chose to continue their outdoor face covering mandates after Gov. Charlie Baker announced on April 27 that masks would only need to be worn outside when its not possible to socially distance and at other times based on sector-specific guidance.

Under the states current guidance, face coverings are still required in indoor public places and at events, whether held indoors or outdoors and whether held in a public space or private home, except for when eating or drinking, according to the governors office.

At small gatherings in private homes, face coverings are recommended but not required. The $300 enforcement fine for mask-wearing was eliminated as well.

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There are some really lovely phrases in the English language. The best and most commonly used is simply, I love you, but thank you, im sorry, and I forgive you are right up there.

For readers of this column, however, Id say that free beer ranks pretty highly. And now those two words are being employed for the greater good.

On May 8, New Yorks Erie County teamed up with Buffalo Resurgence Brewing to kick off its Shot and a Chaser program to entice people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. People who got their first dose of the vaccine at the brewery received a free pint glass and coupon for a drink of their choice.

Its unfortunate that people have to be lured into doing the right thing, but hey, whatever works, in my opinion. And one Resurgence employee had a point:

Given the world we live in right now, its not so weird, Ben Kestner, director of taproom operations at the brewery, told Sandra Tan of The Buffalo News.

And with vaccination appointments falling off recently (even though there are plenty of people who still need them), it was great to hear that there was a line out the door before the vaccinations even started.

Were going to do more people today at our first-dose clinics than most of our first-dose clinics in the last week combined, Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz said to the newspaper. Its been a success. We figured it would be pretty good, but now were seeing the results.

And like grapevine gossip about a good beer, word spreads fast about a good idea: Four more Erie County breweries have signed up for the program: Flying Bison and Thin Man Brewery, both also in Buffalo, Steelbound Brewery in Springville,, and The 12 Gates Brewing Company in Amherst. Other states have also shown interest in adopting the idea.

While free beer cant solve the pandemic alone, Poloncarz told the Buffalo News that the program helps.

But if it gets another 200 people vaccinated today who otherwise would not have, thats 200 more people that are going to be protected from COVID-19 and 200 less people we need to get to eventually reach herd immunity. And thats the important thing, he said.

This is obviously a great idea and I wonder if our local officials and local breweries could team up with a similar program. (And no, Im not angling for a free beer. Im already fully vaccinated. I hope you are  or will be soon.)
SPRINGFIELD  One of the most impactful aspects of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valleys programming is the opportunity for people from different socioeconomic levels to come together to address their racial biases.

While the program is traditionally done in person, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way the two-day immersive program will be taught in the future.

Assuming that restrictions are lifted we are going to be debuting a hybrid model in July, said Vanessa Otero, a co-founder and interim director of the institute.

More than 1,000 people from Western Massachusetts have gone through the program, and Otero is looking to expand the reach through virtual opportunities.

On April 28 the organization received a $300,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation to help launch its $1 million, three-year capital fund drive. A portion of the funding will go toward the hybrid initiative, as well as add staff, expand facilitator training and provide scholarships for individuals unable to afford participation in the program.

We want to ensure our programming is current, but also meaningful in the way it was intended to be since its inception, and this funding will help us do that, Otero said. It will also help us build the infrastructure necessary to make it a standalone organization.

A portion of the funding will go toward preparing people to go beyond the initial tools they get in the two-day program.

By developing cohorts within organizations, we hope these conversations become part of their hiring practices, part of the culture of organizations, Otero said. The idea is that they dont always have to come to us for these yearly anti-racism conversations. The goal is that this work  to end racism or to address bigotry and discrimination  is part of the fabric of the organizations.

With the MassMutual Foundation grant, the capital campaign has already reached $450,000 in financial commitments over the next three years, with other contributions coming from the Beveridge Foundation and The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation.

President Dennis Duquette said the MassMutual Foundation is committed to investing in the community it serves and initiatives that produce real change.

MassMutual is no stranger to supporting the citizens of our hometown, Springfield, dating back to our founding here in 1851, he said. Through the sweat equity of our employee volunteers, to the leadership of MassMutual executives on behalf of worthwhile causes, to financial support for community programs, we remain committed to help bring about sustainable, positive change for communities throughout the region.

Duquette said the Healing Racism Institute is doing timely and necessary work.

The current moment calls for change that can advance greater understanding, cooperation, and opportunities to thrive across an increasingly diverse populace, he said. The mission of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley is central to driving that important work here in greater Springfield, and we are delighted to support their growth and expand the reach of their efforts.

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BEIJING  Chinas space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and most of it burned up early Sunday.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said reentry occurred at 7:24 p.m. local time Saturday. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process, the report said.

Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

The roughly 30-meter (100-foot) -long stage would be among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth.

The 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroyed a defunct weather satellite in January 2007, creating a large field of hazardous debris imperiling satellites and other spacecraft.
SPRINGFIELD  Listen closely, and the visitor can perhaps hear the echoes of a time long gone by, but preserved by a man who believed the beauty of art should enjoyed by all.

George Walter Vincent Smith was ahead of his time, and, together with his wife, he gave Springfield a museum for the ages. Opened in 1896, the fruit of Smiths vision provided more than just a building filled with fascinating artifacts.

It was an opportunity for people in Springfield and Western Massachusetts to experience the worlds beauty without ever leaving home. And, today, in a 2021 world of constant and sometimes wrenching change, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is still standing elegantly in the Quadrangle, where its founder once lived, and providing that same experience.

George and his wife, Belle Townsley Smith, wanted ordinary people to be introduced to art from around the world, the types of art they would not ordinarily see, explains Maggie North, curator of art for the Springfield Museums.

The museum brings 19th and early 20th century art to life, and in this, its 125th year, it is more relevant and vibrant than ever. Its been accorded the prestigious 2021 Paul & Niki Tsongas Award, the highest honor given by Preservation Massachusetts, and there is hope for more recognition to come.

The museum is competing for the Peoples Preservation Choice Award, which is sponsored by Preservation Massachusetts and will be determined by an online public vote. Voting is open until noon on May 20.

Nothing would be more appropriate, for it was the public that the Smiths had in mind when they gave the city a window to the world that very few citizens of the Western world  let alone Western Massachusetts  might ever have seen.

In doing so, the Smiths sowed the seeds for another cultural phenomenon: the Springfield Museums. Today, the Quadrangle is home to several institutions and has secured the citys place in the world of art, history and science.

But the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum was the first in the city and stands as testament to its founders vision, dedication and spirit.

This started and inspired the entire Quadrangle. Its called and recognized as a mini-Smithsonian says Karen Fisk, director of marketing and communication strategy for the Springfield Museums.

Suggestions have been made that Smiths influence is felt not just by the spectacular collection he assembled, but by the spirit of the founder himself. Smith and his wife are interred within the museums walls, and urban legend exists that their ghostly spirit is a positive, paranormal presence.

Some feel (the Smiths) have walked the halls (in spirit), North said with a smile during a tour this week. Theyd be pleased.

George Walter Vincent Smith died at 90 in 1923, five years before his wifes passing. Their lives spoke to the dazzle of the Gilded Age, but rather than limit the beauty of world-class art to the elite, they introduced it to the masses.

The vast collection of Chinese and Japanese art was collected at a particularly momentous time in global history.

In the 19th century, Japan was just opening up to the west. Items that had never been available became available, and no one had ever seen anything like them, says Heather Haskell, director of the Springfield Art Museums and Collections. George was entranced by them, and he wanted to show them to the citizens of Springfield. People also came from all over the nation to see them.

They still do. In 2012, the general counsel of Japan for Boston, Takeshi Hikihara, came to see the array of Japanese suits, arms, armor and samurai swords.

The Chinese collection also shows form, function and symbolism. Its one of the most impressive collections in the United States, Haskell says.

Smith also saw beauty in Middle Eastern and Islamic art, in ways other experienced collectors of his time did not.

In his lifetime, carpets had been used almost exclusively on floors, which caused many of their frills and decorative aspects to be stripped away. But Smith insisted on preserving the pieces in their entirety. That is why today, the museum is one of very few that can display these carpets in full splendor.

He saw the carpets as art objects, not utilitarian, explains Haskell. He was clear about not altering the objects at all.

33 George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum continues giving world-class art a Springfield home

Smiths own story is as remarkable as the museum he created. He made a comfortable living as a producer of elegant carriages, then retired at 35 to pursue his passion for art collecting.

His entry was well-timed, for it came before such collecting became popular. Smiths pioneering spirit later showed itself in another progressive way, when he insisted his museum be directed, managed and curated by women  at a time the womans place in business and society was rarely so prominent.

In 1869, Smith married Belle Townsley, the daughter of a prominent Springfield politician and businessman. Their home was in Springfield, though they also toured the world and spent much time in Italy, where their support of Italian artists led to a place for their works in the museum.

They also enthusiastically supported contemporary American artists. Perhaps most famous, though, is the collection of Asian art, including one of the largest collections of Chinese cloisonne metalwork outside of Asia.

The uniqueness of the Smith museum displays is not limited to the art. The airtight cases are originals, a remarkable testament to 19th century craftsmanship that protected precious items long before air quality control was perfected.

Air conditioning, in fact, was not installed at the museum until 2011. Before then, once the temperature went over 100 degrees, wed close the second floor, Haskell says.

Modern amenities, though, have not changed the flavor of a museum that captures the past.

The gallery is lit by natural lighting, Haskell explains. In the 19th century, that was cutting-edge.

The Tsongas Award honors people and projects that have displayed the highest level of commitment to historic preservation in Massachusetts. At the George W.V. Smith Art Museum, restoration has been in full swing for the past 10 years.

Funds raised entirely from grants and a capital campaign have gone into climate modification, roof repair and restoration of 33 Tiffany stained-glass windows  the only such windows still in use by a museum.

They were designed specifically for this building. We felt so strongly about the founders vision that we restored the skylights, too. They give a warm, beautiful glow, even on a cloudy day, Haskell says.

The museum is free to Springfield residents. With safety COVID-19 protocols in place, it has been open since mid-July and is ready now for summer visitors as tourism and travel make a comeback.

Smith ordered his personal papers destroyed upon his death, but some of Belles correspondence remains, as do hundreds of photographs, catalogues, documents and invoices from artists and others. This allows the museum archives to chronicle the atmosphere of the Gilded Age, which was consigned to the rear view mirror by 1923, the year an addition was built to the museum  and the same year Smith died.

He lived to see the addition, though, Haskell says. He brought art from all over the world to Springfield, at a time people werent always able to travel. Maintaining his vision is still very important to us, in everything we do.

CAST YOUR VOTE

The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield is in the running for the Peoples Preservation Choice Award, sponsored by Preservation Massachusetts

Deadline: May 20, noon; daily voting allowed

Vote: Online, preservationmass.org

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One year ago this month, the toll of those lost at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke had exceeded more than 70 men and women. The COVID-19 coronavirus crept into the home for ill and aging veterans, taking lives of residents and sickening others, including many staff. It was a circumstance not unlike what transpired in scores of nursing homes and facilities for elders across this nation.

A year later, the families of those lost still grieve. They and all of us still wait for answers from the state about how and why the outbreak was allowed to course its way, initially unchecked, through the place their loved ones had gone for sanctuary.

The state Legislature this week named a conference committee of six senators and representatives whose task it is to determine a path forward for the reconstruction and expansion of Soldiers Home. They will sort out differences between the $400 million bill approved by the House and the $600 million Senate version.

The bond bill, submitted by Gov. Charlie Baker in February, initially survived review by three subcommittees. Each version received unanimous support of the branch involved. The $200 million difference represents funds the Senate added to help extend and expand services to other parts of the Bay State, including southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, whose veterans are more distant from both of the soldiers homes in Holyoke and Chelsea. The Senate bill also added some policy amendments related to Soldiers Home governance and other matters.

There is a clear sense of urgency to enact this legislation so the state can complete its work to meet an Aug. 1 deadline to secure up to $260 million in federal Department of Veterans Affairs funding for the project. To be sure, $400 million is very large amount of money. We trust the numbers are being carefully determined by state planning agencies and reviewed by the federal government.

This is not a time when politics should come into play, either pitting one region of our state against another nor seeing any single legislator ruffling feathers in search of attention. This legislation is a debt owed for the legacy of those lost and those serving today in the military.

Now is the time for every single member of the Legislature to take the necessary steps to fund a Soldiers Home of the future. No matter whether located in Holyoke or Chelsea, these homes serve all veterans.

It is imperative for the conference committee to come together swiftly and hammer out the details so the work already in progress be completed to meet the needs of all generations of veterans. There are men and women now serving in Afghanistan who will soon be coming home and who in another five, 10 or 20 years  if not earlier - will need treatment for their bodies and souls. They  and their families  deserve a state-of-the-art facility to provide the care they will need.

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts progressive who finished third in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, will run for re-election to the Senate in 2024.

Warren told Politico that she hopes to keep making her mark in Congress, where Democrats have a slim edge over Republicans just as progressives are seeing more of their proposals weaved into President Joe Bidens multi-trillion-dollar packages aimed at COVID-19 relief, jobs and infrastructure, and education and families.

After her failed White House bid, Warren  a political newcomer in 2012  said she was open to serving as Bidens vice president or Treasury secretary. Neither came to be, and Biden has not incorporated Warrens wealth tax on ultra-millionaires and billionaires  one of her signature campaign policy plans  into his tax proposals.

But Biden has pushed forward with proposals long aligned with Warren, including the elimination of several tax loopholes, raising the corporate tax rate, hiking the federal minimum wage and boosting child care. Hes also open to Warrens push for canceling up to $50,000 in debt for students and former students who took out federal loans.

Bidens American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan are framed in part by many economic and environmental proposals from progressives like Warren, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Ed Markey, and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley.

Pressley and former Rep. Joe Kennedy III have often been named as potential candidates for Warrens seat, had the 71-year-old picked up a Cabinet spot or not sought re-election.

In Warrens new book, Persist, and in an interview with Politico, she acknowledges a few mistakes that hurt her campaign, including taking a DNA test in an attempt to put to rest controversy over claiming Native American ethnicity while teaching in law school.

But Warren, a bankruptcy expert who now chars the Senate Finance Committees Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, said she wouldnt have done much differently during her White House run. And she still touts her broad policy plans, telling Politico that solid detailed plans are the physical manifestation of values that voters are looking for.

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BALTIMORE  Michael Chavis called his family after seeing his name in the Red Soxs lineup Saturday.

As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big, old smile on my face, Chavis said.

Chavis, who Boston recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Friday, took advantage of his opportunity. He belted a 381-foot two-run homer to help lead the Red Sox 11-6 over the Orioles here at Camden Yards.

Chavis, he comes up and gets a homer in his first game, Xander Bogaerts said. Its contagious.

The Red Sox stroked 14 hits. Everyone in Bostons starting lineup, except for Rafael Devers, stroked at least one hit. Alex Verdugo and Bogaerts each recorded three hits. Christian Vazquez and Hunter Renfroe had two hits apiece.

We controlled the strike zone, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. We used the other side of the field. Overall, it was outstanding.

Vazquez changes this lineup

Christian Vazquez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs and one walk in Saturdays win.

He is 10-for-22 (.455) with a .480 on-base percentage, .545 slugging percentage, two doubles, five runs, seven RBIs, two walks and two steals in six games during May.

Cora said Vazquez has the ability to change the complexion of the lineup.

When Christian is just hitting line drives all over the place, it gets the line moving, Cora said. Sometimes he gets caught up on hitting the ball in the air and all that. Understandably so because he can do it. But when he starts spreading the ball all over the place and becomes the complete hitter, he changes this lineup.

Richards pitches 7 innings

Red Sox starter Garrett Richards improved to 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA. He pitched 7 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and one walk while striking out five.

For him to go seven (innings) was huge, Cora said. We were able to reset our bullpen and now we are at full force tomorrow.

The sixth inning was a struggle. Richards gave up two runs on three hits (two doubles) and one walk.

I feel like I got caught up in us having a big lead right there in the sixth inning, Richards said. I wish I would have thrown more first-pitch breaking balls and kind of got guys off the fastball.

Richards allowed six earned runs in 2 innings his first start April 4 at home against Baltimore. He has allowed 12 runs in 33  innings (3.21 ERA) in six starts since then.

Red Sox want Sawamura to elevate fastball

Red Sox reliever Hirokazu Sawamura has allowed four homers in 14  innings.

The rest of the Red Sox relievers has allowed eight homers in 108  innings (entering Saturday).

Fastballs down in the zone, Cora said about the common denominator. We have talked about it. We want him to elevate. (Friday) velocity was up. It was 97, 98 (mph). But at this level, it seems like fastballs down in the zone, thats where theyre hunting.

Besides that, hes been OK, Cora added. Obviously the walks against lefties, it concerns you. Walks from the bullpen, it always concerns you. But I think its just a slight adjustment. Being able to elevate the fastball. Im not saying just throw it up there all the time. Youve got to get ahead. But you can expand up. And then if he goes up, they get to the limit, and then he can use that split, which I think has been playing better lately. I think that is the next step, just to make sure where to use his weapons. And I think that fastball should play up in the zone.

Lineup construction

Michael Chavis, who has a .302 career on-base percentage, batted leadoff Saturday, one day after Marwin Gonzalez (.317 OBP) led off.

Kike Hernandez (.312 career OBP) had been hitting in the leadoff spot until he went on the IL because of a right hamstring strain.

Cora likes a right-handed hitter at the top so he can separate Alex Verdugo and Rafael Devers, both left-handed hitters. Verdugo has been batting second and Devers fifth.

But why not Verdugo at leadoff and Xander Bogaerts second?

Cora prefers Bogaerts always hitting behind No. 3 hitter J.D. Martinez.

You saw what happened to us against Detroit, Cora said. J.D. got walked twice (intentionally) and they went to probably one of the best hitters (Bogaerts) in the big leagues. Its not about protection. Its about construction and how to manage the team against us. It seems like its pretty difficult for the opposition to manage the bullpen with this structure that we have.

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The man who was fatally shot by police in Leicester Sunday morning drove an SUV up a handicap ramp and repeatedly rammed the doors of the police station, authorities said.

That man, who police have not yet publicly identified, then popped out of the SUV and immediately shouldered what appeared to be a rifle and aimed it at the police officers, Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said.

Two Leicester officers who responded to the scene fired at the man, who was fatally wounded.

The incident unfolded at 6:13 a.m. Sunday.

A dispatcher at a regional communications center in Worcester saw the SUV on surveillance cameras slam into the steel set of doors at the Leicester police station located at 90 South Main St.

He repeatedly rammed those doors until he gained entry with his vehicle into the building, Early said.

Leicester Police Chief Kenneth Antanavica said the driver used the handicap ramp outside the building to drive up to the building.

Almost the entire vehicle was into the lobby, the chief said.

The dispatcher called Leicester officers who were on duty.

When the officers arrived at the police station the vehicle was in front of the doors, Early said. The man exited the vehicle and immediately shouldered what appeared to be a rifle and aimed it at the police officers.

Early declined to say if the rifle was an operable firearm or something else.

It appeared to be a real gun when he was pointing it at the officers, Early said.

The officers shot the man. Officers then placed the man on his side and began administering first aid until an ambulance arrived.

The man was rushed to Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester where he was pronounced dead.

No officers were injured.

At around 6:15 a.m., a police dispatcher announced that a vehicle had rammed into the police station, according to archived audio on Broadcastify.

Station 10 to ambulance personnel and company-wide, be advised theres a vehicle in the lobby, she said. A few moments later, she added, the vehicle attempted to get out of the lobby and then just came back in again, noting its going to damage the building or people.

Not long after officers say theyre at the station, someone shouts, Suspects down!

The dispatcher later radios out that, we have a male party down on the ground, and the ambulance crew reports that the suspect suffered a gunshot wound.

The front doors of the Leicester Police Station have been boarded up after a man drove an SUV up the handicap ramp and repeatedly rammed the doors with the vehicle. (Tom Matthews | MassLive)

Early, who referenced the surveillance video during a press conference, did not discuss any possible motive or reasons behind what happened citing the ongoing investigation.

You got a guy shouldering a rifle, pointing it at the officers. You can see the reaction of the officers as what appears to be that rifle is pointed at them, Early said.

The man, who is in his 20s, appeared to be white and was known to police a little, Early said. The man had a pending traffic case in East Brookfield District Court.

Antanavica called it an isolated incident and offered his thoughts and prayers to everyone involved.

The two officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave per department policy. Early said part of the investigation, which will be conducted by Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to his office, will be to determine who was in the station at the time.

Route 9 was shut down for hours in the area around the police station and investigators poured over the scene.

MassLive reporter Benjamin Kail contributed to this report
International

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa calls for fair, inclusive Europe

Antonio Costa

LISBON, MAY 8 (IANS): | Publish Date: 5/8/2021 1:35:18 PM IST

Europes post-pandemic economic recovery will only succeed if it is fair and inclusive, said Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.

He made the remarks on Friday as he opened the Porto Social Summit, an event hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), reports Xinhua news agency.

Prime Minister Costa, who chairs the Council of the EU, said that the time has come to rapidly launch economic and social recovery based on the engines of climate and digital transitions in a sustainable way.

These transitions generate opportunities, but they also generate great anguish and much anxiety for millions of workers, as well as fears for small and medium-sized companies that fear losing competitiveness with the new environmental demands.

The EU must not forget the flip side of these transitions, the need for a strong social pillar to combat inequality, to create new jobs, to ensure requalification and social protection, Costa said.

He also stated that the European Commissions plans are not only a response to the current situation, but above all, they are an instrument for the future.

According to the Prime Minister, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of a strong social state, in addition to multiple weaknesses that still exist in our societies.

A precarious society is not a resilient society. Recovery cannot just meet the present emergency and the time has come to combine emergency with recovery, he concluded.

Echoing Costas message, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised that Europe is stronger when it is united by social programs.

Together we are stronger, together we can make our social rules work for all Europeans. Together we can deliver on Europes promise, she said.

According to von der Leyen, the objective of the summit is to build a social Europe that is capable of realizing our ambitions.

Thanking Costa for hosting the Social Summit, von der Leyen said that the pandemic uncertainty is not over yet and recovery is still at an early stage.

Thanks to our single market social economy, we can give people certainty, who now more than ever need tangible and positive changes.

The two-day summit is attended by President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, the European Council President Charles Michel, the Commissions Executive Vice Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, as well as 24 European heads of state and government and other political and institutional leaders, social partners and civil society.

Topping the agenda is the action plan presented by the Commission in March, which sets out three major goals for 2030: have at least 78 per cent of the European population in employment; ensure that at least 60 per cent of adults participate in trainings; and lift 15 million people out of poverty and social exclusion.
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwas decision to assent to a host of controversial constitutional amendments has seen him starting a war on many battle fronts amid a looming fierce legal tussle over the changes to the supreme law.

Mnangagwa on Friday swiftly signed Constitutional Amendment No 2 Bill into law, a few days after Zanu PF joined hands with the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T in the Senate to pass the over 20 changes.

Critics say the amendments have created an imperial presidency as the president was given powers to appoint the countrys top judges. Other far reaching changes include raising the retirement age for judges from 70 to 75.

The clause is set to benefit Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who was due to retire this week when he turns 70.

A clause on running mates in presidential elections has also been scrapped before it could be tested for the first time in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The scrapping of the running mate clause is said to be an attempt to contain Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is said to have ambitions to take over the top office. Mnangagwa is accused of using the amendments to entrench his rule at the expense of democracy.

Two of the countrys top lawyers Tendai Biti and Thabani Mpofu say this week they will challenge the amendments at the Constitutional Court. The fight for protection and defence of our constitution has become the defining fight of the present, Biti said.

There will be a floodgate of litigation, which ought to be complemented by peaceful civic action.

On Friday members of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition convened an emergency meeting in Harare where they resolved to fight back.

Musa Kika, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum director, told The Standard that civil society organisations (CSOs) were ready to confront the government over the amendments.

Lobby and advocacy must continue, Kika said. The Bill was passed unprocedurally and unconstitutionally, and CSOs are challenging that in the courts. Substantively, the Bill is heavily flawed, and citizens voices must continue to voice their concerns.

The government must have no doubt that they have taken an anti-people stance.

ZimRights director Dzikamai Bere said CSOs had launched a petition against the amendments and encouraged Malaba to reject moves to extend his term of office.

Its a poisoned chalice. Like all good judges, the chief justice is encouraged to turn this gift down. Meanwhile, people must sign the petition, Bere said.

As of yesterday, at least 7 000 people had signed the online petition that was launched on Thursday evening with a target of 75 000 signatures.

The mainstream opposition MDC Alliance said it was mobilising its supporters to challenge the amendments.

As highlighted by president Nelson Chamisa, the citizens must converge to fight this and all other hallmarks of autocracy, the partys secretary for constitutional and parliamentary affairs, Kucaca Phulu, said. United Kingdom-based constitutional law expert Alex Magaisa said Zimbabwe was now slowly sliding back to a constitutionalised authoritarian regime.

Mnangagwas spokesperson George Charamba, however, defended the amendments and accused those who are opposed to them as pawns of Western countries.

It met all the requirements of change-by-law, all the requirements of democratic conduct, all the requirements of independent play by the three pillars of the State, Charamba said on Twitter.

What we are sure to see them [the West] do is to organise against Amendment Number 2.

But because they cant do it openly, they will do it covertly initially, through their well-known pawns here.

He added: These cats paws will agitate; even goad the authorities to provoke firm state response, which is inevitable and deserved.

That way, this proximate, responsive development then is made to look, read like its causally linked to western response and opposition.

In reality, they merely will have precipitated an excuse and development behind, which is to pursue their original grievance against the second republic, a grievance they feel so outsmarted to present directly.

We are headed that way and all actors must keep this in mind going forward. Standard
LUXAFLOR Roses, the company which got a US$750 000 bank loan guarantee from government that has raised eyebrows, says it does not have any link with Zanu PF, despite its manager having previously expressed support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The government announced in last Fridays Government Gazette that it will guarantee a US$750 000 CBZ loan to Luxaflor Roses under the Covid-19 Economic Recovery and Stimulus Package.

The guarantee covers 50% of the facility meant to finance the procurement of raw materials for the production and export of roses.

In November 2020, the horticulture project run by Aart Nugteren and his son Roelof was reported to be exporting 30 million to 35 million rose stems per year, earning US$8.2 million.

In an interview in August 2018, Roelof told an international newsletter that Mnangagwa would be the best leader for Zimbabwe, arguing that Chamisa would not be able to fulfil electoral promises.

He (Mnangagwa) got 80 to 90% of the votes in all rural areas. The only place where many people were against him was capital city Harare. Unemployment is very high there. November last year, everyone was jumping for joy at the prospect of change after all that time. And now, people in the cities already want to see more changes. Its important to stay realistic, Roelof said then.

Chamisa promises the population all sorts of things, but he wouldnt be able to deliver, because he doesnt have any international contacts. Mnangagwas past might not be great, but foreign companies and organisations all know him. Hell open Zimbabwes borders for international trade. What Zimbabwe needs now is hard currency, and Mnangagwa will be able to attract investors.

Zanu PF is the best party for employers, we can see theyre trying their best. For example, by offering foreign companies the opportunity to purchase land.

Roelof referred questions from The NewsHawks on the loan guarantee to the companys chairperson, saying he was just a farm manager.

Luxaflor chairperson Yakub Mahomed said the guarantee was based on merit as the company had no links to the government.

The guarantee was based on three things: growing the rose industry, creating jobs and earning foreign currency. We started with nine hectares and we are intending to be on 32 hectares in September. Most of our money has been going towards capital expansion. We need to import the greenhouses because they last longer, Mahomed said.

We have been going to the banks but have not been successful there because the banks are not accepting security of things on the farm. So, government stepped up because they could see the vision we have and the process was thorough. I have been working closely with government on the 200-hectare rollout we are working on. And I should just add, this will be a loan and we will pay it back.

He said exports were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic but were starting to improve. The 16-hectare rose farm is in Concession.

The guarantee reads: It is hereby notified, in terms of section 300 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, as read with section 18 (2) of the Public Debt Management Act [Chapter 22:21], that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development hereby issued the following:

(a) Guarantee, binding the Government of Zimbabwe as surety for the repayment of US$750,000,00 (50% of the facility) to Luxaflor Roses (Private) Limited from CBZ Bank Limited to finance the procurement of raw materials for production and export of roses under the COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Stimulus Package;

(b) should there be any outstanding amounts due to Lender at the date of maturity of the Guarantee; the Guarantor undertakes to make full payment of all amounts payable by the Guarantor in terms of this Guarantee upon demand from the Lender within thirty (30) calendar days;

(c) that the total amount of this Guarantee shall be reduced by any payment of the principal, interest and fees by the Lender, or any payment of the principal, interest and fees by the Guarantor;

(d) Guarantee is for the use and benefit of the Lender and the Lender may not without consent of the Guarantor, assign, transfer, mortgage, charge and deal in any matter with or all of its rights and obligations under this Guarantee;

(e) The guarantee shall remain valid and in force until all amounts due under the terms and conditions of the Facility are paid up. NewsHawks
In Maharashtra COVID-19 case tally has crossed the 5 million-mark while fatalities shot past the 75,000-level, although the situation in Mumbai remained positive, health officials said here.



Compared to 898 deaths reported on Friday, the state's fatalities went down to 864 on Saturday, taking the state's overall death toll to 75,277, the worst in the country.

Maharashtra has reported 53,605 new cases, much lower than the record high of 68,631 cases recorded on April 18, mounting the state's overall tally past the 50 lakh-mark to 50,53,336.





For the seventh straight day, the state's fatality rate remained stable at 1.49 per cent, while the number of active cases stood at 628,213.



On the brighter side, 82,266 fully cured patients returned home on Saturday, the highest in a single day this month, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 43,47,592. Maharashtra's recovery rate increased from 85.36 per cent a day before to 86.03 per cent now.



The Mumbai Circle, comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, recorded a drop in new cases from 8,335 on Friday to 7,541 now, taking its overall tally to 14,39,919, while 129 deaths mounted its death toll to 24,574 till date.



Of the day's 864 total fatalities due to the contagion, Aurangabad led the chart with 96 deaths, followed by 81 in Nashik, 66 in Nagpur, 62 in Mumbai, 47 in Ahmednagar, 45 in Solapur, 38 in Thane, 34 in Satara, 33 in Nandurbar, 28 each in Raigad and Yavatmal, 26 in Osmanabad, 25 in Kolhapur, 24 in Sangli, 21 each in Parbhani and Nanded, 20 each in Beed and Amravati, 19 each in Pune and Chandrapur, 17 in Wardha, 15 in Jalgaon, 13 in Washim, 12 in Ratnagiri, and 10 each in Latur and Akola -- in the higher range.



There were 8 deaths in Jalna, 7 in Dhule, 6 in Gadchiroli, 4 each in Sindhudurg and Gondia, 2 each in Hingoli and Bhandara, and 1 in Palghar -- in the lower range.



Out of the 36 districts in the state, only Buldhana reported zero fatalities on Saturday.



Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation decreased from 38,41,431 a day before to 37,50,502 now, while those shunted to institutional quarantine went down from 28,860 on Friday to 28,453 on Saturday.



Source: IANS Mumbai's daily deaths went down from 71 on Friday to 62 Saturday, as the total number of fatalities in the country's commercial capital shot up to 13,713.For the seventh straight day, the state's fatality rate remained stable at 1.49 per cent, while the number of active cases stood at 628,213.On the brighter side, 82,266 fully cured patients returned home on Saturday, the highest in a single day this month, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 43,47,592. Maharashtra's recovery rate increased from 85.36 per cent a day before to 86.03 per cent now.The Mumbai Circle, comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, recorded a drop in new cases from 8,335 on Friday to 7,541 now, taking its overall tally to 14,39,919, while 129 deaths mounted its death toll to 24,574 till date.Of the day's 864 total fatalities due to the contagion, Aurangabad led the chart with 96 deaths, followed by 81 in Nashik, 66 in Nagpur, 62 in Mumbai, 47 in Ahmednagar, 45 in Solapur, 38 in Thane, 34 in Satara, 33 in Nandurbar, 28 each in Raigad and Yavatmal, 26 in Osmanabad, 25 in Kolhapur, 24 in Sangli, 21 each in Parbhani and Nanded, 20 each in Beed and Amravati, 19 each in Pune and Chandrapur, 17 in Wardha, 15 in Jalgaon, 13 in Washim, 12 in Ratnagiri, and 10 each in Latur and Akola -- in the higher range.There were 8 deaths in Jalna, 7 in Dhule, 6 in Gadchiroli, 4 each in Sindhudurg and Gondia, 2 each in Hingoli and Bhandara, and 1 in Palghar -- in the lower range.Out of the 36 districts in the state, only Buldhana reported zero fatalities on Saturday.Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation decreased from 38,41,431 a day before to 37,50,502 now, while those shunted to institutional quarantine went down from 28,860 on Friday to 28,453 on Saturday.Source: IANS

The situation in Mumbai continued to be encouraging, with new infections remaining much below the 5,000-level at 2,664, taking the city's overall tally to 673,235 till date.
Jah Prayzah honoured his mother

Mothers Day yesterday saw some Zimbabweans presenting gifts to their biological mothers, others to their spiritual mothers while some had the opportunity to honour aunts, sisters and grandmothers who raised and provided for them in the absence of their mothers.

Mothers have been described as a rare species that has strength and unconditional love.

In her message on Mothers Day, First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa expressed concern over Covid-19, which has taken many lives and urged mothers to pray for the nation and the leaders to find a lasting solution to the pandemic.

As a mother I am worried by the surge in teen pregnancies as we saw at the end of the previous Covid-19 induced lockdown that many of our daughters failed to return to school after falling pregnant. Falling pregnant at a tender age exposes our children to serious health challenges, poverty and sexually transmitted infections among many other challenges, she said.

She also showed concern over the increase of drug abuse and domestic violence as a result of Covid-19 and urged mothers to have time to listen to their childrens challenges and proffer solutions where possible.

Amai Mnangagwa expressed concern over the increase in children being murdered for ritual purposes.

We have no place for killers in our country and (must) avoid behaviours and beliefs that border on the bizarre and lack of respect for the sanctity of human life. The law must take its course and ensure perpetrators of such heinous crimes are removed from society and be made to rot in jail. We all have a role to play in raising morally upright children in a safe environment, she said.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, told The Herald that as a Cabinet minister, who is also a mother, she takes special pride in, and reveres the celebration of the universal Mothers Day.

As we receive goodwill messages, cards, flowers, wines and an assortment of gifts, we must cherish our eternal and sacred duty of ensuring the perpetual continuity of the human race. We have those special and exciting nine months as our collective badge that ends up in a burst of the joy of life.

There is the ensuing tender care all the way to maturity and beyond. Our duty of shaping the building bricks of family, community, society, nationals and the global humanity. Lets share the auspicious occasion as we bond tight to our husbands, our men, our boys and our daughters and all from further afield, said Minister Mutsvangwa.

On their twitter account yesterday, the UN Women celebrated mothers: Today, we want to thank mothers everywhere, in all shapes and forms, for the immeasurable contributions that they make every day. On #MothersDay, we show our appreciation for mothers and caregivers & make visible their contributions to the lives and futures of our next generation.

Albino Charity Organisation of Zimbabwe (Alcoz) founder Ms Loveness Mainato, who looks after children with albinism, said being a mother was a great honour as it bestowed a sense of responsibility on someone.

I am obliged to take Gods duties as a mother to the vulnerable children with albinism. It makes me feel my worthiness to the society. I treat all the children equally the same. Im a proud super mum. I raise my shoulders higher as I celebrate Mothers Day, she said.

Apostle Farai Chipoyera of Kingdom Prosperity Ministries, who received flowers and gifts from her congregation, said motherhood meant caring, loving, raising kids, rebuking them, shaping their destiny, guiding them, leading them.

Motherhood means warning children about dangers that lie in wait in life, teaching them the ways of God, prayer, fasting, word, principles, generosity . . . teaching them how to be a good spouse, how to build a solid marriage, mentorship and much more, she said.

Apostle Chipoyera said mothers should be honoured and respected all the time with children recognising their role in their lives.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust president Mrs Depinah Nkomo said a mother was an important figure in a family and the nation as a whole.

Mothers sacrifice their lives ensure families are well fed. Mothers have joined their male counterparts in farming businesses and we are taking it seriously producing food for our families, nation and export markets.

No matter what circumstances mothers do not give up on their families and as such women farmers should continue working hard to feed the nation and contribute towards the well-being of the nation, she said.

Harare woman, Mrs Faith Zemba said Mothers Day was not only for biological mothers but anyone who plays a role in the upbringing of a child.

Mothers come in different forms and we should cherish and honour them, she said. Herald
A hard-hitting editorial published in the US medical journal The Lancet said that Prime Minister Narendra Modis actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable.

 Reuters

The journal also went on to say that PM Narendra Modis government seems more interested in 'removing criticism' on Twitter than trying to control the second wave of COVID in the country.



The editorial quoted The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation saying that India will see a staggering 1 million deaths due to COVID-19 by August 1st. If that outcome were to happen, Modis Government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe The Lancet said.

"India squandered its early successes in controlling COVID-19. Until April, the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages.

"The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart," it said.

 Reuters

The journal also heavily criticised the government for projecting an impression that India had beaten the virus after several months of low cases. The impression was made despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains.



The editorial also pointed out that despite warnings, the government allowed super spreader events like religious festivals and political rallies to go ahead.

Despite warnings about the risks of super-spreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies-conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures," Lancet said.

 Reuters

The publication also criticised Indias vaccination programme saying that the message that COVID-19 was essentially over caused the slow down of the vaccination campaign.



The Lancet also called the policy "botched" and "falling apart at the central level. The journal also noted that the Government shifted course without even discussing the change in policy with states.

The journal says that India must restructure its response to the rise and success of that effort depends on the government owning up to its mistakes. The journal called for responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart.

Source: The Lancet
On Friday, 7 May 2021, the Prosecutor of the International criminal Court ("ICC" or the "Court"), Mrs Fatou Bensouda and her team met a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at the Seat of the Court led by H.E. Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The full day of productive discussions with the representatives of Afghanistan included the participation of officials from, inter alia, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, the Attorney General's Office, the Supreme Court and the National Security Department. The meeting was organised in the context of the Government of Afghanistan's March 2020 request for the Office to defer its investigation pursuant to article 18(2) of the Rome Statute. At the meeting, detailed presentations provided further insights into investigative steps taken or planned by the national authorities in Afghanistan and an opportunity for the Office to seek clarifications on a number of discussion points.

In stressing the importance of a victims-centred approach, Prosecutor Bensouda and H.E. Minister Atmar on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan pledged to work together to achieve justice for the Afghan people by holding perpetrators of atrocity crimes accountable.

"I have great admiration for the courage and resilience of the people of Afghanistan who have withstood tremendous adversity through decades of conflict and violence. They deserve tangible justice without delay", stated Prosecutor Bensouda. "I look forward to continuing our constructive exchanges with the Government of Afghanistan, which was exemplified by today's discussions, as we work towards determining how justice may best be served through joint collaborative efforts with full commitment to our respective independent duties and responsibilities under the Rome Statute", added the Prosecutor.

H.E. Minister Atmar thanked Prosecutor Bensouda for her commitment stating that "this was a historic and very constructive meeting. The Government of Afghanistan is grateful to the ICC Prosecutor for hosting our high-level delegation to address the investigation and prosecution of all international crimes in Afghanistan" adding that "at this decisive moment for our country's future, we have made encouraging progress in charting the way forward to ensure that no crimes will go unpunished. With our government's unwavering commitment to human rights and justice, we are confident that with full cooperation with the Prosecutor, we can jointly advance the cause of justice for all of the victims of the long and devastating conflict."

H.E. Mr Zabihullah Kalim, the Attorney General of Afghanistan who also participated at the meeting added: "Our meeting with the ICC Prosecutor was very useful for discussing the constructive ways in which we can cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor and for sharing information about the cases that Afghanistan is investigating and prosecuting at all levels. We look forward to continuing our positive exchanges and collaboration to guarantee that there will be no impunity for international crimes."

The Office is appreciative of Afghanistan's expressed commitment and the steps taken towards addressing accountability for atrocity crimes and securing justice for victims in Afghanistan in close collaboration with the ICC. The information and clarifications generated at the meeting will be helpful to the Office's independent assessment of the Government of Afghanistan's article 18(2) deferral request. The Prosecutor's decision on that request is pending.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations in multiple situations within the ICC's jurisdiction, namely in Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; the Central African Republic (two distinct situations); Kenya; Libya; Cote d'Ivoire; Mali; Georgia, Burundi; Bangladesh/Myanmar, Afghanistan (subject to a pending article 18 deferral request) and Palestine. The Office is also currently conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Bolivia; Colombia; Guinea; the Philippines; and Venezuela (I and II); and has recently completed its preliminary examinations of the situations in Ukraine and Nigeria, which are pending requests to seek authorisation to proceed to investigation.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor | Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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MALE, Maldives (AP)  Maldives police said Sunday they arrested a person believed to be the prime suspect in an explosion that critically wounded the country's former president and which was blamed on Muslim extremists.

Police said they now have three of four suspects in custody. Thursday's blast targeted Mohamed Nasheed, currently the speaker of Parliament, who is recovering in a hospital after multiple surgeries.

Nasheed has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism in the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation, where preaching and practicing other faiths are banned by law. He has been criticized by religious hard-liners for his closeness to the West and liberal policies.

Nasheed, 53, remains in the hospital after initial life-saving surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs. A relative tweeted early Sunday that Nasheed had been able to have long conversations with some family members.

Police said they believe the 25-year-old suspect is the same person whose pictures were released Saturday to seek public assistance identifying him. He was caught after a tip from the public. The fourth suspect remains at large.

Police released security camera footage Sunday which they said showed the suspect pacing at the entrance of a small restaurant, then walking out to a road and apparently detonating the bomb that targeted Nasheed. Three men who were leaving the restaurant are then seen running back inside in fear.

A map with the suspect's alleged escape route was also released to the press, with police cameras capturing the suspect running and walking through different roads in the capital island, Male. Police said he went inside a mosque briefly, then met up with an accomplice near a public park. Police forces raided his home on the Hulhumale island near the capital earlier Sunday and arrested him.

Officials blamed Islamic extremists for the attack, although investigators still dont know which group was responsible. Two of Nasheeds bodyguards and two apparent bystanders, including a British citizen, were also wounded by what police say was a homemade explosive device containing ball bearings attached to a motorbike parked near the ex-president's car.

Shrapnel from the blast damaged Nasheed's intestines and liver, and a piece of shrapnel broke his rib, coming less than a centimeter (0.4 inches) from his heart, hospital officials said.

Officers from the Australian Federal Police were assisting with the investigation, following a request from the Maldives. A British investigator was also set to arrive in the Indian Ocean archipelago on Sunday.

Nasheed was the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, serving from 2008 to 2012, when he resigned amid protests. He was defeated in the subsequent presidential election, and was ineligible for the 2018 race due to a prison sentence, but has remained an influential political figure.

He has championed global efforts to fight climate change, particularly warning that rising seas caused by global warming threaten the archipelago nations low-lying islands.

The Maldives is known for its luxury resorts but has experienced occasional violent attacks. In 2007, a blast in a park in the capital wounded 12 foreign tourists, and was also blamed on religious extremists.

The Maldives has one of the highest per capita numbers of militants who fought in Syria and Iraq alongside the Islamic State group.

Authorities announced in January that eight people arrested in November were found to have been planning to attack a school and were in the process of building bombs in a boat at sea. Police said the suspects conducted military training on uninhabited islands and recruited children.

______

Associated Press writer Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka contributed to this report.
Ivan Staklo was eager to get vaccinated, but after getting his first dose, he doesnt even want to look at his vaccination card. Its a reminder of the odd experience he had, rather than the exciting moment he was fervidly looking forward to.

Staklo, a transgender man from New Haven, said his first dose experience was one of humiliation and disrespect. His gender and name were manually changed in the system by an individual working at a Waterbury clinic because the ones he reported didnt match his official I.D. In multiple ways, Staklo said his identity was erased that day.

And when looking at the states record of vaccinations for transgender individuals, the lack of data tells a broader story of oversight and erasure.

State data suggests that out of the more than two million COVID-19 vaccinations in Connecticut, just five of those doses have been given to transgender people as of May 6, with only four fully vaccinated. Roughly 3,000 additional individuals who have initiated their vaccinations are marked as unknown, with around 2,000 fully vaccinated.

However, an estimated 3.9 percent of the population identifies as LGBTQ in Connecticut, including roughly 13,350 transgender people aged 13 and older, according to a report from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

I think the data is, frankly, wrong, said Katy Tierney, an endocrinology specialist and medical director of the Middlesex Health Transgender Program. We just dont know how many trans people have been vaccinated.

Experts say the need for a proper count is important. From cataloguing medical side effects to crafting outreach and funding, accurate data tells a story about vaccines in the transgender community that can shape policy, medical response, and health outcomes and many think that story is being lost.

Without accurate data, its hard to know what vaccination rates look like in the transgender community a group that often works frontline jobs and that has historically been hesitant to pursue medical services due to discrimination.

You don't know what that outreach needs to look like if you don't know who is and is not getting the vaccine, said Jody Herman, scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute.

Herman also said its hard to know what disparities this group experiences and what their key health indicators are if data isnt collected.

Connecticuts undercount can be problematic

Experts like Tierney and state officials agree that the number of vaccinated transgender people is an undercount.

Some may have selected the Other option, while most transgender people would have just picked the gender they identify as, experts said. Depending on where people were vaccinated, there may have only been an option to select male or female.

Maura Fitzgerald, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Health, said in an email that the department does not track the information providers request from patients. Instead, she said, providers report vaccination information to them through Connecticuts immunization registry system, CTWiZ, where gender can be reported as female, male, transgender, or unknown.

Fitzgerald added that the department is not aware of specific COVID-19 public health issues that would compel the separate tracking of vaccination for transgender individuals.

Others would disagree.

If we dont have a systematic approach to data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity, we're only getting part of the story as to what's going on with LGBT people in the U.S., said Herman.

Obstacles in representation

Among several obstacles standing in the way of giving the transgender community proper representation in state data is the varied and often limiting options available for them on intake forms.

The Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) only has options to select Male, Female, Decline to specify, or Other.

Eliot Olson, Staklos partner, called the other box, the cheap mans shot to try and be inclusive, that is rooted in ignorance and can perpetuate trans-erasure.

The majority of local health departments, providers, and clinics used VAMS to schedule vaccine appointments, and likely had to use data collected there when reporting to the state. Some pharmacies, including CVS, also did not ask for anything beyond binary gender options.

Jude Reid, a New Britain individual who registered with multiple vaccine providers in their appointment hunt, found that the MyChart programs from organizations such as the University of Connecticut, Middlesex Health and Hartford Healthcare were more nuanced than others, but still had problematic language.

These forms included multiple gender identity options in addition to male and female, such as Transgender Female MtF, Transgender Male FtM, Queer, Gender fluid, and Other. Although more options were available, the chance of having a checkbox for those who are nonbinary is rare, with the exception of Middlesex Health.

Reid believes the staggering range of options from one site to the next could be why the data is disproportioned.

Taylor Edelmann of Brookfield agreed, saying trans people are embedded in the numbers, but under the gender unassigned/unknown category or the male and female categories. It is possible that some of the transgender vaccine recipients were reported from one or more of these providers systems.

Questions lead to discrimination

For those still making legal document changes or transitioning, a provider asking for sex assigned at birth can be difficult to navigate. Edelmann was able to easily mark male without a raised eyebrow thanks to matching documentation, but this isnt always the case.

When youre getting a vaccine, its opening up the door for discrimination, Edelmann said, because if a transgender persons sex assigned at birth, doesnt match their other documents, it inherently outs them and makes them vulnerable to discrimination.

Olson echoed Edelmanns point and noted that in any situation where a trans person has to show identification, it becomes a matter of prepping yourself for whats going to happen.

You know somethings going to happen, its just a question of what and how bad, he said. It kind of is a continual reminder that you are not just an inconvenience but an oddity.

When Staklo went to get vaccinated, he said his name was changed in the system to his deadname, which is the birth name given to him before transitioning. They also changed his gender marker to the incorrect one and proceeded to ignore me when I asked them not to do that.

According to Edelmann and others, CVS had to rescind and modify its intake form after members from the transgender community made it known that the question of sex assigned at birth was invariably outing trans people.

Tara Burke, a CVS spokesperson said they crafted the question on its website based on feedback from the LGBTQ community while ensuring it complies with the CDCs requirements.

An individuals sex, gender, race or ethnicity are in no way limiting factors in scheduling a vaccine appointment, Burke noted.

An alternate approach

When Will Love made their way into Brookfields vaccine clinic at St Joseph Catholic Academy, they became one of the 3,000 residents whose gender is now marked as unknown by the state. The Danbury resident who identifies as nonbinary selected Decline to specify under the gender option, and received their shot.

Usually in those instances, I select Prefer Not to Answer just because I dont feel like it is an accurate representation, said Love.

Love suggested that providers at least provide three options: male, female, transgender.

I always get really excited when I have an option to select transgender, Love said. If I see nonbinary that is even more exciting.

But some scholars say the answer is not just adding transgender or nonbinary options along with the others.

Herman said that when given the option of male, female, or transgender, 70 percent will often simply choose the gender they identify as, instead of selecting transgender. And already, studies show that surveys could be missing over half of transgender respondents based on the way they ask the gender question.

A single question wont do it, Herman said. We would recommend a two-step approach if possible.

In her opinion, that means asking about gender and separately asking whether a person identifies as transgender.

On the other hand, Tierney thinks that asking people to identify themselves as transgender in an unfamiliar health care setting at vaccine clinics could cause anxiety and be a deterrent. Tierney suggested post-vaccine surveys instead.

But at the end of the day, it comes down to inclusion.

By acknowledging someones pronouns or the fact they have transitioned, you are acknowledging them, Love said.
PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the decision from the European Union not to renew its order for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Macron said the EU policy is aiming at responding in particular to the variants... We see that some other vaccines are more efficient.

The blocs Internal Market Commissioner, Thierry Breton, said Sunday the EU Commission has not ordered AstraZeneca shots for after June. Two weeks ago, the EU launched legal proceedings against the pharmaceutical group for allegedly failing to respect the terms of its contract.

South Africa halted earlier this year the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after preliminary data indicated it may be only minimally effective against the variant which is dominant in the country.

In France, the variant first identified in Britain has become largely dominant and the South African variant represents only a small percentage of the virus detected in the country.

Across the Channel, Britain has made the AstraZeneca vaccine the centerpiece of its successful vaccination campaign.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

 India's vaccination campaign falters due to a lack of vaccines even as new infections, deaths soar

 Party-goers across Spain rejoice as nations state of emergency is lifted

 Vaccine deserts: Some countries have no COVID-19 jabs at all

 EU says US patent waiver proposal isn't a magic bullet

 As US reopens, campuses tighten restrictions for virus

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

NEW DELHI  India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping the country, but since then the pace of administering the shots has only dropped, with states saying they only have limited stock.

New infections are still rising at record pace in the worlds second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccinations, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are significant undercounts.

Indias Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an oxygen audit to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which just stepped in to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in the capital, New Delhi.

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BARCELONA, Spain  Impromptu street celebrations erupted across Spain as the clock struck midnight on Saturday, when a six-month-long national state of emergency to contain the spread of coronavirus ended and many nighttime curfews were lifted.

In Madrid, police had to usher revelers out of the central Puerta del Sol square, where the scenes of unmasked dancing and group signing esembled pre-pandemic nightlife.

Teenagers and young adults also poured into central squares and beaches of Barcelona to mark the relaxation of restrictions.

Freedom! said Juan Cadavid, who was reconnecting with friends. The 25-year-old Barcelona resident was also rejoicing at the prospect of going back to work at a Michelin-star restaurant that has been closed for the past seven months due to pandemic-related restrictions.

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BRATISLAVA  Slovakias government is set to discuss possible use of Russias Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine with Moscow after it was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab.

Slovakian Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his countrys experts and the Russian side about further developments on this issue.

Hungary offered Slovakia assistance in inspecting the Russian-made vaccine after the Slovak State Institute for Drug Control said it had not received enough information about the Russian jab from its producer to be able to assess its benefits and risks.

The regulator also said the doses it received from Russia differed from those under review by the European Unions medicines authority.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets Sputnik V abroad, called the findings fake news. It welcomed the results of the Hungarian tests and said it asked the Slovak drug regulator to apologize for spreading incorrect information about Sputnik V.

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan  Pakistan is struggling with a third surge of coronavirus cases, despite a complete closure of all business and transport that began this weekend and continues until May 16, the end of the Eid holidays.

Pakistan reported 118 more deaths and 3,785 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day Sunday. It has now seen nearly 19,000 deaths in the pandemic.

All businesses are now closed except for essential food stores, pharmacies and fuel stations. Public transport in major cities and town is either at halt or allowed only with 50% capacity while intercity passenger transport is completely shut. Federal authorities also extended school closures to May 21

After receiving the first consignment of 1.2 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on Saturday, the government is trying to ramp up inoculations.

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DUBAI  Dubais long-haul carrier Emirates will begin shipping aid from the World Health Organization and other groups into India for free to help fight a crushing outbreak of the coronavirus, the airline said Sunday.

The offer by Emirates, which has 95 flights weekly to nine cities in India, initially involves aid already in Dubai but may expand across the carriers network as time goes on. That could mean major savings for aid groups as airfreight costs have skyrocketed amid the pandemic. Demand for flown cargo stands at record levels worldwide.

Emirates made the announcement at Dubais International Humanitarian City, already home to a WHO warehouse.

A WHO worker on a forklift moved boxes of tents made in Pakistan and rolls of net shades from South Korea preparing for the initial flight planned for next Thursday. That will be used to construct field hospitals for Indias overwhelmed health care system.

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ROME  The Italian Health Ministry has set out guidelines for visiting people in nursing homes in the latest sign of reopening in the onetime epicenter of COVID-19 in Europe.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a decree Saturday setting out a plan that, among other things, requires visitors to either be fully vaccinated, have proof of having had COVID-19 and recovered, or a negative test result in the past 48 hours.

As in other countries, Italian nursing homes and long-term residential facilities were devastated by the pandemic, especially during the first wave of infections in the spring of 2020. The total nursing home death toll isnt known, since so many COVID-19-suspected deaths were not counted because residents were not tested.

Italy has largely reopened after its wintertime lockdown, even though it is continuing to add around 10,000 confirmed infections and around 250-300 deaths per day. The 224 deaths reported Saturday brought Italys confirmed toll to 122,694, second only to Britain in Europe.

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MADISON, Wisc.  U.S. states asked the federal government this week to withhold staggering amounts of COVID-19 vaccine amid plummeting demand for the shots, contributing to a growing U.S. stockpile of doses.

From South Carolina to Washington, states are requesting the Biden administration send them only a fraction of whats been allocated to them. The turned-down vaccines amount to hundreds of thousands of doses this week alone, providing a stark illustration of the problem of vaccine hesitancy in the U.S.

More than 150 million Americans  about 57% of the adult population  have received at least one dose of vaccine, but government leaders are doing everything they can to persuade the rest of the country to get inoculated.

The Biden administration announced this week that if states dont order all the vaccine theyve been allotted, the administration will shift the surplus to meet demand in other states.

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ISTANBUL  Produce markets were allowed to open Saturday across Turkey as the countrys strictest lockdown continues amid an economic downturn with double-digit inflation.

The markets, or bazaars, are integral to Turkish food culture. Producers bring their fruits and vegetables to nearly every neighborhood on set days of the week.

The full lockdown that began in late April and is set to last until May 17 has curtailed this tradition and limited it to Saturdays in designated marketplaces.

Idris Taka, a vendor selling vegetables at an open-air market in Istanbul on Saturday, says he has taken a financial hit. We could work four to five days a week and now we can work one day out of 17 days, he said.

Critics have said the Turkish governments measures to fight a surge in cases have been inconsistent and impractical. Residents have been ordered to stay at home, but millions are exempt from the lockdown and continue to work in factories, hospitals, agriculture and tourism. Foreign tourists are also exempt.

Prices continued climbing in April with year-to-year inflation hovering above 17%.

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STOCKHOLM  The Swedish military says 200 conscripts have been sent home from a major military exercise involving thousands of soldiers in southern and central Sweden due to a suspected outbreak of coronavirus infections.

The Sydfront 21 drill with over 3,500 participants from 13 different units of the Swedish Armed Forces is the first major military exercise in the Scandinavian nation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exercise leader Maj. Ake Palm told Swedish broadcaster TV4 that the military made the decision to send some soldiers home after several conscripts with cold-like symptoms either tested positive or were suspected to have been infected.

Alf Johansson, head of the exercises communications, defended holding the drill in the middle of the pandemic.

This is a very important exercise for the army to train together so that we can maintain our ability to defend Sweden, Johansson told the Swedish news agency TT.

Sweden, a nation of 10 million, has recorded just over 1 million coronavirus cases, with 14,173 deaths.

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HELENA, Mont. -- Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that Montana will share COVID-19 vaccines with Canadian truck drivers from neighboring Alberta.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed Friday about 2,000 truck drivers from Alberta who transport goods from Canada to the U.S. will be eligible to be vaccinated at a highway rest stop near Conrad.

The vaccines will be available between May 10 and May 23. A similar program to vaccinate truck drivers from Canada began in North Dakota last month.

The Blackfeet tribe in northern Montana has given around 1,000 vaccines to their relatives and neighbors across the border.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each.

The plainclothes agents from Californias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control were told to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes. They say bar employees cut the cards, filled out the identifying information and bogus vaccination dates, then laminated the finished product.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyomings governor is barring state officials from requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they may have access to state property or services.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon announced the directive against vaccine passports Friday.

Gordon in a statement encourages Wyoming residents over 16 to get vaccinated but calls it a personal choice based upon personal circumstances.

The Cheyenne Post reports Gordons directive encourages Wyomings cities, towns, counties and private businesses to provide full access to places and services regardless of a persons vaccine status.

Over 180,000 people in Wyoming, or almost one-third of the states population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan outpaced rival towns in Westchester County, N.Y. by a comfortable margin as a pandemic destination or escape in 2020, according to a CBRE analysis of U.S. Postal Service data.

The top tier sections of the three towns studied by CBRE generated nearly 1,700 changes of address with the U.S. Postal Service in 2020, compared to 1,100 for the wealthiest six Westchester County ZIP codes directly west that add up to roughly the same aggregate population approaching 100,000 people.

Mark Pruner, a broker in the Greenwich office with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, said many wealthy buyers are choosing Greenwich over Westchester County because of lower taxes in Connecticut versus New York.

Those decisions make a difference in Hartford, Pruner said, as wealthy New York City pandemic transplants settle in and send out their first income tax payments to Connecticut.

Westchester has some of the highest property taxes in the country, said Pruner. And a recurring issue is the effort to tax high-income people in New York. They just passed the millionaires tax  thats a big deal.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

If 2020 was a harbinger of things to come, the pendulum could be swinging east into Connecticut  and with Greenwich taxpayers averaging $28,000 in income taxes according to state data, giving a nudge to the state budget that could add up to well in excess of $20 million annually.

But any further big increase in new arrivals is constrained by a limited number of properties on the market. More than 225 Greenwich homes became available in April, Berkshire Hathway reports, and more than 100 sold in the town that month.

CBRE reserves the term top tier for just 5 percent of ZIP codes in Connecticut and New York. That includes four Greenwich ZIP codes, two more in Darien and New Canaan, and nine just across the border in Westchester County, N.Y.  often looked at by higher-income workers leaving New York City or transferring from other parts of the country as potential places to live.

In 2020, the momentum was on the Connecticut side of the border; Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan saw a year-over-year gain of more than 1,200 relocations, compared with a gain of less than 40 across a pair of Harrison ZIP codes and four more in Scarsdale, Larchmont, Rye and New Rochelle, as analyzed by CBRE.

Add to that net moves to and from the inland Westchester communities of Armonk, Bedford and Katanoh  the latter landing Connecticuts most famous wantaway, after Martha Stewart moved there more than 15 years ago from Westport  and Westchesters eastern top tier towns surpass their counterpart Connecticut towns by a mere 30 changes of address on a net basis, but having a combined population base of 40,000 more residents.

Tack on Cos Cob to the Greenwich totals, however, and the three Connecticut towns push out front of nine ZIP codes in Greenwich.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

With its mix of families, singles and white-collar earners, Cos Cob falls under the urban chic category in the CBRE report  a description borrowed from GIS mapping software Esri.

The urban chic also applies to a small group of communities ranging from Westport, Southport and East Hampton, N.Y.; to the West Rocks area of New Haven and north to Farmington.

Paul Breunich, CEO of William Pitt Sothebys International Realty in Stamford, said the pendulums direction this year in any community is tied directly to where new listings are surfacing.

Westchester ... was down hard for something like three months last year so they were behind Connecticut, but theyve started to catch back up, said Breunich. Theres so much outside demand coming in, I think people are looking everywhere.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
HARTFORD  Police say a man was shot Friday night inside a local club.

An officer conducting patrol in the parking lot of the Banquet Hall, located at 2976 Main St., was approached by a male gunshot victim shortly before 10:30 p.m., police said.

The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, police said.

It was determined that the shooting occurred inside the club after an altercation, police said. No one was immediately charged in the shooting, police said.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the case can call the HPD Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).

christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com
Last Mothers Day, they celebrated with bacon and eggs over FaceTime. This time, Jean Codianni of Los Angeles flew to New Jersey to surprise her 74-year-old mother, now that both have been vaccinated against the disease that has stolen uncountable hugs and kisses around the world.

You forget how your mom smells, how she looks. Its like, she never looks as beautiful as the last time you saw her, Codianni said. We understand how privileged we are, how lucky we are. Hundreds of thousands of people dont get to celebrate Mothers Day, or are celebrating it under a veil of grief.

Joyous reunions among vaccinated parents and children across the country marked this years Mothers Day, the second one celebrated during the coronavirus pandemic. Some families separated by worries of transmitting the virus saw each other for the first time in more than a year, emboldened by their vaccinations, as many others grieved for mothers lost to the virus.

For Pam Grimes, Mother's Day last year remains a fuzzy yet scary and depressing memory, blurred together with the rest of the pandemic's early months. In contrast, when her vaccinated adult grandchildren gathered at her Panama City, Florida, home to celebrate this year, they hugged and laughed and teased each other.

"The whole world felt better, Grimes said.

Historian Andy Verhoff didn't see his mother for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's. But for Mother's Day, he drove from his home in Columbus, Ohio, to spend a day in rural Putnam County, Ohio with her, stopping at the first historical marker they'd worked on together. Both mother and son were vaccinated, giving them the confidence to take their masks off  which made it feel like a normal, pre-pandemic day, Verhoff said.

We never let the mask get in the way of things, Verhoff said. It was just nice to not have my glasses fog up.

Some long-term care facilities across the country prepared for the special day by facilitating in-person visits, especially as some states have relaxed visitation rules in recent months given rising vaccination rates and dropping case numbers.

In suburban Detroit, residents with dementia at Addington Place lately have been allowed to see visitors in person. But the big change Sunday was their ability to leave for a special meal with family members and return without being quarantined. Moms were also receiving roses from staff.

Residents can feel the energy now that families are coming in, said Kelley Fulkerson, business office manager at Addington in Northville. There is excitement among staff  and tears and excitement among families waiting to see loved ones.

St. Joseph of Harahan  an assisted living facility in Harahan, Louisiana  held a parking lot parade Friday with dozens of cars honking and family members yelling well wishes for Mothers Day.

Residents in masks sat behind caution tape and waved to loved ones whom they had waited to see for more than a year in some cases. Workers passed out balloons and flowers.

Cathedral Village, a nursing home and rehabilitation center in Philadelphia, was spacing out weekend visits for Mothers Day, said supervisor Hannah Han. Social workers were helping some families that wanted to take people home to celebrate. Visits in private rooms required masks and gowns.

Mary Daniel, who last year took a job as a dishwasher so she could see her husband at a long-term care facility in Jacksonville, Florida, said holidays are important to maintain traditions with family. She said spouses and others should be recognized as essential caregivers who offer emotional support and be allowed inside.

We are seeing progress with people being allowed to see loved ones and visit or take them home for holidays, but we are still seeing individual facilities who refuse to follow the federal guidance on allowing visits, said Daniel, who started a group called Caregivers for Compromise-Because Isolation Kills Too.

Still, the virus limited the holiday this year for Winslow Swan, who served as his 83-year-old mother's primary caretaker in Ellijay, Georgia, until last year, when health troubles forced him to move her into a nursing home in town during the middle of the pandemic.

New COVID-19 cases in the past month has led to the facility to tighten its visitation restrictions, and Swan likely won't see his mother for this year's holiday, though he has considered an impromptu window visit.

Its sad," he said. I know the room thats shes in and there is a possibility that I can find her and see her through the window.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
DEEP RIVER  About 100 people attended a rally Saturday advocating for a change in the state zoning laws to increase affordable housing and diversity in the state.

State Rep. Christine Palm, D-Chester, said affordable housing would help people on fixed incomes and would help our children and grandchildren stay in the state.

She and other speakers promoted SB 1024, a hotly debated zoning bill that supporters hope will be brought to vote this legislative session in Hartford.

The bill aims to allow municipalities to require that land use applicants pay the costs of any technical review of applications, make several changes to the Zoning Enabling Act, establish requirements for zoning regulations concerning accessory apartments, mixed-use developments and multifamily housing, convene a working group to develop model design guidelines for buildings and context-appropriate streets, require certain qualifications of certain land use officials, and address the jurisdiction and capacities of certain sewage disposal systems.

Connecticuts land use laws have locked in sprawl for far too long, Speaker Alicia Dolce, executive director of the Connecticut Green Building Council, said during Saturdays rally.

Speaker Jah Marley Wright, who organized the first Black Lives Matter protest in Colchester, said he was glad to see this conversation going on in Deep River and supports the bill.

Ultimately, conversations need to be backed by concrete actions, he said. Nows the time.

Jim Crawford, of HOPE Partnership, said Essex created 17 loft units and 170 people had inquired about them.

Of 170, 120 qualified as folks who would be eligible under current housing rules to be residents there, he said.

He also noted the vast majority were people who really struggle, spending 50 percent or more of their income on housing.

He encouraged the crowd to stay active and keep this issue in the forefront.

West Hartford resident Christine Farley attended the rally with her husband, Patrick. She said we are big believers that this state needs to relax some of its rigid zoning to allow for a much greater variety of housing opportunity to allow minorities in mostly white communities.

We have quite a few people of color in our family and would like to see more people of color in our neighborhood, Patrick Farley said. There has been too many decades of systemic entrenchment of things that advantage white people.

Kristin Coombs, an Essex resident and member of The Valley Stands Up, said her group is interested in basically supporting all individuals in our local community. We have a huge need for housing diversity and quantity. And theres a lot of pushback.

She said there were some simple solutions that could apply to local towns, such as allowing apartments in existing housing.

We cant build a new apartment complex, but we can expand housing opportunities given our existing housing, she said.

Desegregate Connecticut, a coalition of people and non-profits founded by Sara Bronin, an architect and attorney, advocates for reforming zoning laws to create more housing, reduce cost the cost of living, promote diversity and save farmland and forests.
RAF MILDENHALL, England  The Air Force has dedicated nose art on a KC-135 Stratotanker in memory of a World War II crew chief who helped the allied effort in Europe by keeping the B-17s of the 100th Bombardment Group mission-ready, the second time RAF Mildenhall has honored Master Sgt. Dewey R. Christopher.

"We are dedicating this aircraft today to honor a legend, who in our eyes is a national treasure," Col. S. Troy Pananon, commander of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, said at a ceremony Friday at Mildenhall, which Christopher's son Gary watched via a virtual link.

The aircraft is one of 15 Stratotankers the wing has decorated with nose art honoring the legacy and mission of the Flying Fortress bombers flown in nearly 9,000 missions between June 25, 1943, and April 20, 1945. The 100th Bombardment Group lost 732 airmen and 177 aircraft in that time, which earned it the nickname the Bloody Hundredth.

"We are binding the history of the Bloody Hundredth both past and present through this nose art because it symbolizes that rich legacy of the predecessors and of Dewey Christopher," Pananon said.

Christopher worked during WWII behind the scenes at RAF Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk, England, helping to maintain the Bloody Hundredth's B-17s.

He joined the Army Air Forces, hoping to become a pilot, shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941. But an eye injury prevented him from achieving that dream, and he put his mechanical skills to use, working as a maintenance crew chief on B-17s.

In an interview two years ago when a building at Mildenhall was renamed in his honor, he said he never lost an aircraft and that one of the planes he worked on flew more than 60 consecutive missions without a maintenance report, "which meant there weren't any discrepancies on my airplane."

Among the crews he was assigned to were those that created the nose art on two of the bombers, Skipper I and Skipper II.

Nose art "gave the crew an identity," said Ron Batley, the curator of the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum. "The flight line was a sea of olive drab or silver coated airplanes but if they had nose art ... they became an individual crew and people would recognize them. It was their airplane."

The Mildenhall-based 100th Air Refueling Wing is the only active-duty U.S. Air Force unit authorized to display the World War II tail flash of its legacy unit.

Christopher passed away in 2019, five months after the building housing the Professional Development Center at RAF Mildenhall was renamed in his honor.

After his wartime service, he worked as a mechanic for American Airlines for more than four decades.

This article is written by Kyle Alvarez from Stars and Stripes and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
For Gold Star spouses, the pain of losing their husbands in the line of duty can be almost unbearable.

But sometimes, after widows and widowers of fallen service members have grieved and moved forward with their lives to find love again, they find themselves facing a difficult choice: whether to marry and lose the survivor benefits the government granted them to compensate for the loss of their spouses.

Gold Star spouses now lose their Survivor Benefit Plan, or SBP, benefits if they remarry before turning 55, as well as their Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits if they remarry before 57.

Read Next: Commandant Suspends Marine 2-Star Who Went Unpunished After AAV Disaster

Last month, two veterans in Congress, Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Michael Waltz, R-Fla., introduced a bill -- the Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act -- that would remove these age limits.

In interviews with Military.com, spouses whose husbands died in the line of duty described the pain the risk of losing their survivor benefits causes them.

"My husband fought for our country twice, and he died because of it," said Gold Star wife Aimee Wriglesworth, whose husband died of melanoma in 2013 caused by exposure to burn pits in Iraq. "He's the one ... who did all those things for those benefits. But ... I was his caregiver for a year. And taking that away, if I choose to get married again, takes away everything I did as well. It says that all the things I did as a military spouse don't matter. And I feel that is a big deal."

Chad and Aimee Wriglesworth at Walter Reed in 2013, while he was being treated for melanoma. That day, Aimee said, Chad put on his dress uniform to visit wounded warriors who didnt have families to thank them for their service -- but he didnt let them know that he himself was sick. (Courtesy of Aimee Wriglesworth)

The SBP pays the surviving spouse of a service member who dies on active duty 55% of what the service member's retirement pay would have been, if he or she had retired at 100% disability at the time of death. The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefit pays $1,357.56 each month to eligible survivors of active-duty service members who died in the line of duty, and survivors of veterans whose deaths are deemed service-related.

Wriglesworth began dating her late husband, Army Maj. Chad Wriglesworth, when she was 18. She fell in love with his kindness and dry sense of humor, she said. They married on her 20th birthday and soon had a daughter named Savannah.

Chad Wriglesworth deployed to Joint Base Balad in Iraq in 2008 and 2009, and to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012. He received the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge during his Afghanistan deployment.

But he also developed melanoma, which Wriglesworth said was confirmed to have been caused by the burn pits he was exposed to in Iraq. His Nov. 20, 2013, death is officially listed as having occurred in the line of duty, she said.

Not only had she, at 27, lost the man she had known almost her entire life. But Savannah -- at the time, just two weeks away from turning five -- had also lost the father who doted on her, who she snuggled with on his hospital bed and during his treatments, and didn't flinch from when he lost his hair and started looking sicker.

"And that's still the hardest thing today," Wriglesworth, her voice breaking, said in an interview. "I miss him, but what it took from my kid is the worst thing. It altered her life in a way that can't be fixed."

Moving Forward

But she pushed through that pain and continued living her life. When Chad was dying, he told his wife he wanted her to be happy after he was gone, and to find a partner who would be a good role model for Savannah.

She found exactly that in her now-fiance, Mike Brewer, whom she met a little more than a year after her husband's death.

Mike was also in the Army and lost friends of his own in battle, she said, so he understands what Chad's memory means to her and Savannah. He wears his dress uniform to visit Chad's grave with the Wriglesworths, and sits down with Savannah to watch videos of her late father, so she remembers her dad.

Savannah even calls Brewer "bonus dad," Wriglesworth said.

This Dec. 16, 2014, photo shows a stuffed animal wearing the dog tags of the late Army Major Chad Wriglesworth on the chair where he died in Bristow, Va. Wriglesworth died of cancer after returning from deployment in Afghanistan. Steve Helber/AP

But though she longs to marry Mike, the loss of benefits that would come with that would upend their lives -- and jeopardize the steps they've taken to heal since Chad's death.

Wriglesworth worked as an EMT until her husband's 2013 death, after which she went back to school to become a social worker. Her survivor benefits pay for her schooling but would go away if she remarried now.

Savannah receives Social Security benefits, but those alone wouldn't be enough to pay for everything she needs, Wriglesworth said.

"Life shouldn't be about money, but let's be honest: Money is what allows me to put clothes on my kid's back and feed her and make sure she lives in a good neighborhood and [goes] to a good school and [has] good quality child care," Wriglesworth said.

Wriglesworth also has a medical condition that Tricare now covers, but if she lost those benefits, her treatments would become very expensive. Her fiance's insurance would not cover her condition as well as Tricare does if they got married.

The benefits also make it easier for both Wriglesworth and her daughter to go to therapy to deal with the pain of losing Chad. As Savannah neared middle school age, Wriglesworth said, the weight of her loss started to hit her, and she needed to talk to a therapist about it.

And, Wriglesworth said, getting remarried wouldn't erase her own depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress she has suffered since losing her husband and for which she requires treatment.

"No amount of money makes this not hurt," Wriglesworth said. "But it helps a lot to be able to take my daughter to therapy or to be able to take myself to therapy, and have insurance to cover that. It helps a lot to know that I can go to school to better my life. And that security is something I feel my husband gave me, because my whole world was taken from me when he died. Everything."

'Absolutely Devastating'

Emily Feeks, who lost her Navy SEAL husband, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Patrick Feeks, in the August 2012 crash of a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan during a firefight with insurgents, is also facing the choice of whether to give up benefits in order to get married.

Feeks remembers her late husband as kind, jovial and larger than life. He had wanted to become a SEAL since he was eight years old and got LASIK surgery to make that dream a reality.

Her husband's death was "absolutely devastating," she said.

"You have this world with someone, and you have this plan," she explained. "And everything was destroyed in one second."

Feeks was also in the Navy when she and Patrick met at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, in 2010, right after she returned from Afghanistan and he got back from Iraq. She stayed in the service for eight more years after Patrick's death so she could retire with full benefits.

Feeks is planning to get remarried in October. She'll keep the benefits she earned from her own service, but is prepared to lose the indemnity pay she has received since Patrick's death.

"People that have never been in our place tend to say things [like], 'You should lose that [survivor benefits] when you get remarried; it should be your new husband's [or spouse's] responsibility,'" Feeks said. "That's not how that should work. That doesn't negate that that person has lost their life for this nation."

As for Wriglesworth, it will probably be several more years before she can get remarried. She said she will likely wait until she's finished her master's degree, found a good job and Savannah has gone off to college, so when the benefits go away it won't be as much of a blow.

But now, because Aimee and Mike live together in Texas but aren't married, she said, "I feel judged all the time" by people who don't understand her situation and reach their own conclusions.

"It's hard to go to church," Wriglesworth said. "How do you explain that to people? On top of being a widow -- people actually respect that. They go, 'Oh wow, you're a widow. Thank you for your sacrifice.' And then, 'Oh, but you're not married.'"

Wriglesworth hopes Congress passes the law to repeal the age limits on remarriage, so she can live her life the way she wants.

"I still carry my husband with me," she said. "It doesn't mean that I'm not a Gold Star widow, if I love somebody else as well. ... No person, man or woman, should have to answer for getting married."

-- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey.

Related: Gold Star Spouses Who Remarry Face Losing Survivor Benefits. This Bill Would Change That
Astros starter Framber Valdez could return to the team at some point in June, manager Dusty Baker told reporters (including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com) this afternoon. Thats the first timeline the organization has defined since the left-hander fractured his left ring finger on a comebacker during Spring Training.

In the initial aftermath of the injury, it was reported Valdez could require season-ending surgery. A second opinion suggested he may instead be able to rehab without surgery, and hes continued to make progress since electing that course of action. In Valdezs absence, Houston starters have managed a solid 3.82 ERA, albeit with a less impressive 4.17 SIERA that ranks eighteenth league-wide. Valdez figures to improve those numbers after tossing 70 2/3 innings of 3.57 ERA/3.23 SIERA ball last year. The 27-year-old posted strong strikeout and walk rates (26.4% and 5.6%, respectively) while inducing ground balls at a massive clip (60%).

Valdezs injury spurred the Astros to sign Jake Odorizzi to a two-year, $23.5MM guarantee in mid-March. Unfortunately, the righty wound up on the injured list himself after just eight regular season innings, leaving his third start of the year early with forearm tightness. Odorizzi threw 40 pitches in a simulated game yesterday, though, and hes soon to join Triple-A Sugar Land for a minor-league rehab assignment (McTaggart links).

Valdez and Odorizzi arent the only high-profile Astros starters on the injured list. Justin Verlander, who underwent Tommy John surgery last September, met with reporters this week and confirmed his rehab is on track (via McTaggart). Verlander conceded he was unlikely to return this season (no surprise, given the timing of his surgery and the procedures typical 13-16 month recovery timeline). However, the 38-year-old stressed he has no plans to retire, tweeting Friday he (plans) on still pitching for a long time. Verlander will be a free agent at the end of the year.
Fearing a miscarriage, one Michigan woman spent the night in the emergency room alone, without her husband.

Another first-time mom was told to watch YouTube videos to prepare after her hospitals birthing classes were canceled.

A third Michigan mother was back to work treating COVID-19 patients in a hospital emergency room just 10 weeks after giving birth.

Pregnancy brings with it a host of physical aches. It takes a mental and emotional toll, and spurs anxieties about the life growing inside your body. Add in a global pandemic, and new mothers today face a difficult path and, in some cases, seemingly impossible choices.

Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine? Should I isolate away from others, and struggle through pregnancy and postpartum alone, or seek the support of others even if it means an increased risk of catching a deadly virus?

While caring for her 10-week-old baby at home last spring, emergency room nursing assistant Katelyn McGee watched news reports of overfilling morgues, intubated COVID-19 patients and horrific scenes in hospitals across the country.

I was like, What the hell? I have to go back into this, McGee said.

Every COVID-19 patient at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw comes through the ER first. Capacity issues on coronavirus floors mean those patients could spend hours or even days in the emergency room, waiting to be transferred.

Even though you have your PPE on, you still cant obviously stay six feet apart from patients, McGee said. Youre right in their face. Youre helping intubate. Youre doing a bunch of stuff. Theyre coughing all over you and you cant just stay six feet apart from them.

I would come home, and I would strip everything off at the door, she said, recalling the fear of holding her newborn and risking spread of the virus.

During her own pregnancy last year, Jolien Weytens rarely left the house and was careful to avoid seeing people. A first-time mom from a small town in Shiawassee County, she is an only child and her parents live in Belgium.

Her parents have yet to meet their first grandchild and cannot travel to visit even though its their daughters first child.

I feel very lonely, Weytens said.

Jolien Weytens, a 29-year-old Belgium native, prepares bottles of breast milk in the kitchen on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at her home in New Lothrop. Weytens uses the bottles to feed her son fresh breast milk every day, while freezing the rest for future use. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May

Her husbands hours at his manufacturing job picked up considerably during the pandemic, and he worked seven days per week  with no offer of paternity leave from his company.

This left Weytens alone with a newborn.

She did well mentally, but couldnt recover physically from the birth. Her stitches never healed and required surgery. She is still healing today.

Weytens spent her days in bed with baby Harrison and her dog, rarely going outside except to absorb some occasional sunshine  even then never leaving her yard. She Skyped with her parents and Harrisons godmother.

That helped a little bit to have some contact with people, Weytens said. But it would have been nice to have somebody help out.

Pandemic compounds anxieties

Weytens and McGee are far from alone, though, in feeling burdened by the stressors of experiencing pregnancy and motherhood, some for the first time, amid a global pandemic.

Kristin Evers, a medical social worker at Bronson Obstetrics, Gynecology and Midwifery Specialists in Kalamazoo, said COVID-19 is compounding the risk of anxiety and depression for women, both during pregnancy and postpartum.

I often tell patients that pregnancy isnt always kind to your mood even in the best of circumstances, Evers said. And thats very normal.

Evers said her patients have persistently expressed fears of catching COVID-19 and the impact that could have on their unborn child. Others have questions about the safety of the vaccine and whether they can receive it during pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says its a personal choice for women whether to get vaccinated, though pregnancy puts women at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Experts believe the vaccines are safe based on how they work in the body. At the same time, there is currently limited data on the safety of the vaccine for pregnant women.

I think everybody experiences anxiety regarding COVID, Evers said. And with pregnancy mood changes, concern about bringing this little baby youre going to have, that compounds it.

Related: Mental health struggles are surging in Michigan families during the pandemic. Here are their stories.

Prior to the pandemic, Evers worked face-to-face with women through the difficulties of pregnancy.

One of our immediate and basic responses to perinatal mood disorder is OK, lets wrap around you, lets try to diminish some of this isolation, lets try to normalize your adjustment to having a baby, she said.

That type of response is not possible during a pandemic.

The most important step is to ask for help, Evers said.

Theres a lot of stigma around mood changes in pregnancy in the best of circumstances because we all want to be good moms and sometimes the stigma is that if I ask for help, Im not a good mom, Evers said. I always like to turn that around and say, Asking for help helps you be a better mom.

Before COVID-19 was a household name and masks were commonplace in public, Weytens and her husband were trying to conceive their first child through in vitro fertilization. After two failed embryo transfers, Weytens son Harrison was conceived in February 2020.

Three weeks later, the statewide shutdown for COVID-19 began.

Her doctors office closed, and she did not receive routine follow-up care she would have otherwise. Tests considered elective procedures that were canceled due to the pandemic included a blood test meant to confirm her pregnancy, she said.

During her first trimester, Weytens woke up in the middle of the night to bleeding, a common sign of miscarriage. She was forced to spend the night in the ER alone, with her husband locked outside due to visitor restrictions.

That was a scary night, she said. Fortunately, her baby was OK.

Today, Weytens is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and hopes soon to travel to visit her family in Europe. But, like many others during the pandemic, she is also dealing with tensions surrounding COVID-19 and family members who will not be vaccinated or follow CDC guidelines  making her decision to bring those individuals around her newborn a difficult one.

If I go back home to visit my family, I want to have everybody see him, she said. But if some arent vaccinated, its going to really suck to tell them no, even though its for his health.

Jolien Weytens, a 29-year-old Belgium native, smiles as she interacts with her 5-month-old son Harrison Long while eating dinner on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at their home in New Lothrop. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May

A lonely time

Traditionally, having a baby is a joyous time that brings families closer together, Katie Corbit, the director of Maternal Child Health at YWCA Kalamazoo, said.

Instead, in 2021, its definitely a lonely time, Corbit said.

Women are more isolated, she said. Were not able to easily travel, were not able to host the baby showers or get the supplies and support that many women rely on.

Some women are forced to attend medical appointments and even deliver their child alone, amid pandemic visitor restrictions. Many new mothers struggle to find childcare in order to go back to work, Corbit said.

Older siblings are, in some cases, still learning from home through virtual school, adding an additional strain to pregnant women and those with newborns.

Its putting a lot of pressure on our families, Corbit said. Theyre struggling to balance taking care of children while also finding jobs that allow them the flexibility to do so.

YWCA works to decrease the infant and maternal mortality rate in the community and knows that Black infants are 2.6 times more likely to die before their first birthday than their white peers.

Stress during a pregnancy can cause low birth rate or prematurity for infants, and women are faced with a multitude of stressors, including job loss or eviction due to the pandemic, Corbit said.

So, the stress that moms are facing right now, especially Black moms when it comes to this political climate, when it comes to the daily racism that they face, Corbit said. And, on top of COVID stressors.

Telehealth challenges

Kristi Suber, coordinator of the Maternal Infant Health Program in Tuscola County, said in more rural places like Michigans Thumb, internet access can be a hurdle preventing mothers even from accessing virtual supports during the pandemic.

Telehealth has been vital to her department in an effort to continue offering services. The majority of clients are unaffected by those barriers, she said. But, for some, the cost of internet service or lack of availability means they cannot access video appointments.

Others are simply tired of video chatting rather than getting the care they need in-person. Its something Suber called telehealth fatigue.

The pandemic has taken away choices from mothers who would usually feel more in control of their pregnancy and birthing experience, she said.

COVID-19 restrictions needed to be put in place to protect everyones health, but we have to acknowledge all the emotions that come with the restrictions  like sadness, frustration, grief and anger  that a moms birth plan cant be what she hoped it to be or planned it to be, Suber said.

The Thumb was recently a hotspot for COVID-19 after a spike in case numbers. Some in the community expressed hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine and other CDC recommendations.

Related: Many of Michigans Thumb residents are done with COVID-19 pandemic, even as virus rages like wildfire

We listen to their concerns and worries, normalize these feelings so they dont feel alone or abnormal, answer questions by empowering them with accurate information, review with them the recommendations and precautions, help them develop action plans, encourage them to speak with their doctors and help them locate needed resources, Suber said.

Most of the pregnant women and new mothers that Subers department serves are receptive to COVID-19 information and education, even if they dont agree with all of it, she said.

They want to keep themselves, babies and children safe, Suber said.

One more thing

Emma Millers family lives just down the street, and has been able to help her with 5-month-old daughter Oakland. But she missed having family with her in the hospital.

Miller, a first-time mother from Hastings, hoped for the support of both her husband and mother in the delivery room. But, like so much during the pandemic, those plans changed.

I was in labor in the tub and found out that mom couldnt come, so that was pretty hard, Miller said.

Emma Miller works on a graphic for a youth group outing as she holds her 5-month-old daughter, Oakland, on April 29, 2021 while at work in Hastings, Michigan. Miller works as an assistant pastor in her community church. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Even without considering the pandemic, Miller said, new moms and their partners have a mountain of decisions, research and information to juggle.

Everything from car seat safety to babys first food to breastfeeding, theres so many things that you want to research and know about, she said. So COVID being added on as one more thing to worry about has been a lot.

The hospitals birthing classes were canceled at the beginning of the pandemic. Instead, Miller was encouraged to watch YouTube videos to prepare for the birth.

I ended up finding a really cool doula on Youtube, and I watched tons of her videos, she said.

Miller found out she was pregnant with her first child just two weeks after Michigans initial pandemic shutdown, in March 2020.

That was still that time when we thought it was all going to get over pretty quick, she said.

Miller said her faith in Gods divine timing helped fend off fears about COVID-19 and her pregnancy. She and her husband followed the guidelines from health officials, and were careful about allowing people into their home.

We tried to just listen and do the best we could, because we had no idea what the repercussions would be, what the impact would be on our unborn baby, Miller said.

Emma Miller kisses her 5-month-old daughter, Oakland, on the forehead after she woke up from a nap on April 29, 2021 while at work in Hastings, Michigan. Miller works as an assistant pastor in her community church. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Today, Weytens son Harrison is 5 months old. She hopes to introduce him to his family by his first birthday.

McGees friends from work are hesitant to socialize their children with her son, who is now 1, because they too are exposed daily to COVID-19 at work.

Miller said every new piece of direction from government and health officials now means she and her husband need to discuss how to respond, and what it might mean for their daughter.

All three wonder, When will this finally be over?

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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Seven years ago, Mike Becker retired as a clinical care specialist in Mott Childrens Hospitals neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). He joined the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh and later found that members of Kiwanis groups made quilts for the babies and families in the NICU units to provide them warmth and comfort, as well as a keepsake for when they go home.

However, many members had trouble cutting squares of fabric for the quilts due to the amount of stress it puts on their hands and wrists. Thats when Becker volunteered his wife, Julie, to help, because she had an automated cutting machine at Eastern Michigan University that she could use to cut the fabric.

They started bringing just a little bit of fabric over and thought maybe she could cut it up in a few weeks, and she cut it up in like a day, Mike Becker said. She would return it to them, and all of a sudden, more fabric came and more fabric came.

Julie Becker, an associate professor and interim director of EMUs School of Technology and Professional Services Management, cut about 1,000 squares at 6  by 6  in just two passes on her high-speed single ply, she said. In about five minutes, Julie Becker can cut about 600 squares of fabric, she said.

Becker also trains her students to use the machine, which entails putting the math into the computer-aided design (CAD) system. What takes the longest time is setting up the machine and taking the parts off, she said. Once the squares are cut, the squares go to Kiwanis clubs in Tecumseh, Chelsea and Saline, where members will sew quilts for babies and families in the NICU unit at Mott Childrens Hospital.

At the NICU, the quilts are draped over the babies isolettes, providing safety from bright lights in the unit and a sound barrier from the machines, Julie and Mike Becker said. The quilts then go home with families when they leave the hospital.

It touches a lot of people, and I think its the community  its the service of giving back, Julie Becker said. Seeing a need and understanding, because Im a quilter myself, and I know how tedious it is to cut things, and it does take a lot of pressure and theres a lot of issues with carpal tunnel and arthritis.

Preemie Pals, a group of quilters around the state, have been creating quilts for a number of years for the NICU and Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care unit at Mott Childrens Hospital, as well as St. Josephs Hospital, Childrens Hospital of Michigan, Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital in Jackson and Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor. Preemie Pals coordinator Cyndi Etsler said two main cutters needed to take some time off, and Julie Becker came in at just the right time.

We provide volunteers who sew for us a full kit to make quilts, and people just pick those up at our local quilt shop, make the quilt and return it to us, Etsler said. Without Julies stepping in and helping, Im not sure what we would have done.

The quilts are well received by families at the NICU, said Lisa OLeary, a clinical nurse supervisor. Although there was some uncertainty about whether they would get new quilts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital now has an overabundance of quilts for families in the unit, according to Mary Ellen Zinke, a parent host on Motts NICU.

Both OLeary and Zinke are thankful to have all of the help and support from the community  from Julie Becker to the Kiwanis clubs and the Preemie Pals  to bring a little part of home to the NICU.

It certainly adds a piece of making that room more of a nursery feel to those parents as they wait to bring their babies home to their own nursery, OLeary said. Its not the typical blanket you see in every other hospital, every other nursery. Its special, its unique and its just for that baby, and its made with a lot of love.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor OKd plans for the citys first marijuana consumption lounge this past week, and it could be the first of over two dozen like it in the city.

We are going to allow 28, said City Planner Alexis DiLeo, citing a cap in the citys regulations.

When City Council decided in October 2019 to give the green light to the recreational marijuana industry in the city, it limited the number of permits for marijuana micro-businesses, dispensaries and consumption centers to 28 each.

While the city has since gotten about all the dispensaries its going to see under the cap, the door is still open to potentially 27 more entrepreneurs interested in creating spaces where customers can consume cannabis onsite.

But theyre not lining up just yet, DiLeo told the Planning Commission as it approved a permit this week for whats expected to be Michigans first marijuana consumption lounge  in the house next to the Liberty Provisioning Center marijuana dispensary on Ashley Street downtown.

This is our first taker, DiLeo said, noting marijuana consumption lounges dont seem to be as popular a business proposal as dispensaries.

Michigans first marijuana consumption lounge coming to Ann Arbor

Its tough to find a model thats profitable, but the main reason why no one has opened a marijuana consumption lounge in the last year or so is strictly because of COVID-19, said Mark Passerini, co-founder of the Om of Medicine marijuana dispensary on Main Street.

COVID kind of put a kibosh on all things social, he said.

Once the pandemic is over, he fully expects to see more marijuana consumption lounges in Ann Arbor, but its not something Om is planning at this time, he said.

But I am thrilled that its happening, he said of the first one coming. Ive been waiting for this all my life and I feel like its something that is long overdue.

Marijuana tourists who visit Ann Arbor cant legally smoke in their hotels, cars or in public places like parks, so this gives them a legal place to light up, he said.

Permit conditions state the lounge can be used only by customers of the adjacent dispensary.

In addition to a city permit, the owner needs to obtain and maintain a state license for the lounge.

The company behind the business is Holistic Industries, which describes itself as the countrys largest privately held cannabis operator with operations from California to Washington, D.C. Its flagship retail and wholesale brand is Liberty Cannabis.

Rabbi James Kahn, the companys director of community outreach, assured city planning officials the business wants to be a good neighbor.

In 2021 America, owning a cannabis business is not a right, its a privilege, he said, noting the business will have to get its license regularly renewed and its going to have to answer to neighbors. We all want to create facilities that were comfortable living next to, that were proud of showing our kids and telling our kids about, and thats critical to us.

Hours of operation for the lounge are expected to be noon to 8 p.m. daily with 45-minute reservations free for customers who can show a same-day receipt from the dispensary next door and $10 for those who do not have a receipt.

Maximum occupancy is 19 people, though initially the business plans to only allow up to two groups of four at a time.

City Council Member Lisa Disch, who serves on the Planning Commission, noted the company laid out its plans for the lounge in extensive detail, including odor-control measures and $655,000 in improvements to the property, plus projections of $150,000 in gross annual receipts the first year.

That jumped out at her as a big upfront investment that will take a while to recoup, she said.

The companys primary goal with the lounge isnt to make money but to expand offerings to the customers of its adjacent dispensary, Kahn said.

Despite some concerns that marijuana consumption lounges could lead to people driving while high, the city decided to allow them with the rules approved in 2019.

Passerini points out downtown streets are already lined with bars that serve alcohol and he hopes the city isnt overly restrictive about marijuana lounges.

I was having a conversation the other day with the folks at the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association and were considering starting a whole new campaign to deregulate cannabis like alcohol, he said. The original campaign for legalization was regulate cannabis like alcohol, but now that weve regulated it, weve gone way too far. Its starting to be regulated like its enriched uranium, as opposed to, you know, one of the least-toxic substances known to man.

A history of Hash Bash and marijuana activism in Ann Arbor

Passerini said he had dreams of having a consumption lounge in his building at one point, but thats been the furthest thing from his mind during the pandemic.

While there will be some coming, theyre not going to be like Amsterdam-style cafes, he said.

One of the biggest issues is that the way its set up right now, you cant serve food or drinks, and that would not be Amsterdam-style, he said. Amsterdam has had bakeries and obviously coffee and, you know, a very different model than what were going to see.

Given the restrictions on selling products inside a consumption lounge, there have been questions about whether theyre even financially viable and the expectation is they wont widely proliferate across the community, said City Council Member Erica Briggs, D-5th Ward, who was on Planning Commission when the city hashed out the regulations.

There hasnt been much discussion about them since, Briggs said, adding the city is just trying to facilitate what state voters approved when they legalized recreational marijuana.

Well just have to monitor it as we go and see how it works, she said of consumption lounges. Well just have to see how it integrates into the community.

Brett Lenart, the citys planning manager, said shortly before the regulations were OKd in 2019 he would be surprised if the city got close to the 28-permit cap for consumption lounges and he expected they would end up co-located with dispensaries.

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Schools like the University of Michigan, Oakland University and Lawrence Technological University are requiring students in university housing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester.

However, a group of physicians is asking these schools to reconsider their mandates.

In a letter to deans, governing boards and trustees at universities with COVID-19 vaccine requirements, Paul Kempen, president of the conservative Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, listed more than a dozen reasons why schools should reconsider those mandates, including vaccine side effects and the lower risk of young adults suffering or dying from COVID-19.

Although, at first glance, the policy may seem prudent, it coerces students into bearing unneeded and unknown risk and is at heart contrary to the bedrock medical principle of informed consent, Kempen wrote.

Oakland University announced its vaccine mandate in early April, which applies to students living in on-campus residence halls, apartments and cottages. Those students must be vaccinated before fall move-in on Aug. 27, officials said. About 3,500 students are on OUs campus in a normal year, officials said.

A few weeks later, UM followed suit in announcing a similar requirement for students living in residence halls and other university housing. About 31%, or 12,100 students, live in university-owned, operated or affiliated housing, residence halls are expected to operate at about 80% capacity, officials said.

COVID-19 vaccination required for University of Michigan students living on campus in fall

UM is confident in its approach to required vaccinations, spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said, emphasizing the universitys mandate is not for all students  just students living in university housing  and that students are not required to live on campus.

Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz called Kempens letter an outlier, and said in a statement that it does not represent the consensus opinions of the larger medical community.

My responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of both individuals and the broader community at OU. That is why I believe our approach of allowing students the option of living in close quarters in residence halls only after being vaccinated ensures their optimal health and safety, Pescovitz said.

I also strongly encourage our entire community to be vaccinated as evidence demonstrates that vaccination is the clearest path to a normal, healthy return to campus life.

Both UM and Oakland are allowing exemptions for students.

But, in his letter, Kempen said colleges should consider that policies permitting faculty to choose or refuse vaccination, but do not allow students the same options, raise equal protection constitutional issues.

Kempens statements contradict the American College Health Association, which has recommended vaccination requirements for all on-campus college students, saying that comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination is the most effective way for colleges and universities to return to safe on-campus experiences.

ACHA officials said most campuses have had vaccination requirements for decades, including measles, mumps, rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

While Kempen asked colleges to consider that young adults are at low risk for COVID-19, ACHA states many students, faculty and staff are in older age groups or at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness and complications, and vaccination also helps protect them and those in the surrounding communities.

And recently, Michigan was averaging more hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients younger than 40 than patients 80 or older. Experts attributed the demographic change from previous months due to the difference in vaccination rates. About 74% of Michigan residents age 70 and older have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, but the number decreases to 36% for those ages 16 to 49.

Michigan is now hospitalizing more people under 40 than those over 80 for COVID-19

An American Medical Association report states vaccine mandates can be divisive and backfire if the intent is to encourage vaccination. However, they are legally OK, as long as they are neutral in regard to religion. The report also states that, because COVID-19 spreads easily in indoor venues, laws could be passed requiring people to show proof of vaccine to enter events with lots of people in small spaces.

Both OU and UM will require students living on campus to show proof of vaccination before moving into their campus residences, officials said.

There have been instances of resistance to mandating the shot or requiring proof of a vaccine in Michigan. Protesters and some Republican lawmakers have rallied at the state Capitol against required vaccinations and vaccine passports. And a House bill would ban the use of a COVID-19 passport or any government entity from incentivizing using one.

Political resistance to vaccine mandates and passports continue to gain traction in Michigan

Other Michigan colleges and universities, like Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University, are still considering whether to mandate vaccines. At MSU, about 80% of undergraduate students surveyed said they planned to get a vaccine when its available to them. Students said protecting themselves and caring for others were the top two reasons for wanting the COVID-19 vaccine, according to MSU officials.

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ANN ARBOR, MI -- Bicycles could be seen and protect our vote! could be heard walking through Kerrytown on Saturday afternoon.

A group of about 20 people and 15 cyclists traveled in a motorcade of voters, or votercade, to bring awareness about voting rights. Other cities across the country also participated on May 8 for John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day.

I strongly believe in the For the People Act, and I felt this event should happen, said Cat Hadley, one of the organizers of the event. In Michigan, were facing these voter suppression bills that may inhibit progress that the country recently made.

The bills Hadley was referencing are the 39 election reform bills introduced by Michigan Senate Republicans in March 2021.

The 39-bill package addresses issues ranging from controls on absentee ballot applications and counting, empowering election challengers to better observe poll activities, bolstering clerk training and more. Two of these bills are SB 273 and SB 286.

Senate Bill 273 adds new security requirements to absentee ballot boxes and require approval by the secretary of state and board of county canvassers. Senate Bill 286 adds new requirements for absentee ballot boxes. It would prohibit voters from using absentee ballot boxes after 5 p.m. the day before election and prevent use on Election Day.

Activists hoped to bring attention to the issues pending in the Michigan Senate. Michigan State Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, attended, saying he believes some of the 39 bills introduced would be considered voter suppression.

Michigan State Senator Jeff Irwin (D) marches with people through Kerrytown in Ann Arbor during a bicycle and march called a votercade for John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day on Saturday, May 8, 2021. (Alie Skowronski/mlive.com) Alie Skowronski | The Ann Arbor News

These bills are coming up in the Michigan State Senate and I decided to come show my support for voters, Irwin said. There will be valid voters in Michigan turned away at the polls if these bills that the Republicans have presented get passed.

The group marched from Wheeler Park, past the Kerrytown farmers market, through downtown and back to the park. Speakers from the University of Michigan, the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, the Ann Arbor Independent Police Oversight Commission and the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners spoke following the march.
ADA, MI  A partnership between nonprofit Figi Jezi, Bruce Heys Builders and a slew of businesses turned a 40-by-8-foot shipping container into a medical center that will be shipped to Haiti to provide relief to the underserved.

The Tommy Hamlin Medical Center will provide care to northern Haitian communities where many residents have never seen a medical professional in their lives.

The collaboration was sparked by a simple request to donate some supplies to assist with the nonprofits efforts in Haiti.

Thats how Telsaint Morrisett, co-founder of Figi Jezi, approached Bruce Heys, owner of the construction company, Bruce Heys Builders.

Since its founding in 2014, Figi Jezi has looked to give back to Morrisetts home country of Haiti by supporting community members and providing resources for the countrys northern region.

The nonprofits most recent focus was developing a medical center to join existing facilities. The initiative received early support from board member Ben Hamlin and his wife, Meredith, who have close ties to the nonprofit. The medical facility would be dedicated to their late son, Thomas, who died from a brain tumor at the age of 2 in 2018.

When my son, Thomas, died a few years ago, the connectivity between us and Haiti and Figi Jezi went to a different level, Hamlin said.

So, this container, this medical clinic, has been something special for not just our family because of the legacy and the way that we can honor Thomass name, but also because of the hope that it can bring to the people of Haiti and the impact that it can have to the Figi Jezi mission.

Morrisett began to look for community partners to provide materials to support the project, which would initially be shipped to Haiti and constructed there. But to his surprise, Heys stepped in and offered to not only donate materials, but to furnish the container at his Ada office.

God has been doing so many amazing things, Morrisett said. When people said they want to do something for us, we do not argue with people. We just choose to say yes because we know God is all over this. So when people say, Were going to do this for you, we just we just say, okay, okay, God, thank you, because its all about him.

The shipping container was turned into a medical center with a pair of exam rooms, complete with running water, LED lights and insulation. Once shipped, only a few finishing touches will need to be added to finish the project.

Heys said that when he heard of Figi Jezis mission, he felt compelled to do what he could to help. The challenge was not having experience constructing anything like the shipping container facility.

I had never done anything like this before, so it was a complete learning curve for us, Heys said. But [Morrisett] said this is how theyve been able to just set up construction and operate their ministry. And it seemed like a great fit. So, we agreed to jump in, even though we didnt necessarily know exactly what we were getting into.

Heys and his team still took on the challenge, continuing to reach out to and work with other volunteers and organizations to gather supplies and furnish the facility.

Everybody plugged in, he said. There was work late in the afternoon, there was work Saturday mornings. We just used everybodys mind for how we could make this thing happen.

After seeing the center nearly completed, Morrisett said he was blown away by the dedication to Figi Jezis cause.

This is beyond what we were thinking or imagining, he said. Just all the companies that come together, the vision that we have... This is just a beautiful thing. I just dont know how to respond. Its just a beautiful thing. So we were just so grateful.

The medical center will join other Figi Jezi facilities, tying into a covered common area that can be used for community events and worship.

But most importantly, Morrisett said the facility will provide medical services to Haitians that have been deprived of opportunities their entire life. He said many Cap-Haitien locals carry deformities, rashes and other ailments without the chance to have it cured.

This is going to make so much impact in the community or even like in Haiti because when the medical people come, theyre going to help people endlessly because theres some people in life that never seen no doctor, they dont even know what the doctor is, Morrisett said.

In addition to the facility donation, the organizations will fill the container floor to ceiling with medical supplies and other donated goods  such as bike helmets, batteries and school supplies.

Seeing how the community came together to support the very personal project as well as considering its potential impact reminds Hamlin of the metaphors he associates with his late son: the acorn and the tulip seed.

In the early months after his death, Meredith and I were reading about how, from one little acorn, a mighty oak tree can grow, Hamlin said. We see tulips in the spring, and we see oak trees and acorns in the fall. And this project really reminds us of both of those as symbols of how we view Thomass light and impact that he can have and the way that we can honor his life.

Morrisett said that once the container is completed, filled with goods and shipped, it will be installed and operational shortly after hitting the ground in Haiti.

For more information on Figi Jezi and its mission, visit their website.

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ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI - Two Zeeland men were injured in a single-vehicle crash Saturday that left the passenger in critical condition, according to a news release from the Allegan County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies responded just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday to reports of a single-vehicle truck crash in the area of 136th Avenue and 41st Street in Overisel Township, according to the release. Police believe the driver left the roadway after failing to turn on a curve, striking a tree and coming to a rest in a wooded area.

The passenger, a 24-year-old Zeeland man, was airlifted in critical condition to a Grand Rapids area hospital. The driver, a 43-year-old Zeeland man, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Police suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash, but it remains under investigation, according to the release. The Hamilton Fire Department and Michigan State Police assisted the sheriffs office at the scene.

Read more:

A shipping container, several businesses and a little boys legacy: How West Michigan is fulfilling a medical need in Haiti

Kalamazoo man dies in shooting incident Saturday evening

Crash involving Saginaw man leaves married Schoolcraft couple dead
KALAMAZOO, MI - A 23-year-old Kalamazoo man died from apparent gunshot wounds Saturday evening, according to a news release from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

Police responded at roughly 10 p.m. Saturday to a report of shots fired at the 3800 block of E Cork Street, finding the man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. First responders attempted to save the mans life, but he was taken to a local hospital and died from his injuries.

Police are not releasing the victims identity at this time and no suspect has been located, according to the release. The department asked anyone with information on the incident to call (269) 337-8120 or reach out to Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, slaying six adults before killing himself Sunday, police said.

The shooting happened just after midnight in a mobile home park on the east side of Colorado Springs, police said.

Officers arrived at a trailer to find six dead adults and a man with serious injuries who died later at a hospital, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.

The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and opened fire before shooting himself, police said.

The birthday party was for one of the people killed, police said.

Neighbor Yenifer Reyes told The Denver Post she woke to the sound of many gunshots.

I thought it was a thunderstorm, Reyes said. Then I started hearing sirens.

Police brought children out of the trailer and put them into at least one patrol car, she said, adding that the children were crying hysterically.

Authorities say the children, who werent hurt in the attack, have been placed with relatives.

Police on Sunday hadnt released the identities of the shooter or victims. Authorities say a motive wasnt immediately known.

Family and friends of the victims who died in a shooting, comfort each down the street from the scene in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Sunday, May 9, 2021. The suspected shooter was the boyfriend of a female victim at the party attended by friends, family and children. He walked inside and opened fire before shooting himself, police said. Children at the attack werent hurt and were placed with relatives.(Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP)AP

My heart breaks for the families who have lost someone they love and for the children who have lost their parents, Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said in a statement.

It was Colorados worst mass shooting since a gunman killed 10 people at a Boulder supermarket March 22.

The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs is devastating, Gov. Jared Polis said Sunday, especially as many of us are spending the day celebrating the women in our lives who have made us the people we are today.

Colorado Springs, population 465,000, is Colorados second-biggest city after Denver.

In 2015, a man shot three people to death at random before dying in a shootout with police in Colorado Springs on Halloween. Less than a month later, a man killed three people, including a police officer, and injured eight others in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.
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Award-winning broadcast journalist Mary Akosua Addai Mununkum has joined Kumasi-based Akoma FM, a subsidiary of Media General, Ghanas leading Media Company.

Akosua, has over 17 years of experience working in the media industry and has occupied several capacities.

At Akoma FM, Akosua will be hosting the stations afternoon show dubbed Akoma Mu Nsem one of its flagship programmes, a show to dissect the most relevant and topical social issues that confront society.

Making the announcement, Akosua expressed her excitement to be joining the media conglomerate and also her appreciation to the management of the Media General for believing in her.

Its a great feeling to be joining the Media General Group at this time and I am going to ensure I add my weight and give my best to help move Akoma FM to the next level, she added.

Prior to joining Akoma FM, Akosua served as Senior Broadcast Journalist with Multimedia Group Limited, Nhyira FM, as co-host and Head of production of from 2013.

According to the Chief Operating Officer of the Media General Group, Winfred Kingsley Afful, Akosua Addais inclusion in the team is very critical at this moment as we management seeks to strengthen all our programs belts.

Akoma Mu Nsem is a show positioned to protect the interest of Ghanaians as well as addressing personal and societal issues with the aim of resolving them and getting solutions to ensure the main aim of radio lingers on-thus radio gets results

The weekday show from 12:40pm to 3:00pm will afford listeners with pressing issues the platform to vent their frustrations, gain advice and directions as we solicit for long-lasting solutions to their problems he added.
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The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) says it has concluded preliminary investigations into the recent power outages aka dumsor.

To this end, PURC plans to ascertain the liabilities incurred by consumers due to the power cuts and possibly compensate them for the losses.

The Commission established through its regulatory monitoring that, the erratic power supply coupled with low voltages especially during peak hours was caused by a number of factors across the value chain of electricity supply.

Following the conclusion of the preliminary investigations, the Commission in accordance with its regulatory processes is ascertaining the liability and possibility of compensation to consumers in recognition of any loss occasioned by the erratic power supply.

The Commission further encourages consumers to report any case of damaged equipment to the nearest ECG/NEDCO office for the appropriate action failing which the report may be forwarded to the PURC for redress, a statement from the PURC added.

Factors to blame for outages

According to the PURC, reasons leading to the blackouts experienced in the country include, but are not limited to the following:

Technical challenges in the natural gas supply network; New transmission infrastructure being constructed on the National Interconnected 'Transmission System (NITS). Planned and unplanned maintenance activities on aspects of the NITS. Reduction in reactive power support in the mid-portion of the country. Emergency upgrade and modification works on the NITS to increase reactive power support and improve voltages in the mid-portion of the country.

Since the beginning of 2021, parts of the country have consistently been plunged into a state of darkness often without prior notice.

The situation have affected the everyday lives of Ghanaians, especially those who rely on electricity to run their businesses. They have decried the impact of the situation on trading activities.

On social media, in particular, there has been a lot of conversation about the worrying trend with those suspecting a looming power crisis calling on authorities to publish a timetable if need be.

But, the power transmission company, the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has reiterated that the situation is not being caused by generation challenges but rather, ongoing maintenance and repair works on a number of its equipment and plants.

---citinewsroom
Chadian police on Saturday shot a protester and arrested about 20 others defying a ban to demonstrate against the junta that took power after veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno died fighting rebels.

Only a few dozens of people took

to the streets in sporadic groups after military authorities late Friday banned the protest called by the Wakit Tama grouping of opposition political parties and civil society bodies.

"Some 20 people have been detained by the security forces and a single person was injured by a live bullet," N'Djamena prosecutor Youssouf Tom told AFP.

"The policeman who fired the shot had taken drugs and was finally arrested and will answer for his action," he added.

Police used tear gas to break up a gathering in a southern district of the capital N'Djamena, an AFP reporter said, adding that security forces had deployed in numbers across the city.

A small group of people burnt a French flag in a northern area. France, Chad's former colonial ruler, was a traditional backer of Deby and is seen by some as supporting the junta that seized power after Deby's death.

Wakit Tama coordinator Max Loalngar said a dozen people had been hurt, three seriously, and about 15 arrested.

He accused the authorities of "showing bad faith and their war posture when we are asking for an inclusive dialogue to allow all Chadians without exclusion to seek the means for an honourable end to the crisis".

The Transitional Military Council (CMT) took charge on April 20, the day that Deby's shock death was announced. It is headed by Deby's son Mahamat, a four-star general.

Protests broke out almost immediately and have been brutally quashed, resulting in six deaths according to officials, and nine according to NGOs.

Over 600 people have been arrested.

Mahamat Idriss Deby has pledged to hold "free and democratic" elections in 18 months. He has named a transitional government that is overwhelmingly dominated by ruling party figures and stalwarts of the old regime.

Chad claims that the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), a large armed group with a rear base in Libya which mounted an offensive on April 11, is retreating after a government offensive.
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The Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) has urged Ghanaians to be patient with President Nana Akufo-Addo as he is determined to fix all the socio-economic problems that he inherited from the John Mahama administration.

A statement signed by Razak Kojo Opoku, the founder and President of CVM, said majority of the problems that people are pressurising the Akufo-Addo-led administration to fix were caused by the incompetence of former President John Mahama.

However, President Akufo-Addo has fixed most of the problems he inherited from Mahama in his first term, and most definitely he is on course fixing the rest of the problems in his second term. We would like to appeal to Ghanaians to be patient with Akufo-Addos government for they are capable and committed to addressing all the problems in the country one after the other, Mr. Opoku added in the statement.

Citing some initiatives and projects launched under Akufo-Addos leadership, Mr. Opoku said President Akufo-Addo is not sleeping on his job. In fact, he has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that, he is very committed to addressing the concerns and expectations of Ghanaians.

Lets support President Akufo-Addo to succeed with our patience and tolerance.

Some Ghanaians have been expressing their displeasure over successive governments' failure to improve the living standards of Ghanaians on Twitter using the hashtag #FixTheCountry.

The campaign was initially started by some young persons on Twitter, but some celebrities later joined in to hold the government accountable.

They cited dumsor, unemployment, poor healthcare systems as proof of successive governments' mismanagement of the country.

Members of the group attempted to hold a demonstration on May 9.

The planned demonstration was however stifled by the state after the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction against it.

The court ruled that the planned protest would not be able to come off until the restriction on public gatherings is lifted.

Conveners of the protest have now moved to challenge the injunction.

---citinewsroom
The spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheik Aremeyaw Shaibu has expressed concerns over what he describes as gang up against Muslims by big Christian organizations in Ghana.

His comments come after the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana have issued a communique throwing support for the Methodist Church-Ghana as regards the prevention of some students at Wesley Girls Senior High School to fast during Ramadan.

The Bishops said We have discussed the issue prayerfully and have studied the various press statements that some stakeholders have released on the matter.

We wish to endorse the position of the Methodist Church Ghana, which they succinctly outlined in their May 4, 2021 press release, and reiterate that the decision of the Wesley Girls Senior High School authorities on fasting is purely in the interest of the students.

These were contained in the communique issued after an annual joint meeting of the two Christian bodies at the St James Catholic Church, Osu in Accra on Wednesday, May 5.

The two bodies also used the opportunity to hold an ecumenical service to pray for Christian unity, the well-being of the government and the people of Ghana and reflected on how to abide in Christ as a nation in order to have sustainability of strength and not wither away.

The leadership of the two bodies said in their discussion of issues of national interest, they took a strong exception to the directive of the Ghana Education Service (GES) issued on Saturday, May 1 to Wesley Girls High School as regards fasting rules for its students.

They explained that mission schools have been guided by religious traditions of the respective churches from their inception in the country.

Even in the more advanced democracies in the world , such a space is granted the various churches in the running of their respective mission schools.

Therefore, we respectfully wish to state that the Ministry of Education , GES or any other stakeholder must not undermine the Codes of Conduct of the various mission schools, which have ensured their discipline and high academic standards for almost two centuries in Ghana.

Commenting on this development on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday May 8, Sheik Aremeyaw Shaibu said In Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) which is one of the best schools in this country, we have Muslim students there, they have a patron in the school who caters for their needs in matters of discipline. They pray in school, they fast and do everything.

These practices have never reduced the academic ranking of PRESEC.

My worry is the ganging up by these big Christian organizations, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and the Christian Council not taking a step back to look at this dispassionately but rather endorsing this.

---3news.com
Apostle Kadmiel E.H. Agbelanyo, the Leader and Founder of the Seventh Day Theocracy Congregation of Homedakrom in the Eastern Region urges government to close down churches, which are not adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

He said most churches were not complying with the directives to provide handwashing stations, enforce the wearing of nose masks, and use hand sanitizers, thereby making the covid-19 fight difficult.

Apostle Agbelenyo made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the celebration of the Church's Feast of Pentecost at Otiakrom near Aburi in the Akuapem South District.

He said COVID-19 was real and that church leaders must educate their members to take the safety measures seriously to curb its spread and minimise the fatalities.

Apostle Agbelenyo prayed for President Akufo-Addo, parliamentarians and ministers to be blessed with God's wisdom to steer the affairs of the nation for peace and prosperity.

---GNA
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The Foase Police Command is probing the bizarre circumstance in which a 25-year-old woman died at Dida in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.

Reports indicate that, on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, Sabina Badu left her grandmothers room and retired to bed in her room.

Her grandmother, Akosua Ako did not find her the next day and the family immediately went about searching for her.

The body of the deceased, Sabina Badu was found at the outskirt of the community with some of her body parts missing.

The family heard about a body that was found at the outskirt of the Dida community.

The deceaseds brother, Opoku Kingston was part of the people who went to the scene when news about the dead body went viral in the community.

He narrated the details to Citi TV.

I rushed to the location at 6:30 in the morning and saw my sister, and she was covered with plantain leaves. So at that moment, I wasnt able to identify the person because I couldnt see a face or body, but the police were around, and they asked us to wait for the crime officers before we could get closer to the body. So when the crime scene people came around, they pulled off the leaves, and we went around and saw the body. We saw that her thumb and two other fingers were cut off. The big toe on each foot and one of her breasts were cut off.

He added that the police have assured the family that they will continue their investigations and that the family is doing what they can to assist the police in their investigations.

Fortunately, the police told us they are continuing with their investigations after we went to see them today. They also asked for our assistance to aid in investigations, so we handed over the contacts of some people who were communicating with her within the period to them. They also informed us that they will obtain some documents from the court so that they can get an autopsy from the hospital and after that, they will take some information to Accra, and we can take it from there.

Police at Foase confirmed the incident and said investigations have duly commenced.

They later conveyed and deposited the body at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue.

---citinewsroom
On Friday afternoon, May 7, 2021, Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee joined scores of Islamic believers who congregated at the Monrovia City Hall to observe the last ten days in the holy month of Ramadan.

In a special remark, Mayor Koijee extended sincere gratitude to the Muslim Imams and religious leaders for their immense contributions to the growth and development of Liberia, and encouraged all Islamic believers to continue to strengthen the relationship that binds them together in an effort to enhance peace and foster democracy for the betterment of all and sundry. We have tried to keep our relationship in the most unique ways, he noted.

According to Mayor Koijee, he believes that the City Government has been active in making relevant religious affiliation with the Muslim Community in this holy month of Ramadan. As a united religion, under our leadership at the Monrovia City Government, we will always call on all leaders of the Muslim Community to respect their faith and join the government in securing the peace and security of Liberia.

At the same time, Mayor Koijee used the occasion to appreciate His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia for demonstrating religious tolerance and always identifying with the Muslim Community.

He donated food items to the leadership of the Muslim Community on behalf of President Weah and the City Council of Monrovia. Amongst these food items include 200 bags of rice, 46 bags of depa, 85 bags of gari, and 2 giant size cows. He concluded with hearty words of appreciation to the Muslim Community and leaders for their eminent role in sustaining the peace as they climax the last ten days in the holy month of Ramadan.

For his part, Sheik Ima Abdullah Masuri, Chairman of the National Council of Muslims of Liberia, extended consolation to Mayor Koijee and the Monrovia City Government at the passing of Major Mustapha Fawaz, employee of the Monrovia City Government and thank his leadership for identifying with the Muslim Community.

He said it is sometimes difficult to share and appreciate the level of tolerance the Liberian government has exemplified. In furtherance, he noted that President Weah has continued to exercise not only religious tolerance but also committed himself to develop the country for the benefit of all Liberians regardless of religious affiliation.

All the Imams seated here today are true Liberians with maximized potentials and are ready at all times to join the Weah-led government in giving back to the country, he added.

In his concluding remark, Imam Sheik extolled Mayor Koijee for his kindest speech, noting that the mayor always speaks in the interest of all Liberians irrespective of religion, tribe and background.
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The Ghana Police Service has stopped organizers of the #FixTheCountry from holding their protest scheduled for Sunday, May 9.

This was after organizers of the protest had written to the police administration informing it of their intention to hit the streets to express their displeasure over economic hardship in the country.

The police however secured a court injunction on the planned protest citing the ban on public gatherings in line with COVID-19 protocols as a reason.

But in a one-page letter, Ho West Youth Congress for Development (HoYCoD) disagrees with the position of the Ghana Police Service and charged the youths within the Volta and other regions to join the non-political #FixTheCountry protest on the 9th, May 2021.

The letter signed by the Convenor and the Executive Director of the Youth Group based in Ho West Constituency said they find the counter campaigns and moves to prevent the intended demonstration on Sunday, May 9, 2021, disingenuous and disappointing.

The statement noted, "we think that the use of the Ghana Police Service and the judiciary to deny the organizers their constitutional right to demonstrate in a democracy is an affront to the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution and must be called out without any equivocation."

The group added, "We further pledge our utmost support and absolute readiness to join, participate, and even play leading roles in this campaign and all other ancillary activities by the organizers. If the organizers would decide to replicate the demonstrations across the country, we shall be ready to assist in organizing the campaign in the Volta Region and Ho West District in particular."

Read full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE #FixTheCountry CAMPAIGN

The imminent #FixTheCoutry Campaign and Civil Action is gathering momentum despite stiff and brazen opposition and counter campaigns from government officials, Members of Parliament, and communicators of the ruling party, who think the #FixTheCountry Campaign is a political move calculated at discrediting the ruling government, and making it unpopular.

We, of the Ho West Youth Congress for Development (HoYCoD), do not consider the current campaign and struggle by the youth all over the country, who are behind the #FixTheCountry as a partisan political activity.

We see it as a process to make our political leaders more responsible and accountable to us. We identify with our colleagues in other parts of the nation. We can also experience the hardships in our society currently. We ply the bad roads regularly too; we see the abandoned projects in our communities, district, and elsewhere as well.

It is in light of all of the above that we, of HoYCoD, cannot agree more with the organizers that the youth of Ghana, irrespective of its political affiliations, must rise and hold our government truly accountable to us. This is why we wish to be identified with this struggle and lend our support to the organizers.

We wish to state that we find the counter campaigns and moves to prevent the intended demonstration on Sunday, May 9, 2021, disingenuous and disappointing. Further, we think that the use of the Ghana Police Service and the judiciary to deny the organizers their constitutional right to demonstrate in a democracy is an affront to the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution and must be called out without any equivocation.

As a youth-oriented organization, especially one committed to seeking the utmost welfare and development of the youth, who find ourselves on the periphery of opportunities, we indulge all our members; home and away; near and far to lend their full and absolute support through active participation and involvement in the #FixTheCountry demonstration and campaign.

We further pledge our utmost support and absolute readiness to join, participate, and even play leading roles in this campaign and all other ancillary activities by the organizers. If the organizers would decide to replicate the demonstrations across the country, we shall be ready to assist in organizing the campaign in the Volta Region and Ho West District in particular.

HoYCoD, therefore, wishes to call on all other youth groups within the Volta Region and beyond to participate fully in the intended demonstration and subsequent actions aimed at restoring hope and life into our ailing economy.

Long live the Youth!

Long live Ghana!!

utifafa Kristo Kofi

Convenor

Carlos Yao Femi Ganyo

Executive Director
Some mothers and caregivers in the Krachi West District of the Oti Region are relieved with the RTSS vaccine.

While an assessment of the vaccines impact on malaria-related illness and death is still being assessed, the perception among some parents in the district is that it spared their children from malaria, thus allowing them enough time for socio-economic activities.

They explained that, their babies and infants up to two years that are on the vaccine no longer fall sick of malaria.

Edward A. Ken-Zorre was in the Krachi West district to assess the vaccine piloting in the district and filed this report.

It was a busy morning at the Ntewusae CHPS center in the Krachi West district where several mothers had turned up with their children for whats popularly referred to as weighing.

One of such mothers is Abigail Bour, a dressmaker who said her daughter, Rebecca Donkor, who is one year old, had not had malaria so far and this had given her enough time to sew for clients and also meet timelines.

Abigails daughter has taken three doses of the RTSS and according to her, her two other children were always diagnosed with malaria.

As for Rebecca, when Im coming to the clinic Im coming for weighing. She is not like her two elder brothers and maybe because of the malaria vaccine she took and also that we now sleep under a net, that was given to me here at the clinic she explained.

Madam Bour is not the only mother with a testimony, Nablemadu Gifty, another nursing mother, says her daughter, Portia has also not been diagnosed of malaria since taking her first dose when she was just 6 months.

She explained that her one-year-old daughter had not also had any side effects or complications resulting from the RTSS vaccine.

Its only when they inject her and she cries and her body will be hot and that is normal for all the vaccination she takes Nablemadu Gifty narrated.

The malaria vaccine which has been rolled out in some districts in Ghana is the first and only vaccine to reduce malaria cases in young children in Africa, the population most affected by the disease.

The Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) coordinated and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) led to the rollout of the malaria vaccine in 3 countries in Africa; Ghana, Kenya and Malawi through country-led routine immunization.

Medical Superintendent at the Krachi West District Hospital Dr. Theophilus Amoatey believes the RTSS vaccine has been helpful, along with other interventions, in reducing child mortality resulting from malaria in the hospital since the start of the immunization in the district.

He said the hospital has seen a reduction in the number of malaria cases at the OPD with no recorded child deaths from the disease.

Before the vaccine, malaria has always been our number one case at the OPD especially children under-five, but in 2020 we saw a decline in the cases of malaria and it has become our third case at the OPD

Ghana is among the 15 highest burden malaria countries in the world with three per cent of global malaria cases and deaths.

The country reported the highest increase in absolute case numbers, (500,000 new cases) from 2017 to 2018, which represented a five per cent increase compared to 2017 figures (from 213 to 224 per 1000 of the population at risk).

But this may change, as statistics at the Krachi West district seem to be pointing in this direction.

Under the 2020-year review OPD malaria cases in the district decreased from 23,452 in 2019 to 16, 761 in 2020.

District Director of the Ghana Health Service at the Krachi West District, Victor Ahiaba says OPD malaria cases for children under five also reduced from 7, 319 in 2019 to 5, 087 in 2020, a period the vaccine was introduced in the district.

Before the introduction of the vaccine, we embarked on a vigorous education campaign across the district so we were able to reach our target of getting 84% of children for the first dose and the third dose we had 78% as at now, he emphasised.
The Northern regional Minister Shani Alhassan Shaibu has given the assurance of working with young people in the region to achieve progress in all sectors of national development.

According to him the youth make more than 50% of the population of Ghana so attention should be given to the youth if we actually want to succeed in whatever things that we are doing.

He added that if the youth go unrecognized, you find them engaging in wayward things, things that are inimical to the growth of society. So, I am here, even though above the youthful age, but I will support young people because I still see myself as a youth.

The Northern regional Minister Shani Alhassan Shaibu was speaking at the meeting with the Northern Regional Youth Network (NRYN) during a courtesy call on him at the regional coordinating council in Tamale.

The courtesy call was to congratulate the Minister for his appointment by the President and subsequent approval by Parliament as the Northern Regional Minister and also seek for his support for activities of the NRYN.

The Minister commended the Northern Regional Youth Network (NRYN) for the many positive initiatives they have embarked on in contributing to the human development of the region and assured them of his support for other positive initiatives.

Giving a progress report on campaigns that the NRYN carried out with the RCC support, the convener of the NRYN, Mohammed Inusah indicated that all MMDAs had pledged to fuse quarterly MMDAs education review meetings into their plans and Saboba and Karaga districts had reported they had successfully organized same in November 2020.

He also indicated that 1,000 books were donated to the Savelugu library and NABCO personnel trained to manage the Savelugu library after the Northern Regional Youth Network had embarked on the One District One Library campaign across the region.

The Convener of the Northern Regional Youth Network, Mohammed Inusah also appealed to the Minister to consider creating space for a young person at the regional security council and also direct the same at all MMDAs across the region.

He said young peoples inclusion in decision making is critical for development and having young people on the various security councils will help information gathering for timely interventions.
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We've read some social media comments sequel to the #FixTheCountry online demonstration. The citizenry are angry about the economic hardships we're in today.

And many a Ghanaian are pinning the chunks of the blame on the second gentleman of the country, HE the Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamud Bawumia owing to his academic credentials.

Some are even going as far as juxtaposing their claims with compelling the Vice President to the ruler of China, Xi Jinping, who on paper they claim lags behind Dr. Bawumia academically.

With all respect to Dr. Bawumia (a respect he deserves thousand times), those certificates are papers, given out to certify how one is learned.

But the real learned people don't fancy such paper endorsements. Count: Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammed, Ras Tafari, Leonardo Davinci. .. and the many who in contemporary times are making changes in our generation through technology. The Bill Gates, Zuckerbergs, Steve Jobs. ..and a number of them. They're either school dropouts or had little to no classroom schooling.

Though Dr. Bawumia is intellectual by all standards (you dispute that only as an ignorant, hater of truth, or sheer envy). But such western designed education has been manipulated to make us subservient to its architects. He's brilliant, according to today's conventional education, ie; economics. And we believe, with his digitalization drive, if allowed the chance, he'll grow Ghana again in a different fashion as Lee Kwan Yew built a city-state Singapore out of nothing to be global economic powerhouse.

The problem of Ghana lies far above the control of one man. It traces back to many intertwined factors.

Nkrumah said in his first book after his ouster in the 1966 coup, _*The Dark Days In Ghana*_ that: "when I came to power, I noticed our education system will continue to develop the economy of the colonial powers, not ours. That I vowed to change, but my own people joined the oppressor to remove me from my dominions, and I now write from Conakry - Guinea" (sic).

Look, this book was by then a smuggle if you had it in your possession. And how many of our readers today, you included have read it?

That said, Xi Jinping is mere walking on the path laid decades ago by Chairman Mao Zedong (the Kwame Nkrumah and Lee Kwan Yew of China).

Mao laid the foundation, built institutions that grooms the best who will continue the building process into a promised land. Not based on certificates, which is sold on the market today to the highest bidder.

_Let's change the building process, the status quo, and Ghana will be fixed._

Having Dr. Bawumia's name thrown about and attached to the #FixTheCountry demonstration indicates we have faith in him as a country. And when given the needed support, and drink this available water in wait of the drought, Ghana will go to a durbar in her best Kente clothes sooner than later.

This article is authored by the North East Movement For Dr. Bawumia for NPP 2024 leadership, #BreakingTheEight.

Contacts:

*REGIONAL EXECUTIVES.* *(NORTH EAST)*

CHAIRMAN:

*ADAM ABDUL-LATIF,* Contact: 0552945720

GENERAL SECRETARY,

*ALI UMAR GAZALI, .* Contact: 0241292831

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, (PRO)

*BISUMAN M. ALHASSAN (JNR. KENNEDY AGYAPONG)*

Contact; 0248993328.
African nations are attending this year's Dubai Expo 2020 in force, hoping to project an image of a modern and ambitious continent and shed stereotypes of conflict and underdevelopment.

The six-month mega-event, delayed by the Covid pandemic, is a milestone for the wealthy Gulf emirate.

It has spent some $8.2 billion transforming a barren stretch on the outskirts of the city into an eye-popping site bristling with high-tech pavilions.

As the huge project nears completion ahead of the scheduled October 2021 opening, African delegates touted their ambitions to generate trade and investment at a high-level meeting this week.

With nearly all African states represented for the first time, Expo provides a stage to advertise a "continent that is ready to move forward" and "a secure place to do business," Levi Uche Madueke from the 55-member African Union told AFP.

The African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. By Ludovic MARIN (POOL/AFP/File)

"The time has come for us to actually reach out to the world, and for the world to understand us, and also see how they can collaborate with us," said Madueke, the AU's head of strategic partnerships.

Since the first World Expo was held in London in 1851, global fairs have been used to showcase innovations and as a branding exercise for participating countries.

And in its quest to gain influence on the international scene, the United Arab Emirates has increased its political and economic presence in Africa in recent years, particularly in the eastern Horn.

'That's in the past!'

A view of the Burj al-Arab hotel in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, with the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago seen in the background. By KARIM SAHIB (AFP/File)

Africa witnessed 25 years of growth before falling into a Covid-induced recession in 2020. It continues to dominate the bottom half of the global Human Development Index.

Aside from exceptions such as Rwanda, Morocco and Kenya, African states also fare poorly on indices that measure the ease of doing business.

But Madueke said that despite the need to develop infrastructure and the existing barriers to international trade, Africa has "a lot to offer" thanks to its rich natural resources and youthful population.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, long seen as a country marred by conflict, corruption and human rights abuses, is looking to attract investment from around the world.

"Often when we talk about Africa, about Congo, people will say -- there is war in the east, there are rebels... No!" said Eugene Manga Manga, DR Congo's general commissioner for Expo 2020. "We have everything we need. If you go out at night in Kinshasa, life is good."

The Democratic Republic of Congo, long seen as marred by conflict, corruption and human rights abuses, is looking to attract investment. By PAPY MULONGO (AFP/File)

Known for its rich mineral resources, DR Congo will showcase its culture and landscape in promotional videos in a bid to attract tourists, from its pavilion that that will also promote the country's agricultural potential.

"The Congo has 80 million hectares of arable land. We exploit only 10 percent," Manga said, adding that the country has taken steps to ease property ownership hurdles and improve the business climate.

"This image of Africa that is sold -- of misery, suffering, war -- that's in the past!" he told AFP.

'The goal is to sell'

At the Dubai meetings, members of the Benin delegation said the country was working overtime to promote tourism by rehabilitating cultural sites and improving its business potential through economic reforms.

"The objective is to sell the destination," said Ines Monwanou, the country's main delegate at Expo 2020.

A view from the Cairo Tower in the centre of the Egyptian capital, with the Giza Pyramids on the horizon. By Mohamed el-Shahed (AFP/File)

While expectations are high, even the continent's heavyweights acknowledge that selling a revitalised image at the Dubai Expo will be a challenge.

The Egyptian pavilion, featuring pyramids and hieroglyphics, will showcase the country's ancient history and vast tourism appeal, but the main objective is to draw in business investment and cooperation, particularly in new technologies.

"The world has started to look at Africa and rediscover it," said Ahmed Maghawry Diab, an official from Egypt's Ministry of Trade and Industry who is representing the country at Expo 2020.

"The continent has a lot of difficulties, but it has also started to develop."
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The long-awaited HOPE TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF COVID 19 PROJECT was duly launched by H. E. Michelle Bolsonaro, First Lady Of Brazil, Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park, Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, Minister For Chieftaincy And Religious Affairs on the 7th May 2021 at the Tang Palace Hotel.

The conference witnessed the participation of about 100 Media houses who participated both online and offline and are currently circulating the good news from the project.

The project presented first-hand information on the preparations and content for the GRAND BIBLE CRUSADE dated 11thto 15th of May, 2021. This life sustaining programme is expected to play host to over two (2) billion people participating both online and offline, presenting hope through the word of God during the 5-day power-packed programme.

Reverend Ock Soo Park, the Founder of Good News Mission and Christian Leaders Fellowship (CLF), said as many people lost their jobs, fear and hopelessness had engulfed their hearts and minds. This crisis, he said, highlighted the need for urgent action to cushion the pandemics health and economic consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and set the stage for lasting recovery, hence the launch of the above project to replace hopelessness with hope and faith.

In attendance through zoom were Herman Bailey of the CTN USA, Stuart Freeman from the UK, Roger Leon Jimenez Director of Enlance TV and Yan Volkov Sergeevic Director of TBN Russia. Present in person were Rev. Dr. Ahmed Kenneth Quarshie, the General Superintendent, of the Free Methodist Church in Ghana, Rev. Young Jun Moon, the Director General of CLF, Rev. Ato Edwin the General Secretary of CLF Ghana among many others strongly advocated for partnership with the media to propagate the spread of the hope message to the world.

Rationale for the HOPE TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF COVID 19

The world's economies are on their knees following the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic over the past 13 months. Growing number of researches has been conducted on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developed countries with little attention on developing countries, who are still grappling with the negative impact of the coronavirus.

The crisis highlights the need for urgent action to cushion the pandemics health and economic consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and set the stage for lasting recovery. These highlights have been given attention by many famous Men and Servants of God around the globe. This has encouraged partnership between most of the Christian-related associations to form a common front of singing hope for the whole world through using THE GRAND BIBLE CRUSADE as tool to achieve this noble objective.

The front liner organisations are Good News Broadcasting Systems and Christian Leaders Fellowship -USA. With the patronage of Rev. Ock Soo Park, 620, 000 Pastors with two (2) billion participants from more than 94 countries, over 600 media houses are ready as partners to project this project of restoring hope in the hearts of many.

The Bible Seminar was held every year in major cities nationwide and countries around the world, starting with the Busan Mugunghwa Hall Seminar in 1986. In particular, "The Secret of forgiveness of sin and being born again" which translated the sermon of the first seminar into a book, is a bestseller published in 24 languages and sold 1.3 million copies, which is a guide to faith for many people. The Seminar, which turned online in 2020 due to the global spread of the Coronavirus infection (Covid-19), was broadcast by 276 TV and radio broadcasters in May and 655 in October, drawing attention as "The Bible Seminar giving the message of hope to the World in the time of COVID 19."

Famous Christian channels such as CTN, TBN and Enlace reported Pastor Ock Soo Park's sermon and ministry, and CTN, the largest Christian channel in North America, has been broadcasting Pastor Ock Soo Parks of hope 'The lectures on the book of John.

On-line Bible Seminar Overview

Date:Tuesday 11th ~15th (Saturday) Morning 10:30, Evening 7:30

Method: On-line (ZOOM, TV, broadcasting, Youtube live broadcasting GNMWCA etc.)

Translation: Five simultaneous translations (English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian) Simultaneous interpretation of local languages in 29 countries

More Information

+233-243211580, +233-245571220,

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Ministry of National Security, on Sunday, refuted allegations that it had cloned the phone of one of the conveners of #FixtheCountry Movement.

A statement signed and issued by Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the phone cloning allegation was "false and baseless".

The statement was in reaction to a claim by one Oliver Barker-Vormanor, one of the convenor of the #FixtheCountry campaign on Saturday, May 8, 2021, that the National Security operatives had unlawfully cloned the android phone of one of the convenors, in order to access his private chats.

It said the convenors were invited for a meeting at the National Security Ministry, which they voluntarily attended and, therefore, the allegation of coercing them into a meeting was untrue.

Also, in consistent with standard practices, the phones of all visitors to the Ministry were kept at the reception.

"The Ministry has no basis to and did not tamper with the phones of the convenors," it stressed.

"The conveners were invited for a meeting to which they voluntarily attended. The allegation that they were coerced into a meeting is therefore untrue.

"Additionally, in instances where the Agencies of the Ministry have need to investigate the electronic devices of a person, legal methods such as a proper court warrant are employed.

"The phone cloning allegation is also therefore false and baseless.

"The public is therefore advised to disregard the said allegation," the statement stated.

An Accra High Court, last week, ordered the campaigners of the #Fixthecountry to stop their intended street protest today, May 9 in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

They, however, announced their intentions to protest on the social media platform, Twitter, and asked their followers to converge on the platform today in black attire for the protest.

They are protesting against the government over high cost of living in the country brought about by the hikes in prices of commodities such as fuel, cement, and iron rods as well as poor road network and unemployment.

GNA
Armed police officers from the Formed Police Unit and Riot Control Units from both the Accra Regional and National offices have converged at the Black Star Square.

A police source on the ground confirmed to Citi News that they were deployed in anticipation of #FixTheCountry protestors.

However, the Black Star Square has not seen any activity from protestors.

A demonstration was planned for today but the conveners of the #FixTheCountry campaign had to change plans after the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction against it.

The court that granted the police's request ruled that the planned protest would not be able to come off until the restriction on public gatherings is lifted.

The movement started last weekend and has been mainly online, with thousands of Ghanaians voicing their frustrations with the Akufo-Addo government.

Instead of the protestors gathering, the conveners urged sympathisers to wear black attire today.

In addition, on each hour between 1 pm and 4 pm they urged drivers to blow on their horns for 1 minute.

In the same period, they asked Ghanaians at home, in all their communities to bang on their utensils for 1 minute.

The conveners also said sympathisers could choose to stand alone anywhere, including at vantage points in your community holding placards or signs with the hashtags.

The conveners of the protest still hope to have a gathering of protestors at the Black Star Square.

They have moved to challenge the injunction at the Supreme Court.

The hearing challenging the injunction has been scheduled for June 8, 2021.

But conveners now want to file an application to bring forward the hearing.

citinewsroom
The leader of Afghanistan's Taliban insurgency Sunday praised the ongoing withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the country, as officials in Kabul raised the death toll to more than 60 from the previous day's multiple blasts outside a girls' school in the capital.

"We consider the withdrawal of forces by America and other foreign countries a good step and strongly urge that all parts of the Doha agreement be implemented," said Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada.

The Taliban chief was referring to the February 2020 landmark peace-building pact the United States negotiated with the insurgents in Qatar's capital, Doha, to pull all U.S. and coalition troops from the country to close America's longest war, now in its 20th year.

"Unfortunately, the American side has so far violated the signed agreement repeatedly and caused enormous human and material loss to civilians," Akhundzada alleged in a statement he issued in connection with the annual Muslim festival of Eid starting this week.

The foreign military drawdown was supposed to be concluded by May 1 in line with the deal, but U.S. President Joe Biden missed the deadline, citing logistical reasons and announcing last month that all U.S. troops would be out by Sept. 11. That would be the 20th anniversary of the terrorist strikes against the U.S.

The Taliban denounced the delay and threatened to break their cease-fire with international forces that has been in place since the signing of the deal. U.S. commanders say the troop drawdown has been under way smoothly. Washington also alleges the insurgent group has not lived up to its commitment to ease violence and engage in a "genuine peace process" with Afghan rivals.


Owners of Fairbanks gun shops attribute an increased interest in guns and ammo to Joe Bidens presidency as well as to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has both spawned uncertainty and disrupted the supply chain. Metro Creative
Abune Mathias, the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, has accused the government of wanting to destroy Tigray.

"They are working day and night to destroy Tigray," he said in Amharic on the 14-minute video. "They have no rest when it comes to destroying Tigrayans."

These are the first public comments from Abune Mathias, originally from Tigray, since the beginning of the civil war six months ago. He says he has been stifled and censored by the government.

Public criticism by an Ethiopian figure against the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, is rare.

However in the video, Abune Mathias described the violence as the carnage of people - particularly the killing of innocents.

The conflict engulfing the region pits Abiy's military against forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which was once the dominant party in power.

"In all parts of Tigray there are killings. They mean to wipe Tigrayans from the surface of the earth," said Abune Mathias.

Abiy has repeated a number of times that the military is targeting TPLF leaders and not civilians. But reports out of the Tigray region have indicated otherwise.

Attacks on civilians, including numerous masscacres and gang rapes, have been documented.

Survivors blame Ethiopian troops and Eritrean soldiers, who are backing Abiy, of committing these war crimes.

Abiy, who won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray in November after accusing the TPLF of attacking army barracks.

Abiy declared victory in late November after the army entered Mekele, the regional capital. But fighting continues there.

Orthodox Church finally speaks out

The Orthodox Church is Ethiopia's largest, with more than 40 percent of the population as adherents.

The French news agency, AFP, was in the Tigrayan town of Dengolat in February, where Orthodox priests said they were disappointed that Abune Mathias had not spoken out about the massacres committed on church grounds and in other parts of the town.

But they conceded that he and others might have been afraid of speaking publicly.

In the video, Abune Mathias decried the massacres and destruction that had happened in Dengolat and on church property.

He said he had tried to speak out against the war multiple times but the government had prevented him.

"I spoke out and they held it back. I spoke out again and they held it back. Until now I have not had the opportunity to display my message through the media," he said.

Chance

He had the chance after Dennis Wadley, the director of the US-based group Bridges of Hope International, who is also a friend, recorded the video on 26 April during a trip to Ethiopia.

"The patriarch asked me not to release it until I was out of the country, back in the US," Wadley told AFP.

An Orthodox official confirmed the authenticity of the recording.

World leaders believe that if the fighting continues, Tigray could turn into a humanitarian disaster.

Abune Mathias said he was worried about worsening hunger in Tigray and that farmers might not be able to plant this year.

"I call on international governments to try and find a way to stop this immediately," he said.
The Reverend Dr Mrs Vivian Balasu-Addo, Ho East Presbytery Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), Ghana, over the weekend noted that the adulterated nature of messages on radios and televisions and the wave of chasing after miracles had affected the rightful Christian living.

"Most young and old are now interested in occultism, fraudulent activities, corruption, serial killing, prostitution, gayism and lesbianism among others," she observed.

Rev. Dr. Mrs. Balasu-Addo who was addressing the 11th Ho East Presbytery Synod of the EPC said even some Christian homes had become war zones.

The one day Synod, which was held at the Ho Mawuli Estates branch of the Church was on the theme "Revive us again, o Lord."

It was attended by four delegates each from each of the 28 Pastoral districts, heads of the Church's second cycle and tertiary institutions, all Synod executive members and a delegate each from each Church group.

"Sadly some Pastors no longer practice what they preach and that going to Church has become an empty ritual and not really affecting our way of living," she noted.

She said though Christ's Church was still alive, there was lack of commitment, dedication and there was rather negligence on the part of most believers.

Rev. Dr. Mrs. Balasu-Addo said the Church, which is the body of Christ needed to be revived and brought back to consciousness to be up and doing.

"We need a spirit that fears God and is ready and willing to do his will.

"Let us renew our love for Jesus Christ, who is the rock on which the Church stands and He will show us greater things," she said.

The Moderator applauded the EPC, Ghana, for being a strong tower as long as faith in God, health and academic excellence was concerned in the country.

The EPC, Ghana in August, 2008 closed the chapter on Synodal Concept of Church Policy and opened a new chapter on the General Assembly Concept.

Therefore what used to be the Presbytery Conference was changed to Presbytery Synod and the national conference, which was the Synod was changed to General Assembly.

GNA
Congolese army forces on Sunday killed 10 rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the troubled east of the country, a spokesman said.

The offensive kicked off last Thursday in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, with army and police officers assigned to replace civilian authorities under a 30-day "state of siege".

In a clash in Halungupa, in the Rwenzori area, "our troops got the better of the ADF enemy. We in fact saw 10 dead bodies of ADF elements," Antony Mualushayi, army spokesman in the North Kivu city of Beni, told AFP.

The death toll is provisional, he added.

"We are determined to finish with the ADF once and for all," he said. "This siege should give the people of the Beni region the chance to live in a place where peace rules."

A spokesman for a monitor called the Kivu Security Tracker (KST) said however that it had counted "only five bodies so far".

Meanwhile a delegation of Ugandan officers arrived in Beni on Sunday, according to an AFP reporter, while the army and government authorities declined to comment on the visit.

The ADF, a group of Ugandan Islamist fighters, have been based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since 1995.

Branded a "terrorist" organisation affiliated with the Islamic State group by the United States, the ADF has been accused of murdering more than 1,000 civilians since November 2019 in Beni alone.

It is by far the most dangerous of scores of armed groups that operate in the east of the DR Congo.

Mineral-rich North and South-Kivu, which lie along the DRC's eastern borders with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, descended into violence during the country's two wars between 1996 and 2003, and have never regained stability.

Ituri, further to the north, has also been rocked by violence since late 2017 after 15 years of relative calm.

Under the DRC's constitution, the president can declare a state of either siege or emergency "if severe circumstances immediately threaten the independence or integrity of the national territory, or if they interrupt the regular functioning of institutions".
Government will, this month, start rolling out eight additional interventions under the Ghana's Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support Scheme (Ghana-CARES) programme, to create more jobs and boost the ailing Ghanaian economy.

The 100-billion Ghana cedi programme, also known as "Obaatanpa" would witness the implementation of various projects in the health, agriculture, tourism, trade, digitization and technology as well as housing and social services sectors.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, announced this at the Minister's press briefing in Accra, on Sunday, to update the public on key government programmes and progress made so far.

The media encounter held on the topic, "Rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, "was also intended to address the concerns raised by the campaigners of #Fixthecountry Movement.

Mr Ofori-Atta said government would also begin the implementation of $250 million Jobs and Skills Development programme to create jobs in the private sector businesses, instead of expanding government employment schemes.

The Minister said, in the coming days, his outfit would collaborate with the Water Resources and Sanitation Ministry to address water challenges, especially in the urban centres to ensure regular flow of potable water from the taps.

It would also work collaboratively with the Ministries of Transport and Roads and Highways to tackle traffic congestion on the highways.

In July this year, he said, a new Development Bank would be set up to provide long-term financing to the private sector through commercial banks.

Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the rate of growth of the public debt had been lower under the Akufo-Addo-led Government than under previous administrations.

"The rate of debt growth was lower despite massive investments in our flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, NABCo, One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances, while maintaining macroeconomic indicators and exchange rate stability," Mr Ofori-Atta emphasised.

"We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done. To fix what is broken and Government and I are determined and committed to do just that," he assured.

The Minister underscored the need to keep the healthy conversation and dialogue on fixing the economy going so that "we can have a collective action to deal with the country's challenges".

He announced a hashtag 'Fix this together and save our country'.

GNA
Government is fast tracking the implementation of US$200million Jobs and Skills Programme to enhance job creation significantly.

The intervention is designed to facilitate new and expanded private sector businesses to employ many more people.

Mr Ken Ofori Atta, the Minister of Finance at the Minister's Press Briefing, said, "this we believe is a more sustainable way to rebuild this economy instead of expanding Government employment schemes."

He said government was rolling over eight additional interventions, starting this May, 2021 under the Ghana CARES Obataanpa programme.

These interventions are in the Health, Agriculture, Tourism, Trade, Digitization, Science and technology, Housing and financial services.

The Minister said by the end of July, government would have a new Development Bank that would provide long-term wholesale financing to the private sector through Commercial banks.

He said at its minimum, "we should ensure social justice and social mobility for most Ghanaians."

He said in the coming days, government would move swiftly to address some of the issues that the #Fixtheeconomy campaigners had raised.

The Minister said governmeny was working with the Minister for Water and Sanitation to immediately ensure potable water to areas with felt need, especially in the most urban areas.

"I am working with the Ministers of Roads and Highways, Transport and Interior to address congestion along the major highways," he said.

Mr Ofori-Atta said government introduced, restored, or enhanced social protection policies to support the vulnerable and address the pertinent issue of joblessness.

These interventions include the Free Senior High School Programme with over 1.2 million enrolments, the Zongo Development Fund Programme, School Feeding Programme with over 3.4 million beneficiaries, LEAP Programme with over 334,084 Households, NABCO with 100,000 beneficiaries, allowances for Teacher Trainees for some 47,135 beneficiaries and allowances for Nursing Trainees with some 50,825 beneficiaries.

He said government was able to preserve jobs in the public sector in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We acknowledge that as a Nation we need to do more to ensure decent incomes for all Ghanaians," he added.

The Minister said government had implemented several digitalisation programmes to transform the economy, formalise the informal sector, and increase efficiency in public service delivery.

These initiatives include the issuance of over 15 million National ID Cards, the digital addressing system for over seven million homes, mobile money payment interoperability system, the introduction of the paperless port system, automation of driver's license and vehicle registration, renewal of NHIS registration, land records digitisation with block-chain technology, and automation of passport application.

Mr Ofori-Atta said, "we established two Social Partnership Programmes; one with Organised Labour and the Ghana Employers Association and the other with Faith-based Organisations to provide a platform for a cohesive and trustful relationship between the partners on issues of national development.

He said GIPC was working assiduously to attract the likes of Amazon to Ghana to deepen the tech entrepreneurial ecosystem for Ghanaian entrepreneurs.

The Minister said between 2017-2019, the economy grew by 7 per cent on average in response to government's prudent management of the economy and implementation of government flagship programmes, being one of the highest and sustained growth periods.

"As a result of the prudent policies, the economy continued to remain resilient in 2020, even at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

GNA
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Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has assured members of the #FixTheCountry movement that the Akufo-Addo administration remains resolute in delivering on its promises to fix the country's problems.

A group of Ghanaians are unhappy with what they call the economic challenges in the country.

Members of the movement had expressed displeasure over successive government's failure to improve the living standards of Ghanaians on Twitter using the hashtag #FixTheCountry.

They cited dumsor, unemployment, poor healthcare systems as proof of successive governments' mismanagement of the country.

Reacting to their concerns at a press briefing on Sunday themed rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, the Minister said despite the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments resolve to fixing the country remains unbroken.

Notwithstanding the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, just like President Akufo-Addo said on February 21st, 2017, I was not elected by the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians to complain or compare, I was elected to get things done, to fix what is broken and my government and I are committed to doing just that, we thus commit to working with fellow Ghanaians to do just that.

The good people of Ghana have given us the mandate to get things done. For us as a government, this is a clarion call for a national conversation on the shared burden to reduce the social contract of our democracy. At its minimum, we should ensure social justice and social mobility for all Ghanaians to provide an economic system in which each citizen is guaranteed the opportunity to show their full potential. I will commit to working with Ghanaians to fix the structures that will connect Ghanaians to this path, he added.

Mr. Ofori-Atta further outlined some strategies the government has adopted to address the issues raised by the members of the group.

In the coming days, we will move swiftly to address some of the issues that the #Fixthecountry group has raised. First I am working with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to immediately ensure potable water to areas with critical need. Second I am working with the Ministers of Roads and Highways, Transport and Interior to address congestion along the major highways.

On job creation, he said we are fast-tracking the implementation of the $200 million jobs and skills programme and economic transformation programme to enhance job creation. This intervention is designed to facilitate new and expanded private sector businesses to employ more people.

This he believes is a more sustainable way to rebuild the economy instead of expanding government employment schemes.

The #FixTheCountry campaign has been trending online since it started on Twitter a week ago.

It has since become more organised, with its members attempting to hold a demonstration on May 9.

The planned demonstration was however stifled by the state after the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction against it.

The court ruled that the planned protest would not be able to come off until the restriction on public gatherings is lifted.

Conveners of the protest have now moved to challenge the injunction.

citinewsroom
Heading to Gardendale on State Highway 158, located alongside other oilfield facilities, is Jacam Catalyst, an oilfield chemicals manufacturer and service provider.

We started construction three weeks before COVID hit, observed Justin Disney, director of Laboratory and R&D service with the company. Despite the challenges of the last year, he said expanding the facility was the right long-term decision for the company.

Guiding a tour of the companys new 7,000-square-foot laboratory, more than double the size of the earlier laboratory. The lab quietly opened last fall amid a second wave of the coronavirus, Disney said its size makes it unique among other laboratories situated in the Permian Basin. While the company has labs in all the major producing basins, Disney said the Permian Basin remains a big focus for Jacam Catalyst.

The lab employs five chemists, including two Master-level chemists, and 14 laboratory technicians, with an opening for another technician.

Disney estimated the new building itself cost $2.5 million and houses another $5 million in equipment. He pointed to ICPs, used in water analysis, that heats water samples to 4,000 degrees and allows the lab staff to identify the elements in the water in five to 10 minutes. A cold finger apparatus can chill crude samples and identify how much paraffin is found in the sample. The lab can also analyze equipment failure, he said, showing off a piece of tubing that had filled with scale.

Scale is a big concern, given produced water can be three times as salty as sea water, he said.

The goal is to provide operators with answers as quickly as possible, he said, providing analyses as quickly as the same day or the next day. And having the equipment as close to customers as possible was also important, he said.

The closer the equipment is, the easier it is to solve problems, he explained.

The lab addresses the lifespan of a well, from drilling to hydraulic fracturing and completion to production to the pipelines, according to Disney.

Challenges related to production have increased in recent years as the rise in horizontal drilling has led to unique challenges and an approach to solving the problems, he said.

As horizontal laterals get longer and longer and different lifting technologies are used, he said more unique solutions are required to address production issues.

A new challenge operators face is that pipelines have stricter requirements on the quality of the oil being moved through the pipelines. Tests that had not been done in the past are now being enforced, he said. He pointed specifically to sulfur and the need to identify the types of sulfur found in crude oil and whether or not they meet pipeline specifications. Identifying the types of sulfur allows for better treatment, he pointed out.

For saltwater disposal wells, knowing what types of solids are contained in the water can prevent them from plugging up the formation holding the water.

Water analysis is one of the most common tasks for the lab, with Disney estimating between 5,000 and 8,000 water analyses are carried out by the lab monthly.

Providing solutions and not just gathering data is important, Disney said. The lab develops its own chemicals and tests them on issues from scale to corrosion to paraffin.

Before we treat a well, we have to validate its the right chemistry in the right concentration, he said.

While the company was impacted by the pandemic like everyone else, he said the lab remained open and the company held onto its staff. Now business is starting to recover, he said.

Weve noticed customers are becoming more discerning, relying on analyses to make more informed decisions rather than relying on blanket recommendations, he said. Theres more reliance on testing to validate performance.
LONDON (AP)  Scotland's leader told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Sunday that a second Scottish independence referendum is a matter of when, not if," after her party won its fourth straight parliamentary election.

Johnson has invited the leaders of the U.K.s devolved nations for crisis talks on the union after the regional election results rolled in, saying the U.K. was best served when we work together and that the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should cooperate on plans to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

But Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party, told Johnson in a call that while her immediate focus was on steering Scotland to recovery, a new referendum on Scotland's breakup from the rest of the U.K. is inevitable.

Sturgeon reiterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when  not if, her office said.

Earlier, she said she wouldn't rule out legislation paving the way for a vote at the start of next year.

Final results of Thursdays local elections showed that the SNP won 64 of the 129 seats in the Edinburgh-based Scottish Parliament. Although it fell one seat short of securing an overall majority, the parliament still had a pro-independence majority with the help of eight members of the Scottish Greens.

Sturgeon said the election results proved that a second independence vote for Scotland was the will of the country and that any London politician who stood in the way would be picking a fight with the democratic wishes of the Scottish people.

Johnson has the ultimate authority whether or not to permit another referendum on Scotland gaining independence. He wrote in Saturdays Daily Telegraph that another referendum on Scotland would be irresponsible and reckless as Britain emerges from the pandemic. He has consistently argued that the issue was settled in a 2014 referendum where 55% of Scottish voters favored remaining part of the U.K.

But proponents of another vote say the situation has changed fundamentally because of the U.K's Brexit divorce from the European Union. They charge that Scotland was taken out of the EU against its will. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 52% of U.K. voters backed leaving the EU, but 62% of Scots voted to remain.

When asked about the prospect of Johnson agreeing to a second Scottish referendum, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said Sunday its not an issue for the moment and stressed that the national priority is on recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Gove argued that the SNP's failure to secure a majority in the Scottish Parliament was in marked contrast to the party's heights of power in 2011, when it won a 69-seat majority.

It is not the case now  as we see  that the people of Scotland are agitating for a referendum," he told the BBC.

The Scotland results have been the main focus of Thursday's local elections across Britain. In Wales, the opposition Labour Party did better than expected, extending its 22 years at the helm of the Welsh government despite falling one seat short of a majority.

Labour's support also held up in some big cities. In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan handily won a second term. Other winning Labour mayoral candidates included Steve Rotherham in the Liverpool City Region, Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester and Dan Norris in the West of England region, which includes Bristol.
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South Africas royal scandal: New Zulu kings claim disputed View Photo

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  A new Zulu king was named in South Africa amid scenes of chaos after members of the royal family questioned Prince Misuzulu Zulus claim to the title following his fathers death, and bodyguards suddenly whisked him away from the public announcement at a palace.

The controversy over the next king, a largely ceremonial role but one with great significance for South Africa and its 12 million Zulu people, has arisen after the death in March of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who had reigned since 1968.

Zwelithini apparently named one of his six wives, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu, as the regent of the Zulu kingdom in his will, but she died after holding the title for only a month, throwing the royal succession into turmoil.

The commotion broke out Friday night at the reading of Queen Mantfombis will and hours after a memorial service for her. The queens will named 46-year-old Prince Misuzulu, her eldest son with King Zwelithini, as the heir and next king.

But another prince objected and interrupted the announcement at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal province. Two princesses also have questioned whether the late kings will gave Queen Mantfombi the right to nominate a successor upon her death.

King Zwelithini reportedly had 28 children with his different wives, and Queen Mantfombi was not his first wife. A dispute over succession had been brewing since the late kings death, fascinating many South Africans with their very own royal scandal.

Significant to the dispute is the fate of the kings assets and the vast amounts of land traditionally owned by the Zulu people and now held in a trust. Estimates say the trust controls nearly 30% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal province, or around 28,000 square kilometers (10,810 square miles). The king is the sole trustee.

Earlier on Friday, Prince Misuzulu, who wore a traditional leopard-skin headband reserved for royalty and chiefs, called for unity among the Zulu royals at his mothers memorial service.

We have no doubt we will unite as a family, he said in a message read out by his younger sister, Princess Ntandoyesizwe Zulu. Let us emulate the king by being peaceful.

The Zulu king has no political or even constitutional position, but his traditional authority is recognized in KwaZulu-Natal, where he is said to reign but not rule. More than that, the king holds an important role in bridging the gap between traditional customs and modern democracy in South Africa, where Zulus are the largest ethnic group among the countrys 60 million people.

Forbes put King Zwelithinis net worth at nearly $20 million, while the Zulu royal household is given an annual budget of around $5 million by the South African government.

King Zwelithini, who had diabetes, reportedly died from a COVID-19-related illness at the age of 72.

By GERALD IMRAY

Associated Press
The Latest: Connecticut data show COVID-19 vaccine effective View Photo

HARTFORD, Conn.  Of the more than 1.4 million Connecticut residents who are now fully vaccinated, 242 later became infected with COVID-19, according to data released Friday from the state Department of Public Health.

Among the 242 so-called vaccine breakthrough cases, 109 people had no symptoms of the disease. DPH reported three deaths among vaccinated individuals who were confirmed to have had underlying medical conditions. They were between the ages of 55-64, 65-74, and 75 years and older.

Nationally, there have been 132 vaccine breakthrough deaths, DPH said.

The main takeaway is that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and cases of infection after a person is fully vaccinated are very rare, Dr. Deidre Gifford, the states acting public health commissioner, said in a statement. Cases of COVID-19 in fully vaccinated individuals in Connecticut is less than 0.1%, according to the DPH data.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

 Pressure rises on Indias PM Modi to issue nationwide lockdown

 Norwegian Cruise Line threatens to skip Floridas ports

 WHO panel OKs emergency use of Chinas Sinopharm vaccine

 Spain relaxes nationwide coronavirus pandemic measures

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HELENA, Mont.  Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that Montana will share COVID-19 vaccines with Canadian truck drivers from neighboring Alberta.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed Friday about 2,000 truck drivers from Alberta who transport goods from Canada to the U.S. will be eligible to be vaccinated at a highway rest stop near Conrad.

The vaccines will be available between May 10 and May 23. A similar program to vaccinate truck drivers from Canada began in North Dakota last month.

The Blackfeet tribe in northern Montana has given around 1,000 vaccines to their relatives and neighbors across the border.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each in what officials said Friday is the first such foiled operation they are aware of nationwide.

The plainclothes agents from Californias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control were told to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes. They say bar employees cut the cards, filled out the identifying information and bogus vaccination dates, then laminated the finished product.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

Acting on an an anonymous tip from the San Joaquin County Sheriffs office, four undercover agents went to Old Corner Saloon in the town of Clements several times in April and bought four fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and arrested the bars owner. Agents say they found another two completed cards and 30 additional blank cards along with a laminator and cutting device.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

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DENVER, Colo.  A former Amazon warehouse worker has filed a complaint with the Colorado officials against Amazon over its COVID-19 policies and allegations that her firing was retaliatory.

Linda Rodriguez alleges Amazon fired her in 2020 because she raised concerns about the companys COVID-19 policies that she said put workers at risk. Her complaint was sent Thursday to the states labor department.

An Amazon spokesperson in response to the complaint says Rodriguez was fired for timecard fraud that the company says was confirmed by time records and video footage. Amazon said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed Rodriguez withdrew a complaint filed with the agency.

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RALEIGH, N.C.  At a time when fewer and fewer North Carolinians are coming in for a COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials are examining ideas from other states to see what incentives might work to boost participation.

Among the proposals being actively discussed are savings account payments to younger adults. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, says thats a group that has been less willing to get the vaccine.

North Carolinas top public health official says that her team has looked into a new program in West Virginia, where the states Republican governor recently announced that residents between the ages of 16 and 35 would be eligible for a $100 savings bond if they get the vaccine or have already gotten it.

Cohens office says that it is also examining Detroits Good Neighbor program, which allows people to get $50 for every Detroit resident they sign up for a first vaccine dose and bring in for an appointment. The first $600 someone could earn from the program is nontaxable.

The development comes as North Carolina turns down tens of thousands of doses from the federal government, considers returning some of its supply to a federal pool for others to draw from and has nearly 1.2 million doses waiting for residents to take.

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MEXICO CITY  More than three months after COVID-19 infections peaked in Mexico City, the local government announced Friday that the public hospital network dedicated to fighting the disease is experiencing its lowest rate occupancy of the pandemic.

One year after the country instituted a color-coded alert system for the pandemic, the capital for the first time moved from orange to yellow, another step down from the top category, red.

City officials placed occupancy rate in public hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 care at 16%, a welcome change from January, when a surge following the holiday season pushed some hospitals to their limits.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said there was no scientific certainty to say why Mexico City is in a much better place, but she listed a half-dozen possible factors including greater discipline by citizens, expanded testing, a vaccination campaign, improved weather and the fact that many people in the city have already been infected.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia will lift its statewide mask mandate on June 20 after state officials projected more than two-thirds of eligible residents will be vaccinated against the coronavirus by then, Gov. Jim Justice announced Friday.

And even if that target isnt met, Justice said the mandate will still end on that date, also known as West Virginia Day, which marks the states admission into the union.

The state has attempted to turn around its sluggish vaccination drive for weeks after hesitancy led to plummeting demand. The Republican governor has already dangled the prize of a patriotic $100 savings bond for people aged 16 to 35 who get a shot. The state is also attempting to make walk-up vaccine clinics ubiquitous, holding them at state parks, fairs, businesses, schools and other high-traffic places.

Justice said he expects 65% of all residents aged 12 and older to be at least partially vaccinated by June 20.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahomas attorney general has secured a $2.6 million refund for the purchase of a malaria drug once touted by then-President Donald Trump as an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Attorney General Mike Hunter announced the agreement on Friday with California-based FFF Enterprises.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health purchased 1.2 million hydroxychloroquine pills in April 2020, at the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The drug has since been shown to have little or no effect on severe cases of COVID-19. A former state health official chalked up Oklahomas purchase to something that happens in the fog of war.

Oklahoma alleged that the price paid for the drug may have been excessive under the states Emergency Price Stabilization Act, which prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. Under the refund agreement, FFF Enterprises denies any accusations related to the pricing and delivery of the drug.

While governments in at least 20 other states obtained more than 30 million doses of the drug through donations from the federal reserve or private companies, Oklahoma and Utah bought them from private pharmaceutical companies. Utah later managed to secure a refund on the $800,000 no-bid contract it signed with a local pharmacy company that had been promoting the drugs.

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MIAMI  Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is threatening to skip Florida ports because of the governors order banning businesses from requiring that customers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The company says Gov. Ron DeSantis order conflicts with guidelines from federal health authorities that would let cruise ships sail in U.S. waters if passengers and crew members are vaccinated.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Frank Del Rio, says lawyers think federal law tops state law. The CEO says if Norwegian cant operate in Florida, it can go to other states or the Caribbean.

Cruise lines have been barred from sailing in U.S. waters or stopping at U.S. ports since March 2020. Some are slowly resuming trips in other countries and requiring all passengers on those cruises be vaccinated.

The companies are pushing the CDC to let them return the U.S. this summer, although none of the major companies  Norwegian, Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp.  have announced any U.S. cruises.

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NEW DELHI  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces growing pressure to impose a strict nationwide lockdown.

On Friday, India reported a new daily record of 414,188 confirmed cases and 3,915 additional deaths. The official daily death count has stayed over 3,000 the past 10 days.

Many medical experts, opposition leaders and even Supreme Court judges are calling for national restrictions, arguing that a patchwork of state rules is insufficient to stamp out the surge.

Indian television stations broadcast images of patients lying on stretchers outside hospitals waiting to be admitted, with hospital beds and critical oxygen in short supply. People infected with COVID-19 in villages are being treated in makeshift outdoor clinics, with IV drips hanging from trees.

India has registered more than 21.4 million coronavirus infections and more than 234,000 confirmed deaths. Health experts says the tolls are undercounts.

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GENEVA  A top official at the World Health Organization says the explosive number of coronavirus cases is only partly driven by the variants, warning countries that loosening control measures may worsen the pandemic.

WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan says the virus has huge kinetic energy in certain countries and leaders who think vaccination alone will stop the epidemic are mistaken.

It is being driven both by human behavior, by the emergence of variants and many other factors, Ryan said. Were expecting the virus to slow down and were pushing the accelerators.

He admonished some leaders to acknowledge the brutal reality of the situation. India has experienced a surge of cases and deaths.

Some of you are not in a good place, Ryan said. You need to protect your health system. You need to get your oxygen supply sorted out.

Ryan says while new virus variants may help spread COVID-19, the driver is proximity between people. He says crowds and the mixing of people without protection or handwashing are still potentially dangerous, even with the start of vaccination programs.

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NEW YORK  A U.S. health official, who last year shook the nation with her frank assessment of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, is resigning.

Dr. Nancy Messonnier announced the decision Friday in an email to her colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Messonnier, who joined the agency in 1995, led the CDCs work on respiratory diseases for five years and she was an early leader in the agencys COVID-19 response.

During a briefing with reporters in February 2020, Messonnier contradicted statements by administration officials that the virus was contained. Stocks plunged, and President Donald Trump was enraged.

Soon after, a White House task force moved to center stage and Vice President Mike Pence took control of clearing CDC communications about the coronavirus. Messonnier didnt make more public appearances.

In her email Friday, Messonnier says she was taking a new job with the California-based Skoll Foundation.

At a White House briefing, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky praised Messonnier as a true hero.

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LONDON  British residents can travel to countries including Portugal, Iceland and Israel later this month without having to quarantine on their return.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says a blanket ban on overseas vacations is being replaced by a system classing countries as low, medium or high risk. He says its the first tentative steps towards unlocking international travel.

The green list of 12 low-risk territories also includes Gibraltar, the Faroe Islands and the Falkland Islands  but not major vacation destinations for Britons such as France, Spain and Greece. Britons traveling to those countries will have to self-isolate for 10 days on their return.

All but essential travel remains barred to countries with severe outbreaks, including India, Turkey and the Maldives.

The changes take effect May 17, the next date on the governments road map out of lockdown. Pubs and restaurants in England can reopen indoor areas the same day, and venues including theaters and cinemas can open to limited audiences.

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GENEVA  The head of the World Trade Organization says the U.S. administrations call to remove patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines could help expand fair access to vaccines but might not be the most critical issue.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealas comments Friday came as officials in Europe increasingly insisted that more vaccine exports are the more pressing priority. Activists and humanitarian institutions cheered the American reversal in policy Wednesday and urged others to follow suit to remove the intellectual property protections on the COVID-19 vaccines.

But some world leaders have taken the U.S. to task for not sharing more vaccines.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn says the main issue is not the question of patents but of production capacity. And producing vaccines like the one developed by German firm BioNTech and manufactured with Pfizer is complicated, he says.

Spahn stressed, as has the pharmaceutical industry, that developed countries whose vaccination campaigns are going well should export more shots.

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MADRID  Spain will relax nationwide coronavirus pandemic measures this weekend, including travel restrictions, as the vaccine rollout continues to speed up.

However, some regional chiefs are concerned the six-month national state of emergency will be replaced by a patchwork of conflicting approaches.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has refused to extend the sweeping order that gave legal coverage to curfews, social gathering curbs and travel bans across the country.

Each region was taking a different path, and the response from courts was also varied. Spains cases surged sharply in January but slowed in mid-March before mildly picking up again.

Madrid, whose lockdown-skeptic regional chief was re-elected this week, announced there will be no more curfews or travel restrictions in and out of the region starting Sunday. The operation of bars and restaurants can be extended from the current 11 p.m. limit to midnight.

By The Associated Press
EXPLAINER: Why are people protesting across Colombia? View Photo

BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP)  Thousands of Colombians have protested across the country against a government they feel has long ignored their needs, allowed corruption to run rampant and is so out of touch that it proposed tax increases during the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite virus lockdown orders, protesters have turned out in more than half of Colombias municipalities since last week for mostly peaceful protest against the administration of President Ivan Duque. But violence during some demonstrations has resulted in 26 people dead, including a police officer, and more than 800 people injured, according to government figures.

Human rights organizations have denounced numerous police abuses and give a higher death toll, while the international community is calling for dialogue.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE PROTESTING?

The protests started on April 28 over proposed tax increases on public services, fuel, wages and pensions, but it has morphed into a general demand for the government to pay longstanding debts to the most vulnerable in society, such as Indigenous and Afro Latino people. Even though the administration withdrew the tax reform, protests have continued and grown as reports emerged of police violence, deaths and disappearances.

Activists see a link between the current protests and demonstrations in November 2019 over a host of issues: earlier tax increases, the murder of social leaders, official corruption, inequality and compliance with a peace agreement that led to the 2016 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The discontent expressed in 2019 festered throughout the coronavirus pandemic as people saw their livelihoods disappear, their friends and family members die of COVID-19 and the government struggle to respond. Their anger has now spilled again onto the streets.

Protesters have at times erected roadblocks that officials say have led to food shortages, prevented vaccine deliveries and blocked ambulances.

HOW HAS THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED?

Defense Minister Diego Molano said security forces have tried to protect those who are peacefully demonstrating as well as those who chose to stay home.

The military has sometimes joined police since Duque on May 1 signed off on armed forces involvement until the acts of serious alteration of public order cease. That allows mayors to request the armys presence in urban areas  a move questioned by human rights observers.

International (human rights) standards require limiting as much as possible the use of the (military) to control internal disturbances. The soldiers are trained for armed conflict, not for citizen security, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch.

Duque on Thursday invited union leaders to talks. How far the dialogue can go is unclear, however, as public frustration with his government predates the now-withdrawn tax reform.

WHY HAVE SOME PROTESTS TURNED VIOLENT?

The government contends that rebel groups have infiltrated protests and drug-trafficking enterprises are subsidizing demonstrations. Duque has even classified the actions as low-intensity terrorism.

However, leaders of the demonstrations say security forces have been exceedingly violent and the government is stigmatizing protesters.

The epicenter of the demonstrations as well as the violence has been the southwestern city of Cali, where movements of peasants and Indigenous and Afro Latino people converge. In Cali, there is a historical accumulation of social discontent, anger and rebellion, said sociologist Rosembert Ariza at the National University of Colombia.

It is a politically cultured city, and it may sound contradictory, but the exercise of violence is nothing but the response to the violence they are receiving.

At least 500 people have been arrested in the protests, according to officials.

WHAT IS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION?

International observers have called on Duques government to respect human rights and guarantee peoples right to protest.

Martha Hurtado, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the organization is deeply alarmed because it received information that in Cali the police opened fire on protesters protesting the tax reform, killing and wounding several people.

The Colombian agency responsible for monitoring human rights compliance reported Thursday that 26 people were killed in protests, including a police officer. The agency did not specify the number of deaths in which police have been involved. Previously, the agency alleged police involvement in a dozen.

Meanwhile, the mayors office in Bogota, Colombias capital, reported that protesters tried to burn alive 10 police officers on Tuesday.

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Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City.

By ASTRID SUAREZ and REGINA GARCIA CANO

Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP)  The U.N. Human Rights agency on Saturday condemned the killing this week of an online journalist in Mexicos northern border state of Sonora.

Benjamin Morales Hernandez ran an online community news site called Noticias Xonoidag. On the site he covered local community events in the border town of Sonoyta, and sometimes reported on police and crime.

His family reported he had been abducted over the weekend and on Monday, his bullet-ridden body was found on a highway.

The rights office said his abduction and killing reflected the dangers journalists face in Mexico. Press groups say nine journalists were killed in Mexico in 2020, the highest total of any country not at war.

Morales Hernandez had reportedly complained of threats due to his coverage of local election campaigns, but Sonoyta  located across the border from Lukeville, Arizona  is located in a region where drug cartels frequently operate.
Prominent female Saudi activist summoned in relation to case View Photo

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Saudi Arabias most prominent womens rights activist was summoned by security officials on Sunday and informed of a supreme court decision that ultimately upholds her initial conviction, relatives told The Associated Press.

The twists and turns of Loujain al-Hathlouls case have drawn international attention and brought focus to a wider crackdown on rights activists and perceived government critics in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Shed been among a group of vocal activists who pushed for greater womens rights and the right of women to drive a car before the ban was lifted in mid-2018.

Al-Hathloul was tried and found guilty in December by an anti-terrorism court on charges related to her activism. She was sentenced to five years and eight months with conditional release.

She was released from prison on Feb. 10 after nearly three years in detention, including stretches of solitary confinement and allegations shed been tortured.

Her release from prison in February, based on time already served, came just weeks after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, who has vowed to reassess the U.S.-Saudi partnership and stand up for human rights. He welcomed the news of her release from prison at the time, describing it as the right thing to do.

On Sunday, her sister, Alia al-Hathloul, told the AP she was asked to report to the office of the Interior Ministrys General Directorate of Investigation, or mabaheth, in the capital, Riyadh. It was not immediately known why shed been summoned.

Hours later, her relatives told the AP and her sister, Lina al-Hathloul, confirmed on Twitter that shed been called in to sign a document informing her of a supreme court decision to uphold the judgement of an appeals court, which had upheld her initial conviction. They questioned why she was informed of the legal ruling by a security agency.

The terms of her release from prison include a five-year travel ban and three years of probation. Many Saudi prisoners released on charges related to their activism and speech must also sign declarations before leaving prison, vowing to stop tweeting and posting on social media. Some are also routinely summoned for questioning during probation.

In recent days, al-Hathloul has shared posts about a womens rights campaign against sexual harassment in Kuwait, and waded into the sensitive topic of Gulf Arab normalization with Israel. Recently, she wrote that many of her Saudi friends have stopped writing on Twitter altogether.

When is this nightmare going to end?, she wrote. I WANT my friends back!

A number of other womens rights activists remain imprisoned, including Samar Badawi, whose brother Raif Badawi is serving 10 years in prison and was publicly flogged in 2015, and Nassima al-Sada, a rights activist from the Eastern Province.

Saudi activists say Mohammed al-Rabiah, whod posted on Twitter in support of womens right to drive was sentenced last month to six years in prison. He was detained in the sweep against womens rights activists in May 2018 and thus has already served three years of his sentencing. His charges included seeking to disturb the social fabric, instigating strife and carrying out foreign agendas that disrupt security and stability.

The rights group that focuses on Saudi human rights cases, known as ALQST, and others who have spoken with his relatives, say al-Rabiah suffered torture while in detention - being held in a small wardrobe for several days, hung upside down by his feet, and beaten unconscious.

His verdict, activists say, points to the continued suppression of rights campaigners by Prince Mohammed. The crown prince, who has been hailed for introducing social and economic reforms, has simultaneously faced international criticism over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 by agents close to him.

By AYA BATRAWY

Associated Press
Police: 3 hurt in Florida mall shooting as shoppers scatter View Photo

MIAMI (AP)  A shooting at a South Florida shopping mall that was sparked by a fight between two groups of people sent panicked shoppers fleeing and left three persons injured Saturday afternoon, police and witnesses said.

Live aerial television news footage showed people scattering outside the Aventura Mall after the initial reports of gunfire. Law enforcement vehicles could be seen converging at the complex and blocking roads.

Aventura Police said two groups of people had begun fighting before it escalated to gunfire.

One individual in one of the groups produced a gun, and an individual in the other group also drew a gun and fired that weapon, said an Aventura police spokesman, Michael Bentolila, in briefing reporters on live television.

Police said the three wounded were taken to hospitals but their injuries were not life-threatening.

Aventura Police later tweeted that authorities had several suspects in custody who were being questioned by detectives. Police had no immediate report on what touched off the incident and did not immediately release the identities of those in custody or injured.

After the shooting, mall patrons and employees were led out of the shopping complex and officials announced the mall would not reopen until Sunday.

Oscar Alvarado, a worker at the mall, said the complex was bustling with a strong Mothers Day weekend crowd when the chaos erupted. He said it wasnt the first shooting at the mall that hes experienced.

This time I do have to say I could hear the screams from so far away. I could clearly hear the people were really, really worried and concerned, he said. They were yelling `shooter, shooter. 

Alvarado recorded video of two police officers moving down the mall walkway after the shooting with their guns drawn. And he described waiting for about an hour with coworkers before they could evacuate.

There was a lot of commotion outside, a lot of people crying and stressed, he said of the scene outdoors.

Videos shared on social media community forums show officers who appeared to be taking a man in custody outside the mall. Other footage showed shoppers running out of stores or seeking cover.

Luke Lockart, 22, said he was in Armani Exchange, checking out, when he heard screaming and things falling over because people were running into the store and knocking over mannequins.

They were trying to hide anywhere they could because no one knew what was going on, said Lockart, who works in real estate.

The staff at the store eventually locked the doors and asked people to go into a back room, he said. Police and first responders were running through a nearby hallway within minutes. They were on top of it, Lockart said.

He followed updates on social media, saying it was a very uneasy feeling as he spent more than an hour in the store before police escorted everyone out.

Aventura City Manager Ron Wasson told The Miami Herald that authorities were sweeping the complex afterward in case someone dropped a firearm.

They just want to make sure if someone might have dumped a weapon, we dont miss it, he told the newspaper.

Aventura Mall bills itself on its online site as a premier shopping destination in the Miami area and South Florida.

In May 2020, two people were wounded and taken to a hospital after an argument led to a shooting inside the same mall. Police said that shooting also followed an argument.

___

Associated Press writer Thalia Beaty in New York contributed to this report.

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON

The Associated Press
50 years ago, election ushered in new era for US tribes View Photo

Fifty years ago this week the federal governments experiment with termination was crushed at the ballot box on the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state.

Termination was a policy that was designed to end the U.S. governments role in Indian affairs. It would have abrogated treaties, eliminated federal funding, and freed the Indians from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. And as a bonus, the wealth generated by millions of acres of land and the reward from rich natural resources would be up for grabs.

One side wanted to kick out the BIA and sell at least some of the reservation for a lot of money. The other side wanted to support the tribal government, and to get more financial help from the federal government.

That was the debate Colville voters had to resolve on May 8, 1971.

THE ROOTS OF TERMINATION

Virtually all federal Indian policy can be analyzed in terms of the tension between assimilation and separatism, wrote Charles Wilkinson and Eric Bigs in a 1977 Indian Law Review article.

The two legal scholars concluded that termination was an outgrowth of 150 years of Indian policy preceding the termination movement, and was simply the farthest extension of the fundamental theory underlying Indian policy throughout most of those years.

Indeed, the termination movements sponsors may have been motivated by sincere concern for the welfare of the Indian people. Nevertheless, most observers have concluded that termination has failed.

More than 100 tribes were terminated following the enactment of House Concurrent Resolution 108 on Aug. 1, 1953.

That resolution declared a congressional policy as rapidly as possible to make the Indians within the territorial limits of the United States subject to the same laws and entitled to the same privileges and responsibilities as are applicable to other citizens of the United States, and to grant them all the rights and prerogatives pertaining to American citizenship.

The first tribes chosen for this experiment were the Flathead Tribe of Montana, the Klamath Tribe of Oregon, the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin, the Potawatomi Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and those members of the Chippewa Tribe who are on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota.

A law that gave states criminal and civil jurisdiction over citizens of some tribal nations, Public Law 280, was also enacted and remains in effect today. Another program recruited Native American workers to leave their reservation homes in exchange for jobs in cities, often placing these workers in seasonal jobs such as agriculture or at railroads.

The Colville Tribe had been on the termination list beginning in 1956 when legislation was enacted that put the governing body in an untenable position: To gain title to its own land, the tribe would have to submit a plan to terminate within five years.

Though most Colvilles were reported to be against termination at that time, groups favoring a sale of the reservation and distribution of assets to members moved to take over the council in 1963, the American Indian Press Association reported. By 1965 they had full control of the council, and Sen. Henry M. Jackson, D-Wash., introduced legislation for them in each session of the Congress.

And in Washington the tide was beginning to turn.

In March 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson sent a message to Congress on Indians that proposed a national goal to end the old debate about termination of Indian programs and stresses self-determination; a goal that erases old attitudes of paternalism and promotes partnership self-help.

Yet only a month later, the president signed into law a bill that terminated the Tiwa Indians of Ysleta, Texas, and the law specifically declared that the responsibility if any for the tribal community was now up to Texas. The United States was done.

And that was supposed to happen at Colville, too.

CONSIDERING THE COSTS

Colville Chairman Rodney Cawston told Indian Country Today that he remembers as a child the parents arguing about termination.

I think that was the thing that really brought my attention to it as a child and hearing their discussions back and forth  if we terminate what would happen? If we dont terminate what would happen?  Because if we do terminate, were going to lose all of our reservation lands. We will no longer have a home or children will no longer have the hunting and the fishing and gathering that we are enjoying here today.

He said the end of tribal government would mean there would have been no mechanism in place for solving community problems.

Even as a child, he said, he recalled thinking that the loss of reservation lands would be too costly. Well, if I cant go out hunting, and if I cant go out fishing, why would I want any amount of money?

I was really happy that it was voted down, he recalled, because Indian people have already lost so much.

But Cawston also said he understood the motivation for those that supported termination. He said people wanted greater autonomy over their own land.

We are rich in natural resources here and so everything was being extracted off our reservation, especially the timber, which was really damaging the water and the forest itself.

CEREMONY OF TEARS

In a lot of ways the 12 bands that make up the Colville Confederated Reservation had already gone through multiple terminations. Only 20 years after the reservation was created, Congress took away the north half of the reservation and opened it up to settlement. The government was supposed to pay for that land, but for some 14 years failed to complete its end of the bargain.

Then in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson approved a proclamation that opened more lands for settlement within the Diminished Colville Indian Reservation. The North Half of the reservation was never forgotten. And when the land went unused, the tribe asked for that land back. Congress said yes, but the price was the five-year termination plan.

Another practical termination was the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River that blocked salmon from reaching the tribal homelands.

I remember a lot of our people talking about that, how devastating that was for us as a people, because we were of a salmon culture, Cawston said. One of the largest fishing sites in the Northwest was Kettle Falls, which is right near our reservation. And to have just all of that taken away from us by the federal government and without any consideration of us as Indian people, that that took away our culture or our religious systems, a lot of our ceremonial events.

I used to hear our elders talk about how people gathered at what they call the Ceremony of Tears, which was the last time the fish came up the Columbia, and they knew that life was going to change for them forever, he said. So this was still fairly recent  and they just couldnt see where the federal government was making decisions in the best interest of our tribe of our people.

More than 1,000 people traveled to Kettle Falls in June 1940 for the three-day Ceremony of Tears.

COMPETING CAMPAIGNS

But a lot of the election in 1971 was focused more on the routine. Then-Chairman Narcisse Nicolson Jr. supported termination because he said it was time for the Colville people to end their relationship with Washington. He said the case was clear because with only a relatively few exceptions, the tribal families of today are self-supporting.

He added, Lack of employment, to the degree that it exists, is largely due to character faults which cannot be cured by paternalism.

But Lucy Covington, Frank George, Paschal Sherman, and the anti-termination candidates had a different message. They campaigned saying sovereignty was the ultimate solution to any tribal problem.

Covington worked with author Vine Deloria and Chuck Trimble to produce a newspaper called Our Heritage, that made the case against termination.

Covington said it was critical to quiet what she called the present fever and fervor for termination.

Deloria would later go on to write about termination in Custer Died for Your Sins.

The Congressional policy of termination  was not conceived as a policy of murder, he wrote. Rather it was thought that it would provide that elusive answer to the Indian problem. And when it proved to be no answer at all, Congress continued its policy, having found a new weapon in the ancient battle for Indian land.

Deloria attacked the morality of the termination legislation. He wrote: Can you imagine Henry Jackson, sponsor of the bill, walking into the offices of white businessmen in Everett, Washington, and asking them to sell him their property, with values to be determined six months after the sale? Or what happens if the land owners under the law are declared incompetent. They would then be judged too incompetent to handle their own money, but competent enough to vote to sell their reservation. Is it any wonder that Indians distrust white men?

A NEW ERA

The vote on May 8 was not close.

Terminationist Chairman Narcisse Nicholson was rejected by the local Omak district voters who gave him 109 votes against his anti-terminationist opponents Charles Quintasket, who received 228 local votes and Barbara Marchand who received 220, reported the American Indian Press Association. The election sweep, the wire service said, meant the new tribal council was poised to develop new programs to take advantage of all available federal projects for the reservation which had previously been turned down by the terminationists.

No other tribe anywhere in the United States had to deal with the termination policy again. The battle was over.

In July when the new council took office, Mel Tonasket, then 30 years old, was elected as chairman. The council swiftly passed a resolution condemning termination. Other resolutions called for more federal support, closed a reservation lake to outsiders, and voted to take back law enforcement powers that had been ceded to the state of Washington under Public Law 280.

The new council claimed the inherent power of a government through an affirmation of tribal sovereignty.

The shift of policy, while debated in Washington, D.C., took root in the communities of Nespelem, Omak and even Seattle.

Sen. Jackson, a longtime supporter of termination, removed one of the policys architects, Senate staffer James Gamble, and replaced him with Forrest Gerard, Blackfeet. The era of self-determination was now the policy in Washington and in tribal communities across the country.

LASTING LEGACY

There are also stories to tell.

The Colville Tribe did so when it named its business center for Lucy Covington in 2015. The tribe tells that story in a resolution that honors her. This is extraordinary because the council is honoring dissent from within.

The resolution said the council would not support her trips to Washington to lobby against termination so Covington & George Friedlander sold their own livestock; cattle, and precious bloodline horses descending from Chief Moses to fund her travels to Washington, D.C., in efforts to protect ancestral lands. Covingtons passion to utilize every effort to save the Colville Indian Reservation landed National recognition for her devotion to protect all tribal lands and rights.

Eastern Washington University awarded Covington an honorary doctorate in 2015 on what would have been her 105th birthday. Her niece, Barb Aripa, accepted the award on behalf of Covingtons family and the tribal community. I accept this on behalf of the people of the Colville Tribes, the tribes she fought for all her life until the day she died, she said at the ceremony. She fought so hard for everything, for the people. Not only for our tribe, but all the tribes of the United States.

Another story comes from Laurie Arnold, an associate professor at Gonzaga University, and a Colville citizen. Shes the author of Bartering with the Bones of Their Dead: The Colville Confederated Tribes and Termination. She said the topic was so divisive that people really dont talk about it. The feelings persisted, and I think thats part of the reason that I never heard people talk about this when I was growing up.

The Colville termination story is important to tell because no community is a monolith. Yet one unifying theme for people who sought termination was ironically the restoration of a lost land base, she said, because one of the legacies of termination is that 818,000 acres of the North Half of the reservation were restored to tribal access.

Another legacy might be the story itself. Arnolds book tells her tribes story. This she sees as a turn toward community centered and informed narratives about termination.

When I was in graduate school and I told people, I was writing about policy, they said, Oh, why would you? Its just white guys do that. Why would you do that? And I said, Well, who better to tell these stories?

Outsiders might write about how a commission created policies. But they are not writing about the experiences of it, she said. If I had a final word, it would be a plug for more Native students, writing about their communities, more Native scholars, Native people writing about their communities. Its the best way to create these, you know, these infinities of stories that we have.

___

Information from: Indian Country Today, https://indiancountrytoday.com/

By MARK TRAHANT

Indian Country Today
KELLER, Texas (AP)  A former North Texas police officer has been indicted for his role in arresting and pepper spraying a man after he filmed his sons encounter with police.

Ex-Keller Police Sgt. Blake Shimanek is facing a charge of official oppression, a misdemeanor, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office announced Friday.

If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail. Court records did not list an attorney for Shimanek.

Bodycam footage shows Marco Puente being pepper-sprayed and arrested on Aug. 15, 2020.

Dillon Puente was pulled over for a traffic violation which his dad was recording on his phone across the street. Footage showed Shimanek ordering Officer Antik Tomer to arrest and pepper spray Puente for filming the arrest.

Shimanek claimed Marco Puente blocked a roadway, but a subsequent investigation found Puente did nothing wrong.

Keller Police Chief Brad Fortune later said the way Puente and his son were treated caused great disappointment and regret in the department.

Shimanek was demoted after an internal investigation. He resigned from the police department in February. Tomer was not disciplined as officials said he was following orders.

Marco Puente sued the city of Keller and later settled his case for $200,000.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Because Im a fan of povidone-iodine as a Covid prophylactic (though disclaiming any ability or desire to give medical advice), I thought I would investigate kelp, since I thought that iodine was derived from kelp. Alas, it once was, but thats no longer economically viable. (A substance derived from kelp, algin, is used as an emulsifying and bonding agent in toothpastes, shampoos, salad dressings, puddings, cakes, dairy products, frozen foods, so if youre a ranch dressing fan, read on.) So, normally when I wander into the biosphere I get lost and dont come out where I expect; with kelp, I got lost on my very first steps in!

Kelp forests are very beautiful:

And here is a video (whose soundtrack could do double duty as a sleeping aid):

Wow, what an amazing plant! you might be tempted to say, but kelp (genus Macrocystis) is a large brown algae, not a plant, but a heterokont (so-called for the flagellated cells[1] that most produce at some point in their lifecycles). Amazing algae[2], then. From Oceana.org:

Since the giant kelp is not a plant, it does not have roots. Instead, it obtains all of the necessary nutrients directly from the water and is attached to the rocky bottom by a structure known as a holdfast. Like plants, however, the giant kelp harvests the suns energy through photosynthesis and does not feed on other organisms. This species is one of the fastest growing species in the world, and under perfect conditions, it has been known to grow up to two feet (60 cm) in a single day. Once and individual giant kelp reaches the sea surface, it continues to grow horizontally, floating in large mats that shade the water column and sea floor below. In order to remain upright, each giant kelp blade (leaf) includes a gas-filled pod that floats. Several individuals growing together can create dense forests that are an important ecosystem in temperate, coastal areas where they live.

Kelp forests range along 25% of the Earths coastlines. Here is a map:

(You will notice no kelp in the tropics; kelp like colder waters.) NASAs Earth Observatory describes kelp forests:

Giant kelp forests are among Earths most productive habitats, and their great diversity of plant and animal species supports many fisheries around the world. The kelp, or Macrocystis, that make up these underwater forests truly are giant. They are the worlds largest marine plants and regularly grow up to 35 meters (115 feet) tall; the largest giant kelp on record stood 65 meters (215 feet) tall. Divers have compared swimming through mature kelp forests to walking through redwood forests. Unlike redwoods, giant kelp are ephemeral. They live for seven years at most, and often they disappear before that because of winter storms or over-grazing by other species. As fishermen know, giant kelp forests can appear and disappear from season to season, from year to year.

NOAA amplifies the species diversity of kelp forests:

In kelp forests, the most commonly found invertebrates are bristle worms, scud, prawn, snails, and brittle stars. These animals feed on the holdfasts that keep kelp anchored to the bottom of the ocean and algae that are abundant in kelp forests. Sea urchins will often completely remove kelp plants by eating through their holdfasts [ouch!]. Other invertebrates found in kelp forests are sea stars, anemones, crabs, and jellyfish.

Hold that thought on sea urchins. More species:

A wide range of fish can be found in kelp forests, many of which are important to commercial fishermen. For example, many types of rockfish such as black rockfish, blue rockfish, olive rockfish, and kelp rockfish are found in kelp forests and are important to fishermen. A wide range of marine mammals inhabit kelp forests for protection and food. Sea lions and seals feed on the fish that live in kelp forests. Grey whales have also been observed in kelp forests, most likely using the forest as a safe haven from the predatory killer whale. The grey whale will eat the abundant invertebrates and crustaceans in kelp forests. One of the most important mammals in a kelp forest is the sea otter, who takes refuge from sharks and storms in these forests. The sea otter eats the red sea urchin that can destroy a kelp forest if left to multiply freely. Kelp forests are a natural buffet for birds such as crows, warblers, starlings, and black phoebes which feed on flies, maggots, and small crustaceans that are abundant in kelp forests. Gulls, terns, egrets, great blue herons, and cormorants dine on the many fish and invertebrates living in the kelp. Kelp forests also provide birds with a refuge from storms.

Ecologists have conceptualized the relations between such species more formally as a food web.

A food web consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem. Each living thing in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains. Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem. All of the interconnected and overlapping food chains in an ecosystem make up a food web. Organisms in food webs are grouped into categories called trophic levels. Roughly speaking, these levels are divided into producers (first trophic level), consumers, and decomposers (last trophic level).>

Here is a diagram of a food web that, as it happens, includes kelp, sea urchins, and sea otters:

Turning to paradigms, as it happens is, in fact, not a coincidence. The otter -> sea urchin -> kelp relationship is the basis for a paradigmatic example of what ecologists call a a trophic cascade. From the Fish and Wildlife Service:

In his famous essay, Thinking like a Mountain, Aldo Leopold recounts an epiphany he experienced while watching the fierce green fire fade from the eyes of a dying wolf: I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view. The larger view that Leopold came to see, and that he tried to help others see, was that the predators his contemporaries vilified and systematically killed were an integral part of the ecosystemimportant not only to the plants that the deer consumed but also, seemingly paradoxically, to the deer themselves. Since then, Leopold writes, I have watched the face of many a newly wolfless mountain, and seen the south-facing slopes wrinkle with a maze of new deer trails. I have seen every edible bush and seedling browsed [] to death. I now suspect that just as a deer herd lives in mortal fear of its wolves, so does a mountain live in mortal fear of its deer. Like wolves, sea otters were systematically eliminated from most of their native range. Whereas sea otters were killed during the fur trade for their lush pelts, not for competing with humans for prey, the effects of their removal were parallel to those following the elimination of wolves. [Sea otters eat] the equivalent of about 25 percent of their body mass each day. Calorie-rich sea urchins, herbivores that consume algae, are one of their preferred prey. Just as deer can proliferate and radically alter the landscape in the absence of wolves, hordes of hungry sea urchins, when released from sea otter predation, can turn kelp forests that support a myriad of organisms into urchin barrens. Although factors such as storms can also influence kelp abundance, where there are sea otters, kelp tends to increase. Given their large-scale community effects, sea otters, like wolves, are considered a keystone species.

Removing the keystone, predator, species (wolf or otter) causes a trophic cascade, as the consumer species proliferate (deer, urchins) and consume the producer species, collapsing one of the chains in the food web (as many suburbanites have come to learn. See other examples of the same cascade here, here, and here[3]).

Otters -> Sea urchins -> kelp is, in fact, a paradigmatic case of a trophic cascade (its Wikipedias go-to example for that entry). Interestingly, the paradigm is now under attack[4]. From February of this year in Phys.org, New research on sea urchins challenges long-held assumptions about marine reserves, which provide a nice natural experiment. Sorry to quote so much of it:

But a new study by [Katrina Malakhoff, a doctoral student in UC Santa Barbaras Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science] and her advisor, Robert Miller, suggests that the truth is much more nuanced. The researchers examined urchin populations inside and outside marine reserves, where protection from fishing should have enabled urchin predators to rebound and control their populations. But instead of finding fewer urchins, they found that one species was unaffected by the reserves, while the other flourished. We predicted that by protecting these areas were increasing the number and density of urchin predators that will then control urchin populations and prevent them from overgrazing the kelp forest and turning it into an urchin barren, Malakhoff said. She sought to investigate this assumption, as well as the tendency of scientists and resource managers to lump the two species together and treat them as ecologically equivalent. The reserves seemed to have no affect at all on unfished purple urchin populations. Whats more, instead of decreasing in numbers, red urchins proliferated within the borders of some marine reserves. Their size, number and density increased once they no longer faced fishing pressures. Reserves also had no clear effect on giant kelp density. I was pretty surprised, Malakhoff said. It contradicted what I expected to be happening in the kelp forest. If a rise in predation within the reserve influenced urchin populations, then both species should have decreased in number, and there ought to have been fewer small urchins, which provide an easier snack for predators. Theres a simplistic picture thats been promulgated of kelp forests versus urchin barrens, and that predators are preventing this phase shift from happening, Miller said. The corollary is that, by restoring predator populations, reserves should allow the lush kelp forests to return. Other studies have documented that the urchins predators are thriving under the reserves protection. The new results indicate that predation probably isnt the primary factor controlling urchin populations . For instance, larval dispersal and recruitmentas well as the oceanographic regimes that affect themlikely have greater effects on urchin populations, Miller said. This study invites scientists to reconsider how common trophic cascades are, and whether marine reserves will always induce them. Katrinas study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests that trophic cascades are confined to a pretty narrow set of situations in the natural world , Miller said. The two researchers acknowledge that some of their fellow scientists and resource managers might be reluctant to accept their conclusions. The relationship between marine reserves and trophic cascades has approached paradigm status, Miller explained, and its always difficult to push back against a paradigm.

Of course, I have paradigm shifts very much in mind, having followed the aerosol v. droplet tranmission controversy with great interest over the last year. But lets remember that saying a theory is a paradigm shift means neither that the theory is correct nor that the paradigm shift will take place.

Turning finally to climate, kelp forests are enormous carbon sinks:

The capacity to draw CO2 from the atmosphere has added climate mitigation to kelps list of benefits. When we talk about ways oceans can sequester carbon, the conversation typically revolves around mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows. But the magnitude of carbon sequestered by algal forests is comparable to that of all those three habitats together, says Carlos Duarte, a professor of marine science at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. Algal forests should not be left behind. They have been hidden for much too long. Theres a lot we still dont understand [of course] about how kelp store CO2. But researchers are starting to build a better picture of this giant seaweed and how we might improve its capacity to help tackle climate change.

WaPo reinforces:

Giant kelp is among the best organisms on the planet for taking planet-warming gases out of the atmosphere. Buoyed by small, gas-filled bulbs called bladders, these huge algae grow toward the ocean surface at a pace of up to two feet per day. Their flexible stems and leafy blades form a dense underwater canopy that can store 20 times as much carbon as an equivalent expanse of terrestrial trees.

Unfortunately, since kelp likes cold water, global warning threatens it:

A steady increase in ocean temperatures  nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit in recent decades  was all it took to doom the once-luxuriant giant kelp forests of eastern Australia and Tasmania: Thick canopies that once covered much of the regions coastal sea surface have wilted in intolerably warm and nutrient-poor water. Then, a warm-water sea urchin species moved in. Voracious grazers, the invaders have mowed down much of the remaining vegetation and, over vast areas, have formed what scientists call urchin barrens, bleak marine environments largely devoid of life. The Tasmanian saga is just one of many examples of how climate change and other environmental shifts are driving worldwide losses of giant kelp, a brown algae whose strands can grow to 100 feet. In western Australia, increases in ocean temperatures, accentuated by an extreme spike in 2011, have killed vast beds of an important native kelp, Ecklonia radiata. In southern Norway, ocean temperatures have exceeded the threshold for sugar kelp  Saccharina latissima  which has died en masse since the late 1990s and largely been replaced by thick mats of turf algae, which stifles kelp recovery. In western Europe, the warming Atlantic Ocean poses a serious threat to coastal beds of Laminaria digitata kelp, and researchers have predicted extirpation of the species as early as the first half of the 21st century in parts of France, Denmark, and southern England.

Fortunately, restoration efforts are taking place (and in Maine, too). Yes, its a startup, but thats where we are:

Adam Baske strolls through a warehouse on the coast of Harpswell, Maine. Surrounding him are trays of oysters with water circulating between them in small tubes. In another room stands rows of eight-foot-tall tanks of algae growing at different stages. The algae will be food for the oysters. If youve never seen a shellfish hatchery, this one looks pretty typical. But its not. This year, theyre planning to harvest something newatmospheric carbon. His company, called Running Tide Technologies, plans to grow vast quantities of seaweed in drifting ocean mini-farmsfarms that the company plans to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So this is basically taking the emissions of our fossil-fuel burning, locking them back up into the structure of the kelp and sending it back to the bottom of the ocean, where, you know, its at least locked up for hundreds to thousands of years because of the great pressure and the slow movement of the water in the deep ocean. Kelp, like other plants, uses photosynthesis to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Colette Feehan, a marine ecologist at Montclair State University, who does not work with Running Tide Technologies, says that kelp is a no-brainer when it comes to carbon sequestration. The productivity of kelp forests has been found to be comparable to tropical rain forests, meaning that they put on a great deal of biomass, and that biomass is stored carbon. It can do this because it grows fast (about a foot per month). It also quickly sinks to the seafloor. Once there, it degrades very slowly. Trees, on the other hand, store carbon but ultimately release it back to the atmosphere when they die and decompose. Kelp can stay effectively buried, its carbon entombed by the crushing pressure and lack of oxygen, for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. As a climate change mitigation strategy, theres mounting evidence that this is a good approach. These forests arent taking up land that would otherwise be used for agriculture or housing. So theres really no negative side to growing kelp forests.

And here is a similar project in Tasmania, but with a permaculture (1) twist:

In collaboration with the Climate Foundation as part of its work to regenerate food security, ecosystem services and mitigate climate change, our study aims to establish whether theres any chance of restoring these important marine communities by identifying individual giant kelp plants that may be genetically better adapted to warmer sea temperatures, Professor Johnson said. Dr. Brian von Herzen, Executive Director of the Climate Foundation, said Marine Permaculture development programs like these increase our collective capacity to regenerate life in the oceans and ensure healthy ecosystems and climate for generations to come. Project researcher and Climate Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Cayne Layton, said that in 2012 southeastern Australias giant kelp forests were listed by the Australian Government as an endangered marine community, the first such listing for a marine community in Australia. Giant kelp were the foundation for marine communities along much of Tasmanias East Coast, creating complex habitats that once supported key species of conservation or commercial value, from weedy sea dragons to rock lobsters and abalone, Dr Layton said. Active restoration of these now degraded and disappearing habitats represents a potential approach for conservation of giant kelp forests while at the same time offering new commercial possibilities. The same techniques that underpin restoration may also be able to facilitate the development of giant kelp Marine Permaculture for commercial harvest and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.

Cool! (Note that selecting for kelp that can live in warmer waters seems to be an angle the Maine project has not considered.

Maybe. Worth a shot. One of the nice things about using kelp farms for carbon sequestration, as opposed to tree plantations (I wont call them forests) is that real estate issues do not arise; the lunatic BECCS project, for example, needed real estate the size of the Indian subcontinent for its trees, so I dont think so..

* * *

I dont quite know how to bring this serendipitous trip through the kelp forests to an conclusion, so I will say, with Frank Herberts Fremen, now its complete because its ended here. I hope it was fun and useful!

NOTES

[1] Life is too short to go through the sex life of kelp, but here is a chart of kelps life cycle:

The meiospores at top right look like flagella to me.

[2] Also amazing is that as of 2010 is but one single fossil of kelp. Today, the fossil record is considered sparse, as these organisms do not produce hard parts, such as certain calcified red and green algae, nor do they produce resistant spores. Also, in the absence of pigments, fossil brown algae may be almost impossible to distinguish from these other algae, since there are many morphologically convergent forms among the three groups. These difficulties are compounded by the lack of trained paleobiologists who specialize on algae, or of phycologists who examine fossils.

[3] Thinking of Nabokovs famous parable where an ape, given charcoal and paper, drew the bars of his cage, consider this passage from Scientific Americans Living in a Landscape of Fear: How Predators Impact an Ecosystem:

The keystone species concept lies at the heart of the HSS debate. When Robert Paine introduced it in 1969, he envisioned its mechanisms as a dominant predator consuming and controlling the abundance of a particular prey species and a prey species competing with other species in its trophic class and excluding them from the community.

Granted, Im going all PoMo here, but this reminds me of academic politics, although some departments (***cough*** economics ***cough***) are no doubt far worse than others. Speculating freely, one might wonder whether these academics find predator-prey relations so powerful and illuminating as an analytical tool because they mirror the relationships that matter most to them in their professional lives. Department chairs, red in tooth and claw, as it were.

[4] One obvious rejoinder would be to attack the distinction between producers (of nutrients; plants) and consumers (herbivores), where the producers are seen as implicitly passive. But from Michael Pollans Botany of Desire, we know thats not so: Plants, as it were, cultivate our senses. See also the communications networks of trees. Granted, kelp lack roots, but perhaps they have evolved other channels. Plants are in no way passive, and I dont see why the same should not be true of heterokonts too.
Why do we think cats are unfriendly? BBC. From 2020, still germane.

Cyber attack shuts down U.S. fuel pipeline jugular, Biden briefed Reuters. Oddly, Colonials enormous leak hasnt generated the same level of coverage.

Wyoming backs coal with $1.2M threat to sue other states AP

Amazon Fake Reviews Scam Exposed in Data Breach Safety Detectives

#COVID19

Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19 American Journal of Therapeutics (peer-reviewed; Wolters Kluwer; in MEDLINE). Conclusions: Meta-analyses based on 18 randomized controlled treatment trials of ivermectin in COVID-19 have found large, statistically significant reductions in mortality, time to clinical recovery, and time to viral clearance. Furthermore, results from numerous controlled prophylaxis trials report significantly reduced risks of contracting COVID-19 with the regular use of ivermectin. Finally, the many examples of ivermectin distribution campaigns leading to rapid population-wide decreases in morbidity and mortality indicate that an oral agent effective in all phases of COVID-19 has been identified.

* * *

An evolutionary portrait of the progenitor SARS-CoV-2 and its dominant offshoots in COVID-19 pandemic (accepted manuscript) (PDF) Molecular Biology. From the Abstract: However, multiple coronavirus infections in China and the USA harbored the progenitor [SARSCoV2] genetic fingerprint in January 2020 and later, suggesting that the progenitor was spreading worldwide months before and after the first reported cases of COVID19 in China. Consistent with discovery of Covid infections in Italy in late 2019 (Links 2021-5-4).

* * *

Covid Pitted Life Against Liberty and Vanquished Both John Authers, Bloomberg

CDCs Guidelines for When Its Safe to Still Wear Lounge Pants McSweeneys Internet Tendency (nvl).
David Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Michael Kuhn, Program Director of Economic Frontiers, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Wittgenstein Centre for Global Human Capital, and Klaus Prettner, Professor of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Originally published at VoxEU.

In addition to the devastating human toll, the economic upheaval wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the inextricable relationship between physical and economic health. This column presents an overview of the macroeconomic effects of the infectious disease epidemics of the 20th and early 21st centuries through the lens of recent COVID-19 research and explores the epidemiceconomics nexus. It concludes that preventive policies, containment strategies, and early responses are more efficient, cost-effective, and manageable than combatting a full-scale infectious pandemic outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a harrowing reminder of the destructive power of infectious disease. In addition to the devastating human toll, the economic upheaval wrought by the pandemic illustrates the inextricable relationship of physical health and economic health. The ubiquity of COVID-19 has transformed our everyday world into a working laboratory, the starkest outcome of which has been the accelerated production of multiple effective vaccines in record-shattering time. Accompanying these scientific breakthroughs is a wealth of research that has been conducted on other methods to fight and mitigate the diseases far-reaching impact, adding to the accumulated knowledge of the epidemiceconomics nexus (see Vox and CEPRs coverage of the pandemic here). In this column, we present an overview of the macroeconomic effects of the infectious disease epidemics of the late 20th and early 21st centuries through the lens of recent COVID-19 research.

The mechanisms by which health influences economic growth are numerous. Good health means healthy workers, which translates to higher labour productivity and incomes. Good health further means a longer life expectancy and lower morbidity, which leads to increased schooling and human capital accumulation. Increased life expectancy also translates to greater savings and investments. Finally, good health leads to a lower fertility rate and, subsequently, expenditures are redirected to education investments; lower fertility can also produce a demographic dividend  the economic growth potential resulting from changes in a populations age structure that typically follow fertility decline.

Infectious disease, conversely, compromises economic growth in many ways. The morbidity and mortality caused by disease epidemics results in a reduction in the labour force and, oftentimes, larger indirect effects through behavioural changes in labour supply and education. Some diseases, like the Spanish Flu, disproportionately affect prime-age workers, leading to a large decline in the supply of labour. Some diseases, like COVID-19, are spread through casual social interaction, leading people to avoid those interactions and, therefore, reducing both consumption and labour supply. Other infectious diseases, like HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, become endemic to a region and, with their high morbidity and mortality rates and low prospects of recovery, reduce the investment in schooling. This, in turn, hampers human capital accumulation (as do diseases that disproportionately affect children), compromising long-run economic growth.

Effective containment and treatment of a disease, meanwhile, restore productivity and cut mortality, thereby mitigating the loss in labour supply. Yet containment and treatment can tax even the most robust health systems and economies, while often exacerbating underlying inequalities. Financing any policy response to epidemics will disrupt the customary operations of a nation, and the choices as to which policies to pursue and how to finance them will reverberate throughout the countrys economy.

Even over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, those choices continue to drive a debate that revolves around containing the disease, thus protecting lives, and maintaining economic activity, thus protecting livelihoods. Baldwin (2020) suggests an alternative to the standard cost-benefit analysis of weighing deaths versus dollars. Arguing against a World War COVID approach, he proposes that governments must more creatively balance disease containment policies with a remobilisation of workers. The challenge is to develop a strategy of constrained optimisation that gets the economy moving without spiking infection rates and overwhelming hospital systems. The dilemma pits a medical constraint, characterised as an imperative to avoid deaths, against a tolerability constraint, as a quarantined populace loses patience, social and economic discontent rises, production falls, and prices increase. Testing will help bend both constraints in the right direction, Baldwin writes, describing the multiple benefits of flattening the curve. Governments have instituted massive economic packages to ride out the recessions caused by COVID-19, but more targeted bending of both constraints will be necessary as the effects of the pandemic endure.

Until vaccination programmes are rolled out universally, containment remains reliant primarily on non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the trade-off discussion rolls on. That debate positions, in one corner, proponents of fighting COVID-19 with all available remedies including lockdowns and, in the other, those who favour herd immunity by means of protecting vulnerable individuals while allowing low-risk populations to contract the virus and build natural immunity. In Bloom et al. (2021a), we categorise potential policy responses as lockdown and testing, treatment, and prevention and eradication. Lockdowns, such as stay-at-home orders, can be effective depending on the transmission route of the disease, but can lead to severe economic and human hardship. Bloom et al. (2021b) pitch 14 simple, effective, and low-cost policy measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 that by relaxing the trade-off would satisfy those in both corners of the debate. Their suggestions include physical distancing, expanded testing (especially among frontline workers), mandating masks with high-filtration efficiencies, improving ventilation in public indoor places, restricting travel from areas with new concerning variants quickly, and investing substantially more resources in COVID research. These are characterised as achievable measures that carry little downside but potentially tremendous upside.

Rather than pursue a health versus wealth trade-off strategy that inevitably results in cyclical shutdowns and re-openings, Aghion et al. (2021) argue that successful pandemic management aims for Covid-free green zones. Areas are deemed green when levels of the virus are low and a working test, trace, and isolate (TTI) strategy is in place. Australia, New Zealand, and several countries in East Asia have sufficiently contained the virus, directly supporting economic growth. Most countries in Europe, however, have not aggressively pursued such containment tactics, forcing them to prepare for the next outbreak instead of investing in the future and boosting their economies. In fact, Aghion et al. (2021) write, In 2021GDP in zero-Covid countries will be 6.2 points higher than its 2019 level. In Europe, it will be 3.4 points lower. In total, countries pursuing zero Covid gained ten percentage points of GDP compared to Europe. The absence of long-term planning and investment by European countries may prolong this disparity even after the immediacy of the pandemic subsides, a situation especially relevant to the tourism-dependent countries of southern Europe. Recommending that Europe adopt a coordinated green zone strategy based on TTI, buttressed by travel restrictions and vaccinations, Aghion et al. (2021) state plainly, [e]liminating Covid-19 is the cheapest path towards economic recovery.

Until that happens, more than two dozen economics experts agree that one necessary course of action is, in fact, to enact vast fiscal stimulus packages (Baldwin and Weder di Mauro 2020). Hesitating to act or not passing large enough financial remedies could turn the current economic crisis into financial or debt crises with long-lasting impacts. Baldwin and Weder di Mauro write in the introduction to their eBook, This is the time to bring out the big artillery; this is not a time to be timid, but to do whatever it takes, fast. In an environment in which the enemy knows neither moral hazard (literally) nor geographical borders, this common hardship requires a common solution. Some of the authors collected in the book suggest that one piece of that solution could involve pandemic bonds issued by the European Stability Mechanism or the European Investment Bank  constituting supranational debt  which would signal a united Europe that could boost the trust, and the spending, of its stakeholders (Baldwin and Weder di Mauro 2020).

Indeed, any countrys policy response to an epidemic does not play out in isolation: COVID-19s spread reminds us of just how globally connected the modern world is. This connectivity begins with the first step of fighting an epidemic: identification and reporting of the disease. Reporting of cases may be low if a country fears they would be subject to travel bans and trade restrictions, a condition that could be alleviated by richer countries providing financial aid to poorer countries in exchange for the latter shutting down. Epidemic-induced de-globalization and corporate reshoring are genuine threats, as diseases can disrupt supply chains and standard trading patterns (Bloom et al. 2021a). Such outcomes can especially jeopardise the developing economies of poor nations, which could lead to reduced investments in health and education and create or sustain poverty traps (Bloom et al. 2021b).

Calling COVID-19 an era-defining crisis, Baldwin (2021) looks at some of these economic and social shockwaves trailing in the wake of COVID-19s direct deaths and illness: rising global poverty, worldwide hunger, and a mass disruption of childhood education. Baldwin notes that, as the world experiences a mono-cultural moment  everyone experiencing the same thing at the same time  that shared experience must translate into an empathetic call to action. A united, global, coordinated cooperation is required to combat both the health and economic repercussions of the disease.

Those economic repercussions often include an increase in the adoption of automation technologies, as robots are not susceptible to disease and, therefore, are more likely to substitute for tasks that would put humans at risk. Because robots excel at low-skill tasks and automation is often complementary to high-skilled workers tasks, the wages of low-skilled workers are likely to stagnate or decline while high-skilled workers wages are likely to increase in the face of automation. While automation improves productivity (output per capita), it also contributes to a decline in the labour income share with further repercussions on inequality. Pandemics tend to reinforce the increase in economic inequality that accompanies automation, as COVID-19 has demonstrated (Bloom et al. 2021a, Bloom and Prettner 2020). Technology is useful in the fight against pandemics  remote working and improved diagnostics can reduce the spread and also reduce the diseases economic impact  but it can also exacerbate inequality. Lower-income workers and minorities often have worse access to healthcare and are unable to work remotely, which leads to a reduction in paid hours or an increase in their exposure risk (or both). Policy proposals to counteract these consequences include educational investments, job training for displaced workers, revamped curricula that emphasize skills that are complementary to automation, strengthening the social security system, and amending the labour tax code (Prettner and Bloom 2020).

While the economic effects of epidemics depend on the disease characteristics, population demographics, and cross-country wealth disparities, all infectious diseases extract enormous human and economic tolls. Responsive policy recommendations should be based on the recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the challenge. Any solution will include value judgments that cannot be answered by science alone, but only through a transparent, evidence-based, ethics-guided, and inclusive social debate. Furthermore, policymaking needs to reflect the underlying socioeconomic and epidemic conditions of the country affected, such as the strength of social insurance, the structure of the economy, the possibility of remote working and schooling, the vulnerability and demographic structure of the population, the healthcare system capacity, and budgetary concerns (Bloom et al. 2021a). Explicit recognition must be given to the varied impacts on different socioeconomic groups and the equity issues they raise.

Generally, priority should be given to the consequential and timely implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions that allow the avoidance, deferral, or relaxed imposition of lockdowns. These include the promotion of measures of individual prevention, such as improved hygiene, mask-wearing or physical distancing; the timely elimination of unnecessary travel; the targeting of lockdowns; and the implementation of enhanced surveillance and reporting protocols that include functional testing, contact tracing, and genomic sequencing capacity. The pharmaceutical dimension of vaccine development and its equitable distribution is, of course, crucial to returning to a semblance of normal life. The research and development of vaccines is a lengthy and expensive process and, when led by private companies, is fraught with economic complications (such as certain populations being priced out). For effective prevention and eradication  to get people to actually take the medicine  vaccines should be free, subsidised, or even accompanied by incentive payments. Social trust can only be established through timely, transparent, and coherent communication about all of these endeavours. Finally, international policy coordination is essential, which could be spearheaded by the G20. No matter the disease, preventive policies, containment strategies, and early responses are more efficient, cost-effective, and manageable than combatting a full-scale infectious pandemic outbreak.

References available at the original.
(Natural News) Californias San Joaquin Valley is well-known for its fertile orchards and bountiful produce. But this perception may soon change with a new drought looming on the horizon, even as the valley is still reeling from earlier droughts. Reductions to water allotments at the state and federal levels, alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsoms inaction, only worsen the problem.

California  and the West Coast in general  is no stranger to drought. Generations of farmers in the valley have often drilled wells to tide themselves over the dry season. But farmers in the Golden State are now facing a plethora of challenges. New laws to guarantee environmental protections and a seemingly endless dry season have made some question the future of farming there.

Tulare County Farm Bureau President John Guthrie expressed pride over his familys history in the valley. He claimed that they have has been working the land there for more than a century. If not for that, I would seriously consider bowing out of this business, he remarked.

But the cattle rancher and farm owner has expressed uncertainty over that way of life. Things were tough enough without having to deal with regulations that are becoming more onerous by the day, Guthrie lamented.

Dino Giacomazzi is another resident questioning the future of farming in the valley. The dairy farmer-turned-almond grower closed his familys 126-year-old dairy farm in 2014 to plant almonds, amid the worst drought that had hit the state in years. We just didnt see a path forward in cowdom. We had a very old 400-acre facility in an increasingly regulated world when it comes to air, food and water. [Also,] we were facing years of low milk prices, he said.

Giacomazzi admitted that the transition from cows to almond trees was not a smooth one. He lamented California farmers planting too many almonds  which oversupplied the market and brought prices down. The ongoing pandemic also made things worse by making it more expensive to bring almonds to market.

Farmers paid the price for Californias supposed environment-friendly actions

California legislators passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act back in 2014 during the term of former Gov. Jerry Brown. This complex law called for all groundwater taken from wells to match the amount returned to aquifers by 2040. But experts claimed that the bills requirements were a herculean task as it called for a million acres of farmland state-wide to produce no crops.

State and federal allocations of surface water in California also saw reductions because of less snowpack. Melting snow from the Sierra Nevada mountain range serves as an alternative water source for the dry California valley. But with the lower amounts of snow, growers have turned to underground sources of water for their farms.

Large orchards drill wells  some up to more than 1,000 feet  to obtain water for citrus, almond and pistachio trees.

But with more wells being drilled, older ones have dried up causing the ground to sink. It also permitted harmful chemicals from farming to leach into deeper water sources.

This in turn affected a number of locations in California, including Tombstone Territory in Fresno County. Many of the territorys Hispanic residents feared that the wells they depended on would eventually run dry. Community activist and resident Jovita Torres remarked: Ive still got dirty water coming out of my tap, and bottled water is still being delivered to our community every Friday.

Her neighbor Rodolfo Romero attributed the issue to climate changes and political forces  too big to stop. The 95-year-old lamented the eventual loss of the life-giving wells in their area. So the way I see it, there is no way to live off our wells anymore. Those days are over, he said.

In recent weeks, Republicans have called on incumbent governor Newsom to declare a statewide drought emergency. Under such an emergency, state regulators would be able to relax water quality and environmental standards. The said standards limit water supply deliveries from the water hub at the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

But the GOP lawmakers calls were in vain as the governor declared the emergency only in the Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

The drought, low water supply and insufficient government response in California has raised fears of a different future for the San Joaquin Valley farmlands. Here, once-fertile orchards would give way to subdivisions and industrial parks. Denise England of the Tulare County Water Commission remarked: If things continue in the direction theyre headed right now, theres going to be lots of new open space around here  and that ground will have to be used for something.

Visit Collapsifornia.com to read more articles about Californias water supply issues.

Sources include:

News.Yahoo.com

WaterBoards.CA.gov

ABC7News.com
(Natural News) Exercise equipment company Peloton has recalled all of its treadmill products after one child died from exposure.

Peloton is recalling all of its Tread and Tread+ treadmills just to be on the safe side because dozens of others reporting injuries while using them.

I want to be clear: Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commissions request that we recall the Tread+, CEO John Foley announced in a statement.

We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize.

Untold thousands of children have died from toxic vaccines, by the way, and never once has a pharmaceutical company responded with an apology, let alone a recall. And yet user misuse of exercise equipment was enough in Pelotons case to pull back all associated products.

News of the recall sent Pelotons shares plummeting about 15 percent, hitting a low not seen since September. This resulted in about $4.1 billion getting wiped away from Pelotons market value.

Peloton customers who own either a Tread or Tread+ treadmill product are being asked to immediately stop using the product and contact the company for a full refund or other qualified remedies.

Peloton says it is working on a repair that will soon be offered to treadmill owners who want to keep their equipment rather than obtain a refund.

The recall affects some 125,000 Tread+ machines and about 1,050 Tread machines sold in the United States.

What will this do to Pelotons reputation?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says it has received about 18 reports of Tread and Tread+ products having their touchscreens loosen, along with six reports that the touchscreens completely detached and fell from the product.

This is supposedly how the child died after being struck by the falling touchscreen. Dozens of others have reported injuries from the falling screen.

Another problem with the machines is that they were manufactured with an unusual belt design that uses individual rigid rubberized slats or treads that are interlocked and ride on a rail.

Most other treadmill products on the market use a thinner, continuous belt design that has stood the test of time in terms of reliability.

On top of containing these slats, Pelotons Tread products stand too high from the floor, CPSC says, allowing for things to wiggle their way underneath.

At the time when these flaws were first noticed, Peloton pushed back against a recall, telling its customers that there was no good reason why they should not continue using Peloton products without question  just so long as children and pets stayed out of the area.

Peloton also told its customers to use a key to lock the equipment after each use.

This recall is the right step  though dangerously delayed, stated Rep. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat representing Connecticut who also chairs the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security.

Peloton unacceptably put consumers at risk, obstructed the CPSCs investigation and its consumer warnings.

How much damage this recall will impose upon Pelotons reputation remains unclear. The company sold its first treadmill back in 2018 for $4,300 and has since offered multiple new iterations.

In the U.K., Peloton sells a smaller, cheaper version of its treadmill product that does not include the same rigid slats as the Tread+ product sold here in the U.S.

We acknowledge that this recall will likely result in significant near-term, one-time financial costs and operational disruption, with potential reputational damage, indicated Trust Securities analyst Youssef Squali in a note to clients.

Stepping back and looking at the broader picture, however, we believe that the secular growth trends in the home fitness industry remain intact.

Sources for this article include:

CNBC.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) New research from the Salk Institute has inadvertently revealed that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) spike proteins, which are forever generated inside the body following an experimental gene therapy (mRNA) injection, are directly responsible for causing injury and death.

Salk insists that only the virus spike proteins are dangerous and not the ones found in vaccines, but anyone with a brain knows better. A spike protein is a spike protein and the latest science shows that they are deadly, attacking the vascular system on a cellular level.

A paper recently published in the journal Circulation Research found that Chinese Virus spike proteins are more of a threat to the vascular system than they are to the respiratory system.

A lot of people think of it as a respiratory disease, but its really a vascular disease, says Uri Manor, an assistant research professor and co-author of the study.

That could explain why some people have strokes, and why some people have issues in other parts of the body. The commonality between them is that they all have vascular underpinnings.

Tests involving a pseudovirus that was basically just a clump of Wuhan Flu spike proteins surrounding an inert substance resulted in the same damage to lungs and arteries as the alleged virus itself.

Tissue samples showed inflammation in endothelial cells lining the pulmonary artery walls, Salk reports.

The team then replicated this process in the lab, exposing healthy endothelial cells (which line arteries) to the spike protein. They showed that the spike protein damaged the cells by binding ACE2. This binding disrupted ACE2s molecular signaling to mitochondria (organelles that generate energy for cells), causing the mitochondria to become damaged and fragmented.

Dont get the jab unless you want to suffer and possibly die

Earlier studies produced similar results, suggesting that the real threat in all this is not some virus but rather the spike proteins that are being deliberately injected into peoples bodies as a vaccine.

If you remove the replicating capabilities of the virus, it still has a major damaging effect on the vascular cells, simply by virtue of its ability to bind to this ACE2 receptor, the S protein receptor, now famous thanks to Covid, Manor admits.

Further studies with mutant spike proteins will also provide new insight towards the infectivity and severity of mutant SARS CoV-2 viruses.

A group called Doctors for Covid Ethics has issued a statement in response to the study that warns about the dangers and ineffectiveness of taking a Chinese Virus injection.

The risk-benefit calculus is  clear: the experimental vaccines are needless, ineffective and dangerous, the group maintains.

Actors authorizing, coercing or administering experimental COVID-19 vaccination are exposing populations and patients to serious, unnecessary, and unjustified medical risks.

Based on what the Salk study reveals, it is now clear that the Chinese Virus is primarily a disease of the vascular system, and its main culprit is the spike protein.

Putting two and two together, the only logical conclusion is that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) injections that contain ingredients designed to trigger the continuous production of said spike protein inside the body are an almost certain death sentence for those who take them.

The vaccines are dangerous to both healthy individuals and those with pre-existing chronic disease, for reasons such as the following: risk of lethal and non-lethal disruptions of blood clotting including bleeding disorders, thrombosis in the brain, stroke and heart attack; autoimmune and allergic reactions; antibody-dependent enhancement of disease; and vaccine impurities due to rushed manufacturing and unregulated production standards, Doctors for Covid Ethics warns.

More related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) deception can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Salk.edu

NaturalNews.com

TheBurningPlatform.com
(Natural News) (Article by Kane republished from CitizenFreePress.com)

A distinguished New Jersey doctor considered a giant in the field of infectious diseases has died of Covid, after getting the Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Rajendra Kapila was a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and was a founding member of the New Jersey Infectious Disease Society.

The 81 year-old died in India, nearly three weeks after testing positive for Covid, according to the Hindustan Times. Dr. Bina Kapila, said he went to India  where the pandemic is raging  to help care for his family and had planned for it to be a brief trip

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Rajendra Kapila, a true legend in the NYC ID community. He had such a wonderful presence at our ID intercity rounds with his incredible knowledge and sense of humor. He will be missed. https://t.co/xi9Hv89uIp  Weill Cornell Infectious Diseases Division (@WCM_ID) May 4, 2021

For 50 years, Dr. Kapila served as a foundational pillar of New Jersey Medical School, the Martland Hospital and University Hospital where he provided care to tens of thousands of patients and trained numerous generations of medical students, residents and fellows, Rutgers said in a statement.

Rajendra Kapilas wife, Dr. Deepti Saxena-Kapila, told the Hindustan Times that he had received both Pfizer vaccine doses in the U.S. before heading to India.

Continue reading

Read more at: CitizenFreePress.com
(Natural News) We are the dissidents. We, meaning people who believe in natural medicine, dont like injections that contain mercury and human abortion cells, and we especially dont want Bill Gates gene therapy shots. We are not in compliance with this invasive medical procedure that could easily be a means of wiping out most of the populace. That is why pharmas shill journalists, writing for the CDC, the CCP and the vaccine industrial complex, are calling for our imprisonment and execution, based on our validation that science shows vaccines are extremely detrimental to health, and the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines are killing people, even as you read this.

Communism is hard at work in America, and its being spread under the guise of a virus pandemic. The leaders must have total compliance to pull it off, so now theyre launching a counteroffensive against the Americans who know whats really going on, and thats mostly healthy people (unvaccinated, independent thinkers) who own land and lots of guns.

At the helm of this Marxist aggression is a lonely, nerdy little shill named Peter Hotez, who just so happens to be the Dean of the School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, who also just so happens to work on vaccines, including SARS (hint, hint). Peter loves studying worms, and hes very angry at the world, now calling for a full-blown military attack on natural health enthusiasts who wont allow needles full of poisons to be jabbed into their arms in the name of a fake pandemic (the Chinese flu).

Violent, nerdy vaccine doctor calls for military-style arrest of all anti-vaxxers

Little nerdy Pete wrote a very violent paper (really just a blog rant) that got published in Nature online shill magazine, where the little worm doctor spells out how every anti-vaxxer should be hunted down like the way the Nazis hunted down the Jews, but now using cyber security, drones and international mercenary hit-men (UN forces), and dragged to concentration camps for forced vaccination and reeducation. He called it a high-level inter-agency task force that would assess the full impact of anti-vaccine aggression. Yes, because all of us anti-vaxxers are going around cities like BLM/Antifa and violently beating down all the vaccinated while we spread the deadliest virus to ever exist on Earth. We must be stopped! Sure.

By the way, if youd like to contact this violent nerd shill, Peter The Worm Hotez, just click this link and send him a polite message. He wants to hear from you because hes got all this hatred bound up inside him and he cant think of anything original to write for his hacking habit, besides promoting genocidal inoculations. You can call him or simply email your thoughts, as he has nothing better to do than promote fake news and the plandemic. [Editors note: Keep your communications polite and rational. Do not threaten anyone.]

The vaccine and its propagandists are the pandemic, not the virus itself

According to the best-paid liars of the plandemic, the only way to stop the spread of Bill Gates China virus, Covid-19, is to launch a high-level, military counteroffensive against people who wont get the mad-cow-disease-inducing (mRNA) injections. By the way, COVID, for 5 years, has stood for Covid identification, like COV-I.D. Get it? It was always about vaccine passports, even before the first case entered the public sphere in China. So now, shill scientists, doctors and fake journalists are spreading propaganda that all the vaccinated sheeple must agree to round up and kill the unvaccinated. The dissidents. In other words, the Jews this time around are everybody who doesnt get the prion-creating jabs.

The concentration camps, in the Covid plandemic Holocaust, are the vaccination huts, where all the people who think theyre building immunity are literally signing up for the gas chambers (the final vaccines and the new, more virulent strains of Covid). Just as the Jews thought they were walking into huge showering facilities, the vaccinated sheeple are walking into gene-mutating facilities known as inoculations.

There is a real war going on, and if you dont fight off the vaccines, you die. There is a violent counteroffensive going on, and its by the Biden Regime (CCP), in their attempt to vaccinate all the healthy Americans, especially minorities, land owners, and of course, gun owners. Dont fall for the fix, because the fix is in, and the fix is deadly. So, before you go, ask yourself one huge question: Why must we all have I.D. proving vaccination but nobody needs I.D. to vote? Thats communism folks. Pay attention to the bouncing ball.

This has been a public service announcement from Natural Health News. Stay frosty my friends. Tune your internet frequency to ChemicalViolence.com for updates on how vaccines ARE the pandemic.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

ChemicalViolence.com

BCM.edu

Nature.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Pfizer is pinning a lot of hope on its COVID-19 vaccine, and they are already targeting younger people with an eye on increasing their profits.

Earlier this week, they released a strong earnings report that exceeded the already optimistic projections from Wall Street. They also announced that they are on the verge of gaining regulatory approval to give their vaccine to minors aged 12 to 15 in the U.S. This coincides with the Biden Administrations increasing pressure on states to raise their vaccination numbers.

Media reports have also indicated that Pfizer is looking to gain approval to use the vaccine on children aged 2 to 11 in the U.S. and Europe. It is believed that this approval could come in September, despite the fact that there have been no studies carried out into the long-term effects of the vaccines on either adults or children.

Pfizer CEO Albert Borland stated in a call with reporters and analysts that the pharmaceutical firm is in discussions with what he termed basically all the governments of the world to provide COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots through the year 2024.

Indeed, they have already laid the groundwork for a steady stream of revenue by telling the public that they will likely need at least one additional shot a year after their second dose. He also mentioned that people around the world may end up needing yearly shots, much like the flu shot, which would help Pfizer to grow its bottom line and shift COVID-19 vaccines from an emergency measure to a permanent and highly profitable line of business.

Pfizer has said that they expect sales of their vaccines to reach $26 million by years end. This would make the shot their top-selling pharmaceutical product, an honor that currently goes to the rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira. In addition, they are planning to use the mRNA technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine for other types of vaccines and therapies. They are already trying to develop seasonal flu shots based on the RNA lipid nanoparticle technology.

In addition, they are exploring making COVID-19 vaccines more durable by finding ways that doses can be stored at the temperatures seen in a standard refrigerator, which is something that could raise demand for the jabs in poorer countries. Either way, however, Bourla is expecting the vaccines to have a durable demand.

Business is booming for Pfizer thanks to coronavirus

The virus is working out incredibly well for Pfizer, whose earnings were so strong that they also helped lift the shares of other vaccine makers around the world. For example, shares of Asian vaccine makers who had deals to distribute the Pfizer vaccines rallied this week. Indias Pfizer Ltd unit climbed 4.9 percent on Wednesday, while Cadila Healthcare and Dr. Reddys rose 5.9 and 2.7 percent respectively.

Once again, we see pharmaceutical companies raking in money at the expense of the public. Now that many of the people who were inclined to get the vaccine have already done so, they are going to start pressuring parents into having their kids vaccinated, despite the fact that children are not being hit by the virus nearly as hard as adults. They are also doing this in the absence of studies demonstrating its safety in any age group.

The truth is that no one knows yet how this vaccine can affect anyone over the long term, particularly children whose bodies are still developing. But thats not really a big concern for Pfizer or any of the other COVID-19 vaccine makers as they have all been granted immunity from liability should their vaccines cause people harm or kill them  which they are already doing in droves.

Sources for this article include:

SHTFPlan.com

CNBC.com
(Natural News) Following a recent back-pedal in the risk assessment of experimental mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, pregnant women in the U.K. are now being instructed by the publicly funded BBC that they should be offered the COVID vaccine.

(Article by David McLoone republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

At the end of April, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) updated its guidance to pregnant women, advising that COVID vaccines pose no specific safety concerns  in relation to pregnancy. The BBC report on this update notes similar guidelines from a number of medical authorities, whom they call the experts, including Britains beleaguered nationalized healthcare service (the NHS) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Before now, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had advised pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid taking a COVID vaccine due to no or limited data on its effects, even adding a precaution for women of childbearing age, instructing them that pregnancy should be excluded before vaccination.

Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in January that the use of this vaccine [Modernas COVID vaccine] in pregnant women is currently not recommended, unless they are at risk of high exposure.

Explaining the reason behind the dramatic shift in guidance for pregnant women, the BBC cited a recent CDC study of over 90,000 pregnant women, concluding that there is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems.

The CDC data forms part of a broader study published April 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study concluded in February, thus accounting for fewer participants, but also concluded that there are no obvious safety signals among pregnant persons who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

The NEJM study considered a pool of 35,691 participants  identified as pregnant, drawn from the CDCs V-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry and related V-safe After Vaccine Health Checker. The study also included information available on VAERS. Within the V-safe pregnancy registry, 3,958 pregnant women, fully vaccinated with an mRNA-derived product, were enrolled. Of that number, 827 pregnancies were completed before the end of the study period on February 28, 2021, 115 of which resulted in miscarriage (13.9%). The results also documented 60 premature births and 23 babies born abnormally small.

While no neonatal deaths were recorded, there were 16 cases of major congenital anomalies reported in the V-safe database. VAERS reports, according to the study, showed that the most frequently reported pregnancy-related adverse event was spontaneous abortion, accounting for 46 deaths. This was followed by stillbirth, premature rupture of membranes, and vaginal bleeding, with 3 reports for each.

The authors of the study, though concluding that the above data did not show obvious safety signals, admitted that its findings were preliminary, requiring more longitudinal follow-up.

The U.K. governments own vaccine adverse event system has collected more than 2,200 reports of reproductive disorders after coronavirus injections, including excessive or absent menstrual bleeding, delayed menstruation, vaginal haemorrhaging, miscarriages, and stillbirths.

The U.K. Yellow Card program reports that of the 2,233 reactions recorded involving reproductive systems following injection with either Pfizers or AstraZenecas experimental mRNA vaccines, 61 spontaneous abortions (miscarriages), ten premature labors, and four stillbirths have resulted as of April 5.

Despite this, recommendations are yet being made that pregnant women avail themselves of the available mRNA COVID jabs. In fact, the BBCs promotional video states that pregnant women can receive their shot at any time during pregnancy as you can become ill with COVID at any time.

Presenter Laura Foster added guidance that taking the first vaccine shot after the 12-week mark of gestation would give enough time to receive the second jab before beginning the third trimester, which is the period where COVID is likely to cause the most harm.

A doctor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who strongly advocated the COVID vaccines, tragically lost her unborn child shortly after having publicly celebrated receiving one of the experimental vaccines.

Dr. Sara Beltran Ponce tweeted on January 28 that she was 14 weeks pregnant and fully vaccinated! She shared that she had received the experimental COVID vaccine to protect myself, my baby, my family, my patients, and my community! When its available to you, I encourage you to do the same.

Less than a week later, she announced the heart-breaking news of the loss of her baby at 14  weeks. My husband and I are devastated, but blessed to have each other and our sweet Eva. Rest in Peace, angel, she wrote.

Dr. Simone Gold, founder of Americas Frontline Doctors, explained in a tweet to Ponce that [t]here is a known potential mid-pregnancy fertility risk of the experimental vaccine  The vaccine is NOT cleared of infertility risk.

Gold acknowledged that getting COVID-19 has been associated with a high risk of mid-pregnancy miscarriage because the placenta fails, but advised that the vaccine may do the exact same thing  but not for just the few weeks of being sick  but forever.

Its lunacy to get this experimental vaccine if youre a young female, she said. Its that simple  I would flat out forbid any young female from getting this vaccine, and I think its very unethical for any physician to offer this to a young female.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday said banks should lend to stakeholders in the COVID-related healthcare infrastructure and services within 30 days from the date of availing funds under the Rs 50,000 crore liquidity window.

According to the scheme, while there is no tenor restriction, lenders will have to ensure that the amount borrowed from the central bank is backed by lending to the specified segments until the scheme's maturity.

The scheme, which opens an on-tap liquidity window of Rs 50,000 crore for banks with tenors of up to three years at the repo rate till March 31, 2022, seeks to boost immediate liquidity, ramping up Indias Covid-related healthcare infrastructure and services. The scheme will remain operational from May 07, 2021, till March 31, 2022.

According to Crisil Ratings analysts, liquidity window can help augment the bed capacity at hospitals by up to 20 per cent as credit will be available at cheaper costs. The agency said 354 companies it rates, with an aggregate bank exposure of Rs 40,000 crore, will be eligible for such loans.

Pharmaceutical firms account for 68 per cent of the rated bank exposure, but hospitals (24 per cent of rated exposure) are likely to avail majority of the funding available. Currently, hospitals pay up to 11 per cent in interest on their borrowings, and the new loans under the new schemes will be cheaper by up to 3.5 per cent, its chief ratings officer Subodh Rai said.

Pharma players wont be keen to avail credit under this scheme because they already borrow money at much lower costs of 8-8.5 per cent. Banks could also park their surplus liquidity up to the size of the Covid loan book they build in a special 14-day reverse repo window. RBI will offer 40 basis points higher interest than the current reverse report rate on such liquidity.

Besides, lenders are being incentivised for quick credit delivery as these loans will now be classified as priority sector lending.Analysts, however, warn that missing risk appetite among lenders may cap gains from the liquidity boost. The observation comes from the fact that despite the massive liquidity boost last year, credit offtake had plunged to a 59-year-low of 5.6 per cent in FY21.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The much-awaited KR Puram to KIA Metro line via Hebbal is set to get further delayed due to the raging covid pandemic. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, which was set to finalise the tenders for this Reach 2B line by next week has now extended it by one more month. The new deadline would be June 14.

The Centre had given its clearance for the 38.44 km line with 17 stations airport line on April 20 and the contract was to be awarded by May 15. The line is set to come up at a cost of Rs 14,788 crore with a completion period of five years.

BMRCL Managing Director Rakesh Singh said the postponement became inevitable since many documents require physical submission, which was not possible presently. Due to lockdown, many bidders requested for extension of tenders submission. Considering the travel restrictions, we have extended it. The contract for completing balance works in the terminated contract for Reach 6E has been extended from May 21 to June 21.

The contract involves the construction of an elevated viaduct from Jyothipuram station to KIA terminals and 15 elevated stations enroute. Road widening and utility diversions are a part of it.

Singh also inspected ongoing works at the Jayadeva Interchange Metro station. There were some delays at a few places. So, I was trying to understand the matter. We also had to sort out some land acquisition issues with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) and so had to meet their representatives, he said.

General Manager, BMRCL Land Acquistions, M S Channapagoudar told TNIE that the issue pertained to 2000 square metres that Metro wanted for its Electronic City (1) station and a viaduct on the R V Road-Bommasandra Line. The High Court has now asked NICE to hand over the land to Karnataka Industrial and Development Board by May 13. It has also asked the Special Land Acquisition Officer to fix the compensation that can be paid for the land.
Bosky Khanna By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Its been three months since Bheemappa N, a lecturer at a private college, lost his father to Covid, but he is still unable to cope with the loss.

Every night, he relives those days in his sleep, and mutters, Switch off the ventilator machine, I am unable to sleep. Doctor said only if oxygen level drops, should he be given oxygen. Please help, doctor he is falling ill.

Bheemappa is not alone in dealing with such traumatic situations.

Doctors at Nimhans and psychiatrists across the city confirm that cases of post-traumatic stress disorder are quite common, but they are seeing a significant rise in the number of such cases during the second wave, compared to last year.

Take the case of Sudheer M, who was under treatment for nearly a month.

I can still hear the sound of the ventilator and drips. I get up at night and scream, he said.

He says one day he yelled Doctor, please save me! at an office meeting.

Dr Pratima Murthy, head of Department of Psychiatry, Nimhans, explained that PTSD is normal and people usually suffer it for six months.

But it is important for them to talk it out and keep themselves occupied with some activities.

While last year there was uncertainty, the second wave has created more fear, stress, anxiety and tension. Comparatively, cases have increased.

Doctors at Nimhans said their helplines are getting numerous calls. The government, too, has started a helpline. It is not just patients and family members who are stressed, but even doctors, a psychiatrist with a private hospital said.

I got a patient, a doctor on Covid duty for one year, who wants to quit his profession. Another doctor rushed into my clinic crying that he was unable to hear the pleas of a patients family members, he added.

Dr K A Sekar, head of disaster management, Nimhans, said that when people grieve, it helps them come to terms with death.

But now, they cannot and this adds to stress.Stress is higher because of the restrictions, he added.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU : China has sent life-saving equipment like oxygen concentrators and ventilators to Bengaluru and the cargo was given clearance on priority at the Kempegowda International Airport on Sunday.

According to a top official, "The Red Cross Society of China has donated 100 oxygen concentrators, 40 ventilators and five BPAP Systems, worth Rs 4.5 crore in total. The Indian Red Cross Society has imported them." The equipment will be donated to government hospitals in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

"The goods landed at the Kempegowda International Airport by a chartered flight on Sunday at 3 pm and clearance was given by the Customs within two hours. Terminal charges have also been waived," the official said.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR : When Tapas Mohapatra, an Odia engineer with Indian Oil at Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, tested positive last month, he chose to remain in home isolation as his symptoms were mild. Some days into isolation, though, he began facing breathing issues and wanted to be shifted to Covid hospital.

However, with no access to the district helplines, Tapas put up an SOS message on Twitter which caught the attention of an activist William Stanley and Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka in Odisha.

They took up his case and contacted the local authorities. Within a few hours, Tapas was admitted to the hospital. He has now recovered, thanks to Stanley and Ulaka who were complete strangers to him till the incident unfolded.

This is not the lone incident. Odias across the State and outside have turned to social media to amplify distress calls and source help for people, be it the Covid infected or the migrants.

While many are using Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp to help people in distress, there are several others who have crowdsourced lists of resources from across social media platforms and verified them for convenience of people in times of urgent need.

And these resources have come in handy in saving many lives.

Lipsa Bharati, an education activist and IIT-Bhubaneswar alumnus, along with her friend Anushri Saxena, a Clinton Health Fellow who is posted in Kalahandi, felt the need for a common group that can bring together resources for Covid help when they both recovered from Covid-19.

Both Lipsa and Anushri formed a WhatsApp group - Odisha Covid Response - on April 21. Today, volunteers, NGO activists who are already working with the government, politicians and army personnel from across the State are members of the group which receives hundreds of patient enquiries daily. And a majority of them are addressed.

The team has also created an unified accessible platform (covidresourcesodisha.carrd.co) to provide leads on Covid-19 help to infected people.

The purpose is to ensure that all the information scattered across various social media platforms is organised methodically in one place, accessible to all and easy to find at times of need, said Lipsa.

The platform provides information on availability of beds, ventilators, medical supplies, oxygen services, plasma or blood donation, Covid testing, telemedicine services and mental health counselling.

A Right to Food activist Sameet Panda, who has brought back several migrants to Odisha from different Southern Indian States since the second wave of Covid-19 hit, says social media is helpful both in terms of getting to know about people in distress as well as connecting to officials or persons concerned who can help them.

Few days back Sameet through a local volunteer received information about a woman of Ganjam who was found infected and had low oxygen level.

I put up her case on Twitter and tagged the authorities concerned for administrative support and also circulated her details on WhatsApp groups. Within a day, the woman was brought to the SCB MCH Covid Hospital at Cuttack where she is under treatment now, he said, adding that while Twitter makes it easier to connect with officials, WhatsApp groups are flooded with information about oxygen suppliers, availability of hospital beds, remdesivir and food supply.

Aditya Kumar Nag, another volunteer seconds the view.

He said at a time when the entire system is overworking to win the fight against Covid-19, social media has become a vital tool to amplify distress calls from patients and their relatives and connecting them with relevant persons.

Aditya has for over last one month been facilitating help to the patients by arranging oxygen cylinders or getting them beds in Covid hospitals across the State through Twitter and WhatsApp. He has also facilitated counselling for anxious infected patients in home isolation.
Omjasvin MD By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Senior IAS officer from the 1993 batch, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has been appointed as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner by the DMK government, as the city finds itself in a tough spot battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a government order by Chief Secretary V Irani Anbu, Bedi, who was the Principal Secretary of the State Agricultural Department, will replace the outgoing Commissioner G Prakash, who held the post since 2019.

Though Bedi is a very senior officer for the role of Corporation Commissioner, it appears that he has been appointed due to the Covid-19 crisis, given his expertise in handling natural disasters like the Tsunami and Cuddalore floods in the past.

The order stated that the post of Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation will be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of principal Secretary-cum-commissioner.

Who is Gagandeeph Singh Bedi?

Bedi was born in Hoshiarpur in Punjab in 1968 and has graduated in BE (Electronics and Electrical Communication) and later joined as a lecturer at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.

In 1993, he was selected for the Indian Engineering Services and got a posting in Indian Railways. Subsequently, in 1993, he was selected in the Indian Administrative Services and was allotted the Tamil Nadu cadre.

Since then, Bedi, who is known to be an honest and straightforward officer, held many prominent positions like the Additional Collector, Cuddalore; Commissioner of Corporation, Madurai; Collector of Kanyakumari District and Cuddalore District.

He was also the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and was Secretary for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

Bedi is known for his contribution to ecology and the environment and won the Green Award twice, in 2003 and 2004. As District Collector, he had promoted various Eco-Tourism projects and other environmental projects.

Bedi also received applause for his services in flood mitigation during the Cuddalore floods in 2015. He also spearheaded the district's fight against Tsunami and he was appreciated for handling the crisis efficiently.

He also received a national award in 2016 for implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as Rural Development Department Secretary, from late Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Before taking over as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Bedi also served as the District Monitor Officer for Covid-19 in Cuddalore.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded 332 more COVID-19 fatalities and 17,364 new infections on Saturday, while the positivity rate remained below 25 per cent for the third consecutive day, the Health Department said.

This is the fifth time in the last six days that the number of new cases remained below 20,000.

Delhi had reported 19,832 cases on Friday, 19,133 cases on Thursday, 20,960 cases on Wednesday, 19,953 on Tuesday, 18,043 on Monday, 20,394 cases on Sunday, 25,219 on Saturday, 27,047 on Friday, 24,235 on last Thursday and 25,986 on Wednesday last week, according to data.

The case positivity rate was 23.34 per cent, the lowest since April 16, when it was 19.7 per cent, according to government data.

It was 24.6 per cent on April 17.

The national capital registered a positivity rate of 24.92 per cent on Friday, 24.29 per cent on Thursday, 26.37 per cent on Wednesday, 26.73 per cent on Tuesday, 29.56 per cent on Monday, 28.33 per cent on Sunday, 31.6 per cent on Saturday, 32.7 per cent on Friday and 32.8 per cent on last Thursday.

On April 22, a positivity rate of 36.2 per cent, the highest so far, was recorded.

The city had witnessed 341 deaths on Friday, 335 on Thursday, 311 deaths on Wednesday, 338 on Tuesday, 448 on Monday, the highest so far, 407 on Sunday, 412 on Saturday, 375 on Friday last week, 395 on last Thursday and 368 on Wednesday last week.

The national capital conducted 74,384 tests, including 62,921 RTPCR/CBNAAT/True Nat tests in the last 24 hours.

Over 20,900 people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, the health bulletin said.

There are 87,907 active cases and over 12.03 lakh people have either recovered, migrated out or have been discharged, according to a health bulletin.

The infection tally rose to 13,10,231 after the national capital recorded 17,364 new cases in the last 24 hours, it said, adding that the death toll increased to 19,071 after 332 more people succumbed to the pathogen.

Of the 22,289 hospital beds for coronavirus patients in the city, only 2,451 are vacant, it said.

Of the 5,525 beds in COVID care centres, 4,792 are vacant while only 99 beds are vacant out of 206 at dedicated COVID health centres.

As many as 49,865 patients are in home isolation and the number of containment zones have risen to 51,338, according to the bulletin.

A total of 79,800 beneficiaries were vaccinated on Friday, of which 67,753 were those who got their first dose, the bulletin stated.

Meanwhile, traders' body CTI on Saturday said 65 per cent respondents in a survey conducted by it favoured extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Delhi government imposed a weeklong lockdown in the city in the wake of steep rise in COVID positive cases in April.

After two extensions, the lockdown is scheduled to come to an end at 5 AM on May 10.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday had said that a decision on extending the lockdown further will be taken after reviewing the situation.

"Right now the citizens of Delhi themselves want this lockdown to continue, to stop the spread of this virus," he had said.

Brijesh Goyal, chairman of Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said that "65 percent of Delhi's traders favour increasing (extending) the lockdown in Delhi."

He said that "480 traders and industrial organisations gave their opinion in the survey".

About 315 of these 480 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be extended by one week.

Two week extension was favoured by 60 organisations, said a CTI statement.

Nearly 100 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be lifted and traders be allowed to open shops and markets three days a week or on an odd-even basis, it added.

The Delhi government on Saturday formed a committee of senior officers to ensure COVID appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing in wholesale vegetable and fruit markets in the city.

The officers nominated as representatives in the committee will not be below the rank of sub-divisional magistrate or assistant commissioner, stated an order issued by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

The committee will submit a detailed action taken report to the Delhi chief secretary by May 13, it said.

The order stated that the panel will take all requisite measures for ensuring compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour in all 'mandis' of Delhi as also for decongesting them so that social distancing norms and such other protocols are strictly followed.

"It will take all necessary decisions and actions for ensuring that all fruits sellers, hawkers and customers in 'mandis' are adhering to the norms of COVID-appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing etc," the order stated.

The committee will also analyse the situation and take appropriate action for decongesting the markets through various measures such as staggered timings, allowing vendors on alternate days, removing illegal vendors and reducing the number of vendors and hawkers.

It will check if market authorities are taking all requisite actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

These actions included regular sanitization, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, and create public awareness on COVID appropriate behaviour, the order stated.

The committee's members will include functionaries of the Delhi Agriculture Marketing Board, representatives of police, district administration, civic bodies.

Secretaries of mandis will be secretaries in the committee, it said.

On the other hand, Over 1.14 lakh people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in Delhi on May 7, a senior government official said on Saturday.

This is the highest number of people vaccinated in a day so far, said Ashish Kundra, officer on special duty (health).

As many as 1,14,657 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered on Friday, he said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Delhi has been vaccinating more than one lakh people every day.

This includes around 50,000 people in the 18-44 age group and 50,000 aged 45 and above.

Delhi is not getting an adequate supply of vaccines.

If it gets the required number of doses, then the government will be able to vaccinate all within three months, he said.

He also said the number of COVID-19 vaccination centres will be increased three times in Delhi and demanded that the Centre supply around 2.6 crore more vaccine doses for inoculation of all people in the national capital in the next three months.

Currently, vaccination is going on at 100 centres in Delhi.

The number of centres will be increased to 250-300 by the Delhi government, he said in an online briefing.

He said that Delhi currently has vaccine doses to vaccinate people for next 5-6 days and urged the Centre to provide adequate jabs.

In order to vaccinate all people in Delhi, over 3 crore doses will be required, out of which around 40 lakh have already been received, he said.

The chief minister urged the Centre to provide it 85 lakh doses per month so that all the Delhiites could be vaccinated in the next three months.

Kejriwal who inspected the ongoing vaccination drive at a centre in Chirag Delhi said there is great enthusiasm among the youth to get the jab.

He said that due to good arrangements in Delhi, people from NCR towns like Noida, Ghaziabad were also reaching here to get the vaccines.

So, Delhi will require a little more than three crore doses, he said.

He said Delhi is currently administering one lakh vaccine doses per day and it could increase this number to three lakh.

The chief minister said Delhi's population is two crores, and close to one crore fall in the 18-44 age group.

Fifty lakh are below 18, and 50 lakh people are above 45 years of age.

"Roughly 1.5 crore people are above 18 years of age. We need three crore vaccine doses to vaccinate these 1.5 crore people, but we've received just 40 lakh doses. As a result, we need 2 crore 60 lakh additional vaccines," he said.

Delhi has been vaccinating more than one lakh people everyday.

This includes around 50,000 people in age group of 18-44 years and 50,000 aged 45 years and above, he said.

Delhi is not getting an adequate amount of vaccines, and if it were to get the required amount of doses then the Delhi government will be able to vaccinate all within three three months, he reiterated.

"A major obstacle we're facing is that of vaccine scarcity. If we get adequate doses, then as I have said repeatedly, we will be able to vaccinate the entire Delhi in three months."

Citing warnings of a third wave of COVID-19, he said that vaccination is the only safeguard against the deadly virus.

He also urged the Centre and experts for finding alternatives to protect children below 18 years of age from COVID-19.

"We are particularly concerned about children under 18 years of age who cannot get vaccinated right now. I appeal to all experts and the Centre to arrange a vaccine for them too so that they can also get inoculated," stated the chief minister.

He also supported one vaccine programme in the country as a firm possibility.

Kejriwal credited the central government for trying its best to provide Delhi with facilities during the pandemic, and hoped it will also assist in ensuring adequate doses for vaccination.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Sunday intensified the manhunt for businessman Navneet Kalra in connection with the recovery of over 500 oxygen concentrators from his restaurants and conducted multiple raids in neighbouring states, officials said.

It is suspected that Kalra has left Delhi along with his family, the police said.

Teams have been formed and raids are being conducted in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states, a senior police officer said.

On Friday, 105 oxygen concentrators were recovered from two upscale restaurants in south Delhi's Khan Market area.

The restaurants are owned by Kalra.

ALSO READ | Oxygen concentrators seized from Delhi's famous Khan Chacha restaurant after raids

On Saturday, the police transferred the case to the Crime Branch.

On Thursday, 419 oxygen concentrators were recovered from another restaurant owned by Kalra and a farmhouse in south Delhi.

Four men were arrested during the raids.

The oxygen concentrators had been imported from China by a private company.

Kalra has been absconding since the raids and his mobile phone is switched off, according to police.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Mumbai police deployed humour in its tweets along with a dose of Tom and Jerry, the legendary cat and mouse cartoon strip, to ask people to adhere to COVID-19 norms in the metropolis, especially wearing masks in public, in order to "ride out this storm together".

Indicating that violators will have the police after them, a tweet from the force said, "Please don't go out without a cause or a mask on your face. let's not make it a cat and mouse chase. We really dont like 'Tom-Tomming' about the consequences."

The tweet, with hashtags like #MasksNecessaryJerry #WhatsTheHurryJerry #TakingOnCorona, was accompanied by a 6- second video of perennial 'frenemies' Tom and Jerry, which soon went viral on social media, garnering praise for the men in khakhi for their wit.

With over five million followers, the Twitter handle of Mumbai police was soon at the centre of sizable tweet traffic, with users like Shachii Manik and Gaurav Nawathey urging citizens to listen to the force to help the city get a hold on the outbreak.

We miss our homes and families too Mumbai.

But our duty comes first - it always has and always will.

We are proud to be serving and protecting this fine city.



So can you do us a favour? Stay home please. Let's ride out this storm together.



#MumbaiPoliceFoundation pic.twitter.com/ECpSOYxttM  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 8, 2021

"We miss our homes and families too Mumbai. But our duty comes first - it always has and always will. We are proud to be serving and protecting this fine city. So can you do us a favour? Stay home please. Let's ride out this storm together," another tweet on Saturday evening from the metropolis' police force said.

The city reported 2,678 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the city's case tally to 6,74,072, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

Before this, the financial capital of the country had reported 2,877 cases on March 18, after which the cases had climbed.

As many as 3,608 coronavirus patients were discharged during the day, taking the total of recoveries to 6,10,043.

The recovery rate of the city stands at 91 per cent.

With 62 deaths, fatality count rose to 13,749, the civic body said.

33,378 coronavirus tests were carried out on Saturday, taking the tally to 56,77,780.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: District collector A Md Imtiaz suggested Covid patients to continue consumption of prescribed antibiotics till their samples test negative. Interacting with patients who recovered from the virus on Saturday through a video link, he said Covid treatment is being offered to Arogyasri beneficiaries for free of cost at New Government General Hospital (GGH), Indo British Care, and Pallem Peddeswara Rao Hospital.

Meanwhile, joint collector and district Covid nodal officer L Siva Shankar has warned that strict action will be taken against hoarders of oxygen cylinders. At a review meeting, he said, Earlier this week, there was shortage of oxygen supply in Covid hospitals. The situation was addressed at the right time, and a special oxygen monitoring cell that works 24X7 was arranged.

A total of 303 metric tonnes of oxygen arrived in the district since May 4. Oxygen supply from Visakhapatnam steel plant was stopped due to technical problems on May 4 and 5. To meet the demand, 20 metric tonnes of oxygen from a private company was procured.
Mukesh Ranjan By

RANCHI: For hotelier Ranjeet Rajpal and his childhood friends, Covid is not a time to remain inside the safe confines of their homes. They are helping patients in refilling oxygen cylinders for free, besides providing free meals to them.

The group has purchased over a dozen cylinders for those who cannot afford to buy one. They lend the cylinders without taking any cost or security deposit from the beneficiaries.

So what spurred them to start their voluntary service? It was after Rajpal, Piyush More, Surya Prabhat and Prince Kohli, in their forties, received a distress call from one of their friends, Abhishek, whose father was facing problems in breathing due to COVID-19.

Abhishek asked us to arrange oxygen cylinder for his father. We arranged one immediately and gradually his father recovered. Next day, another person called us seeking help for his ailing family member, said Rajpal.

Our phone numbers were circulated among the people. When people started calling us for help, we could not refuse them. The group has bought 12 cylinders on its own.

After recovering from the virus, the patients return cylinders and we pass it to some other person.

When it comes to food, the quartet is providing free food packets to more than 500 people in the last 20 days.
Express News Service By

MADHYA PRADESH: His moonwalk dance moves while on duty at Indores busy High Court crossing for many years, have seen Madhya Pradesh Traffic Police head constable Ranjeet Singh win the hearts of not only the Indoreans, but also people across the globe.

The 42-year-old Singham of Indore police now has a new job at hand. Along with a team of sixseven other traffic cops of Madhya Pradeshs most populated city, Ranjeet is now on a mission to deliver free and nutritious food to the relatives of Covid patients in hospitals of the city, as well as serve food at the doorstep of the homeisolated, who have been abandoned by relatives and neighbours.

Leading the group of bluewhite uniformed Indore traffic policemen, Ranjeet along with his constable colleagues Bal Mukund, Ravi, Rajesh, Gajendra, Tara Chand and traffic police crane driver Munna Ansari has been rendering daily food to 250 family members and relatives of Covid patients admitted in six hospitals of Indore.

The team is speeding mobikes before and after their duty hours to deliver lunch and dinner packets at the doorstep of 45-plus home-isolated patients, who arent getting any support either from relatives or neighbours.

It all started 24 days back, during the auspicious Basantiya Navratra, when I was headed to my traffic police station for duty. A female relative of a Covid patient admitted at the MTH hospital adjoining our police station stopped me and told that she was hungry. I first gave her money, but she showed me that she had enough money, but couldnt buy food due to lockdown, recalls Ranjeet.

I gave her my tiffin, on seeing which around 15 attendants of other Covid patients hurried towards me and sought food. I was helpless, but then I rang my colleagues and arranged food for them. This marked the beginning of our free food service to patients attendants waiting outside hospitals, says Ranjeet.

One of his colleagues, head constable Bal Mukund Swami, says every day before and after their eight-hour traffic duty shift, they are at the traffic police station cooking nutritious food for the patients relatives and the home-isolated. We currently offer lunch and dinner food packets to the home-isolated across Indore and food packets to patients kin at DNS, MTH, MY, Laal and Government Super Specialty Hospitals.

While Ranjeet has pooled Rs 35,500 from his salary to fund this mission, two senior traffic police officers ASP (Traffic) Ranjeet Singh Devke and Inspector Dilip Singh Parihar have contributed Rs 5,000 to this mission which is commonly addressed by traffic cops as Helping Hand.

Not only the traffic police personnel, but others in Indore, including private school teacher Anuj and businessman Sunny Ajmera, have been funding food-grain and packing material for the kitchen being run by Ranjeet at the traffic police station. Ranjeet, who has 1.40 lakh followers on Facebook and 40,000 followers on Instagram, is overwhelmed with requests from his fans who are eager to help him and his team.

Ive clearly told my social media followers and friends in Indore that this battle is not going to end with the current wave of in Indore. Our efforts will continue even after the lockdown is lifted, says Ranjeet. Well continue to support families affected by personal loss and income. Ive appealed to them to support our cause monetarily after the lockdown, he adds.

While Indoreans clicking selfies with Ranjeet on Indores roads isnt new, his latest avtar has rendered him and his team the status of Annadata.

There was no one to render food to us, but for the last one week, the traffic police cops with the lunch-dinner packets at our doorstep have turned as Annadata for us, said an elderly couple from Bengali Square. The couple is in home isolation with their son.

I lost my aunt to Covid in Varanasi recently and Friday marked her Trayodashah (13th day of post-cremation rituals). We prepared special food to mark that ceremony and it was served among others, to a mentally ill destitute woman, who like kissed my forehead as blessings. The mere khush raho (be happy) by those being served food are enough to keep this mission going even after lockdown, says Ranjeet.
CYNTHIA CHANDRAN By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tiffany Brar has just completed her quarantine after recovering from Covid. But her heart goes out to those differently-abled people who may not have the facilities required for room quarantine in these difficult times. For the Thiruvananthapuram-based visually-challenged disability rights activist knows exactly how difficult it is to get things done.

We need to touch things frequently to access our environment. Social distancing is not easy for us as we require additional support. I went to New Delhi last month to attend a few programmes there. By the time I returned home, I tested Covid positive. Just because I have a house and a room of my own, my Vineetha Akka (her caretaker since childhood) and her children, I didnt find it difficult to move on. But thats not the case with many out there, says Tiffany.

When people now complain of being confined to their homes during the lockdown, the 30-year-old has been turning on her inner eye to train people from as far as Malappuram and Kozhikode for years. Since 2012, she has been running the Jyothirgamaya Foundation which trains visually-impaired people to become self-reliant.

Her foundation helps train people in personal grooming, interpersonal skills, cooking, spoken English, currency note identification, using gadgets, and playing chess, among other skill areas. So far, more than 200 visually impaired people have benefited from this modern day Helen Kellers efforts. She had even launched a preparatory school/kindergarten for visually-challenged children, with her motto being catch them young and teach them well. Whats more, all that is provided free of cost, including hostel facilities.

But things are a bit different now, Tiffany says. A majority of the disabled people including women have lost their livelihoods. The various mobile applications developed to combat Covid-19 should be made accessible for us too. We have difficulty in going to hospitals now, and volunteers are needed to help us. Even when we go to the bank, we need extra help as people are hesitant to touch us, she says.

Tiffany is a bit disappointed that the disabled community or their caretakers are yet to be provided with spot registration for vaccines. We hope the state government will come out with subsidised rates of Rs 250-300 for RT-PCR tests for the disabled as a special drive, she says.

Tiffany interacts with the differently-abled every day online and over the phone, attempting to keep their spirits high and urging them to ensure that they keep away from risky situations. She is particularly concerned over chances of people finding them a nuisance.

The only daughter of retired General TPS Brar and the late Leslie Brar, Tiffany grew up in the state capital after her father began serving as a Brigadier at the Pangode Military Camp in 1995. She is the winner of several prestigious awards including the Holman Prize 2020 from the Light House for the Blind, USA, and the national award of best role model instituted by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2017.
Manju Latha Kalanidhi By

Bio-entrepreneur Dr Subhadra Dravida is inspired by Paulo Coelho. Her favourite line is from The Alchemist When you seek something, all the Universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. Says the scientist and owner of healthcare startup Transcell Oncologics, Since the news of the virus erupted in March 2020, I had been thinking on these lines. And in three months it happened. If everything goes well, our solution will actually get implemented in a month or two in India. The Universe did step in and Dravida is the new medical star whose breakthrough research on a novel stem cell treatment holds promise for Covid patients.

In India, a young girl doesnt need a specific trigger to turn to research, seeking a solution to end mankinds trialsit is all-pervasive. Since her teens, this desire has driven Dravidas research. Ive always strongly felt that Im born to shield humans from suffering, she says, rather dramatically. An entrepreneurial technocrat who has worked in the US, Canada and India in stem cell research, biobanking and product development, Dravidas Hyderabad-based biotech startup was incubated at ASPIRE-Technology Business Incubator, University of Hyderabad. A week ago, the university announced that Dravidas research on human umbilical cord (UC) tissue has yielded a stem cell-based solution to successfully treat coronavirus patients.

Researcher to entrepreneur, what prompted the transition? Dravida had to wait for almost eight months for her hypothesis to be practical. An entrepreneur at the helm of decision making would have cleared such bottlenecks. Over time, Dravida acquired many patents to her credit which she desired to translate into Apps. She moved back to Hyderabad and established her own startup in 2011. This Nizam College, Hyderabad, alumna, who was listed in Forbes magazines 2019 W-Power Trailblazers list, says that the HEMATO UC-MSCs she evolved do not cause adverse effects, are easy to administer and are proven to be safe for human application. It will not damage organs.

How did a stem cell researcher find a treatment for Covid-19? During some academic discussions with doctors in Hyderabad this year, I was asked for an alternative after anti-viral medication and steroids options were exhausted. I realised that I can work on existing solutions with coronavirus-specific data and find a workable solution, says Dravida, whose experience working at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and the LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, shaped the research. She is certain that the HEMATO UC-MSCs therapy is the new way to cure Covid-19 patients in real time, not just by treating their symptoms alone.

If HEMATO UC-MSCs are administered as the first line of treatment followed by steps to alleviate the symptoms in a traditional manner, coronavirus deaths can be avoided, she believes. HEMATO UC-MSCs can be delivered across India within 48 hours. They have been specially treated for storage under 2-8 degrees centigrade refrigerated conditions, but have to be used within 72 hours.

Dravidas team comprised, apart from herself, two junior colleagues, a fellow scientist and a marketing evangelist. She recalls conducting innumerable meetings with social distancing and Zoom calls to create a workable model. A colleagues mom barely in her 50s was admitted to hospital for emergency Covid treatment. I heard horror stories about the hospital rationing her oxygen supply. I prayed fervently that our solution would see the light of the day sooner to prevent more loss of life, she says. When Dravida is not poring over scientific journals, she loves to visit monasteries and gaze up at the night sky. Perhaps, the Universe has its ear cocked for this alchemist of life.

Understanding Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cells provide new cells for the body and replace those that are damaged or lost. They can divide repeatedly to produce new cells. As they divide, they can also change into the other types of cells that make up the body. Stem cells originate from two main sources: adult body tissues and embryos. Scientists are working on ways to develop stem cells from other cells, using genetic reprogramming techniques. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells found in the bone marrow that are important for making and repairing skeletal tissues, such as cartilage, bone and the fat found in the bone marrow.
Gopinath Rajendran By

Since the 90s, the film adaptations of novelist Tom Clancys novels have been winners. Without Remorse now streaming on Amazon Prime is also based on the writers 1993 thriller, but could cause remorse in Clancy fans. Initially planned as a mid-90s production, it was stuck in development hell for decades.

Starring Michael B Jordan, the movie has stayed stuck in the 90s, in spite of the hardcore action. It is hard to believe that the film has been adapted from a Clancy book. The plot bears little resemblance to its source material and the best parts are not even featured. Take the lead for example: In the novel, John Kelly breaks down a drug ring and saves the girls, before work calls him back to Vietnam for a new mission. In the film, John Kelly (an in-form Michael B Jordan), however, is out on a no-holds-barred mission to avenge the brutal death of his pregnant wife. Why was she killed? Who killed her? How does it tie up with the US government? Director Stefano Sollima happily bypasses any explanations.

Without Remorse goes through the usual espionage cliches: Russians, distrustful officers, globetrotting and one man bringing down an entire army of enemies. In this unsurprising film, its the performances that come as pleasant relief and steady the ship. Guy Pearce, Jodie Turner-Smith and Jamie Bell make for a brilliant supporting cast and help elevate Jordans character of a no-nonsense soldier with nothing to lose. But despite all the effort put in by the cast, theres no real character development. Everything is too sketchy and seems too convenient. The good guys suddenly drop out of the sky and the evil ones seem to have stepped out just to have some mean fun. The plot is totally missing.

The action sequences in the film are a delight, though. Be it the small sequence in which John lights up a car and steps in for answers, or the big one in which he survives a plane crashing into a sea. It leaves you wishing for more. If only the rest of the film was as smartly put together.

Keeping a sequel in mind, John Kelly finally begins life anew as John Clark. But the film predictable offers an extremely simplified version of this turn of events. The sequel may have more space to be a stronger story and a racier screenplay, but this first film suffers from unoriginal ideas and bleak twists, leaving you with a wholly different idea of the title than was intended.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Muslims in Bengal have largely exercised their franchise in favour of the TMC, putting to rest all speculations over their voting pattern, as results showed that the AIMIM and newly floated ISF have failed to curry favour with members of the community.

Veteran TMC leader Siddiqullah Chowdhury stated that the minority community knew well that Banerjee was the only person who could stop BJP's juggernaut in Bengal.

Voters from the community were unsure of reposing faith in the Sanjukta Morcha -- an alliance of the Left Front, Congress and peerzada Abbas Siddiqui's Indian Secular Front (ISF) -- as ideologies of the three parties varied, he said.

"At least 95 per cent of all Muslims in Bengal voted for Mamata Banerjee.

My brothers and sisters from the community would have never voted for a communal force.

They have clearly realised that Mamata didi is the only one that can fight communalism in West Bengal," he told PTI.

Chowdhury also asserted that Muslims had seen through BJP's ploy to create divisions on religious lines.

"I had said during my campaigns that Muslims will definitely prove more trustworthy than others.

They will remain faithful to Mamata Banerjee," the 71-year-old leader, who bagged the Monteswar seat with 1,05,460 votes, said.

Senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan, on his part, contended that scepticism of some party members over formation of a coalition with the ISF cost the Sanjukta Morcha dearly.

"People could not bank on us as the coalition did not shape up as expected, owing to non-acceptance of the ISF by some of our leaders.

And that, in a way, led to our downfall," Mannan told PTI.

AIMIM's Asadullah Sheikh, however, reasoned that the Muslims, scared and threatened by the BJP, found no better option than the TMC as they could not have relied on new parties that joined the fray.

"Our Muslim brothers and sisters were tormented by BJP men.

They felt threatened as BJP leaders kept harping on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Apprehensive of an uncertain future, they could not rely on Sanjukta Morcha or us," he pointed out.

Sheikh also claimed that the TMC government did nothing to improve the living standards of the community over the past 10 years, but it still managed to pocket votes because "Muslims, more than anything else, wanted to stop the BJP from coming to power in Bengal".

"The voting pattern has been the same everywhere, be it Lalgola, Bhagawalgola, Berhampore, Malda, South 24 Parganas or Birbum or Uttar Dinajpur," he explained.

Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty also felt that the community voted for the TMC to protect their identity.

"It's 100 per cent true that members of the minority community voted for the TMC in hordes.

They feared losing their identities.

The poll narrative around Citizenship Act and National Register of Citizens scared them," Chakraborty told PTI.

Interestingly, the Muslim representation in West Bengal assembly has dropped this time when compared to what it was in 2016, even as members of the community voted en masse for the Mamata Banerjee camp.

The new assembly will be having 44 Muslim legislators - 43 of the TMC and one of the ISF -- as against 59 during its last term.

Apart from Chowdhury, some of the prominent Muslim legislators in the new Assembly will be TMC heavyweights Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan, Idris Ali and IPS-turned politician Humayun Kabir.

The ISF had contested 26 seats this election, while the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party fielded candidates in seven constituencies.
By PTI

FIROZABAD: A total of 67 new ventilators are lying unused at the 100-bedded COVID-19 isolation ward set up at a medical college here, a senior doctor has said.

When contacted, Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Alok Kumar Sharma said that last year, the medical college had got 96 ventilators under the PM-CARES Fund, and in all there are 114 ventilators available at the medical college.

Of these, 25-30 ventilators are being used to provide treatment to patients.

He added that of the 67 ventilators, which are kept in a store room of the hospital, around 60-62 are in working condition.

Kumar, however, did not elaborate on the rest of the ventilators.

Principal of the medical college, Dr Sangeeta Aneja said, that the state medical department has been informed that 67 ventilators are there in the hospital.

In a letter to the state health department, it was also requested that if there is a need of a ventilator in any nearby district, then it could be sent there.

"Currently, we have ventilators, and they will be used when required. For operation of ventilators, technicians are needed, which we do not have in adequate numbers," she said.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: BJP strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the new Assam chief minister.

His name as the BJP Legislature Party leader was proposed by outgoing CM Sarbananda Sonowal and seconded by BJP state unit chief and MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass and MLA Nandita Garlosa.

In the 126-member Assam House, BJP has 60 MLAs. Its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) have nine and six MLAs respectively. Both parties backed Sarma as the CM. The swearing-in is expected on Monday.

The BJP legislature party meeting was also attended by partys central leaders Narendra Singh Tomar, BL Santhosh, Arun Singh and Vaijyanta Panda.

Sarma, a five-time minister, was first elected to the Assembly from the Jalukbari seat in 2001 when he defeated Asom Gana Parishad biggie Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. He went on to win all the subsequent elections by huge margins of votes.

Noting his ability as a minister, efficiency to run a department by taking along all and his political wisdom, observers say Sarma should have become the Assam CM long back.

He had his eyes fixed on the CM chair even during his life in the Congress but he fell out with his then mentor and former CM Tarun Gogoi following the emergence of the latters son Gaurav Gogoi in Assams political landscape. He left the party to wear saffron.

When Assam won the 2016 polls, the BJP took the lead in forming the non-Congress conglomerate of political parties called North East Democratic Alliance and made Sarma its convenor.

He has not only contributed to the prowess of the BJP in Assam ever since his defection but hoisted the partys flag across the Northeast.

A master election strategist who is widely known for his political acumen, he was instrumental in scripting the BJPs victory, not just in Assam but also in some states of the Northeast. The BJP also rules Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and is a constituent of the ruling coalition in Nagaland and Meghalaya.

Sarma had played a key role in toppling the Peoples' Party of Arunachal government in 2016 when 33 of its 43 MLAs, led by CM Pema Khandu, had joined the BJP.

He did not stop there. The next year, he helped the BJP form a government for the first time in Manipur. The BJP had won 22 seats as against the Congresss 28 in the 60-member House but he managed to cobble up the numbers with his efforts, including engineering defections.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Over three weeks have passed since the Maharashtra government imposed strict restrictions to check the spread of coronavirus but the daily average of cases is still over 50,000 which is a matter of concern, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

Citing the Union government, Tope said COVID-19 cases have dipped in 12 out of the total 36 districts in Maharashtra, but in some other districts, the cases are on a higher side.

The lockdown-like curbs announced by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray came into effect on April 14 that included the ban on inter-city as well as inter-district travel and the closure of non-essential services in the state.

These measures, including the weekend restrictions on the movement of people, were later extended till May 15.

The state government had allowed groceries, vegetable shops and dairies to remain open only for four hours, between 7 am and 11 am from Monday to Friday and banned home delivery after 8 pm till May 1.

"The government had introduced lockdown-like measures but the average number of daily cases is still hovering between 50,000 and 60,000. The positivity rate, which is the key factor in deciding the (extent of) outbreak of the pandemic, is still on a higher side," Tope told reporters.

The health minister said the government will review the situation and decide on whether to extend these lockdown-like measures or not.

"The state government is stressing on tracking, tracing and treating COVID-19 patients to curb the outbreak," he added.

As of May 7, Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally stood at 49,96,758 while the overall death toll is 74,413.

The state had tested 2,89,30,580 samples so far, the health department had said.

Meanwhile, district authorities in Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region said stricter COVID-19 restrictions will come into force from Sunday.

These 'break the chain' curbs will start at noon on Sunday and will be in place till May 15, officials said.

As per an order issued by Amravati Collector Shailesh Naval on Saturday, grocery shops, dairies, eateries, bars, vegetable and fruit vending outlets, bakeries etc will remain shut during the period but will be allowed to undertake home delivery between 7am and 11am, The order also curbs movement of people except for emergency and essential purposes.

It also directs schools, colleges, parks, swimming pools, tuition classes, theatres, saloons, spas, beauty parlour, parks, playing fields etc to remain shut, though online classes will be allowed.

An official said the order exempts private and public hospitals and clinics, medical stores, animal husbandry clinics and eye-wear shops from the curbs.

"All government and semi government offices will remain shut, except those engaged in essential services. Petrol pumps too have been told to sell fuel only to those vehicles which are out for valid reasons. Banks and post offices will function between 10 am and 2pm during this period," he said.

Similar orders were issued by Akola Collector Jitendra Papalkar and Collector Amol Yedge in Yavatmal.

The authorities in Solapur too have announced stricter restrictions for a week in the city as well as other parts of the district.

As part of the fresh curbs, which will come into effect from 8 pm on Saturday, shops selling essential commodities, such as milk, groceries, vegetables and fruits, will remain closed and only home delivery of these items will be permitted, officials said.

As per the earlier guidelines, shops selling essentials were allowed to operate from 7 am to 11 am in the district.

The restrictions will remain in place in Solapur city and other parts of the district till May 15, officials said.

"In view of the rise in COVID-19 cases, a decision was taken to make the lockdown stricter in the district. As per the new restrictions, shops selling essential commodities will remain shut, and only home delivery of these items will be permitted from 7 am to 11 am," Solapur district collector Milind Shambharkar said.

As section 144 of the CrPC is already imposed in the district, the movement of the people is not allowed except for valid reasons, he said.

All the essential services, such as hospitals, medicals, diagnostics services, vaccination centres, insurance offices, pet shops, animal care centres, veterinary clinics, banks and all other services, which are related to healthcare will remain open, he added.

"Shops selling agriculture-related products are allowed to remain open till 11 am," the official said.

According to him, hotels and restaurants are closed, but home delivery of food items has been permitted.
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Centre should consider imposing a nationwide lockdown in view of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is more unpredictable and deadly, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday.

Gehlot was addressing a video conference after he and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan virtually laid foundation stones for medical colleges in the state's Chittorgarh and Sriganganagar districts.

Several states have imposed lockdowns and restrictions at their level to break the COVID-19 transmission chain, but there is a lack of intra-state coordination, the chief minister said.

In such a situation, the Centre should consider imposing a lockdown again with uniformity across the country after taking into consideration the experiences of the previous nationwide lockdown last year, Gehlot said.

The Rajasthan government has announced a strict lockdown in the state from May 10 to 24 under which intra-state movement has also been disallowed.

Delhi and states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Karnataka have also imposed strict restrictions and lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and more deadly, and has taken a terrible form, Gehlot said, adding that vaccination should be given top priority.

During the event, he also urged the Union health minister to increase the number of oxygen plants being installed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the state, to provide additional tankers for oxygen transportation and to allocate oxygen to Rajasthan from nearby states instead of the eastern states of the country.

The chief minister said that the Centre, states and people will have to fight together against the pandemic and then only the country can tide over it.

Union Minister Vardhan said that India is going through a challenging time and the Centre is making all efforts to ensure availability of resources to all states.

He also suggested to state governments that those due for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be equally prioritised.

Vardhan said that the number of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has increased to 22 and it is planned to establish medical colleges in 110 districts.

In this order, out of 75 medical colleges approved in the third phase, the maximum 15 are in Rajasthan.

The medical colleges in Chittorgarh and Sriganganagar are being constructed at a cost of Rs 325 crore each.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that talks to form a grand alliance of Opposition parties at the national level will begin in the coming days.

Raut said he has discussed the issue with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar.

There is a need to have a strong alliance of opposition parties in the country. But there cant be an alliance without the Congress party. It will be the soul. Leadership can be decided through consultations, Raut told reporters.

The Maha Vikas aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra was formed after three ideologically different parties (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) came together and the leadership was unanimously given to Uddhav Thackeray. This is an ideal alliance, which is working fine, he said.

The Congress has done well in Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the recent Assembly elections. But it did not win a single seat in West Bengal and this is not good.

The party needs to be strengthened further, he said.

The Congress is a pan-India party, whether in government or in opposition, he said. I discussed these issues with NCP president Sharad Pawar, but since he is indisposed, he is in Mumbai.

Talks of forming an alliance of opposition parties will start in a few days, the Senas Rajya Sabha member said.

Replying to questions on Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis criticising the Maharashtra government on its handling of Covid -19 pandemic, Raut said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded to Fadnaviss allegations by saying that the state was doing well.

Even the Supreme Court has taken note of the state governments work. Maharashtra is fighting against the virus with all its might and CM Uddhav Thackeray and all his cabinet colleagues need to be complimented, Raut said.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday extended till May 17 the curfew imposed in the state to curb the spread of coronavirus, a senior official said.

The curfew, which was earlier scheduled to end on 7 am on Monday, has been extended.

The corona curfew imposed in the state has been extended till May 17, Additional Chief Secretary (Information), Navneet Sehgal, said in a statement issued here.

As many as 298 people died due to coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday as 26,847 fresh cases surfaced, pushing the state's infection count to 14,80,315.

So far, the infection has claimed 15,170 lives in the state.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence on Sunday approved the temporary recruitment of retired doctors of the armed forces to meet the rising requirement in view of the rising Covid cases.

The Ministry of Defence has issued an order to Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DG AFMS) for recruitment of Ex-Army Medical Corps (AMC)/Short Service Commission (SSC) medical officers. Under the Tour of Duty scheme, 400 ex-AMC/SSC medical officers, released between 2017 and 2021, are expected to be recruited on contract basis for a maximum period of 11 months, Bharat Bhushan Babu, Spokesperson, MoD, said.

The order, dated May 08, 2021, says fixed monthly lump sum amount will be admissible by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement plus specialist pay wherever applicable. The amount would remain unchanged for the term of the contract and no other allowances would be paid. The medical officers to be recruited are required to be medically fit as per civilian standards.

Previously, the AFMS deployed additional doctors, including specialists, super specialists and paramedics, at various hospitals, while Short Service Commissioned doctors have been granted extension till December 31, 2021 which has augmented the strength by 238 more doctors.

Medical professionals, recently retired from AFMS, have also been redeployed to further bolster the workforce of health professionals.

In addition, ex-defence doctors have been roped in to provide online free consultation on e-Sanjeevani OPD to all citizens of the country. The service can be availed on the website https://esanjeevaniopd.in/.

Additional contractual staff has also been temporarily hired in 51 high pressure Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics for night duty for three months to cater to the veterans and their dependents, informed Babu.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Despite appeals by farmers who took out protest marches against the weekend lockdown imposed by the state government, shopkeepers in Punjab kept their shops shut on Saturday.

Punjab's 32 farmer unions, protesting the Central farm laws, had announced to hold street protests against the lockdown in the state and had urged shopkeepers to defy the restrictions.

Amid a second wave of COVID-19, farmers took out protest marches at several places, including Moga, Patiala, Amritsar, Ajnala, Nabha, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.

Carrying flags of their unions, farmers, including women, took out marches in the markets and appealed to shopkeepers and traders through loudspeakers to open their shops.

However, the shopkeepers kept their shops closed.

Police personnel in adequate numbers were deployed across the state in the wake of the protest call by farmers.

"We told farmers that we will not go against the law and order of the state and whatever the government decides, we will go by that," said Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal general secretary Sameer Jain.

Another Ludhiana-based trader, Sunil Mehra, said shopkeepers will continue to raise their voice in a democratic way.

"How could we open shops when there is a weekend lockdown in the state," asked Mehra.

Some traders said the district administrations had also assured them to find ways for the opening of shops dealing in non-essential items next week.

"We appealed to shopkeepers to open their shops. We told them that we are with them," said Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan in Moga.

"The lockdown is not a solution to deal with the COVID-19 crisis," he said, alleging that shopkeepers were forced to shut their shops.

Khokrikalan also accused the government of doing nothing to improve the health infrastructure despite being well aware of the second wave of COVID-19.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday had directed the state DGP to strictly enforce the weekend lockdown in the state and deal stringently with any violation in view of the farmers' call for the protest.

The state government has imposed extensive COVID-19 curbs in addition to measures like the weekend lockdown and night curfew till May 15.

In Amritsar, a farmer leader said if the state government wanted to impose a weekend lockdown, then it should give ration to shopkeepers and waive their electricity bills and other taxes.

A police team took out a flag march in a market in Ajnala with officials saying nobody will be allowed to violate the curbs.

Earlier this week, shopkeepers in Punjab had held protests against the state government's order of the closure of shops dealing in non-essential items.

The chief minister on Friday had authorised the deputy commissioners to take any decision on the opening of shops or private officers on rotation, after taking the local MLAs and other stakeholders into confidence.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday reiterated that violation of the weekend lockdown in Punjab will not be allowed given the grim COVID-19 situation, even as 32 farmer unions took out protest marches against the restriction at several places in the state.

Farmer leaders have alleged that the government imposed the lockdown to hide its failure in handling the coronavirus situation and wants to weaken the farmers' movement against the Centre's new farm laws.

These restrictions are in place to save lives and not to "sabotage" the farmers' movement against the Centre's new farm laws, Singh said and added that his government was also vehemently opposed to the legislations.

"There are lives at stake, saving them is our priority, and it is the responsibility of every Punjabi to save them," the chief minister said, urging leaders of farmer unions Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU (Ekta Dakaounda) not to misinterpret his Friday comments.

Amid a call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to oppose the weekend lockdown, Singh had on Friday asked the state police chief to strictly enforce all the weekend restrictions and not allow any violation at any cost.

The SKM, an umbrella body of over 40 farmers' unions, is leading the protest against the central farm laws which were enacted in September last year.

Nobody can be allowed to play with the lives of people, the chief minister said on Saturday.

Singh said that leaders of the two organisations had misinterpreted his statement to raise doubts about his intentions towards the ongoing farmers' stir against the "black" farm laws.

"How can my government go against the interests of farmers when it was the first in the country to move amendment laws in the state assembly to annul the draconian farm laws of the Central government," he said in a statement issued here.

Singh said as far as the central laws are concerned, his government's stand against them has been clear and consistent.

Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are demanding rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

Noting that the COVID-19 situation in Punjab is extremely grim, the chief minister said that as on May 6, the state had a 24-hour caseload of 8,874, 154 deaths, 265 patients admitted in isolation facilities, 30 patients on high dependency units and 16 on ventilator support.

"This is not the time to play politics but to put all our energies into protecting the life of every human being," he said.

Appealing to farmers to extend all support and cooperation to the state government in its endeavour to combat the COVID-19 crisis, Singh said the lives and safety of the people of Punjab were of paramount interest to his government.

He reiterated that he would not allow anyone to further endanger the lives of Punjabis amid the escalating crisis.

The state government has stood with farmers in their fight against the "draconian" farm laws of the Centre and continues to do so, as it strongly believes them to be a direct "threat" to the very existence and livelihood of farmers, Singh said.

But at the moment, the state government is completely focused on saving lives, while ensuring that they do not suffer due to the harsh measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, he said.

Singh said to alleviate sufferings of the people, he had even asked the deputy commissioners to allow opening of even non-essential shops and private offices on rotation basis.

As many as 171 people died from coronavirus in Punjab on Saturday as the state reported yet another record daily spike of 9,100 case, pushing its infection tally to 4,33,689, according to a medical bulletin.

So far, the infection has killed 10,315 people in the state, where the number of active cases stands at 71,948.

Nineteen deaths were reported from Ludhiana, 17 each from Bathinda and Muktsar, 13 each from Amritsar and Patiala and 11 each from Sangrur and Jalandhar in the past 24 hours, the bulletin said.

Ludhiana registered the maximum 1,223 fresh cases, followed by 1,168 in Mohali, 706 in Bathinda and 672 in Jalandhar.

A total of 6,647 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 3,51,426, the bulletin said.

There are 288 patients on ventilator while 9,086 are on oxygen support, it said.

A total of 77,07,585 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh--the joint capital of Punjab and Haryanarecorded nine deaths and 870 fresh cases.

So far, the city has reported 49,312 cases while the death toll stands at 558 deaths, according to a medical bulletin.

The city currently has 8,505 cases.

A total of 861 patients were discharged from hospitals, the bulletin said, adding that so far, 40,249 people have recovered from the infection.

Till now, 4,33,928 samples have been taken for testing, of which 3,83,480 tested negative while reports of 125 are awaited, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, UT Adviser Manoj Parida said the Union government has been requested to increase the oxygen quota for the city from 20 metric tonnes to 35 MT to take care of increasing bed capacity and newly set up mini COVID care centres.

He said the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has also requested the Centre to increase its oxygen quota to 40 MT.

State Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Saturday said the state will receive 35,000 Remdesivir injections from the Centre over the next week.

He further said the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set up a Remdesivir Injection Monitoring Centre to stop its black marketing.

As per an intimation received from the Centre, Punjab will receive 35,000 Remdesivir injections from May 9 to 16, he said in a statement.

He said at present, the Health Department has 4,913 Remdesivir injections, 60,000 Dexamethasone 4 MG injections and 25 lakh tablets of paracetamol in the stock.

The Centre allocated 50,000 injections for distribution in Punjab from April 21 to May 9 while the state received 41,056 vials, he said.

The minister said 20,450 injections were distributed among the government-run COVID care centres and medical colleges while 20,606 were given to the private centres.

The health minister said the state government has constantly ensured the supply, availability and distribution of injections to government and private hospitals and urged people not to buy Remdesivir at high prices as the Health Department has the sufficient stock of it.

He also expressed concern over the black marketing and hoarding of COVID-related drugs.

The minister said he has directed the FDA to take stringent action against wholesalers, distributors and retailers if anyone found doing such activities.

Sidhu instructed the FDA to monitor the prices and stocks of COVID-related drugs across the state and act promptly against the sellers who violate the guidelines.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: For BJP strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma, it is a long-cherished aspiration that has fructified.

As he dons the Assam chief ministers mantle on Monday, the fierce campaigner, who is also the architect of the BJPs success story in not just Assam but the entire Northeast and an able administrator, has finally come of age.

Many in Assam were surprised that the BJP central leadership had to go through the motion of so many deliberations before naming a face that every Assamese, irrespective of ethnic background, relates to.

It has been a long wait for Sarma who was once the blue-eyed boy of three-time former Congress CM, the late Tarun Gogoi, and seen even within the Congress as a natural successor of Gogoi. The two had fallen out with each other following Gogois US-educated son Gauravs emergence in Assams political landscape.

It is history how the Congress missed the bus and not Sarma when he was not given the place that he deserved as a Young Turk after having won the support of a large majority of MLAs during the 2014-15 dissidence within the party.

The BJP did not commit that mistake. It rewarded him for all that he has achieved for the party in the past six years, including hoisting the party flag across the Northeast.

In 2017, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had shared a video of his dog Pidi on Twitter to answer who tweets for Rahul Gandhi but Sarma shot back, being reminded of an incident involving the pet.

He had tweeted: Sir @OfficeOfRG, who knows him better than me. Still remember you busy feeding biscuits 2 him while we wanted to discuss urgent Assams issues.

Born into a highly-educated family on February 1, 1969 in Jorhat, Sarma had started his political career with the All Assam Students Union (AASU). He grew up under the shadow of the then AASU leaders, including former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and former AGP minister Bhrigu Phukan.

He served the Cotton College Union Society as general secretary for three terms in 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1991-1992. He is a post-graduate in political science, an LLB and a Ph.D who also practised law at the Gauhati High Court.

Former CM Hiteswar Saikia could see the spark in Sarma and made him join the Congress in the first half of 1990s. In 1996, the Congress fielded him in the Jalukbari seat, pitting him against Phukan who groomed him in the AASU. He lost by 17,128 votes. Five years later however, he defeated Phukan by 10,019 votes. He has retained the seat since.

Noting his ability as a minister and his political wisdom, observers say Sarma should have become the Assam CM long back. After falling out with Gogoi, he had joined the BJP in 2015. When Assam won the 2016 polls, the BJP took the lead in forming the non-Congress conglomerate of political parties called North East Democratic Alliance and made him its convenor.

He has not only contributed to the prowess of the BJP in Assam but also consolidated the BJPs organisational base across the region.

A master election strategist who is widely known for his political acumen, he was instrumental in scripting the BJPs victory in Assam as well as Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Today, the BJP is also a constituent of the ruling coalition of Nagaland and Meghalaya.

Sarma had played a key role in toppling the Peoples Party of Arunachal government in 2016 when 33 of its 43 MLAs, led by CM Pema Khandu, joined the BJP.

He did not stop there. The next year, he helped the BJP form a government for the first time in Manipur. The BJP had won 22 seats as against the Congresss 28 in the 60-member House but he managed to cobble up the numbers by engineering defections.

Most recently, when legislators, including ministers, of some BJP allies had withdrawn support to the N Biren Singh government, reducing it to a minority, it was Sarma again who had troubleshot the problem with patch-up job. Undisputedly, nobody in the Northeast is better than him when it comes to making or breaking a government.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Ending days of uncertainty, the BJP on Sunday named party strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma as its Assam chief ministerial candidate.

The decks were cleared after he was elected as the leader of BJP legislature party in the presence of central observers including Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, BL Santhosh, Arun Singh and Vaijyanta Panda.

The name of Sarma was proposed by outgoing CM Sarbananda Sonowal and seconded by BJP state chief and MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass and MLA Nandita Garlosa.

As no other name was proposed, Sarma was elected unanimously as the BJP legislature party leader, Tomar said.

ALSO READ | Sonowal to be a guide, grateful to PM for support: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Later in the evening, Sarma along with Sonowal and other leaders of BJP-led alliance met Governor Jagdish Mukhi and submitted a list of legislators to him, staking claim to form the government. The alliance of BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and United Peoples Party Liberal had bagged a combined 75 seats in the 126-member House.

Sarma as well as some ministers will be administered the oath of office and secrecy on Monday. Outgoing CM Sonowal tendered his resignation to the Governor, but was asked to continue in office till the new government is installed.

Earlier in the day, Sarma visited Sonowal and left in the same vehicle to attend the BJP legislature party meeting. Later, both posed together for photos.

On Saturday, the duo had rushed to Delhi in a chartered flight after being summoned by the partys central leaders who met them separately before meeting them together at party chief JP Naddas residence.

Sonowal accepted the transition with a smile.

Speaking after a meeting of NDA legislature party, he highlighted how the BJP government had managed to restore peace in the state.

The government had managed to restore peace and ensure progress and security. Peoples faith and trust in us increased as evident from this victory. Given his long experience, I am confident Mr Himanta Biswa Sarma will be able to deliver, Sonowal said.

READ HERE | Himanta Biswa Sarma: Chief architect of BJP's success in Northeast

Sarma said Assam had seen value-based politics in the last five years under Sonowal. He said there are some dark spots in the moon but Sonowals tenure was spotless.

We will march ahead by following in his (Sonowals) footsteps. I promise the new government will maintain value-based politics. Sonowal was our leader and he will remain so, Sarma said.

He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him.

How enormously blessed I feel Hon PM Sri @narendramodi for your faith in me. This is the biggest day in my life, and I so fondly cherish your generous affection. I assure you we shall leave no stone unturned to carry forward your vision of taking Assam, & NE to greater heights, Sarma tweeted.

He was prepared for this moment. He did all that he could to retain the attention of partys central leaders. Even before other parties launched their election campaign, he had taken out rallies and organised roadshows across the state with thousands of BJP workers and supporters to prove his popularity.

His filing of nomination was a gala affair. Several thousand supporters accompanied him. Manipur CM N Biren Singh and BJPs two central leaders were also present. Sonowals was a low-key affair.

The BJP got strengthened in Assam and Northeast ever since Sarma deserted the Congress and wore saffron. It was he who hoisted the BJP flag across the region and was rightly rewarded.


By PTI

CHHATARPUR: Police have arrested a 63- year-old college professor for allegedly electrocuting to death her doctor husband over a domestic dispute in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur city, officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place on April 29 following which she allegedly tried to mislead the police by saying that her 65-year-old husband, a renowned physician, died after being unwell for a long time, they said.

The woman was arrested on Saturday after she admitted before police that she killed her husband, Deputy Superintendent of Police Shashank Jain said.

"We arrested the accused, a Chemistry professor with the Government Maharaja Post Graduate College here, on Saturday," Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma said.

The official said the probe into the case suggests she doubted her husband's character, and due to this the couple used to have frequent fights.

Jain said during questioning, the woman told the police that on April 29, she mixed sleeping pills in her husband's food and after he fell unconscious, she electrocuted him with a live wire.

Earlier, she did not inform the police immediately about the incident and cooked up a story that since she and her son were unwell, they rushed to Jhansi in a private car for treatment on April 30 morning, police said.

She lodged a police complaint on May 1, saying her husband was unwell for a long time and died on the night of April 29, they said, adding that she came under the police scanner as she approached them two days after the incident.

"After extensive questioning, she finally admitted that she killed her husband," Jain said.

According to police, the couple used to have frequent quarrels and the doctor once complained to them that his wife had locked him in a bathroom at their home.

A mentally challenged son of the couple lived with them, Jain added.
By PTI

BHOPAL: At a time when images of relatives of deceased COVID-19 patients queuing up at crematoriums have become common, a crematorium in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal is giving temporary refuge to people who bring their loved ones to the city for treatment and lose them to the disease.

While people are usually scared to enter crematoriums and graveyards at night, Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat here has been providing beds and meals to relatives of COVID-19 patients, who perform the last rites of loved ones.

More than half a dozen people spend their night at the facility daily after cremating their loves ones, thanks to the trust looking after the place and providing them food, water and bedding in these difficult times.

People from neighbouring districts, who bring their relatives to Bhopal for COVID-19 treatment and lose them, bring the bodies to Bhadbhada crematorium, as mortal remains are not allowed to be taken out of the district to contain the viral spread.

Bereaved relatives have to wait in serpentine queues for their turn to cremate deceased patients even late in the evenings due to the heavy rush of COVID-19 casualties.

"After the last rites, people wait for the embers to cool to collect ashes for immersion. They can't travel to their homes in other districts at night and then turn up in the morning to collect the urn of ashes," said Mamtesh Sharma, the secretary of Bhadbhada crematorium.

Moreover, since hotels and guesthouses are shut due to the coronavirus curfew, many find it difficult to get food and shelter for the night, he said.

"With the help of some good Samaritans, we have made arrangements to feed kin of the deceased and make their night halt comfortable in our crematorium," Sharma said.

A double-door refrigerator has been donated to the crematorium to store food stuffs and water bottles that are being sent to the facility, he added.

According to Sharma, 60 people were cremated at the facility on Friday, and of them, 54 were COVID-19 patients, including 38 locals and 16 from outside Bhopal.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said that no jamun trees have been uprooted as part of the ongoing Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, and asserted that defining elements of built heritage like lamp posts will be restored.

The Union housing and urban affairs minister said that only a few trees will be transplanted as part of the project, claiming that the overall green cover will increase.

This comes a day after reports said that several jamun trees could be uprooted as part of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project.

"Do not believe in fake photos & canards about ongoing work at Central Vista Avenue. No Jamun trees have been removed. Only few trees will be transplanted in entire project. Overall green cover will increase. Defining elements of built heritage like lamp posts etc will be restored," Puri tweeted.

In another tweet, the minister said the new Central Vista Avenue will have more public space with refurbished lawns, paved walkways along Rajpath, improved landscape, clean canals, adequate public amenities, vending areas, public performance facilities, safe road crossings, non-disruptive facilities for public events etc.

The project will be ready in time to host the Republic Day parade in 2022, the 75th year of India's independence, he said.

The project is being executed by Shapoorji Pallonji and Co Pvt Ltd.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new Prime Minister's residence and office, and a new Vice President Enclave.

The government has been facing criticism from the Opposition for executing the Central Vista redevelopment project amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Attacking the government on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the project a "criminal wastage" and asked the dispensation to focus on people's lives during the pandemic.
By PTI

KOLKATA: One person was killed and six others were injured in a clash between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred at Muktinagar village under Dubrajpur assembly constituency when a group of people, allegedly BJP workers, tried to enter the houses of villagers on Friday night, a police officer said.

"Members of the Trinamool Congress, who were feasting nearby, came to their rescue and they clashed with the BJP workers leading to the death of one and injuries to six others," the police officer said.

The injured are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Suri.

The incident took place when a fact-finding team of the Union Home Ministry is visiting the state to take stock of post-poll violence.

The house of another TMC activist was ransacked at a place near the village on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the four-member team of the Union Home Ministry on Saturday visited several violence-ravaged places of the state.

The team, led by an additional secretary of the ministry, flew to Birbhum district in the morning and from there they proceeded to several places, including Nanoor, which have been witnessing post-poll violence following the announcement of assembly poll results on May 2.

Members of the team then went to Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district and visited places like Kendamari Jalpai and spoke to locals.

The team, tasked with looking into reasons for the post-poll violence in West Bengal, had met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Raj Bhavan on Friday.

The ministry has sought a report from Dhankhar on the law and order situation in Bengal, in view of the violence that erupted in the state following the announcement of assembly election results.

ALSO READ | Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee begins Assembly session with attacks on Centre, poll panel

The team had visited Budge Budge and Satgachia in South 24 Parganas district on Friday.

The panel had on Thursday, too, toured several places in South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas, shortly after arriving here, and held meetings with the chief secretary, home secretary and the DGP at the secretariat, officials said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that 16 people were killed in post-poll violence in the state.

The BJP, on its part, alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked women members, vandalised houses and looted shops.

Rejecting the charges, Banerjee maintained that clashes were taking place in those areas where the saffron party emerged victorious in the assembly polls.

Dhankhar Saturday expressed displeasure at not being updated on the law and order situation in the state with regard to post poll violence by the chief secretary and director general of police (DGP).

State Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and DGP Virendra called on the governor at Raj Bhavan on Saturday evening being asked by him over the law and order situation in West Bengal.

"Unfortunately both came without any paper or reports sought. Directed them to send the same without delay. In a sense disgusted with such stance," Dhankhar tweeted after the officers met him.

Maintaining that the home secretary has failed to apprise him on the law and order situation vis a vis the post-poll violence, Dhankhar had asked the chief secretary to see him.

Dhankhar had tweeted earlier in the day that the home secretary did not forward reports of the DGP and commissioner of Kolkata Police in this regard.

"Chief Secretary @MamataOfficial has been called upon to see me today before 7 PM as ACS Home @HomeBengal failed to impart status report on law and order regarding post poll violence," the governor tweeted.

"Such drifting of governance @MamataOfficial from constitutional prescriptions is unfortunate and cannot be overlooked. While the State passes through most severe post poll violence, there is just NO input to the constitutional head. This is least expected," Dhankhar wrote.

The West Bengal has been rocked by large scale violence after the bitterly fought state elections.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that 16 persons of different political parties have lost their lives in clashes after the end of the polls.

A four-member team of the union home ministry, tasked with looking into reasons for the post-poll violence in Bengal, had met Dhankhar at Raj Bhawan.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor attacked Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday over his remarks that no fresh COVID-19 cases have been detected in 180 districts in the last seven days, saying it is sad to see the health minister occupy an "alternative reality while the nation gasps for breath".

In his virtual address at the 25th meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Saturday to discuss the pandemic situation, Vardhan said 180 districts have showed no fresh cases in the last seven days, 18 districts reported no cases in 14 days, 54 districts reported no infections in 21 days and 32 districts were bereft of any fresh cases in the last 28 days.

Tagging Vardhan's remarks, Tharoor tweeted, "It's sad to see Health Minister @drharshvardhan occupy an alternative reality while the nation gasps for breath & the world sees Indians suffering."

"Can one imagine Dr Fauci (and White House Chief Medical Adviser) celebrating SMSs, promoting faux medicines & endorsing unproven therapies? No one believes our figures," the former Union minister said.

ALSO WATCH:

Tharoor also tagged another tweet of Vardhan a few days ago in which he had noted that "our world-class Co-WIN platform ensured smooth rollout of beneficiary registration for Phase 3 of world's largest vaccine drive".

Vardhan mentioned in that tweet that in just three hours, 80 lakh people registered, 1.45 crore SMS were successfully delivered and 38.3 crore API hits recorded.

Taking a swipe at Vardhan, Tharoor tweeted, "SMS delivered as an indication of success in fighting #Covid?" The Congress leader also tagged a media report which claimed that the Indian Medical Association has demanded an explanation from Vardhan for "promoting" Patanjali's Coronil tablet, and tweeted, "Would love to see that explanation! The nation wants to know " In another tweet, Tharoor asked why is the government not spending the Rs 35,000 crore allocated in the budget and instead passing the burden of vaccine costs to states.

"Once Parliament has approved it, why does the government sit on the money? There's a record GST collection & windfall gains from fuel taxes.

Buy vaccines!!" the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

Tharoor also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Central Vista project by tagging two old media reports -- one quoting the PM as saying that every Indian will have a house in 2022 and the other on December 2022 being set as the deadline for readying the PM's new house as part of the Central Vista project.

"No wonder they call him the Pratham Sevak!!" Tharoor tweeted.
By AFP

GENEVA: A Covid-19 variant spreading in India is more contagious and it is feared it could be dodging some vaccine protections, contributing to the country's explosive outbreak, the World Health Organization's chief scientist said Saturday.

In an interview with AFP, Soumya Swaminathan warned that "the epidemiological features that we see in India today do indicate that it's an extremely rapidly spreading variant".

India on Saturday for the first time registered more than 4,000 Covid-19 deaths in just 24 hours, and more than 400,000 new infections.

New Delhi has struggled to contain the outbreak, which has overwhelmed its healthcare system, and many experts suspect the official death and case numbers are a gross underestimate.

Swaminathan, an Indian paediatrician and clinical scientist, said the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, which was first detected in India last October, was clearly a contributing factor to the catastrophe unfolding in her homeland.

"There have been many accelerators that are fed into this," the 62-year-old said, stressing that "a more rapidly spreading virus is one of them".

The WHO recently listed B.1.617 -- which counts several sub-lineages with slightly different mutations and characteristics -- as a "variant of interest".

- Resistant to antibodies? -

But so far it has stopped short of adding it to its short list of "variants of concern" -- a label indicating it is more dangerous than the original version of the virus by being more transmissible, deadly or able to get past vaccine protections.

Several national health authorities, including in the United States and Britain, have meanwhile said they consider B.1.617 a variant of concern, and Swaminathan said she expected the WHO to soon follow suit.

"B 1.617 is likely to be a variant of concern because it has some mutations which increase transmission, and which also potentially could make (it) resistant to antibodies that are generated by vaccination or by natural infection," she said.

But she insisted that the variant alone could not be blamed for the dramatic surge in cases and deaths seen in India, pointing to "huge social mixing and large gatherings" in recent months.

Mass election rallies held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other politicians have for instance partly been blamed by some for the staggering rise in infections.

But even as many in India felt the crisis was over, dropping mask-wearing and other protection measures, the virus was quietly spreading.

- 'Taking off vertically' -

"In a large country like India, you could have transmission at low levels, which is what happened for many months," Swaminathan said.

"It was endemic (and) probably gradually increasing," she said, decrying that "those early signs were missed until it reached the point at which it was taking off vertically."

"At that point it's very hard to suppress, because it's then involving tens of thousands of people and it's multiplying at a rate at which it's very difficult to stop."

While India is now trying to scale up vaccination to rein in the outbreak, Swaminathan warned that the jabs alone would not be enough to gain control of the situation.

She pointed out that India, the world's largest vaccine-making nation, had only fully vaccinated around two percent of the 1.3 billion-plus population.

"It's going to take many months if not years to get to the point of 70 to 80 percent coverage," she said.

With that prospect, Swaminathan stressed that "for the foreseeable future, we need to depend on our tried and tested public health and social measures" to bring down transmission.

The surge in India is frightening not only due to the horrifying number of people who are sick and dying there, but also because the exploding infection numbers dramatically increase the chances of new and more dangerous variants emerging.

"The more the virus is replicating and spreading and transmitting, the more chances are that... mutations will develop and adapt," Swaminathan said.

"Variants which accumulate a lot of mutations may ultimately become resistant to the current vaccines that we have," she warned.

"That's going to be a problem for the whole world."
Gurbir Singh By

The international battle against Covid-19 infections and deaths just received a shot in the arm after the US administration announced it was waiving intellectual property protection for Covid-19 vaccines. Temporarily suspending patenting of the vaccines is an important step in increasing global supply and creating a large population of inoculated people resistant to the infection.

There is a long way to go, though. US trade representative Katherine Tai, who made the announcement, warned that that it was unlikely the US decision would result in an immediate ramping up of vaccine supplies, as it needed wider consensus.

The European Union (EU) for one has opposed waiver of patenting. A German government spokeswoman said on Thursday that the protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and she insisted, the limiting factor in vaccine manufacturing is production capacity and high-quality standards, not patents. The vaccine companies  Pfizer, AstraZeneca and others  meanwhile in a joint letter written in March to Joe Biden had opposed waiver of IP cover stating it would undermine the confidence of people in vaccine safety while not boosting production in any significant way. These are expected responses from entrepreneurs in search for profits. The patent waiver proposal now moves to the WTO, and it is only if all 164 member countries adopt it, will the proposal be adopted. A single country can exercise veto, though the good news is the EU countries are now willing to discuss the proposal.

amit bandre

Multiply production centers

The rationale of the intellectual property rights waiver is that multiple centers of vaccine production can be started in several middle- and low-income countries. This will ramp up supply exponentially and decentralize distribution. Countries such as South Korea, Canada and Bangladesh, that have big pharma capacities, have shown keen interest in vaccine production as long as they can get patent waiver.

Currently vaccines are being manufactured in a few advanced countries, with limited licensing arrangements for the less developed world, like the AstraZeneca tie-up with Serum Institute of India (SII).

Many advanced countries have shown tendencies to hoard supplies rather than share it with the rest of the world. The US stockpile of 60 million AstraZeneca shots is a case in point. These vaccines have not been certified for use in the US, nor are they being shared with Covid-19 hotspots.The standard argument in defense of maintaining the patent system is that quality and safety of the vaccines cannot be compromised. It is a specious colonial argument that looks upon the less developed countries as incapable of producing vaccines. Dozens of middle and poor nations have advanced pharma manufacturing facilities; and through transfer of technology and licensing terms the vaccine producers - AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer - can ensure quality control and safety norms. Hasnt it been done by AstraZeneca in India with the Serum Institute?

Appealing for temporary suspension of IP rights, the WHO Director General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus pointed out on 7 March that of the 225 million vaccines administered so far, the vast majority have been in a handful of rich and vaccine producing countries, while most low- and middle-income countries watch and wait.

Debunking the theory that the poorer nations cannot produce the vaccine, he said: Just as the yellow fever vaccine is now produced in Dakar, Senegal, an investment in manufacturing could see the same done with Covid-19 vaccines.

Not-for-profit product

Protecting patents is also the route for high returns. After pharma companies spend billions in research and testing, they want the right of way for revenue and profits. Pfizers blockbuster drug Lipitor for lowering cholesterol generated a whopping $150 billion in revenues before the patent ran out in 2011.

Imagine the returns on Covid-19 vaccines that are required in 14 billion doses annually to cover the worlds population! Except this cannot be the case as Covid vaccines have been developed as part of huge government research programmes, and have soaked in massive public funds. The Moderna vaccine, which has proven efficacy, emerged directly out of a partnership between Moderna and the US federal government funded Grahams NIH laboratory.

According to the Scientific American, a team led by Dr Barney Graham, provided the essential ingredients for the development of Covid-19 vaccines. The US government also poured in an additional

$10.5 billion into vaccine companies since the pandemic began to speed up research and commercial delivery.

Of the Oxford-University-AstraZeneca investment of around $11.4 billion into its widely used vaccine, government and not-for-profit funds have accounted for one-fourth or around $2.84 billion. The very public nature of the Covid vaccine therefore demands that not only should its price be controlled at affordable levels, but that it reaches everyone worldwide. In March, after three months of the vaccine being put to use, the WHO estimated about 225 million had been covered for the first dose  barely three per cent of the world population. Supply and distribution cannot be at this pace if we are to beat off a catastrophe.So far, the COVIDmeter shows 157 million people have been infected and 3.27 million have died. This is not exactly the time to be debating patents!
Kaleeswaram Raj By

Last Thursday, a Supreme Court Bench consisting of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah delivered a significant judgment. The court considered the plea by the Election Commission that sought to expunge certain oral observations of the Madras High Court against it. The Madras High Court, while considering COVID-19 related case, said that the EC was singularly liable for the second wave of pandemic by failing to regulate the crowds during the election and should probably face murder charges.

The media reported these observations. The EC was aggrieved by these oral strictures and the media reports about them. The Supreme Court rightly rejected the plea by holding that the institutions such as the EC are not immune from criticism. Our public constitutional institutions must find better responses than to complain, the court said. It also said that freedom of speech extends to reporting of judicial proceedings. It noted further: it would be retrograde for this court to promote the rule of law and access to justice on one hand and shield the daily operations of the High Courts and this court from the media in all its forms, by gagging the reporting of proceedings, on the other.

In addition to seeking expunging of remarks, the Commission asked for some form of media censorship as well, as far as court reporting is concerned. Although the court rejected this demand, this conduct of the Commission is an extension of its recent backsliding as a constitutional body. The EC has been accused of subserving those holding power at the Centre. The institution is criticised for alleged political bias and partisanship. It faces serious trust deficit. We have two basic enactments dealing with elections  The Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951.

The EC has a pivotal role under both the legislations. The Act of 1950 deals with delimitation of constituencies, preparation of electoral roll etc. The latter enactment deals with conduct of the election. Section 125 of this statute contains a significant warning. It penalises whoever promotes enmity between classes, in connection with election, on the ground of religion, community etc. It is a statutory deterrent against using hate to solicit votes. The law encompasses many such activities and label them as punishable offences. Preventing the offence is a sound forensic principle. Viewed so, the EC must act as a constant guard for maintaining a healthy democracy.

One can see that the coalition politics in India gave better functional autonomy to the EC. The period between 1989 and 2014 illustrates this point. The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi, in a 1996 survey found that the EC had captured the peoples trust and even the judiciary in India had to remain only next to it, in terms of publics faith. The nation witnessed the proactive impartiality of TN Seshan for whom the implementation of Model Code of Conduct was an integral part of any election. His tenure conveyed the message of free and fair election to the public at large. The point, however, is that the systemic deficits cannot be rectified by the emergence of individuals.

After the resurrection of the majoritarianism, political parties used religious feelings as an easy and effective tool to canvass votes. The Commission failed to check hate speech in (and since) 2014 when the BJP got majority in the Lok Sabha. The Congress, too, had played foul many a times when it enjoyed absolute majority. But due to an active judiciary and better ethics in politics during the period following the Independence, the institutional damage to the EC was minimal. The Commission has no police force of its own. It has no purse or sword.

For the conduct of election, it must depend upon the central forces and the state police. The recent Bengal election was marred by hate as a political device, for which the innocent public had to pay a heavy cost even in terms of their lives. Formed in 1950, the EC has travelled a long and difficult path since then. The body is chosen by the executive. The irony is direct and embarrassing - an appointee by the majoritarian executive is expected to act judiciously and independently, when confronted with political parties. This is a fundamental flaw in the design of the EC.

A free and fair process to select the EC is, therefore, an imperative for the fulfilment of its role as a neutral arbiter. An assertive EC should be politically nonaffiliative. It is also essential to minimise the ECs dependence on the executive for doing its constitutional duty. An independent law enforcing agency as visualised by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case (2006) can go a long way to ensure functional autonomy for the EC. In the Vineet Narain case (1997), the Supreme Court had evolved a select panel consisting of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the opposition leader for choosing the Central Vigilance Commissioner from a panel of outstanding civil servants and others with impeccable integrity, to be furnished by the Cabinet Secretary.

Likewise, a better select body was suggested to choose the CBI Director as well. The selection of the EC needs to have a representative, divergent and participative character. In his classic work, journalist Philip Coggan explained the crisis faced by the democracies in the West. His book published in 2013 had a cautioning title- The Last Vote. The electoral reforms in India need to begin with reimagining the EC. It should be revamped both structurally and functionally to preserve our electoral democracy.

Kaleeswaram Raj

Lawyer, Supreme Court

kaleeswaramraj@gmail.com
Anuradha Goyal By

The pandemic has lasted longer than we could have imagined and seems to be in no hurry to leave. Thankfully, we know how it spreads; we have vaccines to deal with it. As our medical facilities and the fraternity deal with this massive onslaught, one wonders why we have not seen anything substantial from the field of traditional medicine systems like ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, unani and siddha. There is a full ministry in the Government of India dedicated to supporting these traditional medicine streams for a good seven years now. Its biggest achievement to date seems to be Yoga Day celebrations, for which it is currently running online contests.

If the allopathic fraternity could develop vaccines and quick protocols to deal with the unexpected virus, why have the alternative medicine practices not come up with anything yet? Yes, I know, they have been telling us to drink warm water and kaadha but that is what our grandmothers too tell us. There is no way to know if this has been effective enough. I am not aware of any studies that indicate efficacy or lend us confidence and conviction.

Ayush 64, a repurposed malaria drug from the 1980s, has been recommended for mild and moderate cases but comes with a caveat of Adjunct with standard care. Public domain reports say that it has been tested in three different cities that found it useful and safe. If it can work independently, no one says anything about that.

The pandemic is a new challenge and ayurveda and other systems have a huge opportunity to come out with solutions quickly. There are three main phases of the disease to address. The first is preventive, that prevents the disease in the first place or helps build up immunity to deal with it. The second is actual treatment for those who are infected, and the third is rehabilitation or post-recovery care that helps regain health lost in the process.

As and when the second wave of the pandemic comes down, we would have a huge population of people who have successfully battled the disease, but are still dealing with the long-term after-effects. Most recovered people complain of general weakness, body aches and lethargy for long durations of time. This is a huge opportunity for the traditional medicine systems to explore working on providing post-recovery relief. Given the general understanding as well as perception that there are minimal or zero side effects of traditional medicines and practices, they would be such a welcome step after people have taken in heavy and extra doses of allopathic drugs to deal with the virus. Add to it all the stress that they have gone through while at hospital and by being witness to so much pain and grief all around.

Can the Ayush fraternity come out with post-recovery Covid care solutions? If someone is going to tell me they do exist in some corners of the country, then they need to engage in a massive communications exercise. They need to make us, the common citizens, aware of their presence along with the options available to us. However, I will stick my neck out and assume they need to come out with the solution as the problem is recent, the scale unprecedented and, if they can see, the opportunity immense. The opportunity is big not just for providing solutions and helping people heal but also for carving out a space in the mental map of the average person who needs to be convinced about exploring traditional medicines the next time they need help.

Ayurveda therapies are personalised based on various parameters, the primary one being the nature or prakriti of a human being. This means that the doctors need to spend far more time with their patients, which should ideally mean a lot more doctors are needed. I am not sure if they have explored telemedicine for pandemic care or for regular diseases during the pandemic; most probably, they have not.

Various sources put the number of Ayush medical professionals between eight to fourteen lakhs, with more than 50% of them being ayurveda doctors and more than 35% being homeopaths. We have seen ayurveda doctors work in the wellness tourism industry, which includes luxury resorts and spas across the country, but a lot more in places like Kerala that have managed to create a reliable brand around ayurveda. We do see one-off ayurveda hospitals and famous doctors in our towns. A few young doctors are creating their own brands using social media, while others choose to work with the cosmetics industry. Some of them find success easier outside India. However, their collective presence or branding under one umbrella is nowhere close to where it should be.

As per the colourful Ayush ministry dashboard, there are allocations of Rs 2,000 crore for the last financial year, about 4,000 hospitals, 27,000 dispensaries and just about 750 ongoing research projects. Do we have proportional outputs to show?

Every calamity presents an opportunity; the pandemic is a big one for traditional medicine systems to show their strength and generate much-needed faith in these systems while helping humanity heal.

Author and founder of blogging website IndiTales

(Tweets @anuradhagoyal)
A Surya Prakash By

The Election Commission of India (ECI) may have legitimate reasons to be aggrieved about the harsh comments made by the judges of the Madras High Court, but its attempt to restrain oral comments of judges and prohibit the media from reporting the exchanges in court substantially weakened its case.

The Supreme Court turned down the ECIs plea to expunge the remarks of the High Court and to restrain the media. While disposing of the Commissions petition, Justice D Y Chandrachud declared that open access to court is the cornerstone of constitutional freedom. The internet has revolutionised courtroom reporting and real-time updates are part of freedom of speech and extension of the open court. It is therefore retrograde to gag reporting of court proceedings.

The judges of the High Court asked the Commission officials as to why they allowed political parties to carry on the election campaign without observing Covid protocols. Describing the Commission as an irresponsible institution, the judges said the officials should probably be hauled up for murder. The ECI felt dismayed at the intemperate language used by judges and rushed to the Supreme Court seeking expunction of the high courts remarks.

The initial observations of the Bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah to the ECIs plea is worthy of mention. They said exchanges between the Bar and the Bench instilled a sense of confidence among the public about what has transpired in the court. This dialogue between the Bar and Bench fosters the system of justice.

In conclusion, the Supreme Court said the High Courts have played a commendable role in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Madras High Courts remarks were harsh and that there must be judicial restraint while making off-the cuff remarks. As regards the media, the court said there was no substance in the ECI prayer to restrain them from reporting judicial proceedings.

It has been argued on behalf of the ECI that the Commission does not take over governance during elections. It only issues guidelines. If there is a breach, the ECI cannot be held responsible. This argument is absolutely fallacious. A Commission that regularly transfers senior officials in statesit moved out the West Bengal DGP by an order and replaced him with another officer on March 9now claims that it does not take over governance! Further, the Commission that closely monitors the working of state governments from the day the election is announced is now claiming that it is helpless if its guidelines are not followed!

One wonders whether the citizens right to free and fair elections is safe in the hands of bureaucrats who are manning the ECI today. The Commissions specious arguments and its attempt to gag the media are matters of concern. A reading of the Constituent Assembly debates will show how meticulously our founding fathers drafted Article 324 to make the ECI independent and autonomous and provide every Chief Election Commissioner a vajra kavacha strong impenetrable armourin the form of the proviso to Article 324(5) that gives him the security of office like that of a judge of the Supreme Court, so that he or she may function fearlessly. Apart from this, a simple reading of Article 324, which gives it the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections, should demolish the ECIs I am helpless argument.

One of the barbs that is flung at the Narendra Modi government is that it has hand-picked the election commissioners in order to influence the Commissions decisions. This writer has no knowledge about the truth or otherwise of this charge, but having seen the working of the ECI from the days of S L Shakdher as the chief election commissioner (when Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Indira Gandhi held the office of prime minister); R V S Peri Sastri (appointed when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister); and T N Seshan (appointed by the Chandrashekar government at the instance of Rajiv Gandhi, one is told); it can be said that every government has hand-picked the CEC and the election commissioners. It is also reasonable to presume that in every major election, every government has had its wish list relating to polling dates, etc. One part of this interaction with the ECI is formal while the other part is informal. But ultimately, when it comes to determining the dates of polling, etc., the government can have its say, but the ECI must have its way. Those who feel this equilibrium is disturbed will ask questions, not of the government, but the Election Commission, and the poll panel is bound to answer.

In the present context, the most controversial decision taken by the ECI relates to an eight-phase poll in West Bengal, as against a single day poll on April 6 in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry and 40 seats in Assam. In other words, the ECI held polls in 444 constituencies in all these states on a single day but wanted eight-phase polling for 294 constituencies in West Bengal. What is the justification? The Commission must answer. When the daily rise of Covid cases shot beyond one lakh in the first week of April, why did it not curtail the campaign or strictly enforce norms? It eventually took some half-hearted steps after the Madras High Court rapped it on the knuckles.

The ECI must answer these questions. It cannot short-circuit the debate. As the Supreme Court observed during the hearing: Institutions have to be strong and vibrant for democracy to survive. There cannot be two opinions about that.

A Surya Prakash

Former Chairman, Prasar Bharati and Scholar, Democracy Studies

(suryamedia@gmail.com)
Shankkar Aiyar By

Grief hangs heavy in the air afflicted by death, distress, despair and depression. A flailing state left its people helpless. Pleas to save a life compete for attention with intimations of death in social and personal spaces. The eloquence of heartache is binding strangers in an uncommon intimacy of sorrow.

Desolation comes wrapped in haunting images  of the wife desperately trying to revive the husband in an autorickshaw in Agra, the grandson driving with his dead granny in the car struggling to find a crematorium, of the daughter who couldnt get an ICU for her mother appealing for legalising of mercy killing.

Memories jostle for attention of friends and families as they recall the last conversation, stare at numbers from the contact list which wont flash on the screen again. As the writer Joan Didion observed, When we mourn our losses we also mourn, for better or for worse, ourselves as we were, as we are no longer, as we will one day not be at all.

Despair has overtaken hope  this is verily the republic of grief. The spirals of smoke from pyres wafting across geographies have left the nation gripped by nauseous inadequacy. That lives were lost will weigh heavily. What will and what must haunt a people is the brutal, inhuman manner of the loss, left breathless by feckless politics and a system submerged in apathy.

Aggravating angst is the parade of utterances. A cabinet minister said, We don't stop elections in a democracy. Must the process endanger the voters? Of course, elections have been interrupted midcourse  the 1991 parliamentary polls were paused. Indeed, Section 153 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 expressly states, It shall be competent for the Election Commission for reasons which it considers sufficient, to extend the time for the completion of any election

Grief demands closure on questions  on the why and who which led to the hapless circumstance. Tragically, the questions are drowned in a din of Whataboutery  and answers stranded between claims which cannot be validated and charges which are not refuted.

India and the world have been told nobody saw the surge coming  that no epidemiologist or study predicted the magnitude of the surge. Arguably, nobody predicted the scale  over 275 cases and three deaths every minute.

Critically, the question is who or which study informed the chant of victory over the pandemic  principally the claim of the health minister about the end-game.

Fact is the case curve was moving upwards from mid-February and, indeed, the principal scientific adviser said, we saw signs of a next surge but the scale and intensity of it was not clear. There has also been speculation and reports that the Covid task force did not meet for months  and these were not refuted with any credibility.

The troll brigade has breathlessly panted that other countries  the United States and the United Kingdom  did worse in terms of per million cases and ratio of fatalities. That is true. But must the measure how well a nation does depend on how poorly another did  does pride rest on the embarrassing failures of others? Some others held forth that polls were decoupled from the pandemic.

The unravelling of the surge hopefully will wake them from the delusion. At the other end of the spectrum of the Whataboutery is the troll brigade of the Opposition  particularly the Congress which is amplifying its irrelevance by a curious addiction to distracting discourse. Sure there is centralisation of policy and funding. Does that excuse states from doing what was needed to be done when the curve was flattening in December and January?

At the end of 2020-21, states were sitting on cash of over Rs 3 lakh crore. Did the states use the resources to beef up capacity? The second wave is affecting rural India. Take the state of public health centres. In 2019, India needed 1.89 lakh sub centres of which only 1.57 lakh were in place  the largest gap typically is in the poorer states of UP, Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand. The per capita spend on health of states is abysmal  at `1,250 in Bihar or `1,602 inUP would be barely enough to cover two shots of the vaccine and maybe an RT-PCR test!

There is no disputing the attention deficit at the Centre. Take vaccine procurement. What was the basis or advice which dictated the quantity of the first tranche and the pause till April 28? Yes for seven decades health care has been neglected. But that does not take away from the paucity of allocation or execution since 2014. The 2016-17 Budget promised to devolve funds to panchayats for sustainable development. The 2017-18 Budget promised transformation of 1.5 lakh sub centres. The programme of Aspirational Districts aimed at improving health outcomes. Yet in April 2021 the work of Rajendra Bharud at Nandurbar is a stand-alone success story.

Typically, the quest in India for accountability ends in the ghetto of ricocheting rhetoric. The seductive temptation to personalise success or individualise solutions frequently institutionalises systemic failure. India which accounts for a sixth of humanity cannot afford the messy status quo. It can and must do better!

Shankkar Aiyar

Author of The Gated Republic, Aadhaar:

A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit

Revolution, and Accidental India

shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com
S Nagaraja Rao By

Express News Service

KADAPA: Covid-19 has become a cash cow for several private doctors and RMPs. People have started fearing approaching a hospital even if they have a common cold, as they are afraid they might be subjected to a battery of tests.

Under such circumstances, a young doctor took it upon himself to start e-Sanjivani OPD free medical serviceteleconsultation to patients.

Be it Covid-19 or non-Covid-19 case, Dr S Sagar Kullyaireddy of Kadapa provides medical counselling at free of cost.

The 2015 MBBS batch doctor from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), who is now preparing for PG, has become a role model for others with his dedication to the profession.

During Covid-19 first wave last year, Dr Sagar, who was in his MBBS final-year extended his services to Covid-19 patients.

This year, when the situation has become more severe, he continued with his free service.

Every day from 8 am to 10 am, he provides teleconsultation services and on an average receives 30 calls. I receive calls and the patients explain their problems. In case of Covid-19, I ask them to send their symptoms, vaccination if done, other reports through WhatsApp and accordingly suggest medical advice, he explained.

He said there are people, who are neglecting initially Covid-19 symptoms, which will only worsen their condition and going to hospital at the last minute, will prove to be life threatening.

I have been suggesting people not to neglect even a small symptom and consult doctors to get it medically verified, he said.

His services are proving invaluable at a time when OP services in almost all hospitals have taken a back seat, with complete focus being on Covid-19 patients and their treatment.

Experts opine that a call from the doctor in this alarming situation provides moral support and reduces psychological burden on people.

Dr Sagar said there were some calls, which were not from the patients, but their relatives seeking help for their dear one, suffering from Covid-19.

I received a call from a person in Chennur. He said his father tested positive and asked whom to approach. When asked about oxygen saturation levels, he checked with a pulse oximeter and said it was between 91 and 92 per cent. I said oxygen support is sufficient and there is no need for a ventilator and advised him to shift his father to a hospital immediately. He got admitted to a hospital and his condition improved after he was given oxygen, Sagar said.

Similarly, another call was from another person in Yerraguntla and he informed Dr Sagar that four people in his house were infected with Covid-19.

That person told me that his mother is a cancer patient, but her oxygen levels were good. However, she was suffering.

He sent me medical and test reports through WhatsApp and I checked on her every three hours giving medical advice. Her condition slowly improved, he said.

This doctor advises people not to wait for the test results, but go on medication for fever and cough. Waiting for test results without addressing the problem on hand will only worsen the situation, he observed.

I had mild symptoms of Covid-19 and I immediately called Dr Sagar. With his advice, both medical and psychological, I recovered quickly. My advice to all is not to neglect even mild symptoms, D Vaenkataramana of Kadapa said.

Dr Sagar can be contacted on 8919405365 and 9133966067.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The State government has roped in the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), to strengthen oxygen supply network.As per the directive of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Principal Secretary (Transport) MT Krishna Babu on Saturday held talks with the ENC and RINL officials to overcome the shortage of oxygen.

A stampede like situation prevails at

several vaccination centres in Tirupati on

Saturday | Madhav K

The Indian Navy has agreed to transport 25 cryogenic tankers of liquid oxygen from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to Andhra Pradesh. Disclosing this to mediapersons, Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal said now with Navy chipping in, the oxygen supply chain to hospitals will be further strengthened.

Our efforts to get more oxygen allocated to AP have yielded results as the Centre has increased oxygen allocation to the State to 590 MT. However, the allocation is not adequate to meet the oxygen requirements of the State fully. Hence, we are continuing our efforts get more oxygen from the Centre. At the same time, we have urged the Centre to allocate oxygen from the plants near AP like Bellary in Karnataka and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, to the State as it ensures speedy transportation of the elixir of life, he said.

The Principal Secretary said 491 MT of oxygen was supplied to government and private hospitals in the last 24 hours. The government has also urged Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to allocate 90-100 MT of oxygen that it has at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota to AP. If ISRO allocates it, the oxygen needs of Nellore district will be met to some extent, he said.

ENC agrees to rectify tech glitches in oxygen plants

Singhal said Krishna Babu held discussions with Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of Eastern Naval Command and CMD of VSP on supply and storage of oxygen and maintenance of plants in the State. The ENC has agreed to take the responsibility of fixing leakages in oxygen plants and rectify other technical glitches.

Four special teams have been constituted and each team will oversee maintenance of oxygen plants in three to four districts. Arrangements are made to airlift these teams to the location of plants if necessary. The Navy has also agreed to provide special vehicles for transportation of liquid medical oxygen containers for regular use and supply oxygen concentrators, D-type oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment required for Covid treatment.

Further, the ENC will allot 10 oxygen beds and 60 general beds in INS Kalinga Hospital for Covid patients. It has also come forward to develop infrastructure for a 150-bed temporary Covid hospital at Kancharapalem in Vizag.

On the other hand, the VSP informed the government that only 100 MT of oxygen is being produced in two units with a capacity of 850 MT. Efforts are being made to get the plants operational to their installed capacity within a few months. A special committee of contracting agencies will study the plant situation within a week. Though it may not be of immediate help, the future oxygen needs will be taken care of if the plants function at their installed capacity. The Naval Dockyard has agreed to extend support to the contacting agency in this regard, Singhal said.

The VSP has also come forward to set up a 50-bed hospital with oxygen facility for Covid treatment at Gurajada Kalakshetram in Vizag. The VSP CMD has said 150 additional beds will be arranged in the hospital by May 15. About 250 beds will be available by May 30 and 600 beds by June. The district administration has been asked to deploy required doctors and medical staff to run the hospital. The ENC and VSP thanked the government for providing 4,000 doses of vaccine to their staff.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) is getting ready to supply medical oxygen to hospitals in both the Telugu states free of cost. The company is taking all necessary steps to produce 5 lakh litres of medical oxygen to cater to the needs of patients who are in various hospitals. MEIL is planning to supply 500 to 600 oxygen cylinders per day with each cylinder capacity of 7,000 litres, completely free. The total quantum of supply of oxygen will thus be around 35 lakh litres.

In consonance with the efforts of the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments, MEIL is reportedly offering medical oxygen B type cylinders free to match the increasing number of Covid-19 patients, who are in dire need of oxygen.

MEIL has submitted its proposal to the Telangana government. MEIL has received a request to refill oxygen cylinders from Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (50 cylinders), Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital (200), Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences (100) and Hyderabad Care Hi-tech hospital (50). These hospitals have augmented their Covid bed strength based on the spurt in cases.

On the other hand, MEIL, with the technical support of DRDO, is planning to construct 30-40 oxygen generation plants. Each plant can generate 150-1000 litres per minute based on the technology of on-board oxygen generation used in fighter planes. Director DRDO Col BS Rawat has appointed senior scientist Dr Raghavendra Rao to coordinate the initiative.

MEIL is currently manufacturing 30 tonnes/per day in its cryogenic oxygen liquefaction plant. The same will be installed and commissioned at ITC, Bhadrachalam by May 13. The cryogenic oxygen will then be converted into usable liquid oxygen for medical purposes at the MEIL facilities.Sources said that if required by the State governments, MEIL is ready to import two to three cryogenic oxygen tanks from its unit in Spain, which will help in the sourcing and movement of liquid oxygen.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The State government has roped in the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), to strengthen oxygen supply network.

As per the directive of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, AP Principal Secretary (Transport) MT Krishna Babu on Saturday held talks with the ENC and RINL to overcome the shortage of oxygen. The Indian Navy has agreed to transport 25 cryogenic tankers of liquid oxygen from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to AP.

Disclosing this to mediapersons, AP Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal said now with Navy chipping in, the oxygen supply chain to hospitals would be further strengthened. Our efforts to get more oxygen allocated to AP have yielded results as the Centre has increased oxygen allocation to the State to 590 MT. However, it is not adequate. Hence, we are continuing our efforts to get more oxygen from the Centre. We have also urged the Centre to allocate oxygen from plants near to AP like Bellary in Karnataka and Chennai in TN, he said.
Nirad Mudur By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: In one year and sixty days from March 8, 2020, when Karnatakas first Covid case was registered, over 18 lakh cases have been reported across the state. Countrywide, the figure stands at 2,18,92,676 (almost 2.19 crore).

The state  which recorded Indias first Covid death  has witnessed 17,804 deaths, even as it moves towards the peak of the second wave, which has been deadlier than the first.

We are not done yet as experts are issuing warnings about a third wave, likely to be deadlier than the second. It appears that there is no end to the suffering.

Karnataka is witnessing an explosion of cases and fatalities. It recorded a shocking 592 deaths for a single day on Friday, a jump from the earlier peak of 346 on May 5.

But worse may be round the corner.

When the first wave started abating in November last year, the Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) advised the State Government to anticipate a second wave and be ready to manage it better than the first one.

It submitted a document on November 30, titled Advisory on Recommendation and Containment Measures for Second Wave of Covid-19 in Karnataka.

It suggested closely monitoring the seven-day average growth rate and viral reproduction number at the district and state level.

It advised strengthening of contact tracing, surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and initiating long-term care facilities.

It even alerted the government to expect the second wave in the first week of January 2021, and asked the administration to maintain clinical facilities at the level of October 2020  when the first wave was just past its peak  and be ready with adequate number of beds (including oxygen beds), ICUs and ICU-ventilators in government and private hospitals.

It advised fortnightly RT-PCR sample pool testing of all teachers, students and staff in educational institutions and anganwadis by sample pooling to avoid formation of Covid clusters.

These fell on deaf ears.

Instead, the authorities allowed processions and massive rallies, assuming the pandemic to be history  an error that is being paid by thousands of lives.

The numbers prove just how intense the second wave has been in comparison to the first.

The highest addition to the Covid tally in a single day was 10,947 on October 7, 2020 when the wave was at its worst.

In the second wave, so far, the record has been almost five times that number  50,112  on May 5, followed by the second highest (49,058) the very next day and 48,781 on Friday.

In deaths, too, the highest number of fatalities in a day in the first wave was 179 on September 18, 2020; while in the second wave, it was 592 on Friday, followed by 346 on May 5, and 328 on May 6.

In active cases, the first wave saw 1,20,929 as the highest number on October 10, 2020, while the second wave is seeing a high average growth rate of 6.80 per cent in active cases, with the highest of 5,36,641 reached on Friday.

The figure is poised to increase further.

Dr Vikram Siddareddy, chairman & managing director, United Hospital, Kalaburagi, says, In the first wave, Covid was milder and we managed it. But this mutant virus (cause of the second wave) is more aggressive. We cannot predict its behaviour. In 14 days, the number of infected persons has increased over 2.25 times.

The speed in growth of active cases is shocking: Since April 24, the active cases took just four days to go up from two lakh to three lakh; another four days to reach four lakh; and five more days to cross five lakh. And we have still not reached the peak of the second wave!

Dr Anoop Amarnath, Head, Scientific Board and Chairman-Geriatric Medicine, Manipal Hospital and member of the states Critical Care Support Team, says, Right now, there is an increase in positivity rate, which is a red flag. An increase in these numbers means possibly higher fatality rate down the line.

Karnatakas positivity rate  number of patients testing positive per 100 tests conducted  has shot up from 4.63% on April 4 to 6.88% on Friday.

This should be tamped down to bring the pandemic under control, or we will continue to see higher numbers. We are seeing patients suffering from mucormycosis (fungal infection) and if this gets aggravated, patients cant cope. We need to closely monitor the patients to bring down deaths, he says.

Dr Amarnath says a stringent lockdown alone will not help curb cases.

What is needed right now is ramping up healthcare logistics, making beds, oxygen, medicines and even ICUs easily available. This is the real issue in the second wave. If this pans out well then cases can be curbed, he adds.

Dr Shashikiran Umakanth, Medical Director, Dr TMA Pai Hospital, Udupi, says, If the second wave reaches the peak by May-end and cases decline, it is good. But if it increases again in the rainy season, it may be a very difficult situation.

A pandemic comes in waves. Experts say this is because of viral mutations and people becoming careless when numbers decline, allowing virus variants to take hold, often in deadlier forms.

Experts warn of a third wave some time at the end of the year, although many refrain from predicting when.

They are reminding the State Government not to repeat its folly and remain prepared for the next wave.

The pandemic has picked up pace and has taken us all by surprise. The second wave may go down in the coming days, but the third wave is predicted to cause larger damage and we have to be better prepared, says Dr KB Cariappa, Dean, Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences.

Dr YS Rao, Convenor, Covid cell of Indian Medical Association, Udupi-Karavali, says that firstly, critical facilities like oxygen supply and ICU beds have to be augmented and steady supply ensured. Secondly, stricter restrictions should be implemented to reduce the infection spread.

Dr Farhan Faizal, infectious disease specialist, Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, adds, How it will end, nobody knows. But with vaccines, the number of cases in ICU will reduce. For that we need more vaccines and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

FIRST WAVE (from March 8, 2020)

Highest number of cases: 10,947 on Oct 7, 2020.

Highest positivity rate of 12.54% on Sept 27, 2020.

Lowest positivity rate of 4.84% on March 15, 2021.

Highest recovery rate of 98.06% on Jan 30, 2021.

Lowest recovery rate of 35.29% on July 20, 2020.

High mortality rate of 2.08% on July 19, 2020.

Lowest mortality rate of 1.30% on Jan 31, 2021.

Highest number of active cases: 1,20,929 on Oct 10, 2020.

SECOND WAVE (from mid-March, 2021)

Highest number of cases: 50,112 on May 5.

Highest positivity rate of 6.88% on May 7.

Recovery rate falls to 69.84% on May 7.

Mortality rate falls to 0.96% as on May 7.

Highest number of active cases: 5,36,641 on May 7.

Inputs from: Iffath Fathima, Vincent DSouza, Naushad Bijapur, Karthik KK, Ramakrishna Badseshi, Marx Tejaswi, Prija GR, Prakash Samaga and K Velayudham
Prakash Samaga By

Express News Service

UDUPI: Nestled amid coastal Karnatakas verdant hills is a house that has become something of a personal historical record of motorbikes available in India, thanks to Roshan Shettys love for vintage wheels.The 31-year-old civil engineers house in Athrady, Udupi district, is encircled by gleaming vintage two-wheelers that he has collected since 2015. He has 30 of them now. I collect them because I feel they are treasures lost in time, says Roshan. His collection includes both the indigenous and the exotic, with each bike known for something unique  either its performance or the nostalgia it evokes.

While pursuing a degree in engineering at Manipal Institute of Technology in Manipal, he became interested in bikes through motorcycle stunt shows. He also used to hang out at his friends garage, and picked up the workings of different two-wheelers, and nuances of the machinery. It was around this time that he began to dream of collecting vintage two-wheelers.

Roshan got his first treasure in 2015, a Yezdi CL2, a year after he first saw it. Yezdi bikes were hugely popular when they were launched in the 1970s and 80s, and acquired cult status among Indians for their performance and design, but were eventually edged out of the market by newer bikes. He saw a man with the Yezdi CL2 in Udyavara (near Udupi) but couldnt approach him. It was only a year later that he was able to meet the man and managed to convince him to sell them the bike. In 2016, he stumbled across an ad for the sale of a Yezdi Roadking on online marketplace OLX. Ecstatic, he bought the bike from its Bengaluru-based owner and had it delivered to his hometown.

The next year  2017  was the year of nostalgia. Roshan acquired a Lambretta scooter  another classic from the 1970s  which for many Indian families was the first motor vehicle they owned and which could easily accommodate a family of four. Many people have memories of standing in the front of the scooter as a small child, not to mention the scooters depiction in Indian and Hollywood movies of the time. Vintage bikes are neither easy to find, nor easy to procure  nobody wants to part with a vintage machine. Some of them were almost scrap. I had to contact mechanics from faraway places to get spare parts. I restored them myself, he says with pride.

Roshans bikes may be lined up outside his house, but they arent just for show. Two years ago, he went on a road trip with seven others from Udupi to Kerala on his Lambretta. He has also undertaken such trips to Goa, Madikeri, Sakleshpur and other destinations with his group. Collecting vintage bikes and going on road trips once in two or three months is a stress-buster for me. I made many friends because of my hobby. As the saying goes: birds of a feather, flock together..., he says.

Initially, Roshans parents Anand and Rathnavathi Shetty werent too happy with their sons hobby, which is rather expensive. But gradually, they too began to develop an appreciation for Roshans wish to own pieces of motorbike history. Besides, he could balance his profession and hobby, and that made them happy. Roshan has 30 vintage bikes, but there are more out there. He is currently looking for a Suvega moped and Rajdoot GTS 175, made famous by Raj Kapoors 1973 film Bobby. I will get them too. I am looking for them, he says simply.

For now, as it has been for a while, every Sunday is vintage bike ride day.

Vintage wheels

Yezdi Deluxe

Rajdoot

Harley Davidson Street 750

Vijay Super

Royal Enfield Mofa

Lamby Polo

Hero Majestic (35 cc)

Hero Puch

Luna Super

Bajaj Priya

LML Vespa

Lambretta


Bosky Khanna By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: It is not just private and government hospitals and Covid Care Centres that are demanding oxygen, but also individuals who are stocking up cylinders at home. As per government records, the demand for oxygen on Friday was 1,240 MT, but the supply was 900 MT. Of the total demand, 30- 40 per cent was from private hospitals, while 20- 25 per cent was from individuals who wanted to stock oxygen at home.

Some who want it at home are using it for certified medical purposes like for home nursing. But there are many others who are hoarding cylinders out of fear of stocks running out in the market. They dont even know how to use an oxygen cylinder. We are worried now that there will be serious medical consequences. There is also no record of the individuals who have these cylinders at home and of what quantities. This is also contributing to the present shortage, an official said.

The shortage is also because of the government order that states should not share their oxygen resources. It has made matters worse. For example, even though Hosur is in Tamil Nadu, oxygen supplies used to come from there as it is close to Bengaluru. But now the supplies have stopped. Similarly, Belagavi used to get supplies from Kolhapur. The problem has aggravated because the supplier who had contracts with big hospitals is based in Palakkad and he has stopped supplies because of the cross-border issues.

These large hospitals too are dependent on the government for their supplies now, the official explained.

As there is a big demand for ICUs and oxygenated beds, smaller hospitals too have admitted patients to HDU and ICU, not declaring their oxygen capacity. These hospitals too are in queue demanding cylinders of 40KL capacity.

The demand for oxygen has shot up in the last 10 days. Refillers are sitting idle because they do not have vehicles to get oxygen from manufacturing units. I am a registered oxygen refiller with a licence. I am unable to get liquid oxygen from manufacturing units as they are asking me to get my vehicles, which I dont have, while nodal officers are asking me to supply. How can I, asked a refiller.

Another official said, Karnataka should have learnt from Kerala. It studied the second wave and quickly converted all beds into oxygen beds and has over 93 oxygen tankers.
Hemant Kumar Rout By

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The highly infectious double mutant B.1.617 strain of SARS-CoV-2 has triggered the ferocious second wave in Odisha where around 1.8 lakh cases and 239 deaths have been recorded in last one month.

Around 50 per cent (pc) of the samples sequenced in the State in April have been found to harbour new mutations of B.1.617.

Of the 34 samples collected from different districts between April 2 and 28, as many as 17 were found to have two lineages of the B.1.617 variant that is fast expanding its footprint across the county.

Eight samples carried B.1.617.2, which was present in at least 82 pc samples sequenced in West Bengal recently, and nine samples carried B.1.617.1. The B.1.617 has three lineages so far of which two have been found in the State.

Not a single sample was, however, found with the UK variant B.1.1.7 or the triple-mutant B.1.618 that was considered to be more prevalent in West Bengal.

While the UK variant is declining in proportion, the double mutant B.1.617 could be triggering the surge in cases and deaths during the deadly second wave. The spike in infections seen over the last one month shows a correlation with the rise in the B1.617 lineage of SARS CoV-2, said a researcher associated with Covid-19 genome sequencing.

The double mutant is spread across the State though the B.1.617.2 lineage has been mostly found in samples from Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts. Clinical analysis suggests the variant spreads faster and is deadlier, the researcher added.

As per data released by Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), around 70 variants of concern (VOC) and variants under investigation (VUI) have been detected in Odisha between December and April. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has flagged B.1.1.7 (UK variant) and B.1.315 (South Africa variant) as VOC and B.1.617 (double mutant, initially found in Maharashtra) as VUI.

Even as the N440K strain from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was found in five samples in Odisha in December last year, the State government put restrictions on the entry of travellers from both the states only recently after a study claimed that the strain had higher transmissibility.

The entry of returnees could have been monitored since then. We share information on the status of VOCs and new mutants from time to time for stringent public health interventions. It is the government to take the final call, said an official of INSACOG.

Vaccination of 18 plus in 4 cities from tomorrow

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government on Saturday announced to start inoculation of people of 18-44 age group in four cities following the arrival of one lakh doses of Covishield vaccine as part of its own procurement
Harish Murali By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: R Shunmugasundaram on Saturday was appointed as the Advocate General of the state by the state government. The former DMK Rajya Sabha MP and also a designated senior advocate has served as the state public prosecutor from 1996 to 2001.

According to the government order released from the governor's office, R Shunmugasundram has been appointed as the advocate general.

On May 1, a day before the declaration of election results, former Advocate General Vijay Narayan had resigned from the post, which he sent to the former chief minister.

According to court officials, Shanmugasundaram's first appearance as Tamil Nadu's Advocate General will be on Monday before a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, which is expected to hear the suo motu case on the Covid-19 management in the state.

ALSO READ: Gagandeep Singh Bedi appointed Chennai Corporation Commissioner

Shunmugasundaram has successfully prosecuted former Chief Minister, Ministers and high ranking public officials in cases of bribery and corruption and for their criminal misconduct. One of his notable achievements includes representing the state before Justice MC Jain Commission of Inquiry to assist the enquiry into the assassination of former Prime Minister, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi and as an "amicus curiae" by the Madras High Court to assist the Court relating to London Hotel Case, considering the public importance and its sensitive nature.

R Shunmughasundaram enrolled as an advocate in the year 1977. He also gained experience in criminal law from his father, Late S Rajagopal, a leading Advocate and former Public Prosecutor, Madurai. R Shunmughasundaram was also appointed as Additional Public Prosecutor of the Madras High Court, and worked during 1989-91, conducting prosecutions on behalf of the State, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Railways.
C Shivakumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The new lockdown may not restrict in-situ construction activities, but the developers are worried over the transport of construction materials from Monday.

The closing of hardware shops will alone impact the construction activity by 50 per cent, says Builders Association of India State secretary S Rama Prabhu.

Works such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical works will be affected severely if the hardware shops are closed. The government must permit the hardware shops also to function for four hours, he added.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI ) has approached CM M K Stalin to allow the movement of Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) Vehicles and ensure that the supply chain of construction materials doesnt get disrupted.

CREDAI Tamil Nadu chapter President Suresh Krishna told Express that his association has welcomed the government decision to implement lockdown.

The CREDAI has also written to the CM to allow transport of RMC vehicles and building materials to the site.

We also request the government to ensure free movement of local engineers and supervisors to visit sites as they are instrumental in ensuring that the workers are paid their daily wages, Krishna added.

He also said that developers attached to CREDAI have made arrangements for food for labourers during the lockdown.

Interestingly, CREDAI at the national level has written to Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs secretary Durga Shanker Mishra to extend the validity of all existing approvals accorded for real estate activities by nine months.

CREDAI Urban Development/ Affordable Housing Committee chairman S Sridharan told Express that although States have exempted construction activity from the lockdown, the labourers are already returning to their native towns.
Omjasvin MD By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian on Sunday said that there will be 12 more Siddha Covid Care Centres in Tamil Nadu for treating mild patients.

Addressing reporters, after inaugurating a 240-bed Siddha Care Center at Ambedkar College in Vyasarpadi, Minister Subramanian said that this move was suggested by Chief Minister MK Stalin to reduce stress on the tertiary hospitals.

Not all patients require oxygen support and treatment. These centers will treat patients with mild symptoms and it will reduce patients going to tertiary hospitals, he said.

Subramanian said that the medicines given for treatment at the Siddha center are Kabasura Kudineer, Brahmananda Bhairavam Mathirai, Thalisadi Churnam, Karpuram Thailam among other things. Sukku Kanji and other herbal food is given here and practices like Siddha Yoga, Tirumoolar Pranayama, and mental health support is also given, the Minister said.

He pointed out that more than 2000 Covid patients were benefitted from the Siddha treatment and presently, there are 1410 professionals involved in the Indian medicine practices. We will use them to open up more centers, he said.

The Minister added that a 70-bed Siddha care center will soon be opened at the AM Jain College and the CM has held discussions with practitioners from Siddha, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani, and will decide on how to utilize them for Covid treatment.

Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash and Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan were present during the inauguration.
Gayathri Mani By

NEW DELHI: The police have arrested an Afghan couple and recovered over 100 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 860 crore from their possession, officials said on Saturday. The accused have been identified as Mohammad Shafi (48) and Tareena (36), both natives of Kandahar in Afghanistan.

They have been booked under NDPS and Foriegner act. The police recovered 125.840 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 860 crore in the international market, officials said.

Having received information about supply of Heroin in the area of West District, a dedicated team of nine police under the close supervision of Jagpal Singh, ACP/Operations was constituted. The Team was assigned to track and nab the Heroin suppliers in the area of West District, said the police.

The heroin was kept in seven plastic bags, police said. Shafi told the police that he supplied heroin from Wazirabad to Khyala and thereafter to Punjab, they said. Further investigation is going on for connecting the source and destination of the supply chain, said DCP West Urvija Goel.
Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has transferred the case of alleged black-marketing and hoarding of oxygen concentrators in which over 500 machines were recovered to the Crime Branch, officials said on Saturday.

On Friday, police recovered 105 oxygen concentrators during raids at two upscale restaurants in the Khan Market area and arrested one person.

A dog walks past a sealed Khan Chacha

restaurant in New Delhi | File PIc

Police on Thursday recovered 419 oxygen concentrators during raids at a restaurant and a farmhouse in south Delhi and arrested four men. A senior police officer said that the case of alleged hoarding of 524 oxygen concentrators has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch. With further seizure of 105 #OxygenConcentrator from Khan Chacha & Town Hall, 2 upscale restaurants in Khan Mkt, total 524 seized frm #blackmarketers Owner Navneet Kalra, also owns Dayal Opticals, is on run.

Manager, 3 staffers arrested by #DelhiPolice South- Dist. Further raids on, the Delhi Police had tweeted. Navneet Kalra is the owner of all the three restaurants. His mobile phone is switched off and he is absconding, the police said. The oxygen concentrators had been imported from China by a private company. Delhi Police also found some screenshots of Kalras Whatsapp chat on concentrators which reveals his involvement in the case.

An alleged audio of Kalra is also being circulated in which he is saying, I have two lakh calls to attend, so I wont be able to answer each and every personal questions. The cost of one oxygen concentrator was between Rs 16,000 to Rs 22,000. Some of them had a capacity of five litres and some of nine litres. The accused were selling the machines between Rs 50,000, to Rs 70,000, police said.

Ninety-six oxygen concentrators were on Friday recovered from popular restaurant Khan Chacha and nine from Town Hall restaurant, both situated in the Khan Market area, they said. The police also arrested Gaurav Khanna, the CEO of Matrix Cellular, through which the oxygen concentrators had been imported to India. The accused were produced before a court, which granted one-day police custody, a senior police officer had said.
Rajesh Asnani By

RAJASTHAN: A modest but dedicated husband-wife team has emerged as Covid warriors in Rajasthans Jodhpur district. Raju Vyas, a headmaster at a government school at Pratap Nagar, and his wife Chandra Harsh, a Grade One nurse at the Ummed Hospital, have offered a lifeline to saving dozens of corona-infected patients in the city. Jodhpur is the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The couple has converted a part of Surajdevi Roopa Devi Pushtikar private school run by Pushkarna community into a mini Covid care centre to help people battle against the pandemic. Patients are provided medicines, treatment and even oxygen- equipped beds. In addition, the centre provides isolation facilities for those with less serious conditions and food to all.

Raju Vyas is a headmaster of a government

school & his wife Chandra Harsh works

as a nurse | EXPRESS

All these services are for free, thanks to donations made by the local society. Located at the citys Siwanchi Gate area, the mini Covid care centre came up in a part of the school premises with permission of the Jodhpur Collector and the CMHO as Jodhpur emerged as a major hotspot in the state. With 24,797 active cases and 776 deaths, the city is only next to Jaipur in terms of the number of Covid patients in the state. The centre looks after 18 patients and is ready to house 50 beds after the governments goahead. Last year too, the school was converted into a quarantine centre for about 135 patients.

This year as the second wave of the pandemic is more severe, the husband-wife team is keen to provide valuable service to the walled city area where the school is located. In the old city of Jodhpur, most homes are smaller, and if a person gets infected, it is very difficult to isolate the patient, endangering others. All the 135 patients who were kept in isolation at our school last year had fully recovered, says Raju Vyas. To enable it to become an effective Covid care centre, the government has deputed a doctor and three nursing employees.

What provides special strength to the centre is Rajus wife who is his biggest inspiration. Chandra Harsh, a Grade One nurse, not only stays at the Centre after duty hours, but also brings along a few other nursing colleagues to provide better services to the patients at the school-cum-Covid centre. Most patients get treated at home, but what happens when someones oxygen level drops below 94 and they are unable to find an oxygen bed in a city hospitals? Our centre then provides a valuable service.

By putting them on oxygen, we are able to buy valuable time for the patients till they find a bed in a hospital, says Chandra. While the medical oxygen shortage is a huge national crisis, the couple has made special arrangements for it. They have 20 oxygen cylinders, but have arrangements to provide support to two patients from each cylinder; so they are able to provide oxygen to 40 patients at any given time. In addition, they have two oxygen concentrators and through the help of local donors from community, they have ordered another 15 of them which cost Rs 50,000 per piece.

Besides investing some of their own modest savings into the centre, Raju Vyas has appealed for donations through social media. The local community has been supporting them generously. When the entire country is reeling under the pandemic, we thought we should do something to help people. People are helping us because they realize that we are not here to make money, says Vyas.

Though its barely a few weeks since they started their mission, the couple has generated a fund of goodwill through their committed service. Besides providing free medicine and antibiotics to even walk-in corona patients, the centre now has two ambulances to ferry its patients. In addition, local donors enable the centre to provide healthy and nourishing meals to its patients for free. The government has now decided to use this facility as a vaccination centre.
RTHK: Obama family mourns beloved White House pet Bo

Barack Obama's family dog Bo, who became a popular resident of the White House, died on Saturday from cancer, the former US president said, remembering him as "a constant, gentle presence in our lives."

Obama had promised his young daughters Malia and Sasha that they could get a dog after the 2008 election, and Bo joined the family soon after they moved into the president's official residence.

"Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion," Obama said on Twitter, sharing photographs of him and Bo running down a White House corridor and Bo being petted by children.

"For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives  happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between," Obama wrote.

"He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair."

Bo, a black-and-white Portuguese water dog, was a gift to the Obamas from senator Edward Kennedy, and was chosen due to the breed's hypoallergenic coat.

He appeared regularly at White House events, particularly the annual Easter Egg Roll, met the Pope, visited children in hospital and flew on Air Force One.

"As a family, we will miss Bo dearly," former first lady Michelle Obama wrote on Instagram. "But we are thankful that he lived such a joyful life full of snuggles, games of fetch, and evenings spent lying on the couch." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-05-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By PTI

MELBOURNE: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that the countrys borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

Australia's borders were slammed shut in March last year as the coronavirus spread across the world. Only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter the country under some strict COVID-19 border rules.

On April 27, Australia suspended all direct passenger flights from India with immediate effect until May 15 due to the "very significant" spike in COVID-19 cases there.

According to media reports here, Morrison said he "doesnt see an appetite" for Australia opening to the world at the moment, and that he intended to be cautious

He further said that it was still unclear if it was safe to reopen even after the vaccination rollout completion and that he has no plans to abandon a "zero cases" target.

Morrison said that the country''s borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world so as to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

I think what we''re seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic is not going anywhere," Morrison said.

All I know is once you let (COVID-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. Youve crossed that threshold. We continue to roll out the vaccination programme, over the course of this year, and in the meantime, I intend to be cautious, its in my nature, he added.

"We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has," he said.

In a later Facebook post, he warned borders would only be opened "when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead."

I think Australians want to ensure that the way were living at the moment is maintained, he said.

It follows Finance Minister Simon Birminghams comments on Thursday that international borders opening was unlikely to happen soon because there has been a clear message Australians do not want to risk COVID entering this country.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Australia are 29,906 and the death toll stands at 910.

A total of 2.5 million Australians have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to Federal Government figures.But the government has received criticism for its slow roll-out, falling well below its target of having four million adults given the jab by the end of March, according to a media report.

On May 7, Morrison said that Australia will charter three repatriation flights from India between May 15 and May 31. The first flight into Darwin will touch down on May 15. Direct commercial flights from India are still banned.

Morrison said flights being organised to repatriate stranded Australians will be "focused on bringing those Australian citizens, residents and families who have been registered with our high commission and consular offices within India."

Official figures say there are currently 9,000 Australians in India who want to return home.
By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday rejected a petition by jailed former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to go abroad on a medical visit, saying "there is no judicial provision that permits a jailed convict to go abroad for treatment".

The 76-year-old chief of main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who is serving a 17-year jail term on charges of embezzling foreign donations, has been temporarily released from prison amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zia contracted the virus in early April.

As per the doctors, she has now tested negative for the infection and is recovering at a hospital here.

"There is no judicial provision that permits a jailed convict to go abroad for treatment," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told a news briefing on Sunday, hours after the Law Ministry turned down a petition on her behalf seeking permission to fly abroad for further treatment.

Officials said the Law Ministry reviewed the legal scope and barriers for Zia's visit abroad and sent its opinion to the minister.

The government officially turned down the application after Zia's doctors said she had tested negative for the virus.

"The third phase test has found her COVID-19 negative but she is now in hospital for post COVID-19 treatments," said Zia's doctor and BNP vice chairman AZM Zahid Hossain.

Doctors close to the family said uncontrolled diabetes and arthritis had complicated the former prime minister's treatment.

"It is a matter of hope that she is showing a sign of progress, though her health condition requires her to stay in CCU (critical care unit) of the hospital," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

"You know she is suffering from different ailments many of which aggravated due to her imprisonment and age," he added.

Zia tested positive for coronavirus on April 11 and was admitted to a private hospital on April 27 after she had trouble breathing.

She was shifted to the hospital's critical care unit on May 3.

On May 6, Zia's younger brother Shamim Eskandar met the home minister seeking permission for Zia's treatment abroad.

The application was forwarded to the Law Ministry.

Zia is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018.

She was sent to jail by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and president Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006.

Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP.

She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

In March 2020, Zia was released from jail for six months on condition that she would stay at home, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In March, the Bangladesh government extended the suspension of the sentence for a second time by six months.

Zia has served thrice as the premier of Bangladesh since 1991.

Her party suffered a miserable defeat in the 2018 elections bagging only six seats in the 300-seat parliament.

Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges de-barred her from contesting the polls.
By PTI

JERUSALEM: Israeli police on Saturday clashed with Palestinian protesters outside Jerusalem's Old City during the holiest night of Ramzan in a show of force that threatened to deepen the holy city's worst religious unrest in several years.

Earlier, police blocked busloads of pilgrims headed to Jerusalem for prayer at Islam's third holiest site.

Police defended their actions as security moves, but these were seen as provocations by Muslims who accuse Israel of threatening their freedom of worship.

Competing claims to east Jerusalem, home to major shrines of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have triggered serious violence in the past.

The unrest came a day after violence in which Palestinian medics said more than 200 Palestinians were wounded in clashes at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and elsewhere in Jerusalem.

Friday's violence drew condemnations from Israel's Arab allies and calls for calm from the United States and Europe and the United Nations.

The Arab League scheduled an emergency meeting on Monday.

Early Sunday, the Israeli military said Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the country's south that fell in an open area.

In response, aircraft struck a military post for Hamas, the militant group ruling the territory.

There were no reports of casualties in either attack.

Police chief Koby Shabtai said he had deployed more police in Jerusalem following Friday night's clashes, which left 18 police officers wounded.

After weeks of nightly violence, Israelis and Palestinians were bracing for more conflict in the coming days.

The right to demonstrate will be respected but public disturbances will be met with force and zero tolerance.

I call on everyone to act responsibly and with restraint, Shabtai said.

Saturday night was Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Destiny, the most sacred in the Muslim holy month of Ramzan.

Islamic authorities estimated 90,000 people gathered for nighttime prayers at Al-Aqsa, the third-holiest site in Islam.

A large crowd of protesters chanted God is great outside the Old City's Damascus Gate, and some pelted police with rocks and water bottles.

Police patrols fired stun grenades as they moved through the area, and a police truck periodically fired a water cannon.

Palestinian medics said 64 Palestinians were wounded, mostly by rubber bullets, stun grenades or beatings, among them a woman whose face was bloodied.

Eleven people were hospitalized, medics said.

One man with a small boy yelled at the police as they marched by.

You should be ashamed!" he said.

Earlier, police reported clashes in the Old City, near Al-Aqsa, and in the nearby east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where dozens of Palestinians are fighting attempts by Israeli settlers to evict them from their homes.

Police reported several arrests, and said one officer was struck in the face with a rock.

Earlier Saturday, police stopped a convoy of buses that were filled with Arab citizens on the main highway heading to Jerusalem for Ramzan prayers.

Israel's public broadcaster Kan said police stopped the buses for a security check.

Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, and travellers, upset that they were stopped without explanation on a hot day, exited the buses and blocked the highway in protest.

Kan showed footage of the protesters praying, chanting slogans and marching along the highway toward Jerusalem.

The road was reopened several hours later.

Ibtasam Maraana, an Arab member of parliament, accused police of a terrible attack on freedom of religion.

Police: Remember that they are citizens, not enemies, she wrote on Twitter.

The current wave of protests broke out at the beginning of Ramzan three weeks ago when Israel restricted gatherings at a popular meeting spot outside Jerusalem's Old City.

Israel removed the restrictions, briefly calming the situation, but protests have reignited in recent days over the threatened evictions in east Jerusalem, which is claimed by both sides in their decades-old conflict.

Other recent developments also contributed to the tense atmosphere, including the postponement of Palestinian elections, deadly violence in which a Palestinian teenager, two Palestinian gunmen and a young Israeli man were killed in separate incidents in the West Bank, and the election to Israel's parliament of a far-right Jewish nationalist party.

One right-wing lawmaker, Itamar Ben-Gvir, briefly set up an outdoor office in Sheikh Jarrah, near the homes of residents facing eviction.

On Sunday evening, Jewish Israelis begin marking Jerusalem Day, a national holiday in which Israel celebrates its annexation of east Jerusalem and religious nationalists hold parades and other celebrations in the city.

On Monday, an Israeli court is expected to issue a verdict on the planned evictions in Sheikh Jarrah.

Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza  territories the Palestinians want for their future state  in the 1967 Mideast war.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally, and views the entire city as its capital.

The Palestinians view east Jerusalem  which includes major holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims  as their capital, and its fate is one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict.

(AP) AMS 05090959 NNNN
By PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal's embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Monday to prove that he enjoys majority support in the lower house after the CPN (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpakamal Dahal "Prachanda" withdrew support to his government.

A special session of the lower house of Parliament has been called for Monday when Prime Minister Oli will try to win the confidence of the 275-member house to prove that he enjoys majority support, aiming to consolidate his grip in the party.

The prime minister's fate will be decided by Monday's voting for which the ruling CPN-UML has issued a whip to all of its lawmakers, urging them to cast their votes in favour of the prime minister.

After its alliance Nepal Communist Party, Maoist Centre led by Prachanda withdrew its support to the government, Oli's government is reduced to a minority one.

There are only 121 members of the lower house with the CPN-UML.

However, Oli hopes to garner majority in the voting with the support from other fringe parties during the crucial voting.

But Madhav Nepal led rival group within the ruling party, which commands support of 22 Parliament members, has warned to tender en masse resignation before the voting takes place, according sources close to CPN-UML Nepal faction.

The pro-Madhesi Janata Samajwadi Party has decided to remain neutral, not to vote either for or against Oli, during the voting.

Main Opposition Nepali Congress has already decided to vote against Oli during the voting.

Meanwhile, 28 members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Their swabs were collected recently ahead of the House of Representatives meeting.

Gopainath Yogi, secretary at the Parliament Secretariat, told PTI that arrangements are being made for the COVID-19 positive lawmakers to cast their votes in a separate room during the voting.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Oli's move to dissolve the House sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by his rival 'Prachanda'.

In February, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls.

Oli repeatedly defended his move to dissolve the House of Representatives, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a "parallel government".
By PTI

LONDON: Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, whose extradition to India was ordered last month by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, has filed an application for permission to appeal against the order in the High Court in London.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed an appeal has been lodged but a High Court judge who will make a decision on the matter is yet to be assigned.

The matter has not been sent to a judge for consideration on the papers, the Administrative Division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London said this week.

In the first instance, a High Court judge will make a decision on the papers submitted for the appeal and determine if there are any grounds for an appeal against the Home Secretarys decision or the Westminster Magistrates Court February ruling in favour of Modis extradition to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering.

Following that decision, there is scope for the defence team to seek an oral hearing to plead their case. There are no certain time-frames for the legal processes involved, which could take months.

We are waiting to see if they do apply for permission to appeal. If they are allowed to appeal then we would contest any appeal proceedings on behalf of the GOI (government of India), a CPS spokesperson had said earlier.

Meanwhile, 50-year-old Modi remains behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest over two years ago on March 19, 2019.

In his ruling in February, District Judge Sam Goozee said that the diamond merchant has a case to answer before the Indian courts and that the bars to extradition under UK law do not apply in his case.

As part of a very comprehensive judgment, the judge concluded that he was satisfied that there is evidence upon which Modi could be convicted in relation to the conspiracy to defraud the PNB.

A prima facie case is established, he said, in relation to all counts of charges brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) -- including money laundering, intimidation of witnesses and disappearance of evidence.

The court had also accepted that while Modi''s mental health had deteriorated due to the lengthy incarceration in a London prison, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, his risk of suicide did not meet the high threshold to conclude that it would be "unjust or oppressive" to extradite him.

Modi is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the CBI case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of letters of undertaking (LoUs) or loan agreements, and the ED case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud. He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death, which were added on to the CBI case.

As witnessed in the extradition case of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya -- who remains on bail in the UK while a confidential matter, believed to be related to an asylum request, is resolved -- there is still some way to go before Modi can be moved from Wandsworth Prison in London to Barrack 12 Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and face trial in India.
By AFP

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to violence in annexed east Jerusalem, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police have left scores of Palestinians injured.

After delivering his Regina Caeli prayer from the window overlooking St Peter's Square, the pope said he was "following with particular concern the events that are happening in Jerusalem".

"I pray so that this might be a place of encounter and not violent clashes, a place of prayer and of peace," he said.

"I invite everyone to seek shared resolutions so that the multi-religious identity and multi-culture of the holy city might be respected and so that fraternity might prevail.

"Violence only generates violence. Let's stop these clashes."

Tensions ran high Sunday in east Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinians were wounded in a weekend of clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces, sparking global concern that the unrest could spread further.

The violence around Jerusalem's revered Al-Aqsa mosque compound and the Old City, mostly at night, is the worst since 2017, fuelled by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem.

The pope also offered his prayers for the victims of the attack on Saturday on a school in Kabul, describing it as "an inhumane action that killed many girls as they were leaving school".

"Let us pray for all of them and for their families, and that God might grant peace to Afghanistan," he said.

A series of blasts outside the school during a peak holiday shopping period killed more than 50 people, mostly girl students, and wounded over 100 in Dasht-e-Barchi, a west Kabul suburb populated mostly by Hazara Shiites.

Finally, the Argentine pontiff offered some words for a small crowd of people bearing Colombian flags who had come to St Peter's Square hoping for some reference to the demonstrations and clashes in their country.

"I would also like to express my concern for the tension and violent clashes in Colombia which have left many wounded. There are many Colombians here, let's pray for your country," he said.
HONOLULU (AP)  Comments on social media about a 16-year-old boy shot and killed by Honolulu police have been so hateful that a Catholic priest, who hails from the same small Pacific island as the teens family, hesitates to repeat them.

It is really bad and I dont want to say it as a priest, said the Rev. Romple Emwalu, parochial vicar at a parish outside Honolulu who was born in Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. But, like, Micronesians are dirt.

Some in the Micronesian community say the April 5 shooting of Iremamber Sykap highlights the racism they face in Hawaii, a place they expected to be more welcoming to fellow islanders.

Police say Sykap was driving a stolen car when he led officers on a chase through oncoming traffic after a series of crimes including an armed robbery and purse-snatching.

Sykaps family is from Chuuk, but he was born in Guam, a U.S. territory, said his mother, Yovita Sykap.

Hes American, she said.

Of Hawaii's 1.5 million residents, 38% are Asian  mostly Japanese and Filipino  26% are white, 2% are Black, and many people are multiple ethnicities, according to U.S. census figures. Native Hawaiians account for about 20% of the population.

There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Micronesians in Hawaii, who began migrating here in bigger numbers in the 1990s in search of economic and educational opportunities, said Josie Howard of We are Oceania, which advocates for the Micronesian community.

The Compact of Free Association allows citizens from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau to live and work freely in the United States in exchange for allowing the U.S. military to control strategic land and water areas in the region.

Located about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) southwest of Hawaii, the Federated States of Micronesia consists of 607 islands with a population of about 107,000.

The relationship with the U.S. seems to make people in Hawaii incorrectly believe that Micronesians are a drain on social benefits, said Sha Merirei Ongelungel, a Honolulu resident.

A Palauan born and raised in Oregon, Ongelungel came to Hawaii because all I wanted to do was to fit in and be around Pacific Islanders and know what it was like to not stand out like a sore thumb.

When she first got here, a cousin advised her to tell potential employers she was from Oregon. If you tell them you're Micronesian, you won't get a job, she said her cousin told her.

She wasn't prepared for the racism in Hawaii, and so she left after a year.

Ongelungel said she felt equipped to deal with the racism on the U.S. mainland against those who are not white. I didn't have training to fight people who looked like my actual blood relatives," she said.

She returned to Hawaii nearly 15 years later.

What might be difficult for a priest to repeat, Ongelungel doesn't hesitate to describe: People talking about killing cockroaches, calling for a purge on Micronesians, calling to have us  even those of us who are U.S. citizens who are born in the United States  calling for us to be deported, calling for the parents of minors to be incarcerated, you name it.

She said that whenever there's a crime in the news involving someone who is Micronesian, there's an uptick in hateful comments, but they never fully go away."

After the shooting, some local media outlets reported about Sykap's criminal history as a juvenile.

I want to press people on why his past matters when he's a child, Ongelungel said.

The police department has offered little information on the shooting. The department won't release body camera footage because there were other minors in the car with Sykap.

A little more than a week after the shooting, Honolulu police shot and killed a Black man who had entered a home that wasn't his, sat down and took off his shoes, prompting a frightened occupant to call 911. Chief Susan Ballard said race wasn't a factor in that incident.

In response to protests in other parts of the country decrying police brutality against minorities, Ballard, who is white, has said that in general, that degree of racism doesn't exist here.

Officers are extensively trained to respond to the individuals behavior and actions, not race, said police spokeswoman Michelle Yu.

Eric Seitz, an attorney not involved in the Sykap case who represents families of others who have been killed by police, says Honolulu police have similar issues with race as other U.S. cities.

More and more people are coming to realize that Hawaii is not different and that just as they release video footage in all of these other cities for all of these other incidents, it should be obligatory as a matter of public responsibility to release the similar information here, Seitz said.

Nothing in the law prevents police from blurring out faces of the other juveniles in the car with Sykap, he said.

Jacquie Esser, a state deputy public defender, said police will often stop Micronesians for no reason or call them cockroaches. It's so blatant," she said.

Esser believes the department leaked Sykap's sealed records to the media to demonize him and now are relying on juvenile confidentiality to keep the footage from becoming public.

The department denies doing so. Juvenile arrest records are generally confidential, and department policy prohibits the release of a suspects prior arrest history, Yu said.

Ann Hansen befriended Sykap's family in 2008 and became godmother to him and four of his siblings after noticing they walked 3 miles (5 kilometers) each way to get to the Cathedral of St. Andrew, an Episcopal church in downtown Honolulu.

People called him Baby because he was the youngest of eight, she said. Hansen said she used to drive him to ukulele lessons.

There has also been an outpouring of support for the slain teen, including a memorial for Sykap at a street corner near where the shooting took place. Some people have kept round-the-clock vigil at the site, decorated with floral bouquets, balloons, candles and a stuffed bear.
WESTON  A local man is calling for changes within the police department and commission, as well as throughout the community, after he claims he was racially profiled.

Walter Simpson, who is a Black resident, spoke at Thursdays Police Commission meeting, describing his experience of a white neighbor calling the police on him while he was checking his mail one day in 2019, and then the unnecessary aggressive behavior from the responding officer.

Im not against the police department. Im not against the Weston police officers, Im not against the Weston Police Commission, Simpson said. What I am against is racial bias 911 calls, racial bias policing.

He said he was also troubled at how his complaint was treated by police officials.

Dozens of residents who spoke at the meeting expressed frustration at how it took 17 months for this incident to come to light, with some calling for the commissioners, especially Chairwoman Beth Gralnick, to resign and for the police chief to be fired.

Police Chief Ed Henion was not seen or heard from during Thursdays meeting, which was held as a Zoom webinar attended by hundreds of people. Commissioners said Henion, who did not respond to Hearst Connecticut Medias requests for comment, was present for the webinar.

Simpson is proposing adding a civilian police review panel to oversee complaints, community engagement training and a false alarm ordinance that would penalize people for making false 911 reports. He said all of these are directly connected to address his experience so it doesnt happen again and for the safety of all Black people in town.

Lets take something that was so ugly and turn it into something thats positive, he said.

Some of the commissioners apologized to Simpson for what he experienced and said they would take his recommendations and all of the comments into consideration, though Gralnick said there were no plans to reopen the investigation and said the officer didnt violate any policies or laws.

Some commissioners said they and the department are trying to improve policies and community interactions, as well as getting body cameras. Gralnick said they are improving their outreach to attract more diverse police officer candidates. The department has one Hispanic officer and a Korean officer on the force, but no Black officers.

I recognize the need for major adjustments to policies and procedures so all residents feel safe, Commissioner David Muller said.

More than 50 people spoke during the meeting, which lasted about 3 1/2 hours. It had to be rescheduled because so many people wanted to join the meeting on Tuesday after a letter to the editor appeared in Weston Today, describing Simpsons experience and asking people to come out and support him, exceeding the commissions usual 100-person Zoom cap.

Im really disgusted and upset, said Toyin, a resident and mother of three Black sons. I speak for fear of mothers who have Black boys in Weston.

Many of those who spoke expressed disgust and outrage at what Simpson experienced. Others also shared their own experiences in town, including being hesitant about going out for a run on the street and having the police called on them when they have relatives visiting.

I dont know Walter Simpson, but I also know him at the same time, resident Jaya Kolipaka said.

Its disheartening to see the response from all of you, she told the commission.

The incident

During the meeting, Simpson and his neighbors described how they usually wait by the mailboxes at the end of their road for their children to get off the school bus.

One day in November 2019, Simpson arrived there first and was checking his mail when a white woman called 911 and reported a suspicious man, Simpson and neighbors said during the meeting. A police officer arrived while Simpson was waiting for his daughter and confronted him, questioning if Simpson lived there, he said.

For me, his hand was a little too close to his gun, Simpson said Thursday.

He and others at the meeting said the officer only backed down when his white neighbor intervened and addressed Simpson by name.

Simpson said he went to the police department the next day and spoke with the chief, who helped him get the 911 recording. Simpson said at Thursdays meeting that he assumed his verbal complaint would be investigated and was surprised to learn eight months later when he shared his experience during a community call that no investigation was actually completed because a written complaint hadnt been filed.

He recounted at the meeting how he received a notice six months later that his complaint had been closed, though his neighbors, who were listed as his witnesses, said they were never contacted by the police department.

Simpson said he had also spoken with the commission and police officials about the incident, but said while initial exchanges were pleasant, Gralnick ultimately said the incident only lasted five minutes and the officer isnt the warm and fuzzy type. Simpson said she told him that since the officer broke no laws or policies, the commission was in agreement nothing more needed to be done.

During Thursdays meeting, Simpson said he wasnt injured, but questioned if it had to escalate to violence for the commission to take his complaint seriously.

Did I have to get shot first for the chair of the board of police to realize how dismissive and insensitive her comments were? he asked.

He now thinks about when its safest for him to get his mail and whether he should drive to his mailbox or walk, as well as whether he should go alone or ensure his wife and young daughters are with him.

A Black person shouldnt be shot or killed before a complaint against an officer is taken seriously, Simpson said.

During Thursdays meeting, Commissioner Peter Ottomano said the chief made Simpsons complaint his No. 1 priority after that initial meeting, listening to the 911 call and then provided the recording and discussed it with Simpson.

He said the chief told the commission he believed Simpson was satisfied with the explanation and the matter was resolved.

Ottomano said the officer who responded reached out to tell the 911 caller after the incident how badly mistaken she was and Simpson did nothing wrong. He also said dispatch had sent two cars when the call came in, but the responding officer realized nothing was wrong and called off the second car first thing.

Gralnick said the investigation was delayed because the written complaint was filed over the summer when the chief and responding officer had COVID-19, which impeded the probe.

Several commissioners also said a verbal complaint is recognized as a formal complaint under the policy and would look into what happened.

I apologize on behalf of the police commission for the distress this incident caused you and your family, Gralnick told Simpson during the meeting.

Proposed reform

Simpson is proposing the town establish initiatives, which he believes will address the 911 call, the interaction with the officer and how his complaint was handled.

He said creating a false-alarm ordinance will encourage people to call 911 only with true emergencies and discourage racially bias calls.

The second initiative would establish a community engagement program so the community and police officers can better understand each other through training and workshops. This could cover implicit bias training and deescalation, he said. It would also provide residents with insight into how officers approach situations.

Simpson said he hopes that program would foster healthy and safe relationships between the department and community.

The third would be to appoint a civilian review panel that was not affiliated with the department to oversee complaints made about the police and add impartial oversight.

Commissioners said they are residents elected to their post and already serve that role.

But the Simpsons and residents who spoke Thursday questioned how a board who hires the officers could be impartial when this complaint lingered as long as it did. Residents also questioned that the investigation was done by the supervisor who works with the officer and not an outside party.

Something clearly fell through the cracks, said Aria Simpson, Walter wife. There is still something broken. Until its fixed, an impartial group that looks at something objectively is still a priority.

Another concern was that the commission was comprised of older white men and women. Muller encouraged others to run and agreed the commission and all elected boards need to be more diverse in age and race to better reflect those who live in Weston.

Tom Barcello, a Weston resident who is also a police captain in Stamford, supported Simpsons proposals. He said the false-alarm ordinance could be difficult because of how many calls come in, but said Stamford has already launched a community engagement program and he said the independent review board made sense.

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee plans to discuss Simpsons proposals at its next meeting and formally bring them before the Board of Selectmen.

Other residents and civil liberties organizations also supported his recommendations.

Representatives from the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP offered to hold training for government leaders to address implicit biases.

The leadership in town needs diversity training, said Brenda Penn-Williams, president of the Norwalk NAACP chapter, adding this wasnt the first instance of racism in town. Ive come down with things happening at the high school and didnt like the results.

Stanley Okoro, a Black resident, said he too has to stay vigilant when he gets his mail, collecting it only when returning home, never when hes leaving.

Weston isnt inherently racist, just like America isnt inherently racist, but there are inherent biases in our structures that need to be confronted, he said.

Rev. Bernard Wilson said hes proud of the Weston Police Department, having served as the police chaplain for 15 years.

I know how hard they work to ensure people are treated with decency and respect, he said.

As an African American man, he said hes also keenly aware of the tension between police officers and the Black community and how encounters with Black men can turn quickly and unfortunately deadly.

He said the community and police department needed to come together, listen to each other and acknowledge mistakes so they could repair the racial tension in the country and town.

It is my prayer we leave this meeting, determined to make our community not just better but a model for other communities, Wilson said.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning Josephine, Loving vs Virginia and Struttin With Some Barbecue, among others. She teaches community classes at Parkland College. Find out more at talesforallages.com.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
Mary Lucille Hays is visiting China. She wants to wish her folks a happy Mothers Day (Mom and Linda) and a Happy Birthday (Bob). You can see pictures about this weeks post on Instagram @BirdlandLetters. Mary can be reached at letterfrombirdland@gmail.com or via snail mail care of the Journal-Republican, 118 E. Washington St., Monticello, IL 61856. She wants to thank her friends for writing and will answer you all soon.
Ralph Martire is executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, a bipartisan fiscal-policy think tank, and the Arthur Rubloff Professor of Public Policy at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He can be reached at

rmartire@ctbaonline.org.
Which wound cuts deeper: the loss of an only child or loss of a spouse? A new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and Fudan University suggests that Chinese parents find the loss of an only child to be approximately 1.3 times as psychologically distressing than the loss of a spouse. The findings are published in the journal Aging & Mental Health.

Older adults in China rely heavily on family support, particularly from their adult children. Filial piety--the Confucian idea describing a respect for one's parents and responsibility for adult children to care for their parents as they age--is a central value in traditional Chinese culture.

In the 1970s, China introduced a one-child policy to slow the population growth, resulting in hundreds of millions of families with only children. While the policy ended in 2016, its consequences will be felt for decades, particularly for families who experience the loss of a child.

The death of a child has been recognized as one of the most challenging and traumatic events for a parent. Within the cultural context of China, the death of an only child is devastating not only due to the emotional loss, but also the loss of financial and instrumental support that is critical to older adults." Bei Wu, PhD, Dean's Professor in Global Health at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and co-director of the NYU Aging Incubator, Study's Senior Author

The death of a spouse is also recognized as a distressing life event, forcing older adults to navigate both the emotional loss and the shattering of a married couple's social and economic circumstances. In this study, Wu and her colleagues wanted to examine whether the loss of a spouse had a similar impact on psychological well-being as the loss of an only child, and whether the presence of one mitigated the absence of the other.

The researchers analyzed data from a 2013 survey conducted in Shanghai involving more than 1,100 adults, including 128 parents who lost their only child. The survey evaluated the impact of the loss of a spouse or child on participants' psychological well-being, including depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction.

They found that adults who lost their only child but have a living spouse had more psychological distress than those who lost their spouse but have a living child. This effect appeared to be stronger in women than in men.

Losing an only child resulted in 1.37 times the level of loneliness and 1.51 times the level depression as losing a spouse, and life satisfaction was 1.14 times worse for those who lost an only child vs. their spouse. Adults whose children and spouse were both alive had better psychological well-being than those who experienced loss.

"Our findings demonstrate that the loss of an only child carries more psychological weight than the loss of a spouse in Chinese culture," said Wu.

Wu and her colleagues recommend increasing access to professional mental health services for adults who experience loss, as well as developing culturally relevant interventions to address social isolation and loneliness among older Chinese adults.
The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) and the Colorado Consortium on Climate Change and Human Health have launched the Climate, Work & Health Initiative (CWHI). CWHI is an interdisciplinary team of expert researchers, scientists, doctors, and public health professionals dedicated to combating the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations.

CWHI's approach to this dedication is four-fold; consisting of education, research, policy, and public health practice. Founding members include Dr. Katherine James, Dr. Lee Newman, Dr. Cecilia Sorensen, Miranda Dally, Dr. Jaime Butler-Dawson, Diana Jaramillo, Lyndsay Krisher, and Francesca Macaluso. The team will rely on its own expertise and also lean on its existing relationships with academic, industry and community partners.

Over the past four years, the Center for Health, Work & Environment has partnered with a multinational agribusiness headquartered in Latin America to better understand the health risks related to climate that agricultural workers face. To reduce the impacts of heat stress and work-related injuries, they have collaborated with industry partners to implement hydration and rest strategies to improve the health, safety, and well-being of workers.

Dr. James, director of CWHI and one of the founding members, is an epidemiologist and engineer from the ColoradoSPH who specializes in environmental and climate health in vulnerable and socially disadvantaged populations. Dr. James brings her wealth of experience leading research projects evaluating how environmental and climate exposures can adversely affect human and population health and how to translate and implement evidence-based programs to improve health especially in rural communities, children, and agriculture workers.

We are already witnessing the alarming consequences of climate on worker populations who represent both vulnerable and socially disadvantaged groups. These consequences are seen in families, households, and communities. As scientists and advocates, our time is now to bridge the gap between climate research and action." Dr. Katherine James, Director of CWHI

"Forming this group is an important step towards protecting worker health in a changing climate," says Dr. Elizabeth Carlton, co-director of the Colorado Consortium on Climate Change and Human Health. The Consortium draws together experts in public health, medicine, climate science and implementation science across the University of Colorado campuses working to address the health impacts of climate change. "This initiative couldn't come at a more crucial time," adds Consortium co-director Dr. James Crooks. "Outdoor workers are already affected by wildfires and rising temperatures, and these impacts are almost certainly going to increase. They need and deserve protection against further harm."

"Through our work, we discovered that workers are often left out of the conversation about how climate can impact their health," says Dally. "Individual, work, environmental, and societal factors all play a significant role in determining the effect of climate on the health and well-being of workers and their communities. The combination of these factors led us to apply a Total Worker Health approach to this public health crisis, that is, climate change."

"Workers are disproportionally exposed to climate-related health threats," adds Dr. Butler-Dawson who has helped lead the team's field research in Guatemala over the past four years. "The question remains, how can employers and employees mitigate these threats? Through CWHI, we will engage with workplaces, workers, and communities to mitigate the negative health impacts of climate change."
Today, deliveries via cesarean sections, or c-sections, have become quite common globally. Sometimes, c-sections are a medical necessity when normal deliveries become risky either for the mother or the baby. At other times, it can be a choice. C-sections today have become a considerably safer procedure than it was a few decades ago, but there is need to refine it further.

In a recent study published in Chinese Medical Journal, researchers from China have settled the debate on one important aspect of refining the procedure: the choice of drug to counteract the side effects of the spinal anesthesia required.

C-sections are performed under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. With the latter, there can be one key complication: hypotension, or low blood pressure. This can simply make the mother nauseous, or it can have graver consequences such as compromising the fetus. To avoid these problems, medical practitioners typically administer vasopressors, drugs meant to raise the blood pressure to normal levels, as preventatives before giving the spinal anesthesia.

However, a commonly used vasopressor, ephedrine, too can have undesirable effects, some on the fetus, such as increasing fetal heart rate and causing fetal acidosis (a condition in which the proportion of acids in the bodily fluids rises). Studies have also shown that it is slow acting. Recently, an alternative has begun to be employed: norepinephrine. Norepinephrine has shown fewer effects on the heart rate and is faster acting, making it potentially a better alternative to ephedrine. But to date, there are few head to head comparisons of the two.

To understand whether norepinephrine really is the better choice, the team of researchers from China, led by Dr. Zhi-Hong Lu of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the Fourth Military Medical University in Shanghai, conducted a clinical trial.

They enlisted 177 expecting mothers scheduled to undergo c-sections and randomly divided them into groups receiving one of two protocols: norepinephrine infusion for 30 minutes just before spinal anesthesia or a quick dose of ephedrine just before the spinal anesthesia. These are standard protocols for administering these vassopressors.

The team then evaluated various factors like the incidence of hypotension within 30 minutes of spinal anesthesia administration, the conditions of the mother and baby 30 minutes after spinal anesthesia, and the degree of oxygenation in the cerebral region--the uppermost part--of the baby' brain 10 minutes after birth.

They found that fewer mothers who had received norepinephrine suffered from hypotension than those who received ephedrine. Similarly, the frequency of tachycardia, a condition characterized by irregularly fast heartbeats, was lower in mothers given norepinephrine than those administered with ephedrine. The former were also less likely to experience nausea and vomiting.

As for the physical condition of the newborn, including heart rate, effort required for respiration, tone of muscles, stimulation response, and coloration of skin, there weren't significant differences between the two groups. The cord blood gas levels, which indicate metabolic conditions in the newborn, weren't different between the two groups either.

One exception to this trend in newborns, or neonates, was the cerebral oxygenation level. As Dr. Lu has explained, "Neonatal cerebral regional saturations were significantly higher after birth in the norepinephrine group than in the ephedrine group. This indicates that norepinephrine can has potential neonatal benefits as well, which ephedrine does not have. The routine use of this norepinephrine regimen could help reduce neonate neurocognitive complications."

Overall, this study seems to indicate that norepinephrine infusion should be the preferred vasopressor protocol for c-sections.

Further research is required to optimize the regimen to clarify norepinephrine's neonatal benefits and maximizing them. But for now, it appears that its fixed-rate infusion is more effective than the ephedrine protocol for people undergoing elective c-section." Dr. Zhi-Hong Lu, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University in Shanghai

This is the first step to delivering better care at literally the dawn of the future generations.
Depressive symptoms are more common in teenage girls than in their male peers. However, boys' mental health appears to be affected more if they suffer from obesity. Irrespective of gender, bullying is a considerably greater risk factor than overweight for developing depressive symptoms. These conclusions are drawn by researchers at Uppsala University who monitored adolescents for six years in a questionnaire study, now published in the Journal of Public Health.

The purpose of our study was to investigate the connection between body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms, and to take a close look at whether being subjected to bullying affects this relationship over time. We also wanted to investigate whether any gender differences existed." Sofia Kanders, PhD Student at Uppsala University's Department of Neuroscience

In the study young people, born in Vastmanland County, replied to questions about their height, weight and depressive symptoms on three separate occasions (2012, 2015 and 2018). The respondents' mean age was 14.4 years on the first occasion and 19.9 years on the last.

Based on BMI, the adolescents were divided into three groups: those with normal weight, overweight and obesity respectively. They were also grouped according to the extent of their depressive symptoms.

Overall, regardless of their weight, the girls stated more frequently that they had depressive symptoms. In 2012, 17 per cent of the girls and 6 per cent of the boys did so. By 2015, the proportions of adolescents with these symptoms had risen to 32 per cent for the girls and 13 per cent for the boys. The corresponding figures for 2018 were 34 and 19 per cent respectively.

A higher BMI did not, as far as the researchers could see, affect the girls' mental well-being to any great extent. Among the boys, however, the pattern observed was entirely different.

"When we analysed girls and boys separately, we saw that for boys with obesity in 2012, the risk for having depressive symptoms in 2015 was, statistically, five times higher than for normal-weight boys. In the girls we found no such connection," Kanders says.

The study has been unable to answer the question of what causes this gender difference, and the researchers think more research is needed in this area.

The young respondents were also asked about bullying -- for example, to state whether, in the past year, they had been physically exposed to blows and kicks, teased or excluded, subjected to cyberbullying (abusive texting or other electronic or web bullying), or bullied by an adult at school.

In every analysis, exposure to bullying was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms. This connection was also evident six years later, especially in overweight boys. The researchers believe that these results seem to indicate a gender difference in how BMI and bullying together drive development of future depressive symptoms.

"One key conclusion and take-home message from our study is that bullying can affect mental illness for a long time to come, which therefore makes preventive measures against bullying in schools extremely important," Kanders says.
Patients with lasting symptoms of COVID-19 who completed a six week, supervised rehabilitation programme demonstrated significant improvements in exercise capacity, respiratory symptoms, fatigue and cognition, according to researchers at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre - a partnership between Leicester's Hospitals, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University.

The study, which is published in the journal Chronic Respiratory Disease today (Friday 7 May 2021), followed thirty patients who took part in face-to-face exercise rehabilitation classes twice a week over a period of six weeks. The programme included aerobic exercise, such as walking or using a treadmill, strength training of the arms and legs, and educational discussions to support symptom management based upon the information on the Your COVID Recovery platform.

Researchers found a statistically significant improvement in exercise capacity, as measured by scores of distance travelled and ability to keep going without a rest using incremental and endurance shuttle-walking tests. They also found that fatigue improved by 5 points on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Fatigue Scale over the six-week period. In addition, participants demonstrated improvement in their overall wellbeing and cognition, as measured by standardised clinical assessment tools.

Participants were referred through a hospital discharge follow-up telephone assessment, at a face-to-face COVID-19 clinic assessment, or via their GP. Individuals were offered the opportunity to take part if they displayed physical and/or psychological symptoms that were affecting their daily activities. Patients were excluded if they demonstrated acute symptoms, or were not medically stable (such as uncontrolled diabetes) or had only symptoms that were deemed unlikely to benefit from a pulmonary rehabilitation programme, such as loss of taste or smell.

Of the participants, there was an even split between men and women, with an average of 58 years. Eighty-seven per cent of participants were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, staying on average 10 days in hospital. Fourteen per cent required mechanical ventilation and were treated in an Intensive Care Unit. Four individuals had a pre-existing respiratory condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

We know that COVID-19 survivors present with a wide variety of symptoms and that a one-size-fits-all approach to managing these would not be appropriate. However, there are some overlap between the needs of COVID-19 survivors and patients who have accessed pulmonary rehabilitation [PR] for other conditions, such as COPD. So we modified our well-established PR course for COVID-19 survivors and measured their symptoms to assess whether the programme could be of potential benefit. We found there were significant improvements in clinical outcomes of walking capacity and symptoms of fatigue, cognition and respiratory symptoms - factors that patients tell us most affect their quality of life." Dr Enya Daynes, specialist pulmonary rehabilitation and research physiotherapist at Leicester's Hospitals and lead author of the study

Professor Sally Singh, head of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation at Leicester's Hospitals, professor at the University of Leicester and senior author of the paper, said: "This adapted rehabilitation programme for individuals following COVID-19 has demonstrated promising improvements in clinical outcomes. There were no drop-outs due to worsening symptoms and the high completion rate suggests that patients found it to be an acceptable treatment.

"There has been concern that rehabilitation may worsen or trigger symptoms of post-viral fatigue and that exercise therapy may exacerbate fatigue. The exercise element of this programme is progressed by staff experienced in delivering pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation programmes in line with patient's symptoms throughout the programme. Our results did not show that fatigue worsened among the group of patients on the study, and that many of their symptoms improved. This suggests an adapted pulmonary rehabilitation courses can be part of a spectrum of patient-centred and holistic approaches to treating the many different presentations of lasting COVID symptoms."

The research team acknowledges that as a cohort study there is no control group of people with similar symptoms who did not embark on the modified pulmonary rehabilitation course to offer a comparison and that further studies with a larger patient population are needed to confirm their preliminary findings.
(Newser)  The judge said he had never before encountered a defendant who returned "so quickly to exactly the same crime." The question is whether Vitaly Borker is now back at it a third time. Writing for the New York Times, David Segal dives into the Ukrainian immigrant's backstory, starting with a site the then-Brooklyn resident ran a little more than a decade ago called DecorMyEyes. The online glasses retailer sold cheap knockoffs that it claimed were genuine. But the wilder part is how it handled customers who complained: customers were threatened with rape and violence; another customer's colleagues were sent emails claiming said customer was a drug dealer. If that sounds bad for business, it actually wasn't: Google's algorithm at the time didn't distinguish between positive and negative chatter, and the activity around the site pushed it to the top of Google's results.

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It ended up being a sweet gig until it wasn't. The business required no storefront or inventory (Borker often bought directly from eBay and other vendors who shipped straight to the clients), and he made $3.2 million in a single year. He also ended up in prison, where he served 3.5 years for fraud and his emailed threats. Once out, he was back at it this time with a site called OpticsFast, which he managed to run until his 2017 arrest and subsequent sentence for mail and wire fraud. He was out in November 2020, and Segal suspects he's now running Eyeglassesdepot, whose customers haven't been threatened but have been doxxedwith their personal info and credit card details posted beneath the negative reviews they wrote online. (Read the full story for tales of people who have been burned, including one woman who got a call from Eyeglassesdepot's "CEO" on Easter Sunday over an unused $9.95 mailing label they claimed she had to pay for.)
(Newser)  It's one of those questions that you've probably never thought about but can't get out of your head once you do: Why don't you commonly see Bob Ross' paintings for sale? Zachary Crockett asks and answers it in a lengthy piece for the Hustle that adds some oomph to the question by presenting some math. The Joy of Painting ran from 1983 to 1994, and in each of his 381 episodes, Ross shepherded a landscape painting from beginning to end. Crockett explains he actually painted three versions of each painting: "one before, one during, and one after taping." And that was just a sliver of what he produced. Factor in the thousands of pieces he painted while working in Alaska for two decades (as an Air Force drill sergeant, no less) prior to his TV fame and then all the paintings he did outside of taping, and Crockett puts the total at about 30,000.

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He stacks that up with estimates of other artists you'd certainly know. The crazy prolific Picasso? Ten thousand paintings. Salvador Dali managed 1,500. So how come none of the major auction houses have sold a Ross, and eBay's history shows only three sales over the last six months, with two of those being "of dubious origin." Crockett reached out to Bob Ross, Inc., which Ross owned in part with former painting student Annette Kowalski. The company says it has 1,165 Ross paintingsthey're not for salestored in boxes in its Herndon, Virginia, offices. Part of why they aren't for sale is that Bob Ross, Inc. has better ways of making money: It generates millions off of its trademarks and copyrights, which are used on Ross-themed items and courses. (Read the full piece for more on the one Minneapolis gallery that does does sell a fair amount of his work. The piece also suggests most of Ross' paintings hang in the living rooms of "ordinary folks.")
(Newser)  A referendum on Scottish independence is the "will of the country," First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared Saturday after election results were in. Her Scottish National Party fell one seat short of winning a majority of seats in Parliament but will have the support of allied parties that support independence, the Washington Post reports. That sets up a clash with Britain's prime minister. "Given that outcome, she added, there is simply no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future." A vote would require the approval of the British government. Johnson could refuse to allow a vote, citing the National Party's lack of a clear majority. But its showing will increase pressure on him, per the Wall Street Journal, possibly leading to a standoff.

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At the same time, Johnson's Conservative Party was winning regional elections throughout England, per the New York Times. But Johnson is unpopular in Scotland, and it's not clear that he'd have much success against pro-independence sentiment there. Voters rejected independence in 2014, 55%-45%. Polls show an even split now. Johnson sounded Friday like he's in no mood for a vote. "I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless," he said. "I think that theres no case now for such a thing." If Sturgeon gets referendum legislation through Parliament, Scotland's government could take the issue to court and argue that the decision on calling a vote should be its alone. Polls show strong support for independence from Britain among young people. "We've seen time and time again that Scotlands voice doesn't matter," a 19-year-old student said. (Read more Scotland independence stories.)
(Newser)  A candidate for Philadelphia DA has an unusual entry on his campaign website: "Girl Found in My Bathtub." Per the Daily Beast, Charles Peruto Jr. is a Republican running to unseat the city's current progressive DA, Larry Krasner, and in his quest to do so has addressed the 2013 discovery of his then-girlfriend's corpse in his mansion. On his site, Peruto, 66, says he'd been dating 26-year-old Julia Law for "about 6 weeks" when her body was found in his bathtub. While Peruto says he and others believed Law drowned, the many vodka bottles discovered at the scene suggested, and tests later confirmed, the cause of death was alcohol intoxication, per The Hill. Peruto writes that he was cleared of any crime by detectives, but that a "bitter enemy of mine, District Attorney Seth Williams, decided to present this case to the Grand Jury."

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Peruto says he was filmed by "major TV stations" every time he left his home during the ordeal, which ended, at least officially, when he was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. But Peruto says the case has since followed him through his career as a criminal defense attorney, and that he's clearing the air once and for all as he attempts a pivot to DA. Instead of ending his statement on that note, however, Peruto reveals a second purpose of his unlikely campaign messaging: to further his feud with Seth Williams, who ended up later going to federal prison on bribery charges. "This is my complete explanation for the darkest moment of my life," he writes in closing. "I'm glad I'm here to tell you about it, and Seth Williams is reporting to his probation officer, having since been released from prison." (Read more Charles Peruto Jr. stories.)
(Newser)  A Sicilian judge who was called a martyr by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis has moved to one step from sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. The beatification of Rosario Livatino took place Sunday at the cathedral in Agrigento, near the spot where the judge was shot to death by the Mafia in 1990. The investigating magistrate had been working on a mass trial against Mafia members and was planning a new case at the time. Although he knew he was a target, Livatino, 38, refused armed guards, France 24 reports. Notes found later showed he asked God to forgive him for putting his parents at risk with his work. Livatino was one of the first to go after the assets of organized crime, a priest involved in the effort said. "He understood that would lead to a weakening of the clans, their loss of control and also of social control," the priest wrote in a biography of Livatino.

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At the Vatican on Sunday, Francis called Livatino, who prayed every day in church before work, a "martyr of justice and of the faith." The pope said he hoped others would follow the judge's example and become "loyal defenders of legality and of liberty," per the AP. After visiting Livatino's parents in 1993, John Paul II became the first pope to publicly denounce mobsters. In 2014, Francis announced that all members of organized crime are automatically excommunicated. The church's commission on human development announced Sunday that it has set up a working group to consider such a policy, saying bishops around the world will be involved. In Sicily, a young people's coop named for Livatino now cultivates land that was seized from the mafia. (Read more sainthood stories.)
(Newser)  An investigative report by British media said Sunday that Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, was willing to use his royal status for personal profit and to seek favors from Vladimir Putin. The undercover investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 saw reporters posing as investors of a fake South Korean gold company seeking contacts in the Kremlin to further its business in Russia. Prince Michael, 78, allegedly told the reporters by Zoom that he would give their company his royal endorsement in a recorded speech for a $200,000 fee, reports the AP. He added that he was happy to use his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop for the endorsement. More:

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The royals business partner, Simon Reading, also reportedly told the fake investors that Michael could be hired for $14,000 a day to make "confidential" representations on behalf of the fictitious gold firm, House of Haedong, to Putin.

"If he (Prince Michael) is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold," Reading reportedly said. "It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful." He went on to describe Michael as "Her Majestys unofficial ambassador to Russia," and that tension between the UK and Russia has not affected his relationship with Putin.

Responding to the report, Michaels office said he "has no special relationship with President Putin" and that the two men last met in 2003. The royal "earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years." Reading said he regretted his "over-promise" in trying to facilitate an introduction to Michael.

The BBC reports Michael's office added this: "As is standard practice, Prince Michael's private secretary made it clear to the company's representatives during their conversations that nothing could proceed without the agreement of the British Embassy and the help of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce, of which Prince Michael is patron."

Prince Michael and his wife, Princess Michael of Kent, aren't working royals and receive no public funds, but they are involved in some public duties including representing the queen at some engagements. Michael has represented the queen at state funerals in India, Cyprus, and Swaziland in the past, according to the monarchys website.

His biography said Michael is connected to Russia through his maternal grandmother, and is the first member of Britains royal family to learn Russian. He is involved in charity work in Russia and is patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce.

(Read more British royals stories.)
(Newser)  A hunter shot and seriously injured a hiker near St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday, with police stating that the hunter mistook the man for a turkey. "It sounds like it was just a really bad accident," a police spokesperson said, with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporting that it came on the second-to-last day of spring turkey hunting season. The Missouri Department of Conservation was running the hunt, and a sign near the entrance to the Lewis and Clark Trail warned that would be held until 1pm; the shooting occurred at 12:30pm, NBC News reports. Emergency responders had to use a utility vehicle to reach the unidentified hiker, who was airlifted to a nearby trauma center. He and the hunter remain unidentified.

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The hunter was dressed in camouflage, and witnesses did not report whether the hiker was wearing bright colors. "It may have been an accident, but it is positively unforgivable that they allow people to hunt with firearms on Mother's Day weekend on one of the most heavily traveled trails," a local runner who uses the trail told the Post-Dispatch. "They need to mark that differently. There were families out there today with kids and dogs." (Read more stories about shootings.)
(Newser)  Kurt Cobain has now been gone for as long as he was alive. The rock legend was 27 when he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound 27 years ago, on April 5, 1994. And for almost all 27 of those years, conspiracy theories have circulated around his death. Get ready for a new batch, because his slender FBI file has just been released. Rolling Stone was the first to report the drop, posted quietly last month. The file includes letters to the agency asking that Cobains death be investigated as a murder. The writers complain that local police never seriously considered any possibility but suicide. Images of these letters to the FBI have the senders' names and other details redacted, and the tepid replies, which say the FBI has no jurisdiction to investigate the Nirvana frontmans death, are included.

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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Jau prison in Bahrain is a well-run facility with good medical provision and measures against COVID-19, said Roddy Drummond, the UK Ambassador to Bahrain.

I was pleased to visit Jau prison on 3 May with other Ambassadors. We were shown a well-run facility, with good medical provision and measures against Covid, with vaccinations offered to all prisoners.

I welcome this initiative by the authorities to be more transparent, the ambassador posted on his Twitter account.

The ambassador also hailed the visit as an initiative that provides a greater level of transparency. I welcome their engagement on difficult issues raised in the media.

I support Bahrains intent to continue to reform its judicial and prison system, including more use of alternative sentences. The ambassadors of Oman - The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Bahrain -, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, the US Charge affairs, the Russian Official of Consular Affairs, the Head of the European Union delegation residing in Riyadh, The Head of Mission of the International Organization for Migration and Acting Resident Coordinator of United Nations activities visited the centre.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

More than 15,000 new COVID-19 cases were detected in Bahrain in 13 days from April 20 to May 3 Health Ministry urged people to practice extreme caution in adhering to COVID-19 measures warning that the Kingdom recorded 15,000 cases in just 13 days.

This many cases, the ministry said, were reported from last month 20th to the third of this month.

The main culprit behind these surges is laxity in following preventive measures like social distancing and avoiding direct contact.

The ministry also attributed the surge in new infections to gatherings at home.

Contacts in public places and travel come next. The increase in infections is exerting tremendous pressure on the Kingdoms medical crew and those working in the front lines, the ministry said.

They deserve every support through strict adherence to the preventive measures, the ministry said.

The ministry also called on all to take their COVID-19 jabs to curb the spread of the virus. Separately, the National Medical Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus said that 78% of the 1,706 active COVID-19 cases recorded on Friday were not vaccinated.

The percentage of those unvaccinated cases in intensive care was 94% of 119 cases, the statement added.

The Taskforce also revealed that all four of the deaths reported yesterday were of persons not vaccinated.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

AMA International School (Primary level) will remain closed from today until 17th this month, said the Ministry of Health. The ministry had also asked the school to continue classes online.

The decision was in coordination with the Education Ministry. The school, the ministry said, should not reopen unless the Directorate of Public Health ensures that no new active cases are registered during the aforementioned period.

The school should also disinfect all its facilities before resuming classes, pending permission of the Directorate of Public Health.
AP

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP)  Two students were rescued after their homemade boat constructed from buckets and kiddie pools drifted too far from the Southern California coast, authorities said.

The men in their early 20s set out Saturday from Isla Vista in the vessel of questionable seaworthiness, said Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Thirteen years after he was injured in a tornado that killed four boys at a Boy Scout camp in western Iowa, Kevin Hanna is graduating from medical school.

Hanna said the time he spent in rehabilitation after breaking his pelvis when the storm struck the Little Sioux Scout Ranch prompted him to choose a career in medicine. He graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center on Saturday and plans to continue his training with a residency in urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
TRUMBULL  A routine inspection of the SeaQuest interactive aquarium inside Westfield Trumbull mall turned up four violations that occurred over the last year, including missing records, a child bitten by an animal and an employee hitting an otter with a metal bowl.

SeaQuest CEO Vince Covino said staffers that have contact with animals receive extensive training, including mentorships, testing, and auditing. The workers adhere to procedures approved by local, state and federal regulators, the animals are subject to veterinarian oversight and records are also subject to inspection, he said.

Our standard is world class (animal care) where health and happiness are priority above anything else, he said, in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media.

In the latest inspection, which took place March 25, USDA animal care inspector Jan Baltrush noted animal food and bedding stored on the floor near aquarium tanks where they could get wet, putting them at risk of mold contamination.

Baltrush also found incomplete documentation for some of the companys animals. For example, two goats and two hedgehogs lacked any documentation for their disposition. Also, a newly acquired Bengal cat appears to have been acquired from a vendor who did not have a USDA number.

All records need to include name, address and the USDA number of the person the animal was bought from, she wrote, noting that in the absence of a USDA number a drivers license and vehicle plate number are necessary.

The company employees had not recorded the license number or plate number of the seller, she wrote.

A review of company records also indicated that in August 2020, a guest had entered the capybara enclosure. A four-foot wooden wall separates the animal, a South American rodent that can weigh up to 150 pounds, from visitors. The wall has a door for entry and exit, but that door was kept unlocked, Baltrush wrote.

A member of the public was able to enter the capybara enclosure, by opening and walking through this door, in the absence of staff presence, she wrote. This incident was confirmed by employees who reported that the animal was not injured because of this incident.

The company later installed a lock on the enclosure door, Baltrush reported.

In July 2020, a small child received a minor injury from an otter bite during a live feeding demonstration. The otter was able to reach the childs finger through a PVC pipe that runs through a plexiglass wall separating people from the animals.

Visitors can feed the otters through a PVC elbow that runs through the glass. The otter side of the glass has a 1-inch straight pipe intended to prevent the otters from reaching visitors as they are placing food in the elbow, but on that day the straight pipe was missing. The demonstration continued anyway, without the safety device, Baltrush wrote.

The child placed their hand into the elbow piece and the otter was able to reach in and nip his fingers, Baltrush wrote. The facility must ensure that during public exhibition, there is minimal risk of harm to the animals and public.

Baltrush also reported that in June 2020 an employee entered the otter enclosure. When the otters began to jump on and around the employee, the employee hit the animals with a metal food bowl, she wrote.

The facility must ensure that the animals are handled in a manner that does not cause trauma, physical harm, or unnecessary discomfort, she wrote.

Covino said the employee in question is no longer associated with SeaQuest.

This employee was immediately terminated, he said. Fortunately, the otter was not injured.

Based in Idaho, SeaQuest operates nine locations across the country. Attractions include animal feeding, walk-in aviaries, snorkeling with marine animals and hands-on encounters with sloths, otters, stingrays and others.

The company has received 22 USDA citations since February 2019 for incidents including numerous instances of animals biting visitors, incomplete or missing animal documentation and unsanitary conditions.

deng@trumbulltimes.com
Robert M. Ward, a North Branford lawyer who led the Republican minority caucus in the House of Representatives for a record 12 years, then became one of Connecticuts two state auditors, died Sunday in home hospice care. He was 68.

Ward, who was first elected to the House in 1984 after three unsuccessful attempts and had 31 years of public service, died after a long illness.

Known for his personal warmth and ability to always have time to talk with anyone from school kids, to constituents and lawmakers from the other side of the aisle, Ward was a fiscal conservative who staunchly opposed the enactment of the personal income tax in 1991 and went on to become commissioners of the state Department of Motor Vehicls under Gov. M. Jodi Rell, before becoming auditor.

As House GOP leader, he led his caucus through the rocky constitutional crisis that forced John G. Rowland to resign as governor on July 1, 2004 in the face of a House panel of inquiry. A few months later, Rowland pleaded guilty to public corruption charges in federal court, the first of two cases that led to stints in prison.

Bob Wards impact on our state and the lives of people in the communities he served is immeasurable, said House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, who succeeded Ward in representing North Branford.

His dual passions for his work in the legislature and introducing others to the value of community service have been points of inspiration for me, and I wouldnt be where I am today without his years of friendship and mentorship, Candelora said, recalling that he met Ward when he was a young teen.

Like many others, I first met Bob as a middle school student during one of his many visits to classrooms to talk about law, government, and the responsibility each of us have to do what we can to make life just a little bit better for our neighbors, Candelora said. Im a better person for having known Bob, and the state of Connecticut is a better place because of his years of truly selfless service.

Candelora said Wards friendly demeanor transcended politics.

He embodied a warm spirit, was kind to all and always had time for everyone, Candelora said. His sense of humor was wry, his sense of purpose was keen. My thoughts are with Anita, and all of Bobs family, children and grandchildren.

For more than three decades, Bob worked in a bipartisan and congenial manner to generate common sense public policy solutions to benefit Connecticut families, said Senate Minority Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford and Deputy Minority Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, in a statement. He loved Connecticut and was dedicated to doing his very best for the people he served. Bob Ward was a role model for all of us as public servants, and our thoughts are with his family and friends today.

Bob was a consummate public servant and tireless advocate of what was best for the people of our state, said Themis Klarides, a former House Minority Leader who is considering a run fior governor in 2022. Whether you knew him or not, we have all benefited from his 31 years in public service, and I consider it a blessing to have known him.

"Bob Ward was the epitome of a public servant, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. In the 22 years I served with him in the General Assembly, we often disagreed on policy but he was unfailingly honorable, fair, brilliantly insightful, and kind. My thoughts are with his wife, Anita, children, and grandchildren during this time of terrible loss. His tireless efforts made Connecticut a better place. He will be sorely missed and his years as a legislator, DMV Commissioner, and State Auditor will stand as an ongoing model for other public officials to emulate."

State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, said he will best remember Wards temperament and dedication to public service.

Bob was an incredible gentleman and a statesman, Hwang said in a statement. He has been an inspiration as House Republican Leader where he brought all sides together on issues to improve our state. Following his service in the State House, he leaned on his problem solving and management skills to organize and improve the Department of Motor Vehicles as Commissioner. His work leading the Office of Public Accounts as one of two chief auditors, he unearthed many shortcomings of state government and he continued holding himself and all other Connecticut public servants to a high standard.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
A large Chinese rocket booster is plunging back to Earth and expected to reenter the atmosphere sometime this weekend, prompting international concern over where it may land.

The Long March-5B rocket is projected to reenter the Earth's atmosphere at about 18,000 mph between 11 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 a.m. Sunday Eastern, according to space agencies and experts. At around 100 feet tall and about 22 metric tons, the rocket stage is set to become one of the largest objects to ever reenter the Earth's atmosphere on an uncontrolled trajectory.

Where the rocket will land remains unclear. Scientists have said the risk to humans is astronomically low, but it is not impossible for it to land in a populated area. The Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit largely financed by the U.S. government, predicted Saturday that it would splash down in the Atlantic Ocean, with the closest countries being Portugal and Spain.

But the rocket could reenter at anywhere between 41.5 degrees north latitude and 41.5 degrees south latitude, meaning major cities like New York could be hit with debris. The European Space Agency has predicted a "risk zone" that encompasses much of the world, including nearly all of the Americas, all of Africa and Australia, parts of Asia and the European countries like Italy and Greece.

China has been criticized for its handling of the rocket booster, which was launched into space on April 29 to ferry the first module of the Tianhe space station. China did not make the necessary preparations for a controlled reentry, which would have slowed the rocket enough to enter Earth's atmosphere over a predetermined remote area or ocean, thus reducing the chance of debris impacting populated regions.

Astrophysicists have described China's decision as potentially hazardous corner-cutting. "There's clearly a significant chance that it's going to come down on land," Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told CNN on Saturday.

China's state media, however, has reacted angrily to the international scrutiny, saying its launch was being unfairly maligned. State media slammed U.S. media outlets for covering China's "out-of-control space junk" in contrast to the SpaceX wreckage.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin defended the plan as "standard international practice," saying at a news conference this week that "China is always committed to the peaceful use of outer space," according to state media.

"China is ready to work with all relevant parties to make joint efforts for the peaceful use of outer space and safeguarding space security," Wang said.

The size of the rocket makes its reentry more unpredictable than others. Most satellites and other man-made objects are small enough to burn up in the atmosphere. But the Long March booster is much larger, raising concern that pieces could survive and hit the ground.

The rocket's tumbling motion as it passes through the mesosphere, an outer layer of Earth's atmosphere, has also made calculations of its speed tricky to project.

Space has been a point of national pride for China, which is expected to run the only operational space station after the retirement of the International Space Station in the next four years. The country, which has spoken of putting people back on the moon, has completed a flurry of successful lunar and Mars missions in recent years.

But China's growing space program has contributed to the growing problem of space debris. The Secure World Foundation, a think tank, said that China in 2007 "created a cloud of more than 3,000 pieces of space debris" after the country shot down a dead satellite with a missile.

During the first flight of the Long March 5B rocket last year, the booster passed over populated portions of Earth before pieces of debris landed in Africa. Jim Bridenstine, the NASA administrator at the time, slammed the Chinese space agency for the booster's return, saying the event "could have been extremely dangerous."

- - -

The Washington Post's Matthew Cappucci, Gerry Shih and Christian Davenport contributed to this report.
In the last 24 hours, India has reported 4,03,738 new Covid cases and 4,092 deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 2.22 Cr. For the fifth day in a row, the country saw more than 4 lakh daily cases and over 4,092 deaths.

In the last 24 hours, India has reported 4,03,738 new Covid cases and 4,092 deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 2.22 Cr. For the fifth day in a row, the country saw more than 4 lakh daily cases and over 4,092 deaths. There were 56,578 cases in Maharashtra, and 47,563 in Karnataka. The other top contributors were Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the chief ministers of Punjab, Karnataka, Bihar, and Uttarakhand on Sunday to assess the pandemic situation in their respective states.

The healthcare system across the nation is being overburdened by the rising number of cases of Covid-19. The health system is on the brink of collapsing due to a lack of hospital beds, oxygen, and medications. Several health-care facilities around the country have stated that they are unable to treat patients, resulting in an increase in deaths due to a shortage of accommodation. Several top medical practitioners have given helpful advice about how to cope with Covid at home after seeing the bed crisis in the hospitals. Dr Naresh Chawla  VP Delhi Medical Council spoke to NewsX and said Even if Delhis number of cases may have come a little down, this is nothing to rejoice. Lot have suffered and the matter of fact is testing is being done a little less.

Read More: As India battles Covid-19, medical aid pours in from France, UK ,US Kuwait & Bahrain

On Monday, Tamil Nadu announced that it would move from a partial to complete lockdown, shutting down public transportation and state-run alcohol stores. Late Friday, Karnataka also declared a complete shutdown. Jammu and Kashmirs curfew was extended till 7 a.m. on May 17th. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday prolonged the Delhis lockdown for another week, citing Delhis high positivity rate. The lockdown will now last till 5 a.m. on May 17th. Metro services will also be discontinued for this period. The neighboring state Uttar Pradesh has also extended the corona curfew until May 17.

'Corona Curfew' imposed in Jammu & Kashmir extended till 7am on 17th May Essential services allowed, gathering permissible for marriages is reduced to 25 only  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2021

Lockdown in Delhi extended till May 17 with strict restrictions; Metro rail services to remain temporarily suspended, marriage ceremonies at public places/ banquet halls/hotels prohibited, marriage ceremonies allowed to be organized at home or in Court pic.twitter.com/wmGE0KYGh8  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2021

Padma Shree Dr Sanjeev Bagai  Chairman and MD Nephron told NewsX that our only emphasis now has to be to ramp up the vaccine supply and the vaccination program. India is yet to enact a nationwide lockdown, as it did in the first wave last year, but almost half of the states have done so and several states are under partial shutdown.
The central government has distributed 17.35 crore vaccine doses to state governments and UTs. Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, are currently producing 7 to 8 crore doses per month, whereas 20 to 25 crore doses are expected to operate the vaccination at full capacity.

The shortage of vaccines in the country has deteriorated the Covid woes. Now that a daily mark of 3.5 lakh cases is a persistent phenomenon, new cities are emerging as the epicentres of the infection. The virus has also expanded its deadly arms in rural areas. Amid this, the status of the vaccination drive narrates a despairing story. The month of May has shown a drastic decline in the number of people taking the jab. In April, India vaccinated 30 lakh people per day on average. This has dropped to 16 lakh people being vaccinated daily so far this month, a 44.46 percent decrease. So far, India has been able to fully vaccinate only 2.4 % of its total population.

The central government has distributed 17.35 crore vaccine doses to state governments and UTs. And there is no way to increase production in the immediate future. The companies producing vaccines in the country, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, are currently producing 7 to 8 crore doses per month, whereas 20 to 25 crore doses are expected to operate the vaccination at full capacity.

Owing to the vaccine shortage, several states have not started inoculation drive for people aged 18-44. On Friday, the Kerala High Court ordered the central government to provide a timeline for the states Covid-19 vaccine distribution. Punjab is waiting for 1 lakh doses from the central government to begin 18+ vaccines, but it also requires 2.63 crores more. Due to a shortage of vaccine doses, Punjabs vaccination program has been sputtering. The state now prioritises target groups and areas to vaccinate the most vulnerable people first.

Read More: Coronavirus: Why is its origin still a mystery?

With several states echoing the demands of supplying them with more vaccine and the cases spiralling in the country, the two vaccine companies (Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech) producing only 7-8 crores a month do not augur well for India unless the centre revamps its vaccination production.

Also Read: #WheresTheAid: Centre presents data on foreign Covid aid; Time to focus on optimum use now?
The Centre has presented its data for the foreign aid received from different countries. As the world steps up to help India come out of this crisis, our focus should be on the optimum and effective use of this aid.

The world has shown solidarity with India as India continues to fight the pandemic. The foreign aid has poured from different parts of the world. The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, and Israel delivered 2,060 oxygen concentrators, 30,000 Remdesivir vials, 467 ventilators, and three oxygen generation plants to India on Friday, according to the government data.

Reflecting the solidarity and goodwill towards India, the global community has extended a helping hand in supporting efforts of India in this collective battle against COVID19, the government said, praising the international communitys support. The government, it said, had devised a streamlined and systematic process for efficient allocation, distribution, and delivery of assistance.

Read More: Low positivity rate and adequate oxygen supply, has Delhi peaked off?

Around 100 oxygen concentrators were dispatched from Delhi to Assam on Saturday, according to the Ministry, while a German Mobile Oxygen Production and Filling System, capable of generating 360.0 litres of 93 percent oxygen for medical usage and with a reserve oxygen tank of 420 litres, was transported to DRDO in the morning for use in their health facilities. The ventilators that were sent to India from the Netherlands are on way from Delhi to Telengana.

The first consignment of Oxygen cylinders, concentrators and negative pressure carriers has been dispatched from Incheon in South Korea to India, today: Embassy of India, Seoul pic.twitter.com/Yt6PnTgP3t  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2021

Before this, several nations have also been sending oxygen cylinders, oxygen generators, cryogenic tankers, ventilators, drugs, BiPAP devices, pulse oximeters, PPE coveralls, N-95 masks, Faviparivir, and gowns amid an ongoing crisis. Mauritius, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Thailand, Russia, Romania, and Uzbekistan have all sent oxygen concentrators. According to reports, India has received a total of 40 lakh different varieties of foreign aid. Ventilators, on the other hand, are supplied by the United Kingdom (200), Germany (120), Russia (75), the United Arab Emirates (157), Germany (120), Ireland (365), France (28), and Italy (20).
BOSTON (AP)  Large event venues including TD Garden, Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium will be allowed to double their current capacities starting on Monday, and amusement parks will be permitted to reopen at half capacity as the state relaxes its COVID-19 restrictions.

The state is scheduled to move to the next step in its reopening plan, allowing large indoor and outdoor venues to increase capacity from 12% to 25%. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the shift last month, saying the state's coronavirus cases had fallen 20% since March.

Amusement parks and water parks will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity after submitting safety plans to state health officials, and road races will be permitted with staggered starts.

The next step in reopening is scheduled for May 29, subject to continued progress in case rates and vaccinations. That shift would expand gathering limits to 200 people for indoor events and 250 people outside. Street festivals and parades would be permitted at half their previous capacity, and certain restaurant rules would be lifted, including a requirement saying alcohol can only be served alongside food.

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MAINE

Large vaccination clinics are beginning to slow down and close in Maine, but businesses aim to incentivize more vaccinations.

Employers can legally dismiss an employee if they can prove that an unvaccinated staff member would be a significant threat to others, but most are simply encouraging employees to get vaccinated.

And some are offering cold, hard cash to employees to get vaccinated.

In Portland, the owner of El Corazon is adding four hours to employees time cards  giving them four hours of extra pay  for getting vaccinated, WGME-TV reported. Across town at Flatbread Company, theyre paying employees a $100 wellness bonus if they get the shot. And Bangor Savings Bank is giving $500 to fully vaccinated workers.

The last thing we want is for another lockdown, El Corazon Restaurante Owner Joseph Urtuzuastegui said.

___

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration is offering low- and moderate-income homeowners the chance to apply for property tax relief as the economic recovery continues from the impact of COVID-19.

The department is accepting applications for its Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief program through June 30.

The department distributed more than $866,700 through the program last year, and nearly $45 million in total since the program launched in 2002.

Although the COVID-19 situation has improved from this time last year, we understand that many face financial challenges, Lindsey Stepp, department commissioner, said in a statement Friday. We will work with qualified individuals to make sure they have the option to apply for tax relief.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Saturday afternoon that more than 70 percent of Connecticut adults have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The announcement puts the state nearly two months ahead of the national goal set by President Joe Biden earlier this week to have 70 percent of adults in America receive at least their first dose by July 4.

The governor made the announcement via Twitter, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is updated daily. Lamont noted Connecticut is among the first states in the nation to reach the benchmark.

CDC data shows Vermont, Massachusetts and Hawaii have already surpassed that goal as well. The tiny Republic Of Palau, a U.S. territory holds the top vaccination rate with 92.8 percent of adults having received one shot or more.

According to the CDCs data, 1,989,426 people over the age of 18 in Connecticut have received at least one shot. That figure makes up just over 70 percent of the states adult population. Of the total population, just over 57 percent, or 2,034,240 have received at least one shot.

The state is allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to get the vaccine, however, the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNtech is the only shot currently given an emergency use authorization for people under the age of 18 through the Food and Drug Administration.

State leaders signalled this week they are preparing to expand the administration of that vaccine to adolescents through mass vaccination sites and other providers in anticipation of the FDA expanding the authorization to include children aged 12 to 15. That ruling is widely expected within the coming days.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, has urged United States President, Joe Biden, not to honour the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to ...

The Indigenous People of Biafra, has urged United States President, Joe Biden, not to honour the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to assist Nigeria with its military and weapons.

In a letter titled, Re: request for United States military assistance by President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria, signed by the IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, which was made available to newsmen on Saturday evening, the outlawed group claimed Buhari had made Nigeria the most dangerous country, especially those of the former Republic of Biafra.

The letter read, We, the Indigenous People of Biafra applaud your election as President of the United States, the most powerful office in the history of the world. We salute your adept and muscular discharge of presidential duties during your tenure in the White House.

Mr President, as you consider Buharis request for military assistance to Nigeria, we respectfully urge you to also consider the following:

Buhari has arbitrarily branded and terrorised the Indigenous People of Biafra, a nonviolent group pursuing the Independence of the former Republic of Biafra. Mr Buharis draconian measures were geared to retaliating against peaceful demonstrations favoring the restoration of Biafran independence that was cruelly extinguished by a genocidal military campaign Buhari partly led between 1967 and 1970.

He has concocted treason charges against IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to crush Biafran self-determination, despite the fact that self-determination is legal under Nigerian law.

We respectfully suggest that you consider, among other things, denying weapons sales or transfers to Nigeria under the Leahy Amendment; listing Nigeria complicit in persecuting Christian and Jews under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

We respectfully urge Mr President to invoke particularly Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), as amended, which prohibits the furnishing of assistance authorised by the FAA and the Arms Export Control Act to any foreign security force unit where there is credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.

In conclusion, we state categorically that the national interests of the United States lie in protecting Christians and Jews in Nigeria, defeating radical Islam and preventing instability in West Africa which will altogether be enhanced by a US-led diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian government to  as a matter of urgency  agree to a UN-supervised referendum on Biafran Independence.

We wish you and your family many wonderful years in the White House.
In a case of grass to grace, a former cleaner, Peter Aliyu, has been appointed by Governor Yahaya Bello as Senior Special Assistant on Sanit...





In a case of grass to grace, a former cleaner, Peter Aliyu, has been appointed by Governor Yahaya Bello as Senior Special Assistant on Sanitation.

This was made known in a statement issued by the governors Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed.

Mohammed said the appointment of the former cleaner under the Geemoney Cleaning Scheme of the governor, was part of Bellos efforts to foster inclusion in governance.

The appointment is also coming on the heels of President Muhammadu Buharis efforts to ensure more inclusion of persons with disabilities and the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

According to Muhammed, the appointment of Aliyu, who is also speech challenged, further illustrates Bellos compassionate attribute.

His appointment was announced on Wednesday alongside other new government appointees of government in a press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Arike Ayoade.

The young mans appointment came on the heels of his excellencys observation of the mans consistency, diligence and dedication which also endeared the new appointee to many other individuals who have hailed his appointment.

Governor Bello has always been known for his non-discrimination approach to leadership and how he has ensured that individuals of different class, group and even social strata were meted equal treatment across board.

The governor in his usual disposition did not consider Mr Aliyus disability as an hindrance for him to effectively serve but rather as a means to enlist him and prove to the world that in disabilities lie abilities as well, he said.

He said the gesture by the governor was not the first of its kind as he had in the past given special consideration to people with disabilities.

This, he said, was by engaging them actively in his government and even signing bills that would enhance their welfare.
A former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Ben Murray-Bruce, has advised the Nigerian government to hire mercenaries ...

A former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Ben Murray-Bruce, has advised the Nigerian government to hire mercenaries in its fight against terrorists and bandits in the country.

He said this in a video on social media in which he commended the Nigerian government for seeking international help over the insecurity in the country and terrorism in West Africa.

Murray-Bruce, however, stated that more needs to be done, adding that the military needs to improve their intelligence gathering and to also infiltrate the terror groups and their hideouts.

He said, During the virtual meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, he appealed to the United State to relocate its Africa Military Command based in Europe to West Africa to help tackle terrorism in the region.

The Nigerian government I finally seeking international assistance in its resolve to defeat terrorism, banditry and all form of criminality, particularly in the North-East and the North-West. This is a good development but not enough.

We must also deploy mercenaries to complement our force to deal with the terrorists and bandits. The Nigerian Army must also get helicopter gunships and deploy them in theatres of conflict, especially on the frontlines to support the soldiers on the ground.

Military experts from around the world say you cannot defeat insurgents who engage in asymmetric warfare without helicopter gunships. They say it is not just possible and those who have tried without it in different parts of the world have failed to win and only end up with a prolonged drawn-out war.

The military must also improve their intelligence gathering backed by technology, infiltrate the terror groups and their hideouts. Our troops must also change their method of operation by also deploying guerrilla tactics and beating the terrorists at their own game.
Sunday Igboho, a self-acclaimed Yoruba activist, came under attack on Sunday for mocking Pastor Enoch Adeboye over the death of his son Dare...





Sunday Igboho, a self-acclaimed Yoruba activist, came under attack on Sunday for mocking Pastor Enoch Adeboye over the death of his son Dare.

Igboho, in a live Facebook broadcast on Saturday night, refused to sympathize with Adeboye because the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God has not publicly supported calls for Yoruba nation.

Igboho, instead seized the opportunity to rain curses on any leader or Pastor who refuse to support the secession agenda, saying God will kill their children and wives.

He said: Has Baba supported the Yoruba nation that we will now be greeting him? We dont need to greet Adeboye. What is my own with that? We are not doing church here. This is not religion.

Pastor Adeboye didnt speak about Yoruba nation. Look at the number of crowd in Baba Adeboyes church. Is he not supposed to tell all of them to join Yoruba nation? We dont need to greet him.

God himself will start asking questions from all the enemies of the Yoruba race. By the grace of God, anybody who says Yoruba will not get to the promised land, God will kill their children and wives and their entire family.

Anybody who does not support Yoruba nation, those who have powers, be it pastors or anybody that has the followers, but does not support Yoruba nation, God I call on you; youre the one who owns me and the creator of everything. Those elders who see our sufferings, who see that the Fulanis are kidnapping us and collecting ransom, but choose not to support us, as you kill their children, kill their wives. So shall it be!

However, Nigerians took to social media to critisise Igboho for making such reckless and unbridled statements.

My friend that used to support Sunday Igboho & praise him to high heaven, is now angry because he mocked & insulted Baba Adeboye.

When I see retard, I know them sadly he took him to insult your GO before you denounce madness, Tope Ayanbisi wrote on Twitter.

Ollykween said: I understand SUNDAY IGBOHO is not educated. Its not too late to tutor him on how to talk while being granted an interview or better still, he should seek for a qualified media aide. Also, his illiteracy doesnt give him the effrontery to be rude to Baba Adeboye #ApologizeNow.

Susan Kingsley said: Baba Adeboyes job is to pray for the nation, and not to publicly support Yoruba nation, Sunday Igboho is ignorant.

Omo Balogun: Sigh.

So its only Yoruba thats attending Baba Adeboye church?

I dont blame Sunday Igboho, I blame those who gave him wing.

I blame those who made him their hero. I blame those who gave him the platform to be seeing himself as a leader.
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and John Odigie Oyegun, two past national chairmen of the All Progressives Congress, APC. have called for a united ...





Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and John Odigie Oyegun, two past national chairmen of the All Progressives Congress, APC. have called for a united APC in Edo State.

The two APC leaders, who had tangled over various issues in the past, gave the charge in Benin on Saturday during the stakeholders meeting of the party.

Oyegun urged members of the party to put the past behind and look at the future.

I am APC, I belong to APC body and soul. Let us close ranks, the future of our party is bright.

Every member of the party including party leaders has a contribution to make for the improvement and success of the party. No individual can be greater than the party, he said.

He also appealed that members in the state should close ranks and work with the party leadership to at both state and national level in the interest of the party.

Oshiomole, on his part, urged party members to close ranks and work with the leadership of the party at the state and other levels in the overall interest of the party.

The duo also commended the State Caretaker Committee of the party, led by retired Col David Imuse for the success recorded during the just concluded membership registration exercise of the party in the state.

Stakeholders who were present at the party meeting are Prince Malik Afegbua; the former governor of Edo State, Professor Oserheimhen Osunbor and his erstwhile deputy, Chief Lucky Imasuen; a former deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu; some members of the National Assembly, including Senator Francis Alimikhena, Hon Dennis Idahosa, Patrick Aisowieren among other stakeholders.
Newsfrom Japan

Tokyo, May 9 (Jiji Press)--The outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Japan has almost ended after having swept across the country from last November.

This season, bird flu was discovered in 18 prefectures, including Chiba and Ibaraki, which are known for poultry farming.

The number of chickens and ducks that were culled this season in order to prevent the further spread of infections stood at around 9.87 million as of Saturday, up drastically from the previous record high of some 1.83 million such birds put down between the autumn of 2010 and the spring the following year.

The large-scale slaughters are also said to be responsible for the recent rises in egg prices.

Chiba Prefecture, one of the countrys largest producer of chicken eggs, lifted restrictions on transferring eggs and chickens from farms on April 20.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
A Jersey City fugitive authorities say murdered his mother inside her apartment building has been arrested.

Terrance Nelson was seen being taken into the Hudson County Prosecutors Office on Duncan Avenue by two Jersey City police officers Sunday morning, Mothers Day.

He has been charged with first-degree murder of 60-year-old Jacqueline Nelson, who was found unconscious on the first floor of a home at 18 Virginia Ave. Thursday morning. The 60-year-old was pronounced dead at the Jersey City Medical Center a few hours later.

According to police radio transmissions Sunday morning, Terrance Nelson was taken into custody inside the 18 Virginia Ave. building where the crime occurred.

Police and firefighters had responded to the home just after 1 a.m. Thursday on the report of a disturbance and small fire, which was quickly extinguished.

The prosecutors office has not provided details, but police said in radio transmissions that two other family members were in the home at the time and that Nelson was pushed or thrown down from an upper floor.
Town council members in Narragansett, Rhode Island, handed Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop a defeat last week in his quest to limit public parking on the street where he owns a home.

Since the beginning of the year, the mayor has tuned into two online Narragansett town council meetings to oppose a plan to expand a public right of way and add parking spots on the street where his beach house stands. The waterfront neighborhood of Point Judith is popular with surfers, who often park along residential streets, angering property owners like Fulop.

At virtual public meetings in January and March, Fulop complained about surfers littering on his property and using his furniture without permission.

There isnt a day that goes by that there arent countless trespassers walking across my property at all times, he said in January.

But last Monday, the town council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution that would allow public parking on Fulops street between the hours of 5:01 a.m. and 8:59 p.m.

I think enoughs been said, Narragansett Councilman Patrick Murray said Monday, after a series of public hearings that drew dozens of callers on both sides of the issue. I think clearly this is a benefit for the town.

As Murray noted in a prior meeting, the issue of parking was controversial in part because many of the property owners in Point Judith are not full-time residents. In his public comments in January, Fulop described himself and his family as longtime residents of Narragansett. Were not transplants, he said.

But emails reported by the Boston Globe show that, in private communications with town officials, Fulop seemed to take care to mention his position as leader of New Jerseys second-largest city.

I know the job you have as I serve as the mayor of Jersey City so needless to say I appreciate our business administrator and certainly know well the job you have to do, Fulop wrote in an email to Narragansetts business administrator, in which he requested a phone call to talk about a little issue with the surfers and parking at the end of my street.

In an email to a Narragansett councilwoman, Fulop opened his email with the unrelated point that he met her brother, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, via our NJ congressional delegation when I visited them in Washington as I currently serve as the Mayor of Jersey City, NJ.

Phil Swibinski, a spokesman for Fulops mayoral campaign, slammed media outlets for reporting on the mayors comments at the public meeting. Fulops participation in the meetings last month was first reported by The Jersey Journal, and the Boston Globe and New York Post published further details about it this week.

Mayor Fulop has no regrets with regards to his public participation on an issue that impacts his family, but he feels that The Jersey Journal and other press outlets should be embarrassed by their conduct in choosing to spend so much time and resources on gossip and nonsense that is totally unrelated to news in Jersey City, Swibinski said. These kinds of stories are the exact reason why trust in media has reached such an all-time low.
The doctor in India had grave news, so Hiral Trivedi booked a flight.

It could be the last chance to see her mother while she was conscious, sick in a hospital with COVID-19 during a nationwide surge in cases that was only worsening. Then it dawned on her what it meant to travel halfway around the world when such a contagious disease was spreading ruthlessly and what might unravel when she returned to Jersey City three days later.

Overcome with a sense of helplessness, she broke down, her husband recalled.

Its a feeling of helplessness consuming an entire community of Hudson County residents with relatives and friends in India, where among the direst coronavirus story is playing out.

Its traumatic, Niraj Trivedi, Hirals husband, said. It weighs down on your brain and your heart heavy. Its very difficult to go about your normal life.

Members of Hudson Countys Indian diaspora said they are constantly checking in with family members living abroad. Medical organizations like the CarePoint Health Foundation have launched fund drives, aiming to purchase and distribute equipment abroad via professional connections.

Some doctors are also planning to travel to India to help.

International travel, meanwhile, has been an emerging challenge since the U.S. federal government halted travel from India for most non-U.S. citizens, said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

There has been an uptick of constituent requests among Indian Americans in Hoboken with respect to visa issues, he said.

In a country of more than 1 billion, Indias new COVID-19 cases in a single day are now topping 400,000. Less than 15% of the Indian population is vaccinated, and hospital beds, oxygen technology and everything in between is becoming increasingly scarce.

Dr. Achintya Moulick, the CEO of CarePoint Health, travelled to Kolkata just before the surge to visit his elderly parents who he said are now completely isolated.

My dad and mom wanted to see me because at 87 he didnt know whether hed see me again, Moulick said.

Since then, his WhatsApp group chats have brought constant news of friends with newly ill loved ones, he said. He and CarePoint Health Foundation President Paula Nevoso quickly created a relief fund to purchase supplies to send to hospitals at which he has direct connections.

Hackensack Meridian Health is in the process of sending 200 oxygen generators to medical centers in six Indian cities.

Some Hudson County doctors, like Christ Hospital Chief Cardiologist Dr. Michael Benz, have become informal medical consultants for friends, family and strangers abroad.

Im volunteering, Benz said. Anybody can call my sister or me directly. I advise what to do on the phone.

Benzs close family in India hasnt contracted the virus. Many of Dr. Karnik Patels family, however, had it just last week.

Every day before heading to his internal medicine practice in Hoboken, hed check in on them and ask for their temperatures and oxygen saturation, Patel said. They have since recovered, he said.

My grandma shes 91, so its hard because Im here, he said. I can only do so much here on the other side of the world.

Doctors here feel like they have the expertise needed to take on a COVID surge because of what the New York metro area experienced last spring, said Bayonne Medical Center Chief Hospital Executive Dr. Vijayant Singh.

Its that experience that motivated him to coordinate with medical peers to serve as relief surgeons and doctors in New Delhi, where he is from, later this month.

I think they need doctors, they need nurses, they need pharmacy technicians, Singh said. Anybody and everybody who has a health care background could be a great resource for India right now.

But for those outside the medical community, the options to assist are more limited.

After a panic attack brought Hiral Trivedi to cancel her trip, her mother became well enough to go home, where her family had been able to acquire an oxygen tank.

But her mother still has health complications from the virus and is still a 15-hour flight away.

The helplessness carries on, Niraj Trivedi said.
A forest has sprouted in the middle of Manhattan.

Dozens of cedar trees have recently appeared in Madison Square Park, in the shadow of the iconic Flatiron Building. But theres something odd about these trees: Theyre dead, and thats just how Maya Lin wants them.
Editors note: This piece is part of Communities of New Jersey, a new series meant to highlight, showcase and cover communities underserved by large media organizations like NJ.com.

In Paterson, as it has been in many towns and cities across the country since the killing of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis Police Officer, the relationship between residents and police officers is more tense than it has been in years. Locally, allegations of police brutality and the arrests of 10 officers in the last few years are fresh in city residents mind.

I cant speak for all citizens, and Paterson has problems with crime, but Im more comfortable with drug dealers than I am with policemen, said Diana B., a resident who declined to give her last name. Our city is largely Black and brown (Latinx and Middle Eastern), and we have had issues with police presence and enforcement in our city. They arent actively and aggressively patrolling more prosperous areas like Pompton Lakes.

As of the most recent Census data available, more than 60% of Patersons residents identified as Hispanic or Latino. More than 26% of its residents identified as Black.

For Andre Sayegh, whos been mayor of the 145,000-person city since 2018, one of the ways to restore trust between the 380-member police department and the community is to bring back foot patrols, which were slashed when the coronavirus pandemic began. The move then was financial, the department was struggling with layoffs and attrition. Plus, when COVID-19 struck, officers stayed off the streets for medical concerns, officials said. Walking through busy neighborhoods and talking to business owners and residents became a dangerous prospect, as first responders fell ill with the virus, Sayegh said.

But now, as coffers have refilled, more people have been vaccinated against the virus, crime has spiked, and tension between residents and police has risen, Sayegh and City Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale say its the right time to bring foot patrols back.

Police Chief Ibrahim Mike Baycora, declined to comment for this story.

If you take the temperature of the country as far as policing is concerned, its been a really tough stretch, Sayegh said. In Paterson, the operative word is trust.

The mayor said he hopes that police presence will breed a comfortable familiarity among Paterson neighborhoods, citing the mere exposure effect, a psychological phenomenon where people eventually prefer things and people theyre more familiar with.

The more you see someone, the more likely youll gravitate towards that person or have a favorable opinion of that person, said Sayegh.

We believe that having walking patrols in neighborhoods and commercial districts will help us achieve a better level of trust in the community that the police protect and serve.

So, since April 11, teams of two officers  a veteran and a rookie  have been walking one of several beats throughout the city, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, said Speziale. As of April 13, there were 20 officers assigned to foot patrols, with the expectation for that to eventually grow to 30 officers.

The teams will focus on hotspots  areas most affected by violent and drug crimes, said Speziale.

Local officials said addressing rising crime rates directly is a necessity. Paterson recorded 27 homicides in 2020, its highest number in more than three decades, Sayegh previously told NJ Advance Media.

But residents in New Jerseys third largest city say theyre equally as concerned about the police departments recent past.

Over the past few years, eight city officers have been arrested by the FBI as part of a corruption probe. As of February, five of the officers had been convicted and are waiting sentencing, NorthJersey.com reported. Two had already been sent to prison, according to the report.

Since January 2019, when Paterson resident Jameek Lowery died after an interaction with police, residents have been wary of the encounter.

Lowery had walked into a Paterson Police station asking for help after taking ecstasy and becoming paranoid. Prosecutors said he became violent as they put him into an ambulance. Two days later, Lowery died at the hospital of cardiac arrest during active psychosis while under the influence. His death was ruled accidental and the police officers who restrained Lowery as they loaded him onto the ambulance were cleared of using excessive force. But local reaction to the incident remains skeptical, and a lawsuit filed July on behalf of the mother of Lowerys child insists that Paterson police used excessive force when they detained him.

Then, last month, two city police officers were charged with assault after a video showed them repeatedly punching a 19-year-old. The investigation was prompted by a surveillance video that circulated on social media that showed the officers repeatedly punching city resident Osamah Alsaidi while he was walking on a city street.

Alsaidi claimed he was walking to his car after work when the officers approached and started punching me for no reason. The officers were charged with depriving a victim of his Constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers and with filing a false police report.

Its all made residents doubt the effectiveness of foot patrols.

An increase in police presence doesnt mean an increase in safety, but often times can mean an increase in police violence and abuse, said Zellie Thomas, a teacher in the city and a leader of Paterson Black Lives Matter. The department is untrustworthy. If people cant feel safe with police, then we need to create alternatives to keep our community safe.

City resident Jose Torres Caballero said the patrols might make a difference, but only if the officers involved are targeting crime hot spots, like Patersons fourth ward.

They should be placed in the infected areas and not in the nice areas where the cops will get invited into peoples homes or businesses for coffee while crimes are taking place on the other side of the city, he said, noting hes seen the latter happen in the past.

Sayegh said he hoped that city residents could see past even the most recent transgressions, and learn to trust the majority of the police department who want to serve the public.

We want our officers to interact with merchants and residents alike, to give them every assurance that policing is still a noble profession and that the actions of a few bad apples should not impede very effective officers from doing their jobs, Sayegh told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday.

So its putting in that extra effort to bear in mind, Look, we understand that this happened as far as unscrupulous officers are concerned, he added. However, they should not have you change your mind about us.

As the foot patrols are underway, Patersons department is also undergoing what Sayegh says he hopes are overhauls that will bring the department forward in terms of accountability and transparency.

Last January, Sayegh, alongside Baycora, announced the city would conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the police department. Sayegh said the results of the audit are forthcoming.

Also last January, the department announced plans to equip 150 officers in its patrol division with body-worn cameras by the end of March.

On a recent shadowing of the foot patrols, officers were seen performing some enforcement activities, like writing tickets, and just chatting with residents passing by. For Public Safety Director Speziale, who said the effort is about community policing, those chats are the whole point.

Theyre not there with hats and bats to bang people around, he said. This is just to have a presence, keep crime down and make people feel good where they are, in their homes and their neighborhoods and their businesses.

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Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.

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Its a law school, not a seminary.

That distinction seems to be lost on the students at Rutgers Law School in Newark.

In a seminary, it would make perfect sense to limit the words considered appropriate for the priests in training. They are being educated to spend their lives thinking lofty thoughts.

Thats not the case with lawyers. They spend their lives dealing with bad behavior. If everyone was good, there wouldnt be much work for them.

That is the crux of the current kerfuffle at the school.

It began when three students were engaged in a remote-learning session with Vera Bergelson, a professor of criminal law.

One case they discussed was the 1993 New Jersey Supreme Court decision in the case of State v. Bridges, which involved murder and conspiracy charges.

In 1988, the defendant, Bennie Eugene Bridges, attended a sweet-16 party in the basement of a home in Roebling.

After he got in a heated argument with another guest, Bridges stormed out, saying he would be back with some of his friends from Trenton. Except he didnt say friends. He used what is euphemistically known as the N-word.

The court used the actual word in that decision. So did the student, who has not been named.

As for Bergelson, she later said she did not recall hearing the word used.

Given that this was an exact quote from a published opinion, that should have been the end of it.

But a group of law students started a petition to demand an apology from both the student and the professor.

At the height of a racial reckoning, a responsible adult should know not to use a racial slur regardless of its use in a 1993 opinion, the petition stated. We vehemently condemn the use of the N-word by the student and the acquiescence of its usage.

Co-deans David Lopez and Kimberly Mutcherson responded with a statement that was a masterpiece of academic equivocation.

As the co-deans of Rutgers Law School, we recognize the hurt that our students experienced following this incident, and we know that none of the involved parties acted with any ill intent, it began.

It went on to state that the deans do not want to change current protections of academic freedom. Instead they called for discussions among students and faculty, saying Those discussions are not about stifling academic freedom, ignoring the First Amendment, or banning words  "

But thats exactly what these discussions are about, said one of the nations leading First Amendment experts.

When I got Eugene Volokh of UCLA Law School on the phone he directed me to a paper by him and his colleague Randall Kennedy titled The New Taboo: Quoting Epithets in the Classroom and Beyond.

The paper tracks the cases of dozens of professors (and the Volokh Conspiracy free-speech blog) all over the country who have been disciplined or even fired for citing epithets in legal matters. The authors also note that a Westlaw search of appellate briefs finds over 10,000 that fully spell out the N-word.

What the law students at Rutgers are missing, said the professor, is the use/mention distinction.

Theres a sharp distinction between uses and mentions, Volokh said. If I were to call a witness an imbecile, the judge would admonish me. But what if I quote Holmes line three generations of imbeciles is enough?

Oliver Wendell Holmes did indeed write that in a 1927 case. Its not a popular sentiment today, but that doesnt change history. And changing history is what this trend is all about, said Volokh.

The history in question is that of the old Soviet Union, where both he and Bergelson were born. Whether these students know it or not, he said, they are embracing an old Soviet tactic.

The way you control people is by demanding apologies from them, he said. I cant really speak about whats in the minds of every Russian emigre. But we all grew up with heroes who were people who didnt bend.

He cited author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and physicist Andrei Sakharov, both of whom were sentenced to years of internal exile for their writings.

Most of us would not have the guts to do what they did, he said. But it shames us as Russians to give in when the threats backing the demands are so much less.

In Volokhs case, the dean of his school issued an apology for some of his statements. But I wouldnt do it.

The good news for advocates of free speech is that a number of prominent legal figures have come out in support of free speech, including two former deans of the school, John Farmer Jr. and Ronald Chen.

So it appears Bergelsons job is safe for now.

As for those students, if they want to be safe they ought to pick a different line of work.

(As Jersey universities go, Princeton has a much better record of dealing with this sort of thing than Rutgers. Princeton professor Keith Whittington gives a succinct summary of how adults should treat this sort of childish behavior: Rather than subjecting members of the faculty to drawn-out and costly investigations and threats to their jobs, university leaders should learn to tell campus activists that some speech is protected and that the university will be taking no action against those who engage in such protected speech.)

BELOW - GREAT MINDS LIKE A THINK:

Im not the only one to compare the cancel culture to a religious cult. Check out this video in which a Columbia professor makes that point in depth:
By Anthony M. Anastasio

The pandemics real impact on the administration of justice in our state has not yet been felt, the Honorable Glenn A. Grant, acting administrative director of the New Jersey Courts, recently told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. If the historic shortage of state court judges is not immediately addressed, backlogged cases and new litigation will overwhelm the judiciary as we return to normalcy through vaccination.

New Jerseys courts have 67 judicial vacancies as of May 1, down only slightly from a historic high of 75 vacancies at one point during the pandemic. Trial court judges and their staff are working around the clock to keep up with an ever-increasing pending caseload and backlog.

Certain hearings can take longer to complete in a virtual format and some matters, such as custody matters or criminal detention hearings, have been heard throughout the pandemic, due to the nature of those hearings. Keeping up with the practical effects of these judicial vacancies requires daily oversight and complicated shuffling of available resources in each vicinage by assignment judges.

The big problem here is that the governors moratorium on foreclosures and evictions will eventually expire. The pandemic has left tens of thousands of New Jerseyans unable to pay their housing costs, which will result in a massive surge in filings by landlords and lenders who rely on such income to pay their bills. Also, criminal jury trials, which have been suspended since the outset of the pandemic, will eventually restart.

When these constitutionally critical proceedings recommence, there will be a tsunami of urgent legal matters that our courts must handle at once. Obviously, this would be the worst possible time for a historically high number of judicial vacancies.

The necessary funds to fill these vacancies have already been allocated, and this all boils down to the appointment process itself. The reality here is that there is shared responsibility between the executive and legislative branches of our state government. While the Governors Office possesses judicial appointment power, the New Jersey Senate must still approve all nominees. As with all gubernatorial nominations requiring Senate approval, judicial nominations are subject to the unwritten rule of senatorial courtesy.

Regardless of the source of the problem, it needs to be addressed now. Accused criminals are sitting in county jails waiting to exercise their constitutional right to a jury trial. Tenants and landlords also have a right to their day in court to plead their respective cases, as their homes and livelihoods hang in the balance. When that day finally comes, these citizens deserve swift and efficient administration of justice. Without enough judges, this will be impossible.

And if scarce judicial resources must be first diverted to these pressing legal matters when things return to normal, then other less urgent (yet still serious) legal matters, including those involving business transactions, injured persons, employment disputes, estate administration, and capital investment will suffer delay. Sluggish resolution of these matters will hurt New Jerseys economy.

Our Legislature continues to rapidly advance new laws allowing New Jersey citizens to bring lawsuits for a wide variety of perceived ills and is openly hostile to resolving disputes through private arbitration. At the same time, the governor and Senate are not providing sufficient human resources to meet the extraordinary demands placed on the Judiciary. This situation is simply unsustainable. The governor and Senate need to make resolving the judicial vacancy crisis a priority.

Anthony Anastasio is president of the New Jersey Civil Justice Institute, the states leading organization advocating for the business community on matters of law and legal policy.

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Protestors are demanding an end to contracts that allow federal immigration authorities to detain people in our local jails, after Trump-era sweeps imprisoned harmless grandpas alongside dangerous criminals.

Democrats like Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker dont want to be associated with that. Theyve added to the pressure, and activists are now celebrating Essex Countys recent decision to abandon its contract with ICE, and pushing a bill to ban the agency from having any contracts in New Jersey.

Yet in our rush to help these detainees, were missing a critical voice: The detainees themselves, who stand to be even worse off if they are moved from New Jersey to more remote locations. Many of their lawyers, sworn to uphold their best interests, are saying, Dont do this.

Because if we kill all the ICE contracts in New Jersey, many of their clients will only be moved to out-of-state jails where they cant see their families and lawyers and theres less accountability. In the past when weve had our clients sent to other facilities from Essex, thats been a really bad thing, says Lori Nessel, whose team at Seton Hall provides free legal help to the detainees.

Theyve been shipped to Buffalo, upstate New York, Louisiana, and Miami. After California cities recently ended their ICE contracts, many detainees were transferred to jails in Colorado, far from their lawyers and families.

Everybody here in Essex Jail right now is like, in panic, says Jorge Moradel, a green card applicant imprisoned for three years due to a marijuana conviction. Moradel, who grew up in New Jersey and has a six-year-old son here, fears being sent hundreds of miles away or locked up in a cell instead of a dormitory. At least here, my lawyer is close for me, he adds.

So heres the question for Booker, Menendez, and the well-intentioned protestors who want to help these detainees: How does closing New Jersey jails to the detainees actually help them? To wash our hands of this reflects a moral impulse that is understandable, but that must yield in the end to the best interests of the detainees.

A federal inspection in 2019 found leaky ceilings, rotten food, strip searches and overuse of solitary at Essex County Jail, but political pressure in the wake of that scathing report led the county to fund free lawyers for the immigrants and improve their conditions, along with creating a civilian oversight board. Will they get that in Louisiana?

Im scared someone will end up in Louisiana; thats one of the worst facilities in the whole country, says advocate Rosa Santana, who spent more than 10 years working with New Jersey detainees and now serves on the oversight board at Essex County Jail.

The Essex lockup is also one of the few facilities with a program to vaccinate detainees, says Leena Khandwala of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Rutgers Law School. About 60 out of 160 have been inoculated so far. If transferred, they may never get a second shot or be vaccinated at all.

And the transfers themselves are traumatic. Detainees have been loaded onto buses in the middle of the night, shackled for hours with just a sandwich and no place to use the restroom. Theyve lost papers along the way, property along the way, Khandwala says. One client with a severe mental illness was shipped last year to Miami and they didnt transfer his protocols, she recalled. It took him six weeks to get medication for his mental health issues.

Some activists argue that if ICE is not allowed to contract with jails in New Jersey, it will no longer arrest people here and imprison them. But scant evidence exists to support this notion. We just dont know that theres going to be any link; that as facilities end their ICE contracts, that will necessarily mean less detentions, Nessel says. Under Joe Bidens ICE, of 30 requests for release so far by lawyers with the American Friends Service Committee, just two have been granted.

Ending these contracts in New Jersey would not prevent a future president from returning to the dark days of ICE roundups, either. This is a feel-good move, but detainees would be better served if we listened to the people facing this risk, and the lawyers in the trenches working with them.

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The ferocious segregation in New Jerseys public schools is a legacy of home rule, the doctrine that allows white towns to build walls that keep out Black and brown kids.

If youre looking for structural racism in our allegedly progressive state, there it is. On this measure, we are worse than Alabama or Mississippi.

But as progressives now move to knock down racial barriers, the first case to reach the state Supreme Court is aimed not at the white schools in the suburbs, but at the charter schools in Newark whose student bodies are nearly all Black.

If the challenge succeeds, it could force up to 2,400 Black students to return to traditional district schools in the years ahead, despite the preference of these families, and the abundant evidence that their children are thriving.

Why stop a good thing? asks Jasmine Morrison, whose two boys, Ibrahim and Idris, attend a North Star charter school in the citys West Ward. Its very scary to me. These schools do an exceptional job. This is my best option Black and brown children have been segregated in failing school districts for quite some time. Its a disservice to them to bring up a case of segregation to remove that opportunity now.

Its a tortured path that has brought us here, and this clash is born of good intentions on both sides. Right now, there are two lawsuits challenging segregation in the public schools. One focuses on the statewide problem and could lead to measures that have worked in other states, including many in the Deep South  magnet schools, choice programs that allow students to cross district lines, even regional or county districts. No one is talking about forced busing, as in Boston during the 1970s.

The second concerns the charters in Newark, and is on the faster track. Its core claim is that the state approved the dramatic expansion of charters in Newark without studying the consequences, as required by law. That lapse, the suit argues, has deepened racial segregation, and allowed charters to avoid taking their fair share of kids with disabilities and limited proficiency in English. With nearly 40 percent of Newark students now attending charters, the expansion has also drained needed resources from district schools, the suit argues.

The commissioner has to investigate that, get to the bottom of it, and if he finds problem, hes got to do something about it, said David Sciarra of the Education Law Center during a virtual hearing before the Supreme Court on April 21. We dont think these expansions should have been approved.

The state disputes all that, as do the charter schools. But its the suits claims about race that are most remarkable. When most of us think about school segregation, we picture white schools closing out minority students.

The Newark case turns that on its head, claiming that the charters are too narrowly focused on helping Black students, and must admit more students of other races, which in Newark means primarily Latino students. The suit concedes that many traditional district schools are segregated as well, by neighborhood, but argues that charters have a special obligation to reflect the racial mix of the entire city, even if the schools are located in Black neighborhoods.

The irony is rich. The biggest charter school networks in Newark are Team Academy and North Star Academy, and both came to Newark to promote racial justice by bringing good schools into segregated Black areas where school failures were most dramatic.

Ryan Hill was the founding principal of TEAMs first school in Newark in 2002, a 5th grade school in the South Ward, and he now oversees all the TEAM schools. Hes flummoxed by the Education Law Centers argument.

Theyre trying to help Black and brown families who are underserved, and the solution is to yank them out of the schools theyve chosen to enroll their kids and force them to go to a school theyve actively avoided, Hill says. I dont get it.

Sciarra told the court that he doesnt want to remove kids who are in charters now, but that would be the long-term effect if he gets his way. He asked the Court to freeze the expansions, even the 2,400 seats that were approved, but have not yet been filled. There should not be any further growth in charter school enrollment, he told the court. One issue is if those 2,400 seats are even needed anymore.

Thats just flat-out wrong. The charters havent used those 2,400 slots yet because they expand their schools one grade level at a time, so a K-5 school would take three years to become a K-8 school. If the expansion if frozen, students who reach the highest grade will have nowhere to go but back to the district schools.

It seems unavoidable from the argument youre making that youd be seeking to reduce the number of Black students in these charter schools, Justice Anne Patterson said during the court hearing, an assertion that went unchallenged by Sciarra.

The citys district schools have improved in recent years, but they lag behind the charters by every academic measure. A forced return to district schools is what parents like Morrison fear. I have nightmares about it, she said.

If thats the outcome of this case, it would have to count as a setback in the fight for racial justice. Black parents in Newark consistently choose charter schools over districts schools, and for progressives to step in and tell them whats best for their own children if plain offensive.

The Court could rule that Sciarra is right about the process and require a more thorough review in the future, a finding that would do some good. The states orders approving expansions were just one or two pages, and Chief Justice Stuart Rabner seemed to agree with Sciarra that the process was cursory.

How does a form letter with a combined less than one page of text satisfy anyone about the nature of the review the commissioner conducted? Rabner asked the states lawyer. And how does it leave behind anything that can be reviewed when challenged?

But if the Court goes further and pulls the plug on approved expansions, as Sciarra asks, thousands of Newark parents with soon be having nightmares like Morrisons.

One final irony: The charters could be part of the solution on statewide segregation, and both sides say they would welcome that. The idea would be to build new charter schools in border areas between Black and white districts, drawing a racially mixed group of students, as magnet schools often do.

Former Supreme Court Justice Gary Stein, whose firm is counsel to both segregation suits, says he regrets approving the law establishing charter schools in New Jersey, but he concedes that the charters are performing well and says they could even play a role in resolving the statewide suit. If the charter schools were to make an effort to change the way they organize to include diversity, they could have a remarkably positive effect.

Hill says the charter sector stands ready to help. Lets do it, he says. We have considered, for our next phase of growth, opening county-wide chartersIf were looking for solutions to segregation, Im positive youd have interest from the charters.

In Manhattan, Hills associates are about to open a middle school in the Upper West Side that is designed to draw a mix of races, along just these lines. It is a departure, says the founding principal, Joe Negron. But its equally important for Black and brown kids to have white classmates as it is for white kids to have Black and brown classmates.

Theres the happy ending to this story. Instead of sabotaging the charters in Newark, how about enlisting them to help solve the real problem of segregation in New Jersey schools?

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Youve heard about the Quarantine 19 and how the average Americans pandemic weight gain resembles the Freshman 15, the number of added pounds that famously follow high schoolers into college.

Get ready for a mashup well call the COVID 15, except that it has nothing to do with pounds unless you are paid in British currency.

Most of America may be headed toward a $15 minimum wage, even if Congress continues its gridlock over raising the national per-hour legal pay above its paltry, disgusting $7.25. For states such as New Jersey, which are already more than halfway to the $15 level, thats probably good news  but there could be pitfalls ahead.

Lets start with a startling observation about Wawa. Although summertime employee shortages have plagued the chains Shore locations for years, this time its serious: Wawa announced that it might have to engage in rolling, temporary store closures, like Texas or California shutting off power to avoid a huge blackout. A busy Somers Point location shut down last week and may not be able to resume full operation until June 10, a company spokesperson said.

Its not just Wawa, which pays reasonably well and offers decent benefits. An NBC News report last week indicated that nine Atlantic City casinos held a job fair to fill 1,800 positions but closed it early when only 20 people showed up. Featured was a Golden Nugget executive who complained about managers having to clean guest rooms.

If this is playing out in the COVID-19-decimated casino industry, wracked with unemployment last year, its a microcosm of whats happening all over. Many New Jersey businesses have already boosted wages to $15 an hour or more. Others are sure to follow, although state law says that employers dont need to start paying that much until 2024.

Should New Jersey accelerate the start date of that $15 minimum, since its already happening in real time? While its hard to argue that anything less than $15 is not enough  right now  for a living wage in this state, there are consequences that should be checked out before abrupt moves are made.

One thing to consider: How much of whats going is a COVID-19 fluke? If employers like Wawa and the amusement piers have problems finding hires every summer, then its not a unique pandemic circumstance.

However, many employers note that they cant recruit summer help from overseas as they normally do, and that even an elevated pay rate will not lure back ex-employees who are still afraid to come into contact daily with perhaps hundreds of possibly unvaccinated customers.

The restaurant industry cites pandemic-enhanced unemployment benefits that laid-off workers are still receiving, making it easier to decide to stay on the couch. Some officials deny that an extra $300 or $600 a week makes people more work-averse, but eatery owners whove actually contacted exes about returning say thats exactly what theyve heard from refusniks.

New Jersey should not follow the renegade states that have tried to cut off the extra benefits early, although it makes sense to reevaluate them before extending them in the fall.

Finally, some businesses seeking to fill vacant jobs without raising wages have compensated recruits in other ways. There are sign-on bonuses, college tuition help, plus health coverage and sick time in sectors that havent normally provided them, especially for part-timers. The one-shot bonuses can be withdrawn at any time. They represent a cold-hearted calculation by employers against granting regular wage increases, which are harder to claw back.

However, what good is an extra $3 or $5 an hour if that pushes a head of household beyond the limits for Medicaid, housing assistance, etc., worth hundreds of dollars a month? Our safety-net programs need to get in line with higher pay rates, and not unjustly penalize families receiving badly needed extra income.

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In 1955, when his discovery began to save countless frantic families from the ravages of polio, the obscure scientist who led the greatest public health experiment in history was asked who owned the vaccine he had just developed.

Well, the people, Id say -- there is no patent, Jonas Salk replied, before adding with a modest laugh, Could you patent the sun?

Salks vaccine could have brought him $7 billion in riches, but the alternative he chose resonates today: Some medical innovations are too important not to share  especially when they save lives -- and as Covid continues its rampage across the planet, the task of vaccinating billions must take priority over the creation of vaccine billionaires.

The Biden Administration agrees, and Americans should be proud that the US is asserting its leadership during a global health crisis that has killed 3.2 million by supporting the waiver of vaccine patents so that production can be ramped up around the world.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai could not be more plain: Extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures, she said, while reiterating the administrations strong belief in intellectual property protection.

This is the only way to reach every country with vaccines, and it cannot happen without the US taking the first step. Variants are spreading, and outbreaks could occur anywhere, so it is in Americas own interests to lead this global fight.

.@AdyBarkan: "If the US discovers a vaccine first, will you commit to sharing that technology w/ other countries? And will you ensure there are no patents to stand in the way of other countries & companies producing those life-saving vaccines?"



Biden: "Absolutely, positively" https://t.co/mjfYUAB8t6  Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) May 4, 2021

Moreover, we cannot turn our backs on India, where there are 400,000 new cases daily. We cannot ignore Brazil, where 2,500 die each day. We cannot forget the African continent, where only 18 million shots have been administered out of the 1.1 billion worldwide.

We also cannot forget that this medical breakthrough happened largely with public support: Operation Warp Speed was seeded with $10 billion in federal funds, accelerating development and removing risk. Moderna announced in October that it wouldnt enforce its patent rights.

Indeed, Big Pharma has begun to squawk, with stock prices for these manufacturers taking a hit in the days after Tais announcement. And patent waivers still require full agreement from the World Trade Organization, which works on consensus.

But as Dr. Anthony Fauci points out, the US has a moral obligation to share the vaccine worldwide. This is not without precedent: When millions were without AIDS treatment decades ago, the Bush Administration and WTO led the effort to allow production of these medicines in other countries.

The Covid virus will not be beaten until we increase vaccine production, and that cannot happen without sharing the formula, materials, and expertise to make it in developing nations. It is an act of humanity that America is known for.

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I dont agree with Liz Cheney on much, but I give her credit for having the courage of her convictions.

And the convictions in question are awfully important ones: That the will of the voters in a democracy should be honored, that the transfer of power should be peaceful, that public officials shouldnt falsely claim that repeatedly verified election results were tainted in order to salve the hurt feelings of the guy who lost, and that a former leader who demands such behavior should not be the future face of Republican Party.

That it took courage for the U.S. representative from Wyoming and, for now, third-ranking member of the House GOP leadership to say all that and more is a dispiriting indictment of the party that has for years counted both her and her father, the former vice president, as stalwarts. That shes about to be booted from her post as conference chair for speaking out  despite a voting record that puts her firmly in line with rock-ribbed Republican orthodoxy  seals the deal.

Cheneys situation offers quite the glaring contrast with the man just ahead of Cheney in the hierarchy, House GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Jefferson Parish.

Its tempting to say that unlike Cheney, Scalise doesnt have the courage of his convictions, but thats probably giving him too much credit. Its hard to identify any convictions at all any more, short of fealty to a president who was rejected by a majority of voters, lost the Electoral College and refuses to accept defeat gracefully, or even ungracefully.

After initially backing Cheney against an earlier removal attempt following her vote to convict former President Donald Trump for inciting the violent Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Scalise caved to pressure last week and publicly backed a replacement.

Or maybe he didnt cave to pressure, but just doesnt want to hear any more of Cheneys pesky truth-telling about what happened that awful day, and why. Maybe he agrees that Jan. 6 wasnt so bad after all  a strange position for a survivor of a previous violent attack to take  and that its over anyway so why not just move on? Or perhaps Scalise is in the camp that sees benefit to the Big Lie, in that its fueling legislation in states around the country aimed at erecting more barriers to voting by those who helped put President Joe Biden over the top, and might come out again to oppose Republicans.

His previous reluctance to acknowledge that Biden was legitimately elected would support the latter theory. Asked repeatedly in February by ABC News Jonathan Karl whether he agreed with Trumps claim that the election was stolen, Scalise said that millions of people are still concerned about problems with the election. That, of course, is because he and others told them they should be, then used that ginned-up concern to justify more restrictive state voting laws.

Whatever his private reasoning, Scalises public stance is that Cheney should go, to be replaced by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from upstate New York.

"House Republicans need to be solely focused on taking back the House in 2022 and fighting against Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and President (Joe) Bidens radical socialist agenda, and Elise Stefanik is strongly committed to doing that, which is why Whip Scalise has pledged to support her for conference chair," his spokeswoman said in a written statement.

But if its the ideological fight against Pelosi and Bidens agenda that drives Scalise, then the choice is a strange one. Cheney was a yes vote for impeachment, but also for just about everything Trump set out to do in office. Stefanik voted against the big 2017 GOP tax cut, against withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, and for LGBTQ anti-discrimination bills. According to CQ Vote Watch, she voted with the former president less than 70% of the time in his last two years.

But of course, thats not what its about.

Stefanik was there when Trump really wanted her to be, joining his defense team during his first impeachment and supporting him during his second, and she continues to trumpet the party line about the the 2020 election.

I guess thats what passes for conviction in Scalises circles these days. Not in mine.

This column has been updated to reflect that U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik was part of former President Donald Trump's defense team for his first impeachment, not his second.
Editor's Note This article is brought to you by 1681 Reflections of Life.

For Demond James, a candle is much more than a decoration or an aroma in a room. Its a way to set the tone of the space, inspire peoples moods and create a memorable and positive experience.

To me, it is very soothing to have a nice scent anytime you walk into a space, said James. A scent can be light but memorable at the same time. When you add in the look of the candle and the vessel it is in, it creates an eye-catching flair that makes a space unique and special.

James is the creator and owner of 1681 Reflections of Life candles, a new internet-based business that sells hand-crafted candles that are all 100 percent organic, vegan, hypoallergenic and antifungal. Each candle has a burn time of 70 to 85 hours and is hand-poured with vegetable and coconut wax.

For James, the business has been something of a passion project. Initially, the native of Reserve, Louisiana worked exclusively as an interior designer, where he often used candles when staging homes. He started thinking about opening his own business, but it wasnt until last years COVID-19 pandemic that he began to take serious steps to make it happen.

The pandemic actually allowed me the time to just mentally put things into perspective and focus on something I had always wanted to do, said James, who now lives in Geismar. Ive always been extremely hands-on through this process. I worked on drawing the logo and working with a graphic designer to bring it to life. I flew to Miami four or five times in a month to work with partners and make sure everything was exactly how it needed to be. This is definitely a passion of mine.

Even the name of the business is a personal reflection of James, as it represents January 6. That date is James birthday and also the Biblical date in which the Three Kings followed the stars to Bethlehem to visit baby Jesus.

Its an incredibly special and blessed day, he said. In many other countries, its more important than Christmas or New Years.

1681 Reflections of Life now offers a variety of candles such as Royal Aura, with bergamot, tea, white florals, sandalwood, amber and musk; Majestic Pillar, with washed amber, peony petals, orange blossom, oud wood, blushed suede, tobacco flower, saffron, sandalwood, vanilla and blossom; Noble Ambiance, with bergamot, lemon, lemongrass, magnolia, jasmine, lily, koa wood and musk; and Monarchy, with nutmeg, lemon, bergamot, black tea, marine, jasmine, amber, musk and vanilla.

Fragrances and candle vessels are also available. The large vessels can hold candles that are 285 ounces, with a burn time of 2,200 hours.

The scents are all very unique and one-of-a-kind, James said. I wanted to create scents that are soothing and light and that really create a positive atmosphere.

Currently, 1681 Reflections of Life offers home fragrances for $35, an 11-ounce vessel for $50, a pack of four three-ounce vessels for $65 and 225-ounce vessels (two feet each) for $425.

The candles and products are currently available on James website, https://1681-reflections-of-life.square.site/. He can also be found on Instagram at 1681_reflectionsoflife_.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 46F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming S and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 46F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph, becoming S and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Several states are turning away Covid vaccine doses from their federal government allocations, as the daily average of coronavirus vaccine doses administered across the United States has fallen below two million for the first time since early March. Experts say the states smaller requests reflect a steep drop in vaccine demand in the United States.

Wisconsin officials have asked for just 8 percent of the 162,680 doses the federal government had set aside for the state next week, according to The Associated Press. In Iowa, officials asked for just 29 percent of the states allocated doses. And in Illinois, the state is planning to request just 9 percent of its allotted doses for everywhere, except for Chicago, for next week, The A.P. reported.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington State and Connecticut are also scaling back on their vaccine requests.

As demand falls and the spread of the virus slows in the United States, the Biden administration is under increasing pressure to share vaccine doses with countries like India, which has been ravaged by a catastrophic surge. About 83 percent of shots have been administered in high- and upper-middle-income countries, while only 0.3 percent of doses have been given in low-income countries.
The lead-up to this weekends broadcast was like few, if any, in S.N.L. history. Not long after it was announced that Musk would be hosting, some of the shows cast members went on social media to register their dissent.

Bowen Yang posted a frowny-face emoji on his Instagram story. Aidy Bryant used her account to publish a tweet from Senator Bernie Sanders, in which he wrote that the 50 wealthiest people in this country own more wealth than some 165 MILLION Americans  a phenomenon Sanders described as a moral obscenity.

Other cast members voiced their support for Musk and said they were excited to have him on the show. Michael Che said in a radio interview with the Breakfast Club that the debate over Musk was a good thing.

I think it means people still care about the show in some way, at least, Che added.

Musk himself was busy generating plenty of headlines in recent weeks: Tesla posted record quarterly earnings in April. A team of four astronauts completed a nighttime splashdown at the start of the month, returning to Earth in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after a mission that sent them to the International Space Station. On Wednesday, a prototype of a SpaceX rocket successfully landed during a test flight in Texas, after other such crafts had exploded in previous tests.

Not all of the headlines have been positive. SpaceX has also come into conflict with residents of Boca Chica, Tex., who say they have been pressured to sell their properties as the company expands its operations there. And Teslas Autopilot technology has come under scrutiny, including in an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into about two dozen car accidents involving Teslas.
Indias vaccine maker stumbles

The Serum Institute, the worlds largest vaccine maker, had vowed to take a leading role in Indias fight against Covid-19, and the countrys prime minister, Narendra Modi, had pledged its vaccines would save humanity.

Now, those promises have fallen apart.

Serum is failing to uphold export deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. India largely stopped vaccine exports as its crisis intensified. AstraZeneca has since served Serum a legal notice over delivery delays, and other suffering countries are scrambling to find alternatives.

We need to take care of our own, like America has taken care of their own, Europe is taking care of their own, Adar Poonawalla, Serums chief executive, told The Times.

But even though the company is contributing 90 percent of Indias vaccine supply, it is still falling short. A fire delayed plans to ramp up production, limiting the companys output to 72 million doses a month in a nation of 1.4 billion people.
In the fall of 2019, just before global borders closed, an international journalists association decided to canvass its members about a subject that kept coming up in informal conversations: What is China doing?

What it found was astonishing in its scope. Journalists from countries as tiny as Guinea-Bissau had been invited to sign agreements with their Chinese counterparts. The Chinese government was distributing versions of its propaganda newspaper China Daily in English  and also Serbian. A Filipino journalist estimated that more than half of the stories on a Philippines newswire came from the Chinese state agency Xinhua. A South African media group raised money from Chinese investors, then fired a columnist who wrote about Chinas suppression of its Uyghur minority. Journalists in Peru faced intense social media criticism from combative Chinese government officials.

What seemed, in each country, like an odd local anomaly looked, all told, like a vast, if patchwork, strategy to create an alternative to a global news media dominated by outlets like the BBC and CNN, and to insert Chinese money, power and perspective into the media in almost every country in the world.

But the study raised an obvious question: What is China planning to do with this new power?

The answer comes in a second report, which is set to be released on Wednesday by the International Federation of Journalists, a Brussels-based union of journalism unions whose mission gives it a global birds-eye view into news media almost everywhere. The group, which shared a copy with me, hired an author of the first report, Louisa Lim, to canvass journalists in 54 countries. The interviews reveal an activation of the existing media infrastructure China has put in place globally, Ms. Lim, a former NPR bureau chief in Beijing who is now a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne, wrote in the report. As the pandemic started to spread, Beijing used its media infrastructure globally to seed positive narratives about China in national media, as well as mobilizing more novel tactics such as disinformation.
My fellow New Yorkers, if theres one thing I want to say to you it is this: Nothing works in our city without public safety, and for public safety, we need the police, Mr. Yang said. My message to the N.Y.P.D. is this: New York needs you. Your city needs you.

The truth is that New York City cannot afford to defund the police, he added.

Times Square represents the commercial and tourist heart of Manhattan, itself the financial capital of New York City and the nation. The shooting comes as the city is revving up its marketing engine, with the goal of reviving New York Citys tourist trade.

In the year before the pandemic, 66.6 million tourists came to town, giving rise to 400,000 tourism-related jobs and an estimated economic impact of $70 billion. Last year, only 22 million tourists came to New York City, and officials estimate it will take years for the industry to recover.

The police say more than 460 people have been shot this year in New York City as of May 2, compared with 259 last year and 239 in 2019 at the same point. Mr. de Blasio routinely attributes the rise in shootings to the societal upheaval wrought by the pandemic, which has created mass unemployment, and also blames a slowdown in the court system. Dermot F. Shea, Mr. de Blasios police commissioner, tends to blame recent statewide criminal justice reforms, which he says have made it harder to keep those charged with criminal offenses in jail.

Both Mr. Adams and Mr. Yang took the opportunity to highlight their policing agendas, which include reimagining plainclothes anti-violence units. Mr. de Blasio disbanded his plainclothes anti-crime unit, which had been involved in many police shootings, last year. Both also touted their commitment to criminal justice reform.

Mr. Yang said he would ensure his plainclothes unit was populated by better-trained officers with clean records. Mr. Adams has said he would hire officers for the unit with the skills and temperament for the job.

Other moderate candidates, like the former sanitation commissioner Kathryn Garcia and the former Citigroup executive Raymond J. McGuire, chimed in with similar themes  that public safety and strong policing need not come at the expense of criminal justice reform.
It was a flex, she said, to go to a prestigious school like N.Y.U. But I didnt feel like I should have been there. She had the grades, she had the credentials, but she lacked self-esteem, partly because she forced herself to write about moments in her life she wasnt proud of. So for the longest time she felt her N.Y.U. acceptance was undeserved. She would stay under the radar in classes, instead of making her presence known. Her essay had become an internalized mind-set.

Join Michael Barbaro and The Daily team as they celebrate the students and teachers finishing a year like no other with a special live event. Catch up with students from Odessa High School, which was the subject of a Times audio documentary series. We will even get loud with a performance by the drum line of Odessas award-winning marching band, and a special celebrity commencement speech.

I spoke to one of my younger brothers teachers, Aaron Jones, who also attended Morehouse, and he said, Teachers promoted it  the personal statement about hardships. But he wanted to show the admissions officers what he was capable of and decided that if he wrote about his neighborhood in Annapolis, Md., it would put me in a box.

This box was the cliched story of a Black kid in America. Mr. Jones said that if he had wanted to go to a P.W.I.  a predominantly white institution  then a sob story would have been more important, but since he wanted to go to a historically Black institution, he could showcase his abilities. He emphasized that students of color have more to offer than the cliche. He said, The sob story can be truth, but its not all said all. He argued that college is the gateway to experiencing a fresh start and that bringing old baggage with you only limits your growth. He ended up writing about a teacher who had mentored him since the fifth grade.

Mr. Sinckler, my friend who went to N.Y.U., Mr. Jones and I had gone to different high schools, and we had all been given the same message. But it wasnt just the advisers; I was hearing it from family and neighbors. Everyone around me seemed to know this was what colleges were looking for, to the point where it didnt even have to be spoken. I felt like the college system was forcing us to embody something that was less than what we are. Were colleges just looking for a check on a checklist? Were they looking for a slap on the back for saving us from our circumstances?

As I kept rewriting my personal statement, it kept sounding cliched. It was my authentic experience, but I felt that trauma overwhelmed my drafts. I didnt want to be a victim anymore. I didnt want to promote that narrative. I wanted college to be a new beginning for me. At the time, my mom, a part-time health aide, was taking care of a patient who used a wheelchair. My mom was sometimes unable to pick him up at the bus stop, as she was just getting off her second job, so I took on that responsibility.

I would wait for her patient at the bus stop; I would make sure he ate, and I would play music for him until my mom got home. I also wrote about my relationship with my middle school janitor. I used both of these stories to show the importance of diversity and the value of respecting everyone regardless of physical ability, status or class. After writing this, there werent any feelings of regret. I felt free.

Trauma is one of lifes teachers. We are molded by it, and some will choose to write about it urgently, passionately. Yet I would encourage those who feel like their stories were written in tragedy to rethink that, as I did. When you open your mind to all the other things you can offer in life, it becomes liberating. Lets show college admissions officers what theyre missing out on, not what they already know.

Elijah Megginson is a graduating senior at Uncommon Charter High School in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, who is still choosing between several colleges for the fall.
To the Editor:

Re How the N-Word Became Unsayable, by John McWhorter (Sunday Review, May 2):

Context matters. It is unacceptable to use racial slurs as pejoratives. It is also unacceptable to construct a taboo that would forbid the printing or utterance of racial slurs even when, as is in this article, the context is the racial slur as a word itself, not as a pejorative.

Word taboos that disregard context are a first step on a slippery slope to the squelching of thoughts and opinions.

John M. OConnor

Montclair, N.J.

To the Editor:

Re Why Times Opinion Decided to Publish This Slur, by Ezekiel Kweku and Kathleen Kingsbury (Opinion Today newsletter, April 30):

The Times is to be commended for running Prof. John McWhorters detailed  and well-documented  article about the history and use of the N-word because it sets that word meaningfully apart from odious terms referring to other groups because of their religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, birthplace, etc.

In a country where the median age is about 38 years and there has been a Black president and there is currently a Black vice president, the typical American has no idea how casually that word was once used in referring to individual African-Americans or groups of us. Many younger people are probably unaware of how media ads, especially television and movie images, have changed from the almost total absence of a Black presence a few decades ago.
ARTS & LEISURE

An article this weekend on Page 6 about a cohort of prizewinning theater directors who are questioning the norms of their industry misattributes a quote to one of the directors interviewed. Tyne Rafaeli said, This has been an indescribably devastating time for our community, so I feel like we must say that very clearly. But I think, occasionally, with great hardship comes growth; not Danya Taymor.

An article this weekend on Page 7 about the effects of streaming on the music industry describes incorrectly a figure of 5.6 million artists that Spotify referred to. Those artists have never released more than 10 tracks in total, regardless of how many listeners they have.

MAGAZINE

An article on Page 34 this weekend about the Republican Party in Texas describes incorrectly The Houston Chronicles report of voter-fraud cases prosecuted by Ken Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, in 2020. The 16 cases described in the report included prosecutions related to the 2018 election; the cases did not all involve 2020.

An article on Page 40 this weekend about gymnastics misstates the country for which the Olympic vaulter Oksana Chusovitina competes. It is Uzbekistan, not Germany.
The 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, failed a drug test after the race, putting a new stain on a sport troubled by doping problems and placing thoroughbred horse racings most recognizable personality, the Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, under uncomfortable scrutiny.

If he is disqualified, Medina Spirit will be stripped of the Derby title and its winning purse, and become only the third horse in the 147-year history of the race to receive such a penalty after finishing first. The colt cannot be disqualified until a second sample, collected at the same time as the first, confirms the result in a test expected in the coming weeks. Mr. Baffert will then have an opportunity to appeal.

The positive test comes as horse racing, acknowledging it has a drug problem, prepares to implement the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which was passed last year in Congress. It will take effect July 1, 2022, and calls for a board overseen by the Federal Trade Commission to write rules and penalties to be enforced by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

The agency, which regulates Olympic and other elite athletes in the United States, revealed the cyclist Lance Armstrongs cheating and issued him a lifetime suspension in 2012.
Some universities are now facing a backlash over the technology. A few, including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, recently said they would cease using the exam-monitoring tools.

These kinds of technical solutions to academic misconduct seem like a magic bullet, said Shaanan Cohney, a cybersecurity lecturer at the University of Melbourne who researches remote learning software. But universities which lack some of the structure or the expertise to understand these issues on a deeper level end up running into really significant trouble.

At Dartmouth, the use of Canvas in the cheating investigation was unusual because the software was not designed as a forensic tool. Instead, professors post assignments on it and students submit their homework through it.

That has raised questions about Dartmouths methodology. While some students may have cheated, technology experts said, it would be difficult for a disciplinary committee to distinguish cheating from noncheating based on the data snapshots that Dartmouth provided to accused students. And in an analysis of the Canvas software code, The Times found instances in which the system automatically generated activity data even when no one was using a device.

If other schools follow the precedent that Dartmouth is setting here, any student can be accused based on the flimsiest technical evidence, said Cooper Quintin, senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights organization, who analyzed Dartmouths methodology.

Seven of the 17 accused students have had their cases dismissed. In at least one of those cases, administrators said, automated Canvas processes are likely to have created the data that was seen rather than deliberate activity by the user, according to a school email that students made public.

The 10 others have been expelled, suspended or received course failures and unprofessional-conduct marks on their records that could curtail their medical careers. Nine pleaded guilty, including Mr. Zhang, according to school documents; some have filed appeals.
For instance, the distractingly opaque story of a quarrel with his girlfriend over the sheets on their guest bed. Daisey sees this interaction as gendered and uses it to frame the show, but I still have no idea what was so wrong with the sheets, how it turned into a giant fight between them and what was so gendered about it. He deploys this anecdote to implicate himself as a member of the patriarchy, but surely he could find a less baffling example.

It made a rickety opening, the first stretch of tedium in a not quite 90-minute evening that never did alchemize  partly, perhaps, because Daisey underestimated his audience. Presented by Daisey and Frigid New York, Scott and Andy isnt a niche-knowledge monologue like The Last Cargo Cult, his show about money and financial systems; it doesnt rely on extensive research like The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. Its based on news thats fresh in our memories, and if we race to watch a performance about Rudin and Cuomo, chances are high that we dont need much of a recap.

Daisey was on the Kraine stage just last month with a different show, which was also performed for both live and streaming audiences  a bifurcation that is still an awkward experiment. The setup demands that he talk straight to the crowd in the theater and simultaneously connect with people online.

The pulsating humans in the theater were essentially put on hold for minutes at a time while Daisey provided back story on Cuomo for the remote-viewing out-of-staters. Speaking past the people right in front of you is not a great way to tend to the energy in the room.

More problematically, while Daisey spent a lot of the show repeating reported details of Rudin and Cuomos alleged transgressions, he never wove them into something more textured and insightful, which is what we come to him for.
Directly outside the Veterans Memorial Coliseum near downtown Phoenix, the Crazy Times Carnival wraps up an 11-day run on Sunday, a spectacle of thrill rides, games and food stands that headlines the Arizona State Fair this year.

Inside the coliseum, a Republican-ordered exhumation and review of 2.1 million votes in the states November election is heading into its third week, an exercise that has risen to become the lodestar of rigged-vote theorists  and shows no sign of ending soon.

Arizonas secretary of state, Katie Hobbs, noted the carnivals presence outside the coliseum when she challenged the competence and objectivity of the review last week, expressing concern about the security of the ballots inside in an apparent dig at what has become a spectacle of a very different sort.

There is no evidence that former President Donald J. Trumps narrow loss in Arizonas presidential election in the fall was fraudulent. Nonetheless, 16 Republicans in the State Senate voted to subpoena ballots in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and two-thirds of the states vote in November, for an audit to show Trump die-hards that their fraud concerns were taken seriously.
Ms. Herbert learned later that day that Bentlee had also been made to sit in his schools front office, where he missed recess, and did not eat lunch in the cafeteria with his classmates.

Jaelon, 12, encountered no issues at Ardmore Middle School because of his T-shirt, his mother said.

In an interview with The Daily Ardmoreite, Mr. Holland suggested that the T-shirts were disruptive.

Its our interpretation of not creating a disturbance in school, Mr. Holland told the newspaper. I dont want my kids wearing MAGA hats or Trump shirts to school either because it just creates, in this emotionally charged environment, anxiety and issues that I dont want our kids to deal with.

Mr. Holland said there had been similar cases in the district this year.

Most of it has not been an issue until this lady here has been angry about it, Mr. Holland told The Ardmoreite. I wish she werent so upset.

Join Michael Barbaro and The Daily team as they celebrate the students and teachers finishing a year like no other with a special live event. Catch up with students from Odessa High School, which was the subject of a Times audio documentary series. We will even get loud with a performance by the drum line of Odessas award-winning marching band, and a special celebrity commencement speech.

Ms. Herbert said she met with Mr. Holland on Monday and asked him what would happen if she sent her children to school in Black Lives Matter T-shirts again.

He told me nothing could be done because it wasnt against policy, Ms. Herbert recalled.

Indeed, the dress code outlined in the districts Elementary Student Handbook makes no mention of politics. It says that sayings or logos on shirts or tops should be in good taste and school appropriate.

Any clothing or apparel that disrupts the learning process is prohibited, the handbook adds, stipulating that principals have the final say on the appropriateness of dress.
And in New York and several other cities where many teachers have received medical accommodations to work from home, some students inside classrooms have been asked to log into remote learning platforms to interact with teachers in other locations, leading families to conclude that there is little benefit to being inside the building, and driving opt-out rates higher. Districts that offer remote learning next school year could contract the work out to stand-alone online schools, freeing their own teachers to return to buildings. But for many months, some education and childrens health experts have warned about the social and academic consequences of extended remote learning.

Its not acceptable that we have a two-tier education system where white kids go to school in person disproportionately, and students of color disproportionately go to school online, said Vladimir Kogan, a political scientist at Ohio State University.

Professor Kogans research has found that parents are more likely to feel hesitant about in-person learning if their childrens schools were closed for a longer period, which was most likely to be the case in the liberal-leaning urban districts that serve large numbers of nonwhite students. The hesitancy was caused less by fear of the coronavirus than by messaging from school districts about whether in-person learning was safe and desirable, Professor Kogan found.

Many governors, mayors, school boards and superintendents are still debating whether families should continue to have the option of virtual schooling this fall. But one February survey of educators found that 68 percent expected their systems to offer an array of remote learning options even after the pandemic ends.

As long as the option for remote school remains, direct outreach to families is the best way to lure students back to traditional classrooms, educators say.

In the Indianapolis Public Schools, 20 percent of students remain in fully remote learning, a smaller percentage than in many other urban districts. The district made 1,000 home visits over two days in April to check on children who had been chronically absent during the pandemic, sometimes encouraging them to return to in-person learning.

Antoinette Austin, the districts social services coordinator, visited one boy who was living with an aunt. She did not speak English and did not know her nephews school had reopened. Several other families needed help arranging transportation to get their children to school, Ms. Austin said.
I did it because I had to, Ms. Paredes, 36, said of her decision years ago to leave her children behind in Guatemala. She had hoped that they and the rest of her family of rural sharecroppers would benefit from the money she was able to send home.

Growing up, we walked barefoot; we were so poor, she said. I wanted better for my children.

A new life in California

Ms. Paredes, a single mother, had left behind not only Melissa, who was then 3, but her two older children, ages 9 and 6. She told them she would return in five years.

Joining an older brother in Oxnard, Calif., she found work packing cosmetics for a company owned by the Kardashian family by day and washing dishes at a restaurant by night. She lived in a converted garage.

From the first month, I was sending as much money as possible to my mother and children, said Ms. Paredes, who shared about $600 a month.

Over the years, she helped her mother add a kitchen to her hut, buy appliances and cover the cost of doctors visits and medicine to treat her heart and liver ailments. For her children, the money she sent went to clothes, toys and education-related expenses. She bought a modest house a block away from her parents, hoping to live there one day with her family.

But as time passed, she began to feel more settled in the United States. In 2019, she managed to put together $15,000 to send for her oldest children, Kimberly, 15, and Yeison, 13.

I thought Melissa was still too young to make the trip, Ms. Paredes said.
KABUL, Afghanistan  One by one they brought the girls up the steep hill, shrouded bodies covered in a ceremonial prayer cloth, the pallbearers staring into the distance. Shouted prayers for the dead broke the silence.

The bodies kept coming and the gravediggers stayed busy, straining in the hot sun. The ceaseless rhythm was grim proof of the preceding days news: Saturday afternoons triple bombing at a local school had been an absolute massacre, targeting girls. There was barely room atop the steeply pitched hill for all the new graves.

The scale of the killing and the innocence of the victims seemed further unnerving proof of the countrys violent unraveling, as the Taliban make daily gains and the government seems unable to halt their advances or protect its people from mass killings. On Sunday there were mourners everywhere in the neighborhood of the bombing, home to the persecuted Hazara ethnic minority, but hardly any security to protect them.

The death toll exceeded even previous massacres in this bustling neighborhood of a minority long singled out for persecution by the Taliban and the Islamic State. Afghanistans second vice president, Sarwar Danesh, himself a Hazara, said more than 80 people had been killed in the attack.
DNIPRO, Ukraine  Belching diesel exhaust, a bulldozer cut into a 4,000-year-old burial mound, peeling back the soil to reveal the mysteries hidden inside, including a skeleton.

For archaeologists, this excavation in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine holds the promise of discovery. For a developer, it clears the way for new country homes.

In recent years, government archaeologists, developers and farmers, who sometimes also level burial mounds in their fields to ease plowing, have seemingly been the only parties interested in the fate of Ukraines vast constellation of ancient graves. And few have paid much heed to preserving the dirt piles.

Hoping to correct this history of neglect, a Ukrainian nongovernmental group is agitating for the preservation of the burial mounds of Scythians and other ancient warrior cultures, partly on the grounds that they hold particular significance for a country at war today.
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said on Sunday that he was open to relaxing indoor masking rules as more Americans are vaccinated against the virus, just two days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention belatedly emphasized the danger of airborne transmission.

Dr. Fauci, President Bidens chief medical adviser for the pandemic, said that as vaccinations climb, we do need to start being more liberal in terms of rules for wearing masks indoors, though he noted that the nation was still averaging about 43,000 cases of the virus daily. Weve got to get it much, much lower than that, he said.

On Friday, the C.D.C. updated its guidance about how the coronavirus spreads, stating explicitly that people could inhale airborne virus even when they were more than six feet away from an infected individual. Previously, the agency had said that most infections were acquired through close contact, not airborne transmission.

The update brought the agency in line with evidence of the danger from airborne droplets that epidemiologists had noted as the pandemic unfolded last year. According to some experts, it also underscored the urgency for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue standards for employers to address potential airborne hazards in the workplace.
JERUSALEM  The Israeli Supreme Court delayed on Sunday a decision on whether to expel six Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem after the attorney general requested more time, in part because of the tensions the case has stirred.

The court was to decide on Monday whether to uphold an expulsion order for the families in the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, in a hearing that many feared would set off a wave of unrest. Instead, the case was delayed by up to 30 days to allow the attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, to review it.

For many Palestinians, the families plight has become emblematic of a wider effort to remove Palestinians from parts of East Jerusalem and of the past displacements of Arabs in the occupied territories and within Israel.

Since the start of the month, the prospect of the evictions has prompted daily protests, arrests and confrontations between Palestinians and the Israeli police and Jewish extremists.
From June 7, outdoor services at bars and restaurants can resume with groups limited to six people.

While this spells good news for some, it will not suit many others who don't have the facilities to allow for outdoor dining or drinking.

Kenan Pehlivan and Sarah Thomas own and run the popular Blue Apron restaurant on Harbour Street in Tullamore. For Kenan opening on the footpath is a non runner.

''The street is not wide enough for tables and chairs, plus the amount of money we would have to spend...it's not viable. We also don't like blocking the path with tables and chairs, it doesn't leave enough space to walk on the path.''

Kenan cannot understand why indoor dining is being allowed in hotels. He said a restaurant in a hotel will be just as confined as an independent restaurant.

Kenan and Sarah have been operating a takeaway service but ''it's not the same, the dining room is empty'' says Kenan.

The takeaway still requires three chefs and a kitchen porter. ''Our menu is detailed and takes time and labour. We don't buy in, we make everything ourselves.''

The takeaway is open from Thursdays to Sundays but Kenan said it was more for maintaining a routine and for their personal headspace that they decided to open it. The Blue Apron employs up to 11 people when fully operational.

Kenan is hopeful that everything will return to normal by September.

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland is calling on the Government, ''to publish the medical and scientific evidence deeming a hotel or guesthouse restaurant safer than an independent restaurant, coffee shop or gastro pub.

''Restaurants, hotels, cafes and gastropubs have all followed and implemented the exact same safety protocols for diners since June of last year. I want to be clear, if the medical advisors have decided it is now safe for indoor dining then hotels should reopen what we are asking for is indoor dining equality and to reopen at the same time!
A new initiative has launched aimed at improving the connectivity for communities in Offaly who are suffering from poor mobile phone coverage.

Get Connected is seeking to improve mobile coverage in the areas which need it most, by asking the community to come together and request a review of their services.

Get Connected is being supported by Cellnex, the telecoms infrastructure operator with over 1,700 telecoms sites around the country, and Offaly is one of the first two counties where it is being rolled out. The intention is to expand Get Connected into a nationwide project supporting communities in all 26 counties, and ending the scourge of mobile blackspots

The objective is to mobilise support within communities to participate in the planning and delivery of mobile connectivity in their local areas. Get Connected is officially launching a Community Call through its website www.getconnected.ie which invites communities to come together to request a review of the mobile coverage in their local area to see if a solution to their mobile connectivity issue can be delivered.

To initiate a review, which will be carried out by Cellnex at no cost to residents, communities should seek to mobile a group of people who have a shared interest in getting improved coverage, and then nominate a single point of contact to make a submission to Get Connected. Cellnex will then carry out a detailed survey to assess the areas suitability and work to deliver a feasible solution.

Recent research from ComReg shows that three in four people (73%) strongly value being able to access and use their mobile phone during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic1.The research also shows that one in four households2 (27%) find mobile broadband not good enough for home working at a time when it has never been more important to ensure that householders are as well connected as possible.

Cellnex Ireland Managing Director Colin Cunningham said:

Get Connected is a real opportunity for people in Offaly to have a say in what their future looks like and to come together to support better connectivity for their area. Cellnex is giving communities the firm promise that we will work with them to try to ensure that they get the infrastructure that they need. I hope that local communities will take this opportunity to seek an improved service and work with us to deliver solutions for their areas.

Anthony Hanniffy, President of Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce said:

The Chamber welcomes any initiative that promotes connectivity in Rural Ireland. It is our firm belief that remote working will become a normal part of life and we need to deliver tools to our employees and businesses to give them an opportunity to succeed in an increasingly competitive and connected world.

Since its launch in 2013 Cellnex has invested over 3m constructing more than 25 new telecoms towers in locations throughout counties Laois and Offaly. For example, in Clonmacnoise, Co Offaly, a new tower is currently under construction aimed at enhancing the mobile coverage to the area along with helping improve mobile reception for the hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the famous ancient monastery. In Killinard, Co Laois, a new tower has been a vital source of connectivity through the recent pandemic period of working from home.

Last month Cellnex supported Offaly County Councils launch of e-denderry, a project which establishes the Midlands town as a leader in Ireland for the provision of public services through leveraging the benefits of technology. Edenderry is now the first town in Ireland with sensors and monitoring devices deployed by Cellnex to enhance the provision of parking and litter collection.
An updated plan for Birr wants to see the rerouting of the busy N52 so it no longer passes through the town but around it.

The plan was discussed during a Birr 20/20 Zoom meeting last week.

Salters Sterling welcomed everyone to the Zoom meeting.

He said it was the first time ever that Birr 20/20 had held an online meeting.

Birr 20/20 hasn't held any public meetings since March 2020, for obvious reasons, he commented.

Covid has devastated the world. It has devastated all of the normality that we grew up with and lived with.

He pointed out that even though there had been no public meetings, even though Covid had cut a swathe through much of our normality, there had still been a great deal of progress in Birr during the last year.

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes. The work has been going on and we will see the fruits of that. In fact, this evening's meeting will be an eye-opener for some of you because it will show you that more has been happening than you would have thought.

Salters thanked Cllr John Clendennen and Breda Purcell for organising the Zoom meeting.

The new Director of Services Stephane Duclot introduced himself. He said his remit is large. It covers planning, economic development, heritage, tourism and the Birr Municipal District.

Stephane is a Frenchman and has been living in Ireland for two decades. He previously worked as a member of the Executives in Limerick and Tipperary County Councils.

Stephane drew everyone's attention to the Public Realm Plan. This, he said, remains a very important plan, a blueprint for the development of our heritage town.

The Public Realm Plan was drawn up in 2009. It was an ambitious and farseeing plan; a plan with vision and imagination.

It has proven to be a very valuable tool ever since. It has expertly guided the development of this beautiful town ever since.

We have been working on the plan in recent months and we have updated it. We are excited about it. People can view it on our Council website. I urge everyone to have a look at it.

He said great progress has been made on enhancing the town since the production of the plan twelve years ago.

Emmet Square is now an expanse of attractive limestone with space for people and not just cars; visitor numbers to Birr Castle and Demesne have risen dramatically (pre-Covid) through much investment there; and many of the town's fine buildings have undergone improvements and restoration, enabling them to contribute far more positively to the public realm of Birr.

Stephane said the recent updating work on the plan is called an Addendum. This Addendum was commissioned by Offaly County Council and written by the authors of the original plan, The Paul Hogarth Company.

The Addendum, which has been informed through consultation with local stakeholder groups, will be used alongside the original plan to further inform future planning policy and investment decisions for Birr.

The 2009 plan was compiled using a collaborative methodology with local people to assess the town, develop a shared vision for its future and to identify a series of proposals for improvements to its streets and spaces. The Addendum is conscious of the changed situation in the world and therefore it is conscious of the climate and biodiversity crisis that the planet faces.

The plan acknowledges that Birr is a large town and a key service town. It acknowledges the economic importance of Birr within its wider hinterland, providing essential services and amenities to its local population. Until such time, adds the plan, as the N52 is re-routed around the town, vehicles will always negatively impact upon the pedestrian and cycle experience.

The plan also calls for the planting of more trees.
BBC News 09 May 2021

Germany marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sophie Scholl, who was killed defying the Nazis.
Eurasia Review 20 May 2021

The conflict between Israel and Palestine that ensued on 6^th of May 2021 has spiralled with heaviest flare-up since 2014 Gaza war...
The company will pay millions in penalties but will not face criminal charges, US prosecutors said.
Staunch conservative Friedrich Merz has lost many power struggles within the Christian Democratic Union. Now he's throwing his weight behind struggling chancellor candidate Armin Laschet  to get what in return?
With a pro-independence majority in the Scottish parliament, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK was "best served when we work together.''
The nationalist SNP will fall short of a majority but a strong showing by the Greens may set the stage for a second independence referendum. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has long vowed to block any such attempt.
Eurasia Review 29 May 2021

By Sonia Qadir and Junaid S. Ahmad*



As part of the ongoing Nakba, Israel has once again unleashed its latest reign of..
PA - Press Association STUDIO 10 May 2021

Sadiq Khan has said he is truly humbled to be elected for a second term as Mayor of London.
Beatification of Rosario Livatino will take place in the cathedral in Agrigento, the Sicilian town near where he was gunned down aged 38 on September 21, 1990
Remnants of China's biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, with the bulk of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, according to Chinese state media, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit.
Much of the rocket was destroyed as it fell, but some debris landed west of the Maldives, China says.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA)  The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a US$400,000 contribution from the Government of the Republic of Korea to its operations in Ethiopias Tigray region to help provide food and nutrition support for thousands of people displaced by conflict
A small private hospital in India's most populous state is being charged under the National Security Act for sounding the alarm over a lack of oxygen.
Lying in her hospital bed, a survivor of a triple bombing in Kabul that left dozens of fellow schoolgirls dead has vowed to return to the classroom, despite the danger.
A total of three oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators arrived from the United Kingdom on Sunday as part of Covid assistance for India's fight against the pandemic. Earlier, British High Commission (BHC) had said that the Indian Red Cross will help transfer the UK aid to the hospitals. This support, previously announced, is in addition to 200 ventilators and 495 oxygen concentrators, which the UK sent to India in late April, said the High Commission
News the Government will fund new HPV self tests in a bit to fight cervical cancer in New Zealand has come as "monumental" news for advocates and experts.And for many women across the country, the funding could be life-saving. "The...
The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid, dismissed as "Western hype" concerns the rocket was "out of control" and could cause damage.
The Maldivian police Sunday arrested a third suspect in the attempted assassination of former president Mohamed Nasheed, officials said as a manhunt continued for others who may have been involved. The 53-year-old democracy pioneer and climate activist was seriously hurt after a bomb attack in the capital Male on Thursday night that also injured a []
BEIJING (AP)  China's space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and most of it burned up early Sunday.



Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.



Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said reentry occurred at 7:24 p.m. local time Saturday. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process," the report said.



Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: "It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.



Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.



The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.



The roughly 30-meter (100-foot) -long stage would be among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth.



The 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.



Chinas first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere.



In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.



China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroyed a defunct weather satellite in...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has marked the anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe with a speech warning that Nazi beliefs remain strong.
Israeli police on Saturday (local time) clashed with Palestinian protesters outside Jerusalem's Old City during the holiest night of Ramadan, in a show of force that threatened to deepen the holy city's worst religious unrest in several...
Voters in Scotland gave a majority to parties supporting a push for independence from the U.K. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson's Conservatives won in local elections in England.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
After several negotiations, Russia finally becomes as a full-fledged member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It means that Russia has adopted, as a mandatory condition for obtaining membership, the constitution of the organization. It simply implies that by joining this international organization, it has...
By-election results make poor predictors. The government of the day can often count on a swing against it by irritated voters keen to remind it they exist. Its an opportunity to mete out mild punishment. But the loss of the seat in Hartlepool by the British Labour party is ominous for party apparatchiks. For the first...
**Introduction**



 The nation will find it very hard to look up to the leaders who are keeping their ears to the..

Eurasia Review 22 May 2021
The death toll in a horrific bombing at a girls' school in the Afghan capital has soared to 50, many of them pupils between 11 and 15 years old, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.The number of wounded in Saturday's attack has...
A hiker in Missouri was injured Saturday after being shot by a hunter who mistook him for a turkey, according to authorities.

FOXNews.com 10 May 2021
Prince Michael of Kent, Queen Elizabeth's first cousin, said Sunday that he 'has no special relationship' with Russian President Vladimir Putin after an undercover journalistic investigation claimed he and a close friend were 'secretly trading on their links' with Putin for profit.
Al Jazeera STUDIO 09 May 2021

The Scottish National Party took 64 of the 129 parliamentary seats up for grabs, just one short of an overall majority.
Television

Ziwe: Comedian and writer Ziwe Fumudoh, who made an impact with her Instagram Live interviews, hosts her own late-night variety show. (11 p.m. Sunday, Showtime)

The Crime of the Century: Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief) directs this two-part documentary made in association with The Washington Post. The documentary looks at the role of pharmaceutical companies, government and political operatives that helped enable the abuse of synthetic opiates. (9 p.m. Monday HBO)

Little People, Big World: The series featuring members of Oregons Roloff family returns for a new season. (9 p.m. Tuesday, TLC)

Streaming

Hacks: Jean Smart (Watchmen) stars as a veteran Las Vegas comedian and her relationship with an entitled, outcast 25-year-old, played by Hannah Einbinder in this new series. The cast also includes Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald and Poppy Liu. (Available to stream beginning Thursday, HBO Max)

Already streaming

Mythic Quest: Ravens Banquet: The workplace comedy returns for Season 2. (Available to stream beginning Friday, Apple TV Plus)

Queen of Meth: Lori Arnold (sister of Tom Arnold) is the focus of a three-part documentary exploring her career as bigtime meth dealer, and the role she played in the Midwests meth epidemic. (Available to stream beginning Friday, Discovery Plus)

Meet the Meerkats: Rob Delaney (Catastrophe) narrates a new series featured meerkat families as they try to survive in the Kalahari Desert. (Available to stream beginning Saturday, Discovery Plus)

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
BEIJING  Chinas space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.

China now reporting https://t.co/dHSJVoItCY that the rocket reentered at 0224 UTC at 72.47E 2.65N which is right over the Maldives. If correct will be interesting to see if we get reports from there pic.twitter.com/NQovz33pqg  Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 9, 2021

People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media, with scores of users posting footage of the debris piercing the early dawn skies over the Middle East.

Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency later clarified that reentry occurred Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process, the report said.

Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

The roughly 100-foot long rocket stage is among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth. Chinas space program, with its close military links, hasnt said why it put the main component of the rocket into space rather than allowing it to fall back to earth soon after discharging its payload, as is usual in such operations.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Chinas first permanent space station  Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony  into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

An 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first-ever space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere. Both had been briefly occupied by Chinese astronauts as precursors to Chinas permanent station, now under construction.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroy a defunct weather satellite in January 2007, creating a large field of hazardous debris imperiling satellites and other spacecraft.
WASHINGTON  The operator of a major pipeline system that transports fuel across the East Coast said Saturday it had been victimized by a ransomware attack and had halted all pipeline operations to deal with the threat. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, experts said.

Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or who made the demand. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand a large payment to decrypt it.

The attack on the company, which says it delivers roughly 45% of fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscores again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to damaging cyberattacks that threaten to impede operations. It presents a new challenge for an administration still dealing with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.

In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved proactively to take certain systems offline, halting pipeline operations. In an earlier statement, it said it was taking steps to understand and resolve this issue with an eye toward returning to normal operations.

The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey. Its pipeline system spans more than 5,500 miles, transporting more than 100 million gallon a day.

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Saturday morning and the federal government was working with the company to assess the implications of the attack, restore operations and avoid disruptions to the supply. The government is planning for various scenarios and working with state and local authorities on measures to mitigate any potential supply issues.

The private cybersecurity firm FireEye said its been hired to manage the incident response investigation.

Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one day or two would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., region.

Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

A leading expert in industrial control systems, Dragos CEO Robert Lee, said systems such as those that directly manage the pipelines operation have been increasingly connected to computer networks in the past decade.

But critical infrastructure companies in the energy and electricity industries also tend to have invested more in cybersecurity than other sectors. If Colonials shutdown was mostly precautionary  and it detected the ransomware attack early and was well-prepared  the impact may not be great, Lee said.

While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately. The Justice Department has a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks.

The attack underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector, said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director of the cybersecurity division at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency.

We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats, Goldstein said in a statement.

Ransomware scrambles a victim organizations data with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.

The attacks, mostly by criminal syndicates operating out of Russia and other safe havens, reached epidemic proportions last year, costing hospitals, medical researchers private businesses, state and local governments and schools tens of billions of dollars. Biden administration officials are warning of a national security threat, especially after criminals began stealing data before scrambling victim networks and saying they will expose it online unless a ransom is paid.

Average ransoms paid in the United States jumped nearly threefold to more than $310,000 last year. The average downtime for victims of ransomware attacks is 21 days, according to the firm Coveware, which helps victims respond.

U.S. law enforcement officials say some of these criminals have worked with Russias security services and that the Kremlin benefits by damaging adversaries economies. These operations also potentially provide cover for intelligence-gathering.

Ransomware is the most common disruptive event that organizations are seeing right now that would cause them to shut down to prevent the spread, said Dave White, president of cybersecurity firm Axio.

Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dames Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.

The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls werent in place, Chapple said.

Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks, he said.

Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy reopens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 4 cents since Monday to $2.94.

Anne Neuberger, the Biden administrations deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.

Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the countrys electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time.

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston and Martin Crutsinger and Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report.
One man was found dead after shots were fired at a party in the Lents neighborhood early Sunday morning, according to Portland Police. East Precinct officers responded at 12:57 a.m. to a report that shots were fired at a house in the 8500 block of Southeast Harney Street, police said in a statement.

Officers found a chaotic scene, with what appeared to be a house party underway and a large crowd, according to police. Clackamas County Sheriffs Office deputies also responded. An adult male was found unconscious, and though Portland Fire and Rescue and American Medical Response Paramedics responded and attempted lifesaving measures, the man died, according to police.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner will determine the cause of the mans death. The statement says that due to the circumstances, homicide detectives are investigating. Police say they believe that many people who may have witnessed all or part of the events left before speaking to investigators.

Police ask for anyone who has information about the incident to contact either Detective Brian Sims (Brian.Sims@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-2079), or Detective Scott Broughton (Scott.Broughton@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-3774).

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
After a year in which students suffered profound academic, mental, social and emotional upheaval, Oregon legislators have a moral obligation to put students needs first in making any school-related decision.

Unfortunately, many are already failing that test with Senate Bill 580, which handily passed the Oregon Senate last month with nearly all Democrats and one Republican voting for it. The bill, a teachers union priority, would require school districts to negotiate class size and case workload with their teachers unions. While the bill does not specify how large classes should be, a class-size agreement could require districts to either add teachers or pay a penalty to those whose classes exceed the negotiated maximum.

But make no mistake. With no additional funding, this bill would have no appreciable effect on the number of students in a class  the median number is 25 across all grades. Worse, it would force districts to divert its limited dollars from other needs, including initiatives that are already showing progress in closing the academic gaps between historically underserved students and white, higher-income students.

Oregon Education Association President John Larson told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board that class sizes are so big in some instances that teaching is more like crowd management. Teachers, he said, are unable to spend time with individual students and requiring districts to have a conversation about class sizes only makes sense when so many students want smaller classes as well.

The problem is that making class size a mandatory issue for bargaining isnt just a conversation. It elevates that deficiency among the countless deficiencies that exist in our schools. No one wants overcrowded classrooms, but in the ever-underfunded world of education, we need our districts to survey the entire landscape of needs and push for the best use of its limited dollars to serve students. When 85% of a school budget is devoted to labor costs, spending more money on teachers means fewer school counselors or nurses; fewer programs for students and even potentially fewer school days.

Its important to note that school districts and teachers unions already can negotiate class size if both sides agree, as Portland Public Schools and its teachers union chose to do so in 2018. But PPS experience shows exactly why this bill will do little for students. As Richard Donovan with the Oregon School Boards Association pointed out in testimony earlier this year, the agreement didnt significantly shrink class sizes; rather, the district has simply paid $2.5 million in extra compensation to educators for class sizes that exceed the negotiated maximum. The sheer expense involved in increasing the teacher workforce to dramatically change the number of students in a classroom guarantees that other districts would opt for making such penalty payments as the less expensive option. And some districts which simply lack the physical space to split classes into smaller groups would have not even be able to split one class into two smaller ones.

Legislative direction to prioritize class size at schools across the state also undermines the groundbreaking work legislators accomplished just two years ago in passing the Student Success Act. The law, which levied a new corporate activities tax to fund education, includes new revenue in a Student Investment Account for districts to use for supporting students behavioral health and improving academic outcomes, particularly for students from underserved communities. Importantly, districts must develop a plan for those dollars after consulting with their communities.

Those investments can include decreasing class size, although the cost of bringing class sizes of 25-30 down to 15-20 would easily exhaust the account. But schools can also use that money to add reading specialists for elementary students, increase electives for middle-school students or fund dropout prevention programs and accelerated college classes at the high school level. They can buy more art, music, science and technology programs or other classes throughout all grades. If the question is how can districts best make a difference in student lives, the answer is not reducing class size by a few students.

Oregon has already seen how targeted spending aimed at improving equity has powered educational gains in recent years for students of color, English language learners and other historically underserved groups. Legislators should be looking at how to expand such outcome-based spending. Instead, they are putting their thumb on the scale to help one of Democrats biggest and most generous donors.

Legislators who support this bill should ask themselves some bigger questions as well: How does mandating that school districts negotiate class size produce the massive investment needed to hire additional teachers to bring those class sizes down? How does this bill magically ensure that districts with small, outdated buildings will suddenly have the means to build additional classrooms? How does this emphasis on class size justify the hit to equity investments? And how does ordering school districts to come up with agreements result in a solution other than forcing them to take away from something else?

Theres a reason that this bill, which has been brought up every year for the last four years by union-friendly legislators has failed to pass the last four times. The members of the House Business and Labor Committee, where the bill now sits, should make it five for five.

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Earl Blumenauer and Mike Simpson

Blumenauer, a Democrat, represents Oregons 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mike Simpson, a Republican, represents Idahos 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and recently released a framework for reimagining the Northwest energy landscape and recovering critically endangered salmon populations.

For Northwesterners, the majestic Columbia River defines who we are and how we relate to our region. The lifeblood of Native peoples since time immemorial and vital to many contemporary inhabitants of the basin, the Columbia has become increasingly mechanized as our communities have grown. While harnessing this mighty waterway for low-cost hydropower has netted great benefits for agriculture and modern commerce, it has also led to unintended consequences that are taking a toll on tribes, communities, industries and salmon.

Today, it is hard to imagine the region without the re-engineering of the Columbia River Basin because we have treated the river as a machine. Yet, as we look towards the future, it is important to consider our relationship to the river: how we have altered it and how we manage it.

This is a unique moment in time. We are in the midst of renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty with Canada, which will define the next 50 years of our relationship with one of the mightiest rivers on the planet. We also have an opportunity to work with the new Biden administration to keep our promises to Native people and to protect and maintain the health of our waterways and watersheds.

We have spent decades embroiled in countless lawsuits and expended huge sums of money in a futile effort to manage dwindling salmon stocks. Despite significant effort and billions of dollars, we may see a future without iconic Northwest salmon as part of our heritage to pass on. At the same time, weve seen profound changes in the business of supplying electric power to communities who rely on it. For 75 years, environmental stresses have grown. There is now an overlay of climate change and demands for massive investments in rebuilding and renewing America.

During our time in Congress, both of us have made it a priority to call upon the region to engage thoughtfully, proactively and comprehensively about whats next for the Columbia River system. As we look to the future, we must consider what is necessary to meet the needs of all of the rivers complex dependents, starting with the salmon runs that are so critical to Native peoples and ecosystems. Although many are skeptical and reluctant to change, all understand that something needs to be done. And now is the best time to act.

Make no mistake: To address this unsustainable cycle, a comprehensive well-funded solution is the only path forward practically, politically and operationally. Restoring the health of the river, to meet the needs of those who fish, navigate, irrigate, and recreate along its banks, will require significant investment and re-engineering.

To do this right, we need to change the status quo to focus instead on a comprehensive solution  a Northwest solution  that can save the salmon and allow all of the stakeholders to thrive while ensuring environmental protections. Rep. Simpsons proposal from two months ago is a bold starting point.

The challenges are obvious to see: an evolving Northwest power market, stresses on the Bonneville Power Administration, practical implications of habitat restoration and the demands for the Columbia-Snake systems abundant waters. Equally obvious are potential solutions, but they require a high level of engagement by the regions governors, congressional delegation tribes, and stakeholders. Together, we must acknowledge this for what it is: an existential threat to iconic fish species, to indigenous ways of life, and to sustainability and prosperity throughout the region.

We must not forget that the Columbia Basin tribes have rights to the water and the fish that once thrived. This is not merely optional for the federal government and the stakeholders. This is a solemn obligation of treaty and federal law.

Right now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to create our own future for the Northwest and define what it will look like for generations to come. We may never again have a chance like this to craft a solution by the Northwest and for the Northwest, to protect our waters, salmon, communities and way of life.

It will require unprecedented cooperation, innovation, and investment, but we are convinced that this is the time to convene the people of the Pacific Northwest to make this critical effort a reality.

We call on our fellow elected officials, tribes, stakeholders and citizens to roll up our sleeves and come together to have the difficult conversation necessary to find a solution to save our salmon, redress tribal inequities, and reset our energy system for the next 50 plus years. It would be a tragedy if future generations looked back and asked  why couldnt they even talk to each other?

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A herd of more than 120 horses roaming free in the Ochoco National Forest will be cut in half as part of a management plan to control their numbers.

The 2021 Ochoco Wild Horse Management Plan will establish a management level of 47 to 57 horses that can reside in the national forest, according to a news release on Friday from the U.S. Forest Service.

The Big Summit herd is the only one in Oregon and Washington to be managed solely by the U.S. Forest Service. Most of the other wild horse herds in the Pacific Northwest are managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The number of horses permitted in the herd takes into account forage availability in winter and the management of a lack of genetic variability in the horse herd. The decision also includes an emergency action plan that provides protocols for how the Forest Service will intervene on behalf of sick, injured or starving horses.

The herd is located about 25 to 30 miles east of Prineville and grazes on 27,000 acres of land located at 4,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation.

The management plan, which became effective on Friday, updates the original herd management plan drafted 46 years ago.

The horses are believed to have first appeared in the area in the 1920s, when it is believed that ranchers at that time turned loose quality animals from a good breeding stock to ensure a future supply of good horses.

In general, wild horses and burros are descendants of animals released by or escaped from Spanish explorers, ranchers, miners or Native Americans, said Kassidy Kern, a spokesperson for the Ochoco National Forest.

While horse lovers are fond of seeing the animals roaming wild in the forest, the Forest Service says the herd is damaging riparian areas by chewing up forage along river banks.

The horses will be managed through gathers beginning in the fall of 2021, said Kern. It will likely take five years or more to gather down to the appropriate management level set out in this plan.

Kern said about 100 horses will need to be removed over that five-year period. The current herd size is between 120 to 150 horses.

Gathering a little at a time allows us to gather valuable genetic information to work with wild horse genetics experts to ensure that we have adequate genetic variability in the herd, said Kern. Additionally, when we bait the horses into the corrals, we typically only get smaller bands of 5-10 at a time. Gathering this way minimizes stress on the animals.

According to the decision notice, horses removed from the territory may end up in one of three places. These include the Bureau of Land Management corral facility in Burns or a Forest Service corral. A third option could see the horses transported to leased or contracted private facilities, where they will be prepared for adoption or sale.

After removal of the horses, the numbers will be maintained through contraception and sterilization.

For more information on the project and to view the decision notice, visit the project web page: go.usa.gov/xH375
A Bend lawmaker who picked up a long-desired seat for Democrats in 2020 failed to disclose $45,000 in campaign donations from the statewide teachers union.

Rep. Jason Kropf was a deputy district attorney when he ran for the seat held by Republican restaurant owner Cheri Helt last year. It was one of the most contentious legislative races in the state.

Helt reported spending nearly $1 million to hold onto the district where Democrats significantly outnumbered Republicans, and Kropf reported spending $522,000, according to state campaign finance disclosures. Kropf defeated Helt 60% to 38.9%.

Missing from Kropfs spending total and donor disclosures is $45,000 worth of campaign advertising purchased or produced on his behalf by the statewide teachers union Oregon Education Association, according to state campaign finance disclosures reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The news organization discovered the discrepancy while reviewing the unions political action committee donations to legislative candidates. Most of OEA-PACs donations to Kropf were for television and radio ads.

Kropfs campaign coordinated with donors to fund his advertising efforts with in-kind expenditures, Federal Communications Commission records show. For example, the ad time buying company Media Analysis purchased time slots from a Bend television station on behalf of Kropfs political action committee, Jason for Bend. Then OEA-PAC and other campaign donors paid Kropfs campaign bills from Media Analysis and other vendors.

The only OEA-PAC contribution Kropf disclosed in state filings was a $500 cash donation.

Under state campaign finance rules, Kropf and his campaign staff were responsible for reporting the unions $45,000 of in-kind donations at the time they knew of the contributions and received the advertising services.

Donations of this size are not uncommon in Oregon, which has no state-level political contribution limits. Public employee unions and businesses oppose efforts to set tight limits, including through bills under consideration in the Legislature. As part of OEA-PACs 2020 endorsement process, it asked legislative candidates to fill out a questionnaire on issues including whether candidates would support a bill to make class size a mandatory topic of bargaining in Oregon. That proposal is a priority for the union this session and already passed the state Senate.

Kropf thanked The Oregonian/OregonLive for bringing the missing contributions to his attention. We immediately looked into this and my treasurer was unable to find any notice from OEA of these in-kind contributions, Kropf wrote in a text message Wednesday. As soon as we were made aware, my team contacted the Secretary of States Office and are posting today. Well of course pay any appropriate late fees.

Most of the Oregon Education Association political action committees 2020 contributions to legislative candidates were in-kind donations, which means the donor pays a vendor such as a polling firm or company that purchases television ad time. Other Democratic legislative candidates supported by the committee appear to have correctly reported the teachers unions purchases of polling and advertising.

Political candidates and organizations across the spectrum in Oregon use in-kind donations. Democratic legislative caucus PACs and the powerful public employee unions, which generally support Democrats, relied heavily on the practice in 2020. Nearly $300,000 or roughly 54% of Kropfs 2020 fundraising was through in-kind donations, according to an analysis of state data.

OEA-PAC purchased ad production and broadcast time for Kropf at the same companies where unions and Democratic caucus PACs purchased campaign goods and services for numerous candidates in 2020: Media Analysis in Hawaii, Sway in Maryland and AL Media in Chicago.

Kropfs failure to disclose the in-kind donations is an extreme example of the lack of transparency than can result from in-kind contributions. The state allows donors and campaigns to wait 30 days to report all types of transactions, except in specific windows close to elections when the timeline shrinks until it eventually reaches seven days. Additionally, donors who make in-kind expenditures can wait up to 48 hours after they report the transaction to the state to notify the recipient of the transaction by email or letter, according to the Secretary of States campaign finance manual.

The Secretary of States office notes that the recipient must report the donation sooner if the candidate, treasurer or any agent of the committee had knowledge of the in-kind contribution and received the goods or services prior to receiving the written notification.

Aaron Fiedler, public information officer for the Secretary of States office, wrote in an email that the penalty for disclosing campaign contributions this late  six months after the transactions  would be 10% of the transactions. Under Oregon law, Kropf can use his campaign funds to pay the fine.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud
Oregon teachers unions could be on the cusp of winning a state mandate for school boards to negotiate class size limits.

A bill to institute the requirement is under consideration in the state House after passing the Senate.

Adding class size to the list of issues districts must bargain over with unions would increase teachers power, in part because it would be another item over which they could strike.

It also has the potential to undermine some districts drive to improve equity for low-income students, students of color and others with particularly acute learning needs.

Thats because many districts have chosen to create small classes for those students while maintaining larger class sizes at schools that are heavily white and located in upper-middle-class neighborhoods. Reducing the size of a districts largest classes, often found at schools serving relatively privileged students, inevitably draws resources away from higher-needs schools.

Senate Bill 580 is a top priority this legislative session for the Oregon Education Association, which spent heavily to elect and reelect Democratic legislative candidates in 2020 and based its endorsements and political donations in part on whether a candidate pledged to support the class size mandate.

In public hearings, teachers and specialists who work with students described how they are overloaded and could better serve students if districts were forced to hire more educators.

School board officials and administrators warned that mandating class size negotiations could force districts to scrap current initiatives that direct extra resources to historically and systemically underserved students to meet one-size-fits-all caps on class sizes.

Schools with large numbers of English language learners, students in poverty, historically underserved students or students with disabilities and small remote schools or schools with large numbers of students who are at risk need more resources in order to achieve equitable outcomes, said Oregon Coalition of School Administrators President Iton Udosenata, who is assistant superintendent of Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Wealthier schools and wealthier students often dont need these kinds of extra supports that many of their peers may need to be successful in school. School districts should not be put in a position where were required to bargain in order to keep making investments where students need them the most.

Portland Public Schools experience with bargained class size limits illustrates one potential outcome when teachers and school board officials negotiate workloads. In 2018, the districts board agreed to set class size limits in its teachers contract. If a teachers workload exceeds those caps, the district must provide them a teachers aide or pay them 3% of a starting teacher salary, or about $1,200 a year, for every student over the limit. Teachers can decline an aide and instead claim the overage pay, although they are not allowed to shed a previously assigned aide in order to qualify for the stipend.

Since the district had already prioritized smaller class sizes and additional classroom support staff in schools serving lower-income families, teachers who have received the $4.5 million in overage payments for large class sizes over the last three years are overwhelmingly at schools with upper-middle-income parents, The Oregonian/OregonLive found.

Critics of the move to mandate teachers union say on class sizes say those payments to teachers with classes even one or two students over the limit are a luxury that districts unlike Portland cant afford. Oregons largest school district has a rich property tax base and voters prone to approving taxes for parks, libraries and schools. Those two factors have resulted in a local option property tax that adds approximately 18% to Portland schools per-student allocation from the state.

Districts without those assets could find themselves with no option but to increase class sizes for special education students, English language learners and high poverty students and Black, Indigenous and Latino students, whom districts have increasingly targeted for smaller classes and more personal attention.

It is also possible, advocates of the bill say, that teachers unions would insist on contract terms that set varied class size limits based on factors such as race, poverty, language and disability, to benefit students with the greatest learning needs, even though the union in Portland did not do so.

If the bill is green lighted, as expected, Oregon would join four other states in the nation that, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality, have made class size a mandatory topic of bargaining: California, Minnesota, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Separately, dozens of states have adopted across-the-board class size limits, including Texas, where teachers are prohibited from unionizing.

Overall, median class sizes in Oregon middle and high schools have remained steady since 2014 at 25 and 27 respectively and decreased to by one student to 24 in elementary schools in 2015, state figures show. The state has not published statewide median class size data since mid-2019.

Democrats control both chambers of the Legislature, and since the Senate tends to be more conservative, there is a good chance House Democrats will approve the bill. It passed the Senate primarily with Democratic support. Two Democrats  Sen. Betsy Johnson of Scappoose and Sen. Lee Beyer of Springfield  joined nearly all Republicans to vote no. Republican Sen. Bill Kennemer of Oregon City voted for the bill.

The Oregon Education Associations political action committee spent more than $382,000 in 2020 to support Democratic legislative candidates, mostly by directly purchasing television and radio ads in the most hard-fought races that were top priorities for House and Senate Democratic caucuses, according to The Oregonian/OregonLives review of campaign finance data.

The bill to require teachers union say on class sizes would not provide more money to school districts, suggesting tradeoffs on other choices rather than simply making big classes smaller would be in the cards. The Oregon School Boards Association and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators pointed out that reducing class sizes is an allowable use of $800 million in state grants expected to be available in 2021-2023 due to the new Student Success Act corporate tax. Districts must tailor their requests for a per-student share of that money based on community feedback, including from staff and students, particularly the neediest students including children experiencing homelessness, poverty and from other underserved populations.

Unlike Portland, other districts in the Portland metro area that address class size in their contracts give school administrators power to relieve teachers from big classes without preventing schools from creating small ones for students in great need. North Clackamas, for instance, has a contract that states the district shall make every effort to prevent excessive class enrollment and lays out a process for specialists to request reviews of their caseloads and request a day of support when they need extra relief. Parkrose School District similarly pledges to attempt to equalize workload and has a process in its contract to allow educators to request workload reviews and appeal the findings.

In an emailed statement, Oregon Education Association President John Larson said educators would use a class size negotiation mandate to focus on the needs of underserved students. He did not address The Oregonian/OregonLives findings that Portland Public Schools bargained class limits had no such provision and functioned to direct more resources to wealthier schools.

There is ample evidence that reducing class sizes and caseloads results in positive outcomes for students, particularly for younger learners and those from historically marginalized backgrounds, Larson said. The bill is a priority for that reason. Currently, educators are not able to require a conversation that would put underserved students front and center in district priorities; creating this layer of accountability will help ensure educators on the front lines can meaningfully engage with school districts about how to best serve their students.

Sara Starlin, a speech pathologist for Springfield Public Schools, said the districts 15 pathologists collectively serve 700 students. If our workload was more manageable, students would benefit from more individualized instruction, might reach their goals sooner and be able to spend more time in general education classrooms, Starlin said. Groups that represent speech pathologists and school psychologists testified in support of Senate Bill 580.

Senate and House Democrats lined up to testify in support of the bill at a March Senate Education committee meeting. They described the experiences of family members who work as educators and their personal experiences including serving on a school board and having children attend Oregon public schools. Senate Majority Rob Wagner, a Lake Oswego Democrat who served on his local school board until last June, suggested during the hearing that current state law prohibits local educators from even talking about class and effectively silences educators in our local communities.

Oregon teachers and district officials are in fact permitted to discuss class sizes both during and outside of contract negotiations but not required to negotiate it in bargaining. In a statement emailed to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Wagner  who as majority leader has a central role in preserving and growing his caucus numbers in elections  wrote that the way permissive is used in these negotiations means management can put on earmuffs and refuse to talk at all about class sizes during negotiations  both parties must agree to include the topic in a negotiation. As a former school board member, I know that when educators try to raise class sizes as an issue, it is quickly shut down by administrators.

Last year, the Oregon Education Association asked legislative candidates seeking the support of its political action committee whether they agreed with making class size a mandatory bargaining topic, according to a copy of the PAC questionnaire obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The statewide teachers union is among the top donors in Oregon politics, along with other public employee unions, the business lobby, wealthy individuals and interest groups. In 2020, Oregon Education Associations political action committee focused its spending on helping state House and Senate Democrats caucuses hold onto or pick up seats in the most hotly contested legislative races.

On the north coast, the union paid for $74,472 worth of television and other forms of advertising for Democratic House candidate Debbie Boothe-Schmidt. On the central coast the OEA-PAC spent $48,396 on campaign ads and polling for Democrat Melissa Cribbins. Both of them lost. And OEA-PAC contributed more than $18,000 to state Senate candidate Eileen Kiely of Sunriver, who also suffered a narrow loss.

The union also spent $45,000 to help flip a Republican-held seat and elect Rep. Jason Kropf in Bend, again mostly by paying for television and radio ads on his behalf, according to campaign finance records.

Others on the lengthy list of lawmakers who received state teachers union campaign donations in 2020: Rep. Anna Williams of Hood River, Sen. Chris Gorsek of Troutdale, Sen. Deb Patterson of Salem, Rep. Paul Evans of Monmouth, Rep. Brad Witt of Clatskanie, Rep. Dan Rayfield of Corvallis, Rep. Lisa Reynolds of Portland, Rep. Ricki Ruiz of Gresham, Rep. Khanh Pham of Portland, Rep. Wlnsvey Campos of Aloha, Rep. Zach Hudson of Troutdale, Sen. Kate Lieber of Beaverton, Rep. Dacia Grayber of Tigard, Rep. Rachel Prusak of West Linn, Sen. Kathleen Taylor of Portland, Rep. Brian Clem of Salem and former Rep. Diego Hernandez of Portland. Some of them faced contested Democratic primary races, while Williams, Witt and Patterson needed cash to win razor-close general election contests with Republicans. All of them won.

The group also supported decades-long OEA lobbyist Laurie Wimmer, a Democratic primary candidate for a northwest Portland House seat who did not prevail.

Oregon has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the country and Patterson pointed to lower class sizes in Connecticut, a state without mandatory bargaining for class size, as a reason that states students graduate at a higher rate than Oregon students. Richard Donovan, a registered lobbyist for the Oregon School Boards Association, countered that much of Oregons recent progress raising graduation rates has been built on the backbone of equity, equity based investments and a focus on justice, especially for our systemically traditionally underserved students that would be jeopardized if districts adopt uniform class caps.

Udosenata, the Salem-Keizer assistant superintendent, offered lawmakers some examples of the targeted investments he oversaw as principal of North Eugene High. One of the most effective strategies was through academic intervention courses that allowed us to support students who struggled in areas like math or reading, Udosenata said. Both classes required additional resources and staffing to help get students back on track and, importantly, experience success and confidence that continued with them in other courses. In order to do this, we had to be able to shift resources within our school and this sometimes meant adding a few students to courses like PE or AP calculus in order to prioritize where there was the most essential need in our schools.

Udosenatas argument against mandated class size bargaining did not convince many Democratic senators, including Sen. Lew Frederick who represents north Portland and is a member of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Caucus. Education is not an assembly line despite our efforts to make it one, Frederick said in a floor speech in support of the class size proposal. For those appropriately concerned about inequities in our education system, let me propose that one of the reasons for those inequities is that many BIPOC students fail to get the attention they require because their class sizes are too large.

No Portland school that enrolls a high proportion of Black, Indigenous or Latino students has large average class sizes, however, according to the most recent state data. Classes of around 30 students are the norm at Jackson, Robert Gray and West Sylvan middle schools on Portlands predominantly white west side. But they average below 20 at schools in high poverty, high minority schools in North, Northeast and outer Southeast Portland, state figures show. In metro Portland, the west side Portland middle schools and schools serving high-income areas in Beaverton and Sherwood, among others, would stand to benefit most from class size caps.

Editor Betsy Hammond contributed to this report.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

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Update: Chinese rocket plunges to Earth over Indian Ocean.

Debris from Chinas largest rocket reentered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean just before 9 p.m. Saturday.

The rocket, launched last week, was one of the largest objects to plunge back to Earth on an uncontrollable trajectory, the Washington Post reported. While rocket remnants dove through the sky near the Maldives, most of the debris burned up during reentry, according to Chinese authorities.

China has said the upper stage of its Long March 5B rocket that launched the core module of its space station would mostly burn up on re-entry, posing little threat to people and property on the ground. That hasnt stopped interest in tracking the re-entry, which was projected for late Saturday Eastern time or early Sunday.

The roughly 100-foot-long remnant, a section that launched the main module of Chinas first space station, would be among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth. It weighed 21 tons.

The 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas space agency has yet to say whether the main stage of the huge Long March 5B rocket is being controlled or will make an out-of-control descent. Last May, another Chinese rocket fell uncontrolled into the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa.

NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson was unsettled by another uncontrolled descent.

Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations, Nelson said in a statement. It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

Here are some current predictions from space and sky watchers:

UPDATE Our latest prediction for #LongMarch5B CZ-5B rocket body reentry is  09 MAY 2021 03:02 UTC  2 hours along the ground track shown here. 1/ pic.twitter.com/JeIKVUd1fk  The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) May 8, 2021

Space-Track also estimated the Mediterranean Basin in a tweet on Saturday afternoon.

Latest TIP (as of 2021-05-09 0000Z) for CZ-5B (#LongMarch5B) (48275 / 2021-035B) shows projected re-entry at 2021-05-09 0211(UTC) +/- 60 minutes at latitude 35.9, longitude 24.4 (Mediterranean Basin)

At 7.8 km/s, just 1 minute diff in the time of reentry =470 km diff in final loc  Space-Track (@SpaceTrackOrg) May 9, 2021

Space debris from a Chinese rocket that's expected to crash into Earth tonight is seen in the sky outside Tokyo, Japan early Saturday morning. The dashed line in the footage shows the trail of the debris, whose exact trajectory is not known. https://t.co/EZbtBZLb6l pic.twitter.com/AMFcDSGD1i  CBS News (@CBSNews) May 8, 2021

Al Jazeera noted that a difference of just one minute in the time of re-entry translates to hundreds of miles difference on the ground.

@SpaceTrackOrg doesn't do visualizations (or windows). We just provide the data from @18SPCS. @TSKelso, however, has a mighty helpful visualization so all the folks that are worried about #LongMarch5B can see the likely places it will come down. Focus on the red lines. https://t.co/pGbJjEOu5J  Space-Track (@SpaceTrackOrg) May 8, 2021

Where it will hit cannot be pinpointed until within hours of its reentry, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Although clashes between rebels and the Sudanese government have largely subsided in Darfur and many other areas of southwestern and southeastern Sudan, thanks to advent of a civilianmilitary government in Khartoum that accommodated rebel movements, there are still some intermittent clashes
Last Sunday Patently Apple posted a report titled "While one Taiwanese Hon Hai Worker has died in India from COVID, in general, the three main iPhone Plants are not affected." When it comes to COVID, circumstances could dramatically change day-to-day and week-to-week and 7 days later, Apple's iPhone partners Wistron and Hon Hai have since reported infections at their respective plants.

According to a new report posted by Taiwan's United Daily News, "After the employees of Wistrons Indian plant were infected, the Hon Hai Group also issued a statement yesterday (May 8) confirming that colleagues in the Indian plant have been tested positive for the new crown pneumonia.

On the premise of the first priority, the company has arranged for the confirmed colleagues to be isolated for diagnosis and treatment in the medical institution, and the relevant factories have also completed environmental disinfection in accordance with standard operating procedures. The Indian factories are still operating.

Hon Hai emphasized that it will continue to provide employees with necessary anti-epidemic materials and assistance, and will also cooperate with government policies to respond to future changes in the epidemic."

COVID's infection rated in India is staggering in scope. The UDN report stated that "According to the latest statistics, India added more than 400,000 new coronary pneumonia cases in a single day (May 8), which is only a slight decrease from the previous day. However, the lack of local medical resources has caused many patients to die without seeking medical treatment.

The number of deaths in a single day was the same as that of yesterday. It broke the 4,000 barrier and reached 4,191; the total number of new coronary pneumonia cases reached 21.88 million, and the cumulative death toll was more than 230,000.

Due to the rapid increase in the epidemic situation in India, the local Apple supply chain may be affected. Wistron has suspended operations for several days, which has aroused great concern in the market.

Local industry insiders pointed out that at present Apples two foundries, Wistron and Hon Hai, are both affected by the new crown pneumonia in India. Although they have not had a significant impact on production capacity, if the epidemic continues to expand, and India is likely to be closed nationwide, it will affect the supply chain. Development in India is still unfavorable.

In addition, the new government of Indias Tamil Nadu province has not yet expanded its control. The main reason is that if Hon Hai is forced to close the Chennai apple production line plant, it may have an impact on the local economy and production. Therefore, Hon Hai is not required to temporarily close the plant. Hon Hai's apple production line factory in Chennai is still operating normally.

As for Wistron, after three Taiwanese officials were found to be diagnosed a few days ago, they immediately notified the local government and shut down the factory for five days for disinfection in accordance with standard epidemic prevention procedures. During this time, they will be fully screened for employees and prepare to bring all employees to vaccinate."
Mrs Stephanie S. Sullivan, United States Ambassador to Ghana, has joined Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to outdoor a new US Government food security strategy.



The US Global Food Security Strategy for Ghana (GFSS), a five-year interagency effort aims at increasing agricultural productivity, improve nutrition, and raise household incomes for millions of Ghanas agricultural workers.



A statement issued by the US Embassy in Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the first activity was expected to attract $261 million in private sector financing to boost Ghanaian agribusiness.



It said Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, also attended the virtual launch along with representatives of financial, agricultural, government, and private sector stakeholders.



It said under the GFSS, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was committing $19 million to support the initial activity, known as Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA).



The MFA activity, which will run for four years, seeks to increase access to agricultural finance in select staple and commodity value chains such as maize, groundnuts, shea, soy, mango, cashew, and other high-value export commodities.



The statement said the initiative would focus on facilitating transactions among buyers and sellers of the commodity crops and promoting exports.



Mrs Sullivan said the new programme was within the framework of the US and Ghanas long-standing partnership to improve food security, increase trade and investment flows, and support resilient and inclusive economic growth.



The US Government reaffirms its commitment to assist Ghanaians to achieve self-reliance by helping businesses reap higher revenues and by strengthening trade between Ghana and the United States," she stated.



"With the ability to access loans at lower affordable rates, micro, small, and medium agricultural enterprises, including women- and youth-owned businesses will be able to grow their businesses, expand into new markets, create good jobs, and export their goods.



The statement said the MFA activity would mobilize investment for Ghanas agricultural sector to become an engine of sustainable growth, self-reliance, and shared prosperity.



It would work to connect financial institutions, business advisory service providers, and agricultural enterprises, providing access to strategic partnerships, technical support, and smart incentives to help financing flow to where it was most needed and help more Ghanaians thrive.

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.

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The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has called for calm between the Wesley Girls High School and the Ghana Education Service (GES) over the right of a Muslim student to fast in school in the ongoing Ramadan.



We believe that each party in their respective viewpoints do wish the best for the child concerned. But this can only be done in the midst of calm. History has shown that whenever decisions are made out of turbulence, other problems were given birth to, it said.



The GNECC, which made the call in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, and signed by its Executive Council Chairman, Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, said it was also their concern that the School did not heed the GES directive.



That, the Coalition believed, might set a precedence for other schools to disregard the supervisory Agency in other matters.



No matter how genuine their traditions and the welfare of the student they have at heart, we think they could dialogue a better solution before making a final verdict, it said.



The Coalition said it believed there was the need for all stakeholders to seek guiding interpretations to the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, Article 14(1)(e), which indicates that no person shall be deprived of their personal liberty/rights except: for the purpose of the education or welfare of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years."



It is on this premise that we of GNECC wish to call on all stakeholders, especially policymakers and implementers, to agree on developing national policies to serve as a guide to this issue and similar issues to ensure that all stakeholders adhere to the resolution in the best interest of the child, it 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.

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The Takoradi Technical University has established a cyber-security centre to train students in cyber and technological skills to help reduce the risks of data loss, theft and sabotage.



Cyber-related crimes are on the rise in recent times and it is envisaged that the Centre would train many people to help unravel the myth behind cyber-crime, digital forensics and other cyber-related issues, which confront the nation today.



Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, said the centre would offer prospective students Certificates and Diplomas in cyber programmes.



The centre is also opened to the security agencies, banks and the public to ensure its sustenance.



The VC assured partners of the maximum care to ensure that the equipment were well maintained.



The state-of-the-art Centre would serve as an employment avenue for the teaming graduates looking to start their enterprises.



Mr David Davor, Assistant Project Manager of Cybersecurity Ghana, said the centre was poised to offer solutions to cyber-related crime and fraud in the country.



Ms Matilda Kafui, a Cyber-security Ambassador, said the establishment of cyber-security clubs was to help students develop interest, learn computing skills and create employment.

Source: GNA









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The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has called on the authorities to demolish buildings in danger of collapse to prevent the loss of lives.



Mr Eric Nana Agyeman Prempeh, the National Director of NADMO, said such dilapidated buildings were likely to crumble during a wind or rainstorm and could harm lives.



He made the call during a donation of relief items to the Birim Central Municipal Assembly in Oda to cushion victims of a recent rainstorm in the area.



The items included, buckets, clothing, packets of roofing sheets, mattresses, blankets, cups, soap, rubber bowls, and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets.



He said though most disasters were natural, there were also some man-made ones and urged Ghanaians to be cautious.



Miss Victoria Adu, the Municipal Chief Executive and Chairman of the Municipal Disaster Management Committee, was happy about the donation and said they would be distributed to the victims accordingly.



On April 5, 2021, at about 1530 hours, a devastating rainstorm hit Akim Oda, destroying houses and school buildings and displacing scores of people.



Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the Senior Presidential Advisor, assured the people that more relief items would be presented to them.



Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquaah, the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, said letters were written to offices and companies for assistance and GHACEM, a cement company, gave 150 bags of cement to support the affected persons.



Nana Akyia Mensah II, a representative of Birim Central Municipal Traditional Council, expressed gratitude for the support.

Source: GNA









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Spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Bawumia, Dr. Gideon Boako has appealed to Ghanaians to exercise patience and watch the Akufo-Addo government deliver on her promises to improve their lives.



There have been public agitations over President Nana Akufo-Addo's performance in his second term.



Social media has gone awash with incessant calls on the President to fix the country.



#Fixit or #fixthecountry has been the trending message on social media after news broke that there is going to be increment in fuel prices.



The citizens have begun to complain bitterly about the President failing them, stating his administration has worsened their plight.



Addressing the issue on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Dr. Gideon Boako noted that the government hasn't abandoned her promises.



He explained that Ghana's development is a gradual process, therefore Ghanaians should continue to repose their confidence in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government as it's only a "matter of time" and Ghanaians will wake up to see the development they desire.



He asked the citizens to support the President in his efforts to send Ghana to the promised land.



"We're humans. Our desire is to do the will of the people but, as human as we are, we have setbacks. We can't do it all. However, whatever stage we reach in doing the best for the people, we believe we need the help of the people and when we go astray too, the people should correct us . . . So, we need the help and support of every Ghanaian," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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" . . Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hasn't changed. He's the same Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo," Dr. Gideon Boako, Spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has told Ghanaians.



According to Dr. Gideon Boako, President Nana Akufo-Addo will need time to fix the country stressing his second term just began.



Making his submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, he asked Ghanaians not to lose sight of the good works of the President in his first term, citing some good policies like the free SHS, payment of allowances among others.



Dr. Gideon Boako also reminded Ghanaians of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on world economies, for which Ghana has also been badly affected and therefore will take a gradual process to get the nation back on her feet.



He, however, empathized with Ghanaians over their plight but believed the President is on the right track to improving their living conditions.



He called on them to exercise patience with the President saying " . . Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hasn't changed. He's the same Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It's the same Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the same government that had the good heart to improve the lives of the citizenry that is in power again...and is in action to adopt good policies to continue improving the lives of the people."







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has denied claims that National Security operatives cloned the phones of the conveners of #Fixthecountry campaign.



One of the conveners, Oliver Barker-Vormawor in an interview on Joy Newsfile programme alleged that when we left the meeting, we had credibly established that one of our representatives, the only person who was using an Android phone, his phone was cloned. And that all the messages and conversations we were having on our platform, he could no longer assess. So what we did was we flashed his phone immediately.



We discovered just this morning, that calls from his phone were being diverted to another phone. When we searched for it online through True Caller, its called Monitoring on Vodafone



However, Information Minister in a statement said it is a normal practice for the phones of all visitors to be kept at the reception of the Ministry of National Security. The Ministry has no basis to and did not tamper with the phones of the convenors



Read the full statement below

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Government will, this month, start rolling out eight additional interventions under the Ghana's Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support Scheme (Ghana-CARES) programme, to create more jobs and boost the Ghanaian economy.



The 100-billion Ghana cedi programme, also known as "Obaatanpa" would witness the implementation of various projects in the health, agriculture, tourism, trade, digitization and technology as well as housing and social services sectors.



Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, announced this at the Minister's press briefing in Accra, on Sunday, to update the public on key government programmes and progress made so far.



The media encounter held on the topic, "Rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, "was also intended to address the concerns raised by the campaigners of #Fixthecountry Movement.



Mr Ofori-Atta said government would also begin the implementation of $250 million Jobs and Skills Development programme to create jobs in the private sector businesses, instead of expanding government employment schemes.



The Minister said, in the coming days, his outfit would collaborate with the Water Resources and Sanitation Ministry to address water challenges, especially in the urban centres to ensure regular flow of potable water from the taps.



It would also work collaboratively with the Ministries of Transport and Roads and Highways to tackle traffic congestion on the highways.



In July this year, he said, a new Development Bank would be set up to provide long-term financing to the private sector through commercial banks.



Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the rate of growth of the public debt had been lower under the Akufo-Addo-led Government than under previous administrations.



"The rate of debt growth was lower despite massive investments in our flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, NABCo, One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances while maintaining macroeconomic indicators and exchange rate stability," Mr Ofori-Atta emphasised.



"We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done. To fix what is broken and Government and I are determined and committed to do just that," he assured.



The Minister underscored the need to keep the healthy conversation and dialogue on fixing the economy going so that "we can have a collective action to deal with the country's challenges".



He announced a hashtag 'Fix this together and save our country'

Source: GNA









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

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Greenwood High School in Millerstown held its 2021 prom on Saturday, May 8.

Students gathered in the elementary school gym for photos, snacks, music and dancing. They gym was separated into four areas with carpet, furniture, snacks, balloons and chandeliers.

In the lobby, Shine Coffee Co. of Liverpool provided refreshments.

You can see all of PennLives prom coverage here.
On May 9, 2013, motorists were stunned when a fireball exploded over Interstate-81 in Susquehanna Twp.

That morning, a diesel fuel tanker truck overturned on the northbound ramp to Route 322 west and exploded in flames.

Traffic was paralyzed for hours as commuters tried to get work. Some never did  they turned back and went home. Some made it, hours late.

The accident closed parts of Interstate-81 for four days and the ramp for seven months  along with the ramp above it - because they had to be demolished and replaced.

The accident also caused environmental damage when 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked into Paxton Creek and Wildwood Lake.

The Patriot-News reported that Pennsylvania Game Commission officers found 11 birds drenched in polluted water. All of the birds, ducks and geese, died. About 10 acres of Wildwood Park were affected by the fuel leak. Game Commission officers worked to protect the wildlife while hazmat teams place booms to collect the oil.

The cost of the repairs was $12,434,537.

At the time, state Secretary of Transportation Barry Schock said, There could not have been a worse spot for this to occur.

The Patriot-News reported, The searing heat of the first diesel fuel explosion not only warped metal guardrails but also incinerated portions of 22/322s deck - by converting liquid in the cement to steam, prompting smaller subsequent explosions - and severely weakened its metal substructure, said Schoch, whos been an engineer for 28 years.

The truck was owned by Tameric Enterprises of Carlisle.

The driver, Thomas Uecker, 55, of Dover, who reportedly escaped the accident with minor burns, pleaded guilty in July 2014 to three summary charges of disregarding traffic lanes, driving at a safe speed and accidents/overturned vehicles. He paid fines and costs totaling about $800, court records state.
The union representing American Airlines flight attendants is lashing out at a memo from company leaders urging them to forgo getting food and hustle to get to planes on time, even when being called in last minute to crew a flight.

In a letter to members Thursday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said guidance from the company for getting to planes earlier was insulting after months of dealing with grumpy passengers, enforcing mask mandates and putting themselves in harms way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It now seems that skipping food runs on the way to the airplane and monitoring traffic patterns should be our new normal, said the letter from APFA President Julie Hedrick. This company continues to demonstrate just how out-of-touch they are with flight attendants, ignoring the fatigue-inducing trip construction and the constant battles over mask compliance.

The flight attendants rebuke comes as American Airlines is trying to gear up for a summer travel season that is anticipated to be much busier than last year. Meanwhile, the company just finished recalling thousands of flight attendants who were on furlough or voluntary leave from cost-cutting measures that were eventually resolved with government aid.

But even during pandemic-hampered 2020, American Airlines fell further behind competitors in terms of on-time percentage.

And if taking time for meals is a problem now, it could get much worse as airports say they are struggling to find restaurant and store workers heading into the summer travel season.

The memo from American was posted for flight attendants to read Monday, giving some tips and things to consider to be sure theyre on time and ready to go, according to the View from the Wing blog, which posted the memo.

The memo gives directions for flight attendants, such as charging tablets before leaving home or hotels, and leaving a few minutes early to give ample time for roadway traffic and Transportation Security Administration security lines.

Union leaders took issue with some of the directions, particularly for flight attendants on reserve or standby.

You may not have time to stop and get food, etc., on the way to the plane  particularly if youre called at the last minute, so keep that in mind, the memo read.

The union is in the midst of restarting contract negotiations with American as the carrier emerges from the pandemic. American flight attendants have long complained that the companys technology forces far too many crew members to be on standby reserve at each airport. Reserve crew members, both pilots and flight attendants, are required to be at the ready to fly, but only get partial pay during that time unless called on to fly.

American sees this as a golden opportunity to make our lives more difficult by increasing reserve seniority and throwing 27% of a crew base on reserve instead of working to make our lives easier in this challenging environment, Hedricks letter said. American Airlines seems to have forgotten that flight attendants spend the most time with our customers.

It is time that we are recognized for our work and our sacrifices instead of receiving a callous communication asking us to skip a meal while on duty, the letter said.

--

Kyle Arnold of The Dallas Morning News wrote this story.

2021 The Dallas Morning News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BENGALURU, India  Since India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping across the country, the pace of administering the shots has dropped with states saying they only have limited stock to give out.

Cases meanwhile are still rising at record pace in the worlds second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccinations, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are undercounts.

Indias Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an oxygen audit to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which stepped in earlier this week to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in the capital, New Delhi.

The countrys massive vaccination drive kicked off sluggishly in January when cases were low and exports of vaccines were high, with 64 million doses going overseas. But as infections started to rise in March and April, Indias exports drastically slowed down so doses went to its own population. So far, around 10% of Indias population have received one shot while just under 2.5% have got both.

At its peak in early April, India was administering a record high of 3.5 million shots a day on average. But this number has consistently shrunk since, reaching an average of 1.3 million shots a day over the past week. Between April 6 and May 6, daily doses have dropped by 38%, even as cases have tripled and deaths have jumped sixfold, according to Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistician at the University of Michigan who has been tracking Indias epidemic.

One reason for the drop in shots is that there are just not enough available, experts say. Currently, Indias two vaccine makers produce an estimated 70 million doses each month of the two approved shots  AstraZeneca, made by the Serum Institute of India, and another by Bharat Biotech.

Vaccine supply has remained nearly the same since the drive began in January, but the target population eligible has increased by threefold, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a health policy expert. In the beginning, India had far more assured supply available than the demand, but now the situation has reversed, he added.

In Kerala state, the drive to inoculate all adults is crawling along because our single biggest problem is the very slow arrival of supplies, said the states COVID-19 officer, Amar Fetle.

In New Delhi, many are waiting for hours outside vaccination centers  but only after theyve been able to book a slot.

For Gurmukh Singh, a marketing professional in the city, this has been impossible. It gets really frustrating, having so many hospitals and vaccine centers around but not being able to get access because they are all pre-booked, he said.

Family members pay last respect to their relative Rajendra Prasad Mishra, a 62-year-old man who has lost his life from coronavirus infection before cremation at River Ganges at Phaphamau in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)AP

Experts also point to a new policy change by the government, which has upended how doses are being distributed.

Previously, all of the stock was bought by the federal government and then administered to the population through both public and private health facilities.

But from May 1, all available stock has been divided in two, with 50% purchased by the government going to public health centers to inoculate those above 45. The remaining half is being purchased by states and the private sector directly from manufacturers at set prices to give adults below 45.

This has led to lags as states and private hospitals, still adjusting to new rules, struggle to procure supplies on their own.

You have now taken it out of a fairly efficient system where every dose was still centrally-controlled, said Jacob John, a professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. But with market forces at play and unprepared states burdened with such a daunting task, the efficiency of the system has fallen.

Things could change in the coming months, as the government last month gave an advance to the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, which could help boost manufacturing. And last week, India received its first batch of Sputnik V vaccines. Russia has signed a deal with an Indian pharmaceutical company to distribute 125 million doses.

But with vaccines currently in short supply, there are worries that those most in need are missing out. The goal should be to prioritize preventing deaths, which means fully vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, a microbiologist at Christian Medical College, Vellore.

You need to give it (earlier) to people who are more likely to die first, Kang said.

___

Krutila Pathi of The Associated Press wrote this story. AP journalists Rishabh R. Jain and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed to this report.
PHILADELPHIA  A shooting in north Philadelphia killed one young person and injured two others, one extremely critically, police said.

The victims were found inside a car after the gunfire that occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Glenwood neighborhood, police said.

A 17- to 18-year-old male shot in the head was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A 19-year-old man shot eight times in the upper torso was taken to Temple University Hospital in extremely critical condition.

An 18-year-old man shot in the arm was listed in stable condition, police said.

Police said no arrests were immediately reported and no weapons had been recovered.
BALTIMORE  Four people died and one was injured in a shooting and explosion in a townhouse neighborhood in Woodlawn Saturday, including the alleged gunman, who Baltimore County Police said they killed.

Neighbors called 911 to report a fire and the armed man in the 7300 block of Maury Road, and officers and firefighters arrived together about 6:40 a.m. to find the man outside the burning homes, county police spokeswoman Joy Stewart said.

That threat was neutralized, Stewart said Saturday at the scene. At that point, firefighters were able to address the fire.

In addition to the alleged gunman, two men and a woman died in the incident, and fourth man is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a hospital, police said.

The names of those killed were not released Saturday. The officer or officers who shot the man also were not immediately identified.

Kweku Quansah, 51, said he heard an explosion and came outside to check what was going on. He said he saw his neighbors house was on fire and then saw the gunman walking between cars firing shots.

He was shooting towards us, Quansah said. And then I saw a lady on the ground. He turned and shot the lady again on the ground.

Quansah said he has been a resident in the Parkview Crossing neighborhood for 23 years and said what took place Saturday morning was not surprising  it was just a matter of when.

It was like a ticking bomb, he said.

Residents said the gunman lived in the community and had threatened and confronted neighbors, accusing them of spying on him for the federal government.

Firefighters are on the scene in the 7300 block of Maury Road where police report multiple fatalities. Baltimore County Police fatally shot an armed suspect. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun/TNS)TNS

Quansah said he reported the suspect to police in the past.

We dont know why he was doing that but this has been going on over and over again, Quansah said. A lot of people tried to complain about it but nothing was done.

I was like, Do you all want him to commit a crime before you guys come out to help us? and they (police) said, Yes, that is the Maryland law.

Ranjith Ravindiran and his wife, also were witnesses. The couple said the alleged shooter was going door to door with a gun.

It still could have been much worse today, Ranjith Ravindiran said.

Ravindiran, 50, first moved into the townhome community in 2005. He kept his family away from the mans home, which was located just down the street.

Firefighters are on the scene in the 7300 block of Maury Road where police report multiple fatalities. Baltimore County Police fatally shot an armed suspect. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun/TNS)TNS

Ravindiran said the alleged gunmen had a red truck outside his home with a sign saying he was being watched by the FBI. Ravindiran said the man had constantly threatened people in the neighborhood for years and yelled at people on the street.

Everyone knew he was a problem, Ravindiran said during an interview.

Tim Rostkowski, a county fire department spokesman, said the 2-alarm blaze collapsed two houses and damaged a third.

--

Colin Campbell and Phillip Jackson of The Baltimore Sun wrote this story.

2021 The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Bair is being called a hero after pulling a man from a burning semi-truck after it was struck by a train Thursday in Idaho.

According to EastIdahoNews.com, Bair, 36, witnessed the train crash into the side of the semi-truck, pinning 25-year-old Steven Jenson in the drivers seat.

Bair told the site there was an explosion right away and the train was pushing the truck down the tracks, around 5:45 p.m.

Thats when Bair, who played for the Eagles from 2013-2015 and also had stints with the Raiders and Chiefs, sprang into action. He told the site he called 911 and drove down the median to get to the front of the train.

Bair then left his vehicle and raced toward the scene.

He said the conductors, who were leaving the train and struggling to breathe because of the smoke, told him not to approach the truck. But Bair said he could tell Jensen was in trouble.

I ran up to the window and saw dripping hot flames all over inside of the truck, he told EastIdahoNews.com. I could see a guy in a seatbelt and was able to reach in and get it off him. He was talking, and I told him we had to get out of here now.

According to the report, the 6-foot-t, 260-pound Bair had to climb halfway inside the truck to free Jensen.

We walked away, and within seconds, the fire on the roof fell down inside, and the whole seat and cab went up in flames, Bair told the site. A few minutes later, there were a couple big booms and explosions.

Bair told the site that he was a man of faith, and believes there was a reason the scene played out like it did.

The Lord wanted him alive, he said. Things could have gone a million different directions, but things worked out on his behalf. Thats my conclusion. Whether it was me or someone else, he was supposed to live.
A western Pennsylvania man who was already accused of rifling through Electoral College vote certification papers during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol has now been indicted by a federal grand jury and is accused of attacking an officer and stealing documents.

The indictment was handed down April 30 for Dale Shalvey, 36, of Bentleyville, who was initially charged with obstructing an official proceeding, entering a restricted building, disrupting business, entering the Senate floor without permission and causing a disruption in the U.S. Capitol building, WPXI is reporting.

An FBI affidavit stated agents fielded several tips that Shalvey, who owns a woodworking business, was the person shown in photos wearing a green helmet and other tactical gear.

A tipster said Shalvey sent them texts and photos that appear to depict official correspondence that was handled by Shalvey from at least one of the desks in the Senate chamber.

Shalvey now faces additional charges of having physical contact with a police officer and stealing a letter from Sen. Mitt Romney to former Vice President Mike Pence, reports indicate.

Reports indicate when Shalvey was interviewed by FBI agents after his arrest, he denied any knowledge of any assaulting officers during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The statements and representations were false because, as Dale Jeremiah Shalvey then and there knew, he assaulted an officer on Jan. 6, 2021, in the District of Columbia, the complaint states, reports indicate.

He is also charged with lying to federal agents, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting.
This article is reprinted with permission of RealClearPolitics

Today, I reprise quotations intended to be uplifting or educational. They come from a pair of African American women of letters, two of the greatest writers of any generation, race, or gender that this county has ever produced. Im referring to Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou. Their quotes are about motherhood, which is fitting, since Sunday is Mothers Day.

You wouldnt think any possible controversy could append itself to that day, except that we are living in preternaturally contentious times. Two days ago, Rep. Cori Bush, a freshman Democrat from St. Louis, was testifying about racial disparities in health care, focusing specifically on childbirth. While describing her own medical experiences, Bush used the unwieldy phrase birthing people instead of mothers. Apparently, this was an awkward attempt to use inclusive language.

Predictably, this rhetorical gambit earned her a fair amount of ridicule on social media. Im sure Rep. Bush has many virtues, but neither self-awareness nor self-deprecating humor are at the top of that list. Just as predictably, Bush lashed out at those who mocked her wording for their racism and transphobia. She also accused her critics of trivializing an important subject, which was a more substantive rejoinder. Bush was discussing racial disparities in Americas medical system, which is no laughing matter, and invoking her own harrowing experiences in hospital delivery rooms to do it.

Yet breezily trying to replace the word mothers as a sign of wokeness a few days before Mothers Day wasnt likely to go down well. It was Cori Bushs own peculiar choice of words that distracted listeners from her story.

Born in Alabama, Zora Neale Hurston was 3 years old when her family moved to the Florida town of Eatonville. Although Eatonville was one of the first self-governing all-black municipalities in the United States -- and her father was a prominent preacher and later the towns mayor -- his instinct was to shield his children from the dangers of Jim Crow. This overprotectiveness was one of the reasons the relationship between John Hurston and his fifth child was difficult. The parent who encouraged Zoras artistic and restive nature was her mother, Lucy, who died when Zora was still a girl. But not before she helped stoke the fire inside.

Later, Hurston paid tribute to her mother with this passage in a 1942 autobiographical work: Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to jump at de sun. We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.

Maya Angelou, who wrote the preface to a later edition of that book, Dust Tracks on a Road, wrote about her own mother in several autobiographical works. In the most recent, Mom & Me & Mom, published in 2013, she relates a poignant exchange with her mother, Vivian Baxter, during the filming of Angelous screenplay, Georgia, Georgia, in Stockholm.

When things became difficult with the shooting of the movie, Angelou called her mother. Readers of Angelous previous books know that their relationship was just as fraught as Zora Neale Hurstons was with her father. Nonetheless, Angelou wrote that when things became difficult, she phoned Vivian Baxter, then living in San Francisco.

Mom, I need mothering, she said. If you have ever done any, I need it now.

Baby, Baxter replied, if any plane is leaving San Francisco today for Sweden, I am on it.

She was as good as her word, and when she arrived in Stockholm, Baxter listened to her daughters account, and advised her that the men giving her trouble on the set would come around.

In the meantime, Mother is here, she added. I will look after you and I will look after anybody you say needs to be looked after, any way you say. I am here. I brought my whole self to you. I am your mother.

And those are our quotes of the week.

Carl M. Cannon is the Washington bureau chief for RealClearPolitics. Reach him on Twitter @CarlCannon.
There are two proposed changes to Pennsylvanias State Constitution on this primary election ballot, which together would give the state legislature power to rescind emergency declarations after just 21 days with a simple majority vote. Presently the legislature has that power, but it requires a veto-proof 2/3 majority.

Admittedly Pennsylvania state legislators are good at many things:

 Gerrymandering their districts into shapes resembling alien microscopic life-forms, all but guaranteeing their re-election.

 Maintaining their bloated membership  Pennsylvania has the largest full-time legislature in the country (253), followed by California (120), and the second largest overall behind only New Hampshires part-time legislature (426) whose members receive an annual salary of $100.

 Accepting automatic annual cost-of-living pay increases on top of their base salary of $90,335.

 Receiving compensation for their per diem expenses ranging from $178 to $200 without having to submit any receipts to justify those expenses.

 Keeping their pensions even if convicted of a felony, except when that felony involves executing their legislative duties, a restriction only added in 2019.

Gov. Tom Wolf signed an emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic on 3/6/2020. If these proposed constitutional changes had been in effect, the legislature could have rescinded that declaration on 3/27/2020 with a simple majority vote, a truly horrifying thought.

One might disagree with specific decisions Wolf made during the emergency, and future governors might make different ones, but the proposed constitutional changes should create longer term concern for Pennsylvanians than potentially the actual pandemic.

Thanks to the scientific and healthcare communities, we have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19. We will never have a vaccine to protect us from the political machinations of the state legislature.

On May 18th vote No on Amendments 1 and 2.

Joe Hannon, Scranton Pa.
By Alejandra Molina

It took some getting used to, but sister Maria Minerva Morales is now a faithful user of a cell phone app where she documents her interactions with people she ministers to.

Through the app, Morales  who is part of the Catholic congregation Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate  documents the name, gender and age of the people she interacts with or those who seek her help. She notes whether its the first time shes spoken to the person and whether they met up in person, over the phone or through Zoom. She also documents the nature of their meetings.

The app, which her fellow sisters began using around early March 2020, was developed by Catholic Extension  a nonprofit that invests in churches and ministries in working-class communities  to track nuns interactions and the kinds of resources they needed to do their ministry. As COVID-19 struck the nation, the nuns recordings may have been scarcer at first because they were no longer publicly meeting people, but as they logged their virtual and phone interactions, certain trends began to emerge.

Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts  especially among the Latino immigrant community  were common themes the nuns were documenting and encountering in their ministry.

This kind of documentation has helped Morales, who is based in the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas, quantify the mental health needs of the people they were assisting.

This has helped me see the amount of people who have suffered from depression through the pandemic, Morales said.

The sheer trauma the sisters have encountered is palpable, said Joe Boland, vice president of Mission at Catholic Extension.

You can see in the numbers how much mental health was just a real concern, Boland said. Thats what the sisters were encountering. Our sisters are not psychologists and were not going to make them psychologists over night.

The sisters are part of Catholic Extensions U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program that assists parishes in the U.S. lacking Spanish-speaking leaders in their churches. The sisters help congregations address the spiritual needs of Latino immigrants in their neighborhoods.

Since using the app, 30 sisters across the country, from Arkansas to California, have logged 18,000 interactions.

Through her interactions, sister Zuly Cardenas has encountered issues dealing with unemployment and people who are depressed and have expressed suicidal thoughts. Issues have emerged with more people being indoors during lockdown measures.

We can really see all the need that people require in this moment, said Cardenas, who is based in the Diocese of Sacramento.

As a result of these trends, many of those sisters will undergo specific training to address the types of trauma they are encountering in their communities.

Through the Trauma Recovery Associates, a nonprofit created by the Rev. Kenneth Schmidt and psychologist Sharon Froom, the sisters will undergo training that can help those they minister to identify conflicts, unlearn specific distortions, develop self awareness, and regulate feelings related to trauma.

The program emerged from a parish in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as leaders sought to address trauma in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. More than 600 people in the Diocese of Kalamazoo have completed the program, according to Catholic Extension. This program has evolved to address different kinds of trauma, Boland said.

With added training, the sisters will also learn when to refer others to seek professional help, Boland added.

On top of that, the sisters have taken courses on psychology as they work to earn degrees from St. Marys University of Minnesota, Boland added.

Boland said the app was created to help measure the sisters impact, but, in addition to that, it wound up being a diagnostic tool about how can we support the sisters work in their communities.

To Boland, its all about how we as a church could be responding to the very human and real needs our people are facing.

This article was first published by Religion News Service.
A view of the old Tolko Mill as seen from the 36-storey East Tower at One Water Street in Kelowna in this 2020 file photo.
A person wears a face mask as they walk through McGill University during light snowfall in Montreal, Sunday, December 20, 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Mourners react in a hospital over the body of a man who died following an explosion in the town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, on Monday, May 10, 2021. The Hamas militant group launched a rare rocket strike on Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli police at an iconic mosque. Israel responded Monday with airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, where 20 people, including nine children, were killed in fighting. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ali)
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The Port of Charleston held on to its No. 9 position among the top U.S. ports in 2020 despite coronavirus-related factory shutdowns around the globe and dozens of canceled ship visits that led to an overall 3.3 percent drop in cargo for the year.

The rankings, compiled by the Panjiva trade data firm and reported by Logistics Management, keep Charleston among the nation's top 10 seaports, an important metric for attracting the biggest vessels bringing cargo to the East Coast, according to Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the State Ports Authority.

"Our goal is to be the preferred port of the top 10 U.S. container ports, and we deliver on that every day," Newsome said during his annual State of the Port speech in October.

The importance of staying in the top 10 is evident by the rankings, with those ports falling below that level attracting far less cargo.

Charleston accounted for 4 percent of the nation's containerized cargo volume in 2020 and, despite last year's decline, has experienced annual growth of 2.1 percent since 2015. Cargo has recovered this year, with the port's terminals handling an all-time record number of cargo boxes in March.

The Port of Los Angeles remained the nation's biggest and busiest seaport, handling nearly 5 million cargo containers measured in 20-foot lengths. That amounts to 17.1 percent of the nation's cargo. The Port of New York was No. 2, moving nearly 4.6 million containers for 15.7 percent of the U.S. total.

Charleston's biggest and closest competitor on the East Coast  the Port of Savannah  was the fourth-busiest in the U.S. last year. It handled more than 2.4 million containers to account for 8.3 percent of the nation's cargo volume.

The Port of Oakland was No. 10 and the last port to top the million-container mark.

"The historically more successful East Coast ports continued to outperform, with Savannah increasing (3.4 percent) last year and by 7.3 percent over the past five years following extensive investments, including expanding inland port operations," said Chris Rogers, research director for Panjiva.

A lot has changed since this time last year, Logistics Management reported, with imports up 13.9 percent at U.S. ports. That includes a 31.6 percent surge in consumer staples and a 24.1 percent increase in discretionary goods, such as furniture and electronics. But port congestion and elevated shipping rates remain a challenge, Rogers said.

Sales surge

Volvo Cars, which builds its S60 sedan at a $1.1 billion manufacturing campus near Ridgeville, had a nearly triple-digit increase in global sales in April for its biggest monthly tally in history.

The Chinese-owned and Sweden-based automaker sold 62,724 cars worldwide last month  up from 31,760 cars, or 97.5 percent, from the same period a year ago. The growth was driven by strong demand in the U.S. and Europe combined with a recovery from last year's coronavirus-related plunge in sales.

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Through the first four months of this year, Volvo has sold 248,422 cars worldwide  a 51.8 percent increase over 2020.

U.S. sales increased 185.5 percent in April due to strong demand for Volvo's XC60 and XC90 SUVs. Sales totaled 11,036 vehicles  nearly three times the number sold during the same period in 2020, when many states implemented stay-at-home orders due to the pandemic.

"With the best April sales month on record, Volvo Cars USA continues to experience extraordinary momentum going in to the second quarter," Anders Gustafsson, president of the automaker's U.S. division, said in a statement. "Our sustained rebound speaks volumes to our award-winning product lineup, retailer network partners and our resilient team."

Mending Mount Holly

The owner of the Mount Holly aluminum smelter in Goose Creek has started a $75 million overhaul of the plant to increase capacity after striking a new power deal with state-owned utility Santee Cooper.

Century Aluminum said it spent $7 million during the first quarter of this year and will invest a total of $50 million by year's end  most of it during this quarter  to rebuild the plant's electrolytic cells where aluminum is formed. The cells haven't been replaced since 2015, and the company has been cannibalizing parts from an area of the plant that had been idled to keep them operating.

Century CEO Mike Bless said another $25 million will be spent in 2022 to boost capacity from the Berkeley County smelter's current 50 percent to 75 percent  roughly 170,000 tons annually.

"This gets some very much needed high-quality billet back into the U.S. market," Bless told analysts during a May 5 conference call. "We're really excited to be bringing back this capacity at a time when market demand is so robust."

The increased capacity will boost employment at Mount Holly by one-third to about 450 workers. It is the result of a new contract with Santee Cooper that will let Century purchase all of the power needed for the smelter  about 300 megawatts  at a fixed price through at least 2023.

The Moncks Corner-based utility has said it is developing an "experimental" rate for the aluminum plant along U.S. Highway 52 that would cover costs but not shift any expenses to other customers.

Chicago-based Century's three smelters in South Carolina and Kentucky make it the largest remaining primary aluminum producer the country. The U.S. once was one of the worlds largest producers with 22 manufacturing sites. That number has dwindled over the past decade to six from 14.
Huge changes to the federal Child Tax Credit are in place for this year only under the American Rescue Plan Act, and they'll put more money in parents' pockets as early as July.

The increased benefits and rule changes are expected to cut childhood poverty nearly in half, temporarily lifting 4.1 million children above the poverty line nationwide. But some people who could most use the extra money right away could miss out if they don't file an income tax return.

Under last year's rules, the credit was smaller and could only be used to reduce any taxes that were owed. So, it was worth nothing to people who earned too little to owe federal income taxes, and less than the full amount for others.

For 2021 the credit has been raised to as much as $3,600 instead of $2,000 per child, and  crucially for low-income earners  it's refundable. Now, 2021 tax returns aren't due until next year, but half of that tax credit will be paid in advance, this year.

When a tax credit is "refundable" people who file returns get the money even if they don't owe the IRS. The stimulus payments most people received before filing tax returns were also refundable tax credits that were paid in advance.

With the Child Tax Credit, a single mom with a 4-year-old who earned $18,000 last year would not have been due for the tax credit on her 2020 return because she wouldn't have owed any income tax. But on her 2021 return she'll be due to receive $3,600.

And as long as she filed a 2020 tax return, which would tell the government how many qualifying children she has, she'll get half that 2021 tax credit money in advance, this year.

Advance Child Tax Credit payments are supposed to start going out in July, through December. The deadline to file a return for the 2020 tax year is May 17.

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Those advance payments should add up to 50 percent of the Child Tax Credit a parent or family would be expected to receive on their 2021 income tax return.

This isn't a tax credit for people who are poor  married couples earning up to $150,000 are eligible for the increased amount, and then it phases down.

It's also not just for people with children, because for this credit a "child" can be a "stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild, niece, or nephew)," according to the IRS, so long as they lived with the taxpayer at least half the year and were claimed as dependents.

For example, a qualifying family with two children who will be at least 6 years old but under 18 at the end of 2021 would be due $6,000. Half of that would be paid out from July through December, or $500 monthly.

The credit is even higher  $3,600 instead of $3,000  for children who will be under age 6 at the end of this year.

"Eligible taxpayers do not need to take any action now other than to file their 2020 tax return if they have not done so," according to the IRS.

If you're among the millions who will benefit, start making a plan or budget for the money, because barring a change in law the higher tax credits and the advance monthly payments are for one year only. (President Joe Biden has proposed monthly payments in future years).

Those who are due the Child Tax Credit, but don't get advance payments because they didn't file federal tax returns, can get the entire amount later if they file a 2021 tax return next year.
After hospitality workers went through unprecedented layoffs and furloughs last spring, industry leaders predicted some of them would not be coming back.

What has not been clear, though, is just how many would end up leaving the sector to pursue a different career path.

According to a survey of hospitality workers from Florida Atlantic University, that could be a substantial number. More than one-third of respondents said they will be looking for employment outside of the industry in the next year, and much-needed entry-level workers are even more likely to pursue jobs in fields other than hospitality in the months ahead.

Poll results "clearly indicate" that workers are "fed up" with the industry and are looking to get out, Peter Ricci, director of the university's hospitality and tourism management program, said in an FAU announcement about the survey.

Hospitality gigs have long had a reputation for demanding long hours and offering low pay  and staffing shortages, COVID-19 concerns and particularly rude customers haven't made the job any easier lately.

Hospitality needs "a full overhaul in its staffing levels, pay rates and employee treatment," to address the current crisis, Ricci said.

The FAU survey was conducted in March and April and includes responses from more than 4,000 hospitality workers spanning 46 countries, including every U.S. state and territory.

Poll results show most hospitality workers felt employers were too quick to lay off or furlough them.

Most hospitality layoffs in South Carolina occurred in late March and early April last year, with total weekly unemployment claims  most of which were attributed to the hospitality sector  peaking at more than 87,600 the week of April 5, 2020, according to data from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

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About 70 percent of respondents said they think COVID-19 will have a long-term negative impact on the tourism industry, and nearly half said they have concerns about the stability of their employment long-term.

Around a third of entry-level workers said they often think about quitting their organization and leaving hospitality and tourism altogether.

But the study did conclude that "there is a possibility" that employers can bring workers back into the industry or prevent them from leaving if they reach them personally. About 64 percent of respondents said they feel like they are "part of a family" at their organization, have an emotional attachment or have a "strong sense of belonging."

Ricci also referenced efforts some hotels and restaurants are making to attract talent, like offering $500 bonuses to new employees, a tactic used recently at Charleston-area job fairs.

In early April, a region-wide job fair outside the North Charleston Coliseum, hosted by Explore Charleston and the Lowcountry Hospitality Association, offered $500 bonuses, and both organizations have scheduled a second job fair with the same bonus offer on May 12 in Mount Pleasant's Cooper River Room.

At its own April hiring event, Hotel Bennett on King Street also offered $500 sign-on bonuses.

As of March, about 235,700 South Carolinians were employed in the leisure and hospitality sector, still down 11 percent from the year before. In Charleston, the recovery of tourism jobs has been slower, with hospitality employment in March down 14.5 percent year-over-year.

At its worst last spring, the industry had laid off or furloughed two-thirds of its workforce in the Charleston region.
"Our posture's gonna be that we're posted outside of DC, awaiting the president's orders. We hope he will give us the orders. We want him to declare an insurrection, and to call us up as the militia."

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, in November, looking ahead to Jan. 6
It's becoming clear that reaching herd immunity through vaccines won't happen any time soon  if at all  as South Carolina's public health leaders are beginning to say it might not be possible to convince everyone they should get a shot.

Only about 2 percent of the state's adult population is becoming fully vaccinated against COVID-19 each week. At the current pace, it would take at least another five months to get 70 percent of people inoculated.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control says it is working to understand what vaccine skeptics have in common, and is tuning its messages about vaccines to certain communities to correct some of the disparities that have shown themselves in the rollout so far. But that doesn't change the fact that more than 230,000 eligible South Carolinians are still missing even their first dose of the vaccine.

Across South Carolina, providers are reporting low traffic. A mass vaccination site at the Columbia Place Mall that gets a special allocation from the federal government, for example, could be giving 1,000 doses every day. Instead, it's averaging 315.

And with six weeks having passed since eligibility opened to every adult in the state, complaints that the vaccine isn't accessible enough for the public are beginning to ring hollow.

It isn't all bad news: Three-quarters of South Carolina's seniors, the group at highest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19, have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Cases of COVID-19 are in a plateau  though a fairly elevated one  and the number of reported deaths is falling.

But the threat of variants that could spread rapidly in the unvaccinated population and give South Carolina another surge looms large.

"It may very well be that we will not eliminate this virus. But that's not a reason not to get vaccinated," said Dr. Jane Kelly, assistant state epidemiologist at DHEC. "If not enough people are vaccinated, then this virus has a huge pool of susceptible people to infect and continue to mutate. This is a setup for variants to emerge against which vaccines won't work."

Faced with a trickle in demand compared with the surge seen before, providers are beginning to shift their strategies.

Roper St. Francis decided to close its mass vaccine site at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center and shift its supply of the Pfizer vaccine across its five urgent care sites. Dr. Robert Oliverio, one of the health system's chief medical officers, said it became clear any hope of reaching herd immunity can't hang on a centralized effort.

"We've done what we can with the drive-thru concept," Oliverio said. "We're not going to get to 70 percent doing the same thing that we've been doing all along."

A low rate in the Lowcountry

Much of the talk about vaccine access revolves around getting doses to the remotest parts of the state, which might lack hospitals and pharmacies.

The fact is, however, that the majority of South Carolina's unvaccinated population doesn't live in a rural area, and less populated places in South Carolina don't always have lower vaccination rates compared to dense ones, a Post and Courier analysis found.

Berkeley County is an example.

Next door, Charleston and Georgetown counties have rates among the top three counties in the state, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Berkeley County's rate is middling.

Access and convenience continue to be the biggest obstacles, Berkeley County Emergency Management Director Ben Almquist suggested, adding that DHEC's chosen approach didn't "make sure vaccines were readily available everywhere."

"We continue to push public education and are working with all of our partners to provide as many vaccine events as possible, but until the vaccines can be made conveniently available for everyone, we likely won't see much change," he said in a statement.

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Yet dozens of vaccine locations have been open in Berkeley County for weeks, at local pharmacies, grocery stores, pop-up clinics and primary care offices.

Greg Habib, the mayor of Goose Creek, said even so, vaccines haven't been consistently available in some parts of the county, particularly its more sparsely populated areas.

Now, Habib said skepticism is an issue, noting it is unfortunate the vaccine's roll-out has "become political."

Anyone who folks respect need to be seen getting the vaccine. I think that will encourage some folks to get the vaccine," he said.

But the harder the government tries to force vaccines onto people, the more resistant they might be, Christie Rainwater, the mayor of Hanahan, said. Rainwater, who has taken the vaccine and experienced side effects, said she doesn't feel authorities should be pushing people on their personal health choices.

"Does everyone need to get vaccinated? I feel like everyone is so concerned about getting the vaccine, the truth is that our goal is not to get everyone the vaccine. Its to save lives, and somewhere along this journey weve lost track of that," she said. "If we are there already, why are we pressuring people to get the vaccine?"

Some demographic groups less likely

President Joe Biden set a goal of getting one dose into 70 percent of Americans by July 4. South Carolina would have to more than double its current pace to do that.

"We're going to have to bring the vaccine to people who are less eager," Biden said in a briefing with reporters May 4. He also acknowledged "we're going to be vaccinating into next fall."

Polls start to paint a picture of what people who won't get a shot have in common. Nearly half of White evangelicals say they will not, according to a Pew Research Center poll, for example.

A canvassing event in Mullins meant to get people signed up for a shot instead encountered nine in 10 people saying they wouldn't get a vaccine, Suzette McClellan, a DHEC director in the Pee Dee region, said during an April 27 panel on improving access. People were afraid of needles, side effects and dying. Some felt vaccines were a government plot, McClellan said.

"In the process they found out that people had all these fears about actually getting vaccinated," she said.

An analysis of data from DHEC and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests young Black men are likely the demographic group with the lowest uptake of the vaccine. Less than 10 percent of men under age 34 have gotten a shot in South Carolina.

Young people overall stand out as least likely to get a vaccine so far.

Though they account for 32 percent of the population, people under 35 make up just 15 percent of the doses given out. That is despite the fact that they make up the vast majority of infections reported to DHEC in recent months.

Dr. Ruth Adekunle, an infectious disease physician with the Medical University of South Carolina, said face-to-face conversations with people about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine may be the best way to convince skeptics. The most fruitful of those conversations she has had are usually with patients who share her demographics, she said.

"It's sometimes easier to hear a message from somebody who looks like you," Adekunle said.

The question remains how to multiply those efforts  and how to do it quickly.
NORTH CHARLESTON  A fire that broke out at the Boeing South Carolina facility on May 8 did not lead to injuries.

The fire, which was contained to the roof of one of the site's buildings, was extinguished as of 2 p.m., according to a statement from Boeing South Carolina.

The fire did not damage any aircraft, according to the statement. Boeing is investigating the cause of the fire.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
I have a licensed, legal short-term rental on Daniel Island and exclusively list it on Airbnb.

The staff from Airbnb were evasive when I tried to determine if they were collecting accommodation taxes from my guests and remitting them properly to the city of Charleston and Berkeley County.

Since day one, Airbnb has been collecting sales and lodging tax. I eventually determined it was only for the state of South Carolina.

This meant I was on my own to pay 2% each to the city and county.

Airbnb has no mechanism to add these extra taxes to the guests bill, so I have to pay the fees each month directly to the city and county.

If the lawsuit filed in April against Airbnb and other similar companies moves forward, the authorities need to make sure of a few things.

First, be sure the accountants remember there are legitimate owners who have paid these taxes directly to the city and county.

While Airbnb should be collecting and remitting, they should not be on the hook for what I have already paid.

Second, I cant imagine how many hosts on Airbnb are paying zero taxes to the city and county, let alone eschewing the city requirements for a fire inspection, registration of the business and more.

The city and county should seek penalty payments from properties for which they may eventually receive accommodation fees through this lawsuit, but which never became legal short-term rentals.

These taxes fund important tourism efforts, and we all should pay our fair share, whether Airbnb or the owners.

JAY KAREN

Wando View Street

Daniel Island

Tax plan too costly

The Associated Press article published on April 30, Bidens corporate tax plan takes aim at income inequality,demands perspective in at least two fundamental ways.

First, it suggests that U.S. corporations are not being taxed enough by relating that American corporations contributed 30% of our nations tax revenues in the early 1950s while they only contribute 7% now.

In the early 1950s, U.S. corporations had virtually no competition in the world due to the destruction in Europe and Japan during World War II. They could be taxed heavily and still thrive.

Today, our companies are subject to competition from almost every point on the globe.

Because American companies were not competitive, President Donald Trump lowered their tax rates and thereby triggered a large growth in jobs. This helped American workers find new or higher-paying employment. Reversing the tax cuts, as President Joe Biden proposes, will cause many workers to lose jobs and become dependent on government. Americas military strength also will decline.

The second point of perspective concerns the suggestion that Bidens plan will hit the wealthy hardest.

Although the wealthy will lose more money as the value of U.S. companies falls, it will be the less wealthy owners of stock, through 401(k) accounts, pensions and IRAs, who will experience most acutely the loss of their savings.

In sum, Bidens proposed corporate tax hikes appear to be designed to achieve financial equity by destroying wealth and economic opportunity rather than to advance Americans common interests.

CHARLES STOCKDALE

Ion Avenue

Sullivans Island

No honor in lies

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When did honor and integrity die? When did lying become acceptable discourse? When did attacking become preferable to debate? When did physical and emotional abuse become normalized?

For all those who propagate the lies spouted and amplified the past five years, know that lying adds stress, which can affect longevity.

If you fear nothing else, consider what your parents might think of this behavior and how you have contributed to the coarseness of our current society with everything from mask rage to racial bias; from attacking strangers on the streets and in stores to running over pedestrians on sidewalks; from screaming on Facebook to screaming at school boards.

And consider how your parents and grandparents would react to witnessing such behavior.

LOIS HESSBERG

Deer Run

Johns Island

Ink-stained mom

Along with the May reminders to think about Mom, I get a daily reminder on my doorstep in the form of three newspapers. I still read physical newspapers, and I always will.

My mom called herself an ink-stained wretch. While some apply the term only to newspaper writers, Mom was literally ink-stained from working at newspapers.

She never ran the presses but she did everything else, from ad sales to prepress to being a managing editor.

Ink was in her blood  and on her clothes and in her hair. Ink was on her children because the newspapers she brought home every night went straight from press to employee paper bins to her car, and into our waiting hands. Mom didnt need to read it. She already knew every column inch.

We learned from Moms side of phone conversations, including terms like double-truck and the dynamics of ad and news budgets.

We knew every editions bedtime. We learned the critical importance of correctly spelling the names of local student-athletes.

We learned to trust but verify wire service stories that would run under our banner.

We learned the cruelty  and the beauty  of word limits.

Now when I read a newspaper, I evaluate headlines and ad placement the way Mom did. Three generations of my family can fold newspaper hats.

I dont think there was ever a happier newspaper professional. Mom was ink-stained, for sure, but she was anything but a wretch.

CHRISTOPHER JONES

Ivy Green Way

Charleston

80 Ashley message

To the residents near 80 Ashley who are against the saving of a landmark, I say be careful of what you wish for.

It could very easily become an apartment full of college students. Look a few blocks away to see how Burbages Self-Service Grocery on Broad Street fits in so well.

JOHN MILES

Markfield Drive

Charleston
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Daniel Marshall said he's found a place where he can get vaccinated safely and stay for a little while amid concerns about delays in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination shots in his host country, the Philippines.

Marshall, 66, an American businessman who has lived in Palawan for years, is grateful that Guam has its doors open to American expatriates like him.

"I said, 'If I'm going to get stuck somewhere, I'd rather get stuck in Guam,'" he said of the U.S. territory only a 3-1/2-hour flight from the Philippines.

In the Philippines, he owns a restaurant and a laundromat in El Nido and two water supply stores in Puerto Princesa, both in Palawan. He has two sons and a common-law wife in the country. The pandemic postponed their wedding, he said. In mid-April, Marshall flew to Guam for vaccination and vacation.

"I did my homework. I'm thankful that the Guam government let me in. If I was not able to come here, I don't know where I would have gone, honestly," Marshall said. He welcomed the 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Guam, a tropical tourism destination for mostly Japanese and Koreans and home to two U.S. military bases, is known as "America in Asia" and "Where America's Day Begins."

"It's a great help, great service to all of us expatriates," he said of the support of the island's vaccination of American expatriates by Guam and the federal government.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero got the head of Operation Warp Speed, Army Gen. Gustave Perna, to agree to increase Guam's dose allocation if the demand increases from expatriates.

While on island, Marshall said, he'd love to learn more and see more of the American territory. It's his first time on Guam.

From his quarantine hotel for two weeks, he said he's been jealous of the people enjoying the beautiful beaches, but he knew he'd be enjoying them as well as he plans to stay on island until he can return to the Philippines.

"Yeah, I haven't had a good steak in probably five years," he said, as he looks forward to staying for weeks in what he describes as "mini-USA" in the Asia-Pacific region.

As a third-generation Navy veteran, Marshall said he's also made plans to make a Veterans Affairs outpatient service appointment while on Guam.

Marshall contacted The Guam Daily Post after the newspaper started publishing a series of stories on the humanitarian and tourism aspects of vaccination for Americans living abroad.

Others also have reached out while on Guam or planning to visit Guam for vaccination and vacation.

Back in the Philippines, some of his fellow American expats were looking forward to Marshall's updates about Guam and are also planning to come to the island.

Guam Air V&V

Guam Visitors Bureau President and CEO Carl Gutierrez said there are more than 200,000 American expatriates in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and some 350,000 Americans and dual citizens in the Philippines alone, so the market is huge for GVB's planned Guam Air V&V, or vaccination and vacation, tourism initiative among American expats.

GVB plans to market Guam Air V&V for its humanitarian aspect and to help fill the tourism void while Guam's main tourism markets of Japan, Korea and Taiwan continue to grapple with vaccine rollouts.

Guam has nearly 60% of its adults vaccinated and is aiming for 80% herd immunity by July 21. The island currently has an ample supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Marshall said Guam should pursue its vaccination tourism for expatriates, but is hoping that the island will continue to maintain COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

"I knew before I came I was going to be put in quarantine. And so for me, it wasn't a problem. But some people might resist," he said. "I think they just need to know what the rules are, but I don't think the Guamanians should let their guard down because COVID-19 is a very contagious illness, especially for older people like myself."
Stephanie Muna, 35, is lucky in a way. She could have spent time in federal prison, but she was spared from having to do so. Read more
The shutdowns that state governments foolishly imposed in a futile, as I think, effort to stop the COVID-19 virus disproportionately impacted young people, who had hardly any vulnerability to the virus. Most significantly, young people were deprived of a year or more of effective education, along with the opportunity to interact with their friends and participate in school-related activities. The effects will be with us for a generation.

At AmericanExperiment.org, my colleague Martha Njolomole records the fact that in Minnesota, our governors shutdown was responsible for a significant number of deaths: Deaths from drug overdose up 27% in Minnesota, COVID-19 restrictions to blame.

On May 3rd, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that in 2020, Minnesota saw a total of 1,008 deaths from a drug overdose. This represents a 27 percent increase from 2019 when 792 individuals died due to the same cause.

This is not just the continuation of a trend, as overdose deaths declined in 2018 and 2019.

This chart shows the number of overdose deaths in 2019 and 2020 by age group:

The median age of covid death in Minnesotathis means deaths where the word covid appears on the death certificate, even though the actual cause of death was a car accident, a stroke, or falling down a flight of stairsis 83. Overdose deaths, on the other hand, are concentrated among the young, who have been devastated by school closings, lack of employment, social isolation, and denial of access to elective or non-essential health care.

These numbers tell the story:

In 2020, 274 individuals aged 25-34 died from an overdose, while only 15 died from COVID-19. To put it in perspective, individuals aged 25-34 were 18 times more likely to die from overdose than from COVID-19. It is similar with individuals aged 35-44, although to a lesser extent individuals in this group were 4 times more likely to die from overdose than COVID-19 in 2020. The biggest discrepancy in risk is among individuals aged 15-24they were 40 times more likely to die from an overdose than from COVID-19.

There are copious footnotes at the link, including data supporting the causal connection between Governor Tim Walzs improvident shutdowns and overdose deaths. No doubt one would see similar numbers in other states. In my opinion, our governments response to the Wuhan virus is the worst public policy disaster since the Vietnam War, largely because of the ways in which governments have callously sacrificed Americas youth.
I have posted three previous editions of footnotes to our coverage of the trial of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd. My purpose here is to provide background on the legal issues in the case for those who seek to understand them. I post these footnotes in the form of bullet points and differentiate facts and law from (my) opinion. Previous editions are included below under May 5, May 2 and April 25. Today I want to add six footnotes in the same form:

 By far the biggest news in the case last week was the indictment of Chauvin and his three former colleagues on federal civil rights charges here in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. I posted the governments press release on Scribd here. It lists eight attorneys  count em  prosecuting the case. Query who was responsible for running the investigation and securing the indictments from the grand jury.

 One would never get a hint from reading the coverage here by Minneapoliss Star Tribune or here (May 7) here (May 8) by the Associated Press that the charges might be redundant and abusive.

 My friend Andrew McCarthy devoted his weekly NR column to the new charges yesterday. Andy is of course the former Assistant United States Attorney who prosecuted the Blind Sheikh. He knows what he is talking about and his lengthy column arrives at this key judgment: As a law-enforcement matter, the federal prosecution is not defensible.

 Here is the full paragraph, italicized for emphasis: As a law-enforcement matter, the federal prosecution is not defensible. It is a needlessly redundant expenditure of federal resources to achieve a result that will already have been achieved by the state prosecutions. It puts defendants in jeopardy a second time for the same wrongful actions. Convictions would not advance accountability, but there is a significant risk of acquittals that would undermine accountability. And, under the guise of prosecuting an abuse of civil rights, the Justice Department and its Civil Rights Division are quite intentionally violating the civil rights of the defendants to fair criminal proceedings in the state court.

 Federal courts reporter Andy Mannix has his byline on the Star Tribune story linked above, although he had the help of a cast of thousands in compiling favorable quotes on the federal indictment from former Nation of Islam hustler Keith Ellison, Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and  here he comes  the Reverend Al Sharpton. I tried to broaden Mannixs circle of acquaintances and extend the range of reported opinion on the indictment via the tweet below.

This from former AUSA @AndrewCMcCarthy, who prosecuted the Blind Sheikh, may come as a shock to readers who get their news from @AndrewMannix:

"As a law-enforcement matter, the federal prosecution is not defensible. " The DOJs Abusive Indictmenthttps://t.co/LplgEKH5K7  Scott Johnson (@scottwjohnson) May 8, 2021

 Before the federal indictment last week juror number 52 identified himself as Brandon Mitchell and made the media rounds. I turned my May 5 footnotes below into a Spectator column on Mitchell. The Daily Mail provided a contrasting take in Derek Chauvin juror LIED about protest: Cops hope of appeal boosted after picture emerges of juror at BLM rally wearing Get Your Knee Off Our Necks T-shirt despite telling court hed never been on a march.

MAY 5

 Yesterday afternoon Chauvin defense attorney Eric Nelson filed a motion for new trial and a related motion for a hearing to interrogate the jury in order to impeach the verdict (a so-called Schwartz hearing now codified in Rule 26.03, Subd. 20(6) of the Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure). Nelson also asked for additional time to file a memorandum of law in support of the motions in light of the time that was required for preparation of partial transcripts of the proceedings. The court has posted the motions here.

 With one or two exceptions Nelsons new trial motion appears to be pro forma. Two such exceptions are raised by the courts denial of Chauvins motion for a change of venue and the underlying problem of pretrial publicity, issues discussed many times on this site.

 Nelson cites the hoary Supreme Court case involving Cleveland osteopath Sam Sheppard in support of his new trial motion on these issues. Sheppard was of course the inspiration for the television series and subsequent movie The Fugitive.

 Nelsons new trial motion leads with these two issues. They are his strongest. Its downhill from there. I will withhold further comment on them until Nelson files his memorandum of law in support of the new trial motion.

 Media attention has been focused on Brandon Mitchell, juror number 52. Mitchell attended the event observing the anniversary of Martin Luther Kings march on Washington in D.C. this past August 28 wearing a t-shirt sporting the slogan Get your knee off our necks and stating BLM.

 This bears on Nelsons motion for a Schwartz hearing based on juror misconduct. The misconduct would be Mitchells alleged failure to provide truthful answers on the juror questionnaire or during jury selection.

 As a matter of law, I think this is much ado about approximately nothing. My notes on Mitchells responses to Nelson during jury selection reflected some knowledge of the case that was inimical to Chauvin: he wondered why officers didnt interrupt Chauvins conduct before Floyds death. I think that was a fair question that reflected the uphill battle Chauvin faced on the merits at trial. As I commented during the trial based on the testimony of the bystander witnesses, everyone on the scene seemed to know what was happening except Chauvin.

 My notes further reflect Mitchells very favorable view of BLM and his statement supporting the view that racially discriminatory misconduct takes place well beyond what the media can report.

 My notes also reflect that Mitchell stated during jury selection that he wanted to serve on the jury because he would love to be a part of this historic case.

 If Mitchells previous statements didnt raise a red flag for Nelson, I thought the last statement should have. Each of these statements is consistent with Mitchells t-shirt. In my view, Nelson had more than enough information to mandate the exercise of a peremptory strike on Mitchell.

 Chao Xiong quotes Mitchell on his attendance at the anniversary march in Washington in his Star Tribune story. Chao quotes two questions on the juror questionnaire:

The first question asked, Did you, or someone close to you, participate in any of the demonstrations or marches against police brutality that took place in Minneapolis after George Floyds death? The second asked, Other than what you have already described above, have you, or anyone close to you, participated in protests about police use of force or police brutality?

Mitchell answered no to these two questions in the juror questionnaire.

 Here is the relevant portion of the story:

The event was 100 percent not a march for Floyd, Mitchell said, adding, It was directly related to MLKs March on Washington from the 60s  The date of the March on Washington is the date. The event included advocating for racial justice, increasing voter registration, pushing for a new version of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and urging participation in the 2020 census. It also focused on police use of force. Floyds brother and sister, Philonise and Bridgett Floyd, and family members of others who have been shot by police addressed the crowd. It served as a rallying point for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a federal police reform bill.

 If Judge Cahill grants Nelsons motion to call Mitchell in for a Schwartz hearing, I think he is extremely unlikely to find Mitchell guilty of juror misconduct. I want to hear more, but I think I would agree with him.

MAY 2

 Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and two lesser included offenses. Minnesota law (i.e., Minn. Stat.  609.035) follows a single behavioral incident rule precluding additional punishment for the same conduct. See, e.g., the Minnesota Supreme Court decision in State V. Branch (2020).

 Here all three offenses were inarguably predicated on the same conduct. At least the State does not dispute this point. Accordingly, I believe the rule applies in this case. Chauvin is to be sentenced on the second-degree murder charge, but not on the lesser included offenses.

 The applicability of the third-degree murder charge to the facts of the case raises a question of law. Holding that the third-degree murder charge did not apply to the facts in the case, Judge Cahill originally dismissed it. He reinstated it on the express order of the Minnesota Court of Appeals based on its February 1 ruling in State v. Noor.

 The Minnesota Supreme Court has accepted the Noor case for review. It is to be argued next month. We wont have a decision in the case until later this year. The third-degree murder charge against Chauvin should stand or fall with that decision. For the reasons stated above, however, it wont matter unless the second-degree murder charge against Chauvin is reversed on appeal.

 As I have repeatedly noted in my own trial coverage, the Hennepin County District has set up a page with access to all public filings in the case. Here it is. It includes all the wrangling over the third-degree murder charge.

 Chauvins sentencing is scheduled for June 25. Sentencing is generally governed by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines. The presumed sentence in the Chauvin case is around 12-and-a-half years.

 The State has moved for an upward sentencing departure. The States memorandum is here. The State has separately filed several Minnesota appellate cases supporting its motion for an upward sentencing departure. Chauvins memorandum opposing the States motion is here. All these materials are accessible under the April 30 filings.

 I believe the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines were originally adopted in 1980 in part to prevent disparities in sentencing based on race or other inappropriate factors. If they were ever needed for this purpose, I think they have been highly successful. However, that is not the impression one would get from the Minnesota Supreme Courts farcical 1993 Task Force Report on Racial Bias in the Judicial System. (The report addresses sentencing at pages 49-58.) See my 2013 Federalist Society remarks Bias in the air.

 Brandon Mitchell was juror number 52. He participated in the deliberations on the verdict and is the first juror to have spoken to the press about them. KARE 11s Lou Raguse interviewed Mitchell and has posted the transcript here along with a 30-minute video of the interview.

 Mitchell also spoke to the Associated Press (Amy Forliti and Doug Glass), the Star Tribune (Chao Xiong), and the Wall Street Journal (Joe Barrett and Deena Winter). Lou Raguse, Joe Barrett, and Chao Xiong attended the trial in the Media Business Center across the street from the courthouse.

 Barretts WSJ story includes this revelatory tidbit: Each morning, all jurors would drive to pickup locations in the suburbs and then were driven to the courthouse by deputies in unmarked cars, he said. Then they would leave from several different buildings, sometimes a block or two away from the courthouse.

 Barrett also quotes Mitchell to the effect that hed go to his mothers home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park to feel some love after tough trial days. Brooklyn Park is immediately north of Brooklyn Center, the scene of the death of Daunte Wright and related events giving rise to the curfew imposed during Chauvins trial.

 It was reported last week  via a leak to the Star Tribunes Andy Mannix  that the Department of Justice allegedly plans to indict Chauvin and the three other officers facing trial on state charges in August on federal criminal civil rights charges.

 Mannixs story is sourced with perfect vagueness. The federal project must have been initiated as part of a backup plan in case Chauvin would have been acquitted. Mannixs talkative sources apparently did not explain what purpose federal civil rights charges would serve in the event of convictions on the state charges, or Mannix wasnt asking.

 Every left-wing organization in the United States including colleges, universities, and religious sects has taken the verdicts as an occasion to pronounce on what is to be done. These pronouncements have taken the form of reflections, letters, or messages to alumni and members. Peter Berkowitz responds to the reflections of Swarthmore College President Valerie Smith in his own open letter to her. My taste runs to something harsher, but at least Berkowitz is talking back and illustrating one way to do it. I have just deleted the messages in disgust.

APRIL 25

 The thirteenth and fourteenth seated jurors served as alternates and were released at the end of the trial. Juror number 96  Lisa Christensen  was the thirteenth seated juror. She made the media rounds last week in the aftermath of the verdict.

KARE 11s Lou Raguse interviewed Christensen in I wish it didnt have to happen: Alternate juror reflects on Derek Chauvin trial. Christensen lives in Brooklyn Center and had to navigate her way home through the crowds blocking intersections to protest the death of Daunte Wright.

Quotable quote:

Raguse: Did you want to be a juror? Christensen: I had mixed feelings. There was a question on the questionnaire about it and I put I did not know. The reason, at that time, was I did not know what the outcome was going to be, so I felt like either way you are going to disappoint one group or the other. I did not want to go through rioting and destruction again and I was concerned about people coming to my house if they were not happy with the verdict.

 The Biden-Harris Department of Justice announced an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department the day following the verdict. They are from the federal government and they are here to help us. NRs Andrew McCarthy explains in the Corner post Obama Encore: Biden Justice Department Announces Investigation of Minneapolis Police Department.

 The Manhattan Institutes Heather Mac Donald said everything I would have said if I had the necessities in A troubled rule of law. Heathers column is the best thing I have read since the jury handed down the verdicts in the Chauvin trial.

 Alan Dershowitz takes up a theme that has preoccupied me in my own comments on the case in the Gatestone column A Long and Sordid History of Crowds Threatening Violence in the Event of a Jury Acquittal.

 As I noted last week, I spoke with Spectator editor Freddy Gray on the Friday before the jury heard closing arguments and retired to deliberate (podcast below). The Spectator also posted the column I wrote immediately following the jurys return of the verdicts on Tuesday under the headline How fair was the Derek Chauvin trial? The Spectator has fixed the proofreading errors that reflected my haste in completing the column the afternoon the verdicts were returned.

 Working on the column put me in mind of Robert Blys beautiful poem Driving toward the Lac Qui Parle River. Read it and youll see why.

 Friends sent me the BBC clips below.
Spain has suffered from the Wuhan coronavirus to about the same extent (measured by per capita deaths) as the nations it makes the most sense to compare it with  France and Portugal. Spain has been slightly less hard hit than Italy, the UK, and U.S., though I doubt the difference between per capita deaths in Spain and the U.S. is statistically meaningful.

When it comes to vaccinations, however, Spain is really struggling. As of May 6, only 12.7 percent of its population had been fully vaccinated. In the U.S., the number was 38 percent. In the UK it was 25 percent.

A report from a family friend in Barcelona gives a human face to these numbers. She is in her mid-60s. Her husband just turned 70. Neither has been vaccinated yet.

Because the husband is now 70, he will receive the Pfizer vaccine. Because the wife is still in her 60s, she will be eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

I found this age-based differentiation jarring, but I guess it makes sense. If Spain doesnt have enough top-tier vaccine to go around, its reasonable to reserve that vaccine for the most vulnerable age groups and to administer an inferior vaccine, which it purchased in abundance, to those at lesser risk.

Because of skepticism about the AstraZeneca vaccine, and because Spain bought so much of it, folks in their 50s will also start receiving shots with that product. But, as I said, thus far neither the 70 year-old husband nor the mid-60s wife has received any vaccine.

Spain actually has a very slightly higher vaccination rate than Italy and France. The problem is an EU matter, not a uniquely Spanish one.

But apparently, its easier to get the Pfizer vaccine in France than in Spain. Thats what our friend says, anyway. She plans to visit France, where she is a citizen and property owner, to receive the superior vaccine, which France now has in relative abundance.

Like Spain, France also has a large amount of unused AstraZeneca vaccine  a quarter of its stock of that product. However, France apparently isnt trying to get rid of that stock by forcing those under age-70 to take this vaccine or go unvaccinated for now. In fact, as of the end of April, AstraZeneca was banned in France for people under age-55 due to concerns about blood clots.

To quote Chuck Berry, Im so glad Im livin in the USA.


I wrote yesterday about the Labour Partys crushing defeats in Great Britains by-elections and council elections. As you would expect, post mortems are being written, this one by Rakib Ehsan in the London Times: Labours embrace of racialised politics will lead to more electoral disasters.

Last night showed yet again that large swathes of the country are sick of being treated with patronising condescension by Labour politicians and student activists.

***

Working class voters are sending a clear message: they do not need a political re-education, and they reject the fundamentally warped interpretation of British society held by some of the most vocal Labour representatives. They see that too many Labour politicians are in thrall to a toxic racialised politics, the extent of this became clear when Sir Keir Starmer took the knee in support of Black Lives Matter. The movements calls for the abolition of the police and a post-capitalist society reflect a crude identitarianism that carries no truck with the vast majority of Britons. Only one in ten of people in this country are in favour of reduced investment for local police forces.

Wokism is so stupid, so implausible, that I have a hard time understanding how anyone can fall for it. Beanie Babies and pet rocks made more sense. And yet, the extent to which the woke phenomenon has spread across the West like a cancer is remarkable. Yesterday Brits made clear that they want nothing to do with it.

Now, as Labour reflects on this weeks disastrous results, it must avoid the temptation to double down by moving towards the energetic, but ultimately witless, Corbynite brigade. Backbench MPs such as Zarah Sultana and Nadia Whittome

Read: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.

may be wildly popular in their social media echo-chambers, but student-style political activism goes down like a lead balloon outside of them.

Lets hope American voters will prove to be as fed up with wokism as the Brits were yesterday.
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Nigeria on Saturday recorded 30 new cases of the COVID-19 virus in three states.

Saturdays figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 165,370, according to an data published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Saturday.

According to the update, no new death was recorded from the virus which has already claimed 2,065 lives in the country.

The number of deaths recorded from the virus has declined recently with only four deaths recorded in the last 24 days.

The new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Lagos-21, Adamawa-8 and Rivers-1.

A breakdown of the data shows that 796 people were discharged on Saturday after testing negative for the virus. This brings the total number of discharged persons after treatment to 156,250.

Our discharges today includes a backlog of 795 community recoveries in Adamawa State managed in line with guidelines, the infectious disease body said.

Meanwhile, over 7,000 infections are still active in the country, according to the NCDC.

Precautions

Nigeria has continued to report low COVID-19 cases since February 2021.

To ensure no imported cases from countries experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, Nigeria recently banned travels from Brazil, India and Turkey.

Brazil and India reported about half of the total number of new COVID-19 cases recorded globally last week, according to the World Health Organisation.

The Nigerian government said non-Nigerians who had travelled to any of the three countries in the previous 14 days would not be allowed into Nigeria.

While working to prevent imported COVID-19 cases, Nigeria is also continuing with its vaccination programme with over 1.6million Nigerians receiving their first of two shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Nigeria has, so far, received about 4.4 million doses of the vaccine.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Spirit of Nigeria Radio is aimed at bridging the information gap between Nigeria and its citizens in the diaspora. It is also designed as a platform to celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora.

The station, which transmits from Lagos, is renowned for its hardcore Nigerian news and current affairs programmes spiced with strictly Nigerian Music.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the brain behind Spirit of Nigeria Radio, Toye Arulogun, speaks about the uniqueness of his station.

PT: What is the inspiration behind Spirit of Nigeria Radio and the choice of the name?

Arulogun: Spirit of Nigeria Radio was borne out of a strong desire to bridge the information gap between Nigeria and its citizens in the diaspora. The need for an authentic source of information was the prime motivation for the concept in this era of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, negative news, and the bad reputation of our dear country in most parts of the world. The Spirit of Nigeria Radio project is driven by a patriotic zeal that says to the world that there are more positives than negatives that deserve projection in and around brand Nigeria. We need to tell our own story by sending out our narratives and not defined by the narratives of the western or imperialist media. It is also designed as a platform to celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora.

PT: Its a little over eight months since you launched the station. How has the response been?

Arulogun: In the sixty days of going live, Spirit of Nigeria Radio has been very well accepted by its core target of Nigerians between the ages of 25 and 65 who live and work in the diaspora. Nigerians in the diaspora believe in Spirit of Nigeria Radio as their own platform to connect with Nigeria and reach out to fellow countrymen and women in the diaspora. More importantly, they recognise and engage it as their own voice to proffer solutions to the challenges facing the nation, contribute to national development and share experiences on living and working in the diaspora. In addition to the sense of patriotism that the station exudes, the strictly Nigerian music policy attracts a high listenership because Nigerians in the diaspora connect with home through the music.

PT: I know it might be a little too early to ask but do you have any highpoints yet?

Arulogun: Certainly, there have been highpoints since we commenced broadcasting to Nigerians in the diaspora. We transmitted live the full content of the National Diaspora Day celebration by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission which was capped by an interview with its CEO. We have interviewed more Nigerians in Diaspora within our first sixty days than any radio station. This list is a long one and we are talking of Nigerians doing exceedingly well in the Diaspora across continents.

Our celebration of the 23rd memorial anniversary of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, was a ten-hour delight that gave us one of the highest listenership figures across the globe.

Spirit of Nigeria Radio is the first media house to interview Victor Agunbiade, the Nigerian in the US Navy who received an exemplary accountability commendation for accounting for 45 million USD without a cent unaccounted for. After that interview, six media houses, three universities, and NIDCOMM reached out to him.

In the same vein, Ola Sanni, an award-winning realtor in Chicago has spoken to us. Also , Yomi Faparusi, the Nigerian contesting for a Senate seat in the state of Tennessee in the US, was unique as he reached out to Nigerians in the diaspora to support his bid and made a case for active participation of Nigerians in global politics. Quite a number of others are available in the audio archive section on our website.

Similarly, Tolu Akande  Sadipe , the Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, has shared her activities with us in a long conversation on Weekend Nigeria and the African Union approved our discourse with Esther Titilayo Akinlabi, Director Pan African University for Life and Health Sciences Institute on the 9th of September which was African Union Day. It is instructive that we had to do a formal letter which was approved before she could grant us an audience to discuss and promote the African Union.

Currently, Nigerian Diaspora organisations are reaching out to us for partnership and collaboration. Nigerian businesses in the Nigerian and African Food sector as well as the financial services sector, especially funds transfer platforms are beginning to engage us for promotional partnerships. For a young web-based radio station, these are some of our modest highpoints.

PT: Any peculiar challenges you would like to share with us?

Arulogun: The peculiar challenge right now is operating with the different time zones across the world. When it is morning in some corner of the world, elsewhere it is night. Therefore, we need to be sensitive about what we say and play music-wise during different days. Of course, we have solved this with a 24-hour rotation that caters to different needs at different times across continents. Technology also enables us to maneuver easily.

PT: According to your station profile, you aim to inform and inspire Nigerians in the diaspora. Why so? How about Nigerians living in Nigeria?

Arulogun: Every brand must carve its niche; a set of people it caters for. Spirit of Nigeria radio is designed for and targeted at Nigerians in the diaspora. Nigerians in Nigeria have access and can listen. However, they are not the core target of the SNR brand. Interestingly, the genesis of Spirit of Nigeria radio was the desire to establish a Nigeriancentric radio station in Atlanta given the huge population of Nigerians in the locale. However, a superior argument was that with an internet radio station, we would not only reach Nigerians in Atlanta but all over the world from anywhere in the world. And voila the birth of Spirit of Nigeria radio. Let me emphasise that there is a multitude of radio stations in Nigeria addressing the radio needs of Nigerians in Nigeria. Spirit of Nigeria Radio is a diaspora focussed media platform serving as the authentic source of Nigerian information. Like we say on air, we bring Nigerians in Diaspora Up To Speed.

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PT: There is so much debate about diaspora voting. Last year, INEC said Nigeria wasnt ripe for diaspora voting. Whats your stations stance on this issue and have you addressed this on any of your shows?

Arulogun: Nigeria Diaspora Votes Matter is a campaign on Spirit of Nigeria Radio. We believe that the time is ripe and therefore championing a campaign for it. We are in touch with the House Committee Chairman on Diaspora, Tolu Akande  Sadipe, and has given the assurance that the bill will be presented to the house. A lot of Nigerians in the diaspora long to be part of the electoral process like fellow Diasporans who vote during elections in their countries. For the over 17 million Nigerians in the diaspora whose remittances amount to about 6% of our GDP, 80% of our budget, and function as the social service of our nation, they deserve the right to vote. Spirit of Nigeria Radio is pursuing this objective positively working with the relevant stakeholders and authorities. We can begin from presidential elections for example. Technology is available for deployment. The appropriate legislation is in the works. If some African countries are doing it right, why not the giant of Africa? It would be a disservice to Nigerians in diaspora if we continue to exclude them from voting in Nigerian elections. Our media platform is poised to support this noble objective.

PT: Your show Diaspora Discourse seems to be quite popular. Tell us more about the show

Arulogun: Nigerians in the diaspora want a voice of their own. They want to share experiences, they want to contribute to nation-building. They have expertise worthy of contribution to national development. Being in a foreign land is restrictive. They now have a voice to their desires and aspirations through the SNR brand. Trust Nigerians, we love to talk. We are very expressive and have great ideas and competence. What we have done is to create a daily platform for conversations with Nigerians in the Diaspora. We have acquired a long list of interviewees who either have spoken to us or waiting to talk to us. It is their medium of connecting with home and others in the diaspora. Diaspora Discourse is a flagship programme that gives traction to the SNR Philosophy of positive Nigerian energy. On the programme, we celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora.

PT: Tell us about your other flagship shows

Arulogun: Other flagship programme blocks are New Day Nigeria, Nigeria Today which is basically hardcore news and current affairs programming in the SNR peculiar style of free, easy flowing delivery as Nigerians in diaspora do not want us to be too serious. Weekend Nigeria, Spirit of Nigeria Sunday, Real Talk with Lawler are the weekend treat delivered in a more relaxed mood. Real Talk with Lawler is by a South African-based Nigerian Lola Bade  Aluko and she focuses on how Nigerians and Africans in general cope with the challenges of living abroad. It also provides the opportunity for foreigners who are married to Nigerians to share their experiences. It is a very very popular programme.

Spirit of Nigeria plays strictly Nigerian Music and that is a major attraction for Nigerians in the diaspora as it creates the opportunity for nostalgia and reminiscences as well as keeping them up to speed with the current music. We have designed a daily theme for the music belt. Monday is for Female Nigerian Artistes, Tuesday is Highlife Music, Wednesday is Afrobeat, Thursday is Juju Music, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are Naija Party flavour. In essence, you have the opportunity to choose what and when you want to listen to Spirit of Nigeria Radio.

PT: Will you say your station has so far been able to bridge the authentic information gap between Nigeria and its citizens in the diaspora?

Arulogun: That is left to the audience to judge. It is a bit too early though. Our first quarter appraisal will reveal if we are living up to our promise of being the authentic source of Nigerian information to Nigerians in the diaspora. Suffice it to say that we are committed to bringing Nigerians in the diaspora up to speed.

PT: Please tell us more about the 60 Nigeria@60 Diaspora Icons?

Arulogun: One of the key objectives of Spirit of Nigeria Radio is to celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora who are shinning bright the Nigerian light, flying high the Nigerian flag, and representing the nation as worthy ambassadors. From day one, on the 1st of July 2020 therefore, we embarked on a search for 60 Nigerians, groups, teams, organisations or associations who exemplify the qualities described earlier through nominations by Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. It is our way of celebrating Nigerias Diaspora Icons as part of the 60th Independence anniversary celebrations of our great nation. Nominations have been pouring in and we certainly will get 60 Nigeria@60 Diaspora Icons that we can use to project brand Nigeria in shoring up the reputation deficit of our dear country. We are amazed at the quantity and quality of nominations which prove that brand Nigeria is not all about the negative narratives in the global media space. The project will change the narrative in telling the Nigerian story. We are convinced that it will serve as a veritable content base for projecting positively Nigeria at 60.
Some countries across the globe are still experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Globally, there have been more COVID-19 cases reported in the last two weeks than during the first six months of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As a precautionary measure to minimise the risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Nigeria last Sunday announced a temporary ban on non-Nigerian passengers who have been in Brazil, India or Turkey within 14 days of intended arrival into Nigeria.

These countries are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and health authorities said more than half of last weeks COVID-19 cases were reported in India and Brazil.

Amidst this, more Nigerians are still taking shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and over 1.6million persons have received their first dose of the vaccines, according to data by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Here is a round-up of some of the health stories which made headlines last week.

COVID-19: Nigeria records 30 new cases in three states

Nigeria on Saturday recorded 30 new cases of the COVID-19 virus in three states.

Saturdays figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 165,370, according to an data published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Saturday.

Why Nigeria may not meet its COVID-19 vaccination target

About two months after it rolled out one of Africas largest COVID-19 vaccination programme, Nigeria had administered only 1.2 million vaccine shots, less than two per cent of a target it set for the end of the year.

To achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, Nigeria had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

COVID-19: Nigeria bans travellers from Brazil, India, Turkey

The Nigerian government has announced a temporary ban on non-Nigerian passengers who have been in Brazil, India or Turkey within 14 days of intended arrival into Nigeria.

This is due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

Mr Mustapha said the travel ban does not apply to passengers who only transited through these countries that have been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases in the past week.

Nigeria identified 350,000 Persons living with HIV in past 18 months  NACA

Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerias AIDS management agency, NACA, said about 350,000 Persons Living with HIV (PLWHIV) were identified within the last 18 months.

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Gambo Aliyu, made this known on Tuesday during a national dialogue on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV(PMTCT).

The dialogue was organised by the National AIDS/STIs Control Programme of the federal ministry of health.

NCDC urges Nigerians to prioritise hand hygiene to halt spread of COVID-19

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has advised the general public to prioritise good hand hygiene as part of efforts to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Director-General of the agency, Chikwe Ihekweazu, gave the advice during an awareness walk to commemorate the 2021 World Hand Hygiene Day in Abuja on Wednesday.

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Represented by the Head of Prevention Programme & Knowledge Management Department of the agency, Chinwe Ochu, Mr Ihekweazu said good hand hygiene can save lives and prevent the transmission of infections.

COVID-19: More cases reported in last two weeks than first six months  WHO

Globally, there have been more COVID-19 cases reported in the last two weeks than during the first six months of the pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO)said on Monday.

The Director-General of the international health agency, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said more than half of last weeks COVID-19 cases were reported in India and Brazil.

He said there are many other countries globally that are facing a fragile situation.

World Asthma Day: 339 million people affected globally- Expert

A professor of medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Gregory Erhabor, on Wednesday said that asthma affects about 339 million people annually with over 500,000 hospitalisations and about 400,000 deaths across the globe.

Mr Erhabor, who is also President, Asthma and Chest Care Foundation, said this in a statement signed on Wednesday to commemorate the World Asthma Day, with the theme: Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions.

Abuja authorities announce deadline for current COVID-19 vaccination

The Programme Officer, Immunisation Services, FCT Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB), Salome Tor, says the current COVID-19 vaccination exercise will end in six days time, precisely May 14.

The officer addressed journalists on Friday in Abuja at a one-day media orientation workshop on COVID-19 vaccination in FCT.

22,000 Nigerian children infected with HIV annually  UNICEF

The United Nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF, has said that about 22,000 Nigerian children get infected with HIV annually.

UNICEFs Chief of Management for Results, Claes Johansson, who disclosed this at the national dialogue meeting for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, PMTCT, of HIV in Nigeria on Tuesday, said about two-thirds of the infected children do not get treatment.

US Grants $73m COVID-19 Assistance to Nigeria

The United States Government has explained the impact of her health missions to Nigeria, which it claimed, has benefitted more than 60 million Nigerians at different social strata and across all the geo-political zones.

Specifically, the worlds most powerful State has revealed that it contributed more than $73 million in equipment and technical assistance since the outbreak of COVID-19, a highly infectious viral disease that has killed over 2,063 in Nigeria.

COVID-19: 1% of Lagos residents vaccinated  Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, says that about 260,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state.

Mr Abayomi told a ministerial media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos that the figure represented just one per cent of the states population.

He said the second phase of vaccination would start soon and warned that Nigeria stood the risk of experiencing a third wave, having vaccinated only less than one per cent of its population.
For Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, recalling retired military officers may be the solution to the prevailing security challenges of the country.

Mr Abubakar, who contested for president under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019, said this in a statement on the deteriorating security situation on Tuesday.

The security situation in Nigeria is deteriorating rapidly and ordinary Nigerians are living in fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Nowhere seems to be safe. Farms, markets, schools, homes, mosques, churches, and urban areas are all affected

 Now is the time for decisive leadership and I call on the Federal Government to consider recalling all ex-servicemen and women, who are willing to return to service, and take the fight to the insurgents until they are rolled back and defeated.

Like Mr Abubakar, many leaders, including different state governors, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to find lasting solutions to the security challenges in the country.

But the Owa Ooye of Okemesi-Ekiti, Gbadebo Adedeji, on Saturday, said traditional powers, known in local parlance as African Juju, has the potency of ending the current spate of kidnappings and other crimes in the country.

The monarch made this known in Okemesi-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti.

Last week, 85 were killed and 17 kidnapped in various violent attacks across Nigeria.

These figures were compiled using a review of newspaper reports, interviews with victims families, and in some cases, confirmation by public and security officials.

Sunday

PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday reported the death of Iniobong Umoren, the Philosophy graduate of the University of Uyo, who left her home for a supposedly job interview in the outskirts of Uyo.

She was raped and killed by a man who said he had a job opportunity for her.

Also, armed hoodlums on Sunday attacked Abaomege Police Division in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi and carted away valuables and destroyed property.

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Essien Udim Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State was also set ablaze by hoodlums.

The Pension Board Commissioner of Kogi State, Adebayo Solomon, was killed by gunmen and the Chairperson of Yagba East Local Government, Pius Kolawole, was reportedly kidnapped after the incident.

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on Sunday unleashed an attack on Ajiri community, Mafa Local Government, Borno State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the abduction of two people in Ogun State. They were whisked away in Omu, a community near Ofada town in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of the state.

Monday

At least 13 people, including children, were killed in an attack by suspected herders in Tse Amgbem, a community in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the attack, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, also left several people injured. The herders also burnt some houses in the community.

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Seven people were killed when the Nigerian Army 112 Battalion deployed at Ajiri in Borno State on Sunday successfully repelled a deadly Boko Haram attack on their location.

Military insiders familiar with the matter said the terrorists descended on the location held by Company E of the battalion in high number on several gun trucks and machine guns.

The Punch newspaper reported that gunmen kidnapped a traditional ruler, Etubom Nto Okon Etim, in Esuk Atu village in the Calabar Municipal Council of the Cross River State.

This newspaper reported that a cameraman attached to the Information Unit of Jibia Local Government of Katsina State, Ibrahim Dankabo, was on Monday killed during a kidnap operation by bandits.

The hoodlums also abducted many travellers in the area.

Tuesday

Six civilians and one security personnel were reportedldy killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Ajari community in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Secretary of the Local Government, Mohammed Sherrif, said, The insurgents stormed the community around 1am and set ablaze houses and killed six civilians and one security personnel.

The chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Kogi State, Wakili Damina, was reportedly kidnapped.

The secretary of the association, Adamu Abubakar, broke the news on Tuesday. He said Mr Damina was abducted by about eight armed men dressed in army camouflage.

The Kaduna State Government said suspected bandits killed two and injured six residents in separate attacks in Chikun and Kajuru Local Government Areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna.

Wednesday

The Punch reported that a hospital owner in Plateau State identified as Bitrus Musa was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen.

After the gunmen kidnapped the hospital owner, they moved to Eto Baba, another nearby community, and abducted a nursing mother identified simply as Pauline, leaving her baby behind.

Gunmen on Wednesday night attacked Obosi police station in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

They reportedly killed two police Inspectors and freed all detainees in the cell.

Three suspected bandits, including a woman, were killed by angry youth after a failed attack on a Fulani community in Goronyo local government area of Sokoto state.

Gunmen on Wednesday shot dead a policeman in Ogun State. They abducted another policeman and three others, including a civil servant.

Thursday

It was reported that there was an attack on a team of mobile policemen along Ogwashi Uku  Kwale road in Delta State which left one of the officers dead.

Police in Anambra confirmed the killing of two of its personnel by unknown gunmen who attacked and razed the Divisional Police Station in Obosi, Idemili North of the state on Thursday.

Another police officer was killed as gunmen in the early hours of Thursday invaded a police facility in Obiozara, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Gunmen reportedly kidnapped students of Abia State University, Uturu. The hoodlums whisked the students into the forest shortly after they ambushed them while journeying on a bus along Okigwe-Uturu Road.

Sources said 10 students were kidnapped in the operation.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, John Kalu, confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday, but said that two of the students escaped from the clutches of the hoodlums while others were still being held hostage by the criminals.

A man was reportedly lynched and his alleged accomplice was arrested in Yamadawa Quarter in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State for allegedly attempting to snatch a car.

Seven people were reportedly killed by bandits in Yangalu Community in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State.

They invaded the community in large numbers on motorcycles and shot sporadically to scare away the people.

The Punch newspaper reported that joint security operatives on Thursday night killed no fewer than eight hoodlums after they resisted an attack on Orlu Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo state from unknown gunmen.

Two people were killed while ten others sustained varying degrees of injuries as men of the Nigerian Customs Service and military personnel clashed with suspected smugglers in Ogun State on Thursday.

Security officials said they foiled an attack on a police base in eastern Nigeria on Thursday, killing 11 of the attackers.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Mohammed Yerima, said the attack was by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN); the armed wing of the outlawed separatist group, IPOB.

Friday

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory said one of its officers, Ezekiel Adama, was on Friday stabbed to death during a violent protest in Abuja.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, Mariam Yusuf, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

He was deployed to restore calm during a protest by members of the disbanded Islamic Movement of Nigeria, was stabbed to death by one of the protesters.

Seven police officers were reportedly killed in multiple gun attacks on Friday night in Rivers State.

Saturday

This newspaper reported that several police officers were killed by unknown gunmen in a fresh attack on a police facility in Akwa Ibom State.

Six officers were said to have been killed in the attack which took place in the early hours of Saturday in a local police station in Ini Local Government Area of the state.

An official of the Akwa Ibom state government, who did not want his name mentioned in the report, said a part of the station was razed by the attackers.
Targeted attacks on security operatives, particularly police officers, continued in some parts of Nigeria last week leading to the death of, at least, 16 police officers.

A PREMIUM TIMES review of newspaper reports and official statements by public officials shows that the 16 officers were slain in attacks on four different police stations across the South-east and South-south regions of Nigeria. Both regions have in the past few weeks witnessed targeted attacks on security officials and facilities.

This newspaper had reported how 18 police officers were killed in separate attacks across Nigeria in the previous week.

The killings and destruction of police facilities started about a month ago and have since continued despite the arrests and killing of some suspects.

IPOB, an outlawed secessionist group, and its security network, ESN, has been blamed for most of the attacks but the group has denied any involvement.

However, not all the attacks on police facilities were successful as officials announced the killing of 11 suspected IPOB members during an attack on a police command in Orlu, Imo State, on Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES highlights the reported cases of attacks on police facilities last week (May 2 to 8).

The Ebonyi Attack

At least one police officer was killed as suspected members of ESN in the early hours of Thursday invaded a police facility in Obiozara, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The attackers were said to have invaded the station at about 3 a.m., and set ablaze the office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the administrative building.

This newspaper learnt that the main police station in the local government area was burnt down during #EndSARS protest, last year.

The facility that was attacked was used by the police as their temporary station.

Two officers in Anambra

Two police officers were killed during a gun attack on another police facility in Anambra State, Nigerias South-east, on Thursday.

The divisional police station in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, was razed by the gunmen during the attack which occurred in the early hours of the day.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN reported that the attackers first razed the station before they raided the police quarters where they killed the two officers.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Owolabi, dispatched a tactical team for on-the-spot assessment of the incident.

The tactical team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police was directed to have an on-the-spot assessment of the place.

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The team was equally told to possibly identify and apprehend the hoodlums that perpetrated the attack, he said.

The police spokesperson said the bodies of the slain officers have been deposited at a nearby morgue.

He said the police had launched an investigation into the attack.

Failed Imo Attack

Suspected members of the ESN on Thursday attacked a police facility in Imo State. However, the attackers were repelled and 11 of them were killed, according to an official account.

Army spokesperson Mohammed Yerima said the gunmen attacked the police area command in Orlu, Imo State, Thursday night.

They were repelled by the police officers present who were then joined by soldiers and other security operatives.

Mr Yerima said no security operative was killed in the attack while 11 of the gunmen were killed. He said seven vehicles and several arms and ammunition were also recovered from the attackers.

Seven officers slain in Rivers

Seven police officers were killed in multiple gun attacks on Friday night in Rivers State, South-south Nigeria.

The police in the state confirmed the attacks and reported that three police officers were killed in Elimgbu police station, while two others were killed at the divisional police headquarters in Rumuji.

Two other officers were killed at an attack on a security checkpoint along the East-West Road.

The police spokesperson in Rivers State, Nnamdi Omoni, said he would make details of the attacks available to reporters after a visit to the scene.

Six slain in Akwa-Ibom

A few hours after the Rivers attack, armed persons carried out a similar attack on a police facility in the neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.

Six police officers were said to have been killed in the Akwa Ibom attack which occurred in the early hours of Saturday at a local police station in Ini Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Odiko MacDon, confirmed the attack to PREMIUM TIMES, Saturday afternoon.

The gunmen razed a part of the police station.

They (the gunmen) went to the police quarters where the police officers were sleeping and shot them dead, a state government official said.

Expert Speaks

A security expert and former spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, while commenting on the attacks urged governments to tackle the menace before it gets out of hand.

The retired brigadier general added that the attacks are not good for the security of the country.

It is not good for the peace and security of this nation. Therefore, there is urgent need to evolve and implement strategies to stem it before it escalates beyond this, he said.
At least 3,000 people have signed an online petition calling Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the Ministry of Health to investigate the untimely death of a Lagos chef, Peju Ugboma, at Premier Specialist Medical Center in Victoria Island.

A petition set up by a committee of friends, led by Abdul Mahmud, a human rights lawyer, has garnered over 3,000 supporters on Sunday morning calling for justice to be done.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the family of the late Peju Ugboma accused Premier Specialist Medical Center of negligence resulting in her untimely demise.

According to a statement signed by Nwabeze Ugboma on behalf of the family and made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the deceased died days after undergoing fibroid surgery in the hospital.

The family said an independent autopsy by pathologists at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) showed that Mrs Ugboma suffered internal bleeding after the surgical procedure. The autopsy discovered that she had about two litres of blood in her abdomen and pelvic area.

Justice, accountability

Enough is enough. Another life wasted, leaving behind so much pain and devastation. Too many deaths in private hospitals in Nigeria due to negligence. There must be accountability from doctors. We have lost Peju but her death must not be in vain!, Funmi Dairo, one of those who signed the petition, said.

Another petitioner, Izin Akioya, said, it is high time Nigeria placed a premium on her citizens life.

Its high time we took collective action to save lives lost due to negligence and poor healthcare infrastructure and equipment. Value for life should matter much more than it currently does in Nigeria.

Femi Flame, another petitioner, lamented the state of the Nigerian health facilities and nonchalance disposition to patients well-being by most health care providers in govt institutions has got to stop. Enough of this wickedness! Enough!!! Im signing this petition for us to make them an example

Maimunah Anephy called for punitive measures against the hospital to forestall a reoccurrence.

This negligence has to stop. Lives are precious and must be seen as such by those who have been given the responsibility to care. No more needless loss of life due to health care professionals negligence. They need to be accountable for the lives entrusted in their care, Lope Emmanuel said.

Legal action

Mr Ugboma told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the medical record given to him by Premier Specialist Medical Centre was incomplete.

I had to go and block their gate and started telling their patients they are murderers and when I started threatening them, that was when they now gave us a medical record. Before they wanted to give us a medical report to the pathologist, he said during a telephone interview.

When the pathologist saw the medical record, he said it looks like its not complete, that they withheld some information.

He stated that a lawsuit would be filed against the hospital.

We are already talking to our lawyers, he added.

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Since Friday, PREMIUM TIMES had made repeated efforts to reach the management of Premier Medical Centre. A lady, who spoke on the phone and identified herself as Ijeoma Ezimoha, said her superior would get back to this newspaper.

On Saturday, another lady, who answered the phone and identified herself as Mary, said they would get back.

They were yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
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A female student of the Abia State University who was abducted along the Okigwe-Uturu Road on Wednesday while traveling from Imo State to Abia State has been freed.

The Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, who broke the news via a Twitter post on Saturday night, said the unnamed student was the only student that was left in the custody of hoodlums.

Mr Ikpeazu did not, however, say how the student was freed or if ransom was paid.

I spoke with her and her mother minutes ago and want to thank God, our security agents and the management of ABSU for a job well done leading to this good news, the governor said.

He said the Abia State Government has taken measures to strengthen security around the area where the incident happened and other parts of the state.

He said to secure lives and property in the state remains his top assignment.

We will surely take justice to those who abducted our student as we will not cohabit this state with criminals, Mr Ikpeazu added.

Escape by other victims

Two other students of the university who were also abducted had escaped from their abductors on the day of the incident, the Commissioner for Information in Abia State, John Kalu had told PREMIUM TIMES.

What I can tell you is that two of the students escaped. At this time, we only have confirmation of one student in custody of the hoodlums.

Two of the students  two girls  escaped. One escaped from inside the jungle where they took them to, while the other escaped at the point of interception, where they were taken, Mr Kalu said.

Abduction for ransom has been on the increase in Nigeria lately, with top government officials differing on the payment of ransom to criminal gangs.
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The Chairman of the Kogi Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Wakili Damina, who was allegedly kidnapped on Tuesday, has been released.

The state secretary of the association, Adamu Abubakar, told journalists in Lokoja on Saturday that Mr Damina was released in Abuja late night of May 7.

Mr Adamu said from Mr Daminas account, he was released by men suspected to be from one of the security agencies and not kidnappers as earlier suspected.

He said that Mr Damina arrived at his Chikara home in Kogi in the early hours of Saturday to reunite with his family.

It would be recalled that Mr Adamu had announced to journalists in Lokoja on May 4, that Mr Damina was taken away from his house by eight men dressed in military camouflage.

He said that the men forcefully took him away in a white bus.

He also said that all efforts to get across to him were unsuccessful as his telephone lines were switched off.

However, the secretary said that the national body of the association had taken the matter up to ascertain why Mr Damina was whisked away in such a manner.

He also said that the group had instructed a lawyer to take the matter up.

Mr Adamu then expressed the gratitude of the association to the state government, police, media and members of the public for their support and concern during the period.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ede Ayuba, had also told journalists that attempts to locate the whereabouts of Damina before the release, was frustrated by the inability to reach him through his phone line.

(NAN)
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has criticised his counterpart in Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, over comments berating Mr Ortoms call to the federal government on matters of insecurity.

A fortnight ago, Mr Ortom, on video, called on the federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up to their responsibilities.

The governor was reacting to the bloodshed at one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state, saying over 70 lives had been lost to violent killings in Makurdi local government in two weeks.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the video was played during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group on Thursday.

Commenting on the clip, Mr El-Rufai said: I did not hear what Governor Ortom said (in the video) but I know him and he is not somebody I take very seriously, frankly. He has other issues of governance that he is using the Federal Government as a punching bag to distract attention from his failures.

Mr El-Rufai further said Mr Ortom is owing Benue teachers and public servants many months salaries.

Reacting in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, Mr Ortom, through his spokesperson, Terver Akase, said Mr El-Rufai who has failed in several aspects as Governor of Kaduna has no moral justification to accuse another Governor.

He went on to accuse his Kaduna counterpart of religious and ethnic bigotry, calling him unprintable names.

A governor who has divided the good people of Kaduna against one another by not hiding his hatred of indigenes of the state on account of religion and ethnicity is not qualified to judge another governor on any issue whatsoever. A Governor who chose a Muslim deputy in a state where Christians have a huge population is certainly not one to preach unity and peaceful co-existence.

El-Rufais attack on Governor Ortom is merely to make him look good before the Presidency. He has apparently fallen out of favour at the Villa and wants to use Governor Ortom as a launch pad back to reckoning. How has he handled his own problems in Kaduna? This is a man who has insulted almost every prominent Nigerian including the late President Umaru Musa YarAdua and former President Olusegun Obasanjo; a man who is his former boss and one who brought him to limelight. 

We have not forgotten the unprintable things El-Rufai said during Goodluck Jonathans time as President. He insulted the then President and publicly supported terrorists attacking parts of the country. His statements on the abduction of Chibok girls and several other acts of terrorism are still fresh in our minds. El-Rufai is on record to have said repeatedly that Fulani people must retaliate any wrong done to them no matter how long it takes.

Although Mr Ortom did not dispute the fact that he is owing workers, he said the former FCT minister has no moral rights to counsel him on salary payment.

Nasir el-Rufai doesnt possess the credentials to counsel anyone on payment of salaries and the welfare of workers. This is a Governor who recently sacked 4,000 workers for no just cause. He ought to be ashamed of himself. What happened to the lofty promises he made to Kaduna people in 2015?

He then advised the Kaduna State governor to focus on addressing the numerous problems in his state.

Kaduna, like many other states in the country is faced with a security crisis bordering on incessant kidnappings and banditry.

The states quarterly security report says 323 persons were killed and 949 kidnapped in Kaduna in three months.

The routine report covered cases of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, attacks, and reprisal attacks.

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No fewer than 28 persons have lost their lives in a boat mishap in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.

The Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Inga, confirmed is in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Sunday.

He said the occupants of the boat were 100 passengers coming from Zumba from Tija village of Munya Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Inga said the incident happened on May 8, at about 6 p.m 50 metres to their destination when the boat hit a stump of a tree and broke.

He said 65 people survived, 28 corpses recovered by local divers while seven people are still missing.

The director general said search and rescue operation was still ongoing to recover the missing persons.

(NAN)
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Gunmen have attacked another police station in Akwa Ibom State, Nigerias South-south, less than 24 hours after the killing of five police officers and a wife to one of the officers in a similar attack in the state.

A police officer, who did not want his name mentioned in this report because he was not authorised to speak on the incident, said the attack occurred on Sunday afternoon at a local police station in Abak Local Government Area of the state.

No life was lost in the attack, the officer said.

Some vehicles were set ablaze by the gunmen, according to photographs of the attack posted on Facebook.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately get the police reaction on the attack, as the police spokesperson, Odiko MacDon, did not respond to calls from our reporter.

Saturdays attack at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ini Local Government Area of the state was the deadliest so far, followed by the killing of three police officers in Essien Udim Local Government Area about two months ago.

An official of the Akwa Ibom State Government said the gunmen shot the officers dead while they were asleep and then set ablaze the administrative block of the station.

They went to the police quarters where the police officers were sleeping and shot them dead, the official said.

Police facilities in at least five local government areas  Essien Udim, Ika, Ini, Ikono, and now Abak  have been attacked so far in the state.

There has been a spate of attacks on security agencies in the South-east and South-south geopolitical zones, which has compounded the security challenges in the two regions.
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The Kaduna State Government said five people have been killed and one other missing in separate incidents in the state.

The government said three people were shot dead by gunmen at Golkofa village in Jemaa Local Government Area while one person was injured.

Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said in a statement on Sunday that all the four victims were members of the same family.

He said the incident was confirmed by the Defence Headquarters outfit Operation Safe Haven and the state police command.

The three victims were killed in their home on Saturday night.

The commissioner also said two people died in Kachia following a misunderstanding.

He explained that one Hamidu Nura was allegedly killed by one Abba Muhammad following a misunderstanding.

According to him, the origin of the fisticuffs between the two is being investigated by security agencies.

It however ended with Abba Muhammad stabbing Hamidu Nura to death.

Some irate citizens then mobilised themselves and captured Abba Muhammad, attacking him with knives, clubs and other dangerous weapons, and eventually killing him in a jungle justice approach.

Mr Aruwan also said troops of Operation Safe Haven have commenced the search of a commercial motorcyclist who went missing on Thursday.

The missing cyclist is from Mabuhu village, Zonzon district, Zangon Kataf LGA.

Troops are coordinating efforts to locate and rescue the missing person, while engaging his family and community, he added.

(NAN)
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The Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of 13 Boko Haram suspects in Hotoro area of Kano State, North-west Nigeria.

The army spokesperson, Mohammed Yerima, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday evening.

In the statement, the army stated that the suspects were arrested by troops of the 3 brigade in Kano.

The arrest comes in a midst the call by Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru, urging residents of the state to be vigilant, following reports of suspicious movement of Boko Haram insurgents in neighbouring Bauchi State.

Kano shares boundaries with Jigawa and Bauchi states.

President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly said the Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded and confined to the North-east. But recent revelations by some governors in the North-central and North-west indicate that stance may not accurate.

In the statement on Sunday, the army urged residents of the area to go about their normal businesses as its officials are on top of the situation.

Read the full statement by the army below.

TROOPS ARREST SUSPECTED BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS IN KANO

In an ongoing effort to flush out all forms of criminality within its Area of Responsibility, troops of 3 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested 13 suspected Boko Haram terrorists around Filin Lazio, Hotoro axis of Kano State on Saturday 8 May 2021.

The ongoing operations is predicated on the need to apprehend criminals who may want to hibernate in any part of Kano State.

The general public especially residents of Filin Lazio Hotoro, are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses as security forces are on top of the situation.

The Nigerian Army wishes to use this medium to appeal to the peace loving people of Kano State to maintain high level of vigilance and continue to report suspected movement of strange individuals or groups in their environment to the relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Mohammed Yerima

Brigadier General

Director Army Public Relations

9 May 2021
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Those behind the attacks on security agencies appeared relentless, as some hoodlums on Sunday morning attacked a divisional police headquarters in Abia State, Nigerias South-east.

The attack, reported by Channels Television, was carried out at about 9.45 a.m. at the facility located at the Trademore Estate in Umuahia, the state capital.

No life was lost in the attack, the report said.

A police officer, injured in the attack, has been taken to the hospital, according to the report.

Channels Television quoted the police spokesperson in Abia State, Geoffrey Ogbonna, as saying that the hoodlums set ablaze documents in the office and destroyed patrol vehicles and motorcycles.

Mr Ogbonna said the hoodlums drove to the station in a bus, three Toyota Sienna van, and two motorcycles.

The police spokesperson appealed to members of the public to volunteer to police information that could lead to the arrest of those behind the attack.

Similar attack in Akwa Ibom

A similar attack occurred on Sunday afternoon at a police station in Abak Local Government Area of the Akwa Ibom State, Nigerias South-south.

Police vehicles were set ablaze by the gunmen.

ALSO READ: Several police officers killed in fresh attack on police facility in Akwa Ibom

No life was, however, lost in the attack.

The Akwa Ibom attack occurred in less than 24 hours after gunmen killed five police officers and a wife to one of the officers, in Ini Local Government Area, in what appears to be the deadliest attack so far in the state.

There has been a spate of attacks on security agencies in the South-east and South-south geopolitical zones, which has compounded the security challenges in the two regions.
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A coalition of over 120 civil society organisations and activists has called on Nigerians to join series of mass actions in different parts of Nigeria on May 26 to register their displeasure about the worsening state of insecurity in the country.

The coalition in a statement on Sunday also urged Nigerian citizens to join solemn assemblies to mark what it described as the 4th national day of mourning and remembrance for victims of mass atrocities on May 28.

In addition, it called on Nigerians to boycott the activities lined up by government for this years Democracy Day.

Although Nigerias Democracy Day now holds on June 12, it was erroneously stated in the statement as May 29, which used to be the date for the annual national event until it was changed in 2018.

The coalition in its statement titled, State of the Nation: A Call to President Muhammadu Buhari to the Stop the Bleeding and Take Action to End the carnage, also lamented the horrendous breakdown of law and order across Nigeria.

The groups catalogued series of mindless killings, kidnappings and destruction of public property by criminals since the first quarter of the year.

Following its sharp increase of 43 per cent in mass atrocities 2020, Nigeria has continued to experience a decline in security across the nation. In the first quarter of 2021(January to March), we recorded an all-time quarterly high of almost 2000 fatalities from mass atrocities incidents across the country, the statement read in parts.

It added, We are therefore calling on all Nigerians to register their displeasure with the state of affairs across the country by participating a series of mass actions from Monday the 26th of May 2021, participate in solemn assemblies across the country to commemorate the 4th National Day of Mourning and Remembrance of Victims of Mass Atrocities on May 28th 2021 and boycott all Democracy Day activities on May 29, 2021 in protest of the deplorable state of our democracy.

Call for Buharis action

The coalition accused President Muhammadu Buhari of gross injustices against the Nigerian people by clamping down on peaceful protesters, while terrorists carrying out mass murder, rape, maiming and kidnapping of Nigerians including women and children are feted, molly coddled, granted amnesty and paid by the government.

The groups said the pampering of terrorists by the Buhari-led government amounts to treason against the people.

Terrorist herder attacks on unarmed farming communities and reprisal attacks in the face of government inaction and failure to bring the terrorist herdsmen and their funders to justice.

We again call on Muhammadu Buhari led national government and the state governments to rise up to their constitutional duties as enshrined in S14(2)(b), to ensure the security and welfare of all Nigerians, and pull the nation back from the path of destruction, the statement read.

The CSOs had in their February statement, charged President Buhari to halt the drifting of Nigeria to state of anarchy by providing the desperately needed political and moral leadership that are lacking in the country.

The CSOs include, Action Aid, Adinya Arise Foundation, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Bauchi Human Rights Network, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution.
The New York Times report of March 13, 1976 put the story of Nigerias perennial human sacrifices by the bloodthirsty grove of coup-plotting most startlingly. The day before, newly appointed Chief of Defense Staff, Brigadier Musa YarAdua, had announced that former Defense Minister, Major General Iliya D. Bisalla and 29 others, had been executed by the seaside suburb of Victoria Island. The bar beach execution ground was jam-packed with thousands of onlookers who had come to watch the execution. The 30 persons were killed for their roles in the assassination of military Head of State, Murtala Ramat Mohammed, alongside his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa.

While announcing the execution, YarAdua also called on Britain to extradite ousted Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, then student of Political Science at Warwick University in England, to answer charges of co-plotting the coup. Gowon, by Col Buka Suka Dimkas confession, had invited him to London when he (Dimka) traveled to Madrid, Spain on official assignment and asked him to contact Bisalla for execution of the coup. Of the 125 people arrested, 40 were released and 32, including Bisalla, were sentenced to death. This included Abdulkarim Zakari, a radio journalist, said to be a relative of Victoria, General Gowons wife. Dimka, who also participated in an earlier counter-coup of July, 1966 which toppled General Aguiyi Ironsi, was as at this time still being interrogated to further implicate Gowon. He was later publicly executed at the Lagos Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison on May 15, 1976.

Bisallas inclusion among the coup plotters had sent shock waves round the country. He was highly respected and distinguished as an ex military commander of an infantry division during the civil war and who was also renowned for his postwar conciliation efforts. About the oldest General of the lot at the time, when he was arrested upon Dimkas canary-like confession, Bisalla was reported to have soliloquized, (in my paraphrase) how can these young boys end ones military career like this! Huge and tall, Bisalla was dressed in a cream-coloured safari dress as he walked down to the stakes. Not only was his military career ended. Bullets ended his life as well. Till today, Bisallas conviction and execution are still being put to the impunity of military era court-martial as there was no single tissue of corroboration of the allegation of his involvement in the coup plot, aside Dimkas evidence.

Sixty nine years after the July 23, 1952 first coup in Africa called the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, led by Mohammed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser and which overthrew King Farouk and the Muhammed Ali Dynasty; 55 years after its first variant in Nigeria that took place in 1966, the word coup is rearing its ugly head again. It was a word Nigerians thought had been consigned to the realm of academic discourses or as statistical analyses of a past epidemic.

The Nigerian presidency and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) resurrected the ghost of coup and coup plotting. Elder statesman, Robert Clark, SAN, initially belled the cat by amplifying what hitherto were hushed tones on Nigerian streets. Speaking on a Channels Television programme recently, he had said that, in view of the near total collapse of Nigeria in the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari, he should hand over the administration of Nigeria to the military.

Onyema Nwachukwu, Brigadier General and Acting Director Defence Information, in a May 3, 2021 press release, would however have none of this Doomsday prophesy. Warning politicians and soldiers against any collusion to foist another military coup on Nigeria, Nwachukwu said that, canvassing coup was an anti-democratic utterance and position, and warn(ed) misguided politicians who nurse the inordinate ambition to rule this country outside the ballot box to banish such thoughts as the military under the current leadership remains resolute in the Defence of Nigerias democracy and its growth, while reminding all military personnel that it is treasonable to even contemplate this illegality as the full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any personnel found to collude with people having such agenda.

If anybody thought that the idea of a military coup was the figment of the imagination of the above two actors, the Nigerian presidency also jumped into the frenzy. The apprehension, even from government, on coup and its possibility became glaring and palpable. On Tuesday last week, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also alleged that some disgruntled religious and past political leaders were plotting to convene what he called an illegal National Conference and their ultimate aim was to pass a vote of no confidence on Buhari, leading to overthrowing his government. Elder statesman and SAN, Chief Afe Babalola, was one of the conveners of the conference. So Babalola, who has undoubtedly made more contributions to Nigerias growth, even more than Buhari, is now disgruntled?

Why would coup and coup discourses dominate political analyses of the chaotic Nigerian governance space at this time? Why has Buhari, who rode into power in 2015 in a galaxy of talisman-like public acceptance, become, six years after, this disreputable and worthless in the estimation of same Nigerian people? Is the sociopolitical discontent and instability in Nigeria so hopeless that a military coup should seethe below the surface as solution?

Until the 1990s when democratic waves began to sweep through Africa, the continent had been a hotbed and volatile region of the pestilence of military coups. Between January 1956 and December 2001, there were over 200 coups in 48 independent Sub-Saharan African states, including Nigeria. Many others have since taken place, 21 years after. Whether in the 80 successful coups de tat that took place during this period of 45 years interval, the 108 failed attempts and 139 reported coup attempts, the pestilence of coup in Africa during this period cannot be overemphasized.

In virtually all the countries on the continent where coup took place, as salvationist as they portended to be, the military have often left such countries worse than they met them. Either through their inordinate ambition to transmute into civilian dictatorship, sit-tightism or recourse to draconian rule, the barrel of a gun defined a huge chunk of African governance. Heloise Ruth First, South African scholar and anti-apartheid activist, wrote about this in a provocative book which she entitled Barrels of a Gun. In the book, she said that coup had always left Africa shattered and underdeveloped. Perhaps as recompense for her revelations and activism, First was parcel-bombed by assassins on August 17, 1982 in Maputo, her exile country of Mozambique, by persons later discovered to be South African police.

Over the years, it has become clear that the military intervenes in political affairs in the region mainly for reasons not outside the locus of personal greed. They have been found to be hugely motivated by the rents and juices they always extract from gaining power and control of the state. Indeed, experiences of military destruction of Africa in the last 64 years have birthed the provocative cliche that the worst civilian government is better than the best military government.

In Nigeria, for instance, the 1966 military coup that brought Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and his wayfarer military colleagues into government truncated the series of development hitherto witnessed in all the three regions. It also collapsed the federal system of government that was the best answer to the Nigerian plural question, setting the country on a path of future implosion and destruction. Soldiers barely off mental diapers but who had acquired fat epaulettes on account of their involvement in coup-plots, suddenly took over the administration of Nigeria, many of them in their 20s and 30s.

Other than, about turn! salute! and stand at ease!, many of the soldier-rulers didnt have understanding of how a country as diverse and multi-ethnic like Nigeria could be administered. They had nil understanding of economics and society and thus dragged Nigeria to their personal mental prostrate levels. In defence of ego, soldiers took Nigeria to a very costly war and could not manage the huge petro-dollars that accrued to the country. That was why Yakubu Gowon, on a visit to the Bahamas, could announce that Nigeria was so stupendously wealthy that she didnt know what to do with her wealth. Nigeria was so audaciously profligate that she paid salaries of workers in some African countries, pumped billions into liberation movements in Africa and as recent as in the 1990s, was playing Father Christmas roles in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the process, Nigeria failed to build a tomorrow for generations yet to come. Soldiers of fortune that the military conquerors proved to be overtime, enriched themselves and cronies. Many of them still living today are billionaires, owning wealth as stupendous as King Solomons concubines.

There is virtually no country on the continent that has not witnessed the chaos of military putsch, except South Africa which is buoyed by its very strong institutions and strong adherence to democratic ethos. The worst of them is Burkina Faso, which has never witnessed any peaceful transition of political power since its independence. Till date, that country, made famous by Thomas Sankara and his killing by his friend, Blaise Compaore, has witnessed the highest coup attempts on the continent, with ten coups and attempted putsches.

The question to ask is, why have unconstitutional hijacks of democratic governments in Africa become pastimes? What can be said to be the real sociopolitical conditions of Africa that nurture this seedbed of hijacks of power? While some experts say that the prevalence of coups in Africa cannot be divorced from incompetent civil leadership and corruption, others put it at the doorsteps of dictatorial civilian regimes, mismanagement of the economy and desire of the military to posture as Messiahs.

Narratives of corruption today under Muhammadu Buhari are worse than what was in place that pushed Chukwuma Nzeogwu to plan the January, 1966 coup. Gowon and his triumvirates also claimed that killing of northerners was reason why he and the coupists of July, 1966 struck. Today, insecurity and killing of northerners and southerners are far worse under a man who was elected based on the belief that, as a retired General, his military bravura would stop genocidal insurgents.

Colonel Dimka must have sought forgiveness from Murtala Muhammed for killing that mercurial temperament soldier, if he could see what is happening today in Nigeria from the land of the dead. Speaking in a national broadcast after the assassination of Muhammed, Dimka had said that the widespread orgy of corruption, indecision, arrest and detention without trial, weakness on the part of Mohammed and maladministration in general were reasons why he overthrew Murtalas government. In announcing the execution of the coup plotters of February 13, 1976, YarAdua also alleged that their grouse for killing Murtala was that his government planned to cut the number of members of the armed forces. Today, the quantum of such vices under Buhari is mind-boggling.

Apart from the schism between him as Commanding officer of the 3rd Division when he stiff-neckedly cut off fuel and food supplies to Nigerias Chad neighbor and how his military unit shelled Chadian soldiers off 50 kilometers radius from the Nigerian border, which provoked President Shehu Shagari, Buhari and his allies claimed they upturned the Second Republic due to the widespread corruption of the political class. Can anyone juxtapose the corruption under Shagari and Buhari now? Paradoxically, then Major General Ibrahim Babangida, on August 27, 1985, also claimed that he overthrew Buhari because, he was too rigid and uncompromising in his attitudes to issues of national significance. Buhari has since morphed from being rigid into an ethnic jingoist who gives terrorism wooly padding and supervisor of a comatose economy.

The Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa December, 1985 coup against Babangida was said to have cited worsening situation among military personnel, among other reasons, for its attempted coup. Vatsa allegedly finance the coup through a farming loan decoy granted to Lt. Col Musa Bitiyong. The April, 1990 coup that followed, masterminded by General Gideon Orka, claimed that the Hausa-Fulani had constituted themselves into the lord of Nigeria. The last known military overthrow of a civilian government in Nigeria was the palace coup led by General Sani Abacha and which took away the interim administration of Ernest Shonekan. It based its strike, among others, on the lack of legitimacy of the interim government.

If we then juxtapose the alibi for truncating governments in Nigeria in the past with the current state of affairs under President Buhari, will one conclude that Nigeria was ripe for a coup, long due for a coup or shying away from its due worth of a coup? If the truth must be told, but for the fact that coups have lost their relevance in the world and military hijacks have proved to be incapable of solving democratic problems, the current state of hopelessness in Nigeria makes the country ten times ripe for a coup. Deliberately through his innate cronyism or as a result of his manifest incompetence, President Buhari has driven Nigeria to the brinks of war. The economy is prostrate, blood litters all parts of Nigeria and no time in the history of the country have things been this hopeless. To worsen matters, Buhari is so near, yet so distant from Nigerians, masqueraded from the world by a battery of lickspittle aides who appropriate and approximate his interface role with the people of Nigeria.

The above are why the reasons adduced for all the coups in Nigeria since 1966 pale into insignificance when compared to the abyss that Buhari has taken Nigeria. Killings under his watch will rank side by side killings during the civil war, with government advertising ineptitude and incompetence like a sore thumb. The government has changed from its hitherto empty threats to criminal elements who are having free reign in all parts of the country, to a cowardly pleading with criminals to sheathe their swords. Under Buhari, the state, renowned for its awesome powers, has become castrated. Even under Abacha, there was never this level of general consensus that Nigerians are being ruled by Mephistopheles himself.

How the DHQ, DSS and even the Buhari government itself will know the completely sunken worth of this government is for them to sample opinions of Nigerians on the streets. The question they should ask is, if the military takes over from Buhari today  God forbid  what will be the general mood and reactions of Nigerians? Abachas personal and governmental expiration, which elicited widespread jubilation unrivalled in Nigerian history, will be childs play compared to what Nigerians will reveal as their projected reactions.

With all the above however, there is still no alternative to civilian rule. As horrible, close-to-breaking-point as Nigeria has become under Buharis watch, the hopelessness he foisted on the polity should increase future scrutiny of our leaders and squeeze a resolve from us never to have a Buhari-kind in government again. Ousting Buharis government and replacing it with a military junta will only give us Pyrrhic victory over one of the most infernal civilian rules in the history of Nigeria.

Nigeria Customs Gestapo Rice Raid

In a Nigeria where the abnormal and the skewed are fast becoming the norm, not many people were shocked at the impunity of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which took place a few weeks ago in Ibadan, Oyo State. Its operatives had raided Oja Oba and Bodija markets at about 1.00 a.m, broke into shops and warehouses like night marauders and in the process, bags of rice were carted away in six trailers, as well as unspecified amounts of money.

On the intervention of the senator representing Oyo South, Senator Kola Balogun, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges not only condemned this Gestapo-like raid but gave a two-week ultimatum for the seized bags of rice to be returned. However, events thereafter showed that in an ungoverned space that Nigeria has become, where everybody is muzzling to outdo one another in spates of impunity, the NCS is stiff-neckedly sticking to its curious lawlessness and justifying same. In an interview with a national newspaper at the weekend, NCS spokesmen, Joseph Attah and Timi Bomodi, literally told the senate to go bowl a hoop. With a fallacious argument of false dichotomy, the two men validated the raid based on their justification of an earlier raid by the NCS. Is it today that Customs has been raiding markets? Why is so much noise about the Ibadan raid? When Customs raided markets in Mubi in Adamawa State and another notorious market in Kano, why wasnt there any outrage? he said.

Warped as this reasoning, a false dilemma, is Attah further cited Section 147 of the CEMA law which he claimed gave NCS the Gestapo power to raid. That same CEMA has been severally cited as allowing seizure of suspected contraband only within 50 miles radius of the border. NCS has also been asked why its men would take away money from the raided shops as well. Bomodi in fact queried the constitutional powers of the National Assembly to perform its oversight functions as he claimed that only the courts could query obvious illegality.

It is only in a country where there are no laws and where order is on sabbatical that this NCS impunity will go unchecked. The mere fact that the NCS chose nocturnes to carry out its operations first alerts the mind to the darkness behind the action. This same NCS that flexes its muscles at bags of rice in the market is completely and hopelessly inept to curtail the influx of arms that has become a pestilence in Nigeria. It also shut its eyes to the seamless movement of contraband goods and illegal aliens at the Nigerian northern border flanks while Buharis discriminatory border closure lasted.

In all these, we must thank Senator Balogun for bringing the plight of his Oyo constituents to the attention of the whole Nigeria, via the senate. The senator must however not rest on his oars until the fascism and gross impunity that the NCS is inflicting on hapless Nigerian traders is brought to a stop.
If PT had taken the pain on this one, as it always does, the measurability of the extent to which Pantami has reverted his mindset and core religious belief wouldnt be something of a mystery to deduce for the paper, as it claimed in the said editorial. His recent sermons, political disposition and progressive inclination, all within public glare, are clear enough to aid measurement.

It was in July 2019 when the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) convened a maiden Social Media Influencers Summit in Kano, where media managers, experts, influencers, online publishers and entrepreneurs from across the country converged to deliberate on crucial issues surrounding the new media as it affects Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim was at hand at the time to take a session on Media Propaganda, Misinformation, Disinformation and Fake News.

The professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, obviously worth his salt, held the audience spell bound with his elicidation upon the implicit and explicit consequences of information disorder, especially when used as a deliberate weapon of warfare meant for achieving malicious ends.

Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, who is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, traced the historical genesis of the interconnected issues back to warlord, Adolf Hitler, who used dangerous propaganda as a lethal weapon to entrench his brutish rule, linking it up to the contemporary times when Donald Trump deployed the same tool to cause confusion and sway public opinion. He even referenced the book by Hannah Arendt, The Origin of Totalitarianism as a major source of understanding of how these things have worked, is working and will continue to work, unless critical thinking and logical deductions prevail over bias. The crux of the entire discussion gave credence to the fact that any of this leg of information disorder has the limitless power to erode critical thinking and throw a society down the drain of disorderliness, confusion and chaos, while eventually paving a way for an absolute descent into totalitarianism.

Having backed his presentation with fresh facts, referenced enduring analysis and case studies from the then just concluded 2019 general election, among other resources, it wasnt out of place to understand that the Professor was not just standing for himself but also the institution which he represents, one of which is PREMIUM TIMES itself. Its therefore not by coincidence that PREMIUM TIMESs coverage of issues has always been in-depth, informed, detailed and objective, while adhering to the ethical standards of fairness and objectivity to all parties involved in a matter.

This sense of responsibility again came into play in the recent media war against Nigerias Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, where unlike some media outfit whose agenda against the honourable minister was coastal clear from the outset, PREMIUM TIMES refused to play to the gallery but stuck to its tradition of verifying facts and balancing both sides of the narrative. Typically, the medium went as far as interviewing the Minister himself to get his own side of the story, fact checking misleading accounts and even publishing counter-narratives from the Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter and Jammatu Nasrul Islam on one of the fabricated allegations, which has the propensity to ignite a religious fire on the scale of what has never before been witnessed in this country. But suddenly, PREMIUM TIMES came up with an Editorial bearing a hardline stance against Pantamis continued stay in office as Minister.

One cannot understand where PTs bias against Pantami is emerging from, especially as it comes a little bit after the storm generated by the subject matter had subsided. Even though the editorial reflects the stance of the paper as collectively voted for by its Editorial Board, I wish the medium had considered the malicious origin of the campaign and understood that it is morally erroneous and reputably injurious for a responsible media organisation to build a verdict on such a fundamental flaw.

Curiously, there is an abundance of alternative indicators from which PT could have judged the Minister, interestingly things werent considered through those prisms. Specifically, I find it personally perplexing that Dr. Pantamis sterling performance as Minister is not being mainstreamed on the same scale at which his renounced ideology of the past is being scrutinised.

Doing so will not only set a precedence for progress and development to be easily stalled through the instrumentality of dangerous propaganda, but will also create a new vacuum of vulnerability for public office holders, who are poised to serve the country determinedly.

In such sensitive matters, it is instructive that by the time such a reputable media allows its weight to focus on certain viewpoints, using certain sources of information, they are explicitly or implicitly favouring certain topics, perspectives and sources of information over other potentially equally legitimate ones, which, in turn, implies that some major voices and perspectives are being marginalised.

It shouldnt be just about the need for a rush to dish out editorials, the question is, what value does the take add to the debate in shaping national policies, strengthening institutions and protecting sustainable public interest in ensuring the continuity of reforms and target goals.

I am very much apprehensive about throwing a Pantami under the bus in a system that does not have the firm influence to guarantee sustainable public service sector reforms, especially one that is directly beneficial to throngs of massively unemployed youths and has come with a radical and accelerated point of divergence from a conventional, ailing economy to a more robust and decentralised system i.e. the gig economy, which is obviously the future of work.

PT had indeed admitted that there has been a number of misreporting and decontextualisation of some past sermons but Pantamis overall worldview, to the EXTENT that the tapes reviewed by this newspaper revealed, are troubling enough, it said (emphasis added). This admission in my opinion indicates that in coming up with its editorial, PT might not have gone the extra length to review his recent sermons against terrorism which made him a target of attack by Boko Haram, neither did they take up the initiative to review the cause of those rhetoric, which was at the time, for most Muslims, informed by the Western military invasion of the Islamic world, an ideological outlook, which later changed for the same set of believers when it began to emerge that the incursions were nothing short of bloodthirsty and bloodletting sprees aimed at deploying violent intimidation to the pursuit of political ends. If PT had taken the pain on this one, as it always does, the measurability of the extent to which Pantami has reverted his mindset and core religious belief wouldnt be something of a mystery to deduce for the paper, as it claimed in the said editorial. His recent sermons, political disposition and progressive inclination, all within public glare, are clear enough to aid measurement.

While PTs concern about the pluralistic nature of our society and its complex diversity is very much valid, however it should have reckoned that if not handled with the sensitivity it deserves, this case will expose Muslims in Nigeria to become victims of attrition and the young educated ones will not enjoy being proud of their heritage if they can be vulnerable to such malicious propaganda, which is an easy sell, so long as one professes the faith.

Curiously, there is an abundance of alternative indicators from which PT could have judged the Minister, interestingly things werent considered through those prisms. Specifically, I find it personally perplexing that Dr. Pantamis sterling performance as Minister is not being mainstreamed on the same scale at which his renounced ideology of the past is being scrutinised.

Despite the attacks, Pantami has kept his eyes on the ball, as he recently launched the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerians Telecommunication Sector and the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration, a feat that earned him a presidential commendation

Providing an enabling environment for creativity and innovation to thrive in an alternative economy from the oil-based to a digitally driven one is no mean feat and Pantami has achieved that in less than two years. No Nigerian Ministry has ever achieved such accelerated reform since Independence and I stand to be corrected! ICT is now the fastest growing non-oil sector as latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that its contribution to the Nigerian economy grew by 14.70 per cent in the last quarter of 2020.

Pantami has gone ahead to save the Federal Government over N22 billion through the clearance of information technology (IT) projects and the establishment of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), to serve as a leading hub of innovation, research and development, knowledge transfer, and training in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics and other emerging technologies.

Despite the attacks, Pantami has kept his eyes on the ball, as he recently launched the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerians Telecommunication Sector and the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration, a feat that earned him a presidential commendation and saddled him with additional coordinating responsibilities.

If all these issues have their merits and relative weight on the scale on which Pantami is being judged and yet they are not being considered while prosecuting him in the media court, then I have reasons to believe that the editorial in view was borne out of some sort of pressure.

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Whether Pantami leaves or stays, history will remember him more as a scholar and architect of the modern Nigerian economy, more than one with some renounced religious viewpoints.

It is therefore undisputable that what is at stake far outweighs what will be gained if the minister is being forced out using the yardstick of a campaign that has malicious origins, rather than a patriotic one. Even though a lot eventually came bare, at times like this patriotism should be the criterion, discretion should supersede fury, and national interest should displace public rage.

While we should not relent in holding power to account, we should be wary of doing so through the instrumentalities of a foundation that is based on malicious propaganda, otherwise, it will never stand the test of time.

Mohammad Dahiru Lawal, a media strategist and development journalist, is coordinator, Network of Advocates for Digital Reporting (NADIR), he writes in from Kano via mdlawal001@gmail.com
If we want to fix Nigeria, the first thing we need to do is consign impunity to the rubbish pit. In the words of Marcus T. Cicero, The hope of impunity is the greatest inducement to do wrong.

On the service lane of the Airport Road, Abuja, with a Road Safety patrol van far behind me, a commercial motorcyclist carrying three men came from the opposite direction at full speed. Riding against a one way traffic on such a high profile highway? I was convinced the fellows were in big trouble as they were committing their traffic offence right in front of the law. But what happened? The Road Safety officials simply continued throttling behind me as the lawless crew zoomed past.

That is what our country has become, I muttered to myself. Everyone is a law unto himself. The law cruises in the breeze, while crime flies around in plain view.

From the low level of the plebeian to the high pedestal of political elephants, everyone believes that they should be free from the injurious consequences of their actions. Now, traffic lights are mere decorations in many of our cities. Motorists routinely run red lights unless there is a policeman wielding a stick nearby. If there is no threat of instant justice or arrest, the crooked-minded simply have a field day.

They are following the bad examples of their leaders who consider themselves above the law, as soon as they attain political power. Over the years, senior government officials have repeatedly been implicated in scandals and escaped any form of punishment. The media blitz that attends every major expose on corruption usually dies down as soon as a bigger distraction is manufactured to take the publics eye off the ball.

To be sure, no patriotic Nigerian wants his country classified as a lawless nation. But we all know that, in many cases, the impression is that the laws were enacted as a necessary decoration to the garb of statehood. So, dont call us lawless; we have laws. Theres just the little problem of our obsession with the Orwellian Animal Farm where all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

The kind of corruption witnessed during the First Republic would be considered as the very definition of piety today. The military catapulted corruption to the stratosphere and the civilians who took over since 1999 have not only sustained the unholy tradition but actually reinvented it with all the meanness at their disposal.

The Nigerian political elite routinely steal public funds, flout court orders, resist court summons, and use their ill-gotten wealth to dribble their way back to power and influence. None of them is looking out for the country nor are they bothered about the damage they are doing to present and future generations.

A researcher, Fr. Atta Barkindo, gives an insight into the nexus between criminals and politicians: They are able to perpetrate the violence because they thrive in (the) lawlessness of a weak state promoted by the political culture of impunity. They are aware of how much the political class and the security forces could be influenced to bend the law. As earlier indicated, politicians hire local militias and manipulate national, state or local political systems in support of their interests.

In fairness to the police, the institution is virtually in the pockets of politicians who wield them as political weapons. Abuses associated with political bigwigs and allies of the ruling party are not investigated, otherwise the backlash may claim the scalp of the police boss.

What corruption can be greater than a situation in which Nigeria, with a police force of about 395,000 men and women (i.e., 3.4 policemen per 1,000 inhabitants), allocates half that number for the personal protection of politically exposed persons and the monied class? It is no news that you can have a private police escort of your own if you have the cash.

Politicians have smeared other institutions with their blight. The judiciary and agencies of law enforcement have become tools in the hands of those who must be obeyed. Detainees are kept in lengthy pre-trial detention in subhuman conditions. Can we ever forget that the Boko Haram founder, Muhammad Yusuf, was executed in police custody without trial? Having sown the wind, is there any wonder we are reaping the whirlwind today?



The prime law enforcer, the police, take the most blame for corruption and impunity because their crimes are committed mostly against the people at the grassroots, never against political leaders.



X-raying the matter, a legislator from Anambra State, Hon. Ben Chuks argued that, Nigerias police force has the reputation of being a notoriously corrupt and ineffective institution whose failures lay at the heart of government failure to take effective action against impunity. In one recent public opinion survey carried out across Nigeria, respondents overwhelmingly voted the police to be the countrys most corrupt public institution. At the same time, the polices capacity to carry out criminal investigations is extremely lacking.

In fairness to the police, the institution is virtually in the pockets of politicians who wield them as political weapons. Abuses associated with political bigwigs and allies of the ruling party are not investigated, otherwise the backlash may claim the scalp of the police boss. Serious political crimes are condoned because the beneficiaries of the crime are in power.

We have heard many times that a police commissioner under public scrutiny was only following directives from above. It must be a tough job to be in position to interdict a criminal and fail to do so for fear of reprisal. To be on the safe side, police commissioners and their subordinates try to second-guess what the political bosses want by decoding their body language.

A story told by the aforementioned Hon. Chuks illustrates the point vividly: The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in one town in Rivers State told Human Rights Watch that he witnessed a mob led by a local politician attack his police station on election day, destroying or stealing all of the election materials that had been stored there and driving off with the officers inside.

Celebrated cases which capture the imagination of the public are of particular concern. It has taken us years to prosecute the cases involving the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina and Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans).

Human Rights Watch interviewed him hours after the incident at his home, where he had shed his uniform and was drinking beer in the early afternoon to calm his nerves. Asked if he would make any arrests since he knew some of the individuals involved, he replied, No, its impossible. The thing has come and gone. The only thing to do is to pray.

We have a long history of the security services and the judiciary failing to find and punish crime. This encourages impunity. When bad behaviour is condoned, there is no incentive for good conduct. At times, too, the wheels of justice grind ever so slowly as to make the final verdict academic. It sometimes takes forever to convict eminent thieves, especially the politically exposed variant. It is generally agreed by all and sundry that if your war chest is big enough, you can padlock justice or at least slow down the wheels of equity.



According to BudgIT, a civic organisation that applies technology to intersect citizens engagement with institutional improvement, Our analysis of the #2021Budget reveals over 316 duplicated capital projects totalling N39.5 billion, among other loopholes for corruption. BudgIT also found ZERO audit records of the N10.02 trillion received by the security sector between 2015 & 2021.

And yet, instead of probing how earlier allocations were spent, the National Assembly is rushing to approve more money for the armed forces. Without probity, the fresh provision may simply disappear into the abyss.

Celebrated cases which capture the imagination of the public are of particular concern. It has taken us years to prosecute the cases involving the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina and Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans). And tongues are still wagging in respect of Attorney-General Abubakar Malamis decision to withdraw charges against soldiers indicted for the killing of police officers who arrested the alleged kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, popularly called Wadume. When the authorities decide to pick and choose what loophole to activate in the defence of alleged criminals, impunity laughs in our faces.



The Buhari government did itself a public relations favour when it announced the suspension of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman. If that is meant to demonstrate the governments seriousness with its much vaunted war against corruption, then it is a penalty kick well taken. Full marks for making the point that there should be no sacred cows.



If we want to fix Nigeria, the first thing we need to do is consign impunity to the rubbish pit. In the words of Marcus T. Cicero, The hope of impunity is the greatest inducement to do wrong.

Wole Olaoye can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com.
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A global port management company, International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), has refuted a Sahara Reporters report linking it with Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote.

In a letter sent to the online platform by email, the company made reference to a report with the headline: How Suspended NPA Boss, Hadiza Usman, Awarded Coastline Terminals to Dangotes Proxy Company In Shady Deal. The company stated that its has no relationship with Mr Dangote.

Signed by its Senior Vice President, Hans-Ole, Madsen, the letter stated: We would like to clarify that International Container Services Inc. (ICTSI) is a Philippine publicly-listed independent company engaged in operations in 33 ports on 6 continents. ICTSI (www.ictsi.com) ranks as a top-ten port operator in the world.

While advising that details of the companys ownership can be found on its website, Mr Madsen concluded that ICTSI is not owned or in any way affiliated with the Dangote Group of companies.

Established in December 1987 in the Philippines, ICTSI has become a leading operator, innovator and pioneer in its field.

Soon after consolidating and strengthening our flagship operations at the Manila International Container Terminal, we launched an international and domestic expansion programme and today, we operate in many countries across the world, employing more than 7,000 people, ICTSI said on its website.

Along our journey, we developed the worlds first fully automated international container handling facility at Victoria International Container Terminal (Melbourne, Australia).

Throughout our history we have set out to achieve excellence and have established new standards in our field. We have an unparalleled track record in acquiring terminals and adding substantial value by enhancing their efficiency.

Our knowledge, skills and expertise also enables us to navigate and operate in different political and economic environments.

We take pride in our partnerships and work closely alongside governments and local authorities who are divesting themselves of maritime port assets through privatisation or sale.

The support of our stakeholders is a key element of our prosperity and we always strive to exceed their expectations of us.
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The University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City, has warned admission seekers into the institution to be wary of the activities of racketeers.

A statement from the universitys spokesperson, Benedicta Ehanire, on Saturday, said racketeers have been collecting huge sums from unsuspecting applicants with a promise to facilitate their admission.

Ms Ehanire said the swindlers, in an attempt to convince their victims often walk into the universitys admission offices and administration building to make their nefarious deeds look real.

She, therefore, advised members of the public not to fall prey to such traps as no amount was being charged for admission into the university.

Reports have come to the University of Benin Management that professional admission racketeers, whose job is to take advantage of innocent citizens seeking admission, are on the prowl.

The unscrupulous elements collect huge sums of money from their victims, pretending that they can get them admission into some choice programmes in the university.

They have perfected the acts of going into admissions offices or the administration building to buttress their nefarious deeds.

The public is advised not to fall into such traps as no money is charged for admission into the University of Benin, the university spokesperson said.

Ms Ehanire, however, called on anyone who is a victim of the racketeering to report to her office with proof, for the university to take action that would help it redeem its image.

Such whistleblowers, she said, would be offered admission if qualified.

(NAN)
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Isaac Ogbobula, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, said he was confident the APC will take over the state in 2023 governorship election.

Mr Ogbobula said this while speaking with members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt on Friday.

We are confident that come 2023 election our party will be in charge of leadership because Rivers people love us, he said.

Mr Ogbobula said the party has put in place structures to reunite its members across the state.

He said the party has also appointed some of its members to look into the internal problems, resolve them and move the party forward before 2023.

The internal party issues are not unusual, there must be contest, and some measures of conflict.

It could be in any political party, or even in families and thats why we made sure that every of our disagreements did not escalate.

We have committees at the state, regional and national levels led by Senator Andrew Uchendu and Wilson Ake at the state and regional and John Oyegun at the national to resolve every issue to move the party forward.

APC in the state is a party that nobody should ignore. It is not a paper party or a social media club or an organisation, but a political party properly registered and credible in the state, he said.

Mr Ogbobula assured that everything that the party needed to do would be done within the context of the party for it to go forward.

We, therefore, urge every member of our party to join hands and move it forward, he said.

The chairman said the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, was fair when he said the governorship position should shift from upland to the riverine area in 2023.

Amaechi Okonkwo, chairman of the state Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, in his remark, urged the party chairman to ensure there was peace in the party.

He said he should focus on the partys unity in order to provide a good democratic platform for the people.

Mr Okonkwo said the union was non-partisan as such would report the partys activities for the development of the state.

We ask that you give us an open ear, pick our calls, give us information that can help us do our reports in response to balancing our reports for the growth of the state, he said.

(NAN)
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The police in Enugu State said they rescued a man on April 29 from being lynched by a mob at Abakpa-Nike in the Enugu metropolis.

The man, identified as Ugo Nweke, was accused of trying to steal a commercial bus at about 8 a.m., according to a statement on Sunday from the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe.

Mr Ndukwe, an assistant superintendent of police, said the police have taken the man into custody and recovered a yellow Toyota Hiace commercial bus which the suspect allegedly attempted to steal.

Police operatives, following a distress call received, immediately rescued and arrested one Ugo Nweke, 34, of Cabinet-Amahausa, Obiagu, Enugu, from an angry mob.

The irate mob was at the verge of setting him ablaze with a tyre for allegedly attempting to steal a bus from where it was parked at Texaco, Abakpa-Nike in Enugu metropolis, the official said.

The suspect would be charged at the end of investigation, he added.

Mr Ndukwe said the states Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, commended police operatives for rescuing the suspect and for other successful operations within the state.

He said: The commissioner has charged officers and men of the command to remain resolute and committed to the quest of ridding the state of unrepentant criminals and their activities.

He also enjoins law-abiding residents to continue to assist the police with timely and credible information needed to further curb acts of crime and criminality in the state.

(NAN)
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Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Saturday declared his belief in a united Nigeria and condemned calls for secession by some groups in the country.

Mr Umahi said this in Abakaliki during the conclusion of the 8-day prayer and fasting session organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi State Chapter, over the security situation in the state.

The governor said he believed in a country where oneness, freedom, equity, justice, fairness among other virtues prevailed.

I do not believe in second-class citizenship where a section of the country is being seen to be superior to others.

We are all created by God and no one should talk of disintegrating the country, he said.

He admitted that most of the secessionist groups agitations were genuine, noting that they could however be addressed.

I want Igbos to submit these agitations and I would lead the governors and leaders of the zone to the centre to address these grievances.

The groups can then do what they like if after six months, we fail to address these grievances, he said.

Mr Umahi urged the people to shun bitterness, anger, violence among other vices, to avoid bringing war and destruction unto the land.

We would tell the authorities in Abuja that our people are aggrieved but such cannot be addressed by insulting the president, governors and leaders from other regions of the country, he said.

The governor thanked CAN for nurturing the spiritual life of the state and urged it to engage all aggrieved groups in the 13 local government areas of the state to shun violence.

Abraham Nwali, a Catholic priest and the state chairman of CAN, admonished Ebonyi residents and Nigerians to appreciate Gods mercy upon them and repent from their evil ways.

There has been no destruction or armed robbery in the state since this prayer and fasting session commenced as this shows Gods divine mercy upon the state.

No country would experience the present situation in Nigeria and still remain one yet the citizens are bracing the inherent challenges with fortitude, he said.

(NAN)
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University Graduates of Nursing Science Association has called on the federal government to protect health workers against gruesome attacks so as to prevent disruption in delivery of healthcare services.

The National President of the association, Solomon Egwuenu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Mr Egwuenu said that recent attacks on nurses and other health workers in the country was worrisome, discouraging and poses danger in the health sector.

NAN reported that some gunmen on April 22 kidnapped two nurses who worked overnight at the General hospital in Idon, Kajuru Local Government of Kaduna State.

Also on April 27, Queeneth Alozie, a retired nurse from the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, was killed in Umuahia, Abia State.

Mr Egwuenu wondered why health workers, who were trained to save lives, should themselves be the victims of gruesome murder and kidnapping.

We cannot figure out why a healthcare professional should be brutally attacked or kidnapped.

The development portends danger in the nations healthcare delivery.

We, therefore, call on the Federal Government and security agencies to protect health personnel from such heinous crimes in the country.

Mr Egwuenu, however, advised members of the association to be security conscious and guard themselves always while discharging their duty.

Security situation has continued to deteriorate daily across Nigeria, with security agencies in the country becoming targets of deadly attacks.

Sixteen police officers, for instance, were killed by gunmen around the country last week, according to the data collated by PREMIUM TIMES.

(NAN)
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The fire that engulfed Cairo Market in Oshodi, Lagos, was not caused by explosives, Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu has said.

Mr Odumosu, who visited the market on Friday accompanied by operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, said no element of explosive was recovered from the site, Muyiwa Adejobi, the police spokesperson in the state, said in a statement.

The CP has debunked the rumour that the Oshodi market inferno was caused by bombing or explosives. The public is hereby urged to disregard such news or rumour, Mr Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, said.

The CP visited the scene today Friday in company of Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit(EOD) operatives to assess the scene and give their expert opinion. And no element of explosive was recovered from the scene. So no explosives used.

Contradictory

The polices comments contradict the claim by one of the first responders to the fire scene, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), who attributed the fire to explosives.

Initial investigations suggest that some form of explosives/accelerants were used indicating some foul play, said Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the LASEMA director-general.

The LASEMA boss said the agency had informed relevant agencies, including the police to carry out further investigations on the fire incident.

Several traders interviewed by PREMIUM TIMES largely backed Mr Osanyintolus claim that the fire was caused by substances such as explosives.

The traders explained that the power supply is shut down at the market at 6 p.m. every day, so an electrical surge could not have been a cause.

Although only one lane of shops at the textile market was affected, traders said the market was set on fire.

Fire broke out at the Cairo market on Thursday night and razed 95 shops and offices and goods worth millions of naira.

Mr Adejobi said the case is being investigated by the police and experts.
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The police in Ogun have warned hoodlums planning to attack stations in the state to shun such intentions in order not to face the wrath of the law.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, spokesperson of the command,, made this known on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun State.

Mr Oyeyemi said the warning had become necessary to criminals and hoodlums due to ongoing attacks on police stations across the country.

At least 16 officers were killed following a spate of attacks against police facilities across Nigeria last week.

According to Mr Oyeyemi, the police have put in place measures to prevent such attacks on our stations.

We are battle-ready for anyone planning to attack any of the stations in the state.

Anyone embarking on such deadly attack should know that they are on a suicide mission, he said.

He advised residents to always provide the police with timely and credible information that could help to stem the crime rate in the state.

(NAN)
Barely two weeks after the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) sacked its Registrar, the institution has suspended the Bursar, Bolatito Akande, over alleged misconduct.

The Special Adviser on Media Matters to the Vice-Chancellor, Wole Balogun, confirmed the suspension in a statement issued on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Balogun said the Bursar was suspended by the universitys Governing Council, chaired by Mohammed Yahuza, to give room for a thorough investigation into the misconducts allegedly committed by Mrs Akande.

He, however, denied the allegation that Mrs Akande was prevented from entering her office, saying that all the security men deployed were at the institutions gate and could not have stopped her from entering her office.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, is a law-abiding citizen and could not have supported brigandage. It is not true that the bursar was harassed.

Let me clear the air that the security men were deployed at the gate due to the ongoing probe. They were there to maintain law and order, Mr Balogun said.

The Bursars suspension comes days after the institutions Registrar, Olatunbosun Odusanya, was sacked by the governing council for misconduct regarding appointments into the university between August 2020 and February 2021. Mr Odusanya was earlier suspended to allow investigations into the allegations against him.

According to Mr Balogun, the suspension slammed on the Bursar was to allow an unfettered probe into the allegations raised against her, adding that she had not been sacked, as being rumoured.

Locked out

In her reaction, Mrs Akande, however, accused the university management of using security agencies to chase and harass her after being illegally suspended.

Mrs Akande, who was until May 7, the Bursar of the institution, said it was regrettable that the security personnel, allegedly deployed by the vice-chancellor, prevented her from entering her office, in spite of not being found culpable of any offence.

She explained that the personal assistant to the vice-chancellor sent a message to her last week, informing her of a petition written against her by a Joint Action Committee and that a panel had been set up by management to probe into all the allegations raised.

Mrs Akande said she found it demeaning, humiliating and dehumanising that she was harassed by security personnel while trying to gain access to her office on Thursday.

According to her, such actions shouldnt exist in any higher institution of learning.

ALSO READ: FUOYE suspends Registrar for alleged misconduct

A text message was sent to me last Wednesday by one Abayomi Kuku that I was to appear before a panel of investigation on Thursday by 11 a.m.

I honoured them and immediately I left the venue of the panel and got back to my office, I met two security men at the entrance and I discovered that my office had been locked. The two men informed me that the order was from above.

I put a call to the vice-chancellor to confirm the development but he told me that he never knew anything about it and that I should contact the Chief Security Officer of the institution.

All my belongings, including the handbag that I brought to the office on that day, were locked inside the office.

As Im talking to you now, they are still inside the office, as they didnt allow me to have access to the office, she said.

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Mrs Akande also added that no letter was given to her by the institutions management, except the one sent to her by the personal assistant to the vice-chancellor.

In fact, I was chased out of office like a child and a low ranking officer. This I found unlawful, embarrassing and dehumanising, she stated.

Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that the letter sent to the suspended Bursars phone, dated May 5 and signed by the vice-chancellor, was entitled: Suspension from the university.

The letter read: You will please note that the universitys Governing Council, at the 23rd statutory meeting, held on Thursday, April 1, 2021, considered the allegations levied against you and the registrar by the joint Action Committee of SSANU, NASU and NAAT.

It, thereafter, decided that a copy of the unions petition should be forwarded to you for your response.

However, the council, at its 4th extraordinary meeting, held on April 27, 2021, considered your response to the allegation and consequently constituted an investigative committee to investigate the case.

In line with the regulation governing the conditions of service, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council has directed that your appointment be suspended from the university with half salary with immediate effect, pending the determination of the case against you. (NAN)
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The Ondo State Government has reviewed the 24-hour curfew imposed on Ikare, Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state, from 7.00p.m. to 7.00a.m.

Consequently, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has directed that from Monday the dusk to dawn curfew from 7.00 p.m. to 7.00a.m. would take effect.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the states Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, on Sunday in Akure.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the 24-hour curfew was ordered on the heels of the violence that erupted over chieftaincy dispute in which six persons were reportedly killed.

The statement said government had monitored developments in the town since the imposition of the curfew, just as security agencies had diligently and professionally enforced the order to restore peace in the community.

The review of the curfew order is, therefore, the outcome of the assessment of the situation, so far.

It must however be noted that any further breach of the peace shall attract more stringent measures from government in the direction of peace enforcement. Government shall be most decisive than ever.

All residents of the town are enjoined to abide by this fresh directive and take maximum advantage of this window to deepen harmony and brotherliness amongst one another.

Furthermore, all traditional rulers, opinion leaders as well as men and women of goodwill are advised to rein in their wards, loyalists and supporters to embrace peace henceforth, the commissioner said.(NAN)
DOHA, Qatar, April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As stargazers across the world settled in to observe the rare Pink Supermoon (April 26th & 27th), Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) marked the epic event with the announcement of its new and bespoke range of astro-tourism experiences. Inspired by the starry skies of the Qatari desert, the astronomer themed vacations have been curated for visitors to enjoy when the borders re-open.

Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council

The unique 'Arabian Nights' packages, available to book through Gulf Adventures and redeemable until April 2022, offer unmissable activities such as a moon-lit camel safari and stargazing with an astronomer. Also included are BBQ dinner banquets by the campfire and a stay at the Regency Sealine Camp, where modern luxury meets authentic Arabian style, overlooking Khor al Adaid, also known as the Inland Sea which is a recognised UNESCO - where the sea meets the desert.

Several of the new itineraries also offer a tour of the Souq Waqif and a dinner at the spectacular Torch 360 restaurant, which offers panoramic views of the Doha skyline.

The exclusive new tours are a once in a lifetime experience, available to be enjoyed when Qatar re-open its borders until April 2022.

To invite travellers to enjoy the Arabian Nights packages, QNTC in partnership with local astro-photographer, Vinay Swaroop Balla, captured incredible photos of the moon rising above the country's most iconic locations, Torch Tower and Al Aamriya Desert. Qatar is an ideal destination for star and moon gazers, as the darkness of the desert makes for breath-taking views of the night sky.

Chief Operating Officer of Qatar National Tourism Council, Berthold Trenkel, said: "Qatar's desert is a perfect spot for astronomy enthusiasts to observe the dark and starry skies; the packages we've put together will provide unforgettable experiences that travel-lovers can look forward to when we welcome them back to the country. As a diverse and cosmopolitan country, this new offer is a dazzling addition to a multitude of activities tourists can enjoy in Qatar".

All packages will be in line with the Qatar Clean programme and measures will be in place to adhere to government guidelines.

For those wanting to experience the distinctive beauty of the desert skies and familiarise themselves with the country's rich culture, the Arabian Nights packages are the perfect treat. To find out more information about activities in Qatar, please visit https://www.visitqatar.qa.

Related Images

supermoon-over-torch-tower-in-doha.jpg

Supermoon over Torch Tower in Doha

Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council

supermoon-over-torch-tower-doha.jpg

Supermoon over Torch Tower Doha

Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council

supermoon-in-al-aamriya-desert.jpg

Supermoon in Al Aamriya Desert, Qatar

Photo credit: Vinay Swaroop Balla & Qatar National Tourism Council

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498893/Qatar_National_Tourism_Council.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498894/Qatar_National_Tourism_Council_2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498895/Qatar_National_Tourism_Council_3.jpg

SOURCE Qatar National Tourism Council
The board has resolved to declare a final dividend of 2.50 cents per share. The dividend will be payable on 10 June 2021. The ex-dividend date will be 1 June 2021.

Managing Director, David OConnell advised, The 2.50 cents per share final dividend represents a 67% increase on the 1.50 cents per share paid last year. The increase follows the improved performance of the company as signalled in the profit guidance release dated 15 March. Our expectation is that the final pre-tax result will be at the upper end of the $6.3m - $6.5m range indicated on 15 March.

Please see the links below for details

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Source: Geneva Finance Limited

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Greentown Labs Opens its Houston Incubator on Earth Day 2021the city's first climatetech startup incubator Tweet this

Located at 4200 San Jacinto St. in the innovation district being developed by Rice Management Company, Greentown Houston provides more than 40,000 sq. ft. of prototyping lab, office, and event space for its growing community of startup companies with room for about 300 employees.

This is Greentown Labs' second location and first expansion outside of Massachusetts, and will serve as an on-the-ground catalyst for the energy transition in Houston. Greentown Houston will bring together civic and business leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and other stakeholders who have already begun the transition and raise awareness of the opportunity for those who have yet to engage.

"This is a tremendous, tangible milestone not only for Greentown Labs but also for the City of Houston and the energy transition," said Dr. Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs. "Five years ago, climate change wasn't a topic among many conversations in Houston. Things have changed. Today, we are so proud to open our second-ever location in the energy capital of the world and we're eager to accelerate the energy transition over the next 10 years. Houston is buzzing with incredible climatetech startups, world-leading energy organizations, and a thriving investment community. At Greentown Houston, we aim to bring the ecosystem together and collaborate toward our decarbonized future."

Greentown Houston has received an incredibly warm welcome from the Houston energy innovation community since it announced its expansion plans in June 2020. Thanks to Mayor Sylvester Turner's leadership , Houston has doubled down on its efforts to lead the global energy transition and Greentown Houston is eager to partner with the city on these activities. Mayor Turner chairs Climate Mayors, a bipartisan network of almost 450 U.S. mayors demonstrating leadership on climate action.

"There's no better way to celebrate the first anniversary of the Houston Climate Action Plan than to open Greentown Labs Houston," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "Attracting and nurturing the next generation of energy companies is a critical piece of our city's ambition to lead the global energy transition. The Climate Action Plan calls for creating 50 Energy 2.0 companies, and thanks to Greentown Labs, we are already halfway there. We are grateful for Greentown Labs and their partners for helping Houston meet our climate goals and become the energy capital of the future."

Greentown Houston is a proud member of the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) and is actively involved in the organization's economic development efforts to help Houston lead the global energy transition. GHP was an early champion and advocate for Greentown Houston and has played a critical role in helping bring it to fruition.

"We are thrilled Greentown Labs Houston has officially opened its doors in the Energy Capital of the World, further positioning Houston as the leader of the global energy transition," said Bob Harvey, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership. "Today is a major milestone in Houston's broader efforts to build a more efficient and more sustainable low-carbon future. Greentown Labs and its members are a critical part of that effort, and I look forward to the collaborations and partnerships they'll form with other key players in Houston's energy community in the years to come."

Rice Management Company (RMC) is responsible for stewardship of Rice University's endowment, and has been a supportive partner of Greentown Houston since its team first began searching for the right location for the incubator. Rice University serves its mission by cultivating a diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders across the spectrum of human endeavor.

"Rice University enthusiastically welcomes Greentown Labs to Houston and the Ion District," said David Leebron, President of Rice University. "Rice University is committed to helping empower the city's innovation and entrepreneurial efforts, and we're eager to foster a strong partnership between our recently launched Clean Energy Accelerator and Greentown Houston. We're confident Houston's growing climatetech innovation ecosystem will help accelerate the city's leading role in the energy transition."

Accelerating the energy transition with partnership and collaboration

Greentown Houston is made possible by a network of civic and business leaders that represent a broad community of energy organizations, renewable energy experts, and organizations committed to supporting and growing the ecosystem of early-stage climate and climatetech startups.

Chevron , a longtime partner of Greentown Labs, has made public commitments to help enable the energy transition and was an early advocate of Greentown Labs' expansion to Houston.

"Houston is home to Chevron's largest employee base in the world, and we are committed to sustaining the region as the energy capital of the world and establishing Houston as the energy transition capital of the world," said Barbara Burger, Vice President of Innovation and President of Technology Ventures at Chevron. "As a longtime partner of Greentown Labs in Boston, we were excited to be the first Founding Partner of Greentown Labs Houston and to work with the Greentown community as we support the development of innovation solutions to enable more affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy for all."

Shell , a Greentown Labs partner since 2013, is an active participant and thought leader in the energy transition and has announced its intentions to become a net-zero emissions energy company by 2050.

"At Shell, we see the energy transition as a collaborative effort that requires innovation, investment, and partnership across sectors, industries, and society. Shell is proud to be a Founding Partner of Greentown Labs Houston," said Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell Oil Company. "We are excited to support Greentown's entrepreneurs and startup companies and to work together to foster a sustainable, progressive ecosystem in the energy capital of the world."

NRG Energy, Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, brings the power of energy to millions of customers across the U.S. and Canada, including 100 percent renewable power to the City of Houston, and has supported Greentown Labs' expansion to Houston from the beginning. Reliant, an NRG company, is one of the largest electricity providers in Texas and is trusted to deliver innovative and reliable energy solutions to residents and businesses across the state.

"As we collectively work to create a more sustainable future and ensure Houston remains the Energy Capital of the World while becoming the Energy Transition Capital of the World, NRG and Reliant are thrilled to officially welcome Greentown Labs to Houston," said Elizabeth Killinger, Executive Vice President, NRG Home; President, Reliant; and Chair, Greater Houston Partnership Energy 2.0 Committee. "As a Founding Partner of Greentown Labs Houston, we're eager to support and encourage the innovations that will launch through this thriving startup community."

Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. A Greentown Labs partner since 2020, Microsoft has put a powerful set of climate commitments into motion, including making its energy supply 100 percent renewable for all its operations by 2025, becoming carbon negative by 2030, removing its historical carbon emissions by 2050, and establishing a $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund.

"The innovation to come from Greentown Labs Houston will be pivotal in creating new ways to advance our clean energy goals," said Darry Willis, Corporate Vice President, Energy Industry, Microsoft. "At Microsoft, accelerating the transition to a global, net-zero future is a top priority and I'm very encouraged by the work we, our partners, and participating energy organizations are driving."

BHP , a Founding Partner of Greentown Labs, is a leading global resources organization with operations in mining and oil and gas. BHP has been active in addressing climate risks for more than two decades and is committed to continuing to reduce emissions in their operations and to their goal of achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2050. BHP's climate action plan also includes a $400 million Climate Investment Program to develop technologies to reduce emissions from its own operations and those from the use of its resources.

"We have long recognized the importance of taking action to reduce emissions across our full value chain, which requires collaboration with others and innovative partnerships to meet our goals," said Tim Ong, Head of Innovation at BHP Petroleum. "We're proud to partner with Greentown Labs and to be a part of this cleantech community as we collectively explore inventive solutions for the energy transition."

Saint-Gobain , which operates in 70 countries, is one of the world's largest building materials companies focused on design, manufacturing, and distribution of materials and solutions that are key ingredients in the wellbeing and future of all. A committed Greentown Labs partner since 2014, Saint-Gobain was integral to the opening of Greentown Labs' headquarters, donating over $1 million worth of products and becoming the presenting partner of the building's event space.

"As a Founding Partner for Greentown Houston, Saint-Gobain congratulates Greentown Labs on their grand opening in Houston," said Minas Apelian, Vice President, Internal and External Venturing, Saint-Gobain. "We are excited to engage with entrepreneurs in Houston who are developing climate innovations and technology to make our world a better home. It's also wonderful to see how our donated, sustainable building materials helped transform Greentown Houston by providing better indoor air quality, thermal efficiency, and improved acoustical experiences."

This Earth Day, Greentown Houston is proud to announce its seven newest partners that are actively participating in and supporting the energy transition.

bp 's purpose is to reimagine energy for people and the planet. bp has set an ambition to be a net-zero company by 2050 or sooner, and help the world get to net-zero, and last year bp announced its strategy for delivering on that ambition. Partnering with countries, cities, and corporations to provide innovative energy, mobility, and decarbonization solutions as they shape their paths to net-zero is a core part of bp's long-term strategy. bp serves as the City of Houston's strategic and technical planning advisor on the Climate Action Plan, bringing expertise across the energy spectrum to help the city build a more sustainable and resilient future.

"bp is thrilled to partner with Greentown Labs," said Al Vickers, CEO of bp Wind Energy. "This is an important step in making Houston not only a hub for new cleantech innovation, but a leader in the global energy transition. Projects like Greentown Labs underscore our commitment to helping the City of Houston advance its Climate Action Plan and get to net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. As an incoming member of the Advisory Board, I welcome Greentown Labs to the Energy Capital of the Worldand look forward to getting to work."

Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) ("MCA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), is a global integrated business enterprise with 10 business groups that operate across virtually every industry. These include natural gas, industrial materials, petroleum & chemicals, mineral resources, industrial infrastructure, automotive & mobility, food industry, consumer industry, power solution, and urban development. MC's business strategy involves leveraging its knowledge of industries and markets around the world to create new, sustainable businesses.

"We see Greentown Labs Houston playing a major role in accelerating our efforts to advance technologies that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive the transition to a low-carbon society," said Minoru Aizawa, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MCA's Houston Branch. "Our company recognizes the importance of staying attuned to changes within the global environment and society, and we aim to generate societal and environmental value by addressing key sustainability issues through our business activities."

Intel Corporation is an industry leader, creating world-changing technology that enables global progress and enriches lives. As the largest U.S.-owned semiconductor manufacturer, Intel aims to achieve 100 percent renewable energy use across its global manufacturing operations by 2030.

"Intel is proud to support Greentown Houston and we are looking forward to all that the startup member companies will accomplish," said Werner Schaefer, Intel Vice President, General Manager of Network & Communications Sales, Intel Houston Site Leader. "Shared corporate responsibility is key for usour world is facing challenges that are too big to be tackled alone. As we develop world-changing technology that enriches the lives of every person on Earth, we will offer our technical expertise to help the passionate and innovative startups build a healthier planet by leveraging the power of data."

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, logistics & infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace, and defense. MHI combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon-neutral world, improve the quality of life, and ensure a safer world.

"Identifying the most promising technologies and bringing them to scale is critical as we look down the path to decarbonization," said Ricky Sakai, Vice President of New Business Development for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America. "We are excited to partner with Greentown Labs and look forward to the collaboration between various stakeholders to advance climatetech innovations."

White Deer Energy invests in energy and industrial service and equipment companies and midstream infrastructure, and targets businesses that are embracing the rapidly evolving energy transition landscape. The firm targets equity investments of $25 to $100 million, principally in North America with control or co-control. White Deer seeks to provide capital to companies with strong management teams and significant growth potential. The firm works closely with management to pursue continual operational improvement and drive organic growth as well as growth through acquisitions. Since its founding in 2008, White Deer has raised capital in excess of $2.7 billion.

"Houston has long been the oil and gas capital of the world, but it is important to transition that title to the energy capital of the world," said Joe Bob Edwards, a Managing Partner of White Deer Energy. "With the opening of Greentown Labs in our great city, we are well on our way to effecting that transition. One of White Deer's visions is to encourage the collaboration between oil and gas companies and new energy companies to create a more sustainable world that has access to reliable and clean energy. That vision becomes infinitely more attainable with the right partnerships. We are excited and honored to support Greentown Labs and look forward to working with them and their other partners."

Ara Partners is a global private equity firm building companies that are decarbonizing the economy in immediate and tangible ways. Ara Partners invests in the industrial & manufacturing, chemicals & materials, energy efficiency & green fuels, and food & agriculture sectors, seeking to build businesses that are focused on sustainability and ESG principles.

"We are excited to welcome Greentown Labs to Houston," said Troy Thacker, Managing Partner of Ara Partners. "The journey to net-zero emissions requires the best and brightest entrepreneurs, engineers, and business builders. We are working hard to be part of the solution, alongside Greentown Labs, that will harness the talent, enthusiasm, and spirit of Houston to make progress for our city and the world."

Bechtel Corporation is a trusted engineering, construction, and project management partner to industry and government. Since 1898, Bechtel has helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs; grown economies; improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure; increased access to energy, resources, and vital services; and made the world a safer, cleaner place.

"Our customers in the energy sector are key to the successful transition to a lower-carbon future and we have a fundamentally important role in supporting them to reach their global emission-reduction targets," said Paul Marsden, President of Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals. "It's through collaboration with our customers and partnerships with next-generation innovators like Greentown Labs that we are able to find solutions to the environmental challenges that we're facing so that we can shape the future of energy."

These seven new partners join an impressive group of corporates that are committed to climate action. Since announcing its expansion to Houston in 2020, Greentown Labs has welcomed 17 Houston Founding Partners: Chevron , NRG Energy and Reliant Energy , Shell , BHP , Vinson & Elkins , Microsoft , ENGIE North America Inc. , Rice Management Company, Saint-Gobain , Sunnova Energy International Inc ., The American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact , SCF Partners , Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co ., Direct Energy , CenterPoint Energy, Gexa Energy , and Wells Fargo . Greentown Labs also announced its four Grand Opening Partners, including Naturgy , FCC Environmental Services (FCC) , EIV Capital , and Williams .

Greentown Houston is actively welcoming new startup members to its incubator. To learn more about Greentown Houston, visit www.greentownlabs.com or attend the virtual Grand Opening celebration with Mayor Turner on April 22 at 2:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. ET. Tune in here to view the livestream.

About Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs is a community of climate action pioneers working to design a more sustainable world. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown Labs brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions. Driven by the mission of providing startups the resources, knowledge, connections, and equipment they need to thrive, Greentown Labs offers lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, an electronics lab, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more. With its headquarters in Somerville, Mass. and a recently opened incubator in Houston, Texas, Greentown Labs is home to more than 140 startups and has supported more than 330 startups since the incubator's founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 6,500 direct jobs and have raised more than $1.2 billion in funding. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or Twitter , Facebook , and LinkedIn .

Greentown Labs Media Contact:

Julia Travaglini

VP of Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

603-867-3657

SOURCE Greentown Labs

Related Links

www.greentownlabs.org


DUBAI, U.A.E, May 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The pioneering lifestyle retail brand Azadea.com has proudly announced yet another exciting first for the Middle East e-commerce scene through an exclusive digital partnership with international brand, Urban Outfitters. The alliance has led to Azadea.com becoming the first of its kind to launch the multinational lifestyle retail brand online across the MENA region and comes following the spiralling success of the only Urban Outfitters retail store to open in the UAE. Azadea Group first published its partnership with Urban Outfitters back in 2018 where it revealed its involvement in managing the brand's expansion. Due to the drastic global shift towards digitalization and fast-growing online demands, Azadea Group warmly welcomes Urban Outfitters to a new partnership that aims to connect consumers both online and offline. Urban Outfitters, which currently operates in over 15 countries worldwide, has joined Azadea Group's mission to adapt to the digital global landscape and the much-anticipated concepts emerging throughout the Middle East.

Boasting a flourishing portfolio of lifestyle retailers, Azadea Group has consistently demonstrated its success in representing an ever-increasing number of iconic global brands throughout the Middle East and Africa over the past 40 years. Operating more than 40 leading franchise concepts across MENA, Azadea.com is mostly known for its repertoire of big name clients and exceptional management of experiential brand concepts.

Azadea.com already collaborates with a multitude of well-known brands such as Mango, Reserved, Missguided, Boggi Milano, Adidas, Bershka, Decathlon, Virgin Megastore and many more. Their latest contract with Urban Outfitters Inc. reflects the fresh global vision towards developing high-end online shopping experiences.

Urban Outfitters started its mission in 1970 where it began selling an extensive range of apparel, homeware and accessories that remain, to this day, one-of-a-kind. The international lifestyle company operates a number of world-class brands that include Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People and Terrain and offers a combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding. Selling an array of hand-picked pieces and vintage styles, and by collaborating with third-party brands to curate collections of unique merchandise, Urban Outfitters has developed a dominant brand identity that continues to thrive globally.

The recent alliance between Azadea.com and Urban Outfitters is introduced at a significant time where focus on e-commerce opportunities in the Middle East is at its most impressionable. Azadea.com firmly believes that the strategic venture introducing Urban Outfitters to the Middle East e-commerce industry is a well-timed move that resonates clearly with the market and provides space for substantial growth and success.

Media Contact:

Shaheer Usmani

0567692184

SOURCE Azadea.com
Ahead of the Mother's Day that falls on May 9th this year, China Media Group (CMG) on Saturday published a story recounting how Qi has set an exemplar model for the Chinese president, in the general celebration to honor motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.

Over the years, Qi taught her son three important lessons of life: pure and selfless devotion to the nation; honesty and self-discipline; and constant commitment to putting aside personal well-being for the good of the people.

Qi, who was born in 1924, joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1939 at the age of 15, becoming a staunch supporter of the Party's values and beliefs.

The woman recalls two particular experience in the following ages: she spent two years near the frontline during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Another eight years working alongside farmers in northwestern China helped her build a special bond with the people.

The mother's experience finds resonance in the son. Similarly, Xi put on the backpack and left home at the age of 15 to live and work with the farmers in Liangjiahe Village of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

During the years in the countryside, Xi was accompanied by a sewing bag embroidered with "mom's heart" made by Qi. The words were meant to remind Xi of keeping true to one's original aspiration for the country and the revolutionary cause, which are spirits shared by both the mother and the son.

During Xi's entire upbringing, his mother often urges him to be strict with himself, especially when he is in leadership roles.

Qi took to heart the motto to "work well, study well, and handle everything well" in life, and also encouraged her son to follow the same guideline.

Her words of support have greatly inspired her son to serve the general public with the goal of achieving a good life for Chinese families.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xj6Q69Re-8

SOURCE CCTV+
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson released the following statement Saturday regarding debris from the Chinese Long March 5B rocket:

"Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations.

"It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

"It is critical that China and all spacefaring nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently in space to ensure the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of outer space activities."

For more information on NASA and agency activities, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


OSLO, Norway, May 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Saga Pure ASA (Saga Pure) (OSE: SAGA) reported a net profit in the first quarter 2021 of NOK 147.8 million, representing a quarterly return on equity of 16 percent, (Q1 2020: NOK -101.0 million) following a positive development for the companys investment portfolio within renewable energy, hydrogen, circular economy and CO 2 reductions.

"The first quarter was an eventful period for Saga Pure with high business development activity for our investment team focusing on renewable energy, hydrogen, circular economy and CO 2 reductions. We reported a quarterly return on equity of 16 percent, announced investments in Heimdall Power, Pryme and IC Technologies, held NOK 833 million in cash, which provides a solid platform for further growth and expansion in 2021, " says Bjrn Simonsen, Chief Executive Officer of Saga Pure.

Saga Pure reported a net profit from continued operations in the first quarter 2021 of NOK 147.8 million, up from NOK -101.0 million in the corresponding quarter in 2020, driven by the positive development in the investment portfolio, representing a return on equity of 16 percent. The company had NOK 833 million in cash at the end of the quarter.

During the first quarter, Saga Pure invested in:

Pryme  The company uses a modified pyrolysis process which converts waste plastics into pyrolysis oil which will be further refined downstream for production of new plastic.

Heimdall Power  The company offers a rapid transition to fully digitalized electric grid assets with its patented low-cost sensors and software portfolio.

IC Technologies  The company develops storage and distribution solutions for cryogenic gases with focus on liquid hydrogen.

"Focus on renewable energy and the transition towards a more sustainable future is gaining momentum, supported by ever-stronger policy measures from governments around the world. Alongside evaluating a number of investment opportunities Saga Pure is focused on building a team of strong and broad industrial competence in accordance with the new investment strategy. With no interest-bearing debt, and substantial cash following the disposal of the former investments and recent private placements, Saga Pure is well positioned for pursuing new possibilities for our green and sustainable investment strategy," Simonsen concludes.

Saga Pure will host an investor presentation 10 May at 10:00 CET and the presentation can be followed live at www.saga-pure.com , or at https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20210510_3/

The presentation of the financial results for the first quarter 2021 and the Board of Directors report are enclosed.

For additional information, please contact:

Bjrn Simonsen, CEO, +47 97 17 98 21

Espen Lundaas, CFO, +47 92 43 14 17

About Saga Pure ASA | www.saga-pure.com

Saga Pure ASA is an investment company focusing on opportunities within renewable energy, hydrogen, circular economy and CO2-reduction.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/saga-pure-asa/r/saga-pure--first-quarter-2021-financial-results,c3343545

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Public/20232/3343545/9f0a742792f9eab9.pdf SAGA OSE Notification Q1 2021 https://mb.cision.com/Public/20232/3343545/a5865c2c686ae040.pdf SAGA Q1 2021 Report https://mb.cision.com/Public/20232/3343545/9fbc2e313412a32b.pdf SAGA Q1 2021 Presentation

SOURCE Saga Pure ASA
Tel Aviv, May 9 : The Israeli army struck a Hamas military post in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Sunday in retaliation against a rocket attack.

"Terrorists in Gaza fired a rocket toward Israel earlier tonight. In response, our aircraft just struck a Hamas military post in southern Gaza. Terror has consequences," ," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Twitter, DPA news agency reported.

Israel reinforced a blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2007 together with Egypt, both countries justifying the measure with security concerns.

Around 2 million people live in the Gaza Strip in dire conditions. The ruling Hamas are classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and the European Union.

The latest exchange of fire followed unrest in Jerusalem on Friday night, during which dozens of Israelis and Palestinians were injured.

Police said there were clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the Old City on the holy site know to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as al-Harem al-Sharif.

Stones and fireworks were thrown at officers, who then took action against rioters, police said.

Israeli media reported some 200 Palestinians and 17 Israeli police officers were injured.

Thousands of Muslim worshippers had earlier gathered for prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Since the start of Ramadan and the delay of Palestinian parliamentary elections, tensions and violence have repeatedly erupted in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.

Fridays and daily prayer times are particularly rife for violent clashes, especially at the gates of the Old City and the entrances to the Temple Mount, or the Noble Sanctuary.
Washington, May 9 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that some US actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based world order.

"I know that some of our actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based order and led others to question whether we are still committed to it," Blinken made the remarks at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Multilateralism, Xinhua reported.

During the administration of former US President Donald Trump, the US announced its exit from some international agreements, such as its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 between Iran and six major countries.

The US decided to quit the Paris Agreement in June 2017 and formally withdrew from the climate change deal on November 4, 2020, making it the only nation among nearly 200 signatories that has abandoned this global agenda on combating climate change.
Kabul, May 9 : The toll death in the explosion that took place here on Saturday near a school has risen to 33, officials said.

Besides, 55 others who sustained injuries were taken to different hospitals, according to Afghanistan's Interior Ministry's spokesman Tariq Arian, DPA news agency reported.

Arian said that casualties -- all of whom were civilians, most of them young girls -- were likely to rise.

He confirmed that an explosion occurred at 4.27 p.m. near a school in Dasht-e-Barchi, a Shia-Hazara-populated area of the Afghan capital.

Arian said the area has been cordoned off by police, without giving further details.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.

There was conflicting information about the possible cause, with some local media outlets initially reporting three blasts caused by rockets, while other reports suggested the explosion was caused by a car bomb.

Images on television showed backpacks strewn on the ground, bloodstained schoolbooks and people searching desperately for relatives.

Emergency, a non-governmental organisation, tweeted that one person who died and 26 people who were injured had been brought to a hospital that it runs in Kabul.

It said the victims were almost all girls between the ages of 12 and 20.

There were fears that the death toll could rise further. Journalist Bilal Sarwari tweeted that at least 53 people had been killed and more than 150 were injured.

After the incident, many took to social media to condemn the killing of the civilians.

No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion as of yet.

Both the Taliban and Islamic State militant groups are active in Afghanistan.

The Taliban denied that it was involved. However, an Interior Ministry spokesperson tweeted that the Taliban was undoubtedly behind the attack.

President Ashraf Ghani also blamed the Taliban. The group had again showed that it was not only unwilling to resolve the crisis peacefully but would rather sabotage the peace process, a statement from the presidential palace said.

The Afghan government has been in peace talks with the Taliban since September of last year, but these have stalled.

US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson called the attack "abhorrent" in a tweet.

He called the attack "unforgivable" and "an assault on Afghanistan's future." His comments were echoed by the US State Department, which condemned the "barbarous attack," in a statement.

"We call for an immediate end to violence and the senseless targeting of innocent civilians," it said.

"We will continue to support and partner with the people of Afghanistan, who are determined to see to it that the gains of the past two decades aren't erased." There have been growing concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan since May 1, the date that international troops officially began their withdrawal. The process is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.

Many see this time as a test as to whether Afghan security forces, trained by US and NATO troops, are able to protect the government and provide security.
Chennai, May 9 : The perception that the way to political power in Tamil Nadu is through Kollywood does not hold good anymore given the humiliating defeat of the parties floated by heroes Kamal Haasan and Vijayakanth in the 2021 assembly polls, said political analysts.

In the polls, Kamal Haasan's party was not able to win any seat.

Kamal Haasan, touted as the Chief Ministerial candidate, was defeated by BJP candidate Vanathi Srinivasan in Coimbatore (South) constituency.

Similar was the case with DMDK floated by another actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth.

While Vijayakanth was not able to contest due to his health condition, his wife and party Treasurer Premalatha lost badly in Virudhachalam seat.

Interestingly, he won from that seat when he made the electoral debut several years back.

"There is no space for a new party floated by a movie hero now. The first two slots are occupied by the DMK and the AIADMK. The third slot is occupied by Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) floated by movie director turned politician Seeman," political analysts Priyan and Raveendhran Dhuraiswamy told IANS.

"When AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and DMK President and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi were alive, Vijayakanth came as the third alternative. Seeman and Kamal Haasan came as the third alternative after the death of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi," Dhuraiswamy said.

The analysts were of the unanimous view that Kamal Haasan by aligning with small parties like All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) floated by movie hero R. Sarathkumar and a small party IJK blundered his chance to position himself as the third alternative for AIADMK and DMK.

The analysts said a third alternative party should go alone at the polls to grow and cited DMDK as an example that had notched up 10 per cent vote share at one point of time.

After DMDK aligned with AIADMK in 2011 and became the second largest party with 29 lawmakers, the partnership did not last long.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and in the 2016 assembly elections, DMDK aligned with a clutch of parties and began to go down.

In the recent assembly polls, DMDK partnered with the AMMK party and got a vote share of 0.43 per cent.

According to the analysts, the third place is now firmly occupied by Seeman. The NTK grew its vote share from about three per cent in 2019 Lok Sabha polls to about seven per cent in the assembly polls all by going it alone.

On the other hand, Kamal Haasan's party which got about four per cent vote share in the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 went down to about two per cent in the assembly polls.

"Kamal Haasan was a big brand but the party and its political strategists botched up that brand. From being a Chief Ministerial candidate, Kamal Haasan was reduced to a star campaigner in his Coimbatore (South) constituency," a political strategist told IANS.

Even MNM's former Vice President R. Mahendran in his resignation from the party post had said the party's poll strategy firm and Kamal Haasan's adivsor did not know or understand how to enhance "Brand Kamal".

Creating a positive perception and a strong political brand even for a mass hero-politician is not an easy job, said brand and perception strategists.

"When actors float a party, their on-screen popularity gives them a leg up. But portability of their movie image to real life politician is difficult," Harish Bijoor, brand expert and founder of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, had told IANS.

This is where perception positioning of politicians comes into play.

According to Bijoor, while branding a human being, the inherent qualities of that person should match with what is being portrayed. If there is a clash between the two images then distrust comes in, as brand is basically all about trust.

Mahendran in an interview after quitting MNM said after flying in a chartered plane and helicopter, Kamal Haasan boarding an autorickshaw did not sync at the ground level.

According to Priyan, post 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Kamal Haasan had two years to build his party in Tamil Nadu. Instead of travelling across the state and meeting the people he was seen busy with his movie and television programme shoots.

The MNM party was not seen taking up people's issues and carrying out protests.

"Being in the media and social media will not deliver votes. One has to be seen with the people at the ground level," analysts said.

"Kamal Haasan is no more a primary force in the Tamil Nadu politics but only a subordinate force. He can align with Congress and can become a MP or an MLA," Dhuraiswamy said.

"Even if actor Rajinikanth had contested then he would have got about 12 per cent vote share. Movie heroes are thinking that they can come to power like N.T. Rama Rao and M.G. Ramachandran (MGR, AIADMK founder). MGR was in politics for a very long time and became the Chief Minister several years after he had floated AIADMK," Priyan said.

The analysts were of the view that there is no space for another Tamil movie hero Vijay in Tamil Nadu's political arena.

Vijay might be nursing political ambitions but he had sent confusing signals in the past with his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others, analysts pointed out.

Analysts were of the view that actors can join a political party and can become an MP or an MLA.

But dreaming about becoming Chief Minister overnight by floating a political party can happen only in the dream or tinsel world.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, May 9 : The BJP has appointed two central observers for the election of the leader of party MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly.

By winning 77 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly in the recently concluded polls, the BJP has emerged as the main opposition party in the state.

In a statement on Saturday, the party said: "The Parliamentary Board of the BJP has appointed central observers for the election of the leader of the party MLAs in West Bengal assembly." Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and party National General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav have been appointed as the central Observers.

Earlier, the BJP had appointed Union Agriculture Minister Narednra Singh Tomar and party National General Secretary Arun Singh as central observers for Assam, while Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy, was appointed as the central observer for Tamil Nadu.

The decision to appoint central observers has been taken by the BJP's Parliamentary Board but the party has not called its meeting after the poll results.

The Parliamentary Board normally takes a call on key decisions like appointing central observers for conduction election of leader of MLAs or who will be the Chief Minister of a state where the party won the majority.
Heartland considers a guidance update appropriate given the uncertainty which remains as to New Zealands resilience to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the timing of the economic recovery. All financial results in this announcement are based on the unaudited financial statements of Heartland and its subsidiaries for the nine months to 31 March 2021 (YTD). Relative growth rates are annualised, and include the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates.

Financial update

Heartland has achieved a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $21.0 million for the three months ended 31 March 2021 (3Q2021), bringing YTD NPAT to $65.1 million (or $64.3 million on an underlying basis, excluding the impacts of one-offs as detailed in Heartlands announcement of its results for the six months to 31 December 2020 (1H2021)).

Underlying return on equity (ROE) was 11.9% (annualised YTD NPAT as a percentage of average equity), flat on 1H2021 underlying ROE.

Momentum in lending increased in 3Q2021, with gross finance receivables (including reverse mortgages) growing $158.6 million (13.7%), a significant uplift from $59.3 million (2.5%) in 1H2021, resulting in a YTD growth of $218.0 million (6.2%).

Growth was experienced in Motor, both New Zealand and Australian Reverse Mortgages and Business Intermediated. Current Home Loans pipeline momentum remains strong, with $580 million approved online and $30.3 million drawn down YTD. Heartland recently expanded its Home Loans offering with the provision of a Revolving Credit facility at New Zealands lowest rate.

Heartland maintained net interest margin (NIM) of 4.30% in the nine months to 31 March 2021, up 2 basis points on 1H2021.

The underlying cost to income (CTI) ratio for 3Q2021 was 44.1%, bringing the underlying YTD CTI ratio to 45.3% (1H2021: 45.9%). The reduction in the underlying CTI ratio during 3Q2021 demonstrates Heartlands continuous focus on creating end-to-end processing efficiencies through ongoing digitalisation.

Impairments continue to perform strongly with a YTD impairment expense ratio (annualised impairment expense as a percentage of average receivables) of 0.27% (1H2021: 0.19%). The increase is due to higher than usual repayments in 1H2021, combined with significantly stronger growth in receivables in 3Q2021 compared with 1H2021.

Please see the link below for details

Strong trend continues for Heartland Group performance: Guidance update

Source: Heartland Group Holdings Limited

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We live in an age where 'innocence is bliss' no more and the call for being discreet but decisive guides every step of the way. Discretion is a positive trait as it is meant to safeguard one's interest without hurting someone else's. It can be usefully exercised only by a person who was well informed, who had the ability to see things in a larger perspective, who could judge the relative importance of a thing or happening in a context, who understood the significance of a lawful silence and who tilted in favour of a humane course.

Let us examine these five traits. First, we are in the age of information whose mandate is that one had to be a well-informed person to make progress in any field. Being well informed means having the right information in time, having the information that made a difference between a 'decision' and a 'guess' and having a complete-looking information of relevance since 'knowledge comes in integral packages'. A teacher of children, for instance, has to have knowledge of child psychology and parental stress, besides the content of curriculum, to do well. He or she will then be able to discreetly handle a child -- discretion here will be a vital part of the judgemental call made by the teacher. Again, a person, more so a woman, who was aware of the law and order situation in an area would be able to exercise discretion about the mode and timing of movement. Discretion is the better part of valour in this setting.

Secondly, it is not uncommon to see people not being able to 'rise above the details' and look at a situation objectively 'from above' to appreciate what the given facts were leading to. Life is so much about whatever is happening in the immediate and the proximal that thoughts on its repercussions for the future were pushed back. Living life easy takes precedence over living it meaningfully and that puts discretion on a discount because the latter required nursing relationships with some sensitivity as a presage to discreet conduct. Further, working for material advancement has to be a major endeavour of human beings but tempering it with a spiritual understanding of life yielded an inner satisfaction that could only be felt not expressed in words so much -- the classical Hindu thought describing an honest effort to raise wealth as a 'dharma' of man says it all. Discretion gets built into the conduct and responses of a person of material success when the 'big picture' orientation of thought stays with him. The Bible's 'Man shall not live by bread alone' as opposed to Mary Antoniette famously saying, 'Let them eat cake if they have no bread' suggests, more than anything else, a complete spiritual disconnect of the French queen. Discretion is wisdom and wisdom comes from the awareness of the broader perspective of life.

Third, discretion is basically an outcome of the capacity of a person to judge the contextual importance of a happening or a piece of information -- and that too in an ongoing fashion because life does not stop at one event or a one-time revelation. The point is about grasping the relative significance of what was there in front of you. In my younger days in Intelligence Bureau, my senior who taught me what the profession was all about, would often counsel me 'to distinguish essentials from non-essentials' -- he was defining the basic meaning of Intelligence assessment and perhaps unknowingly rediscovering what Vilfredo Pareto, the Nineteenth century Italian social scientist had, laid down by way of Pareto's law. That law simply states that 'there are a significant few amongst the insignificant many' -- the ability to pick up the former from a mass of information is what was being emphasised by that senior. This, in turn, comes from the 'effectiveness of differentiation' that is achieved on the strength of work experience, knowledge of the world and familiarity with human psyche and behaviour -- all of this, in fact, becoming the hallmark of how discretion was built into a sound judgement. It is common to find people who can't distinguish macro from the micro, long range from the short term and at a finer level between the 'journey' and the 'destination'.

Fourthly, 'discreet silence' has generally been regarded a virtue so long as it was not meant to give somebody an advantage over the other, was used as a legitimate course to keep you out of the trouble spot of others and was not in violation of a legal obligation. Being discreet does not mean one would not be frank -- there is no compromise insofar as the expression of an honest opinion was concerned for that was an aspect of personal integrity. Maintaining confidentiality is good and it is a binding factor in many circumstances where non-disclosure is not a discretion but a compulsion. Any cognizable offence committed in the presence of a police officer, for instance, casts a legal duty on the latter to report it to the authorities. A citizen, on the other hand, may sometimes maintain a discreet silence out of an anxiety not to get caught in the harassment of a legal process -- and not for the reason of not helping the law.

Here it may be mentioned that the set of fundamental duties laid down in the Indian Constitution also rest on the citizen's patriotic sense and are not legally enforceable. Of course, one has to be an honest witness if approached by law to testify in any matter. Sometimes a person avoids intervening in a social situation out of discretion that tells him or her that silence was in the best interest of all concerned. Discreet silence here becomes a socio-cultural option and even a positive course of action if it is prompted by an innate wisdom about nature's larger scheme of things. Discretion has to be exercised always in favour of morality and not for a lesser objective. At the workplace, delegation of discretionary power is a sign of enlightened management that trusted employees with decision-making at their level for better efficiency and quicker delivery. In government functioning there is a lot of buck-passing, both up and down the hierarchy because of lack of willingness to exercise discretion and make a decision. Decision-making entails responsibility and many in the cosiness of a government employment would like to shun it.

The final paradigm of being discreet concerns the handling of human relationships -- it can be said that an option used in the interest of a humane cause will never go wrong. Even in business, and all business is human activity ultimately, discretion guides how a leader treats the colleagues and the subordinates. A successful leader has to have an idea of what an employee is as a person and an awareness of the role of emotions in shaping a response. Emotional intelligence has emerged as a key to the successful handling of the human resource and good leadership makes use of it to make that handling discreet and productive. Right use of discretion is a leadership trait and this comes in handy for the head of the family as well -- because family can be considered as the smallest organisational unit requiring good management. Discretion is a positive ingredient of informed decision-making that combines the personal integrity of the individual with his or her understanding of the immediate context as well as its long-term impact and humane implications. It is ultimately an index of wisdom and hence a forerunner of success.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
People line up to receive the Sinopharm vaccines at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, on the outskirts of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

A nurse shows a vial of the Sinopharm vaccine at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, on the outskirts of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Colombo, May 9 : Sri Lanka's Health Ministry has started administering the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine against Covid-19 to citizens, soon after the World Health Organization (WHO) approved it for emergency use worldwide.

The vaccines were administered on Saturday at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, in the outskirts of capital Colombo, an area which has reported a rising number of Covid-19 cases in recent days, reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking at the launch of the vaccination drive, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana thanked the Chinese government for sending the Sinopharm vaccines and said this would add to the efforts of the Sri Lankan government to inoculate at least 70 per cent of its population against the virus by the end of the year.

"Today is a very special day for the Panadura MoH office. We want to thank the Chinese government as well as the WHO for approving the Sinopharm under emergency use. Today we began administering the Sinopharm in the Panadura area and want to thank President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for approving to start this program from the Kalutara district," Jayasumana said.

State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control Sudharshani Fernandopulle, also said at the launch that with the WHO and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) approving the Sinopharm vaccine under emergency use in Sri Lanka, authorities will now look to get more vaccines from China to vaccinate the local population.

"Today we began administering the Sinopharm vaccine in the Panadura Health office for locals above the age of 30 years and below the age of 60 years. From tomorrow (Sunday) we will also identify the areas which have reported the highest number of Covid-19 patients in recent days and will begin to administer the Sinopharm vaccines in those areas as well," Fernandopulle said.

She said some of the areas worst affected by the virus were Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Matale, and authorities were making arrangements to vaccinate the people in these areas as soon as possible.

The Sinopharm vaccines arrived in Sri Lanka last month, under a special grant by the Chinese government to the Health Ministry.

Sri Lanka has so far reported 123,234 confirmed coronavirus cases and 786 deaths.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, May 9 : Many of the hospitals in Coimbatore are turning away patients with breathing difficulties as they are expecting a shortage of Oxygen even as these hospitals have beds with Oxygen supply at present.

A doctor with a leading hospital in Coimbatore while speaking to IANS said, "We are not admitting new patients as we fear that the Oxygen we have at present may not be sufficient for our existing patients. We are indeed facing a crisis and have to get a huge supply of oxygen and to add extra beds to tide over this." However, relatives of patients have found that there were ample beds with Oxygen available in these hospitals on Saturday night.

Ramanarayanan, brother of a patient who was turned away by a hospital in Coimbatore said that there are a good number of beds available but hospitals are turning away patients.

While speaking to IANS, Ramanarayanan who is working in a private foundry said, "My brother had breathing difficulties and when I brought him to the hospital, they told me that there are no beds. However I have a few friends who are in the medical profession who told me that there are enough beds available and the hospitals are trying not to provide admission to new patients to cater to the existing patients." As per the TNEGA website, beds are vacant at eight government hospitals in rural areas and at Periyanaickenpalayam, Mettur, Thondamuthur and Kottur.

Even as there are beds available as per the TNEGA website, the hospitals are not providing admission to Covid patients. When contacted by IANS, Sankaranarayanan, a senior health official with the Tamil Nadu government services said, "We will look into the matter and bring up a solution. Hospitals with available Oxygen beds have to admit patients and the government will take necessary action immediately."
London, May 9 : As counting of votes across Britain continued into this weekend, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ruling Conservative Party was given plenty of reasons to celebrate while the local elections led to a string of crucial losses for the country's main opposition Labour Party.

The Conservatives won a parliamentary by-election in the north England constituency of Hartlepool, taking the seat from Labour for the first time since 1974 when the constituency was created, reports Xinhua news agency.

Adding pains to Keir Starmer's Labour Party, its losses in local elections continued to mount as vote results were announced one after another.

Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that Britain's governing Conservatives have an obvious path to tightening their grip on power.

"The government's highly successful vaccination program, alongside the Conservatives' pragmatic acceptance of the need for large-scale state intervention in the economy, make Labour's current task all the more difficult," he said.

"Covid paused elections in the UK, but it clearly did not alter recent electoral trends that have been apparent since Brexit," he said.

"As elsewhere, voters have largely remained loyal to those who have governed during the pandemic. As a result, Johnson's Conservatives have done very well in England, making further inroads into traditional Labour territory.

"The big role of devolved governments in managing Covid has helped Labour to retain its dominance in Wales. The same is true of the SNP (Scottish National Party) in Scotland," he added, referring to the largest political party in Scotland.

Johnson responded to the party's successes, saying he would embark on a massive project of levelling up the country.

Meanwhile, Labour's shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said there will be a review of the party's policies in a bid to reconnect with voters.

He said in places like Hartlepool and its traditional heartlands people do not now see Labour as answering their concerns.

During the May 6 elections, more than 5,000 seats were up for grabs, with the mayor of London and 12 provincial mayors along with police and crime commissioners also being elected.

Meanwhile, people in Scotland and Wales will also decide the shape of their devolved parliaments, The blot on the electoral horizon for Johnson came in Scotland where Nicola Sturgeon's pro-independence SNP made three gains on the first day of vote counting, with both the Conservatives and Labour losing seats in the Scottish Parliament.

With counting continuing over the weekend, the results indicate the SNP will stay in power at Holyrood for a fourth term, with Saturday determining whether it will be with a sought-after overall majority.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper in London cited Johnson as saying he has made it clear he would reject calls for a second Scottish independence referendum.

Johnson said: "I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless." The newspaper said Johnson's comments set up a political battle over the future of Britain that will loom large for the rest of the year.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Male, May 9 : Two suspects have been arrested by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) in investigations into a terrorist attack last week that injured former President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, state media reported.

State-owned PSM News reported on Saturday that 21-year-old Mujaz Ahmed and 32-year-old Thahumeen Ahmed were arrested in connection to an attack that took place outside Nasheed's residence in Male on May 6, reports Xinhua news agency.

Nasheed was admitted to the ADK Hospital, where he underwent multiple life-saving surgeries.

Doctors said that ball bearings and shrapnel were lodged in Nasheed's body, injuring his ribs and organs.

The former leader has been placed in the intensive care unit and is currently in critical condition, according to the ADK Hospital.

According to the police, one of the suspects is the owner of a motorcycle that was planted with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and parked next to Nasheed's car.

Police said that the motorcycle had a fake number plate, but the registered owner was tracked down through investigations.

PSM News quoted Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaa who said that the IED was remotely controlled and more powerful than the explosives used in the Sultan Park bombing in capital Male in 2007 which injured 12 tourists.

Director General of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor was quoted as saying that the attack would have a long-term impact on the perception of the Maldives in the international community.

He also raised concerns about locals joining foreign terrorist groups.

Nasheed, 53, became the President in 2008 after winning the country's first multi-party elections.

He became Parliament Speaker, the second most powerful position in the country, after his party won the elections in April 2019.
Madrid, May 9 : Matteo Berrettini will take on Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open final on Sunday after overcoming Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the last four.

Eighth seed Berrettini, 25, has enjoyed a superb debut tournament in the Spanish capital, dropping just one set on his way to becoming the first Italian to make it to the Madrid Open final, DPA reports.

Berrettini, who won the Serbia Open last month, is just the third Italian ATP Masters 1000 finalist since the series was established in 1990, after Fabio Fognini and Jannik Sinner.

"It's a great, unbelievable feeling, especially coming from Monte Carlo where I wasn't feeling that good," Berrettini said in quotes reported by the ATP website.

"I won in Belgrade and now I'm in the final, so I'm really looking forward to playing against Sascha [Zverev]. I hope I enjoy it tomorrow the way I enjoyed tonight.

"I saw him [Zverev], he's playing really good. He's solid. He moves well. For his height, he's really good. He serves well. I mean, he's in the final. He beat Rafa [Nadal] and Dominic [Thiem], probably the best players on clay.

"It's going to be a challenging match, but I'm in the finals. I guess the best two guys are going to play each other." Berrettini returned supremely throughout Saturday's match, nullifying Ruud's usually potent serve, and believes his aggressive approach was key to victory.

"My serve is my weapon, but today I think I returned a lot and I put pressure on him," Berrettini said. "I was just playing more aggressive. He's kind of like me, he likes to run around the forehand and play with spin. But I guess today I was playing better than him.

"The other time he beat me, so it's always a great fight against him. He reached three semi-finals in a row so he was feeling confident. I guess that's why I'm maybe even more happy with my win today." In the earlier semi-final, Zverev followed up his famous win over home favourite and 20-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal in the previous round by defeating Dominic Thiem.

Austrian Thiem had won the last four meetings between the two, including in last year's Australian Open semi-final and the US Open decider, where he came from two sets down to win in an incredible fifth-set tie-break.

However, Zverev was not to be denied this time, a 6-3, 6-4 result keeping him on course for a repeat of his 2018 triumph at the event in the Spanish capital.
Baghdad, May 9 : The Iraqi government has decided to impose a 14-day quarantine on those evacuated from India to ensure that they were not infected with the new double mutant Covid19 variant identified in the South Asian country.

Ryadh Abdul-Amir, head of the Public Health Department in the Iraqi Health Ministry, told the media on Saturday that the first batch of evacuees would be quarantined in a hotel in eastern Baghdad and tested and monitored by medical teams for 14 days before leaving, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said the Health Ministry registered 82 cases among the first evacuees from India, all of whom did not show symptoms.

The announcement comes as the Iraqi authorities are evacuating hundreds of Iraqi citizens stranded in India after Iraqi Airways announced on April 27 that it had cancelled all direct flights to India.

Authorities confirmed that more emergency evacuation flights would be arranged by Iraqi Airways for the rest of the stranded citizens.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported 4,608 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, raising the total tally to 1,108,558.

It also reported 39 new fatalities, raising the death toll to 15,741, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed to 998,626.

A total of 9,639,337 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020.

Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in infections.

The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Khartoum, May 9 : President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi, also the current Chairperson of the African Union, presented a new initiative regarding the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile river.

The initiative was announced by Tshisekedi on Saturday during his talks with Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan in Khartoum, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The initiative is under study by the authorities concerned," Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi said after the talks, without giving further details.

"Sudan stands with Ethiopia's rights to develop its capabilities, benefit from the waters of the Blue Nile and develop its resources, without prejudice to the rights of others, especially the rights of Sudan and Egypt," Al-Mahdi noted.

"If the parties want to reap joint benefits from the dam project, there should be a legally binding agreement for all parties," she added.

Tshisekedi arrived in Khartoum earlier in the day for an official day-long visit.

From April 3- 5, as the rotating chair of the African Union, the DRC hosted the latest round of talks over the GERD with the participation of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.

Sudan proposed a mediation quartet of the UN, the European Union, the US and the African Union.

Ethiopia, however, announced its rejection to this formula.

In February, Ethiopia said it would carry on with the second-phase 13.5-billion-cubic-metre filling of the GERD in June.

The volume of the first-phase filling last year was 4.9 billion cubic metres.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have been in talks for years over the technical and legal issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD.

Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity from the dam project.

Both Egypt and Sudan, downstream Nile Basin countries that rely on the river for its freshwater, are concerned that the dam might affect their share of the water resources.
Tehran, May 9 : Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged the US to help revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), adding that the crisis was started by Washington with its withdrawal from the deal three years ago.

"As we try to revive JCPOA in Vienna, it's necessary to remember how it all started. Three years ago today, a disgraced buffoon violated U.S. obligations," Zarif tweeted on Saturday referring to the withdrawal by the previous US government under Donald Trump.

"Today, @POTUS (President Joe Biden) has to decide whether the US continues lawlessness or adheres to law. Onus is on the US, not Iran," Xinhua news agency quoted Zarif as further saying.

The US administration under former President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran.

In response, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019.

The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet in Vienna on April 6, aiming at getting the US to return to the deal, and Iran to resume full compliance with it.
New Delhi, May 9 : Even as another book 'Life in the Clock Tower Valley' emerges from Kashmir, its author, Shakoor Rather says that while many past books have shone a light on the conflict in Kashmir, his debut novel takes a different approach by depicting the life that the people live amidst the conflict.

Stressing that though the book highlights the uncertainty in the lives of people there, he says, " I have memories engraved in my head about the events unfolding in the lanes and historical places of downtown Srinagar where the book is based. Matador rides, searching up history, and listening to people about mundane incidents and anecdotes formed the foundation for the book." Adding that the Valley is a storyteller's abode, a place where he grew up listening to legends and stories from his early years, this Delhi-based journalist says that inspiration was always... just a block away. "As journalists, we are always reporting facts. There is no scope for putting your own opinions out there. Now, when you're from a place like Kashmir, there are so many stories to tell -- so I have always had many stories and observations in my head, throughout my life there. When I used to get some time off from my journalistic work, I would always pen down these stories and observations. Over time, these stories took the shape of a novel and I approached the publishers." Although he grew up in a rural setting, but the book, published by Speaking Tiger, is set in an urban one -- in downtown Srinagar. And in a way, the characters are also trying to reconcile with each other. "One incident that spurred an important chapter in the book involved overhearing a dejected passenger in a dilapidated matador, who lamented the loss of his cherished cow during a curfewed night in downtown Srinagar. I used it as a metaphor in the larger context of the situation in Kashmir." Adding that the late poet Agha Shahid Ali has played an instrumental role in inspiring a new generation of writers from Kashmir, someone whose poetry comprises a brilliant combination of aesthetic and political, he adds, "It generates a new paradigm in the tension between the personal and the historical which has resonated with the new generation here. In fact, many authors have used the phrases in his poetry as the title name of their books. The biggest challenge while writing a book is translating your thoughts into a non-native language. As Joseph Conrad said, 'a writer has to wrestle painfully with language which they feel they do not possess'. However, Kashmir writers have effectively used the language to tell their stories." Admitting that as a writer, one cannot look away from the 'conflict' of a place and the haunting grimness on the faces of its people, but being too focused on the outward, one can also make one easily lose touch with the inward. "Due to this, we create for ourselves a metaphorical distortion. More people from Kashmir need to tell their own stories. People on the outside need to know the vast difference between the ground realities and what is being portrayed on the screen of their televisions." Rather feels that the way people view Kashmir through the lens of the media must change. "The Kashmiri society is like a meta-text in which diverse territorial issues intricately inform the production as well as falsification of meanings. I think Kashmiris are finding their voice, not only because they believe their stories will be heard, but also by the fact that their stories have been muffled in other media." Although the book was in the writer's imagination since his university days in Kashmir, the actual writing happened during his time in Delhi. "Writing it helped me escape the monotony of everyday life. It took me over two years to write the first draft and then another year to fix the nuts and bolts of the manuscript. I had to drawer it for another year or so. Then I pulled it out again and fiddled with it for a few more months until I was sure it was shaped in the way I wanted it to." Now wanting to work with Valley's rural setting as he feels that remains untapped, Rather says, "Of course, it will take time to pen down those thoughts and channelise them into a concrete shape."
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Srinagar, May 9 : A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper died of cardiac arrest on Sunday while on duty in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district.

Police said constable Muheet Kumar of 35 CRPF battalion died reportedly of cardiac arrest while on duty in Humhama area.

"The body would be returned to CRPF authorities after completion of Medico-legal formalities," police said.
Hyderabad, May 9 : It was a development that took everybody by surprise but the subsequent happenings left no one in doubt that every move by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was well calculated to nip in the bud any possible rebellion or challenge to his authority.

Minutes after polling came to an end in nine urban local bodies on April 30, there was 'breaking news' on some TV channels that a group of farmers from Medak district complained to the chief minister that their assigned lands were grabbed by Health Minister Eatala Rajender for his poultry business.

Within a couple of hours, a statement was released from the chief minister's office that he has asked the chief secretary and also vigilance DGP to probe the allegations.

This triggered a series of fast-paced developments and all this happened when the state was in the grip of Covid surge with the minister busy holding meetings with officials to review the situation and announce new measures to check the spread. The chief minister himself was recovering from Covid at his farmhouse.

The next day saw teams of revenue and vigilance officials descending on Achampet and Hakimpet villages to conduct the investigation, survey the lands of Jamuna Hatcheries owned by the minister's family, lands of complainants and record their statements.

Medak district collector, who conducted the preliminary investigation, declared that 66 acres of assigned lands were encroached.

KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, lost no time in stripping Eatala of health ministry. He took over the key portfolio. The next day, KCR dropped Eatala from council of ministers.

Even as the investigations were on against Rajender over allegations of encroaching farmers' land, KCR formed a committee comprising four IAS officers to investigate encroachments and illegal transactions of Sri Sita Rama Swamy temple land at Devarayamjal village in Shamirpet near Hyderabad. Rajender and his followers allegedly encroached 1,521 acres in the village. The lands are estimated to be valued at Rs 1,000 crore as per the market price.

For many leaders in Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) sacking of Eatala was not an unexpected move. A cold war between them was going on for last couple of years and KCR was waiting for the right time to strike.

KCR, who has vice-like grip both over the government and the party, did not act against Rajender due to series of elections. Political analysts say he did not want to give an opportunity to opposition to slam the government over allegations of corrupt. As no elections were due in the state after April 30 polls to nine urban local bodies, KCR acted swiftly.

Eatala, one of the founding members of TRS and backward class leader from Karimnagar district, was seen to be emerging as a challenge to KCR's authority in the party when he took potshots at him on few occasions. "The minister's post is not anybody's pittance. We are the owners of TRS who have carried the party flag," he had said at one party meeting At another occasion, he remarked that he reached the position not because of his caste but by his sheer hard work. "I am not here because I am somebody's son," Eatala remarked in what was believed to be an attack on KCR's son and minister K. T. Rama Rao.

Though considered a low-profile and soft-spoken leader, Eatala came to be seen as a challenge to KCR's leadership.

There were speculations that Eatala may quit TRS and float a new regional party or join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been trying to emerge as an alternative to TRS. He, however, had denied any such move.

Political analysts say KCR anticipated problems for the party from Eatala. The TRS chief struck before Eatala could strengthen himself and wean away some dissenting leaders within the party.

Though Eatala has not yet announced his future course of action, his counter attack on KCR left nobody in doubt that he is keen to take on the TRS chief.

It is in this context that former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy's meeting with Eatala on Thursday assumed significance.

Reddy, who recently hinted at floating a new regional party with an aim to defeat TRS in the 2023 Assembly elections, said he met Rajender to show solidarity with him.

Reddy, who had quit the Congress in March, recently hinted at bringing together leaders of various smaller parties and even those TRS leaders who are unhappy with KCR to form an alternative.

Reddy, who was with the TRS before switching loyalties to the Congress, has already stated that both the Congress and the BJP can't be an alternative to the TRS.

An entrepreneur and one of the richest politicians in the country, Reddy has started consultations with leaders from various political parties on his plans to float a new political outfit. He had also made efforts to reach out to Eatala.

However, KCR apparently calculated all these risks and finally hit at him. "None would have expected KCR would order for action in to a matter where such a senior leader of the party is involved . And if the step has been taken, it suggests KCR is prepared to tackle the side-effects of this head-on," said political analyst Palwai Raghavendra Reddy.

The TRS chief weathered many a storms ever since he floated TRS in 2001 and every time he succeeded in isolating the dissidents and even showing them the door.

The thinking in TRS leadership is that Eatala will not be able to pose any major challenge even if he joins hands with opposition parties or float a new party with the likes of Vishweshwar Reddy.

Currently representing Huzurabad constituency in Assembly, Eatala is not considered to be a mass leader. TRS leaders believe that the given the seriousness of the allegations against him, Eatala may not be able to mount any challenge to the party.

However, Eatala is also waging a legal battle against KCR. He and his followers have already moved the court, challenging the government's action.

Denying any wrong doing, Eatala said no post was important for him than his self-respect. "You can harass me, file cases and get me arrested but there are courts," he said.

Rajender also got some relief when the Telangana high court directed the state government not to initiate any action based on the report of Medak district collector. It also asked the government to follow the due process of law.

Eatala episode also triggered an attack by the opposition parties on the TRS government.

Congress and BJP leaders alleged that KCR made the BC leader a scapegoat. They wanted to know why KCR took action only against Eatala and ignored other land-grabbing ministers, including his son K.T. Rama Rao and TRS MLAs.

BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar demanded a high-level probe by a sitting judge into the land grabbing and corruption charges against every minister.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Sanaa, May 9 : The Saudi-led coalition launched 15 airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi militia in and around the oil-rich province of Marib.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on 11 airstrikes hit targets on Saturday in the western Sirwah district, two in the northwestern Madghal district, and two in the southwestern Natie district, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a Yemeni government military source told Xinhua that the government army, with the assistance of the Saudi-led coalition warplanes, repelled attacks by the Houthi militia on several frontlines in the three districts on Saturday.

Dozens of the Houthi fighters were killed in the battles, while several government soldiers were wounded, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The Iran-backed Houthis began a major offensive against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government army to capture Marib in central Yemen, which hosts over 2 million internally displaced people.

The UN said agencies have warned that the assault on Marib could lead to a major humanitarian catastrophe.

On May 5, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said a recent negotiation between Yemen's warring sides and other relevant parties has failed to produce any agreement of cease-fire.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government.
Canberra, May 9 : Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday said that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Morrison said in a media interview that there is no "appetite" among Australians to re-open the country's borders to international travellers as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I don't see an appetite for that at the moment," he said.

"I think what we're seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic isn't going anywhere.

"All I know is once you let it (Covid-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. You've crossed that threshold," the Prime Minister added.

The government had previously said that the borders will re-open once the adult population has been vaccinated against the virus.

However, Morrison said that he could not guarantee that would be the case.

He said there was not yet "considerable clinical evidence that tells us transmission is preventable".

"I think Australians want to ensure that the way we're living at the moment is maintained." As of Sunday morning, there had been 2.63 million vaccines administered in Australia, while the overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 29,906 and 910, respectively.

The government initially planned to vaccinate the entire population by October but hopes were dashed after the early stages of the rollout were plagued by supply issues.

In the meantime, Morrison said the government was continuing to work on how vaccinated people could be given greater freedoms.

"The next big step that can be taken is that Australians who are vaccinated, based on clear evidence that this prevents transmissibility, are able to travel and return to Australia without having to hotel quarantine, and ideally we only have to engage in some sort of home quarantine of a less restrictive nature," he said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Lucknow, May 9 : The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to extend the lockdown till May 17 in the state to break the chain of coronavirus infections, the government said here on Sunday.

State Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal said it would be like a partial corona curfew. During this time all necessary services will continue as before.

In view of the fast spreading infections in the villages after the panchayat elections and the festival of Eid on May 14, the Yogi Adityanath government has extended the lockdown for a week, the official said.

In a review meeting with the Chief Minister, Team-9 decided to extend the lockdown till May 17 at 7 a.m. to break the chain of infections. All restrictions will remain in force as before. Essential services will continue to be exempted. Strict action will be taken against those who roam unnecessarily. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the objective of the corona curfew will only be successful if the protocols are strictly implemented.

Navneet Sehgal said, people themselves are not coming out of their homes. He said industrial and e-commerce activities will continue as before. Ration distribution and vaccination will also carry on. However, in containment zones, only door-to-door delivery will be allowed.

The UP government on April 29 had decided to enforce lockdown from 8 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. on Tuesday and then extended it for two more days till May. Then on May 5, the lockdown was extended till Monday (May 10) at 7 a.m. in the morning. Now it has again been extended till 7 a.m. on May 17.
Mumbai, May 9 : As they celebrate Mother's Day, Bollywood celebrities took to social media to share their feelings for their mothers.

Actress Soha Ali Khan posted a picture with her mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore and wrote: "Never taking a cuddle for granted again! Happy Mother's Day to my lovely Amman and to all the other fabulous mothers (including myself) who do the most important job in the world every single day #happymothersday.

Sharing a throwback picture with her mom, actress Madhuri Dixit Nene wrote: "I have learnt so much from aai & I continue to do so every single day #MothersDay." Actor Farhan Akhtar posted a picture of his mom and Zoya Akhtar and wrote: "Happy Mother's Day @irani.honey." Posting a picture with her mom, Babita, and sister Kareena Kapoor Khan, actress Karisma Kapoor wrote: "The strongest mama's I know ..Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mother's out there Avirtual hugs #mothersday #momsarethebest #happymothersday #momlove #salutetomomsallover." Actress Preity Zinta also posted a picture with her mom and wrote: "Happiness is seeing your mother smile Happy Mother's Day to meri ma & the center of my universe. Thank you for being my moral compass, my strength & all things nice inside of me. Love you to the moon & back #Happymothersday #MeriMa #MothersDay #Throwback #Ting."
Amaravati, May 9 : Amid rising Covid cases, and dwindling vaccine supplies, Andhra Pradesh has received a much needed replenishment of its fast dwindling vaccine stocks. State government officials confirmed the arrival of 3.6 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine, by air, on Sunday.

According to officials of Vijayawada airport, 30 cases containing 36,000 vials of corona vaccine arrived here in the morning.

The airport director of Vijayawada tweeted: "30 cases of Corona Vaccine, containing 36,000 Vials (3,60,000 doses), weighing approx 950 kg arrived at 0825 hrs by AI 459 from Delhi today at Vijayawada Airport. The vaccines are received by state Govt officials." State government officials said that the fresh supplies of Covishield vaccine produced by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, were shifted from the airport to the state vaccine centre at Gannavaram.

The vaccines will be transported to the districts as per the instructions of the health department.

While large crowds thronged vaccine centres across the state on Saturday, the shortage of vaccines, forced the state government to prioritise vaccination for people awaiting the second dose.

The state government has put on hold, for the time being, plans to vaccinate people in the below 45-years age group.
Washington, May 9 : In an address to the Indian diaspora in the US, Vice President Kamala Harris lamented over the deteriorating Covidd-19 situation India, saying it was "nothing short of heartbreaking".

"Generations of my family come from India. My mother (Shyamala Gopalan) was born and raised in India. And I have family members who live in India today. The welfare of India is critically important to the US," Harris said in her pre-recorded message played at a diaspora event hosted by the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) on Friday.

"The surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths in India is nothing short of heartbreaking. To those of you who have lost loved ones, I send my deepest condolences. As soon as the dire nature of the situation became apparent, our administration took action.

"On Monday, April 26, President Joe Biden spoke with the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to offer our support. By Friday, April 30, US military members and civilians were delivering relief on the ground.

"Already, we have delivered refillable oxygen cylinders, with more to come. We have delivered oxygen concentrators, with more to come. We have delivered N95 masks, and have more ready to send. We have delivered doses of Remdesivir to treat Covid patients.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, when our hospital beds were stretched, India sent assistance. And today, we are determined to help India in its hour of need.

"We do this as friends of India, as members of the Asian Quad, and as part of the global community. I believe that if we continue to work together, across nations and sectors, we will all get through this," the Vice President added.

In her address, she also acknowledged diaspora groups like Indiaspora and the American India Foundation that "have built bridges between the US and India".

"And this past year, you have provided vital contributions to Covid-19 relief efforts." Harris' remarks come as India is battling the devastating second wave of the pandemic that have triggered record number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, leading to a shortage in oxygen supplies across the country, including in the national capital of New Delhi.

On Sunday, India reported 4,03,738 new cases, which took the overall tally to 2,22,96,414, the second highest in the world after the US.

Meanwhile, the country's death toll, currently the third largest after the us and Brazil, increased to 2,42,362.

Sunday's figure is the fifth highest since India crossed the four-lakh-mark of new Covid cases, while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the last 11 days.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Jerusalem, May 9 : Some 90 Palestinians were injured in the second night of the ongoing violent clashes with Israeli security forces in East Jerusalem, it was reported on Sunday.

Sixteen of them were taken to hospital, Israeli radio reported, citing Palestinian medics.

An Israeli police spokesman said on Sunday morning that confrontations took place on Saturday night at the Damascus Gate, one of the entrances to the Old City, and around the holy site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, reports dpa nws agency.

Several arrests were made, the spokesman added.

Near the Damascus Gate, Palestinian demonstrators threw stones, bottles and firecrackers at security forces, according to the police.

Police used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades, media reports said.

On Saturday, more than 90,000 devout Muslims had gathered in the Noble Sanctuary, where al-Aqsa Mosque is located, to pray on the last weekend before the fasting month of Ramadan ends.

The situation around the Old City and the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood had already escalated the previous night.

Afterwards, there was talk of more than 200 people being injured, and police spoke of almost 20 security forces who had been injured.

The situation in the West Bank and in the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem has been tense since the beginning of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Many Palestinians are angry because Israeli police had cordoned off areas of the Old City to prevent gatherings.

In addition, some Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah are facing eviction from their homes by Israeli authorities, further heightening tensions.

Police presence has been stepped up amid concerns about renewed violence on Israel's Jerusalem Day, which begins on Sunday evening.

Israel celebrates the conquest of the eastern half of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War on that day.

The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state of their own.
New Delhi, May 9 : Taking a step ahead of its mandated area to maintain law and order in the city, Delhi Police has come up with a unique initiative to start CoviVan helpline to help senior citizens in the neighbourhood amid Covid-19 crisis.

The initiative, however, has been started by south district police in a particular designated area that comes under the jurisdiction of Greater Kailash-I police station, the people have appreciated the efforts of the force.

South district police force has adopted the way through the CoviVan helpline (012- 26241077) to help the senior citizens in the posh neighbourhood as they are facing problems for household things and other essential work due to lockdown imposed in the city to check Covid surge.

After receiving any call for CoviVan through the helpline, deployed police officer in the van with beat officer of the concerned beat will visit to the house of the senior citizens and help them in getting essential item.

The police officers visiting the house of senior citizens will also help the old-aged people in purchasing of household things, medicines and other items which are essential for them.

The CoviVan also ensures vaccination to the senior citizens by taking them to nearby vaccination centres where they have booked through the CoWIN App or Aarogya Setu App.

"This vehicle has been donated for use during the pandemic by SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers)," Deputy Commissioner of Police South Atul Thakur said.

The information of commencement of CoviVan has been disseminated in the GK-1 area through beat officers and Resident Welfare Association (RWA), Thakur said.

"All the precautions apropos Covid-19 (sanitization, gloves, masks and social distancing) are being taken after every visit," said the official, adding the citizens of the area have greatly appreciated this step of Delhi Police.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Paris, May 9 : The US is joining the fight to eliminate terrorist and extremist content online, French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have announced.

The next so-called Christchurch Call Community for a leaders' summit, co-chaired by Macron and Ardern, will be held as a video conference on May 14 with the participation of the US, the two leaders said in a joint statement late Saturday.

"The US Government's support recognises the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to an issue that increasingly transcends borders, ideologies and nationalities, and the ability of any one group or country to address on their own," dpa news agency quoted Ardern as aying in the statement.

"It also recognises the importance of protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms online." "The pervasive threat of terrorist and hateful content online continues to contribute and fuel violent extremism and terrorist actions," Macron said.

"We believe the Call remains a cornerstone of our collective efforts against the presence online of such content." Macron and Ardern first held the summit, which brought in tech companies including Facebook, YouTube and Google, two years ago after a man broadcast the killings of 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch.

The shooter live-streamed the massacre for 17 minutes before Facebook removed the stream.

Clips then rapidly spread online.

France has suffered multiple terrorist attacks in recent years.
Paris, May 9 : A new conference addressing Europe's future will begin in the French city of Strasbourg on Sunday following months of preparation.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for a debate on reforming the European Union (EU), is due to give a speech at the opening of the event, reports dpa news agency.

The conference is due to run until spring 2022 and is to involve citizen dialogues, with the aid of a platform online.

Some 20 leaders throughout Europe, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, called on Europeans to get involved.

The pandemic has highlighted the "strengths of European integration, but also its weaknesses," Steinmeier said in his appeal.

"We need to talk about all of that," he added.

The event coincides with Europe Day, marked on May 9.

The conference was initially due to start one year ago, but was postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

EU institutions have also spent months debating the aims of the conference.
Mumbai, May 9 : As they celebrate Mother's Day, composer duo Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya are reminded of their song Chunar from the film ABCD 2, which was dedicated to mothers.

Talking about the song, that released five years ago, they say that it all originated from their desire to make a Garba song.

"Chunar is a very special song because we had first made it for Navratri. We were performing in Navratri and we thought of composing an original Garba. We composed this song in Gujarati and when we took narration from Remo sir for ABCD 2, he told us about the mother and son in it. We told him that we have a song made for Navaratri Mataji and we should see if it works in this context," say Sachin-Jigar.

The duo adds: "When Remo sir heard it, he had tears. It clearly worked for the mother and son situation. It is even more special because towards the end of the movie it is about Mother India. The song has its own journey of having these diverse references to mothers." The song has been penned by Mayur Puri and sung by Arijit Singh.

Sachin-Jigar are known for their songs in the films Badlapur, Meri Pyaari Bindu, ABCD 2, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Stree, Go Goa Gone and Roohi.
Photo taken on May 9, 2021 shows the books of students who were killed in a car bomb attack at the site of explosion in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Photo taken on May 9, 2021 shows the belongings of students who were killed in a car bomb attack at the site of an attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Kabul, May 9 : The death toll from a car bombing near a school in Kabul followed by two mine blasts has increased to 50, the Afghan Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

At least 100 more people were wounded in the bombing that took place on Saturday near a school in Dasht-e-Barchi, a Shia-Hazara-populated area of the Afghan capital, dpa news agency quoted Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian as saying.

Most of the victims were civilians, mainly students, who were leaving the school when the bombings took place.

The number of victims might still increase as ambulances were transferring wounded and dead people until late Saturday night, Arian added.

The bombing targeting students was widely condemned domestically and internationally.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The Taliban were quick to reject their involvement in the attack.

However, the government has blamed the militant group.

President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the attack and instructed the health officials to provide the best possible medical treatment for the wounded.
Chennai, May 9 : The fight for the top slot as opposition leader in Tamil Nadu continues unabated between former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and his Deputy, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) in the AIADMK.

While the supporters of EPS are pitching to make him the opposition leader as they argue that the party won maximum seats from his home turf of Salem where the party won 10 out of the 11 seats at stake. In western Tamil Nadu and northern Tamil Nadu also the writ of EPS ran across the constituencies. Moreover, EPS won his Edappadi seat with a margin of 93,802 votes over his DMK rival Sampath Kumar, which is the highest vote margin of an incumbent Chief minister in the history of Tamil Nadu elections.

While the AIADMK could win 32 of the 54 seats in Western Tamil Nadu, which is the bastion of EPS, in South Tamil Nadu which is considered the stronghold of OPS, the party could muster only 16 of the 60 seats. The AIADMK was strong in this area where the "Thevar" community of OPS was ruling the roost especially in Theni district- the home turf of OPS.

However in the 2021 assembly elections, the only AIADMK leader who was elected from Theni district was OPS from his traditional constituency of Bodinayakanur with a victory margin of 11,021 votes over his nearest DMK rival Thanga Tamil Selvan.

There was slogan shouting for both EPS and OPS during the party executive meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters on Friday. The OPS faction is of the feeling that the last minute reservation announced by EPS for the Vanniyar community resulted in the defeat of several AIADMK candidates from other communities in many parts of Tamil Nadu and the outgoing Chief minister has to be held responsible for that.

The Tamil Nadu assembly secretariat on Saturday announced the election date of the Speaker of the assembly on May 12. It is customary that the Speaker is to be led to the chair by the Chief minister and the leader of opposition. This means that the opposition leader has to be announced by May 11.

It also remains to be seen whether the BJP which had played a key role in bringing up a bonhomie between the two warring leaders will chip in with a compromise formula.
New Delhi, May 9 : Amid crisis for medical services and oxygen supply in Delhi's hospitals for over last three weeks, the city will remain under lockdown till next Monday (May 17) as part of measures to break the chain of corornavirus infections.

Lockdown was imposed in the national capital on April 20 with some restrictions and the extended lockdown was supposed to end on Monday morning (May 10 a.m.), but the state government decided to extend it for further one more week.

Announcing 'lockdown extension' through a digital press conference on Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Delhi had imposed lockdown on April 20 and has been extended again. With the support from people of Delhi cases have started to come down in the last few days and the positivity rate is also down to 23 per cent. However, we are not in a situation to give any relaxation in restrictions. I will request people of Delhi to continue to follow lockdown rules, otherwise, we will lose what we have gained (medical facilities) in the last few days." The Chief Minister said that the fresh round of lockdown will be more stringent than before. "To combat the spread of Covid we have decided to take some more stringent measures including shutting down metro services from Monday morning," he added.

The Chief Minister urged the people of Delhi not to let down their guard in the fight against Covid. "The positivity rate has gone down but still we can't afford leniency. We need to extend the lockdown," Kejriwal said.

While the positivity rate, which stood at 35 per cent in mid-April, has dropped to 23 per cent, doctors say even this is very high and there is a need to break the chain of transmission.

This would be the fourth week of the lockdown imposed as the Covid numbers in the national capital skyrocketed, bringing hospitals to their knees and pushing patients and doctors to look to social media for help amid a huge crisis of oxygen, beds and drugs.

"During the lockdown we utilised the time to enhance our healthcare infrastructure. The main issue in Delhi was oxygen shortage. With Centre's help, the condition is better now," the Chief Minister said.

Amid a bitter fight with the Centre over oxygen availability in the Delhi High Court, the Supreme Court, which had taken up the issue, ordered the formation of a 12-member National Task Force to assess availability and distribution of medical oxygen.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Damascus, May 9 : A fire erupted in a major oil refinery in war-torn Syria due to a leak, the country's state news agency SANA reported on Sunday.

The blaze took place at a distillation unit as a result of a pump leak in the Homs oil refinery in central Syria, dpa news agency quoted the SANA report as saying.

The agency carried images of smoke billowing from the facility as firefighters were trying to put out the blaze.

SANA, citing a local firefighting official, reported that the blaze was later brought under control without causing casualties.

"The cooling process is now under way. There are no casualties," chief of the Homs firefighting brigade, Hassan Amar, said.

Last month, a fire broke out on an oil tanker off the coastal city of Baniyas following a suspected drone attack.

Three Syrians died in that blaze, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor.

Syria has been roiled by a civil war for more than 10 years.

Russia and Iran back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has been supporting opposition forces since a pro-democracy uprising erupted against his rule in March 2011.
New York, May 9 : Men with a common form of hormone-sensitive hair loss are more prone to being hospitalised and at risk for ICU admission due to Covid-19, researchers have found.

Androgenetic alopecia is a condition of permanent hair loss from the scalp, causing baldness.

The study, led by researchers at US-based biotechnology company Applied Biology, found association between the androgen receptor (AR) gene and Covid-19.

Among men hospitalised with Covid, 79 per cent had androgenetic alopecia compared to 31-53 per cent that would be expected in a similar aged match population, the results showed.

The team found that androgenetic alopecia is controlled by variations in the AR gene, which affects how sensitive the body is to androgens (hormones such as testosterone).

In addition, an enzyme called TMPRSS2, which is key to Covid-19 infection, is also androgen sensitive and may be affected by variations in the AR gene.

They also identified a region located in the AR gene associated with both androgen sensitivity and androgenetic alopecia.

For the study, the team conducted a genetic analysis of 65 men hospitalised with Covid.

They found that men with certain structural differences in the AR gene were more likely to develop severe Covid, than others.

The differences "could be used as a biomarker to help identify male Covid-19 patients most at risk for ICU admissions", said Andy Goren, Chief Medical Officer, at Applied Biology.

"The identification of a biomarker connected with the androgen receptor is another piece of evidence highlighting the important role of androgens in Covid-19 disease severity," Goren added.

The findings were presented at the two-day EADV's 2021 Spring Symposium held online from May 6-7.

The research explores a promising new therapy for Covid-19 using a novel androgen receptor antagonist to regulate TMPRSS2 expression and possibly treat Covid-19 patients.

The results of this study were submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma to be new CM of Assam. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma to be new CM of Assam. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma to be new CM of Assam. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma to be new CM of Assam. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma to be new CM of Assam. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati, May 9 : The BJP's lead strategist in northeastern states and senior leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was on Sunday elected as the leader of the newly elected MLAs of the party, will take charge as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam on Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has returned to power in Assam for a second consecutive term after winning the recently held three-phase elections to the 126-member state Assembly.

BJP sources said that Sarma, who has already received the support of the two allies of "Mitrajot" -- Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), is scheduled to meet Governor Jagdish Mukhi at the Raj Bhavan here later in the day to stake his claim to form the new government.

Sarma, who was instrumental in the BJP's victory both in the recently-held Assembly elections and in the 2016 polls in Assam, will take oath as the Chief Minister at a ceremony.

The 52-years-old was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting held earlier in the day at the Assembly, where outgoing Chief Minister Sarbananada Sonowal and party's four central observers were present.

In his announcement, Union Agriculture Minister Narednra Singh Tomar said that Sonowal proposed Sarma's name as the leader of the BJP's legislature party and others supported it.

"Assam BJP president and Patacharkuchi MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass and newly-elected MLA Nandita Garlosa seconded Sonowal's proposal. As there was no other contender for the post of legislature party leader, Sarma was unanimously elected for the post," Tomar said.

Besides Tomar, the BJP's National General Secretary Arun Singh, General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh and party national Vice-President Baijayant Jay Panda also attended the meeting.

Immediately after his election, Sonowal, Tomar and other party leaders welcomed Sarma with the traditional Assamese 'Gamocha' (a white piece of cloth with a red border having a customary pattern).

Sarma, who was elected from the Jalukbari Assembly seat for the fifth time since 2001, was an important minister in the Sonowal government.

Sunday's meeting was held after the three rounds of talks at BJP president J.P. Nadda's residence in Delhi, where Sonowal, Sarma, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Santhosh were present.

The Delhi meetings lasted for more than four hours.

Sonowal, who belongs to Assam's indigenous Sonowal-Kachari tribes, and Sarma, an Assamese Brahmin who is the convenor of the anti-Congress North East Democratic Alliance, led the BJP in the recent three-phase March-April Assembly polls.

In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP won 60 seats while its alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) got nine seats and new ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) secured six.
Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family welfare, Ma Subramanian has said that there will be 12 more Covid care health centres in the state under Siddha stream.

The minister while addressing mediapersons after inaugurating a 240 bed Siddha hospital at Vyasarpadi, said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has suggested to open new Covid care centres under Siddha stream to reduce the stress on tertiary hospitals.

Subramanian said that the medicines given for treatment at Siddha centres are Kabasura Kudineer, Brahmananda Bhairavam Mathirai, Thalisadi Choornam and Karpuram Thailam. Minister said that "Sukku Kanji and other herbal food is given at the Siddha hospital at Vyasarpadi and Siddha yoga practices, Thirumoolar Pranayama and mental health support is also given".

The Tamil Nadu health minister said that more than 2,000 patients were benefited from the Siddha treatment and at present 1,400 professionals are involved in the treatment under Indian medicine practices.

Ma Subramanian said that Chief Minister Stalin has already held discussions with practitioners of Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The minister said that the chief minister will decide on how to utilise these medical professionals for Covid treatment.

Minister also said that the Covid patients with mild symptoms can use the facilities of Siddha and added that not all patients require Oxygen support.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has said that his government will be an inclusive one and a people's government. In a letter to the party cadres, he called upon them to work alongside the cadres of other political parties for the total development of the state.

He called upon the party cadres to forget on the bitter election campaign and asked them to be in unison with workers of other parties for the welfare of the people.

Stalin in his letter said, "This government will focus on the development of the state of Tamil Nadu on all fronts to fulfil the aspirations of the people who felt let down in the past ten years. Instead of cursing the darkness it will be better to light a lamp and instead of complaining about the summer let us prepare to welcome the spring." The statement of Stalin also seems to be a message to the leaders of other political parties including the opposition AIADMK and the BJP and he seems to be reaching out to other parties for the development of the state.

Stalin in his letter also mentioned to the cadres that he found the Chief minister's post as a responsibility rather than a position and said that he would sit on the chair of thrones bestowed upon him by the people's mandate.

In the letter the Chief minister said, "The testing times under which the DMK government has taken over the reins of Tamil Nadu is a challenge and we have to work and overcome that challenge and a growth phase has to be ushered in for the state." He also called upon the people of Tamil Nadu to give wholesome support in the fight against Covid.

C. Rajeev, Political analyst and Director, Centre for Policy and Development Studies, a think tank based out of Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "Stalin seems to be reaching out to other political parties and this is indeed a welcome sign. The new Chief minister has a lot of work to do and Tamil Nadu like the rest of the country is facing the Covid pandemic. Inclusiveness is good and hope that he will take this forward in the days to come for the total and wholesome development of Tamil Nadu."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : Retail digitisation company SnapBizz, Samhita-CGF's REVIVE Alliance, and Nielsen have come together to enable the digitisation of small kirana shops and other retailers to improve business outcomes and profitability.

The collaboration has kicked off with a pilot rollout poised for a scale up and is supported by philanthropic, development and corporate organisations, Nielsen, TRRAIN (Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India), the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), British High Commission, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said a statement.

The initiative targets small and local merchants in the lower income bracket, having a net income of Rs 20,000-25,000 a month, and aims to ease their access to working capital and supply chain challenges.

"SnapBizz, with a goal of digitising a million small merchants, will provide the digital solution for local merchants. Samhita-CGF, through the REVIVE Alliance, a blended finance platform supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), MSDF, Omidyar Network India, British High Commission and UNDP, will provide financial assistance, through Returnable Grants and incentives, for small kirana merchants to access the digital solution & training," it said.

Further, TRRAIN will support the initiative through self-help videos for merchants on modern retail practices. Nielsen will provide store acquisition and data evaluation support in the programme. Further, banks and SnapBizz are collaborating in the roll-out and subsidising the digital solution for the programme.

The solution will give comprehensive support to the merchants to manage their stores efficiently and effectively, help the store go online with their own storefront, give them access to suppliers of goods and working capital finance.

SnapBizz founder and CEO Prem Kumar said: "Many kiranas have gone digital in recent months and their stores have gone online by accepting online payments, ordering supplies online, managing inventory, etc. However, there are still millions of kiranas that continue to work without any digitisation or technological help which puts them at a huge disadvantage and hinders their growth tremendously." "Our collaboration with Samhita-CGF and national banks is to ensure that every kirana has a fighting chance to face the growing world of e-commerce and online marketing. We are privileged to have partnered with these organisetions as it brings us closer to our vision of driving inclusive growth and integrating small merchants with the larger ecosystem," he said.
Gurugram, May 9 : Amid a shortage of beds for Covid patients in Gurugram, real estate firm M3M Group has collaborated with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to set up a 150-bed Covid hospital in vacant flats at Sector 67.

Officials also said that under the initiative, both the M3M Group and IAF will provide food and medical as well as oxygen facilities to the Covid patients in Gurugram.

At the hospital, a mobile medical unit is also being made available for shifting any patient from the Covid-care centre to the facility.

The realty major also said that soon they will add an additional 250 beds to create a 400-bed lifeline for covid patients within a month.

Appreciating the effort, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg has appealed to other companies in the district to come forward and help the government in fighting the pandemic.

"As per the guidance of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and continuous support from Health Minister Anil Vij, this Centre has become functional now with 150 beds at our project OKR in sector 67 in Gurugram.

We thank the Indian Air Force for joining us with their expertise and necessary support for this initiative and I am grateful to Artemis hospital, Paras hospital and W-Pratiksha hospital for the required support. We thank all government departments in Gurugram for their support for making this functional", said Payal Kanodia, Trustee, M3M Foundation.

This Covid Care centre which will be run and managed by the IAF, is a part of M3M foundation's PAN India initiative "Kartavya" and where the foundation has already supported more than 1,00,000 people at the construction and migrant workers through their food security and other initiatives in the first phase.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : Former Rajya Sabha member and BJP candidate for the West Bengal Assembly polls, Swapan Dasgupta on Sunday lodged a formal police complaint against persecution of party workers in Tarakeswar constituency from where he contested the polls.

He also attached a list of 260 victims of political violence and said that the list is not exhaustive but should provide you with an adequate starting point for necessary action.

In a complaint lodged at Tarakeswar Police Station, Dasgupta said, "This is to bring to your attention the complete breakdown of law and order wherein the citizens of Tarakeswar have been subjected to continuous atrocities by certain individuals who enjoy the patronage of the Trinamool Congress post the declaration of results of West Bengal Legislative Assembly on 2 May 2021." In his written complaint, Dasgupta alleged that the houses and homes of BJP Karyakartas (workers) have been systematically targeted, looted and demolished.

"Several workers have been brutally attacked while others have been threatened with dire consequences. As a result hundreds of people have been rendered homeless and fled from Tarakeswar to save their lives," he complained.

He requested police to take urgent necessary action to ensure that all forms of political violence come to an immediate end, that those responsible for the same are prosecuted in accordance with the rule of law and those who have fled their homes are able to peacefully return to their homes.

After lodging the police complaint, Dasgupta tweeted, "Went to Tarakeshwar PS to register a formal complaint of the persecution of BJP workers. I included a list of 260 victims of the political violence (including those who are unable to return home). I think it was important to put it on record."
Kolkata, May 9 : China has started reaping rewards for backing the February 1 military takeover in Myammar.

The military regime-controlled Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) this week approved 15 projects, including a Chinese $2.5-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) power project, easily the biggest single investment since the new military takeover.

The MIC, headed by Lt General Moe Myint Tun, did not specify details of the mega project but IANS reliably learned from Myanmarese Planning Department sources that the LNG project approved on Friday is likely to be the Chinese-backed Mee Lin Gyaing power project in the country's Irrawaddy Delta.

The nature and cost revealed by Lt Gen Tun's office matches the Mee Lin Gyaing project first discussed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Myanmar in 2020.

At that time, Beijing and the National League for Democracy (NLD) government ousted by the February 1 coup signed a letter of intent to speed up implementation of the project under the countries' Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement.

At the time of the coup, the Mee Lin Gyaing project was one of two LNG projects awaiting official approval. The other is worth $2 billion.

The 1,390 MW Mee Lin Gyaing project is to be developed jointly by Yunnan Provincial Energy Investment Group Co Ltd, the UREC, Zhefu Holding Group Co Ltd, and thee Supreme Group. The project is expected to be complete in 2023; 35 per cent of the power produced will be distributed to Ayeyarwady Region, with the rest going to Yangon via the national grid.

Myanmar's Supreme Group's Deputy CEO U Htu Htu Aung told IANS that the joint venture company has been awaiting approval for the Mee Lin Gyaing project and is yet to be formally intimated . However, the company has picked up information about the project clearance, Aung said.

Asked about possible delays due to the aftershocks of the coup, Aung said: "It all depended on the foreign investor." "As a local company, we will not say that. It would depend on the main foreign investors," he said.

The MIC said 100 per cent power from these new approval LNG projects would be sold domestically, in pursuit of power self-reliance target set for 2030.

The MIC said that it has also approved new projects for livestock, manufacturing and other sectors, and increases in the capital of two existing projects.

The World Bank's latest forecast reveals that Myanmar's economy is on a nose dive projected to contract by 10 per cent this year due to the impact of the military takeover.

Recently, the United Nations Development Programme warned that all financial reports since the coup indicated Myanmar is approaching economic collapse.

The number of new registered companies declined nearly 87 per cent following the coup compared to the same period last year.
Chandigarh, May 9 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the total quota of oxygen to 300 metric tonnes (MT), and ensure urgent supplies of vaccine for the state, which has been facing shortage on both counts.

The Chief Minister raised these issues when Modi called him up to discuss the state's Covid-19 situation and the measures being taken to tackle the crisis.

The Prime Minister assured of all possible help, the Chief Minister said later, adding he hoped the Centre would take immediate steps to supplement the oxygen supplies, and ensure that vaccine doses were sent to Punjab on priority to help the state effective manage the situation triggered by the second wave of the pandemic.

On the vaccine front, Amarinder Singh told the Prime Minister that the state had so far been unable to initiate the Phase III vaccination process for 18-45 age group, which will now start in government hospitals on Monday following the delivery of 100,000 doses.

For the 45 plus age group, too, the vaccine doses were in short supply, and while 1.63 lakh doses were expected to come today, these were not enough to meet the state's requirement, he added.

The Chief Minister informed Modi that the state urgently required 300 MT of oxygen in view of the growing caseload of critically ill patients, many of whom were coming from other states, including Delhi-NCR.

The state has a high mortality count, and hospitalisation in Level II and III facilities (both government and private) has seen a sharp surge over the past three weeks, pushing up the oxygen demand.

From 197 MT on April 22, the demand had risen to 295.5 MT on May 8, he pointed out, adding that the shortage of tankers had made the situation worse and the Centre's support was needed to enhance the LMO quota and also supply more tankers to Punjab to enable it to cope with the crisis.

An official spokesperson later told the media that state Health Secretary Hussan Lal, in a letter to Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, had noted that while the state has taken several steps to ensure judicious use of oxygen by hospitals, in line with the advisory of the government of India, the growing demand for oxygen necessitated an increase in allocation to 300 MT.

Further, only four oxygen tankers have been allocated to Punjab, of which two are yet to be made functional. Since 40 per cent of the allocation (227 MT) is out of Bokaro (in Jharkhand) from where transport of oxygen takes three to five days, the Health Secretary has requested allocation of at least eight more tankers on an urgent basis, against the total demand for 20 tankers raised by the state.
Chennai, May 9 : IAS officer Gagan Singh Bedi has been appointed the new Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, replacing G. Prakash who has held the post since 2019.

Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, in order, said that Bedi, a 1993 batch officer, will replace Prakash.

Chennai is battling thee Covid pandemic and Bedi will have his job cut out to contain the virus from spreading as the city has become a hotspot.

A graduate engineer in electronics and electrical communication, Bedi joined the Indian Engineering Services in 1993 and was posted with the Indian Railways, and in the same year, he got into the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in the Tamil Nadu cadre.

Bedi is known as a no nonsense, honest and upright officer and has made his mark as Additional Collector, Cuddalore, Commissioner, Madurai Corporation and Collector of Kanyakumari and Cuddalore districts. He was also the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and was Secretary of Rural Development and Panchyat Raj department.

Presently, he was serving as the Principal Secretary, Agriculture. He has also served as the District Monitor officer of Covid-19 in Cuddalore.

As Collector of Cuddalore, he was hailed for his efforts in relief and rehabilitation work when the tsunami struck the district in 2004.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, May 9 : A video purportedly showing a Covid victim's body being dumped into the bank of Saura river in Bihar's Katihar district has gone viral on social media.

Katihar's District Magistrate Udayan Mishra has cross verified the video clip and found it to be true. The incident took place on May 7.

"Soon after we have learnt about the incident, an inquiry panel headed by city's Magistrate, SDO and SDPO of the area, was constituted who later visited the Bheria Rahika village on Sunday.

During investigation, it was found that the person died of Covid on May 6," Mishra told IANS.

"As per the statement of the deceased's brother, his kin did not have enough money to cremate the body. Moreover, the villagers told the family members that cremation of Covid victim could be a hazardous to health for others. Hence, they had dug an 8 feet deep pit in their own land to bury the body," Mishra said.

"After the patient had succumbed to Covid in Sadar hospital, the hospital administration then sent the body in an ambulance to the village on May 7.

The complainant of the incident was the driver of the ambulance. We had cross checked about the incident with the victims' family members. During the process of burial, some onlookers filmed it and made it viral on social networking platforms," Mishra said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : Hero MotoCorp has extended the shutdown at its manufacturing facilities across India, its Global Parts Centre (GPC) in Neemrana and its R&D facility, the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur by another week, till May 16.

In a statement, the company said that the decision has been taken in view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation across the country. This is also in keeping with its commitment to the safety and welfare of its people and to break the chain of the spread of Covid-19, it added.

"The company is continuously monitoring the situation and is ready with its business continuity plans to be able to quickly resume and scale up operations as and when the situation improves," it said.

Hero MotoCorp had halted the plant operations temporarily in a staggered manner for four days from April 22 to May 1, which was then extended till May 9.

All corporate offices of the company have already been in work-from-home (WFH) mode.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in his first cabinet meeting on Sunday, called upon ministers and officials to implement a strict lockdown in the state to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Stalin advised his cabinet colleagues to camp in the districts allotted to them and to ensure execution of strict lockdown. The cabinet resolved that unless strict lockdown is not implemented in the state from May 10 to May 24, the spread of the virus cannot be contained.

The Chief Minister also called upon the ministers to ensure that all patients arriving at district hospitals are treated without any delay. It was also decided to provide adequate food to healthcare workers and patients.

The cabinet also resolved to settle the shortage of oxygen which was plaguing the state government, ensure proper supply and to strictly monitor distribution so that there is no wastage of the gas. It also appealed to people to get vaccinated as early as possible and also resolved to spread awareness on vaccination.

To implement all Covid-related measures, the cabinet resolved to have a proper coordination of the departments concerned including health, revenue, police, urban and rural development. Stalin also directed all the ministers to ensure a coordination between various departments and to conduct review meetings for proper implementation of the government initiatives.

With the state government starting to sell Remdisivir to patients getting treated in private hospitals in Trichy, Salem, Madurai and Coimbatore, the cabinet resolved to monitor its sale as well as prevention of any black market sale of the drug.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, May 9 : Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) continued to pull out investments from the Indian equities during the first week of May.

During the trading sessions of May 3-7, FPIs pulled out net investments worth Rs 5,936 crore from equities.

The subdued investor sentiments come on the back of the deepened Covid crisis in the country.

The lockdowns and restrictions across states also have weakened the prospects of economic recovery, analysts said.

The selling in May continues after FPIs withdrew net investments of Rs 9,659 crore in April. The bearish trend last month came after incessant buying in the preceding six months.

The overall net investments by FPIs so far in 2021 stands at Rs 40,147 crore.
Mumbai, May 9 : Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif shared a special message for her mother on the occasion of Mother's Day.

Katrina took to Instagram to share a throwback childhood photograph of herself sitting on her mother's lap. She wrote: "I've often wondered how my mom is ALWAYS smiling (touchwood), now I understand it's because she has dedicated herself to a life of service and that is the greatest joy one can have. As the Dalai Lama says, if u are looking for inner peace, do something to help others. Happy Mother's Day mom." Earlier in the day, Katrina took to social media to pay tribute to mothers who are also frontline workers at a time when India is battling a deadly second wave of Covid-19.

On the work front, the release date for Katrina's "Sooryavanshi" has been postponed again. She will share the screen with Akshay Kumar in the big budget film. The actress also has "Bhoot Police" lined up, which also stars Siddhanth Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter. She will also be seen with Salman Khan in "Tiger 3".
New Delhi, May 9 : The BJP on Sunday demanded that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dismiss Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain from his cabinet and order a CBI inquiry to find out how he managed to get the over 600 oxygen cylinders.

Addressing a press conference, BJP's West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma said: "It is shocking that Delhi government is seizing oxygen cylinders of socio-religious organisations doing free distribution while its Minister is found hoarding 650 oxygen cylinders....

Verma also claimed that despite the Centre advisory to upgrade medical infrastructure in December 2020, the Kejriwal government didn't do anything.

"When the crisis increased and the Centre increased the city's oxygen quota, the Delhi government started looking for oxygen tankers on April 26 but by then all such tankers were hired by other states. Situation was such that the national capital had increased oxygen quota but patients were dying for oxygen as Delhi government had made no arrangement to lift its allocated quota," he alleged.

Verma held that the situation was so bad that the Union Home Secretary had written to the Chief Secretary and the High Court too reprimanded the Delhi Government.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that the Kejriwal government has totally failed the city in the fight against Covid and urged Lt Governor Anil Baijal to intervene and form an expert committee to ensure proper distribution of oxygen.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said: "A criminal case will be lodged against the Kejriwal government for failing Delhi in Covid-19 crisis despite having proper alerts from the Centre."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : The ESIC, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has installed oxygen generation plants at two hospitals in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

A 440 Litre Per Minute (LPM) capacity plant has been installed at the ESIC Hospital and Medical College in Haryana's Faridabad, while another plant of 220 LPM capacity was commissioned at ESIC Hospital in Jhilmil, New Delhi on Sunday.

The move will help these hospitals to augment the availability of their ICU and ventilator beds.

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian workers, is actively helping fight the battle against Covid-19 by quickly converting its 30 hospitals all over the country into dedicated Covid facilities.

These hospitals have around 4,200 beds, including 300 ICU beds and 250 ventilator beds. The facility has been made available to all citizens of the country. A dashboard has also been started to facilitate beneficiaries to know about availability of beds in these hospitals.

Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar has congratulated the doctors, nurses and para medical staff of ESIC Hospitals for achieving this feat. He has expressed hope that they will keep their morale high during this pandemic and keep serving the humanity with dedication.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : It is a dream come true for Himanta Biswa Sarma as the BJP on Sunday announced that he will be the next Assam Chief Minister.

The announcement was made by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after the legislature party meeting in Guwahati. Sarma will succeed his party colleague Sarbananda Sonowal.

The disgruntled Sarma, who had left the Congress to join the BJP, will be the 15th Chief Minister of Assam.

Sarma had quit the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the party in 2015. During the Congress regime in the state, Sarma held several portfolios, such as Agriculture, Planning & Development, Finance, Health, and Education.

Sources said that Sarma had dreamt of becoming the Chief Minister of the state.

Opposing Chief Minister Gogoi's leadership, he switched over to the BJP. Though he did not succeed in becoming the Chief Minister after the BJP's victory in the 2016 Assembly elections, but this time, considering his hard work in the 2021 Assembly polls, the party decided to give him the post, replacing outgoing Chief Minister Sonowal.

Chief Minister of BJP-ruled Manipur N. Biren Singh has also been in the Congress. Biren Singh became a minister in 2002 after winning the first Assembly election as a Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP) candidate. In 2007, he won on a Congress ticket and then became a minister in the government.

In October 2016, Singh resigned from the Manipur Assembly and the Congress to join the BJP, rebelling against the then Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

On March 15, 2017, he became the first Chief Minister of the BJP in Arunachal.

Pema Khandu, a 41-year-old Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, has also served in the Congress. Khandu, who started his career as the party's Tawang district President in 2010, won the unopposed Assembly elections in 2011 from his father's seat Mukto.

He was sworn in as Chief Minister on July 17, 2016 at the age of 37 in the Congress government.

However, on September 16, 2016, Khandu left the Congress with 43 MLAs of the party and joined the People's Party of Arunachal and formed a coalition government with the BJP.

When the People's Party started action against Khandu, on December 31, 2016, he joined the BJP along with 33 MLAs of the People's Party of Arunachal and formed the government.

In the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections held in 2019, his party won 41 of the 60 seats, to again became the Chief Minister.
Bengaluru, May 9 : Karnataka Forest Minister Arvind Limbavali on Sunday urged Bengaluru's 198 civic ward committees to contain the surging Covid cases.

"I request volunteers, NGOs, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and the public to join hands with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in curbing the virus spread," said Limbavali at the first virtual meeting of the committees on ward decentralised triage and emergency response here.

Bengaluru has been accounting for over 50 per cent of the Covid tally, including active cases and deaths since the infection broke out last year.

"The state government has formed the ward committees to contain the virus on the lines of Mumbai and Chennai where stringent local measures helped them to reduce new cases during the pandemic's second wave," said Limbavali, who has been made in-charge of the city in fighting Covid.

Noting that every patient who tested Covid positive need not be rushed to the hospital, he said only those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of the virus and don't have separate room to self-isolate at their home should be admitted into a Covid Care Centre (CCC) or stabilisation centre.

"Besides CCCs, triaging centres will be set up in all the civic wards to treat home-isolation patients in their respective areas. Decentralising zonal war rooms will help in addressing the needs of Covid patients at home and reduce cases," said Limbavali, who represents the city's Mahadevapura assembly seat.

State Revenue Secretary and BBMP's former Chief Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad directed the civic officials to set up ward control rooms and rope in even students as volunteers in containing the pandemic.

"The city civic body should also set up triage centres and micro-Covid Care Centres to respond quickly to the concerns of the patients," he said.

BBMP's nodal officers, doctors, medical staff, auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers will work at the 141 primary health centres across the city for testing and vaccination.

The state Health and Medical Education Department will appoint staff to run the triaging centres in all the civic wards on 24x7 basis.

"Covid patients at home will be provided isolation kit and those requiring better treatment will be admitted to CCS or state-run hospitals if their condition turns serious," added Prasad.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, zonal commissioners, zonal coordinators, joint commissioners, ward committee nodal officers, doctors and 400 civic officials attended the meeting.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guwahati, May 9 : In a major breakthrough, three rhino poachers and smugglers of rhino horns were arrested by the Assam police on Sunday from Karbi Anglong distrtict, officials said.

Assam police spokesman said that acting on a tip-off the police arrested Welson Teron, 34, Dereshang Rengma, 36 and Alo Rengma, 29 and recovered some sophisticated arms and ammunition from their possession.

While Welson and Dereshang are residents of Karbi Anglong and Alo is a resident of Nagaland's Dimapur.

Police recovered two AK-47 rifles, two loaded magazines, 30 rounds of live AK ammunition and other equipments from the custody of the rhino poachers.

Smugglers and poachers are poaching rhinos in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP & TR) and other national parks in Assam and selling their horns in international markets.After the government and the forest authorities have taken a series of steps including increasing the numbers of trained security personnel, the poaching activities drastically reduced over the years.

The KNP & TR, extending across Assam's Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Biswanath and Karbi Anglong districts and along the Arunachal border, is home to more than 2,400 one-horned Indian rhinos, approximately two third of the total world population.

Set up in 1908, the KNP & TR, one of India's seven UNESCO world heritage sites in the natural and environment category since 1985.Besides rhinos, the KNP & TR has 121 tigers, 1,089 elephants and huge numbers of Asiatic buffalo, swamp deer, wild boar, hog deer, porcupine and other endangered animals and snakes.

With an estimated rhinoceros population of 2,640, Assam has the largest number of Indian one-horned rhinos in the world.
Guwahati, May 9 : The BJP's lead strategist in northeastern states and senior leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had played significant role in forming saffron party led governments in three other northeastern states - Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal -- will take charge as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam on Monday.

Raj Bhavan officials said that Governor Jagdish Mukhi would administer the oath of office to the Chief Minister designate Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday noon at the famous Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

Different official sources said that besides Sarma, nine other ministers are likely to take oath on Monday.

According to the Raj Bhavan officials, Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar, outgoing Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and a host of central and state leaders, dignitaries and top officials would attend the swearing-in-ceremony.

The Opposition Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) conveyed their greetings to Sarma and hoped that Assam would become one of the most developed states of the country under his tenure.Congress turned BJP leader, Sarma, who fondly called "Mama" in Assam, after being elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party, said : "After India's independence, this is for the second time a BJP government has installed in Assam." The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has returned to power in Assam for a second consecutive term after winning the recently held three-phase elections to the 126-member state Assembly.

Sarma, who has already received the support of the two allies of "Mitrajot" -- Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), accompanied by other leaders including Sonowal met Governor Jagdish Mukhi at the Raj Bhavan in the afternoon and staked his claim to form the new government.

Sarma, who quit Congress in September 2015 after holding the ministerial posts in Chief Minister Tarun Gagoi led governments (2001-2016), was instrumental in the BJP's victory both in the recently-held Assembly elections and in the 2016 polls in Assam and played important role in forming BJP led governments in Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The 52-year-old was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting held earlier in the day at the state Assembly complex, where party's four central leaders and outgoing Chief Minister Sonowal were present.Before the BJP legislature party meeting Sonowal, 59, submitted his resignation to the Governor at the Raj Bhavan.

In his announcement after the legislature party meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Narednra Singh Tomar said that Sonowal proposed Sarma's name as the leader of the BJP's legislature party and others supported it.

"Assam BJP president and Patacharkuchi MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass and newly-elected MLA Nandita Garlosa seconded Sonowal's proposal. As there was no other contender for the post of legislature party leader, Sarma was unanimously elected for the post," Tomar said.

Besides Tomar, the BJP's National General Secretary Arun Singh, General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh and party national Vice-President Baijayant Jay Panda also attended the meeting.

Immediately after his election, Sonowal, Tomar and other party leaders welcomed Sarma with the traditional Assamese 'Gamocha' (a white piece of cloth with a red border having a customary pattern).

Sarma, who was elected from the Jalukbari Assembly seat for the fifth time since 2001, was an important minister holding many departments including Finance, Health, PWD, Education, in the Sonowal government.Sarma defeated his Congress opponent Romen Chandra Borthakur by a margin of 1,01,911 votes against his 2016 winning margin of 85, 935 votes.

Sunday's meeting was held after the three rounds of talks at BJP president J.P. Nadda's residence in Delhi, where Sonowal, Sarma, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Santhosh were present.The Delhi meetings lasted for more than four hours.

Sonowal, who belongs to Assam's indigenous Sonowal-Kachari tribes, and Sarma, an Assamese Brahmin who is the convenor of the anti-Congress North East Democratic Alliance, led the BJP in the recent three-phase March-April Assembly polls.

In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP won 60 seats while its alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) got nine seats and new ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) secured six.
New Delhi, May 9 : The Delhi government on Sunday ordered an inquiry into reports ofCovid-19 patients going missing from the Hindu Rao Hospital in north Delhi.

The direction came a day after 23 Covid patients were reported missing from North MCD-run Hindu Rao hospital between April 19 to May 6.

"Delhi government has ordered an inquiry into reports regarding 23 Covid-19 patients going missing from Hindu Rao Hospital and has instructed the Health Department to submit the report by Monday," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

The North MCD had on Saturday informed that 23 Covid patients left the hospital without informing the hospital authority. This is not the first time that the hospital has reported such an incident. Last year, five Covid patients were reported to have left without informing the hospital authority between June 27 to July 18.

Earlier on Sunday, AAP leader Durgesh Pathak alleged the BJP-run North MCD of making false claims of lodging complaints regarding the matter.

North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash had on Saturday said that in many cases, patients find better places for treatment and they leave the hospitals without informing.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bagalkot : , May 9 (IANS) Karnataka's Mines and Geology Minister Murgesh R. Nirani on Sunday said his non-profit foundation was supplying free oxygen to Covid patients at the taluk hospital in his Bilagi assembly segment in Bagalkot district.

"The MRN Foundation will supply free oxygen to Covid patients at Bilagi taluk hospital and provide succour to the people affected by the pandemic's fallout," said Nirani in a statement.

The taluk hospital has 50 oxygenated beds and three ventilators for treating severe patients in its intensive care unit (ICU).

Admitting that the exponential rise in Covid cases overwhelmed the public healthcare system in the state, he said the foundation would also supply oxygen free to patients in other hospitals across the district too.

"The foundation is using services of specialist doctors such as cardiologist Dayanand Yaligar to treat Covid patients and provide online consultancy to them to reduce the cases. Foundation's health officer V. Shivakumar will coordinate with doctors in the district hospitals," he said.

The foundation has also opened a 100-bed Covid Care Centre at Morarji Desai residential school in Bilagi to treat asymptomatic patients.

It is also operating free taxi and ambulance service to ferry Covid patients to the nearest designated hospital and drop those who recover from the infection at their home in the district.

The foundation has set up a 24x7 helpline to provide information on Covid treatment. It has also been distributing masks and sanitisers to frontline warriors and healthcare workers, police personnel and civic staff, added the statement.

The minister also urged people to follow the Covid guidelines and stay at home during the 14-day lockdown across the state from Monday up to May 24 morning.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday accused the Centre of seeking to "buid its image" on the international stage with vaccine exports, instead of saving those dying in the country due to Covid.

Claiming that since March, India has exported around 6.5 crore Indian-made vaccines to 93 nations, Sisodia, who is also nodal minister for Covid management in the national capital, said: "While the people of the country were dying, struggling for beds, oxygen and medicines across the country, especially during the second wave of Covid pandemic with more than one lakh people having died since March this year, the BJP-led Centre was busy in image development and exporting Indian-made vaccines to foreign countries." "Was it (export of vaccines) done just to improve the image of the Central government and earn accolades from some other countries? I request the Central government to vaccinate everyone in the country before exporting vaccines," the senior AAP leader said at a press conference here.

The mister stated that it is good to worry about the international community during the pandemic, but the countries like the US, Canada and in Europe are starting to arrange vaccines for their people first. Only France exported 1 lakh vaccines last month.

"The Centre has donated 6.6 crore since March. On April 22, when India had the world's highest number of 3.32 lakh cases, the Central government had also exported two lakh vaccines to Paraguay," Sisodia claimed.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kakinada, May 9 : Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on slammed Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly causing panic among the people by spreading rumours about the N449K virus and defaming the government which is busy in fighting the Covid pandemic.

Speaking to the media here, the Minister said that although scientists across the country have clarified that the N440K variant is not virulent as claimed, Chandrababu is in his own way creating panic among people and damaging the reputation of state.

Kannababu's tirade comes in the wake of constant attacks on the YSRCP government's alleged failure to tackle the covid situation in the state.

Speaking about vaccination, the Minister challenged the TDP chief to provide vaccines, as one of the manufacturers, Bharat Biotech belongs to one of his close aides, and the government is ready to pay Rs 1,600 crore.

He said that the state government had already announced free vaccinations for people between 18-45 years, where almost two crore people are estimated to be direct beneficiaries and thus decided to procure over 4 crore doses from vaccine manufacturers at an estimated expense of Rs 1,600 crore.

Kannababu clarified that the government had already approached vaccine companies to supply required doses to the State, but with the current production capacity it would take months to vaccinate all the people.

Reiterating that the state government is working with an aim to save every single life by fully equipping all the hospitals and Covid Care Centres across the state, the Minister asserted that Andhra Pradesh is the only state with the capacity to vaccinate over six lakh people in a single-day, and can therefore complete the entire vaccination process in just 40 days, but availability is the problem.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Reliance Foundation are among the largest donors as India Inc steps up relief efforts in the second wave of Covid hitting India.

RIL set up 1,875 hospital beds for free treatment of Covid patients in Jamnagar and Mumbai. The 100-bed facility at Seven Hills, Mumbai, was India's first dedicated Covid treatment facility set up in April 2020.

In addition, RIL created several quarantine and isolation facilities across Mumbai, Surat, Lodhivali and other sites. RFH set up an exclusive 10-bed dialysis centre at the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital, Mumbai.

RIL is producing and supplying 1,000 MT of oxygen free of cost, accounting for nearly 11 per cent of India's medical oxygen needs. Nearly one in 10 ICU patients in India are getting oxygen from Reliance.

RIL also converted facilities at Alok Inds to produce 1 lakh plus affordable PPE kits plus face masks per day to overcome import dependency.

The company has donated Rs 556 crore to PM Cares and other Funds.

Its Mission Anna Seva provided 5.5 crore plus meals -- cooked meals, ready-to-eat food packets, food coupons, dry ration kits -- across 80 districts, 18 states and one UT, and is set to supply additional 2 crore plus meals in May/June 2021.

RIL also distributed 81 lakh plus masks to frontline warriors and communities across 19 states and two UTs. Small multi-lingual booklets were also distributed to create awareness.

Reliance Foundation provided 5.5 lakh plus litres of free fuel to 14,000 plus notified ambulances and vehicles engaged in Covid-19 services across 249 districts in 18 states.

It also operates nine MMUs in Shahdol, Nagothane, Dahanu, Jhajjar and Ghazipur providing medical services.

Several other leading corporates have made significant contributions as part of India Inc's relief response. Wipro and Azim Premji Foundation committed Rs 1,125 crore, converted an IT Facility in Pune into a 450-bed intermediary care Covid Hospital and have given food support to 32 crore so far.

Infosys committed Rs 200 crore, 2.4 million meals to around 1 million people, mostly poor and migrant labour and distributed millions of masks and sanitisers for police, medical professionals, and volunteers.

Cipla committed Rs 25 crore, including Rs 9 crore to PM Cares Fund, supplied essentials, ration kits and meals to migrant workers. They served 1,44,000 meals to migrant workers and 1,32,700 masks, gloves etc distributed to more than 10,000 doctors and thousands of paramedical staff.

Mankind Pharma donated Rs 100 crore to support families of Covid warriors. This is in addition to already donated Rs 130 crore to PM Cares Fund.

Vedanta committed Rs 201 crore, with Rs 101 crore to PM Cares Fund, and remaining for welfare of frontline workers, daily wage earners, and employees of business partners. They launched 'Meals for All' scheme, distributing free meals to lakhs of daily wage workers, while dry ration kits werre given to thousands of daily wage workers, marginalised poor.

Tata Group committed Rs 1,500 crore and free distribution of 3.5 million masks and gloves. JSW Group committed Rs 500 crore to combat coronavirus.

Mahindra Group set up 17 kitchens at all its plants and distributed over 4.2 lakh meals across its plants to migrant labour. The Group started producing face masks, faceshields and aerosol boxes, for the first time, and distributed 4,00,000 faceshields across the country by December 2020.

ITC created a Covid Contigency Fund of Rs 215 crore, Adani Group pledged Rs 100 crore to PM Cares Fund, ONGC committed Rs 300 crore to PM Cares Fund as of April 1, 2020 plus, about Rs 16 crore contributed by its 31,100-strong workforce.

BPCL earmarked Rs 100.10 crore budget for Covid-19 relief efforts, the SBI pledged Rs 100 crore to PM Cares Fund contributed by its employees. In addition, it committed Rs 71 crore for tackling second wave Covid crisis.

ICICI Foundation committed Rs 100 crore to fight Covid-19 pandemic (Rs 80 crore to PM Cares Fund, and Rs 20 crore to state governments, hospitals, and police forces and also distributed 2.13 lakh surgical masks, over 40,000 N95 masks, 20,000 litres of sanitisers, and 16,000 gloves.

L&T donated Rs 150 crore to PM Cares Fund, HDFC Bank donated Rs 150 crore to PM Cares Fund, and Paytm committed a total of Rs 500 crore to PM Cares Fund by paying up to Rs 10 on every transactions made.

Walmart Foundation committed Rs 61 crore to support various NGOs involved in Covidrelief activities. Supplied 6,00,000 N95 masks and Walmart, Flipkart, PhonePe set up on-site vaccination clinics for associates and their households - covering more than two lakh people.

HUL earmarked Rs 100 crore in March 2020 and contributed 1 crore soaps, sanitisers etc to vulnerable communities.

Citigroup committed Rs 200 crore (for next three Fys), and Rs 75 crore for immediate Covid relief like oxygen supplies, protective equipment supplies, and testing equipments etc. Google donated relief fund of Rs 135 crore. Employees too pooled in Rs 3.7 cr for supporting high-risk, marginalised communities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, May 10 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday spoke to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and briefed him about the measures being taken by the state government to curb the pandemic.

According to a statement issued by the state government, Rao also offered suggestions to the Union Minister on certain measures to be taken to contain the Covid spread.

The CM also said that the fast spreaders of the virus should be identified and be administered the vaccine dose on priority.

He also told Vardhan that vaccine guidelines should be relaxed so that the cab drivers, autorickshaw drivers, conductors, boys supplying the LPG gas cylinders, and those workers who go to several places to do their daily jobs should be brought under a special category and be vaccinated.

The Centre should extend this facility to the states to help curtail the major spread of the virus.

The statement said that the Union Minister has responded positively to the CM's suggestions and assured to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the state government's statement, after the review meeting, Modi spoke to the Chief Minister over phone.

The Prime Minister said that Vardhan had briefed him about the suggestions made by the Telangana Chief Minister.

"Your suggestions are good and we will implement them. I thank you for the good suggestions," the statement issued by the state government quoted the Prime Minister as telling Rao.

The CM has also urged the Prime Minister to supply more oxygen and Remdesivir injections to the state.

Modi positively responded to the CM's request and also assured that immediate action would be taken on the requests, the statement said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
London, May 10 : Another 1,770 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,434,860, according to official figures released on Sunday.

The country also reported another two coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,605. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, Xinhua reported.

More than 35.3 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce that the next stage of lifting lockdown will go ahead as planned on May 17, according to British Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove.

Johnson will give the green light on Monday, allowing people to meet inside and for indoor hospitality to resume in just over a week's time, Gove told Sky News.

"Thanks to the success of the UK vaccination program and also the good sense of people across the UK we can progressively relax measures," he said.

"I anticipate that the prime minister tomorrow (Monday) will signal that we can enter the next stage of relaxation in England on May 17 and as the transport secretary indicated yesterday that means also that some of the rules on international travel are changing as well," he added.

The British government on Friday announced a "green list" of countries from which travellers are not required to quarantine upon return to England.

Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are among 12 countries and regions on the "green list" of travel destinations from May 17 for people in England.

Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The State of Viewership Q1 2021 Report was based on approximately 45.1 billion hours of TV consumption across millions of households in the US, UK, Germany, and Australia with household viewership data gathered using automatic content recognition (ACR) technology on opted-in smart TVs.In the US quarter-on-quarter, there was a 10% decline in the daily average number of TV-viewing US households consuming linear at the end of the first quarter of 2021, along with a 14% decline in total minutes viewed. The UK Germany, and Australia also saw declines quarter-on-quarter with Australia seeing a substantial 9.3% decline in linear reach, while the UK and Germany saw moderate declines of 1% and 3% respectively.Every month since November has progressively seen lower daily average US household tune-ins than the previous month. In November, about 56 million US households tuned in to linear TV each day on average, which dropped to 48 million in March. The number of minutes of TV consumed progressively dropped between November and February in the US but increased by 2% between February and March, potentially due to viewers tuning in for long periods during March Madness games.Dayparts in the US, Germany, and Australia saw quarterly declines based on both average daily viewership and minutes of TV consumed. The UK was the outlier this quarter, with the Daytime and overnight dayparts staying stable or increasing. The UKs unique position was also reflected in the number of linear TV advertising impressions, which were up between the hours of 19:00 and 05:00 (including prime time) for Q1 2021 compared with Q4 2020. The State of Viewership Q1 2021 Report also found that as many as 86% of networks in Australia declined based on households reached, 64% of networks in Germany, and 54% of networks in the UK. All five of Australias top networks tracked declines in reach, with the top network, Seven, declining by 7%. Germany and the UKs leading reaching networks (Das Erste and BBC One, respectively) tracked less substantial declines of 2% and 3% a piece. Among the three countries, the UK was the only which saw an increase in reach among any of its top networks. For example, ITV1 , the second most popular network, was up 3% quarter-on-quarter.
The success of US President Joe Biden's China policy will depend on whether the two powers can cooperate in producing global public goods, while competing in other areas. The US-China relationship is a cooperative rivalry, in which the terms of competition will require equal attention to both sides of the oxymoron. That will not be easy.
Mothers Day weekend is always a special time for us to celebrate and amplify the resilient women who did so much for us and asked for nothing in return. Its even more fitting, given that so many of our mothers sacrificed for our futures, that this is also graduation weekend at many schools.

I graduated on Mothers Day weekend, as did all three of my older siblings. And I remember my mothers face as we walked across that stage, the simple pride and contentment held in her smile because that diploma was as much a recognition of her hard work as it was ours.

That debt will never be repaid. Unfortunately, for most of us, its not the only debt thats owed.

Like so many others around the country, I was a first-generation college student and only a second-generation high school graduate. I represented not just myself, but my entire family, their hopes and their dreams. So completing my studies and earning that degree was the only option.

Unfortunately for myself and for all those like me, that option came at a high cost. Now lets be clear, I am incredibly thankful not only for my education but for the opportunities it has provided.

As an American with both undergraduate and graduate degrees, I am very much in the minority. Only about 13.1% of adults in America have an advanced degree (up from 8.6% in 2000) and that number is much smaller in my community. Roughly 26% of African Americans earn a bachelors degree and only 6.2% go on to earn a masters or higher.

Of course, as with many others, that education puts me in another group -- Americans with significant college debt and, as a professor once told me, Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them. According to Forbes, roughly 45 million Americans are struggling with student loan debt, totaling nearly $1.6 trillion collectively -- making it the highest debt category in America behind only mortgages. In other words, student loan debt accounts for more than both credit cards and auto loans.

More than one-third of Americans between 18 and 29 report that they have outstanding student debt, with more than one in five Americans between 30 and 44 reporting the same. And that debt is having serious economic consequences. For example, in 2019 the Wall Street Journal reported that homeownership rates in America dropped for the first time in two years. Why? Because younger people simply werent buying houses anymore.

In fact, the average age for first-time homebuyers right now is 47. In 1981, it was 31. Whats the chief reason for this change? The same thing thats keeping younger investors out of the market and making young entrepreneurs an endangered species: student debt. In other words, student debt is putting the brakes on the economy -- the whole economy -- making it one of the most consequential issues of our day.

In December, I wrote about young people coming out in large numbers on Election Day being a major factor in transforming former Vice President Joe Biden into President Joe Biden.

But I also made it clear that the outreach that helped create that turnout couldnt stop once the election was over. Now it is clear to me that, while outreach can and should come in many shapes and sizes, the best way to deliver on a real issue that has real consequences for these voters is to deliver on student loan forgiveness and free community college, as outlined in President Bidens address to Congress last month.

The numbers indicate strong support for this: 65% of likely voters support the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program while 67%, including 58% of Republicans, back some form of widespread student loan forgiveness.

Those numbers make it clear that you cant file this issue in the partisan politics folder to become part of the us-vs.-them narrative we hear so often. This is an American issue that impacts everyone. It affects our pocket books, it affects our children and it affects our jobs.

Thats why we cant just put on the agenda. We have to put it in the priority column. We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to each other. We owe it to our mothers.
It was after 1 a.m. when Mark Kelly approached the lectern to address a small crowd of cheering supporters in Tucson on Election Night 2020. The former astronaut and retired Navy captain had just toppled Sen. Martha McSally to flip a seat vital to Democrats efforts to wrest Senate control from Republicans. And for the first time in 70 years, the Democratic Party held both of Arizonas upper chamber seats.

In his remarks that night, Kelly invoked John McCains legacy and pledged to try to live up to his reputation as a maverick with a backbone of steel  a lawmaker who was willing to stand up to his partys leadership when he thought it was wrong.

Our state doesnt need a Democrat senator or a Republican senator, Kelly proclaimed. We need an Arizona senator. A senator like John McCain.

It was a familiar refrain. During his campaign, the challenger repeatedly cited the longtime lawmaker as his model, pledging to put partisan politics aside and work with political opponents to forge compromise. On McCains birthday in late August, Kelly tweeted a tribute, calling McCain tough, principled, and willing to work with anyone to get things done for Arizona.

So far, however, it has been the states other Democratic senator, Kyrsten Sinema, who has been willing to buck her partys leadership regarding some of its top priorities, including this years push to change or eliminate the filibuster, the procedural rule essentially requiring most legislation to receive 60 votes to pass the Senate.

This one-time Green Party member known for wearing a pink tutu to antiwar rallies has transformed herself into a pragmatic Democrat. It has been a news-making metamorphosis  much more in the mold of John McCain than Kelly in his first months in office  and one not appreciated by the Democratic Party faithful.

Party activists panned her performance in March when she mimicked McCains dramatic thumbs-down tie-breaking vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017. Her vote, complete with a curtsy on the Senate floor, was a resounding no on raising the federal minimum wage. While most Democrats insisted the measure would improve the lives of low-wage workers, Sinema sided with critics worried that it would harm small businesses struggling to regain their footing amid the pandemic.

Her opposition to a key Democratic priority took some political observers by surprise and signaled that she  along with Joe Manchin of West Virginia  could be unpredictable votes for their party, which holds a razor-thin margin in the chamber as it tries to push through President Bidens agenda. In order to pass a variety of liberal policies ranging from gun control bills and voting legislation to sweeping police reforms, Senate Democrats will need all their members to vote to modify or kill the filibuster.

At first, only the left wing wanted to nuke the filibuster. With such a limited ability to pass Bidens agenda, however, Democratic leaders jumped on board as Biden reversed decades of opposition to eliminating it. Now only Manchin and Sinema are standing in the way.

When you have a place thats broken and not working, and many would say thats the Senate today, I dont think the solution is to erode the rules, Sinema told the Wall Street Journal. I think the solution is for senators to change their behavior and begin to work together, which is what the country wants us to do.

While Sinema appears to be enjoying flexing her maverick muscles, Kelly has been hesitant, especially when it comes to the filibuster, which McCain always defended. Over the course of the campaign and in his first months in office, Kelly has refused to take a clear stand on the issue. Its not hard to see why: Hes in a tough spot politically. His win over McSally in a purple-trending state was only in a special election to fill out McCains term, so hell be on the ballot once again in 2022.

His equivocation was on display when pressed on the filibuster by the Arizona Republic.

Well, when we get to the point where were going to have, you know, a serious discussion about this, Ill make a decision based on whats in the best interest of Arizona and the country, he told reporters for his states largest newspaper.

Change is generally a good thing, but the details matter. So, I will make a decision, not whats in the best interest of the Democratic Party but whats in the best interest of Arizona, the country.

From last year to late March, Kelly has offered a string of similar evasions as several Democrats from bluer states openly campaigned to kill the 60-vote requirement for most bills.

McCain, however, never waffled in his view about modifying or abolishing the filibuster. Over the last decade, up until his death in 2018, he led the fight against changing or abolishing the procedure, arguing that to do so would permanently damage the Senate as an institution and the way the nations founders envisioned it as the more deliberative body.

As far back as 2005, McCain said he believed the Founding Fathers had designed the upper chamber with the purpose of protecting the rights of the minority. And in 2012, when then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, threatened to alter the filibuster, McCain issued several dire warnings about such a step.

What were talking about here is a fundamental change  in the way the United States Senate does business  which would make us no different than the House of Representatives, and of course would then erode dramatically the rights of the minority party and would reduce us, in many respects, to irrelevance, he told reporters at a press conference that year.

When Reid followed through anyway, changing the filibuster rules to eliminate the three-fifths vote hurdle for executive branch nominations and federal judicial appointments, McCain warned Democrats that this could come back to haunt them, as it has.

In such a divided state as Arizona, where Trump supporters are still trying to prove election fraud, Kelly doesnt want to get pinned down on the issue until forced to do so. He has watched as Sinema gets whipsawed from both sides. Every state Republican legislator recently sent her a letter urging her to resist Democratic pressure to weaken or abolish the filibuster, citing polling that most Americans dont support efforts to eliminate it. A recent headline over an Arizona Republic opinion piece labeled her a super villain for opposing its elimination while claiming to be in favor of broader voting rights legislation, which probably cannot pass the Senate unless the rule is jettisoned.

For now, Kelly continues to try to straddle the issue  aiming to avoid alienating either his Senate Democratic leadership or moderate Arizona voters who could take a dim view of a move that would essentially green-light the most liberal parts of Bidens agenda. Although this hedge may be smart politics for a freshman senator, it reminds no one in Arizona of the famous maverick whom Kelly pledged to emulate.
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URE satellite telecommand station automated Spain's national amateur radio society URE has announced their satellite ground station has been automated and is ready for the launch of GENESIS, EASAT-2 and Hades satellites A translation of the URE post says: The URE satellite monitoring and telecommand station, located at the Madrid headquarters, on Monte Igueldo street, has recently been completely automated, thanks to the efforts made in recent weeks.



These works, which began to be carried out before the confinements due to the pandemic, have consisted of the change of the lifting rotor, which due to its long time without maintenance had been unusable, the alignment of the antennas, both VHF and UHF, of circular polarization, the installation of a Linux computer, the configuration of the reception software with SDR and the emission software using Pluto hardware, acquired by URE, as well as the automation of the rotor control with the hardware provided by EA4TX (ARS).



This station will automatically record and analyze the telemetry of the twin GENESIS satellites, as well as EASAT-2 and Hades, all of them designed and built by AMSAT EA, as well as remote control in the event that actions are necessary on your computer from a on board, which, once in space, will be able to receive instructions from Earth to modify its operation, although the satellites themselves implement the intelligence necessary to adapt to adverse circumstances that may occur in space.



The GENESIS satellites should be launched soon, once Firefly, the American company that built the launch vehicle, completes the static tests of its Alpha rocket, which is already prepared at the Vanderberg space base in California. As for Hades and EASAT-2, both are currently at the Momentus space integrator facilities in Santa Clara, also in California, and it is expected that they can be launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket in late June from Cape Canaveral, once, overcome the problems of the Momentus company, which prevented its scheduled launch in January of this year.



Source URE The URE satellite monitoring and telecommand station, located at the Madrid headquarters, on Monte Igueldo street, has recently been completely automated, thanks to the efforts made in recent weeks.These works, which began to be carried out before the confinements due to the pandemic, have consisted of the change of the lifting rotor, which due to its long time without maintenance had been unusable, the alignment of the antennas, both VHF and UHF, of circular polarization, the installation of a Linux computer, the configuration of the reception software with SDR and the emission software using Pluto hardware, acquired by URE, as well as the automation of the rotor control with the hardware provided by EA4TX (ARS).This station will automatically record and analyze the telemetry of the twin GENESIS satellites, as well as EASAT-2 and Hades, all of them designed and built by AMSAT EA, as well as remote control in the event that actions are necessary on your computer from a on board, which, once in space, will be able to receive instructions from Earth to modify its operation, although the satellites themselves implement the intelligence necessary to adapt to adverse circumstances that may occur in space.The GENESIS satellites should be launched soon, once Firefly, the American company that built the launch vehicle, completes the static tests of its Alpha rocket, which is already prepared at the Vanderberg space base in California. As for Hades and EASAT-2, both are currently at the Momentus space integrator facilities in Santa Clara, also in California, and it is expected that they can be launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket in late June from Cape Canaveral, once, overcome the problems of the Momentus company, which prevented its scheduled launch in January of this year.Source URE https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Spain
General Assignment Reporter

Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden plans to create a universal pre-kindergarten program thats free for all three and four year olds. He also has proposed offering free community college for anyone who wants it.

The group that wont participate for free is states. Bidens plan to pay for these programs requires some state governments to shoulder roughly half the costs for their residents.

Connecticuts Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye estimated that the state will pay about $420 million annually to send 70,000 three and four-year olds to preschool for free, once Bidens program is fully phased in. According to the White House, the federal government will initially shoulder 90 percent of the cost, but over time the federal-state cost sharing will be equally divided.

Meanwhile, based on an analysis of the legislation behind Bidens proposal by New America and Connecticuts current community college for-credit enrollment, the state could pay about $65.4 million a year. The White House has said it will fund 75 percent of the average cost of community college in the U.S., while states will pick up the remaining quarter.

In states like Connecticut, where community college tuition is higher than the national average, states will pay whatever is needed to bring student tuition costs down to zero. That means Connecticut will pay $1,677 per community college student, per New America  or about 48 percent of the cost, while the feds chip in 52 percent.

In 13 states, the federal-state match rate would be one to one or the state would pay more, Carey found.

Biden has asked Congress for $309 billion to fund his proposals, but the federal-state partnerships that hes outlined will shift much of the bill to state coffers. Some wonder whether this model will create a patchwork system with free preschool and community college in some states but not in others, depending on who is willing and able to pay up.

The big question is how many states are going to participate, said Kevin Carey, vice president for education policy at New America. Im skeptical.

The White House does not have estimates for how much each state will pay under these proposals, an administration official said. Things could change as Congress finalizes the bill text and negotiates passage.

Max Reiss, communications director for Gov. Ned Lamont, said while the state did not have specifics on these free education proposals yet, Connecticut is generally supportive as were laying the foundation consistent with where the Biden administration is going to go. He added that the White House has collaborated clearly and consistently with governors on other recent partnerships.

Connecticut already makes investments to bring down the costs of child care and community college in the state. For community college, Connecticut already plans to pay $14 million next fiscal year for a last dollar program to help defray the cost of tuition for some students, said Ben Barnes, chief financial officer for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities. Bidens plan would require more than four times that spending.

On the child care side, Connecticut pays about $162.5 million a year to subsidize child costs for low-income families and improve the quality of child care centers and home-based care, Bye said. Also, local governments chip in about $200 million a year toward preschool in public schools. Connecticut would need to pay roughly $77.5 million more per year under Bidens plan, once it is fully phased in.

You get almost half way there with what is happening now, said Bye, referring to current state and local investments. Most states are not in this position.

Like the Affordable Care Act did for health insurance, Bidens education proposals will establish new state-federal partnerships to defray the cost of a service that politicians have decided is critical and worth societys investment.

There are 12 states that have still not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in a 100 to zero match for the first however many years and then long-term 90 to 10, Carey said. The best here is 75-25 or for low-income tuition states it would be better than 75-25. But if youre one of those 13 states where the match rate is essentially one to one or worse, are you going to do this? I dont know.

White House officials are hopeful that their vision for free universal preschool and community college will be fully realized through state and federal partnerships. One official noted there is often bipartisan support for these education initiatives at the state level. If a state opts out, the federal government could also work directly with a town or a community college to try to implement free programs.

Negotiating and implementing these proposals could take significant time, especially where unions are involved, said Bob Palaich of APA Consulting, who helps states design and evaluate education policy.

But in his joint address to Congress, Biden argued that public K-12 education is no longer enough in todays economy. Supporting quality early childhood education will set kids up for academic success and help more women participate in the workforce, he said.

The upside is the kids and their families absolutely need it, Palaich said. The thing that is most clear as a result of the pandemic, once you lock young families homes with their kids you also start losing a large percentage of your workforce mostly female.

On the other end, free community college is more likely to help low-income and minority students or those interested in vocational studies attain higher education.

Connecticut officials Bye and Barnes celebrated Bidens plans.

Currently, 14,000 three and four-year-olds in Connecticut  20 percent of all kids that age  receive preschool education subsidized by the state because of their low-income status, Bye said. About 18,800 kids attend in preschool in public schools.

The average cost of care at a Connecticut child care center for a toddler is $16,000, the White House said.

70 percent of parents are paying for preschool and child care all on their own right now, Bye said. Its a game changer for families and frankly to me, its a game changer for the quality of preschool if you put the focus on fully funding the full cost of quality... its been since [President Richard] Nixon that we had something like this on the table.

Connecticuts 12 community colleges have a nominal cost of tuition and fees of $4,476 per year for a full-time, for-credit student, Barnes said. Currently, the average cost per full-time student is about $2,400 per year, after financial aid is applied.

Some 38,978 students enrolled in for-credit courses, equating to 22,681 full-time equivalent students in the fall of 2020, Barnes said. Also, 22,028 students took what are known as non-credit courses, often the vocational and workforce training courses.

Federal financial aid does not apply to non-credit students currently; the legislation that Bidens community college proposal is modeled on does not extend free college to these students. But Bidens other workforce training proposals in his $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill could offer support to these students, a congressional aide suggested.

Were all very excited about it, said Barnes. We are in a great position to begin with... free for everybody, that would be a tremendous enhancement for us.

Biden has also issued other proposals to make child care and community college more affordable in his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan. He would increase the maximum Pell Grant size for low-income students by about $1,400. He would also provide two-years of subsidized tuition at historically black colleges and universities and minority serving institutions.

The White House said for the most hard-pressed working families, his plan would ensure child care costs for their young children would be fully covered and families earning 1.5 times their state median income will pay no more than 7 percent of their income for all children under age five.

emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
A year after an EF-5 tornado blew through Joplin, Mo., then-President Barack Obama came to deliver the commencement speech for Joplin High School graduates, class of 2012. That ill wind has killed 162 people and injured more than 1,000. The rubble had been cleared, but the scars remained.

Joplin was not  and still isnt  Obama country. It is solidly conservative, but people lined the highways to see the presidential motorcade pass.

When Obama took the stage at Missouri Southern State College, he told the graduates that the tornado had changed them, and that people will always remember how others responded after that wind blew their lives to smithereens.

Because theyre from Joplin, he said, they would always remember the kindness of strangers. Because theyre from Joplin, those students would go through their lives understanding that they possessed the ability to live through awful events, often with grace and often with humor.

I am from the Joplin area, and I can still work up tears reading the transcript of that speech. Ive been reading it as I think about this years college seniors.

On a recent morning, I met with one of those students over Zoom, a video conferencing platform Ive come to loathe. It was 9 a.m., and the student looked tired. I commented on his eyes being at half-mast, and he laughed and said he was just getting home from his job at a laundromat, where hed already put in a three-hour shift. After our meeting, he said, hed go to class, then maybe take a nap. I think there was another class later that day, and then practice.

At some point, he said he would sit down and do homework, then go to bed, only to wake up and do the whole thing all over again.

In a little more than a week, that student  the first of his family to attend college  will get his degree. Although faculty members are supposed to sit quietly until all the names are called, I dont think I will.

Students juggled jobs, and concerns and fears. They worked through quarantines, and sometimes, they Zoomed into class when they were as sick as theyve ever been. They fell behind, caught back up, and lived and sometimes thrived in an unprecedented time when college life looked nothing like the college life for which they prepared. They turned their cameras on. They turned their cameras off. They let family pets walk through the frame. They  in the finest sense of the word  persisted.

I am so proud of those students. We professors may have struggled, as well, but we professors are older and had the benefit of experience to fall back on. Students made it through a challenging time with scant little perspective on what it is to live through a challenging time.

These seniors were toddlers when the terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center. What they know of 9/11, of the world wars, theyve read in books.

Everyone in academia is feeling the pandemics long reach. A 2020 study said 35 percent of undergraduates screened positive for major depressive disorder, while 39 percent of undergraduate and graduate and professional students screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder. This was especially true for low-income students, students of color, and students in the LGBTQ community, the type of student higher institutions of learning very much want to retain. Those figures are twice as high as the year before.

Students have been challenged individually, while colleges and universities might be facing a bleak fall, if certain data play out. For one, vulnerable students may have to drop out  or they may have dropped out already. One recent study marked a decline in students filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form that helps students determine their eligibility for financial aid. Considering so many families have struggled to meet their bills during the pandemic, this is troubling.

As of late April 2020 - the early days of the pandemic  there were 1.89 million FAFSA applications filed, compared to roughly 1.78 million this year. Thats a drop of roughly 6 percent. That may not sound like much, but its enough to send alarm bells through college recruitment offices. According to the National College Attainment Networks FAFSA Tracker, the most recent data says Connecticut was doing slightly better than the national average, with a 4.5 percent drop.

This comes after the number of first-year students dropped 13 percent nationwide last fall, from the National Student Clearinghouse. Community colleges, which have played an increasingly important role as a gateway into higher education, have been hit especially hard.

Add to that the U.S. Census Bureau recent release of 2020 census figures that say the country has entered a period of record low population growth  and a population shift that is tipping the scale toward the elderly.

None of these numbers bode well for Connecticuts colleges and universities, but numbers can change, and those of us on college campuses just met some pretty incredible challenges.

And graduating seniors? Because youre from Joplin  or, rather, because you are a member of the Class of 2021 and an honorary resident of Joplin  youve already done a very hard thing. We who struggled along with you cannot wait to see what you make of yourself.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Florida may lift its three-decade ban on catching and killing goliath groupers, with wildlife officials saying the coastal fish's numbers have rebounded from when they were driven to near-extinction by overfishing and environmental damage.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will consider on Wednesday a staff proposal to allow 100 goliaths to be caught and kept annually during a four-year period. Supported by fishing groups, the proposal calls for a lottery to issue $300-per-week licenses that allow each recipient to catch and kill one goliath, with proceeds funding research of the species.

The goliath almost died off in the 1980s from overfishing and pollution and is not allowed to be caught in any other state or federal waters.

The fish is a favorite of underwater photographers for its docile demeanor and mammoth size  adults typically weigh 400 pounds (180 kilograms) but can exceed 800 (360 kilograms). While the species' population is unknown, state officials believe it has grown enough to allow the limited catch.

Goliath is a recovering stock, becoming more abundant in parts of Florida, especially on artificial reefs, the commission staff wrote in its recommendation.

That's a contention disputed by those who oppose lifting the fishing ban. They point to major die-offs over the past decade from cold weather and other causes.

The (wildlife commission) claims the population is growing, but that is just not possible, said Christopher Koenig, who along with his wife, Felicia Coleman, has studied goliaths for almost 30 years. Koenig and Coleman are both retired marine biologists with Florida State University.

Coleman also points out that the goliath contains high levels of the neurotoxin methylmercury, making it dangerous to eat, particularly for children and pregnant women.

Why would you open? You are endangering people, she said.

The goliath once ranged over a wide swath of ocean territory, from the Carolinas to the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil, but its numbers dropped sharply starting in the 1960s. By 1990, when Florida banned its catch, it was almost gone.

First, it was overfished  the goliath is easy to catch, living in known locations and spawning at specific spots. Floridas proposal would prohibit catching the fish at spawning sites and during spawning season, which lasts from July to September.

Also, the goliath's first six years are spent hiding among mangroves, trees that grow in shallow coastal waters. Many mangroves have been lost to development and pollution, limiting where juveniles can grow.

Today, the goliath is found mainly off South Florida. Adults live in reefs and shipwrecks, digging holes that provide hiding spaces for other fish.

A limited harvest would provide a unique recreational fishing opportunity in Florida, the wildlife commission staff wrote. In 2018, the commission, which then had five of its current members, pushed aside a similar proposal.

The proposal limits the size of goliaths that could be killed to a range of 4 to 6.5 feet (1.2 to 2 meters) and 70 to 200 pounds (32 to 90 kilograms)  thats a young adult of 7 to 10 years. Outside that range they would be released, just like all goliaths caught now are supposed to be, though poaching is a problem. Goliaths have a lifespan of 35 years or more.

Coastal Conservation Association Florida, a recreational fishing group, believes the goliath's numbers can handle the limited catch, said Trip Aukeman, its advocacy director.

The fishery looks healthy and there should be some kind of harvest open to recreational fishermen, Aukeman said. A limited catch would provide scientists with samples to ascertain the species' health, he said.

Some fishermen also argue a large goliath population depletes snappers and other game fish, but Koenig and Coleman disagree, saying goliaths primarily eat crabs and less-prized fish.

Aukeman agrees methylmercury is an issue, saying his group advocates lowering the minimum and maximum size at which the goliath can be kept. Those younger fish would be less likely to be toxic and could be eaten.

I dont believe they should be caught just to get a picture  they need to be used, Aukeman said.

But Koenig and Coleman say the goliath's future is too precarious to allow any harvest.

They argue that the fish's numbers remain below historic levels and appear to be plateauing or decreasing, and that it is susceptible to mass die-offs. One danger is that juveniles under 6 years are vulnerable to frigid weather  Koenig and Coleman say a prolonged cold snap that hit South Florida in 2010 killed 95% of that age group.

All ages are susceptible to red tide, a toxic algae bloom that spreads over massive areas. Outbreaks occur naturally but are also spurred by fertilizer runoff and sewage.

Harvest opponents say instead of catching goliaths, Florida should use the fish to lure scuba divers to the state. A 2016 University of Miami survey of out-of-state divers showed they would pay more than $300 for an outing to a goliath congregation site, not including what they would spend for hotels, restaurants and other area establishments.

Gerald Carroll, who owns a Palm Beach County dive center, said trips to see goliaths account for 25% of his revenue. They are popular with divers because they don't flee, and with guides because they stay at the same reefs and wrecks.

It is very easy for us to arrange trips to go see them, and when we jump in the water, even if there are 10 or 15 divers, they don't get scared away, Carroll said.
Contributed / Manchester Police Department

MANCHESTER  Police have charged a local mother in the death of her 3-year-old son in November.

Alesha Cain, 30, faces charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault, first-degree risk of injury to a minor and minor cruelty to persons, police said through a news release Saturday. She was arrested Friday on a warrant and is being held on $650,000 bond.
TORRINGTON  For the last eight years, Center Subaru has donated money to local organizations through its Share the Love program. This year, former owner Phil Porter, who recently sold the Winsted Road dealership to Gengras Subaru, continued that tradition for the last time.

Porters donations were coupled with gifts from Gengras Subaru, and the Northwest CT YMCA received a check for $22,039.67  $13,632.69 from Center Subaru and $8,407.17 from Gengras on behalf of Subaru of America.

Thats not all: the Litchfield Hills Elderly Nutrition Program received $29,330.66  $14,665.33 from Center Subaru and $14,655.33 from Gengras.

The annual donations are part of a matching commitment from the Subaru Share the Love campaign. Porter made this commitment to both organizations before the sale of Center Subaru.

Porter is one of the few retailers that chooses to match donations 100 percent, according to Subaru of America.

I felt it was important to honor a commitment I made to the Torrington community, despite not owning Center Subaru anymore, said Porter. The Y plays such a huge part in so many lives in northwest Connecticut, they were always a logical choice for us.

Porter, who worked northwest Connecticut for 34 years, thought the local Meals on Wheels program needed more support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the program was a natural addition to add as a second hometown charity.

We cant thank Phil Porter and his staff team enough, who over the years have done so much through the Share the Love sales event to create opportunities for tens of thousands of individuals to create better versions of themselves, said YMCA CEO Greg Brisco, in a statement.

Approximately half of the annual gifts to the Y have been used for financial assistance for children and families that could not afford Y programs and half used to create new enhancements for members in Winsted and Torrington including our homeless shelter, low-income residents, and literacy programs and for youth and adult members, Brisco said. We wouldve not been able to have served so many so well without Phils friendship and commitment.

The elderly nutrition program relies on donations to provide daily meals to local senior citizens, said supervisor Christine Brown. Meals are delivered by Meals on Wheels and served at the Sullivan Senior Center in Torrington and other municipal locations.

We are extremely grateful to have the support of Mr. Porter and Subaru and for their choice of The Litchfield Hills Meals on Wheels Program as one of their hometown charities this year, Brown said in a statement. With a tremendous donation such as this, it is possible for us to continue providing nutritious meals and daily social contact to our areas home-bound seniors, allowing them to remain independent in their own homes. The COVID 19 pandemic has expanded the need for our service, allowing the most at-risk population to avoid unnecessary trips to the stores.

Since the donation program began, NWCT YMCA has received nearly $400,000 from Subaru. For this years campaign, Subaru donated $250 for every new vehicle purchased or leased from Center Subaru between November 2020 and January 2021, according to Subaru of America.

Customers had a choice of four national charities for the $250 donation, including ASPCA, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the National Park Foundation. Or, they could pick one of Center Subarus charities. Center Subaru matched every $250 donation, regardless of the charity chosen by the customer, Porter said.

We cant think of a better way to close our time here in Torrington than with two donations that will help this great town, Porter said.
100 years ago  1921

Girardville:

John Price and Walter Merwine of Ashland attended the dance at Girard Hall Saturday.

Thomas Hanlon and Leo Purcell called on friends in Mount Carmel.

75 years ago  1946

A capacity audience was present at the Pottsville High School Wednesday evening to enjoy the 18th annual music festival of the Associated Choirs, which proved to be an outstanding musical event.

50 years ago  1971ASHLAND  A galaxy of greetings, inscribed upon badges worn by the employees of Ashland State General Hospital, proclaiming the theme of National Hospital Week  May 8th Forward Your Hospital Cares, will capture the attention of patient and visitor, alike, throughout the entire period of observance.

25 years ago  1996

MAHANOY CITY  Among the 10,000 people carrying the Olympic torch from Los Angeles to Atlanta will be a bolt of energy from Mahanoy City. Shes a former hairdresser with a passion for running, Dolores J. Miller, 56. Miller  who got the news April 30  hasnt been told yet what leg of the 15,280-mile route she will run. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games should tell her in early June.
VALLEY VIEW  Although she is a pit bull and uses a dog wheelchair, Lily loves to be around people, according to her owner, Kim Tokonitz.

The 6-year-old dog was alert and happy Saturday at the Pet Carnival at Valley View Park.

The two were among more than 50 people and dogs who walked around the Hegins Township park, taking in vendors and activities.

The day included kids games, a deejay, bounce house and agility course for the dogs.

It also had a demonstration by Matt Deller, of Manheim, a member of the Pennsylvania Canine Search & Rescue, and Karma, a 4-year-old chocolate Labrador, who searched for and found 14-year-old Allen Smith, of Hegins, behind a shed at the park. Stephen Sands, a captain and board president of the Lancaster County-based organization, explained what was happening during the demonstration.

Deller said although Karma was certified last year, she has already been involved in several missing person searches throughout the state and helped search for Linda Stoltzfoos, an Amish teenager who disappeared in Lancaster County last summer. Her remains were discovered in a rural area of the county last month.

Show off dogs

The carnival was a chance for dogs both small and large to show off their best costumes in a parade and to receive prizes. Lily was awarded a best costume award for the streamers and beaded necklaces Tokonitz dressed her up in.

Her owner said Lily, who has spina bifida, likes coming to events where there are people.

She gets excited about them, Tokonitz said. It feels great to be out and about.

Despite the weather being chilly, she said being at the carnival was a great day and a good way to support animals. It was also a chance for Lily to bring home a new toy, as she was given one as a prize for having the best costume.

During the event, representatives from animal rescue organizations and shelters set up tents with information, pets for adoption and items for sale. They included 2 Mutts Love, Mommy and Me Rescue, Save the Strays and Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA.

Shannon Shuttlesworth, the dog manager at Ruth Steinert, said while the pandemic means the shelter is slow on the number of events it has gone to, she is happy to be outside talking to people about the organization and its work.

The Pet Carnival was held from 2017-19 by Kids Fight for Animals, which consisted of Tri-Valley area youths. After the group announced 2019 would be their last year organizing it, Lori Sulouff, of Hegins, and Jenn Lettich-Snyder, of Ashland, took over.

It was originally scheduled for last August but was postponed until May due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Having gone to the pet carnival in years past, Rose Bowers, of Shamokin, was thrilled when she learned it was coming back this year.

I was so excited, she said, beyond ecstatic.

Bowers came with her 7-year-old basset hound, Elsa, grandson, Mason Lloyd, 8, also of Shamokin, and mother, Mim Schlegel, of Coal Township. Elsa came dressed as Wonder Woman and was awarded most creative costume during the parade.

Shes my superhero, Bowers said in explaining why she chose the costume for Elsa. She likes to dress up.

She added that she liked coming to the event as it gives owners the chance to show off their dogs.

In addition to the parade and costume contest, there was also a dog food eating contest and a visit by the 2019 Schuylkill County Fair queen, Madeline Schuettler, of Pottsville. All proceeds from the carnival benefitted the rescue organizations. Lettich-Snyder said during the event she felt it was really successful and was glad the rain in the forecast held off.
The COVID-19 caseload in Assam mounted to 2,89,069 on Saturday as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 5,756 new cases, a bulletin issued by the National Health Mission said. The death toll rose to 1,628 after 50 more people succumbed to the disease, it said.

Kamrup (Metro) reported the highest number of new fatalities at 16, followed by six in Kamrup (Rural), four each in Dibrugarh and Nalbari, two each in Barpeta, Cachar, Dhubri, Nagaon and Sonitpur and one each in Udalguri, Baksa, Darrang, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar and Tinsukia.

At least 1,347 COVID-19 patients died in the state due to other ailments, the bulletin said. The new cases include 1,543 from Kamrup Metro, 484 from Kamrup (Rural), 392 from Dibrugarh and 292 from Nagaon. The fresh COVID cases were detected out of 65,140 tests conducted during the day with the positivity rate at 8.84 per cent, it said.

Altogether, 90,40,606 samples have so far been tested for COVID-19 in the state. Assam now has 36,799 active cases. At least 3,053 people were cured of the disease during the day, pushing the total number of recoveries to 2,49,295. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 86.24 per cent.

Altogether, 29,99,241 people have been inoculated in Assam, with 6,55,784 of them having received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state has received 50,000 more doses of 'Covishield' vaccine during the day for people in the age group of 18-44 years.

The total vaccine available for this age group is currently at 1,66,709, he added. Meanwhile, 28 more inmates in Karimganj district jail tested positive for the disease on Friday, a statement said. Six prisoners had earlier contracted the disease. The coronavirus-positive inmates have been isolated in a ward of the jail where around 300 prisoners are currently staying.

There are a few detained foreigners, including Bangladeshis, Myanmar nationals belonging to the Rohingya community, the statement said, adding that most of them were apprehended as they crossed the international border illegally. People from African countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Angola are among the inmates who are also staying at the Karimganj district jail. These foreigners were arrested as they had entered India without any valid travel documents. The district has 470 active COVID-19 cases till Friday.

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Shocked by the Modi govt's lethargy and inaction in handling the COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday, demanded a 'well-planned preannounced' nationwide lockdown to curb COVID cases. Claiming that IMA's requests and proactive cognizance were put into the dustbin by the govt, IMA stated that decisions were taken without realising ground realities. IMA stated that the Centre has refused to implement a nationwide lockdown resulting in 4 lakh cases daily with moderate to severe cases increasing to 40%.

IMA slams Modi govt, demands nationwide lockdown

The medical body lamented at the failed vaccine rollout for 18-44 year olds without planning vaccine stock, slamming the 'unhumanistic' differential pricing system with 50% borne by Centre and remaining 50% by states & private hospitals. With states and private hospitals negotiating with manufacturers leading to vaccine shortage, IMA asked if Rs 35,000 crores allotted for vaccination why was the Centre 'shedding its responsibility'. With 200 crores required for inoculating all eligible Indians, IMA urged the govt to implement universal free vaccination with equitable distribution.

#PMOIndia #NITIAayog #LargestVaccineDrive #IMAIndiaOrg IMA demands the health ministry wake up from its slumber and responds to mitigate the growing challenges of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/7OxKgLhi9Q  Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) May 8, 2021

Lamenting over the oxygen crisis, IMA stated that while oxygen production was ramped up its distribution was not proper, leading to crowding in public hospitals and private hospitals left on their own. Claiming that the govt was not seen at the forefront resulting in people knocking on the doors of courts, IMA stated that the Health Minister has not interacted with 'modern medicine professional organisations' to solve the issue. IMA has recommended increasing testing, tracking and deep analysis of gene sequencing by a dedicated team.

IMA also claimed that the Centre was not being transparent on COVID deaths citing that 746 doctors died in the 1st COVID wave and 146 doctors have died in the 2nd wave. The body also complained that while the export of essential drugs has been stopped, production was not ramped up leading to blackmarketing. IMA has also demanded a Central law against hospital violence, constituting an Indian Medical Services (IMS) - well versed with technical and administrative skills for effective execution of healthcare and earmarking 8-10% of GDP for Healthcare in the annual budget.

India's 2nd wave

Currently, India is grappling with a second wave of COVID-19, with the infection hitting rural India too. The biggest issue has been the acute oxygen supply with Delhi being hit the worst - several hospitals have moved the High Court seeking oxygen supply. While the Centre and Delhi govt have blamed each other for the ongoing oxygen crisis in the national capital, Railways has started 'Oxygen Express' to transport liquid oxygen to the states via green corridors. Delhi, which has increased its demand to 900 MT oxygen per day has been allotted only 480 MT by Centre. SC has ordered the Centre to maintain a daily supply of 700 MT to Delhi and constituted a 12-member National Task Force of oxygen distribution. Meanwhile, India's vaccination drive has hit a roadblock due to shortage of supplies. Centre has approved an advance payment of Rs 4,567.50 crores to Serum Institute of India (SII) & Bharat Biotech (BBL) to ramp up vaccine production. Soon enough, most state governments placed lakhs of orders with the two vaccine manufacturers, but are yet to receive their orders.
As India continues to receive medical aid from different countries from across the world, Ambassador of Israel to India Dr Ron Malka from Tel Aviv on Sunday evening spokes exclusively to Republic Media Network. During his conversation with Republic TV, Dr Ron Malka spoke in detail about the medical assistance, which is sent to India from Israel and what other strategies can be adopted to combat the deadly Coronavirus.

Ambassador of Israel to India speaks to Republic TV

When asked to comment about the heart-touching incident, where Israelis had gathered to chant Om Namah Shivay to pray for India, Dr Ron Malka said that it is very exciting to see, how the people of Israel are coming forward to help India. Pointing towards the consignments of medical aid from Israel, the Ambassador said that this is a symbol of help from the people of Israel to the people of India.

The Ambassador of Israel to India said, After we were informed of the COVID crisis being faced by our friend India, our Ministers immediately designated a Special Task Team, which was responsible for organizing and controlling different ministries. This Special Task Team was also responsible for coordinating between the public sector and the private sector.

Stating that different medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, respirators, and other live-saving aids are being shipped to India, Dr Ron Malka said that many such consignments are yet to reach India.

He said, We are searching, every corner in Israel to seek and collect as many equipments we can to send to India. As I said, these equipments are coming from both, public and private sector of the country. People of Israel are looking for equipment in houses, warehouses, and other places. Whichever equipment is not in use in the country is right now being sent across India. We are trying the send the best of equipments to our precious friend India.

Giving out details on how the private sector and the defence sector of Israel is working hand-in-hand to send medical aid to India, in its times of difficulty, Dr Malka said informed that private sector and public sectors have joined hands to help India in its battle against the deadly virus. He said that as far as the defence sector is convened, it is not only sending the available equipment but also manufacturing special equipment to send to India. Remarking that besides this, if anyone else wants to make a contribution to India, then they can do so online, he said that an expert delegation from Israel will also come to share our medical regime for battling against the pandemic.

He said, Its different kind of technologies. As far as rapid test facilities are concerned, we are going to send experts to different organizations in India to make factories and hubs to manufacture oxygen concentrators and oxygen generators, which have been found to be very useful in fighting against the Coronavirus pandemic. Once India will get the technology and will know how to use it, its situation will improve drastically.

When asked to advise India to handle its current situation more efficiently, the Israel Ambassador to India said, "At first, I want to mention that although we are now extending support, we havent forgotten how India at the beginning of this pandemic helped Israel by supplying protective gears, medicines and also by sending back thousands of Israelis who were stranded in India. All Israeli nations were only able to get back home because of Indias remarkable assistance. Both Israel and India share strong values of friendship.

Asserting that vaccinating a large proportion of people is the only effective solution to win the fight against the pandemic, Dr Ron Malka said that Israel also considered vaccinating its population a top priority. He said, We had signed a contract with different vaccine manufacturers well in advance. So once, the approval was received, we aimed to vaccinate a large population as soon as possible. In about 3 months, we were able to vaccinate 90 per cent of the total countrys population. It was vaccinating a large proportion of the countrys population, which actually helped us overcome this pandemic. Now Israel is totally open and now we do not even ask people to wear masks.

When asked to advice India on becoming fully COVID-19 free, the Ambassador said, Vaccinating as large a population as possible should be the strategy of India, despite the size of the population. Besides this, India should also start preparing to arrange enough medical equipment such as oxygen generators, oxygen concentrators, Remdesivir & other important drugs, ICU beds, etc to battle the pandemic. Vaccinating more number of people, being prepared beforehand and taking all the necessary precautions can only help one to battle this deadly virus.

Israel delivers life-saving equipment

Earlier this week, the shipment of oxygen concentrators and respirators had arrived in India from Israel. Ambassador of Israel to India, Ron Malka had established the same via an official Twitter account.

Happy to share that the first shipment of oxygen concentrators and respirators has arrived in #India from #Israel. I'm proud of the task force under the leadership of @Gabi_Ashkenazi and our colleagues in @IsraelMFA & the Government & people of Israel #IsraelStandsWithIndia pic.twitter.com/MFq57MKioO  Ron Malka  (@DrRonMalka) May 5, 2021

Meanwhile, Israels Foreign Ministry in its statement mentioned that The delivery of the assistance, which will be transferred to India by air through a series of flights throughout the week, is the result of the Foreign Ministry's work in cooperation with the National Security Council, Health Ministry, Finance Ministry, and Control Center, together with full coordination with the Indian government through Israel's embassy in New Delhi and the Indian embassy in Israel.

Earlier on Thursday, a large number of Israeli people had gathered in one of the avenues in the mains of Tel Aviv and chanted 'Om Namah Shivay' (adoration to Lord Shiva). Together they chanted the said verse while praying for India's recovery against the COVID-19 crisis. They expressed solidarity and conveyed a 'get well soon message as well.

COVID-19 situation in India

India so far has recorded over 2,22,96,414 positive cases, out of which, 1,83,17,404 have successfully recovered and 2,42,362 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 4,03,738 new cases, 3,86,444 fresh cases and 4.092 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the country is 37,36,648.

(Image: Republicworld.com)
The Bharatiya Janta Party's (BJP) Amit Malviya, on Sunday posted pictures from outside India claiming that NRIs were protesting against the post-poll violence in West Bengal. Malviya wrote that there is a "massive protest" going on around the world. The BJP has alleged TMC of attacking and killing several BJP workers of the state after coming into power.

He further added that the protestors include Bengalis residing in foreign countries.

The post poll violence in Bengal under Mamata Banerjees watch has brought global disrepute to West Bengal. There is massive protest across the globe. NRIs including Bengali diaspora across 50+ cities, spread over 30 countries and 5+ continents are demanding #MamataStopViolence. pic.twitter.com/FqUuqo7jFY  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 9, 2021

Earlier, the BJP IT Cell head had condemned the swearing-in ceremony of Mamata Banerjee as 'tainted by her personal defeat in Nandigram and with the blood of lakhs of BJP workers and supporters'.

Mamata Banerjees swearing-in as Chief Minister of West Bengal is not just tainted by her personal defeat in Nandigram but also with the blood of lakhs of BJP workers and supporters, who have been at the receiving end of TMCs retributive violence. Bengal is facing a dark era...  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 5, 2021

.

The tweet from Amit Malviya came a day after West Bengal Governor expressed his frustration over the state Government's stance on the alleged violence. He also tweeted saying "disgusted" over the situation as the police chief went to meet Jagdeep Dhankar without any reports.

Alleged brutality in West Bengal

Not just the BJP, but the CPI(M) workers have also alleged TMC goons to have attacked them nearly 48 hours after the assembly election results were declared. The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won the elections however the CM lost her seat from Nandigram to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. Right after the result of Nandigram was declared, reports of an attack on Adhikari in Haldia by TMC workers had also come out. Moreover, on May 4th, BJP minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had claimed that nearly 400-500 BJP workers fled from West Bengal to Assam. Visuals of workers getting beaten up, and homes getting vandalized have come out. Allegations of rape on women workers have also been reported.

Four-member team formed by Centre

The Home Ministry swung into action by forming a 4-member team that reached West Bengal on May 6th and held a meeting with Governor on May 7 after reports of violence came out. A report on the matter is getting prepared by the team which will be further submitted to the MHA. The ministry is expected to take an action after that. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Governor has sought a detailed report from security officials of the state.
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, on Saturday arrived in Cairo and met with Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

The visit came amid international and regional efforts to relaunch negotiations over Ethiopia's disputed dam on the Nile River's main tributary.

Tshisekedi, the current head of the African Union, arrived in Egypt after stopping in Sudan and holding talks with Sudanese officials.

Sudan's foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi said Congo's president has offered an initiative to break deadlock over the dam's dispute.

She said the Sudanese authorities would study the initiative, without elaborating.

The latest round of African Union-brokered negotiations in Congo's capital of Kinshasa in April failed to make progress on the issue.

The dispute now centers on how quickly Ethiopia should fill and replenish the reservoir and how much water it releases downstream in case of a multi-year drought.

Egypt and Sudan argue that Ethiopia's plan to add 13.5 billion cubic meters of water in 2021 to the dam's reservoir is a threat to them.

Cairo and Khartoum have called for the U.S., the U.N, and European Union to help reach a legally binding deal.

The agreement would spell out how the dam is operated and filled, based on international law and norms governing cross-border rivers.

Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies, fears a devastating impact if the dam is operated without taking its needs into account.

Ethiopia says the $5 billion dam is essential, arguing that the vast majority of its population lacks electricity.

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At the small hospital near the desert's edge where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works, there are no debates among staff over which coronavirus vaccine is the best. There is simply no vaccine at all. Not even for the doctors and nurses, like her, tasked with caring for those infected with COVID-19 in Chad, one of the least developed countries in the world.

While wealthier nations around the world have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many other countries have scrambled to secure enough doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any. Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive.

Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally. Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the more than 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood where camels nibble from acacia trees. Charity Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer.

Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible. That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

"When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me," Djarma said. "I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

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Maldives official claimed that Islamic extremists were responsible for Thursday's explosion that critically wounded former President Mohamed Nasheed while two of the four suspects were arrested by the police.

At a news conference on Saturday, the police released a CCTV footage in which Nasheed and his bodyguards are seen walking through a narrow passage that leads from his home to a main road.

An explosion occurs as Nasheed approaches his car, and men running down the passage.

Hospital officials on Saturday said that Nasheed, 53, was conscious and no longer on breathing support, but remains in an intensive care unit after initial life-saving surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs.

According to Kaushal Kishore, one of the doctors at the hospital, a shrapnel damaged his intestines and liver, and was a centimeter (0.4 inches) away from his heart.

Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem told reporters that investigators still dont know which extremist group was behind Thursday's attack, which also wounded two of Nasheed's bodyguards and two apparent bystanders, including a British citizen.

Police announced that two men were arrested in connection with the attack, and released a photo of a person they said is the main fugitive suspect, seeking public assistance in identifying him.

No group has claimed responsibility.

Officers from the Australian Federal Police arrived Saturday in the Maldives to assist with the investigation, following a request from the country's government.

A British investigator is expected to arrive in the Indian Ocean archipelago on Sunday.

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Johannesburg, May 9 (AP) South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has said that four cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus have been detected in the country, but there was no cause for panic as all such cases were quarantined.

"The four cases of B.1.617.2 (Indian variant of coronavirus) have been detected in Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India. All cases have been isolated and managed according to the national COVID-19 case management guidelines and contact tracing has been performed in order to limit the spread of this variant," Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday.

The minister's statement was released amid growing concerns in the last fortnight about the Indian variant spreading after the crew of two ships travelling between the two countries tested positive for the virus.

"We reiterate that there is no need for panic, as the fundamentals of the public health response (testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine) have not changed," Mkhize said.

"It is important to emphasise that variants can develop at any time in any country so they do not have to be imported. The world is still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, with surges in one territory bound to spill over into other territories.

"We are all deeply concerned about the threat of 'variants of concern' and these reports demonstrate that the issue is complicated," the minister said.

Mkhize said travel restrictions will need to be balanced against the scientific realities in order to protect the economy.

"These findings are urgently being processed by the government and announcements pertaining to travel regulations will be made after all appropriate consultations have been undertaken by the Cabinet," he said.

Mkhize did not specify if any of the four Indian variant cases were among the crew of the ships which recently returned from India.

One of the ships has been docked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The other ship has been docked in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), where police are investigating possible charges against the Ship Captain for falsely declaring that there were no ill crew onboard.

Eleven cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the UK, have also been identified in South Africa.

"The B.1.1.7 (strain) has been detected in community samples and this therefore suggests that community transmission of B.1.1.7 has already set in," Mkhize said.

"As the epidemic progresses, the detection of new variants is inevitable. The work of genomic surveillance assists us to detect the variants and understand their behaviour and to refine vaccines so they remain effective," he said.

The B.1.351 strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has been found in a traveller from Bangladesh.

"There are a number of other samples from cases with a history of recent travel into South Africa that are currently being sequenced and results are expected over the next few days," Mkhize concluded.

The coronavirus has so far killed 54,687 people in South Africa, along with over 1.59 million confirmed cases, according to John Hopkins University.

The Indian variant is believed to be largely behind the current surge in infections in India, which is experience a deadly second wave of the pandemic. PTI FH IND

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An Australian man who allegedly acted as a recruiter and facilitator for Islamic State was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) upon his arrival at Melbourne airport on Saturday.

The 30-year-old man was deported from Turkey where he was jailed for 18-months because of his involvement with Islamic State.

Speaking at a news conference in Sydney on Sunday, AFP Counter Terrorism Investigations Commander Stephen Dametto said the organization was "pursuing all avenues of inquiry", including allegations that the man was an active recruiter who "sought to encourage Westerners to leave their countries and join Islamic State".

The man was arrested on a first instance warrant upon his arrival and was taken into custody before appearing before the Melbourne Magistrate court via video link, and did not apply for bail.

After 14 days of COVID-19 quarantine in Melbourne, he will be extradited to New South Wales where he is expected to be charged for terrorism offences perpetrated during his time in Syria and Turkey.

The accused man left Sydney for Turkey in 2013.

He is also accused by American Federal authorities of helping two US citizens enter Syria and fight for Islamic State.

According to Dametto, the man is facing "serious" charges, including "giving support to a terrorist organization" which has a maximum penalty of 25 years in jail.

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In 2015, China had announced that a new village, called Gyalaphug in Tibetan or Jieluobu in Chinese, had been established in the south of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Gyalaphug is, however, different; it is in Bhutan and Chinese officials have crossed and violated an international border.

Since the announcement in 2015, China has been constructing a previously unnoticed network of roads, buildings and military infrastructure within the territory internationally and historically understood to be Bhutanese itself. Post deliberated escalation in China's long-established endeavour to outflank India and its neighbours along the Himalayas, the recent construction is part of a significant mission by Chinese President Xi Jinping to fortify the Tibetan borderlands.

China's territorial assertiveness despite Treaty with Bhutan

This concludes China's aim to force the Bhutanese government to cede territory that China wants elsewhere in Bhutan to give Beijing a military advantage in their tiff with New Delhi. This is definitely a strategy that is more provocative than anything China has done around its borders in the recent past.

In 1998, China had signed a formal agreement with Bhutan, recognising the latter's sovereignty and its territorial integrity and agreed that "no unilateral action will be taken to change the status quo on the border."

Therefore construction within the periphery of Bhutan is a grave violation of the terms of China's founding treaty with Bhutan and oblivious to Bhutanese history of decades of protests regarding smaller infractions elsewhere on the borders. At present, all of the Menchuma Valley and most of the Beyul Khenpajong areas in Bhutan are operated by China. Since 1980s, China has been explicit about its claim over Beyul.

According to the Director of Modern Tibetan Studies and professor at Columbia University in New York, Robert Barnett, China's multilevel construction drive within Bhutan has gone almost unnoticed by the outside world. Bhutan may not have realised the full extent of China's activity on its northern borders or have remained silent. In 2017, China's attempt to build a cross road across the Doklam plateau in southwestern Bhutan, next to a trijunction with India, had triggered a 73 day faceoff between hundreds of Indian and Chinese troops. This had to be abandoned later.

Barnett writes for Foreign Policy, "By mirroring in the Himalayas the provocative tactics it has used in the South China Sea, Beijing is risking its relations with its neighbors, whose needs and interests it has always claimed to respect, and jeopardizing its reputation worldwide." He also wrote- if Bhutan declines to risk ties with India, Beijing shift will have seriously damaged a previously amicable relationship for little or no gain.

This attempt is quite similar to China's provocative and nettlesome tactics in the South China Sea which has risked the country's relation with neighbours of subcontinent and successfully jeopardizing its reputation worldwide.

South China Sea feud has soured relations between China & its neighbouring countries

Disputes over the South China Sea, have compelled several foreign entities to outpour their opinions and inculpate China. In a recent development, international public opinion raised concern over the domineering Chinese coast guard forces in the Sea to serve the country's unilateral sovereignty claim in the East Sea alias South China Sea.

China has been more assertive in sovereignty disputes of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The said islands are subject to a territorial dispute and are in whole or partly claimed by numerous countries, namely, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. China claims virtually all of the South China Sea while the Philippines claim the Spratly Islands as being within its exclusive economic zone alias West Philippines.

A United Nations tribunal dismissed China's claim to virtually claiming all sovereignty of the South China Sea. Earlier, Beijing had rejected this ruling. The Chinese statement insisted that China's sovereignty, rights and vested interests in the South China Sea were formed in the 'long course of history and consistent with international law' and rejected the 2016 tribunal ruling as "null and void".

The power projection comes in the backdrop of China's ascending maritime activities in South China Sea. Experts have noted this increase in China's presence in the Sea as a response to Beijing's concerns over sizeable increase in US military presence in the region. This has escalated the Sino-US feud.

Last month, the European Union inculpated China to have jeopardised peace in the South China Sea. The EU urged all its parties to abide by the ruling of a 2016 tribunal in order to eliminate most of China's claim to sovereignty in the sea.

(With agency inputs)
Beaches run by private concession in Greece reopened Saturday, a week ahead of the official launch of the tourism season.

Hundreds of beach goers enjoyed the sea and the beach in Alimos suburb, southwest of Athens, while bars were busy making drinks for their customers.

Public health officials announced a roadmap of reopening measures on Friday largely aimed at helping Greece's key holiday industry.

Museums will reopen on May 14, while retail restrictions will be further relaxed, and a ban on domestic travel between the country's 54 administrative regions is also expected to be lifted.

Greece has only recently stabilized its rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths following a surge that started in mid-February.

Vaccinations reached record daily levels this week and roughly 1-in-10 country residents have been fully vaccinated.

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Ukrainian nationalist organization "National Corps" held training for volunteers on Saturday - a day ahead of the Victory Day military parade in Moscow.

The organisation's head of Kyiv office, Tamarin Serhiy, explained the training is a "counterweight to the imperialistic ambitions of the Russian Federation and its Federal Security Service (FSB) government".

According to Ukraine's military, 36 soldiers have been killed in the east this year, where Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists have been fighting since 2014.

Foreign ministers from Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg visited the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine earlier this week to express their support.

More than 14,000 people have died in the conflict and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled.

Russia, which claims it has no military presence in eastern Ukraine, fuelled new tensions by massing troops and conducting large-scale military exercises near its border with Ukraine.

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The United Nations paid tribute to all the mothers worldwide on the occasion of Mother's Day. Addressing how mothers have "shouldered the burden" of the COVID-19 pandemic and have braved all odds to protect their children, the United Nations Population Fund, formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), shared an emotional video. The UNFPA  that focuses on improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide  issued a statement and wrote about a range of problems faced by women amid the pandemic.

The UN body wrote that the mothers already shouldered 'tremendous financial, physical, emotional and intellectual burdens' before the onset of the pandemic. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, they are under 'increasing economic pressures, attenuated access to health care, diminishing social support and growing unpaid care responsibilities'. The UN agency also said that many of these burdens are crushing.

Mothers have shouldered the burden of the #COVID19 pandemic, braving all odds to protect their children.



In crisis after crisis, mothers around the world are asked to do the impossible



This #MothersDay, we salute you. https://t.co/7DCebfiCxY via @UNFPA pic.twitter.com/JV3jdZQl6g  United Nations (@UN) May 9, 2021

It further added that the added burden is taking a toll on the long-term health and welfare of mothers. The statement also added that the women have been disproportionately affected by pandemic-related job losses and researchers are starting to see signs of rising stillbirths, maternal mortality and poor maternal health outcomes around the world. It has been reported worldwide that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people are facing difficulties to get basic health care facilities as the health services have diverted the resources to battle the novel coronavirus.

'COVID-19: A crisis for mothers'

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). while addressing how COVID-19 became a crisis for mothers, wrote that mothers have lost support and stability. They also mentioned that pregnant women are seeing barriers to health-care access, as well as facing issues related to misinformation about the pandemic. Many are uncertain whether and how often to seek maternal health services and there are anxieties as well as challenges like transport limitations and food insecurity.

"There is no business, no money. People are not working... it brings stress, so it is a bad year," said Babirye Aisha, a Ugandan woman living in South Sudan.

"UNFPA is working to increase support for midwives, including through infection control training and the provision of personal protective equipment. UNFPA is also supporting telemedicine and mobile clinics to improve womens access to life-saving antenatal care and sexual and reproductive health services," read a part of the statement.

"Someone told me that drinking chamomile tea was useful for me and my child and prevented us from being infected with the COVID-19 virus," said one pregnant woman in Aleppo, Syria.

"I felt the need to avoid health institutions for my prenatal checkups. I didn't feel it was that safe to give birth in a hospital," Amira Cerimagic told UNFPA in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Patients fear that they'll be infected with COVID-19 if they go to the facility. There were a lot of attempted home deliveries," Noreen Ada, a nurse in the Philippines, explained.

The UNFPA concluded by giving a longer-lasting solution to these greatly unequal burdens on mothers. The UN body said that gender equality, social norms should be established that value and support mothers. "Society must stop asking and expecting, mothers to do the impossible. It may be hard to imagine, but a better world for mothers is possible," the statement read.

IMAGE: Unsplash
Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads in the Iraqi city of Karbala on Sunday, a day after a prominent civil activist was killed by unknown armed men in the city.

Ihab al Wazni was a leading figure of October protests against the government in the city - his funeral was held on Sunday morning.

Protesters blocked main roads leading to the city's al Ahrar Square and demanded authorities reveal the identity of Wazni's killer.

"Ihab al Wazni's blood wasn't in vain, since there are Ihab's free men. He was planting, and this is the harvest of Ihab al Wazni. We are all your brother, your students, and your children. Your blood wasn't wasted," said one protester.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday spoke at United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and hailed the power of the UN's top organs. The Foreign secretary reminded that today's world model can only be addressed with an updated system. He also highlighted India's enhanced efforts towards upholding multilateralism. Harsh Vardhan Shringla remarked that the UN's top contributors can deliver effective solutions only if they are given a chance rather than "zealously guarding the status quo of the mighty" as it warned that the "narrow representation and privileges of a few" poses a great challenge to its authenticity.

Such outdated systems were made to address the issues of the past, added the foreign secretary.

"The multitude of challenges of today's dynamic and interdependent world cannot be addressed with outdated systems that were designed to deal with the challenges of the past, said Foreign Secretary Shringla.

Maintenance of International Peace and security

His speech further added how multilateralism and United Nations-centred International System were held high when the COVID-19 pandemic attacked the world. According to the Foreign Secretary, the awareness regarding global interdependence was learned by the world through the pandemic. He also mentioned that the world faced the pandemic with a tough mind.

He asserted that COVID-19 has also taught us the meaning of coordination.

"COVID-19 sharpened our awareness of the depth of global interdependence and on fact that world's only as resilient as least resilient country. Events of last year demonstrated how imperative it's for countries to coordinate responses to challenges that pandemic brought to fore, mentioned Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

India's contribution in fighting the pandemic

While speaking further at the high-level meeting, India's foreign leader stressed on the relief work provided by India. He said that, in past one year, India helped 150 countries with COVID-19 vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment to fight the pandemic.

He also talked about waiving IP rights for timely availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

"India has also worked with South Africa and other partners in WTO to seek relaxation in norms of TRIPS agreement to ensure quick and affordable access to vaccines and medicines for developing countries during the COVID pandemic, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

(Inputs from ANI) (Image: ANI)
Ahead of Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's vote of confidence, which is scheduled for May 10, at least 25 Members of Parliament have tested positive for COVID-19, the Parliament Secretariat confirmed to ANI. Secretariat's spokesperson Rojnath Pandey said that over 200 honourable Members of Parliament underwent a test for COVID-19, out of which 18 tested positive. Eight MPs, who had undergone tests on their own, were also added to the list that takes the total number of infected members in Lower House to 26. One member of the Upper House also tested positive, Rojnath Pandey confirmed to ANI over the phone.

RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests conducted from Wednesday to Friday ahead of Monday's special session confirmed infection in 26 members of parliament, reports ANI news agency.

Rojnath Pandey said a total of 1,235 people underwent tests over three days and there's confirmation that 160 have tested positive for the virus while the reports of 54 other members of parliament are awaited. Pandey also said that the final number of COVID-19 infected MPs can only be ascertained after reports of 54 others will come. Coronavirus tests were conducted of MPs along with the staff of Parliament building, security officials, parliamentary reporters among others.

The official added that discussions have been conducted to ensure the voting right of every lawmaker on Monday's floor test despite being tested positive for COVID-19. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence from Parliament on May 10 in his bid to stay in power. With the withdrawal of the CPN - Maoist Centre, PM Oli now heads a minority government falling short of 15 votes to reach a simple majority.

"We are holding talks with health experts about possibilities and arrangements that can be made for corona virus-infected Members of Parliament. House Speaker and health officials are working on a possible way. We want to ensure the voting right of every lawmaker on Monday's floor-test," secretary at Parliament Secretariat Gopinath Yogi said.

Chief Minister of Gandaki Province resigns

Ahead of the key vote in parliament, Chief Minister of Nepal's Gandaki Province, Prithivi Subba Gurung resigned from his post on May 9. He was set to face no-confidence-motion. In his resignation letter, Gurung claimed that "no environment to work in the province" is the reason behind his decision to step down from the post.

"CM Gurung submitted his resignation to Province Chief (Governor) Sita Paudel which already has been approved," CPN-UML's chief whip in the province, Maya Nath Adhikari confirmed ANI over the phone.

With inputs from ANI

IMAGE: Twitter - @kpsharmaoli
Hundreds marched on Saturday in the Peruvian capital of Lima, protesting against the leading candidate in the coming June 6 elections, leftist Pedro Castillo from the Free Peru Party.

Many held signs portraying Castillo and his party peers as "Communists" with authoritarian traits.

Patricia Aliaga, who was among the demonstrators, said she felt "threatened by the radical left."

Pedro Castillo, a former teacher, came in as the leading candidate after the first round of the elections with 19 percent of the vote.

His rival Keiko Fujimori, from the Popular Force Party obtained 13 percent in the ballot.

Fujimori is a longtime politician and daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori.

The presidential election comes months after the country's political chaos reached a new level in November, when three men were president in a single week after one was impeached by Congress over corruption allegations and protests forced his successor to resign in favor of the third.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each.

After receiving a tip, undercover agents with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control went to Old Corner Saloon in the city of Clements several times in April and bought fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and saw others buy the phony cards and arrested the bar's owner, according to supervising agent Luke Blehm.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

Blehm said it appears it's the first such arrest in California.

Anderson was charged with three felonies, including identity theft, forging government documents and carrying an unregistered firearm. He also was charged with falsifying medical records, a misdemeanor.

State officials also are investigating an employee of Andersons who may be connected to the cards.

Vaccination cards are being used as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

In California, officials have allowed venue operators to offer easier access to those with proof of vaccination. That includes preferential access to large events like concerts and sporting events and allowing venues to create vaccinated-only sections where social distancing requirements are not as strict.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
In a recent letter from prison, Iranian dervish Mohammad Sharifi Moghadami asked his countrymen, including writers and publishers, to send books to Irans largest detention facility.

Within days of its circulation, some 7,000 books had arrived at Great Tehran Penitentiary, also known as Fashafouyeh Prison, from every corner of the country, including the northern city of Rasht and the southwestern city of Abadan.

Sharifi Moghadam is there serving a seven-year sentence in connection with violent clashes in 2018 between dervishes and security forces that killed five troops and resulted in the arrest of 300 members of the Gonabadi dervish minority. He was convicted on charges that include spreading propaganda against the establishment.

Conditions at Fashafouyeh -- for those jailed over the 2018 clashes and others imprisoned for antiestablishment protests in 2019 -- are "inhumane," according to former inmates.

He said reading has provided him with some peace at Fashafouyeh, where books are rare but drugs are easily accessible.

Reading Bulgakov In Prison

It is unlikely that by reading [Mikhail Bulgakovs] The Master And Margarita one doesnt fly over the city, the 30-year-old Sharifi Moghadam wrote, adding that reading becomes even more enjoyable in prison due to the absence of other distractions and empty time that prisoners face.

The beauty of the pages of a novel becomes more enjoyable for the prisoner," he wrote, adding that books break the concrete-iron prison environment.

Sharifi Moghadam is a member of the Gonabadi dervish order, which has come under increased state pressure.

But he is among the prisoners fortunate enough to have been receiving books from their families and friends. He has been sharing them with fellow inmates, including a 70-year-old who visits him every week to borrow a new novel, and Ali, who never got past the seventh grade and who loves historical books.

The prison mostly offers inmates religious books and state-sponsored memoirs from the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War that Sharifi Moghadam said have been gathering dust on the bookshelves of the prisons cultural rooms.

Prison Flooded With Books

Since his appeal, which was republished by the Iranwire news site and Iranian daily, Fashafouyeh has been flooded with novels.

They include multiple copies of Bulgakovs masterpiece, George Orwells dystopian Animal Farm, and Antoine de Saint-Exuperys The Little Prince, as well as classical and modern Iranian poetry, including Hafez and Forough Farokhzad, and history books.

The prisons estimated 15,000 prisoners -- some of them political prisoners and others convicted of drug trafficking or financial crimes -- will reportedly be able to access them all.

Sharifi Moghadams wife, Faezeh Adibpour, who posted her husband's letter on Twitter on April 22, told RFE/RL that he was surprised by the support he had received.

For many Iranians, she said, sending books to prison was a response to state repression.

I think this created a safe space for people to help political prisoners and to express solidarity, Adibpour said.

Many have sent their own books, or they've bought new books that they've then sent," she said. "Theyre ordinary people -- many of them aren't political activists or writers or publishers."

Solace In Books

Political prisoners in Iran are often denied access to books and newspapers in the first weeks and months of arrest, when they are routinely held in solitary confinement.

Some have described being given copies of the Koran or the Nahj al-Balaghe, a collection of sermons and teachings attributed to the Prophet Muhammads son-in-law and companion, Imam Ali, who is a central figure in Shiite Islam.

Kian Tajbakhsh was arrested in Iran several times, including during mass protests over a disputed presidential election in 2009. A senior adviser to the executive vice president for global centers and global development at Columbia University, he was also one of five Iranian-American dual citizens whose release was negotiated under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Tajbakhsh wrote a 2019 essay in The New York Review of Books about finding solace in books.

He told RFE/RL that his interrogators would threaten to restrict his access to books in order to pressure him.

I think I would have gone crazy without things to read. The jailers knew that and used this knowledge to reward or pressure me -- as well as others," Tajbakhsh said. "They knew it was a more effective tool for more intellectual types than a physical beating. Although I often thought I would probably have preferred to get a beating than be denied access to something to read."

Prison has also turned some prisoners into writers, documenting life under incarceration.

Prominent rights activist Narges Mohammadi published a book in 2020, titled White Torture, that includes interviews with 12 female prisoners detailing their experience.

Prisoners have also recommended books from their cells.

Opposition leader and unsuccessful presidential candidate Mir Hossein Musavi in 2011 said Gabriel Garcia Marquez's News Of A Kidnapping, chronicling the kidnapping by a drug cartel of prominent Colombians, provided insights into his life under house arrest.

Media reports suggested the book quickly became a bestseller in Iran.

Musavi and his wife, university professor Zahra Rahnavard, and reformist cleric Mehdi Karrubi have been under house arrest since 2011 for challenging the Iranian establishment. Their restrictions have reportedly eased in recent months.

Irans leading rights advocate, lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, recommended Czech dissident Vaclav Havels iconic 1985 essay The Power Of The Powerless, which discusses resistance against totalitarian systems of power.
Belarus's authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed a decree allowing the transfer of presidential powers to the country's Security Council if he is killed or otherwise unable to perform his duties.

Many governments already consider Lukashenka's claim to the presidency illegitimate since a disputed reelection in August 2020 and a brutal ongoing crackdown against opposition protests.

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.

Previously, if the president's position became vacant, or he was unable to fulfil his duties, power would be transferred to the prime minister until a new president took oath.

But the decree, signed on May 9, stipulates that power would be vested in the Security Council, which would be chaired by the prime minister.

The Security Council is made up of handpicked Lukashenka backers.

Lukashenka said in April he would sign a contingency decree on presidential powers.

"Tell me, if there is no president tomorrow, would you guarantee everything is going to be fine? No," he told reporters on April 24, according to the state news agency Belta.

"I will sign a decree about how power in Belarus will be set up. If the president is shot, the next day the Security Council will get the power," Lukashenka said.

With reporting by Reuters
Officials in Russia's Omsk region says regional Health Minister Aleksandr Murakhovsky, who was the head doctor at the hospital that treated opposition politician Aleksei Navalny last August, has been found alive after going missing under mysterious circumstances.

Murakhovsky, who had been missing since May 7, came out of a forest some 32 kilometers from the site where he disappeared while hunting, the government's press service told the state TASS news agency on May 10.

"The health minister of the Omsk region, Aleksandr Murakhovsky, came out to the people near the village of Basly. His state of health is normal," the statement said, adding that he is being examined by medical personnel at a hospital in the Bolsheukovsky district.

Murakhovsky's disappearance raised eyebrows after two other doctors at the hospital where Navalny was treated for a poison attack have died in recent months.

He went missing after he left a hunting base on an all-terrain vehicle on May 7. His acquaintances reported his disappearance to the police the next day.

Emergency services, hunting inspectors, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, police officers, and local residents were involved in a search for Murakhovsky.

Murakhovsky was the head doctor at the hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk that treated Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic. A few months later, he was appointed health minister for the Omsk region.

Navalny was admitted to the hospital on August 20 after he became ill on an airplane, forcing his flight to make an emergency landing in Omsk.

Initially, doctors at the hospital publicly admitted that the cause of Navalnys illness was poison, but then later denied it. After tense negotiations with the authorities, Navalny was airlifted to Germany for further treatment that likely saved his life.

Murakhovsky, a member of the ruling United Russia party, delayed Navalny's transfer to Berlin for two days after announcing that Navalny's grave health condition was caused by a "metabolic disorder."

Navalny, who returned to Russia from Germany in January, is currently serving a 2 1/2-year prison sentence on embezzlement charges that he says were trumped up because of his political activity. A Moscow court in February ruled that, while in Germany, Navalny violated the terms of parole from the embezzlement case.

Navalny recently ended a hunger strike to demand he be examined by his own doctors amid what he has described as a deliberate campaign by Russian prison officials to undermine his health.

Two other doctors at the Omsk hospital where Navalny was treated have died in recent months.

The Omsk emergency hospital No. 1 said in March that Rustam Agishev, head of the trauma and orthopedics department, died due to complications after suffering a stroke in December.

Agishevs death followed the death in February of Sergei Maksimishin, deputy chief physician for anesthesiology and resuscitation at the hospital. Officials said at the time that Maksimishin died of a heart attack.

With reporting TASS and Interfax
Arkticheskaya Gornaya Kompaniya (AGK, Arctic Mining Company) develops the diamond deposits in the Lena-Anabar diamondiferous sub-province of Yakutia under the ALMAR (Diamonds of the Arctic) brand. This company attracts investments for this project and Rough&Polished asked Andrey Novikov, the companys Deputy Director General for Commerce, to speak on this.

Please tell us about the deposits developed by your company.

Arkticheskaya Gornaya Kompaniya was established in 2015 when our legislation allowed the regional companies to obtain licences for alluvial diamond deposits. Taking advantage of this opportunity, a team of professionals from the diamond business conducted a comprehensive analysis of the diamond placers discovered in Yakutia and received two licences for geological exploration of two deposits located in the north-west of the republic in the Bulunsky and Olenyoksky districts (Yakut: uluses), not far from the placer deposits developed by the Almazy Anabara Company.

Our resource base consists of two placer deposits - the classic Beenchime placer deposit along the Beenchime River bed 150 km from the Molodo deposit mined by Almazy Anabara Company and the Khatystakh placer deposit located in the mouth of the Lena River, in the basins of the Bulkur and Khatystakh rivers. In our opinion, this deposit has a good potential since it is associated with highly diamond-bearing Triassic tuffaceous sedimentary rock beds. In both deposits, the northern type diamonds - typical of all placer deposits in the northern Yakutia - prevail. The samples for the Beenchime placer are characterized by an average grade but the quality of rough diamonds is high, while at Khatystakh, the rough diamond quality is lower, but the diamond potential is huge.

Both deposits were discovered by the geologists of the Amakinskaya Expedition, as well as the Aerogeologiya and Nizhne-Lenskoye companies. After obtaining the licences, AGK carried out small-volume and bulk sampling at both placers in 2016 -2017, which made it possible to determine the commercial diamond content of both placers and to assess their inferred resources. In 2019, an expert examination of the resources by an independent competent expert was carried out according to standard NI43-101.

In early 2020, when it became clear that the economy would be impacted seriously by the coronavirus pandemic, including the diamond industrys upstream segment, we realized that we needed a different approach to continue operations - otherwise, we would not be able to cope with the difficulties we faced in the crisis during the lockdown. As a result, we had to significantly revise our plans for the geological exploration, production organization, and financing required for the development of ALMAR. This resulted mainly in the optimization of costs, the active use of outsourcing to minimize the procurement of expensive mining machinery and equipment at the geological exploration stage, and detailed financial planning and risk management were required. It should be noted that we did not reinvent the wheel - this was the approach used by junior mining companies all over the world.

To summarize our approach to project management - we make all decisions based on the fullest possible data and strive to reduce the operating costs to the minimum. To do this, we hired a KPMG expert to do financial planning and carried out an independent examination of the reserves and our investment project. Our choice of the independent examiners was based on their competence in the diamond business and the knowledge of our region peculiarities, and we chose the international company SRK because it had been evaluating the reserves for ALROSA for many years, and FBK Grant Thornton, the first major auditor of ALROSA, working in the diamond mining industry from the mid-1990s to the present time.

Until last year, we did small-volume sampling as the geological field party mined using small-scale mechanization. This year, we switched to bulk sampling - we cooperated with ALROSA represented by Almazy Anabara, to carry out most geological surveys and sample evaluations for us under a contract, and we paid them the entire volume of the exploration work done. The advantage of a contract is that we dont have to buy equipment now. In principle, we do not buy anything now because two-thirds of our entire production budget before placing the commercial minerals on the State balance sheet are the payments to Almazy Anabara, and one-third is the payroll and administrative expenses and also taxes. As soon as we place the reserves on the balance sheet, it will be necessary to attract significantly greater funds to organize the production and purchase the mining equipment like excavators, bulldozers, dump trucks, beneficiation plants, etc. We will start mining in 2024, and the first revenue will be only by the end of 2024. The financiers think this is a long time and, in fact, it is a huge problem for all junior companies. And besides, with large-scale plans (and at the time of production we will have up to 300 employees) we will produce up to 1 mn carats a year, so, we will potentially embrace 0.5% of the world market; however, now we have a little more than 10 people in our team and we are a startup, a so-called junior company. Our task now is to complete geological exploration as successfully as possible with minimal costs, so even now we work mainly part-time in order to save money and spend as little money as possible at the initial stage.

Why do you use two names, AGK and ALMAR, what is the difference?

The subsoil user is Arkticheskaya Gornaya Kompaniya (Arctic Mining Company), but all the companies here are named Arctic or mining, therefore, to stand out of the others, we carried out a rebranding in 2019. ALMAR is a name in the spirit of the industry, like the names ALROSA stands for Almazy Rossii (Diamonds of Russia), so, our name ALMAR stands for Almazy Arktiki (Diamonds of the Arctic) - the analogy is clear; there also the Almazy Anabara (Diamonds of Anabara) company.

The ALMAR logo is the arctic poppy - an endemic to the Arctic, a small flower but bright and very resilient. The arctic poppy is also one-of-a-kind as it is the only poppy without opiates. The logo symbolizes a diamond - our core product and a quarry in a kimberlite pipe symbolizes a mining industry, traditionally in the national colours of Yakutia.

Who are the members of the ALMAR team?

In fact, earlier, our team took part in the production at the Nizhne-Lenskoye and the Almazy Anabara mining enterprises, subsidiaries of ALROSA, including the Almazy Anabaras chief engineer, Nizhne-Lenskoye companys chief geologist, and the deputy chief Beneficiation Officer.

Director General Andrey Karkhu is an Honored Miner of the Russian Federation, a well-known expert in the diamond mining industry both in Yakutia and abroad. Sergey Grakhanov is Chief Geologist and the discoverer of the largest placer deposits in Yakutia (Ebelyakh, Gusinaya, Yraas-Yuryakh, Bolshaya Kuonamka placers), Dr. Sci. in Geology and Mineralogy. Andrey Zudikhin is chief Beneficiation Officer, the discoverer of the Bolshaya Kuonamka. The founders of the Arkticheskaya Gornaya Kompaniya are among its shareholders, for example, the first Director General, Pavel Andreyev, formerly a top-level regional official; Roman Nogovitsyn, Academician of the Yakutias Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economics, Professor; Sergey Grakhanov, Dr. Sci. in Geology and Mineralogy, Honoured Geologist of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia); financier Lyudmila Nikolayeva who took part in the development of a diamond processing cluster in the republic when she was the head of Almazergienbank. She was the first to enter this project in 2016 with her own money, at first as a creditor, and then as an investor, assuming risks at the earliest stage of exploration. And at the beginning of 2019, I joined the ALMAR team being at that time the director of the Regional Projects at Diamond Trading NV.

You were the director of the branch of the Belgian Diamond Trading NV in China, were not you?

Not exactly, this company has a subsidiary in China - Deltatau Diamond (Shanghai) Co Ltd, and I was responsible for purchases in Russia and for the sales development in the Chinese market. The matter is that I have worked in China at a consulting company for many years. Diamond Trading NV is one of the top 15 global diamond dealers, it is one of the oldest diamond dealers in the world with over 150 years of experience.

Before joining Diamond Trading NV, I was in charge of the ALROSAs sales branch in Vladivostok as its first director and created a diamond cluster in the free port of Vladivostok. Prior to that, I worked in the consultancy team that optimized the activities of ALROSA, in general, I gained diversified experience in the rough and polished diamond sector.

What are your goals?

We plan to complete the exploration work in Q4 2022 and to confirm and place the reserves on the balance sheet in 2023. We expect to start mining in 2024 and to start selling rough diamonds in Q4.

We want ALMAR to remain a Yakut-based company, so, it is necessary to attract money from the financial market. Until the beginning of 2021, we did the investments on our own. In general, for a junior company, the most affordable way of financing is using its own capital. You can try and find a strategic investor. However, there was no such a case in the diamond mining sector yet, but such a practice exists in a gold mining sector and it shows that if a strategic investor comes at this stage, then it usually takes a minimum of 70% and is interested in the full control over the company. And our model of attracting investments is to arrange all our processes so that the company could become attractive for institutional financial investors in terms of the risk level and we could attract funds from the investors interested in the income, and not in the control over the company. And this requires either going to the stock exchange or to large investment companies - the Russian or foreign ones. Since 2019, we have been very actively negotiating with large Russian institutional investors and showing them the companys progress.

In addition, we want our approach, if successful, to pave the way to the financial market for other Yakut junior companies. Therefore, we are very transparent and show the project progress on the ALMAR website. In the future, we hope to become a public company, but now we are taking into account the standards used by public companies.

It was no coincidence that you held the presentation of your project for investors in Moscow together with De Beers Jewellers?

For us, their participation was a sign of a certain trust. But their customers are more important to us - the wealthy people who invest in premium jewellery, in the diamond mining companies, they are of interest to us in terms of investments. They also show a certain interest in the company and their investment interest is quite strong. This year, we expect to attract funds that will be sufficient for the entire exploration stage before placing the reserves on the balance sheet. This investment model allows us to hope that we will be able to attract funding while maintaining our control and the company will remain in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Several other subsoil users with licences for geological exploration at diamond placers appeared in the Arctic districts of Yakutia, the RosGeologia company received several licences after us, and there are several more companies having the licences. Now, in my opinion, this area develops into a kind of diamond Klondike. It is very interesting to observe the development of other companies and the district. In general, I believe that now there is a great upsurge in Yakutia and this is one of the regions that will be the basis for the further development of Russia.

But you were the first to start, so are you in a better position?

We had the opportunity to choose. We have recently signed an agreement with RosGeologia, under which we plan to exchange data, and, perhaps, we will jointly carry out the exploration work. The plans have not yet been confirmed, but we are currently studying this possibility. That is, the potential of the Arctic region is very high in terms of mining diamonds. Of course, ALROSA - as a major company and a market maker - works on the large primary deposits, and new primary deposits have not yet been found in the Arctic, but a lot of placer deposits have been discovered, so small-scale companies have a high potential for a rough diamond base.

We still bear high geological risks, but the junior company format allows us to limit our costs and use the investment funds very effectively. We try to attain and maintain our competitive advantages such as flexibility, mobility, profitability, use of new technologies, and to create a new diamond mining company that is a small, flexible, up-to-date junior one combining the traditions of the Russian diamond mining practices highly valued all over the world with modern approaches of the junior business.

Implementing the ALMAR project, we set a broader task and we want our experience to be in demand and used by other Yakut companies. It is very difficult to raise funds as the mining industry is very capital-intensive and the investment market is global, so, the investors have an opportunity to invest all over the world. That is why the Yakut companies have to compete for investments globally. At this stage, the problem of raising the funds for the development is a common problem for the companies in Russia, especially for the ones in the Far East.

Therefore, our task is to develop the company in such a way and assess and manage its risks as transparently as possible so that the financial market could believe in us. At the same time, our investors will receive higher returns than in the upstream diamond market due to the low base effect.

This is a case in point that will serve to develop the process of funding junior companies and geological exploration in general. After all, a problem is emerging with the raw-material base, as well as the problem in the diamond industry regarding the proven reserves in the Arctic zone placed on the balance sheet for many deposits - until 2025, for primary deposits - until 2030. Investments in geological exploration are always risky, and it is very difficult for a single company, even the largest one, to carry out the resource base replenishment, especially in the current unstable economy. On the one hand, the state is now engaged in this and the RosGeology company works actively, but on the other hand, this process can also be at the level of junior companies. This is even more relevant in the gold mining sector, where there are hundreds of deposits with reserves that are, in principle, of no interest to major companies, the reserves are from 200-500 kg to a tonne, this equals several billion roubles, but their development is easy enough, so, the local companies are able to develop them if they have funding. And if there is a chance that a regional company - a junior one like us - could receive funds for the exploration, go through all the stages to the production and sales, and at the same time, would be able to retain its control and remain a regional company, I think, this case would be interesting to many players.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished


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CSE to do 15 more IPOs this year By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

Thanks to the valiant efforts by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) some 15 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are in the pipeline for this year, capital market officials said.

This is on the back of three (IPOs) already done so far for the year.

WindForce Ltd, listed at the CSE in April attracted a total foreign investment of Rs.531 million on the very first day of trading. Chrissworld Ltd on the Empower Board was oversubscribed on the first day itself and raised Rs. 56.25 million. Prime Lands Residencies Ltd is seeking a listing on the CSE with 100 million new shares at a price of Rs. 10.40 per share with an option to issue a further 87.5 million shares in the event the first 100 million are oversubscribed.

Officials said that some prominent family firms are also in line to list.

Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), a shell company set up by investors to raise money through an IPO to eventually acquire another company has also fetched much interest. A SPAC has no existing operations or underlying business and is founded by one or a group of sponsors, being well-known entrepreneurs, private equity or industry experts making one or more acquisitions. Already a consortium of investors is eyeing a SPAC no sooner the CSE sanctions rules, an official told the Business Times.
EPF to be transformed to a part-pension fund By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Private sector employees are to be given pension rights under a new move by the government to amend the Employment Provident Fund Act.

The EPF and Employees Trust Fund (ETF) are to be transformed into a part-pension fund functioning under the Treasury, official sources said adding that the Finance Ministry has been directed to work out modalities of the pension scheme.

The proposed pension fund would allow a retiring member to take part of the money as a lump-sum payment and retain the balance to receive a monthly pension or withdraw his or her entire contribution on retirement.

Confirming the governments move to introduce the new scheme, Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that a formidable pension and social security scheme is to be introduced for the private sector.

In a statement, he noted that an adequate social security programme has hitherto not been designed for the labour force of the private sector and this new move will bring retirement benefits for private sector workers.

The move to set up a private sector pension scheme comes as Sri Lanka is likely to face a major economic burden with an ageing workforce, a senior official of the Labour Ministry said adding that it was essential to bring improvements to the operating structure of both the EPF and ETF.

The new amendments to the EPF Act will provide provisions to set up a pension fund under the Treasury as the EPF or ETF in its current form cannot be considered a pension scheme.

Therefore, if both funds are going to be merged to provide a pension for life, the fund needs major reform and must be taken out from the Central Bank, he said.

The Government had abandoned its previous attempt in May 2011 to set up a separate pension scheme for the private sector with part of the EPF funds after wide-ranging public protests. Joint Secretary of Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Anton Marcus told the Business Times any pension scheme for private sector should be made optional for workers obtain early retirement according to their wish without blocking it until they reach 60 years of age.

He said that the trade unions have not been informed of any proposed pension scheme and it should be introduced in consultation with trade unions.

This proposal should not be another attempt to use private sector employees life savings by the state to borrow funds at lower rates to bridge the deficit or any other purposes, he added.

He said that this matter will be brought to the notice of the next Labour Advisory Council meeting which is the tripartite apex body to discuss policy-related labour matters and advice the Minister of Labour.

However council meetings have not been convened during the past couple of months, he said adding that the Labour Ministry should conduct a meeting soon to discuss this matter.
Le siege du Washington Post (image d'illustration)

Une nouvelle affaire pourrait entacher la presidence Trump. Ladministration de lancien president aurait espionne des journalistes. Leurs releves telephoniques ont ete secretement saisis alors quils enquetaient sur les ingerences russes.





Pour le Washington Post, il sagit  dune intrusion dans les activites de ses reporters et une violation du 1er amendement . Le quotidien a revele que sous le mandat de Donald Trump, le departement de la justice a saisi les releves telephoniques de trois de ses journalistes, des releves de telephones fixes professionnels, personnels ainsi que telephone portable sur la periode davril a juillet 2017.





Le Washington Post explique qua ce moment-la, les reporters en question enquetaient sur les ingerences russes dans la campagne de 2016. Une enquete qui a notamment revele que Jeff Sessions, procureur general de Donald Trump, avait discute avec lambassadeur de Russie durant la campagne du candidat republicain.




Fishing in troubled waters View(s):

Gamini has a business; his company is engaged in both imports and manufacturing. He is a close friend of mine too; when it comes to government support for business, he and I are in two different ideological positions and, I must tell you why. I look at it from an overall economic point of view, while he looks at it from his own business point of view. Then you might ask whats the difference?

The difference is big: From an overall economic point of view, I know that a country  especially, a small country like ours, cannot produce everything we want. As a country, we need millions of things for both our consumption and production as a nation. Given the right policy environment, a country chooses to produce certain things but not everything. Moreover, I know that these certain things are best known to the businessmen and, not known to politicians or policy makers or academics.

Therefore, it is the businessmen who find such opportunities and put their money in order to start businesses. It is the duty of policy makers and politicians as well as, perhaps academics too, to create that enabling environment to facilitate the realisation of the business ideas of businessmen.

State support

Gamini, who has both managerial and engineering experience, also has a different opinion. His heart is in producing things locally rather than importing them. By producing locally, he says that more value can be added, more jobs can be created, and more foreign exchange can be saved. True enough; I have nothing against that idea, which I always admire.

However, the problem is that his idea is conditional  government should support it providing a protected market with import controls and tax incentives. My economic view is that it may work for some businessmen at the expense of all of their customers who lose the customer choices; as a result, they have to pay higher prices for lower quality! The success of some businessmen is not the success of the overall economy.

I hope our ideological difference is clear enough. Accordingly, two of us often get caught up in debates  of course, fruitful debates without losing our friendship. I am of the view that our import controls are too much, but believes that they are too little; I hold the view that there are many other barriers to businesses in this country, but his focus is merely on protection and tax incentives which can compensate for the other barriers.

Domestic production

It was in the midst of all this that new import controls came in, which put his faith to test. The most important among all the news he brought to me was his own idea of initiating a local product of his own  an electrical equipment, replacing its imported product. He thought that this is the right policy environment to initiate this local product.

Gamini is convinced that he can supply it profitably to the local market, ousting imports. According to his plan, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in China can supply parts and components which will be imported and, then assembled here to bring out the new branded local product. Because all parts and components are still the same as in the imported product, in his view, the new local product will also be as good as the imported one.

After all these, he still had a few more problems to sort out  all of them are related to the countrys regulatory system. While explaining his intention to add domestic value to the product, he pointed out one of the important problems that he has encountered. I have to certify that it has at least 30 per cent local value addition. If I can prove that, then, I can also claim the benefit of an excise duty waiver.

Contradictory proposal

He explained to me how some of the businesses have made up that 30 per cent value addition one way or the other and, receive that discriminatory tax benefit; as a result, such products are more profitable than the competing imports in the local market.

I replied: You can use local parts too up to 30 per cent value addition.

He explained: It is difficult, because this particular equipment has no reliable suppliers of local parts.

I teased him with a piece of advice: Thats because they havent got protection from imports, as you used to argue; we must ask the government to bring these parts under import controls at least under high import duties. Then, there will be local producers to initiate production of such parts and components as well.

Obviously, he cannot agree with what I proposed, because it would raise his cost, as well as perhaps, downgrade its quality too. He must find a way somehow to show raising 30 per cent domestic value addition in his product.

He put forward another important problem that he must face: His intended product still carries import duty concessions, because it is primarily an electric equipment that can be used for business purposes. Because of this duty concession, he still has a price competition in the local market which would lower his profit margin.

He has an idea: I must convince the government to raise import duty on the imported product so that I can produce it profitably.

Wait a minute! I asked: In the earlier case, you wanted to get the import duty eliminated on imported inputs because it affects your costs and quality. Now in this case, you wanted to get import duty increased on your product because you want to keep your profitability. How do you intend to bring this contradictory proposal to the government?

He had an answer: This is for domestic production and it would add more value, create more jobs and save foreign exchange! If our government appreciates all that, this business is worthy of getting government support.

Unholy alliance

It is difficult to reject Gaminis argument, if we go by his intention to start a domestic production. But nevertheless, lets look at it from an economic point of view.

The first problem is what is right for Gamini may not be the right thing for everybody. His proposal to increase the import duties on competing imports would raise the price of this product hurting other businesses using it; his proposal to eliminate import duties on his inputs will also hurt the potential local producers of these inputs. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the net outcome of that proposal could be a loss to the economy.

The second is about the politics of Gaminis proposal: The policy decision on his proposal will be more political than economic. Because his proposal hurts other businesses, the lobby for opposing his proposal can also arise. In such situations, whether the decision is in favour of Gamini or someone else is determined by who gets the political blessings or bureaucratic favours; it is mostly the small businessmen who lose without an influential voice.

Regulatory economic systems often create room for political interferences and corruption. It has been a well-documented case that in all of the regulatory economic systems there have been unholy alliances among politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen.

Politics over economics

The final comment is about the entire country in which there are millions of parts, components, and final products produced and imported all the time. You may succeed in applying Gaminis theory for a couple of products, but apparently not for all these products. Any government that is trying to do that may end up even wasting the valuable time of politicians and bureaucrats, because they have to handle the issues of products one-by-one. And there will be hundreds of ad hoc decisions scattered everywhere without a clear policy direction; does it work for a country?

Anyway, I gave my assessment to Gamini: Well, you are not the only person doing business here and, your product is not the only product that needs protection either. When it comes to your proposal, all what you get or what you dont get will be a political decision and, not an economic decision. If you are influential enough, of course, you will get all what you want. Perhaps, using an economic jargon, we can call it a strategy of picking winners.

(The writer is a Professor of Economics at the University of Colombo and can be reached at sirimal@econ.cmb.ac.lk and follow on Twitter @SirimalAshoka).
New state Attorney General Rob Bonta pledged Friday to release more police misconduct records and launch a new era of transparency in the states top law enforcement agency, hours after a San Francisco Superior Court ordered his office to provide a speedier and more orderly release of documents.

Bontas prompt response to the order left freedom of information advocates cautiously hopeful.

Two weeks after being confirmed as attorney general, Bonta committed to accelerate the release of police officer use-of-force and misconduct records. When he took office, he pledged to bring more progressive policies on criminal, racial and environmental justice.

By shining a light on misconduct where it occurs, were also working to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, Bonta said in a statement, crediting the 2019 passage of Senate Bill 1421. The law makes police records relating to officer use-of-force, sexual assault, and filing false reports available under the California Public Records Act.

Bonta, an Alameda Democrat who had been an assemblyman, was selected by Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Xavier Becerra, who stepped down to become President Bidens secretary of health and human services.

Police unions claimed that some records, including those from incidents that occurred before the 2019 law took effect, should be exempt from disclosure, and Becerra agreed. Courts disagreed about the retroactivity issue but Becerra continued to withhold other records from misconduct incidents.

The First Amendment Coalition and public broadcaster KQED sued the attorney generals office over the withholding of documents. Fridays court order requires Bonta to review hundreds of thousands of documents to identify information that should be disclosed. The order commands the attorney general to produce all records by Sept. 26, and a log of all withheld documents a month later.

This was definitely a court-ordered start of a new era of transparency, Tom Burke, a First Amendment attorney representing KQED, said in an interview. But, as an elected official, if hes going to engage in more transparency than his predecessors, Becerra, or (now Vice President Kamala) Harris, well, hallelujah.

Since the passage of Senate Bill 1421, Burke said, the attorney generals office has delivered tens of thousands of documents, many of which have become the subject of news stories. But the production of documents has been slow. And some  including a set of documents in which the attorney general reviews misconduct investigations by other agencies  have been withheld.

If theyre going to start a new era of transparency, he said, that collection would be a good start.

David Synder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, called the attorney generals statement encouraging, but said he remained skeptical.

Whether they follow through remains to be seen. We certainly welcome a change in transparency. We requested these records two and a half years ago, and we still dont have the records we believe were entitled to.

In other news regarding police misconduct allegations, the Sacramento Police Department arrested two of its officers Thursday on unrelated criminal charges. One officer was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and the other was arrested and charged with filing a false police report, according to authorities.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
A Northern California police department arrested two of its own in as many days last week.

The Sacramento Police Department announced the arrests of the officers for separate allegations of domestic violence and filing false police reports.

Officer Justin David Shepard was arrested Friday, one day after his department said it was notified of a week-old domestic violence incident that left a victim with visible injuries in Natomas.

In a news release, the department said the incident occurred while Shepard was off-duty and that the victim wasnt hospitalized. The department cited victim privacy in withholding additional details, but said Shepard, 30, was arrested on charges of felony domestic violence.

Sacramento County jail logs show he was released Friday.

The Sacramento Police Department does not and never will tolerate criminal behavior from our officers, police Chief Daniel Hahn said in a statement. We demand that our officers uphold the highest legal and ethical standards that are required to serve our community in the critical position of peace officer. We hold our officers to these standards both on and off duty and will continue to work with the victim in this case.

Shepards arrest came one day after the department announced it had arrested a different officer accused of dishonesty. The officer, 26-year-old Alexa Palubicki of Orangevale, has been on administrative leave since July when the department says Palubickis colleagues reported her alleged misconduct.

Investigators spent five months auditing Palubickis arrests and reports, interviewing her coworkers, and reviewing footage from body-worn cameras, in-car cameras and surveillance cameras, the department stated in a release. They also obtained warrants to search her cell phones and social media accounts.

Hahn said his department requires officers to report misconduct to their supervisors and intervene when it occurs.

I am grateful for the other officers in this department who demonstrated strong integrity to come forward with information about this individual, Hahn said in a statement, adding that the agency took swift action by stripping Palubicki of her police powers and placing her on administrative leave when the allegations surfaced.

On the same day Palubicki was arrested, the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office filed two felony counts of filing a false police report against her. The DAs office said the charges stem from a single incident on July 11, but offered no additional details.

Palubicki made $88,000 in total pay in 2019, according to Transparent California. Shepard made $93,000 that year, the public employee database shows. Both officers have been with the department for three years.

Raheem Hosseini is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @raheemfh
The law firm that provides legal services to the town of Windsor has recused itself from matters involving Mayor Dominic Foppoli after former Sonoma Mayor Rachel Hundley, a senior associate at the firm, accused Foppoli of sexual misconduct.

Hundley said in an interview that she told leadership at Meyers Nave, which has offices throughout California, that Foppoli climbed on top of her and exposed his penis in a Sacramento hotel room during a January 2015 conference for government officials. Hundley, now 38, said she had returned to Foppolis room after a night of drinking, but had explicitly told him that she did not want anything sexual to occur.

His exposure to me was absolutely nonconsensual and unwanted, said Hundley, who served on the Sonoma City Council from 2014 to 2021 and as the citys mayor in 2017. It was unwanted sexual aggression and persistence contrary to the boundaries I had set.

At the time, Hundley and Foppoli were newly elected council members in Sonoma and Windsor. Now the mayor of Windsor, Foppoli, also 38, is facing accusations of sexual assault from seven women. He has denied all the allegations.

When asked specifically about Foppolis encounter with Hundley, his lawyer, Orchid Vaghti of Santa Rosa, said in a statement that the mayor adamantly denies engaging in any non-consensual conduct with any females from his past. Period.

Windsor Vice Mayor Sam Salmon said that Jose Sanchez, the Meyers Nave lawyer who serves as town attorney, recused himself about two weeks ago from matters related to Foppoli, citing a conflict. Sanchez can still counsel the town on unrelated topics, Salmon said.

Sanchez did not respond to several email and phone messages. The firms administration and human resources directors also did not respond to requests for comment.

Joan Cassman, an attorney with Hanson Bridgett of San Francisco, said Windsor officials asked her to serve as special counsel at an April 14 emergency meeting, where the Town Council voted to demand Foppolis resignation, because Sanchez had recused himself.

The Chronicle first documented four womens allegations of sexual assault against Foppoli, the co-owner of Christopher Creek Winery north of Windsor, in an April 8 investigation. Since then, two more women have told the Chronicle that Foppoli assaulted them. The alleged incidents took place as long ago as 2002 and as recently as 2019, during Foppolis first term as mayor.

The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office has started a criminal investigation into the allegations, and on Thursday, Windsor officials asked District Attorney Jill Ravitch to authorize a grand jury investigation into Foppolis willful or corrupt misconduct in office.

Foppolis Town Council colleague, Esther Lemus, has also publicly accused Foppoli of sexual assault. A spokesperson for the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office said it referred both the criminal investigation and the grand jury request to the California attorney general because Lemus is a deputy district attorney in the county office.

Hours after The Chronicles initial investigation was published, Hundley said in a public Facebook post that Foppoli was someone Ive had an unsettling experience with myself, although it was not an assault like that described in this article.

Chronicle composite

Hundley told The Chronicle that she first met Foppoli on Jan. 4, 2015, at an event at Christopher Creek for some newly elected local officials. She said they struck up a friendly rapport, and that Foppoli messaged her on Facebook the next day to invite her to carpool with him and newly elected Ukiah Council Member Maureen Mulheren to an upcoming League of California Cities conference.

Mulheren, who is now a Mendocino County supervisor, said in an interview that she discussed carpooling with Foppoli, but ultimately did not because she had other work obligations.

Hundley thanked Foppoli for the offer, but said she already had plans to drive to the conference with a Sonoma colleague on the morning of Jan. 14. Hundley provided her exchanges with Foppoli to The Chronicle.

That morning, Hundley messaged Foppoli again and they continued a joking conversation throughout the day in which Foppoli mentioned listening to thrilling info on bus weight limits and Hundley said that someone at her table had asked whether Foppoli was old enough to drink.

I have no other council members here and my town manager on one side of me and our finance director on the other side, Foppoli wrote. They are both women close to my mothers age and they like to lecture. I feel like Im in trouble, lol.

At 5:24 p.m., Hundley messaged Foppoli asking whether he had any post-reception plans. She said that sometime after the conference reception, she and a few other attendees continued drinking and socializing at local bars. She said they went to Dive Bar in downtown Sacramento, and that she and Foppoli then stayed out later than the rest of the group, drinking and dancing at another bar and eventually grabbing a drink at the hotel bar.

Courtesy Rachel Hundley 2015

Hundley said Foppoli invited her back to his room for a nightcap. She said he had mentioned earlier in the evening that hed brought a half-case of wine. As Hundley approached his door, she said, she told Foppoli that she was not interested in having sex with him. Hundley said it was a rule of hers to not mix professional and sexual relationships.

Its something I frequently do when I am hanging out with a man that I dont plan on having any sort of sexual relations with, Hundley said. I tell them, By the way, I am not making out with you, or having sex with you, just to make sure I state my boundaries firmly.

Hundley said she does not remember specifically what Foppoli said in response, but that she felt comfortable enough to proceed into his room and hang out on the hotel bed. She said that sometime later, after they had been drinking and chatting, she took off her pants to go to sleep, but left her shirt on to cover her top. Foppoli took off his shirt and was in his underwear, Hundley said.

Foppoli had been flirtatious with her throughout the evening, Hundley said, but she didnt feel threatened or uncomfortable. While they were lying in bed, Hundley said, Foppoli began to try to persuade her to have sex with him, but she brushed him off and reasserted her boundary. Then, as she was lying on her back, she said, Foppoli got on top of her, straddled her hips, exposed his penis and held it in his hand.

He then said to me, Dont you want my Foppoli? while he had one hand on his penis and the other hand rubbing his chest like he was trying to seduce me, Hundley said. It was really aggressive, and I felt annoyed at that point that I had to keep telling him that I was not going to have sex with him.

She said she pushed him off her and that they fell asleep soon after.

Hundley was 31 at the time. She said that, at that point in her life, she was used to men not respecting her boundaries. Its not the first time Ive been in a dynamic where a drunk dude was being aggressive and pushy, and it wasnt a new thing. I think I felt more annoyed than threatened, Hundley said.

The next morning, Hundley said she did not mention the alleged incident. She said Foppoli, then 32, was friendly and lighthearted and that they both decided to skip the morning conference sessions. Hundley said she wore a hotel bathrobe while they talked, ate brunch and drank mimosas.

But as she was gathering her items to return to her own room down the hall, Hundley said Foppoli took out his phone and started taking pictures of her in the bathrobe. She said she felt panicked as Foppoli laughed. Hundley said she tried to cover her face with her hand as she sprinted out of his room.

Vaghti, Foppolis attorney, said in response to an email from The Chronicle describing these allegations, I read that there was a sexual overture made after Ms. Hundley returned to Mr. Foppolis hotel room with him and laid down on his bed. This overture was rejected, and Mr. Foppoli apparently accepted it as Ms. Hundley felt comfortable enough to sleep through the night in the room and wear a bathrobe in his presence the next morning.

In her statement, Vaghti did not address the alleged photographs.

The Chronicle spoke with three people who said Hundley referenced the alleged encounter with Foppoli within days of returning from the conference.

Hundleys former roommate, Michael Burnett, said he had asked Hundley whether she met anyone at the conference, and she said yes. Burnett said Hundley did not mention Foppoli by name, but said the person had just been elected to the Windsor Town Council.

She was usually very open, even TMI in giving me details, Burnett said. But this time she was like, No, no, it really ended weird. It was weird and unpleasant.

Hundleys campaign manager, David Wells, said that Hundley told him days after the conference that she had been drinking with Foppoli and had returned to his hotel room. Wells said Hundley told him she had emphasized to Foppoli that they werent going to have sex.

At the time, Wells said, Hundley didnt share details about what had happened in the hotel room, but he recalled that Hundley seemed uneasy. She was just really unnerved by the whole situation, he said.

After the Chronicles investigation published last month, Wells said, Hundley called him and again mentioned her encounter with Foppoli in 2015. This time, Wells said, Hundley told him that Foppoli had climbed on top of her, exposed himself and referred to his penis by his surname.

Wells said he was disturbed by her account. While they didnt have sex, it was still him taking advantage of the situation and putting pressure on a young woman, he said.

A third person, a friend of Hundleys who declined to be named in this article, said he went to lunch with Hundley shortly after the 2015 conference. He said she told him she had spent the night in Foppolis hotel room and that, the next day, Foppoli began taking photos of her without her permission while she was in a bathrobe.

The friend said Hundley did not share details about Foppoli allegedly exposing himself. The photos werent consensual, he said. It was clear to me she wasnt happy about it.

When she got back to her hotel room on Jan. 15, 2015, Hundley said she felt extremely unsettled that Foppoli had the photos of her because she didnt know why he had taken them or what he planned to do with them.

It felt so insensitive that he would do that and I just kept wondering what he would use those photos for, she said. It felt really weird and creepy.

As she continued to attend workshop sessions with her colleagues, Hundley said, she struggled with how to approach Foppoli about the photos, concerned that confronting him could make the situation worse. They attended a tour of the Capitol together that day, while Hundley continued to figure out what to do.

When they stopped by the office of state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, Hundley said Foppoli asked her to take a picture of him with McGuire. Hundley said Foppoli handed her his phone and that, when he was preoccupied with McGuire, she quickly searched through the phone and deleted the photos of herself.

I was frantically trying to delete the photos, but later remembered that he mightve found a way to recover them, which freaked me out, she said. A big concern of mine in knowing that he had them was my own reputation at the time as a young, first-time council member.

Hundley said she didnt consider reporting the incident at the time, or tell anyone at the conference that Foppoli had exposed himself to her, because she was worried about her reputation as a newly elected public official. She said she also felt she had taken care of the situation by erasing the photos Foppoli took of her.

That was my second month on the job, and it was all very new and quite intimidating, Hundley said. I felt like I had to suppress information because I was so scared about what it would mean if information about me got into the public.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Hundley was a private litigator before becoming a public law attorney at Meyers Nave, where she represents cities and special districts. In 2018, while running for re-election to the Sonoma City Council, she gained national prominence when she pushed back against a sexist political attack.

A website called Rachel Hundley Exposed contained plainly false statements alongside photos of Hundley lifted from social media, including one of her wearing a bustier and a bikini bottom at Burning Man, the annual music and art festival in the Nevada desert. Hundley said she received an email from an anonymous person with a link to the website, accusing her of being immoral and unethical, and threatening to release more information if she didnt drop out of the race.

Hundley responded by posting a YouTube video addressing the smear campaign and harassment head-on. She went on to keep her seat, winning by a wide margin.

Hundley said she resigned from the Sonoma City Council in January to focus on her work at Meyers Nave after conflicts with the other council members.

It was a very painful decision, said Hundley, echoing a video she posted on Facebook at the time in which she said the council had grown further apart while leading the city through the pandemic.

Though Windsor has been a client of Meyers Nave, Hundley, who has worked at the firm since late 2016, said she was not involved in handling any work involving the town.

She said she maintained a professional and friendly relationship with Foppoli after the conference, inviting him to her wedding and parties at her home.

But in the past couple of years, Hundley said, she distanced herself from Foppoli because she was concerned that his approach to politics was too transactional.

Then, as women leveled accusations of groping, rape and nonconsensual oral copulation against the mayor in recent weeks, Hundley said the alleged 2015 incident took on new meaning and that she felt compelled to share it publicly.

She said she hoped her account would make more women feel comfortable speaking out against sexual misconduct, especially after the widespread support she received for confronting sexism in 2018.

Hundley said that on April 30, she donated the majority of her remaining campaign contributions, $5,000, to a committee seeking to recall Foppoli. A representative for the United Residents for Recalling Foppoli Committee confirmed the donation. Hundley said she is now working to pool more contributions from other female leaders and elected officials in Sonoma County.

I feel like I have more room to speak out about (Foppoli) because I am no longer in public office, Hundley said. And because I went through this very public experience on a related issue and survived it.

Alexandria Bordas and Cynthia Dizikes are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexandria.bordas@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @crossingbordas, @cdizikes
Mothers Day last year looked very different for Evin Arici. She was cooped up with her husband and daughter for a brunch celebration at their home in Santa Cruz because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This year, with Bay Area coronavirus cases waning as vaccinations increase, and San Francisco in the least restrictive reopening tier, the family headed to the Pacific Heights neighborhood for an outdoor brunch at Chouquets restaurant Sunday morning.

Im very excited to be out and about again, said Arici.

They were one of many families who were out for a walk or for brunch Sunday in San Francisco to celebrate Mothers Day. Last year around this time, California had just started easing shelter-in-place restrictions, and the citys restaurants were still shuttered.

Jessica Flores / San Francisco Chronicle

Arici said she felt safe celebrating at a restaurant because she and her husband have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Were still keeping our same precautiousness and keeping the same standards but also feeling much more comfortable to be [out], especially if were sitting outside, she said.

[Related: 28 Mother's Day brunch ideas in the Bay Area, from Champagne feasts to bagels in bed]

In the Marina neighborhood, Promise Nixon took a walk through Chestnut Street with her 1-year-old daughter and fiance, Darrell Staley, just before noon. Staley had made special plans for them to celebrate Mothers Day.

Im excited, Nixon said, adding that she and her fiance dont get to spend much time together because they both work and are in school.

Last year, Nixon and her family took a drive for Mothers Day because there was nothing else to do because of the pandemic. Things are getting back to normal, so its nice, she said.

Jessica Flores / San Francisco Chronicle

Kaitlyn Bartley celebrated Mothers Day with brunch at the restaurant Cracked & Battered in the Marina with her husband and their three young daughters. They had plans for a socially distanced picnic with extended family Sunday evening in Berkeley.

Bartley said she felt optimistic after last year, which she called a scary Mothers Day because they couldnt celebrate with their family.

Its so nice to be feeling safer with the vaccines, Bartley said. There seems to be a lot more optimism and safety.

Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
Seniors in San Francisco public high schools can head back to campus in the final few weeks of the school year before graduation, teachers union officials announced over the weekend.

United Educators of San Francisco said it reached agreement with the San Francisco Unified School District on Friday that will allow 12th-grade students to return to in-person learning starting this Friday. But according to the SFUSD website, it appears students could only be allowed back for limited days and certain activities. The last day of instruction for the school district is June 2, and graduation ceremonies take place June 1-3.

UESF brought the initial proposal to SFUSD so that our current graduating seniors would have the opportunity to spend some time in-person on campus with teachers and their peers during their last few weeks of high school as they say goodbye to classmates and prepare for graduation and the next chapter of their lives, union president Susan Solomon said in an email.

School district spokesperson Laura Dudnick said SFUSD surveyed families of high-school seniors earlier this spring to gauge their interest in returning to campuses for a few weeks. Dudnick declined to comment on the unions announcement specifically, but said the district would share more details at Tuesdays school board meeting.

An FAQ section on the SFUSD website that addresses the survey says students will likely have limited days of the week and times to participate in activities at select high school campuses, which will be supervised by SFUSD staff. Activities may include college and career assistance, tutoring or study hall, and wellness support.

The announced return date for seniors is one day shy of the May 15 deadline to meet Californias minimum reopening requirements that are needed for the school district to receive its share of the $2 billion in grant funds the Legislature approved in March. The deal brokered by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom was intended to encourage school districts to bring students back into the classrooms.

School districts outside of the states most restrictive reopening tier earned their full share of funds if they reopened campuses to elementary students and at least one full middle or high school grade by April 1. Districts lose 1% of funding each school day they remained closed after that date and forfeit their entire share of grant funding if they do not meet the minimum requirements by May 15.

Under the system, S.F. Unified would have received roughly $17 million in incentive funds if it reopened campuses starting April 1.

Solomon said the union sought volunteers for in-person instruction through a member survey, and enough educators have already agreed to enable the return to campus.

We are looking forward to seeing our students in person, Solomon said.

This spring, San Francisco Unified was among the last large school systems in the country to bring students back after campuses were shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic. The reopening followed months of political back-and-forth, labor talks and a lawsuit.

Families and experts had pointed to the harmful impact of school closures on Bay Area children. Teachers had said they shared those concerns but were hesitant to go back because of safety issues.

District elementary schools and preschools reopened on a rolling basis in April, with about 22,000 of the districts 52,000 students in classrooms. Most middle and high school students have continued with remote learning, though 2,000 upper-grade students in focal populations returned to classrooms on April 26. They included students in special day classes, those in foster care and those experiencing homelessness.

Solomon said that there is no requirement for students to be vaccinated or tested for the coronavirus in order to return to campus, and surveillance testing will continue. SFUSD has partnered with Color to provide voluntary testing for students and staff. It is available before returning to in-person learning and every two weeks while students are in classrooms.

Because San Francisco is in Californias least restrictive reopening tier, yellow, testing is available to 20% of students attending in-person learning and done as a random sampling across the district, according to the district website.

In-person graduation ceremonies are planned for the districts 4,000 high school seniors, with events for the largest public high schools happening at Kezar Stadium at Golden Gate Park, and for smaller schools at the former McAteer High School campus. Safety measures, including social distancing and attendance limits, will be mandatory.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Ricardo Cano contributed to this report.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kelliehwang
After Sarai McCall gave birth to her daughter last month at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, she said it was her partner, Prentice Powell, who clothed her naked body and helped her into a wheelchair.

McCall said she was prepared for her labors physical journey. But not for the unexpected emotional trauma that accompanied it. The couple took to social media to criticize Alta Bates Summit over what they alleged was a bad experience that they attributed to their race. Both McCall and Powell are Black.

Growing up, I was aware of how Black women were treated in hospitals, McCall told me a week after her post drew more than 1,300 reactions on Instagram. I could see it happening to me and I was scared.

A representative with the hospital acknowledged having received a verbal complaint from the couples doula. Sutter Health could not address specific accusations because of federal patient privacy laws.

As an organization we take patient concerns very seriously and we have established channels to address them when they are brought to our attention, a Sutter Health spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Health equity is one of our organizations values and it is an area of demonstrated growth and ongoing opportunity.

McCall initially planned to give birth at a birthing center. But a spike in her blood pressure forced her to check into the hospital ahead of her due date. She and Powell allege that what happened over the next five days was a blur of thinly veiled racism and condescension.

McCall says she was pressured by doctors and nurses to take various medications, some to do with pain, and was told she was jeopardizing the health of her baby when she declined. Both said there were times when their questions were ignored. Their trained doula and midwife, Sydney Jones, said she verbally complained to management about the treatment.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Powell said he worried about McCalls well-being throughout their stay.

I just wanted to get her out of the hospital, Powell said. That delivery process was one of the worst experiences of our lives. When I was cleaning her up after it was over, I remember thinking, What the f just happened?

I remember just crying, saying how I didnt want to be at the hospital, McCall remembered. I didnt want something to happen to me or to the baby. It felt like nobody was listening.

Traumatic birthing experiences are common among Black women in America, even for celebrities such as Beyonce and Serena Williams. The poor treatment can contribute to deadly outcomes. Black and Indigenous women are three to four times more likely than women from other ethnic groups to die from childbirth-related complications, according to the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative.

Theyre also more likely to experience racism during the delivery process, be ignored by a health care provider, or be refused requests for help from a doctor, according to a 2019 study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Health.

Black women, Black mothers, are just deemed as unfit, said Jones, a postpartum coordinator and midwife at Pacifica Family Maternity Center in Berkeley. They have a negative light cast on them, which can make doctors not want to listen to their experiences or what is happening with their body. ... It all just boils down to the culture of racism that is woven into everything about the Black experience in America.

Chinyere Oparah, an Oakland educator and activist scholar, said her own negative birthing experience roughly 10 years ago inspired her to start the Black Women Birthing Justice Collective. The organization provides physical and emotional support to Black mothers during and after their pregnancies. Its one of several local groups, including the Roots of Labor Birth Collective, fighting against reproductive injustice.

The health care system isnt set up to meet our needs and wants, Oparah said. I still wonder how we can be in a place where, when were most vulnerable  while giving birth  we have to fight to be heard and know that were disempowered.

California has made strides over the years to address maternal mortality. From 2008 to 2013, pregnancy-related deaths dropped by 55% to seven per 100,000 live births. Sutter Health worked with health care organizations and policy makers to accomplish this feat, Binkley said. The rate climbed to 11.7 in 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but was still far below the national average.

In January 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics released the first national report on maternal mortality in the United States in more than a decade. It showed that Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate in America  37.1 (deaths) per 100,000 live births.

Statewide data is scant, and local data is even harder to find. But the San Francisco Health Improvement Partnership, a coalition that works to address health disparities, found that from 2007 to 2016, Black women accounted for half of the citys maternal deaths.

Even while maternal mortality numbers are low in California, Black women continue to experience them disproportionately. Some legislation is trying to address this.

In March, state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, introduced SB65, also known as the California Momnibus Act. It looks to make it easier for minorities to access doula care, and it could also provide temporary monthly stipends to low-income mothers. Thats something San Francisco is already experimenting with through its Abundant Birth Project, which will provide $1,000 a month to 150 Black and Pacific Islander expectant mothers this summer.

The Kira Johnson Act, introduced last year in the House, could help implement antibias and anti-racism training programs in U.S. hospitals.

Were told that Black lives matter in this state. But the individuals who physically push Black life into this world arent always shown, in a meaningful way, that their lives also matter. The truth is theres no way to legislate compassion. But we can at least teach anti-racism in maternal health.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
Government will import urgent LPG stocks if necessary View(s):

The Government will strive to maintain Liquified Petroleum (LP) gas prices at current levels  despite demands to increase prices  and provide funds to the state-owned importer to import stocks if there is a shortage.

The Finance Ministry will intervene in the immediate purchase of LP gas from the international market as a remedy if there is any shortage in the market. Steps will be taken for the state-owned Litro Gas Company to import the stock and release to the market immediately if necessary, a senior Finance Ministry official who wished to remain anonymous, told the Business Times.

Sri Lankas two main gas suppliers have been lobbying the government authorities to increase the price of LP gas or to provide some subsidy or tax reduction to offset their heavy losses in LP gas imports in the face of sky- rocketing world gas prices amidst the rapid depreciation of the rupee.

The two companies (including Laugfs Gas) are now struggling to survive due to heavy losses as a result of high import and transport costs along with overhead expenditure in their day to day operations, top officials said.

However the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) is ready take stern action against traders if they create an artificial shortage in the market by hiding LP gas cylinder stocks to sell it at higher prices.

It will intensify raids in the coming days and will take legal action against such errant traders who could use a shortage as an opportunity to jack up prices, a senior CAA official said.

The Government is considering the introduction of LPG connections to households as a long term solution to the supply issue, he disclosed adding that the Finance Ministry is also aware of difficulties faced by suppliers.

LP gas suppliers have been lobbying the CAA for a price revision continuously during the past seven months W.K.H. Wegapitiya Chairman of Laugfs Holdings told the Business Times.

Further they used to provide international market price, rupee fluctuations and other relevant company data to the CAA once every two months in accordance with pricing formula requirement to determine the price of LP gas, he revealed.

But no action has been taken to remedy the situation which has aggravated till the gap between the selling price and the cost of import of LP gas per cylinder has widened to Rs. 700, he complained.

The new price revision mechanism, allows suppliers to revise the price of a gas cylinder based on the prevailing LPG World Prices (CP) and the Foreign Exchange rate every two months. But the CAA has to stipulate the price in consultations with the Consumer Affairs Authority the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Cost of Living and the Pricing Committee, he said.

Although there was a suggestion to increase the current price of Rs. 1453 per LP Gas cylinder by Rs. 450 sometime back it is yet to be implemented, he said adding that the present LPG price is very nominal as it will cost Rs. 5 per person per day for cooking purposes.

The two suppliers will go bankrupt if the CAA does not consider the price increase in the face of rising international LP gas prices which is now at $600 per metric tonne along with high international shipping and freight rates, he pointed out.

Litro Gas (LG) is also incurring a loss of Rs. 3 billion as a result of maintaining stable prices for a long period of one year, a high official of the company said. (BS)
As news of the Atlanta shooting broke in March, and outraged responses from friends and family piled up in my inbox, I was listening to Puccinis opera Madama Butterfly. It wasnt by choice. I was preparing a lecture on Orientalist operas for a music history survey course I teach. That, too, isnt a choice for my students; knowing this material is a degree requirement for all music students at my university.

For those unfamiliar, Madama Butterfly is the story of a 15-year-old Japanese geisha named Cio-Cio-San. She marries an American naval officer named Pinkerton, who takes advantage of a law that allows him to temporarily marry her. Pinkerton returns to America shortly after their union. In her infantile innocence (musically represented by simplistic melodies that also symbolize the Orient) Cio-Cio-San believes Pinkertons deceptive promise to return. Eventually, after three years, he does  with his real American wife Kate. They want to take the son Cio-Cio-San birthed after Pinkerton left and give the child a proper American upbringing. Unable to live without Pinkerton, Cio-Cio-San kills herself.

Orientalist operas like these remain exceedingly popular in the United States. Many find them to be a space of beauty or escape. Yet, as an Asian American woman, I cant help but associate them with violence and dehumanization. For nearly two centuries before the current rise of anti-Asian violence in America, our opera culture has glorified violence against, and profited from the objectification of Asian women.

To earn my living as a professor of music, I find myself in the absurd position of having to teach this material. Orientalist operas are included in every major introductory college music history textbook, where their musical contributions are uncritically lauded. Of the five textbooks Ive used over the years, only one bothered to give the issue of Orientalism any serious critical consideration.

Orientalism in classical music emerged as a popular phenomenon in the 18th and 19th centuries. Composers from Mozart to Brahms capitalized on the Western European fascination with neighboring Ottomans and Hungarian gypsies by incorporating certain sounds and rhythms  Oriental decals, if you will.

The most nefarious forms of Orientalism arose in the latter part of the 19th century. The great composers and rising stars of opera including Verdi, Puccini and Bizet created works like Aida, Madama Butterfly and Carmen. These productions featured lurid treatments of sex, violence and opulence that would have been considered offensive if they depicted European women in a European setting.

Reports of scandal and brilliance fueled the publics desires to see these Orientalist spectacles for themselves. And American demand for these works has remained consistent ever since. The repertory report of the Metropolitan Opera, Americas oldest and most established opera house, shows that Verdis Aida, set in ancient Egypt, has been staged 1,175 times. After Puccinis La Boheme, it is the second-most performed opera since the companys founding in 1883. Carmen comes in fourth with 1,023 performances, and Madama Butterfly eighth, with 891. At the Met, these works are an essential part of a venture that drew $120 million in operating revenue last year  even during COVID-19.

Over the past five years in the United States, there have been more performances of Puccini operas than any other composer. Orientalist operas are so integrated into contemporary pop culture that even Americans with no interest in opera have likely heard Carmens Habanera, or Cio-Cio-Sans Madama Butterfly aria Un bel di, vedremo.

That beloved arias moment of transcendence comes exactly when Cio-Cio-San stops singing. Silence is the condition of her humanity. The orchestra finishes the number without her.

Brokers of opera have willingly ignored the critiques of Orientalism, along with similar protests over misogyny, anti-Blackness and anti-Semitism. Instead, they continue to celebrate these works as the height of artistic genius and popular taste.

Ive long loathed having to teach these operas. But now, amid the tragic and abhorrent rise in anti-Asian violence, I find it impossible to look at the students in my class and explain that the Oriental womans role in opera is to die. That her death is essential to ensuring the tormented, tempted male tenor-hero, unable to resist her exotic allure, will be redeemed. That these are important musical conventions worthy of study.

In Bizets Carmen, the naive but good hero Don Jose cannot resist the seductive power of the Romani woman Carmen. So, he kills her to destroy his temptation.

Some redemption!

These Orientalist narratives are so trite its shocking that anyone would take them seriously. Yet they map directly onto the narrative of sexual addiction that the Atlanta shooter offered, and that many Americans  including the police who investigated the shooter  readily accepted.

My students deserve better. And they know it.

In the days that followed the Atlanta shooting, my class shifted gears. Opera, and the history of Western classical music, is a story. We talked about who gets to tell the story, for whose sake, and at what costs? The students have their own questions  about musical debts, and about their future roles in shaping musical institutions.

My class recently finished its survey course textbook. That story has been told. For my students, its about the choices they will now make, and the new chapters they get to write. Who gets to have agency, and who must stay an archetype of sacrifice and victimhood? Freed from bigoted tropes, who could Cio-Cio-San have become, how could she have changed the world and what stories would she want to pass on to us?

Miki Kaneda is assistant professor of Music at Boston University, where her research examines how race, gender and empire shape music.
Californians shouldnt look at voter suppression as something happening only in faraway states, like Georgia, Texas and Florida. A more subtle, insidious form of the fallout from Donald Trumps big lie about widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential race is permeating California.

The lie is gaining enough traction to alarm voting officials, starting with California Secretary of State Shirley Weber. Shes met with nearly every county registrar of voters since taking office in February, and many told her that right-wing agitators are making their job more difficult.

Theyre attacking almost every registrar of voters that I have in the state of California who is trying to do their job, Weber told the Black Caucus at the California Democratic Party convention recently.

Look no farther than San Luis Obispo County, where last week conservative activists pressured the GOP-led Board of Supervisors to make it harder to vote there. Last year the county recorded its highest ever turnout  88% of registered voters  the fourth-highest turnout in the state.

It was a highly successful election in San Luis Obispo County, county Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong told me.

But that meant little to the San Luis Obispo County GOP. For the past couple of months, it has bought local radio ads that drop numerous innuendos about election integrity but dont contain many facts.

Did you vote in the 2020 election, and do you trust that your vote was counted? the ads narrator asks.

San Luis Obispo County uses the same type of voting machines that produced anomalies in battleground states. Its every citizens right to insist that our elections are fair and honest, she continues. Election integrity is under attack in the U.S., including right here in SLO County, but our elected clerk-recorder, Tommy Gong, is not concerned. Make your voice heard. Tell Tommy that SLO County voters demand constitutional and transparent elections, using voting systems that we can trust.

Yes, election integrity is under attack  never mind that no court or state, even ones led by Republicans, has found widespread evidence of voter fraud.

Nevertheless, dozens of messages expressing concern about voter integrity flooded the San Luis Obispo County supervisors meeting last week during the public comment period. One accused Gong, a third-generation Californian, of being a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

Members of the county board apologized to Gong for the slur. But, ultimately, they buckled to conservative activists in a 3-2 party-line vote.

The result: Starting next year, the county will revert to its previous voting rules  those used before it had that record turnout. That means if voters want to cast their ballot in person, they may vote only on election day at one of 76 polling places, instead of over four days at one of four voting centers.

Gong told me he will implement the boards orders but that the change will confuse voters. One election theyre supposed to vote at the local firehouse on election day. The next one they have four days to a go to a voting center. And the election after that theyre back at the firehouse.

Is that voter suppression?

It certainly can be viewed that way, said Gong, vice president of the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials. The flip-flopping is what causes voter confusion.

Gail Pellerin, who as Santa Cruz County clerk supervised many elections, said these changes are a form of voter suppression.

She had often heard people complaining about rigged voting systems during her decades as an election official, particularly from the losing candidate or their supporters. But they have never been as numerous or loud or insistent as they have been since Trump began talking about voter fraud soon after he took office.

The easiest way to keep people from voting is make them not trust the system, said Pellerin, a former president of the statewide election officials organization. You sow those seeds of doubt and misinformation, and you make them scared to death that something would happen to their vote  and so they stay home.

Part of the strategy to sow doubt in the system is to attack the messenger.

Pellerin is one of eight county election leaders who have left their positions since the November election  she was already planning to retire after 27 years on the job.

Donna Johnston, the Sutter County registrar of voters and current president of the statewide election officials organization, told me she didnt know of any registrar who had left because of attacks on voting. She said she found Webers comments surprising and had not heard of complaints of attacks toward election officials, certainly not to the level that shes describing.

But the abuse of election officials is an unseen problem, said Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Federation, a nonpartisan organization that seeks to improve the election process. It plans to publish a national report on such attacks later this spring.

Many election officials are in a position where they want to project strength, Alexander said, noting that it is their job to declare the winners and losers of an election. They dont want to highlight these attacks, because it might show that its getting the best of them.

Shasta County Clerk and Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said, I was called a liar in the eight to 10 days around the (November) election more times that I have at any time in my entire life.

Allen invited concerned voters to walk their ballot into the county voting office and watch it being scanned and tabulated.

And some people still dont believe it, she said.

Its a sign that Trumps big lie is alive and well in California.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
LATEST May 8, 9:40 p.m. The Gunnison Fire is now 100% contained, says Cal Fire Butte County in its final update. The fire consumed nearly 550 acres, destroying three small outbuildings and damaging two others. No homes or residences were damaged or destroyed in the fire.

There were no injuries or fatalities from the fire.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

LATEST May 8, 5:48 p.m. The Butte County Sheriff's office has now lifted all remaining evacuation orders as crews gain against the fire. Residents in the affected areas are now able to return to their homes.

LATEST May 8, 5:02 p.m. Fire crews fighting against the Gunnison Fire have stopped its forward progress, and it is now at 40% contained, Cal Fire Butte County reported. There was damage to one outbuilding, but no residences were damaged in the fire.

Officials also lifted the immediate evacuation order for Munjar Road, west of Coyote Song Road. However, Coyote Song Road itself and "everything east of Coyote Song Road remains under an immediate evacuation order," the Butte County Sheriff's office tweeted.

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A vegetation fire has ignited in Butte County, north of Chico.

The Gunnison fire began before 2 p.m. off of Meridian Way, consuming 30 acres. It grew rapidly, driven by windy conditions, officials said.

It is now at 350 acres and is 20% contained, Cal Fire Butte County reported.

The Butte County Sheriffs office ordered mandatory evacuations for residents living on Denver Lane, Trinidad Drive and Gunnison Way. Officials also declared additional evacuations for those living on Munjar Road and all roads off of Munjar Road.

No injuries have been reported.

The Bay Area is currently under a red flag warning, in one of the earliest starts to fire season. Typically, the Bay Area would see its first red flag warning in June or later. However, hot and dry conditions, coupled with rain totals that are well before normal, have already sparked several fires much earlier than usual.

This week saw a small wildfire ignite in Big Basin National Park, which had previously seen a destructive fire burn through 97% of the park. Trees were still smoldering even six months later.

Much of California, including the entire San Francisco Bay Area, is already in extreme drought, according to a federal drought map that was released earlier this week.

This is a developing story.
Two days before 25-year old Kirsten Brydum was found dead in New Orleans, she posted on her blog.

"The sun is setting on the bayou-licked lands," she wrote, "and I am truly fortunate."

Thirteen years later, her killer has finally pleaded guilty. Joseph Brant, now 51, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in a Louisiana court last week. In exchange, he will avoid the death penalty.

Brydum, an activist who lived in San Francisco, was on a cross-country journey when she arrived in New Orleans in the fall of 2008. She'd left home on an Amtrak train, seeking "collective autonomy," her friends said at the time. As part of her trip, she protested outside the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., and spoke with housing activists in Philadelphia.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 27, she was last seen riding her bike after a night spent socializing. Later that day, police found Brydum's body abandoned in the Ninth Ward; she was dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Because she was found without a wallet or purse, police initially believed her death occurred during a robbery gone wrong.

The case went cold until 2018, when a man in custody on burglary charges made a shocking confession: He was a serial killer. Brant admitted to killing Brydum, Jessica Hawk, Jody Johnson and one other woman, whose body police have never identified, in 2007 and 2008. In his confession, he said he sexually assaulted Brydum before killing her. He was on his way to buy gasoline to burn the body, his standard method of covering up his crimes, when he told police he got in a car accident. Thwarted, he ended up abandoning Brydum's body on a street.

Despite Brant's 2018 confession, it's been a rocky road to legal closure. In multiple court appearances, he's yelled and sworn at officials, and at one point refused to sign a plea document. In 2019, an Orleans Parish criminal district court judge ruled he was mentally incompetent and could not stand trial. After treatment in a mental health facility, the case was allowed to go forward in February 2020. After pandemic delays, court proceedings have finally picked up again.

But not without more contention. He began berating his own public defenders in court Tuesday, calling one "a fing two-legged dog. He always got some fing bulls going on." Brant refused to go forward until a Black attorney arrived to represent him. At last, Brant then pleaded guilty to the three counts of first-degree murder.

His next court appearance is slated for June 1. The families of his victims, included Brydum, are expected to read victim impact statements at that hearing.

She was just an amazing individual that did things all directed at helping our planet peacefully coexist, Brydum's friend Frank Lindsay told the New Orleans Advocate last week. Thats really hard to explain to people, until you witness a soul who has that as their being."
LONDON (AP)  An investigative report by British media said Sunday that Queen Elizabeth IIs cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, was willing to use his royal status for personal profit and to seek favors from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The undercover investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 saw reporters posing as investors of a fake South Korean gold company seeking contacts in the Kremlin to further its business in Russia.

Prince Michael, 78, allegedly told the reporters by Zoom that he would give their company his royal endorsement in a recorded speech for a $200,000-fee. He added that he was happy to use his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop for the endorsement.

The royals business partner, Simon Reading, also reportedly told the fake investors that Michael could be hired for 10,000 pounds ($14,000) a day to make confidential representations on behalf of the fictitious gold firm, House of Haedong, to Putin.

If he (Prince Michael) is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold, Reading reportedly said. It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful.

He went on to describe Michael as Her Majestys unofficial ambassador to Russia, and that tension between the U.K. and Russia has not affected his relationship with Putin.

Responding to the report, Michaels office said he has no special relationship with President Putin and that the two men last met in 2003. The royal earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years.

Lord Reading is a good friend, who in trying to help, made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been able, to fulfill, his office said.

Prince Michael and his wife, Princess Michael of Kent, aren't working royals and receive no public funds, but they are involved in some public duties including representing the queen at some engagements. Michael has represented the queen at state funerals in India, Cyprus and Swaziland in the past, according to the monarchys website.

His biography said Michael is connected to Russia through his maternal grandmother, and is the first member of Britains royal family to learn Russian. He is involved in charity work in Russia and is patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce.

Reading said he regretted his over-promise in trying to facilitate an introduction to Michael.
They share Roman Catholicism as a faith and California as their home base. Yet theres a deep gulf between Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco and Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego in the high-stakes debate over whether politicians who support abortion rights should be denied Communion.

Cordileone, who has long established himself as a forceful anti-abortion campaigner, recently has made clear his view that such political figures  whose ranks include President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  should not receive Communion because of their stance on the issue. The archbishop issued a pastoral letter on the topic May 1 and reinforced the message in an hourlong interview Friday with the Catholic television network EWTN.

To those who are advocating for abortion, I would say, This is killing. Please stop the killing. Youre in position to do something about it, he told the interviewer.

In neither the letter nor the interview did Cordileone mention Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, by name. But he has criticized her in the past for stances on abortion that directly contradict Catholic teaching.

McElroy, in a statement published Wednesday by the Jesuit magazine America, assailed the campaign to exclude Biden and other like-minded Catholic officials from Communion.

It will bring tremendously destructive consequences, McElroy wrote. The Eucharist is being weaponized and deployed as a tool in political warfare. This must not happen.

The polarized viewpoints of the two prelates illustrate how divisive this issue could be if, as expected, it comes before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at its national assembly starting June 16. There are plans for the bishops to vote on whether the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine should draft a document saying Biden and other Catholic public figures with similar views on abortion should refrain from Communion.

In accordance with existing USCCB policy, any such document is likely to leave decisions on withholding Communion up to individual bishops.

Biden, the second Catholic U.S. president, attends Mass regularly, worshipping at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and in Washington.

The archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, has made it clear that Biden is welcome to receive Communion at churches he oversees. Bishop William Koenig, appointed April 30 to head the Wilmington diocese, said he would gladly speak with Biden about his views on abortion but did not say whether he would allow him to continue receiving Communion, as Koenig's predecessor had done.

Its considered unlikely that Biden would heed any call to forgo Communion, but a USCCB document urging him to do so would be a remarkable rebuke nonetheless.

Cordileone, in his pastoral letter, wrote that its the responsibility of Catholic clergy to correct Catholics who erroneously, and sometimes stubbornly, promote abortion.

Initially, this rebuke should come in private conversations between the erring Catholic and his or her priest or bishop, wrote Cordileone, who then noted that such conversations are often fruitless.

Because we are dealing with public figures and public examples of cooperation in moral evil, this correction can also take the public form of exclusion from the reception of Holy Communion, he wrote. This is a bitter medicine, but the gravity of the evil of abortion can sometimes warrant it.

In the 2020 presidential election, Catholic voters split their votes almost evenly between Biden and Republican Donald Trump. National polls have consistently shown that a majority of U.S. Catholics believe abortion should be legal in at least some cases.

Were Biden to be excluded from Communion, McElroy wrote, fully half the Catholics in the United States will see this action as partisan in nature, and it will bring the terrible partisan divisions that have plagued our nation into the very act of worship that is intended by God to cause and signify our oneness.

McElroy also questioned why abortion was the overarching focus of some bishops, while the sin of racism has not been prominent in their comments.

It will be impossible to convince large numbers of Catholics in our nation that this omission does not spring from a desire to limit the impact of exclusion to Democratic public leaders, McElroy wrote.

Toward the close of his statement, McElroy quoted Pope Francis as saying Communion is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.

Cordileone, in an addendum to his pastoral letter, sought to explain its timing.

I have been working on this Pastoral Letter for a long time, but did not want to publish it during the election year, precisely to avoid further confusion among those who would misperceive this as politicizing the issue, he wrote. Regardless of which political party is in power at a given moment, we all need to review some basic truths and moral principles.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
OR-93, the young male gray wolf who made his way to Northern California by way of Oregon last January, just might have a companion to join him in his newfound territory.

Another male wolf  dubbed OR-103  has followed suit, making his own trek from Oregon to Northern California, according to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. Hes the second documented wolf to do so this year, wandering hundreds of miles south before arriving in northeastern Siskiyou County on May 4. Though his pack of origin remains unknown, Oregon state wildlife biologists previously traced his location back to Deschutes County through the signal on his GPS collar.

Were thrilled that Californias tiny population of wolves is growing, Amaroq Weiss, senior West Coast wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a press release.

Gray wolves are native to California; however, the species was driven out and hunted to extinction in the 1920s, primarily by farmers who were concerned for the well-being of their livestock. Individual wolves from outside of the state have gradually made their return to California over the years, though one of two newly formed packs vanished in 2015, and the animals lost federal protection as an endangered species in 2020.

That said, their dwindling population is still carefully monitored under the California Endangered Species Act, which is not the case in all other states where the wolves may reside. Thankfully OR-103 came here, where there are full state protections in place, and not Idaho, whose governor just signed into law a bill allowing hunters to kill most of the states wolves, said Weiss.

Last week, Idaho Gov. Brad Little approved a measure that could lead to the deaths of up to 90% of the states 1,500 wolves, a move that was fervently criticized by environmentalists, including Weiss. As part of the law, the state can hire private contractors to kill the wolves and now has more funding to do so. Additionally, an unlimited number of wolves can now be killed under a single hunting tag using new methods such as aerial gunning from helicopters and by chasing the animals down on snowmobiles and ATVs. Wolf pups can also be killed if they are on private land.

Little said the intent of the law was to reduce attacks on livestock and bolster the population of elk and deer herds, according to the AP.

Californians understand that sharing the landscape with wildlife is the right thing to do, said Weiss, noting the Center for Biological Diversity is now urging Little to veto the bill.

Updates on the whereabouts of the wandering California wolves can be found on the California Department of Fish & Wildlifes website here. OR-93 was last seen in San Luis Obispo County in April.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A shooting in north Philadelphia killed one young person and injured two others, one extremely critically, police said.

The victims were found insider a car after the gunfire that occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Glenwood neighborhood, police said.
Heading towards a disaster View(s):

The above title is not mine, but comes from a politician-turned-agriculture scientist who didnt mince his words when he described  during a TV interview  the irrational decision of the government to ban chemical fertiliser and pesticides. The above title is not mine, but comes from a politician-turned-agriculture scientist who didnt mince his words when he described  during a TV interview  the irrational decision of the government to ban chemical fertiliser and pesticides.

Its once again troubled times for Sri Lankas agriculture, as the decision by the government was without any consultations with key stakeholders. While there is general agreement that organic farming is the future, implementing decisions suddenly without considering the short-term and long-term ramifications would, as the above scientist said, lead to a famine.

Having decided that this should be my focus today, I wondered where I should start. And, that opportunity came when the phone rang and it was Pedris Appo, short for Appuhamy, a retired agriculture expert who does farming.

How are you Appo? I asked. Finefine. I wanted to talk to you about this ban on chemical fertiliser. It would have a huge impact on us and this has happened just as we are to start our cultivation season, he said.

Yes, its an inadvisable move. There should have been proper consultation before a decision of this magnitude was taken. Reminds me of the foolhardy move to ban glyphosate a couple of years ago which adversely affected the tea sector, I said.

Ministers also dont know what to say or when to say it. I heard one minister saying that if there is a shortage of production due to organic farming, Sri Lanka will import fruits. Doesnt he realise that such fruits would have been grown using chemical fertiliser? he said.

Organic farming globally is small. According to the IFOAM Organics International published in February 2020, 71.5 million hectares of worldwide farmland are organic, representing just 1.5 per cent of global farmland.

One of the problems of chemical fertiliser is its over-use by paddy farmers. Experts say that since the fertiliser is given free (Sri Lanka spends billions of rupees on doling out free fertiliser), farmers tend to abuse its use.

Reduce the subsidy and if farmers have to purchase fertiliser, overuse would end; thats one way of solving the problem of excess use of fertiliser. Experts say that rather than ad-hoc, knee jerk responses to a problem, in this case there should have been a 3-year, 5-year and 10-year plan in phasing out chemical fertiliser and replacing it with the organic product.

For the countrys main export crop, tea its a double whammy after the glyphosate debacle in 2015.

Here are the words of a tea expert on this issue: The unscientific, illogical and unwise banning of the glyphosate weedicide had a significant direct impact on all crop production, crop yields, land productivity, labour productivity, quality of the food crops, impacting on the earning capacity and the livelihoods of agricultural sector workers. Sri Lanka has yet not recovered fully from the consequences of the banning of glyphosate and lost some premier export markets like Japan, for instance.

Asked for his views on organic farming, he said natural organic farming methods do not provide sufficient food crops to feed the population. Intensive crop production with judicious and scientifically recommended application of fertiliser, chemicals and weedicides is required for commercial scale crop production, he said, adding: Without fertiliser inputs only the marginal crop of a plant according to the natural capacity can be produced, which is totally inadequate for food/crop production.

He cited an example where a tea estate had transformed to organic cultivation only to see its production drop by 60 per cent.

While the government seems to think there are sufficient stocks of fertiliser for the current paddy season, representatives of private importers say there is likely to be a shortage in the market.

Being a bit hungry, I walked into the kitchen and made myself a chicken sandwich and then was drawn to the conversation under the margosa tree. The overnight rain had cleared and amidst bright sunshine this Thursday morning, I could hear Kussi Amma Sera saying, Prashnayak thiyenawa pohora gena (There is some problem about fertiliser).

Ow, aanduwa pita-ratin gena pohora thahanam karala-ne. Meka ape rate duk vindina govinta loku balapemak wenna yanne (Yes, the government has banned imported fertiliser. It would have a huge impact on our farmers who are struggling these days), said Mabel Rasthiyadu.

Govinta prashna godak thiyenawa wal-ali ekka saha paladawa nethi karana wenath palibodakayan. Den egollanta karadara pita thavath karadara (Farmers have enough problems with elephants and crop losses due to pests. Now they have been dealt another blow), noted Serapina.

Agriculture specialist Wicky Wickramatunga, in an article on the fallacies of organic agriculture published in this Business Times this week, asks the question: Can Sri Lanka with a population of nearly 22 million and a landmass of 65,000 square km and a per capita GDP of less than $4,000 be 100 per cent organic overnight?

He also asks: Can Sri Lanka double the cultivated land extent of 2.3 million hectares to compensate for the loss of 50 per cent yield by going totally organic overnight? In contrast a pest attack can have devastating results of even a 100 per cent yield loss.

For the record, paddy production in 2020 increased to an all-time high level, supported by favourable weather conditions and the conducive policies of the government. According to the Central Banks 2020 Annual Report, government intervention in the form of the guaranteed paddy purchasing price and the provision of free fertiliser for paddy cultivation contributed to the significant improvement in production in 2020.

Tea production registered a notable decline of 7.1 per cent in 2020 due to adverse weather conditions and labour supply disruptions due to the pandemic. Rubber production recorded an increase of 4.6 per cent in 2020, largely due to attractive market prices and favourable weather conditions that prevailed in the second half of the year, while coconut production declined by 9.5 per cent in 2020, as a result of the lag effect of insufficient rainfall received by major coconut growing areas in 2019.

Winding up my column while continuing to munch the sandwich with sips of hot milk tea from a mug, my thoughts were on the need for a pragmatic approach to the problem. Its not too late for the government to consult key stakeholders on the organic issue and reach a consensus after consultation.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A commemorative coin that was designed to honor the Kansas City Police Department's vice unit is being widely criticized.

The coin, which was to feature an image of a 1970s-era pimp with a biracial complexion on one side and a handcuffed brown-skinned woman in a sexually suggestive pose on the other side, was never produced but it was advertised in the department's newsletter in January.

Mayor Quinton Lucas on Thursday said he had seen a rendering of the coin, which hasn't been released publicly, and he told department leaders he was displeased.

I thought it was repugnant at the time and shared that sentiment as soon as I learned about it with department leadership, Lucas said.

Shortly after the coin was advertised, Police Chief Rick Smith told the Board of Police Commissioners he found the image offensive and had launched an investigation into how it had been approved, according to an image of the email obtained by The Kansas City Star.

On a personal note, I truly apologize to anyone that was offended, Smith wrote. I can tell you that I am too offended. This should never have happened. A Vice detective who sanctions this type of image should be closely scrutinized for his or her position in that unit.

Community activists said the coin's design raises questions about the culture inside the department.

This is yet another disturbing example of the severity of systemic racism inside the KCPD, said Gwen Grant, president/CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City. The very fact that such a coin could be designed and promoted among the rank and file is unconscionable."

Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said the department has changed how it manages the production of such coins.

Command staff determined the coin should not be approved for production, Becchina said in an email to The Star. If an individual wants to produce a challenge coin depicting some aspect of the department or unit that has to be approved by that respective chain of command.

Police officials declined to say whether anyone was disciplined related to the coin's design.
GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP)  A traffic stop in Delaware led to the arrest of a man and woman from Virginia for gun and weapons charges, Delaware State Police said Sunday.

Troopers were patrolling in Georgetown on Saturday morning when they pulled over a vehicle with illegal tinting, state police said in a news release.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP)  A beloved doughnut shop in Massachusetts says its being forced to reopen under a new name after a Rhode Island company snagged a trademark for its decades-old moniker.

The family behind Mas Donuts in New Bedford was planning to reboot the shop this year after it closed in 2016 following more than 60 years slinging doughnuts and coffee. But before the doors opened, the shop says it was notified that Mas Donuts and More in Middletown, Rhode Island, had obtained a trademark for the name while the shop was closed.
Helitours transformation into a state-owned company runs into a storm By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Helitours (Pvt) Ltd, a domestic airline managed by the Sri Lanka Air Force, is to be transformed to a state-owned company to streamline its operations and minimise its losses, official sources said.

The carriers current network of civil passenger transportation in military aircraft flights covers services from Ratmalana to Jaffna via Trincomalee-China Bay and Batticaloa via Gal Oya, a senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority told the Business Times.

The airline has two MA60s and one Y12E in its fleet, as well as a number of helicopters and in addition to the fixed wing aircraft facility. Helitours also provides the helicopter transport facilities to passengers as a dominant player in promoting the tourism in the country, he said.

Even though action should have been taken to transfer the ownership of Helitours shares to the Treasury Secretary this transformation had not been carried out even by the end of the year 2019/ 2020 under review although a decision was taken in mid-2019 to transform it to a state company, government audit inspection revealed.

The instructions of the Department of Public Enterprises and the recommendations of the Committee on Public Accounts towards the transformation process have not been followed.

Later a decision was taken to review the financial status of the company for identifying a business plan which suits Helitours at an initial meeting between the Director General of the Department of Public Enterprises and the officials of the Helitours (Pvt) Ltd.

Accordingly operational functions and the management of Helitours (Pvt) Ltd is to be retained with the Board of Directors of Sri Lanka Air Force for the time being while a Treasury official has been appointed as a director of the company.

An agreement has been reached as a temporary arrangement between Sri Lanka Air Force and Helitours (Pvt) Ltd to obtain aircrafts on lease basis.

Accounting all maintenance expenditures and all movable and unmovable assets (including human resources) of Helitours (Pvt) Ltd and allocating a percentage of income of Helitours (Pvt) Ltd will be made to the public account and for welfare activities of Sri Lanka Air Force, a Treasury official said.

The company had made a profit of Rs. 57.4 million for a period of 10 years from 2010 to 2019, a government audit report confirmed.

However hiring aircrafts amounting to Rs. 13.17 million by the Sri Lanka Air Force showed arrears even by the end of the year 2019/2020 under review, the report observed.

Revenue arrears of Rs. 10.82 million out of those arrears of Rs.13.17 million had been remained during the last 15 years, the audit inspection revealed.
CAIRO (AP)  Egyptian authorities on Sunday executed a defrocked monk convicted of killing an abbot in a desert monastery north of Cairo, officials said.

The 2018 killing of Bishop Epiphanius, an abbot at St. Macarius Monastery, shocked Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and the one that introduced monasticism to the faith. The monastery was built in the 4th century.

Two defrocked monks, identified as Isaiah and and Faltaous, were convicted of killing Epiphanius and sentenced to death by a criminal court in April 2019. The Court of Cassation, the countrys highest criminal court, last year upheld the death sentence against Isaiah, while Faltaous received a life sentence in a retrial.

The church defrocked the two monks after the killing, and took measures aimed at instilling discipline into monastic life. Among them was a halt in admitting novices to monasteries nationwide for a year.

Isaiah was executed Sunday by hanging In the Wadi Natrun prison complex in the Nile Delta province of Beheira, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The abbot was killed in the middle of the night in a part of the vast monastery not covered by security cameras. Prosecutors said he was killed with blows to the head by an iron bar.

The abbots killing has exposed a side of the church that few in Egypt  Muslim or Christian  knew existed, including the growing power and independence of monks in remote monasteries who appear to be at odds with Pope Tawadros II and the churchs central leadership.

Among these monks are some who espouse a policy of isolationism and see themselves as guardians of the true faith. They are pitted against a more mainstream faction that favors building bridges with other churches and lending political support to the government.

The execution of Isaiah was the latest in a serious of executions that placed Egypt among the four Middle Eastern countries topping the global list of executioners in 2020, according to Amnesty International. The Arab worlds most populous country held 107 executions last year, a significant increase from the 32 recorded in 2019, the group said.

Last month, authorities executed nine suspected Islamists convicted of murder in an attack on a police station in 2013, an assault resulted in the deaths of 15 people, including 11 police.
SAN MARCOS, Calif. (AP)  A former dean at Cal State San Marcos who racked up tens of thousands of dollars in improper travel billings is now under criminal investigation by the San Diego County District Attorneys Office, according to a newspaper report.

Michael Schroder resigned as dean of extended studies after the San Diego Union-Tribune disclosed his lavish spending in 2019.

The newspaper reported Sunday that prosecutors are investigating Schroder and that the the university is seeking restitution from him for expenses that did not meet school standards.

Schroder could not be reached for comment and previously has declined interview requests.

Margaret Chantung, a spokeswoman for Cal State San Marcos, could not provide details on the requested restitution. She said the university is cooperating with the DA's office in the criminal probe.

Steve Walker, a spokesman for DA Summer Stephan, said the office does not comment on potential cases.

The former dean was one of several Cal State San Marcos administrators who combined spent more than $300,000 traveling on university business between 2017 and 2019, the Union-Tribune reported.

Schroder charged the school for stays at luxury resorts that were miles away from destinations he cited as the purpose for his university travel, the Union-Tribune reported.

Schroder opened a consulting practice in 2020 that specializes in global strategy, the newspaper said.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP)  A former middle school teacher who had dozens of images of child pornography on his phone now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Ira New III, 56, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of possession of child pornography, federal prosecutors said in a news release. New used to teach eighth grade at Malcolm Bridge Middle School in Watkinsville.

Possession of child pornography is not a victimless crime. Child victims are manipulated and harmed each time the images are viewed, Acting U.S. Attorney Peter Leary said in the release.

Yahoo investigators reached out to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in August 2019 after discovering about two dozen images of children at nudist colonies in an account belonging to New.

The GBI discovered he was a middle school teacher and had recently told the school administration that he had displayed an image of a topless female to his class. He resigned from his teaching position and consented to a reprimand regarding his teaching certificate.

When GBI agents arrived at his home in September 2019, New allowed agents to look at his phone, where they found child pornography images. A forensic review of his phone turned up 94 images, including some of girls as young as 12.

When investigators asked when he started becoming interested in children, New said it was in the past couple of years. He told investigators he never sent the photos to anyone but had emailed them to himself.

No sentencing date has been set. New faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Authorities are hoping to solve a 16-year-old Hartford cold case murder by using new genetic genealogy testing made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Edward Bell was shot multiple times on the night of May 6, 2005 and died at a hospital. A $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for killing the 34-year-old father of three has remained unclaimed.
LOS ANGELES  In January 1963, Californians were told they had reason to celebrate. By the slim margin of 31,000, the state had become the most populous in the country, finally edging out New York.

Gov. Pat Brown proclaimed an official day of observance, and the state Chamber of Commerce urged every Californian to mark the occasion by blowing his horn, tooting his whistle, ringing his bells and shooting the village cannon, according to the Los Angeles Times.

As much as history was made then, the announcement Friday  that the states population has declined for the first time in its history  is equally historic.

California lost 182,083 people in 2020, though it remains the most populous state, with just under 39.5 million residents. The state will lose a congressional seat for the first time, based on slower growth reflected in the 2020 census.

State Department of Finance officials attributed the one-year loss on a declining birth rate, reductions in immigration and an increase in deaths because of the coronavirus, which killed 51,000 people last year. They also said that as pandemic-related deaths decline, and federal immigration policy changes, California is expected return to growth in 2021.

But for some, explanations were not enough.

John Cox, a Republican who has declared himself a recall candidate for governor, used the occasion to denounce Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials for the decline. They are driving thousands of families from California, Cox tweeted.

But beyond blame and pronouncements lies a more fundamental question: Has the Golden State lost its luster?

California has been a magical landscape for the rest of the world, said Dana Gioia, former poet laureate for the state. But it wasnt just about Hollywood or the quick fortunes that could be made here. It was about the dream of a good life for the ordinary person. That dream didnt require being rich. It just required being engaged.

Gioia recalls growing up in Hawthorne in the 1960s among immigrant families who felt fortunate not just to be in the United States but in Los Angeles.

California represented the dream of the common man and woman, he said. Now its changed. Now it is a place that represents the dream of the elite and the affluent, and thats an enormous loss for the state.

In a recent report, the Public Policy Institute of California echoed those sentiments, detailing the California exodus and its power to reshape the state.

A major force in Californias falling population has been people leaving for other states, according to Hans Johnson, a senior fellow at the institute. In the last decade, about 6.1 million people left California for other states, and 4.9 million moved to California from elsewhere in the nation.

The forces pushing people out of the state are changing who comes to the state. People who move to California are more likely to be employed, earn high wages and have higher education levels than those who move away, according to the institute.

The larger picture painted by these trends illustrates the economic challenges faced by many lower- and middle-income Californians, Johnson wrote. The states high cost of living, driven almost solely by comparatively high housing costs, remains an ongoing public policy challenge  one that needs resolution if the state is to be a place of opportunity for all of its residents.

In 1949, journalist Carey McWilliams famously positioned California as the great exception among the American states, a place of unique dynamics where a gold rush started 100 years earlier was still taking place. Population growth was at the center of that boom, McWilliams wrote, explaining the reasons for the states attraction.

Today, Californians are left trying to explain its residents disaffection. While some point to taxes, housing costs and urban decline, such perspectives fail to take into account the special treatment that California received at the end of World War II.

California is becoming more ordinary, said cultural historian D.J. Waldie, who is reluctant to fall into a declinist narrative that points to any inevitable downward trajectory.

What we are seeing here is a change in how American communities structure themselves and why people live where they live, he said Friday. One reason why millions of people came to California is because the federal government spent billions of dollars building a defense-industry infrastructure here. Workers had to go where the jobs were. But in a knowledge-based economy, jobs can be anywhere.

In addition, Californias exceptionalism was built upon both its natural resources  oil under Los Angeles and the rich soil of the Central Valley  and its sheer newness, which played a significant role in successive waves of migration that began at the beginning of the 20th century.

But as historian Philip Ethington at USC points out, Golden ages dont last forever. The movie industry is now worldwide. Computer technology has gone to China. Aerospace has moved out of Los Angeles. We dont have monopoly on those leading-edge technologies anymore.

Ethington also considers the carrying capacity of a state that was developed and overdeveloped decades ago and whose infrastructure is severely burdened. But beyond practical limitations, California is also at a reckoning point for its identity, which at times borders on myth and nostalgia and falls short in understanding its internal contradictions.

The American period of California was founded in conquest and injustice, he said, and the conquerors didnt treat existing populations very well. Anglos were saying that this place was meant for them, and those who ruled before were worthless. Thats the myth-building. That myth has been falsified.

By shedding the past, Californians have a better opportunity to understand their future, said Waldie. This imposes on Californians the burden of imagining their state in a new way, he said. The image of California that some of us grew up with wont help us understand the California of tomorrow.

Historian Bill Deverell, director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, finds reasons for optimism in these possibilities.

History tells us there are patterns and cycles here, he said, and we should not put our faith in passively accepting the next steps of the cycles. But instead, we should actually work harder when these hard questions come up.

This is not to minimize the level of distress and challenge in contemporary California by any means, he said, but these census numbers are not an indication that the California dream is kaput.

___

(Los Angeles Times staff writer Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.)
ROME (AP)  A magistrate slain by mobsters in Sicily and praised by two popes has been beatified by the Roman Catholic church on Sunday in the last formal step before possible sainthood.

Rosario Livatino was gunned down on a Sicilian highway outside Agrigento as he drove to work in 1990. Three years later, during a pilgrimage to Sicily, Pope John Paul II hailed him a martyr of justice and, indirectly, of the Christian faith.

Livatino was beatified in a ceremony in a cathedral in Agrigento. Hours later, Pope Francis at the Vatican said Livatino worked to judge not to condemn, but to redeem. As an investigative magistrate, Livatino, 37, had been leading probes into the Mafia and corruption when he was slain. He was known for praying daily before entering court.

Francis also praised Livatino as a martyr of justice and of the faith, noting that the magistrate always put his work under the protection of God,' a reference to Livatino's motto. Describing Livatino as a witness of the Gospel until his heroic death,'' Francis expressed hope that his example would inspire others to be loyal defenders of legality and of liberty."

Shortly after meeting with Livatino's parents in Agrigento, John Paul II became the first pontiff to publicly decry the Mafia. In improvised remarks on May 9, 1993, at an outdoor Mass in the ancient Valley of the Temples, John Paul thundered against mobsters, demanding they repent their murderous ways.

Four gunmen shot at Livatino's car as he drove without bodyguards. The alleged masterminds and attackers were eventually arrested and convicted. The Agrigento area is a power base for the Stidda, a group of mobsters who rival Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian Mafia with its main stronghold in the Palermo area across the island. Helping in the prosecution was description from a northern Italian businessman who was driving by and witnessed the shooting.

For the beatification, Livatino's blood-soaked shirt was taken from investigators' evidence deposits and put into a glass-enclosed reliquary, a holder of relics for faithful who want to venerate those beatified.

The Vatican has been considering developing a doctrine about excommunicating Catholic mobsters. That drive followed a visit by Pope Francis in 2014 to the southern Italian region of Calabria, the stronghold of the ndrangheta crime syndicate, which is one of the worlds biggest cocaine traffickers. Francis met with the father of a 3-year-old boy slain in the regions drug turf wars and declared that all mobsters are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

The Vaticans commission on human development on Sunday said that to honor Livatino a working group was set up to study excommunication for mafias, an initiative which will involve bishops worldwide.
Inorganic fertiliser, agrochemicals ban and fallacies of organic agriculture By Wicky Wickramatunga Feature View(s): View(s):

To applause from the audience that comprised high officials, the President determinedly declared that import of inorganic fertilisers will be banned in the near future to protect Sri Lankans from the adverse effects of such chemicals on the health of the larger population. That was on April 22. The Cabinet approved the proposal of the President to ban all imports of inorganic fertilisers and going one step further, agrochemicals, with immediate effect on April 26. The President reconfirmed the ban at another meeting April 29 and appointed a committee to carry out his decision.

He further stated that organic/carbonic fertilisers will be made available to the farming community under the fertiliser subsidy scheme and any crop losses by adopting organic agriculture will be monetarily compensated with the savings from the chemical fertiliser import ban estimated at Rs. 80 billion. Well said! On page 39 of the manifesto Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor, it was stated that the entire Sri Lankan agriculture will be promoted to use organic fertilisers during the next 10 years. It is now fast-tracked and a complete ban on import of inorganic fertilisers and agrochemicals is imposed with immediate effect. The first country in the world to do so and the President seems to be proud of this achievement!

What is organic agriculture?

Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasises the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfil any specific function within the system. (FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1999).

Above is the definition of Organic Agriculture well-described by the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Organic share in the world agriculture and the targets in Sri Lanka

IFOAM Organics International published in February 2020 that 71.5 million hectares of worldwide farmland are organic. This is a mere 1.5 per cent of global farmland. The countries with the largest organic share are Liechtenstein (38.5 per cent), a tiny 160 square km country with a population of less than 40,000 and a per capita GDP of US$ 98,500, Samoa (34.5 per cent), landmass of 2,842 square km with a population of little over 200,000 and a per capita GDP of nearly $6,000 and Austria (24.7 per cent), 83,879 square km country with nearly 9 million people and a per capita GDP of over $50,000. In 16 countries worldwide including the above three, 10 per cent or more of all agricultural land is organic. This is the result of the hard work done by those governments and organisations such as IFOAM in the past 3 to 4 decades. (IFOAM was established in 1972.) In the US, extent of organic farms is less than 1 per cent.

Can Sri Lanka with a population of nearly 22 million and a landmass of 65,000 square kms and a per capita GDP of less than $4,000 be 100 per cent organic overnight? A question to which the promoters of Be Organic, Ban Chemical Fertilisers and Agrochemicals campaign should provide an answer.

Organic agriculture and its overall impact on crop yields

In 2019, Prof. Holger Kirchmann of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala wrote in his paper Why organic farming is not the way forward, that yields of organically cropped legumes were 20 per cent and non-legumes 40 per cent lower than those of conventionally grown crops. Over all crops, the organic yield gap was 35 per cent. Based on Swedish statistical data, the condition to compensate for a 35 per cent yield gap would mean increasing the arable land by about 50 per cent. (His published paper can be found at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0030727019831702.)

The above statistics are from a research conducted in Sweden, a temperate country where relative humidity and temperature are much lower than those of tropical Sri Lanka that provides a comfortable breeding ground for pests and diseases due to year-long high temperature and relative humidity. Unless the so-called organic crops are given a dose of inorganic fertilizers and agrochemicals during the nights, the overall impact on yield in Sri Lanka could be 50 per cent or more. Can Sri Lanka double the cultivated land extent of 2.3 million hectares to compensate for the loss of 50 per cent yield by going totally organic overnight? In contrast a pest attack can have devastating results of even a 100 per cent yield loss. As the President suggested, the farmers will be monetarily compensated for yield loss. But what about food security? Will the country have sufficient food to feed 22 million? Would the saved Rs. 80 billion be sufficient to import food and pay compensation to farmers? Professionals have predicted a bill of Rs. 800 billion to import food to meet the gap.

The actual problem

Sri Lanka spends nearly Rs. 60 billion on the fertiliser subsidy and import of conventional first-generation fertilisers such as urea, triple super phosphate and muriate of potash costs the country nearly $300 million annually. But the quality assured second or third generation fertilisers such as compound, slow release and controlled release types are hardly being imported to the country. Nearly a million metric tons of first-generation fertilisers are imported to the country while a mere 35,000 metric tons are imported from the second and third generation fertilisers. Moreover, most of the first-generation fertilisers are imported through tender procedures and cheapest and lowest quality fertilisers are supplied to the farming community under the subsidy scheme. Second and third generation fertilisers do not come under the subsidy scheme and therefore, a credible comparison of high-quality fertilisers and conventional types cannot be done. In contrast, world agriculture is fast moving away from conventional fertilisers and embracing hi-tech second and third generation fertilisers.

There is no doubt that the farmers are using excessive volumes of fertilisers due to two reasons; firstly, because it is given at a highly subsidised price and secondly because the supplied fertilisers are of very poor quality. This has pushed us to use 287.2 kg of fertiliser per hectare of cultivated land, the highest in the region. Problem lies here, not in the use of inorganic fertilisers.

In the case of agrochemicals, the environmental pollution due to excessive usage takes place due to lack of knowledge due to extremely poor agricultural extension service in the country. The farmers extension agent is the retailer of agrochemicals who either recommends a cocktail of products or sells the product that gives him the highest sales commission.

Can organic/carbonic fertilizers totally replace inorganic fertilisers?

So called organic fertilisers are defined as organic manure due to their very low nutrient contents. A kilogram of urea contains 460 grams of nitrogen or 46 per cent whereas a kg of compost contains 30 grams of nitrogen unless the manufacturer adds urea solution during the manufacturing process. The farmer has to add 15 times more manure to obtain the same quantity of nitrogen that is given by urea. Moreover, only 3 per cent of the nitrogen applied by way of compost is readily available to the plant. The balance 97 per cent will have to be broken down by soil microorganisms and will be available within 12-18 months. The same scenario prevails with the other major nutrients, phosphorous and potassium. The best compost manure can have a NPK ratio of 3:2.5:1.5 unless inorganic fertilisers are added.

Can a farmer apply around 5 to 6 metric tons of organic manure to every hectare? Assuming it is done, the total annual requirement of organic manure in the country will be a massive 11.5 million metric tons. Can this be supplied? The State Ministry in charge of fertilisers assures to import organic manure in case of a shortfall. What about the pathogens coming along with imported organic manure? Yet another disaster in the making. Another pertinent question would be the inapplicability of organic manure in modern hi-tech such as protected agriculture, drip irrigation etc that were promised to be promoted through Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor.

Solution

A major portion of conventional fertilisers applied to crops is lost due to leaching, evaporation, runoff etc that pollutes the environment. In developed and many developing countries, the impact of inorganic fertilsers on the environment is arrested by introducing quality assured second and third generation fertilisers along with advanced technologies such as fertigation (fertilising through drip irrigation systems), using artificial intelligence and drone technology to spot pests diseases and deficiencies of crops to minimize the use of fertilisers and agrochemicals by spot applications.

Therefore, the solution to avert environmental impact and health hazards to the farming community and the general public from inorganic fertilisers and agrochemicals is not an arbitrary, sudden and mischievous ban but the introduction of high quality second and third generation fertilisers replacing the first generation fertilisers through the private and public sector organisations and streamlining the agricultural extension service to promote judicious use of agrochemicals, perhaps as a public private partnership with like-minded private sector companies and institutions.

Going 100 per cent organic is a populist idea and such a decision will get instantaneous and sensational support from the general public who are not conversant about the short, medium and long term effects of such a decision. While no country has achieved 100 per cent organic status, a small number of nations (16) that have got over 10 per cent of their arable lands under organic agriculture have taken decades to achieve such status.

The decision to immediately ban imports will have devastating repercussions and inevitable food security issues in a few seasons, perhaps leading to a famine in the country. Pundits who promoted this would not be there to answer the public when it happens, and the government will solely be answerable for its decision.

(The writer is Managing Director, Agriworld (Pte) Ltd and has wide

experience in the global and local agriculture sector. He can be reached

at wicky123@sltnet.lk).
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A man died after being shot by an Oklahoma City police officer during a confrontation, according to authorities.

Police were called to northwest Oklahoma City around 8 p.m. Saturday after residents reported that a man was outside their house in violation of a protective order.
ATLANTA (AP)  Before Porter Flournoy Turner was lynched  stabbed in the chest and back by members of the Ku Klux Klan  he was a Black boy from tiny Greensboro, Georgia.

He was a farm laborer from an early age but, by his mid-20s, had made the move 75 miles west to Atlanta. He started a family, with a wife and two sons. He worked hard, 60 hours a week as a mechanic and porter plus nights driving a taxi.

He was 50 years old on Aug. 20, 1945, the night he was pulled from his cab near Druid Hills, knifed and left to die.

For decades, the circumstances surrounding Turners death were hidden, even from his own descendants.

Thats no longer the case.

A historical marker honoring Turner was installed Thursday near the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Oakdale Road. The story of his death  and his life  is now told in bronze and blue, on a plaque that visitors to the surrounding parks or the nearby Paideia School will see in perpetuity.

Each step closer to telling the truth gets us closer to some kind of reconciliation, understanding that were all Americans, Turners grandnephew, Leland Scott Jr., said during the brief ceremony. Once we get there, nothing will be able to stop us.

The marker honoring Turner was the third erected by the DeKalb County NAACPs Remembrance Project, which has worked with the Alabama-based Equal Justice Initiative to honor lynching victims throughout the county.

Similar markers have been installed in Lithonia (where three Black men were hanged by white mobs in the late 1800s) and in downtown Decatur. The Decatur marker recognizes all known lynchings that occurred in DeKalb County between the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and 1950.

We put up all these monuments to the creators of racial terrorism, Dee Smith, chair of the NAACPs Remembrance Project, said Thursday. But this is the first opportunity weve had to honor the victims of racial terrorism.

The event was attended by representatives from the NAACP, public officials and a number of Turners descendants.

Amy Ray, an Atlanta native and one half of the folk duo Indigo Girls, was also there. She wrote the lyrics to a song that will be debuted during a more formal dedication ceremony thats currently scheduled for June 6.

More details will be posted at naacpdekalb.org as theyre finalized.

Its not about his death, Ray said of her song, which was a collaboration with composer Thomas Jefferson Anderson. His family came out of this. He has an amazing amount of descendants that have done amazing things. The family tree is more powerful than the lynching.

Delores Turner is Porter Turners niece. She didnt know the truth about her uncles death until the NAACP reached out to her nearly two years ago to ask about a marker.

She was emotional as it was put in place Thursday.

It means so much that they thought enough to care, she said. To do this.

FULL TEXT OF PORTER TURNER MARKER:

On the night of August 20, 1945, Porter Flournoy Turner, a 50-year-old Black Atlanta taxi driver, was lynched near this site.

Born in Greensboro, Georgia, Mr. Turner was a wage-earning farm laborer for his family by age 14 before moving to Atlantas Fourth Ward in 1920.

Mr. Turner worked 60 hours a week as a mechanic and porter at an auto dealership and full-service garage. He supplemented his income to support his wife and two sons by driving a white-owned taxi at night.

On the morning of August 21, Mr. Turners body was found brutally stabbed to death in the chest and back on the front lawn of a white physicians home on Springdale Road. The cab he had been driving was abandoned on the curb across the street. DeKalb Police conducted only a cursory investigation.

In June 1946, it became clear that Mr. Turner had been the victim of lynching violence after undercover informants working with Georgias Assistant Attorney General announced that members of the Klavalier Klub  a strong arm of the Ku Klux Klan tasked with terroristic raids  had boasted during a covert meeting of killing him.

During this era, the Atlanta Klan, police departments and white taxi owners conspired to protect white economic control. Financial independence made Black people vulnerable to violent retaliation.

Despite the new evidence of who committed the murder, no one was ever arrested or held accountable for Mr. Turners lynching.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  A nonprofit in Montana plans to open a slaughterhouse that will kill and process cattle donated for food banks.

The $2.5 million Producer Partnership plant outside Livingston will be able to process 300 animals per month by next year, the Billings Gazette reported.

Ranchers who donate cattle for food banks will have access to the processing plant for their own retail sales.

The Producer Partnership formed last year to help struggling communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership has donated 80,000 pounds (36,000 kilograms) of hamburger in the past year and a goal of 140,000 pounds (64,000 kilograms) a year.

The group has struggled to secure space at slaughterhouses, however, limiting how many donated animals it can accept.

Weve been trying to get kill dates at different plants. That proved to be hard to find a kill date in the first place and then we wound up with so many animals donated that we couldnt find enough dates, said Mayzie Purviance, Producer Partnership program administrator.

The processing plant will be federally inspected, meaning ranchers who choose to use the facility for direct retail sales will be able to ship meat out of state, Purviance said.
GRANBURY, Texas (AP)  A North Texas mayor has submitted his resignation following his third driving while intoxicated arrest.

Granbury Mayor Nin Hulett had been arrested on April 25 on a DWI charge, which had initially been a class B misdemeanor.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  A man is facing charges after police say he tried to stab a security guard at an Islamic center in northern Virginia.

Fairfax County Police said officers responded to a report of a man with a knife at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center on Saturday afternoon.
Investors paradise at Port City Colombo By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas plans for the Port City Colombo is to make it an investors paradise as the country looks at improving its ease of doing business rankings by relaxing its archaic and stringent labour laws.

We have very archaic and stringent labour laws and that is why we rank very low in the ease of doing business, CHEC Port City Colombo Assistant Managing Director Thulci Aluwihare told the Business Times.

He noted that they envisaged a relaxation of some of these laws adding that the Termination of Employment Workmans Act will not apply at the Colombo Port City. This is said to be a government decision.

As the world propels advanced cities, Sri Lanka is aspiring to be like Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai where investors flow in. Mr. Aluwihare said that Sri Lanka has in the past ten years continued to rank at 99 in the ease of doing business index while even India has improved in its rankings and passed us. Plans had been underway to launch the Port City Colombo at the World Cities Summit in Singapore in July but now this has been postponed, he said.

Commenting on previous plans to bring this up as a financial hub, he noted that today financial services is one of the many sectors that are being looked at in terms of investors for the project.

In terms of employment generation, he noted that according to a study done by PwC the Port City Colombo is projected to bring in about 83,000  130,000 direct jobs for Sri Lankans.

However, while they will fill both blue and white collar jobs, senior executives will initially be foreigners, and in time they too might be replaced with Sri Lankans, Mr. Aluwihare explained.

For instance, if we are able to attract Google then the top senior executives will be foreign and all MNCs will like to limit expatriates so the executive level will be foreign and in time they too might be replaced with Sri Lankans, he said.

Close to 100,000 skilled workers leave the country and this number is likely to stay back in view of the economic opportunities in your backyard with the ability to work for multinational companies (MNCs).

Explaining whether casinos will be allowed at the Port City Colombo, he pointed out that this was a matter left for the government to decide adding that the Colombo city is not attractive enough for tourists and this is not a place that travellers stay for more than one day.

The Port City Colombo is set to attract investments from ICT, financial services, hospitality and tourism to international trade and logistics operations, wealth management and offshore banking. The port city is positioned as a multi services special economic zone, he said adding that they believe there is a demand for these sectors.

The missing piece in marketing this destination was the laws and regulations that is now part of the Port City bill addressing some of the inherent issues, he explained.

He noted that once the laws are enacted they could plan a roll out strategy and in this respect, Mr. Aluwihare explained that they have already established regional marketing agencies in markets like India, Singapore, West Asia and China.

We hope to do a series of virtual events until travel resumes since borders are closed, he said adding that there will be a series of these summits once borders re-open.

Moreover, they have plans to channel some of the prospective investors through the business chambers in these countries.

Dismissing allegations of becoming a Chinese colony or that there was any provision for freehold property on the Port City Colombo, Mr. Aluwihare explained that provision was there only for a 99 year lease.

He noted that the land will be owned by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and that the CHEC has made an investment of US$1.4 billion to create this land and its required infrastructure.

In return they have been given 43 per cent of land on a leasehold right that they in turn can lease it out to other investors. We will be surrendering our leasehold right and the investor can sign a lease hold right with the GOSL  and for doing so we get the consideration, he said.

He also noted that Sri Lankan investors have the option of investing and that there was no requirement to come through a joint venture with a Chinese firm. Sri Lankans can invest upto 100 per cent and whoever wants to build has to make an application to the commission  they will evaluate and issue a license, he said adding that a license was required to operate a business there.

At present 100 hectares of land is ready for development that includes commercial, residential, school and a convention centre. Concessions for investors will be granted depending on the value of investment and other aspect but they were not looking at the nationality of the investment when considering them.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  A man was found fatally wounded in the St. Louis area Sunday morning.

St. Louis County Police said officers who were responding to a shooting call found the man who had been shot in the 7200 block of Woodstead Court, which is just south of Interstate 70 in Norwood Court, Missouri. The man died at the scene of the shooting.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Protesters set fire to trailers belonging to Irans consulate in Karbala on Sunday amid widespread anger over the killing of a prominent activist in the Iraqi city.

Ehab Wazni, who was active in the organization of anti-government protests that swept Iraq in October 2019, was shot overnight outside his home by unknown assailants.

His death sparked daylong protests in Karbala that saw demonstrators block roads and bridges with burning tires. Then Sunday night, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Iranian consulate, burning tires in front of the building and setting fire to several trailers parked outside, according to police officials and videos posted online.

Similar scenes played out in November 2019 during protests in Baghdad and Iraq's majority-Shiite provinces in the south, with protesters on at least one occasion scaling concrete barriers ringing the Iranian consulate in Karbala to bring down Iran's flag and replace it with the Iraqi flag.

The popular protests that began in October 2019 and lasted for months were directed at a postwar political system and a class of elite leaders that Iraqis accuse of pillaging Iraqs wealth while the country grows poorer. But protesters have also directed their rage at neighboring Iran and the powerful Iraqi Shiite militias tied to it.

The protests in Karbala, Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq often turned violent, with security forces opening fire and protesters torching government buildings and headquarters of Iran-backed militias. Hundreds were killed, including the assassination of activists.

The protests have been largely dormant since the coronavirus pandemic.
LAWNDALE, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina sheriff says a 2-year-old has been hospitalized after being shot Sunday.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said a call came in about the shooting just before 10 a.m., TV station WBTV reported.

The child was seriously injured and airlifted to a Charlotte hospital, Norman said.

The call came in as a reported drive-by shooting, but deputies havent concluded that that was the nature of the incident, the station reported.

It is extremely a fluid case, and its changing rapidly," Norman said.

The shooting happened in the small town of Lawndale, about 60 miles west of Charlotte.
JAT presents gender-balanced Board of Directors View(s):

JAT Holdings, a mover and shaker in Sri Lankas wood coatings sector, recently announced a gender balanced leadership, inclusive of three women of distinction who have been appointed to its high-powered Board of Directors.

In a media release, the company said Dr. Siva Selliah, (Chairman, JAT) and Aelian Gunawardene, (Managing Director, JAT) have acknowledged the advantage of the enormous aptitude in females of power. Moreover, in granting them the platform, authority and freedom of creativity with which to utilise the expertise of each individual, this verdict would further pave the way for women of equal stature to gain the distinction they deserve.

The three women on the board are Priyanthi Peris, Joyce Gunwardene and Anika Williamson.

Ms. Pieris, Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, has nearly 40 years of expertise in the field of Corporate/Securities Law. Currently serving on the Boards of LOLC Finance PLC, Associated Electrical Corporation Ltd and MTN Corporate Consultants (Pvt) Ltd,

Ms. Gunawardene currently serves as an Executive Director to Brush Master (Pvt) Ltd. With over 15 years of experience in the field of advertising and promotion, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of JAT Holdings in 2015. She holds a B.Sc. Degree in Psychology from the University of NSW Australia.

Ms. Williamson currently serves as an Executive Director to JAT Global (Pvt) Ltd and was appointed to the Board of JAT in 2020. She has over eight years of experience working in finance, import, export and banking industries. She holds a Double Degree in Accounting and Entrepreneurship from Curtin University, Australia and was a member of the prestigious Pro Vice Chancellors Chapter.
CAIRO (AP)  Sudanese authorities on Sunday deported around three dozen Ethiopian peacekeepers, working on the U.N. mission in Darfur, to a refugee camp, the state-run news agency reported.

Al-Fateh Ibrahim Mohammed, head of the refugee agency in North Darfur province, said the troops are among 120 Ethiopian forces from the Tigrayan ethnic group, who have sought asylum in Sudan after their stay ended earlier this year, according to the SUNA news agency.

He said the the troops, including 14 women, refused to return after being recalled by their home country, Ethiopia, for fear of being detained by the federal government in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has waged a devastating war since November against the regional government in Tigray, claiming that Tigray forces had attacked a military base.

The Tigray conflict has been marked by massacres, gang rapes, expulsions and forced starvation. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted in March that ethnic cleansing has taken place in Tigray.

Federal authorities in Addis Ababa have also swept up thousands of Tigrayans including high-level military officials into detention centers across Ethiopia on accusations that they are traitors, according to an Associated Press report.

United Nations spokesman Farhan Haq told the AP last month that a number of Ethiopians in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Darfur were seeking international protection as several hundred troops are being repatriated.

Mohammed, the Sudanese refugee official, said Sudan deported at least 33 troops Sunday from North Darfurs provincial capital of el-Fasher to a refugee camp in the eastern province of Kassala, on the borders with Ethiopia. At least 31 others would leave el-Fasher Monday, he added.

The troops would join tens of thousands of Ethiopian refugees who fled the Tigray conflict to neighboring Sudan.
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP)  A traveling exhibit about the legendary puppeteer Jim Henson is coming to Michigan starting next month.

The exhibit called The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited will open at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn from June 5 to September 6.

The interactive display will delve into his work on The Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Labyrinth. It'll feature puppets, scripts, storyboard and costumes. Henson died in 1990.

This exhibition explores Hensons unique contributions to the moving image, and how he and a talented team of designers, performers, and writers created an unparalleled body of work that continues to delight and inspire people of all ages, said a news release from the museum.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Federal authorities say a Waubay woman accused of stealing money from an American Indian agency has been sentenced to more than two years in prison.

Dawn Block, 53, pleaded guilty earlier to program theft. Authorities say the embezzlement occurred while she was acting director for the United Sioux Tribes of South Dakota Development Corp. from October 2018 to May 2019.
Over 20 European, Sri Lankan incubators/accelerators join EU-SLIP network View(s):

Over 20 European and Sri Lankan incubators/accelerators have joined the EU-SLIP network, with eight ongoing EU-Sri Lankan incubator partnerships.

The EU-Sri Lanka Innovation Partnership (EU-SLIP) initiative has been fostering innovation cooperation between Europe and Sri Lanka since 2020 with the ambition of reaching out to other countries in South Asia. The initiative has brought together tech start-ups, incubators and accelerators from the EU, Sri Lanka and South Asia to stimulate networking, innovation collaboration, boost business co-creation, and technology commercialisation, the EU office said in a media release.

Several results have been reached so far, including creating a network of European and Sri Lankan incubators/accelerators to promote joint activities and start-up exchange programmes; setting up the EU-South Asia Startup helpdesk to provide practical support to start-ups seeking access to new markets; and organisation of events on innovation, disruptive solutions and commercialisation of new ideas.

In terms of numbers more than 24 start-ups have requested EU-SLIP helpdesk support to reach out to new markets; 18 start-ups have submitted applications to participate in the EU-SLIP agri-tech thematic platform; more than 10 investors and companies have launched open innovation calls for European and Sri Lankan start-ups; and exchanges on commercialisation have been initiated with five Sri Lankan University Business Linkage Cells (UBLCs).

Denis Chaibi, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives said: It is encouraging to see the enthusiasm and initial results of the EU-SLIP in boosting innovation and business collaborations. There is more work to do on digital transformation, investing in decarbonisation technologies, and socio-economic innovations to bring about positive change in peoples lives.

Jean Christophe de Tauzia, Director General of Incubateur Descartes  a French incubator that has partnerships with two Sri Lankan incubators, said the EU-SLIP project helps incubators to better understand start-ups opportunities and needs in both regions. The Sri Lankan colleagues are very keen on collecting and implementing best practices. It is a great pleasure to work with them.

Prof. Rohan Munasinghe, Director of the University Business Linkage Cell at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka with an active collaboration with a European incubator, noted that:With the support of the EU SLIP, we are going to design and implement a new course module on entrepreneurship for university students. We dont have such a programme yet and it is an important missing piece right in the foundation. We are working closely with EU consultants, gathering their good practices, to prepare an effective programme here at University of Moratuwa. I hope it will bear fruits within this year.
"Generations of my family come from India. My mother (Shyamala Gopalan) was born and raised in India. And I have family members who live in India today. The welfare of India is critically important to the US," Harris said in her pre-recorded message played at a diaspora event hosted by the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) on Friday.

Washington: In an address to the Indian diaspora in the US, Vice President Kamala Harris lamented over the deteriorating Covidd-19 situation India, saying it was "nothing short of heartbreaking".

"The surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths in India is nothing short of heartbreaking. To those of you who have lost loved ones, I send my deepest condolences. As soon as the dire nature of the situation became apparent, our administration took action.

"On Monday, April 26, President Joe Biden spoke with the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to offer our support. By Friday, April 30, US military members and civilians were delivering relief on the ground.

"Already, we have delivered refillable oxygen cylinders, with more to come. We have delivered oxygen concentrators, with more to come. We have delivered N95 masks, and have more ready to send. We have delivered doses of Remdesivir to treat Covid patients.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, when our hospital beds were stretched, India sent assistance. And today, we are determined to help India in its hour of need.

"We do this as friends of India, as members of the Asian Quad, and as part of the global community. I believe that if we continue to work together, across nations and sectors, we will all get through this," the Vice President added.

In her address, she also acknowledged diaspora groups like Indiaspora and the American India Foundation that "have built bridges between the US and India".

"And this past year, you have provided vital contributions to Covid-19 relief efforts."

Harris' remarks come as India is battling the devastating second wave of the pandemic that have triggered record number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, leading to a shortage in oxygen supplies across the country, including in the national capital of New Delhi.

On Sunday, India reported 4,03,738 new cases, which took the overall tally to 2,22,96,414, the second highest in the world after the US.

Meanwhile, the country's death toll, currently the third largest after the us and Brazil, increased to 2,42,362.

Sunday's figure is the fifth highest since India crossed the four-lakh-mark of new Covid cases, while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the last 11 days.
Ulan Bator, May 2 (IANS) Mongolia's national count of Covid-19 cases rose by 1,185 to 38,470 in the past 24 hours, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said on Sunday.

Apart from one imported case, all the other new infections were locally transmitted, mostly detected in the country's capital Ulan Bator, the NCCD said in a statement.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  More Americans are still awaiting the arrival of their third stimulus checks, but whether there will be a fourth stimulus payment would be up to Congress, according to White House officials.

The Internal Service Revenue is distributing more than 1.1 million payments with a value of more than $2 billion in the eighth batch of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which intends to help Americans amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Americans previously received two other stimulus checks  $1,200 in March 2020 in the early pandemic, and $600 in December 2020. The third check includes up to $1,400 for single people and dependents and $2,800 for married couples.

That brings the total payments distributed to about 164 million  a total value of about $386 billion, since the payments began rolling out to Americans in batches as announced on March 12.

And now, many lawmakers are pushing for recurring direct payments throughout 2021 as part of a fourth government package.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK***

But White House officials said the possibility of a fourth stimulus payment would be up to Congress.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked during a press briefing last week if the country will see another round of stimulus checks, or even checks every month until the pandemic ends, in either of President Joe Bidens new proposals. Those proposals include the American Jobs Plan or the American Families Plan.

Well see what members of Congress propose, but those are not free, she said, about the stimulus checks.

She pointed to Bidens extension of the Child Tax Credit, which, if passed, would held families get regular payments that total up to $3,000 per year for kids ages six and over, and $3,600 for kids under six.

Obviously, were continuing to evaluate what their needs are to continue to get the pandemic under control, put people back to work, but we think thats also a proposal that will have a long-term benefit, she said, about the proposed extension of the Child Tax Credit.

President Joe Biden has talked about a potential $3 trillion spending bill for 2021. The new stimulus bill would focus on revving the economy, combatting inequality, and repairing the countrys infrastructure that has been fractured due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

However, many lawmakers -- including a group of 21 Democratic Senators who recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden -- are asking the President to approve recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions as part of a 2021 stimulus package.

THIRD STIMULUS

Many families will get more money from the third stimulus bill than they did from the first two stimulus packages because payments are being sent for adult dependents.

Unlike the first two stimulus payments, the third payout is not restricted to children under 17. Eligible families will get a payment based on all of their qualifying dependents claimed on their return, including older relatives, like college students, adults with disabilities, parents and grandparents.

The payment per person will be larger for most people than what they received from previous packages.

Most families will get $1,400 per person, including all dependents claimed on their tax return. Typically, this means a single person with no dependents will get $1,400, while a family of four (married couple with two dependents) will get $5,600.

To qualify for the full amount, an individual must have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or below. For individuals who are the head of household, the adjusted gross income must be $112,500 or below. If youre a married couple filing jointly, total yearly earnings must be $150,000 or below to receive the full stimulus check.

No action is needed by most taxpayers to receive payment.

If you are eligible for the third stimulus check but have yet to receive payment, you can learn when the payment will hit your bank account by using the Internal Service Revenues (IRS) Get My Payment tool.

You can use the Get My Payment tool, available in English and Spanish, only on IRS.gov. It updates once per day, usually overnight.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A former worker who shot and wounded another man in a Mariners Harbor barbershop over 16 months ago was clipped with a stiff prison sentence.

Montel Milbry will spend a decade behind bars for attempted murder stemming from the Dec. 28, 2019 attack.

He was sentenced on Friday in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Authorities said Milbry, 38, became embroiled in an argument with the victim at Good 2 Go barbershop.

The confrontation became violent when Milbry, who was once employed at the Forest Avenue establishment, shot the victim, 38, in the forearm, officials said.

The bullet shattered the bone, requiring the man to undergo surgery in Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, said authorities.

At the time, officials said it wasnt immediately clear if the victim worked at the barbershop.

Likewise unclear was the nature of the dispute, police said then.

Afterward, Milbry stole a 2018 Ford F-150 pickup truck with New Jersey license plates and sped off, said authorities.

The Mariners Harbor resident was later nabbed by police.

A source with knowledge of the investigation has said cops recovered a shell casing in front of the shop.

Milbry was indicted on charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault, criminal weapon possession, grand larceny and stolen-property possession.

Two weeks ago, the defendant pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder to resolve the case. It was the top count against him.

Besides prison time, Milbry was sentenced to five years post-release supervision.

Defense lawyer Joshua Benjamin has declined comment on the case.
Editors Note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at benanti@siadvance.com.

Charlotte and Daniel Grossane Jr. peek out of their limousine on the day of their wedding, April 30, 1960. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island Advance

As far back as anyone can remember, Catholic-church-based singles groups have served as sponsors for dances, socials, meet and greet mixers and trips  a way for young adults to get to know one another.

The events, still going on, were staged in church halls and auditoriums and often hosted by Catholic Singles organizations or even by individual parishes.

Though their paths had never crossed, Charlotte Turczany and Daniel Grossane Jr., were two of those singles who traveled from Brooklyn to the Assumption R.C. Church in Rego Park, Queens, for a simple Sunday night out with friends to listen to music, dance and engage in good conversation.

Speaking of the days as a single working woman, when life was a little less complicated, Charlotte recounted she worked at Rockefeller Center, close to St. Patricks Cathedral, and would often stop by the historic place of worship to say a prayer.

I prayed at Our Ladys Chapel and used to say the same things every time I went in. I asked the Blessed Mother to send me a good husband and I said he didnt have to be rich, tall and handsome  just a good husband.

She said she often knew on the first date if she was interested in furthering the relationship and sometimes declined when asked out again.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane during Christmas time just prior to their marriage. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

At one particular Sunday night church dance, Charlotte, whos 5 foot 11 inches, felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

When I turned around  since he was taller than I am  my eyes went directly to his tie tie clasp, which was a Miraculous Medal of Blessed Mother, Charlotte said. And I took it as a sign. And then as a second thought I inwardly asked what kind of guy would wear that?

As it turned out Dans tie clip had broken and when he couldnt find another his mom gave him a religious clip to wear from the selection shed received in the mail after making a donation.

As the evening progressed Dan asked Charlotte on a date the following weekend. And during that evening when they got up to dance Charlotte thought If I dont marry him  Im just not getting married.

NYPD officer Daniel Grossane and Charlotte Grossane during their younger years. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

I felt it was as though Blessed Mother said here he is. And I always felt Blessed Mother sent him to me. And Dan has the best husband any woman could ask for, she recalled with a smile.

The Grossanes met in 1958 and after dating for two years the couple said their I dos on April 30, 1960.

Weve been married for 61 years. And thats a long time, Charlotte said.

The Grossanes moved from Queens Village to Huguenot in 1973, where they still live.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane on their wedding day, April 30, 1960. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

A LITTLE ABOUT CHARLOTTE

Charlotte, now 83, is a graduate of Catherine McAuley (the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy) High School in Brooklyn.

She was a secretary for Shell Chemical in Manhattans RCA Building. But in time she left in order to raise a family.

Once her youngest child entered school, Charlotte enrolled at the former Staten Island Community College, now the College of Staten Island, where she earned an associates degree in nursing.

She became a registered nurse in the former Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn and worked on the medical surgical floor at the former Richmond Memorial Hospital, now Staten Island University Hospital, Princes Bay, for 19 years until her retirement in 1999.

A current photo of Daniel and Charlotte Grossane. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Her family has always been what is most important to her, said the couples daughter, Gina Catanzaro. My mom loves to host family gatherings with her children and grandchildren, cooking and baking wonderful meals for all to enjoy.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT DAN

Daniel Grossane Jr., 84, is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School.

He served for eight years in the US Army Reserves in the 77th Infantry Division where he attained the rank of Sergeant 1st Class.

A New York City police officer in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, he was promoted to sergeant and became a lieutenant at the 122nd Police Precinct in New Dorp.

He also was also a motorcycle police officer and a member of the Tactical Patrol Force  young volunteers who were specially trained in crowd control who had to be at least 6 feet tall and have high activity records as police officers.

Dan and Charlotte Grossane are surrounded by their grandchildren during a drive-by celebration on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Grossane retired as a lieutenant in 1996 after 38 years and nine months as a member of New York Citys finest.

He also was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America crews working toward Small Bore Collegiate Shooting and Trap Shooting Merit Badges.

TRAVEL PLANS

A family cruise to Bermuda was planned for July 2020, but with pandemic guidelines, their trip was postponed.

Gina said her parents enjoyed traveling and saw much of the United States, especially loving time spent out in the Western and Southern states.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane smile for the camera outside their Huguenot home on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary last year. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Iin 1983 they built a vacation home in the Pocono Mountains and enjoyed spending as much time as they could exploring the outdoors and watching the wildlife on their property. As their family grew to include their childrens spouses and grandchildren, they loved sharing that home with the family as a refuge to recharge their batteries, Gina continued.

CELEBRATORY DINNER

For the couples 60th diamond wedding anniversary last year, since COVID-19 restrictions were in place, the Grossanes were feted at a drive by party hosted by their children and grandchildren. And this year they hosted a celebratory dinner in their Huguenot home, where their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were on hand gathered to wish them well.

Charlotte explained, I think one the most important things in a marriage is to be very considerate of each other. We never ever had a fight. But it doesnt mean we agreed on everything. But we never really argued

And Dan said Charlotte is easy going. We were just always very considerate of each other, he said.

A poster created by family members to wish Daniel and Charlotte Grossane congratulatory greetings on the occasioh of their 60th wedding anniversary. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

The Grossanes are the parents of Daniel (Claudia) Grossane, Gina (Anthony) Catanzaro and Liz (Allan) Nelson, the grandparents of seven and great-grandparents of three.

CELEBRATIONS - MAY 9 TO MAY 15

MAY 9

Sunday is birthday time again for Luke Eric Magierski, Helen Pedersen, Dottie Raffo, Michael Kline and John Michael DeRenzo.

Happy wedding anniversary Sunday to Kathy and Frank Mannino.

MAY 10

Heading the birthday list Monday is Dr. Howard Fox, Nicole Cataldo, Maryann Geissler, who turns 65, Jack McGinley, Jaidan Betancourt, Alfred Pettiford and twins, Larry and Danny Miraglia.

Happy wedding anniversary Monday to Camille and Alphonse Giordano, Chris and Christy Di Gregorio, Ron and Ada Tramontano and Maria and Jim Hogan.

MAY 11

Birthday best Tuesday to Carol Frazzetta of Carols Cuisine fame, Timothy James Golterman, Bill Marco, Tom Woods, and Rita Nana Wright.

And Tuesday is wedding anniversary time for Kathy and Peter Cennamo.

MAY 12

Happy birthday Wednesday to Ann Olsen Phillips, Angelo Ghan, who also shares an anniversary with husband Charles and birthday greetings to Connor Matthew Stapleton and Kristi Dillon.

MAY 13

The best of birthdays Thursday to Agnes Jennings, Anthony Tramontano, Betty Ann Lordo, who also celebrates an anniversary with husband Tony, Millie Butler, Dana T. Magee, former executive director and CEO of Community Resources, Vickie Picciano, and Josephine Ricca.

Happy wedding anniversary Thursday to Bonnie and Marty Giovinazzo and Johanna and George Abbruzzese.

MAY 14

Friday is birthday time for Richard Watson Jr., Brian Dale, Robert Bozza, Jill Fessler, Faith Ferrulli, Scott Welle, Frank Russo and T.J. Harrigan.

MAY 15

The happiest of birthdays Saturday to Marian Lucas, Grace Motola, and Miles Preston Lorentzen, who turns 18, Shannon Nielsen, Joseph Nicholas Bacchi, who turns 22 and will graduatie from the State University of New York at Cortland on the same day, Frank Bennetti and Michael DelPriore.

Happy wedding anniversary Saturday to Elvira and Steven Noss, Michele Sherry DeMizio and Joseph DeMizio and Marlie and Richie Plenzo, who mark their 45th.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio is set to announce Monday that the entirety of Hylan Boulevard will have a speed limit of 30 mph, according to Councilmembers Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) and Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island).

The change comes as Staten Island has seen a stark rise in traffic deaths in 2021 despite the citys ongoing Vision Zero efforts.

Both Matteo and Borelli blasted the move on Twitter Sunday and said they were not consulted about the decision.

The mayor is going to announce that all of Hylan Blvd will be 30 mph, Borelli tweeted. This is absurd and unnecessary. Did he consult with anyone? No. Does he care? No. Is it a money grab for speed cameras? Yes.

The change in speed limit will mean that motorists traveling 41 mph on Hylan Boulevard will receive a speed camera violation.

Currently, the speed limit on the southernmost portion of Hylan Boulevard is 40 mph while the stretch between New Dorp Lane and Richmond Avenue has a speed limit of 35 mph.

DOT [Department of Transportation] didnt consult with anyone elected to actually represent this area, said Borelli in a written statement. Its as though the mayor said, how can we make peoples lives less convenient?, and then did the opposite.

From December to late-April, Staten Island speed cameras have netted over $4.5 million.

Currently, the citys school zone speed cameras operate on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; however, de Blasio is pushing the state legislature to expand the citys speed camera program to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

More speed cameras are expected to be added in New York City within the next two years, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported.

Rose Uscianowski, the Staten Island organizer for Transportation Alternatives, one of the citys leading transit advocacy groups, previously said that despite their unpopularity, statistics indicate that traffic cameras have been effective in reducing speeding and crashes at the locations theyve been installed.

The city DOT said that speeding has been reduced by more than 70% at locations where speed cameras are present, with injuries down 17% at those same areas.

Reducing speed is a strong contributor to fewer pedestrian deaths, according to the DOT, with an individual twice as likely to be killed by a vehicle traveling at 30 mph compared to 25 mph.

The mayors office did not immediately respond for a request to comment.

Matteo told the Advance/SILive.com during a phone interview Sunday that he was not consulted prior to the decision, adding on Twitter that he was only given a heads up on something thats a done deal.

He expressed frustration that other traffic calming measures, like stop signs, are often extremely difficult to get approved despite widespread community support.

And then they just go in and unilaterally decide to make this decision, said Matteo. Its extremely frustrating.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- U.S. Navy Chief Grant Khanbalinov, well known for his charitable work sending fellow soldiers home for the holidays, is being medically retired following nearly 13 years of service.

In recent years, Khanbalinov, who grew up in Grant City, has been raising money to help send soldiers home to be with their families during the holiday season.

He launched Operation Send Sailors Home in 2019, spreading the word via social media that the organization was seeking sailors who needed help paying for a trip home during the holidays.

During the first year, Khanbalinov was able to send three junior sailors home to see their families, while also offering $200 for holiday presents to two other sailors that they unfortunately could not afford to send home.

It can be hard during the holidays, especially for junior sailors, Khanbalinov told the Advance. For some of them, this might be their first time being gone. We wanted to make the holiday season a little bit easier.

In 2020, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept across the globe, Khanbalinov wanted to do even more, so he teamed up with a not-for-profit, Holidays For The Heroes, and raised enough money to allow 100 military members to return home to see their families.

This year during the coronavirus pandemic a lot of people arent traveling, and we are all working in a completely different environment than we have ever worked in, so its more important than ever for them to see their family for the holidays, said Khanbalinov.

A lot of [U.S. Military members] spouses lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, so money is tight for everyone. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to help them out, he added.

But thats not all that Khanbalinov has done to give back.

He has been lauded for his prior social media efforts to help sailors, veterans and Navy brass who are depressed, suicidal or simply in need of someone to talk to.

Ive experienced the struggle with mental health myself in 2012 and 2013. I was able to recover. I went and got help after I mustered up the courage to go talk to the doctors about it, Khanbalinov said.

When I started to see that this was something affecting other service members now, I just wanted to see why they werent doing the same. Why werent they reaching out for help? So, I just wanted to become that sort of avenue where they felt like they could talk to me. Id tell them my story. Id tell them what Ive been through and hopefully that makes them a little bit more comfortable reaching out to someone for help, he added.

Khanbalinov is now being medically retired from the Navy after 12 years and nine months of service due to ongoing complications with Chrons disease, a diagnosis he received in 2018.

Ive been to the West Coast and the East Coast. Ive been to Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East. I did four deployments and I had a great time while I was in, but unfortunately, its time to go, Khanbalinov said.
Western Region Megapolis project faces mega obstacles By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas ambitious US$40 billion Western Region Megapolis Planning Project (WRMPP) launched by the previous regime with the aim of re-developing the Colombo City and suburbs is now facing major obstacles in realising its 15-year vision, an official progress review report has revealed.

This project comprising 150 smaller projects will be revised in accordance with the present governments vision and policy although the original plan may look good on paper, a senior Finance Ministry official told the Business Times.

Progress on these projects has been stalled due to the COVID-19 crisis, financial constraints and policy issues and is expected to be revised considering case by case basis based on the availability of funds, he disclosed.

It has been planned to establish a trade hub, a high-rise central business district including at least 60 new towers, a science and technology city, and a rapid transit system aimed at reducing traffic congestion in most populous Colombo City region.

The WRMPP has been planned to cover an area of 3,600 sq. km in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara with the objective of reducing the unemployment rate from 4 to 2 per cent by 2020, and then maintain that rate until 2035 by creating 2.1 million employment opportunities.

Plans have been devised at that time for developing two tourist cities and improve living conditions of 70,000 families living in shanties and slums.

But despite the imposing plan devised with the assistance of Surbana Jurong, a Singapore-based planning and engineering group, the WRMPPs viability is now doubtful in the absence of proper financing arrangements, irregularities and its poor record of project implementation, the report revealed.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have initially given its consent to provide partial funding for the implementation of the plan under certain conditions, senior official said.

The project, initiated in May 2015, had been in operation for more than two years by the end of September 2017 and a sum of Rs. 330.23 million had been incurred for the project, a recent Auditor Generals report revealed.

However, Rs. 10.22 million had been spent in 2018 and Rs. 19.45 million had been spent in 2019 on salaries and allowances and operating expenses for the staff of the project.

The Western Region Maritime Cities Development Project has been launched under this initiative in 2017 with the objective of dividing the beach starting from Negombo beach to Calido beach in Kalutara into three parts.

Although a total of Rs. 47.2 million had been spent for this project in 2017 and 2018, the project had been implemented without obtaining a Feasibility Study report for the implementation of the Urban Facility project or an Environmental Impact Assessment Report to assess the impact of the project on the environment, the report disclosed.

A sum of Rs. 30.01 million had been spent during 2019 for the salaries of the project staff and for the other operating expenses of the project office.

According to the Auditor Generals report, the Western Region Aero City Development Project and Western Region Administrative Cities Development Project had been carried out under the WRMPP by spending Rs. 80.7 million and Rs. 29.13 million in 2018 and 2019 respectively for staff salaries and other recurrent expenditure of the two projects.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Willowbrook homeowner is frustrated after the city said it was not liable for a fallen tree that landed on his home after a storm.

Bernard Bowden said he filed a claim with city Comptroller Scott Stringers office after the tree fell on part of his home in August 2020. The claim was for $1,000, the amount of his insurance deductible, and an additional $707.69, the cost of lawn and shrubbery repairs.

Bowden said he was told he could take up the issue in Small Claims Court.

The bottom line is this tree in question had surface roots, which is an indisputable fact as the city replaced the sidewalks which caused an unsafe condition, and it is well known among arborists that surface roots are a primary reason trees are felled by moderate wind gusts, Bowden said.

Im lucky it didnt do too much damage to my house, he said.

(Photos courtesy of Bernard Bowden).

A city Parks Department spokeswoman told the Advance/SILive.com that a 311 complaint was made on Nov. 22, 2011 for the condition of the sidewalk. Parks inspected the location on Jan. 25, 2012, and again in 2018 when it received a rating high enough to warrant a work order. The sidewalk was replaced by Parks in 2019.

The fallen tree was removed by Parks on Aug. 9, 2020.

He said hes frustrated by the citys response, however, hes even more frustrated the city would not provide the New York City Charter, chapter, article and section stating the legal justification for its position.

If theres a city provision in the Charter, Ill agree with that but theyre refusing to cite that to make their claim, he said.

Its not the money, its the principle.

Bowden shared correspondence between himself and the claims department at the comptrollers office with the Advance/SILive.com.

The claim specialist said one of the reasons the claim was disallowed was because there is no prior notice/no unresolved prior complaints about the tree.

(Photos courtesy of Bernard Bowden).

Additionally, the specialist said its because the claim is an act of nature/weather related.

A spokeswoman for the comptrollers office said, We review all claims on the merits when asked about Bowdens claim.

The city said its generally not liable for acts of nature, such as healthy trees falling during hurricanes and each case is reviewed individually based on its own facts and circumstances.

I dont understand their position, but I guess thats the city we live in, Bowden said, adding homeowners shouldnt hesitate to report damage to a tree, no matter how minor, to ensure this doesnt happen to them.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Mayor Bill de Blasio has less than eight months left in office.

Theres a lot he can still fix. If he cared to.

And theres still a lot he can make worse. Like crime.

The city is being consumed by a surge of shootings, murders, subway violence and anti-Asian assaults.

Buildings are covered with graffiti. City streets are full of trash. The homeless pitch tents on subway gratings.

Murder is up 16. 8 percent this year versus last year, according to NYPD stats. Homicides were up a mind-numbing 266 percent during a recent week compared to the same week last year.

Shootings are up 83 percent year over year. The number of shooting victims is up 78 percent. Rape, other sex crimes and hate crimes are also up.

Witness the shooting that wounded three innocent bystanders in Times Square on Saturday. De Blasios New York.

De Blasio acts like its all got nothing to do with him. Hes only the mayor, after all.

He blames rising crime on the perfect storm of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though violent crime was rising in the city before coronavirus hit us like a truck last March and April.

And even to the degree that the pandemic has pushed the city toward the tipping point, its de Blasio who championed many of the strictures that locked the city down in the first place.

He trots out NYPD commanders to tout the increase in gun arrests while shootings continue to rattle communities in every borough, victimizing the innocent along with the guilty.

Asian people dont feel safe walking the streets. Few of us feel safe waiting for a subway. We warn our kids to watch their backs everywhere they go. This wasnt the norm before de Blasio took office in 2014.

De Blasio? He clings to the notion that all these problems are going to magically disappear once the court system is fully up and running. He sounds like former President Donald Trump wishing COVID-19 away like a miracle.

Why should New Yorkers think anything is going to change once the courts are open? The courts have been turning violent offenders back onto the streets without bail, thanks to criminal justice reforms championed by de Blasio.

What is a fully open court system going to do to change that?

De Blasios blase reaction to the escalating violence is a crime in and of itself.

Former NYC Mayor David Dinkins served just one term in City Hall. (Frankie Ziths/AP)AP

Once hes done with City Hall, de Blasio is likely to be recalled with the same kind of derision as Mayors Abe Beame and David Dinkins, two executives who failed to manage the chaos they were confronted with, fiscal and criminal, respectively.

The city that de Blasio inherited from Mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg was in far better shape than what Beame and Dinkins got handed.

De Blasios poor stewardship doesnt end there.

Mayor Abe Beame stumbled while leading New York City through the 1970s fiscal crisis. (Advance file photo)

In just one example of how out of touch de Blasio has become, the mayor apparently had no idea that the city Department of Education was preparing to cancel Columbus Day in the city schools.

He also seems more interested in keeping his wife, First Lady Chirlane McCray, politically relevant by rebranding and making permanent her failed ThriveNYC mental health program, a sinkhole into which hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have disappeared without explanation.

De Blasio has also lost the plot on reopening New York City after the pandemic. Every time he tries something, Gov. Andrew Cuomo bigfoots him off the stage.

Thwarted by the United Federal of Teachers, De Blasio has also failed to reopen city schools for full-time, in-person instruction at all levels. Even though kids are at low risk for spreading the virus, and even though communities across the country have their schools fully open with teacher in the classroom.

And de Blasios own municipal resist his call to return to the workplace.

It could be along couple of months until Dec. 31.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently released an online form to report businesses that are not adhering to the plastic bag ban.

The plastic bag ban went into effect in New York City in March 2020, but enforcement did not begin in October 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The ban requires all entities that collect New York State sales tax to adopt a five-cent paper carry-out bag reduction fee and refrain from using carry-out plastic bags.

Since the law went into effect, some stores have opted to disobey the law and continue to offer plastic bags to their customers.

The DEC plans to put a stop to this practice by using its new reporting system to find businesses that arent adhering to the law and fine them.

The online form asks consumers to file a complaint against businesses that are not complying with the law.

The form asks citizens to name the business and the ways that they are not being compliant with the plastic bag ban. It also indicates that pictures can be sent to plasticbags@dec.ny.gov.

Concerns can also be voiced to via phone to 518-402-8706.

DEC ISSUES WARNINGS, NOT FINES SO FAR

Since the law went into effect in October, the DEC has not issued any fines, THE CITY reported.

The department had issued 76 fines as of April 14, the outlet claimed.

THE CITY reported the the DEC would start taking tougher action if businesses continue to be noncompliant after warnings.

The agency said that they fines could range between $250 to $500 per violation.

DEC continues to encourage New Yorkers to make the transition to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop, and encourages anyone who witnesses violations of the plastic bag ban to fill out DECs complaint form on our website, Erica Ringewald, a department spokesperson, told THE CITY.

Environmental activists, however, say that the DEC has not taken enough action in enforcing the new law.

It is an important step, but theres been patchwork adoption, Tok Oyewole, a policy and communications organizer for the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, explained to THE CITY. As a whole, I think that there needs to be greater enforcement of the plastic bag ban across establishments.

Other activists have noted that single-use plastic bags cause an enormous amount of waste, with around 50% becoming street litter.

According to the DEC website, 23 million plastic bags are typically used in New York City each year.

The department says that the negative impacts of using plastic bags are easily seen in trees, floating in our waterways, and more.

More information about the impact of plastic bags and how to switch to reusable bags can be found on the DEC website.

Read more about #SISustainability:
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Decorated K-9 Timoshenko Timmy, named after fallen NYPD Det. Russell Timoshenko, has received a top dog nod.

The NYPD Special Ops announced on its Twitter feed Timmy and his partner, Detective Benjamin Colecchia, won the top dog in Cadaver Trials and National Handler of the Year, at the National U.S. Police K-9 Association trials.

Benny and Timmy have worked hard to become one of the finest police K9 teams in the USA, the Tweet states.

This is not the first accolade K9 Timoshenko has been awarded.

Late 2020, K9 Timoshenko helped the NYPD search for a missing Staten Island doctor in Clove Lakes Park, in a large pond near Victory Boulevard.

K9 Timoshenko and Colecchia were honored for Cop of the Month, after they assisted in the apprehension of murder suspects in three highly publicized cases on Staten Island.

K9 Timoshenko helped find the remains of a slain elementary school teacher Jeanine Cammarata, at a storage facility in Arden Heights in 2019.

K9 Timoshenko alerted officers of human remains in a wooded area of Arden Heights in February of 2019. Police found remains of a 50-year-old, which later helped them charge two individuals in connection with the alleged murder.

In January of 2019, K9 Timoshenko led officers to the presence of biological evidence at a construction site on Staten Island, a dumpster in Perth Amboy, N.J., and a pit used to incinerate materials in Rahway, N.J., in the disappearance of a Westerleigh man

Both Colecchia and K9 Timoshenko have worked to help the NYPD solve more cases, from homicides to gun ceasing.

K-9 Timoshenko was named after NYPD Detective Russel Timoshenko, who was shot and killed in 2007 after pulling over a stolen vehicle in Brooklyn.

Det. Timoshenkos mother, Tatyana Timoshenko, expressed how proud she was for both Timmy and Colecchia in their achievements and teamwork.

The dog is smart. He keeps my sons memory alive, so I feel good and appreciative of both Timoshenko and Benny for the hard work and doing a good job, she said. I know all of the achievements and things [K9 Timoshenko] has done. Benny has kept us updated, and for that I am proud of the teamwork they both have. It means so much to my husband and me that through this dog, who has helped many people, we see our sons legacy continue.

In the past, Colecchia has been awarded the Staten Island Kennel Club Award, the David Wright Achievement Award, the Centurion Award, and the U.S. Police Canine Association Valor Award, the Advance reported.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A gunman is at large after three people were injured in a shooting in Times Square, Saturday evening.

The incident occurred at 4:55 p.m., near the corner of West 44th Street and 7th Avenue, the report states.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said at a press conference that shots were fired after there was a dispute between a group of men, and one pulled out a gun.

Officers nearby heard four to five shots, when three individuals, who are said not to be targets of the shooting, were shot.

Shea said one of the victims was a 4-year-old Hispanic girl from Brooklyn, who was struck in the leg and is undergoing surgery.

Another victim was a 24-year-old woman from Rhode Island, who was hit in her thigh, and a 43-year-old woman from New Jersey, who was shot in the foot, according to Shea.

NYPD announced the individuals are expected to survive and were rushed to the hospital. The individuals were not related.

At the scene, NYPD found 25 caliber shell casings, and have video footage of at least one suspect, Shea stated.

Mayor Bill de Blasio posted on Twitter the suspects would be brought to justice.

The perpetrators of this senseless violence are being tracked down and the NYPD will bring them to justice, he wrote. The flood of illegal guns into our city must stop.

NYC is still safe. Its the greatest, most wonderful city in the world, but we need help, said Shea.

Police have released the image of a person of interest in connection to the shooting, and are looking for the publics help in locating the individual.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York Lottery announce Sunday morning that there were multiple top-prize winning tickets sold for their TAKE 5 drawing.

The winning tickets were sold in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

One ticket was sold at the Stop & Stop at 1351 Forest Ave. on Staten Island. This winning ticket was worth $32,078.50.

The ticket sold in Brooklyn at Bravo Supermarket at 1299 Fulton Street was worth $32,059.

TAKE 5 numbers are drawn from a field of one through 39.

Drawings take place every evening at 10:30 p.m. Winning tickets at all prize levels may be cashed up to one year from the date of the drawing.

One ticket was sold at the Stop & Stop at 1351 Forest Ave. (Google Maps)

ABOUT THE NEW YORK LOTTERY

The New York Lottery is touted as North Americas largest and most profitable lottery, contributing $3.38 billion in fiscal year 2019-2020 to help support education in New York State.

New York Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education. It takes into account both a school districts size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of the Lottery school funding.

New Yorkers struggling with a gambling addiction, or who know someone who is, can find help by calling the States toll-free, confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369) Standard rates may apply.
When rezoning is required to include racial impact studies, the land use review process is then required to make space for a critical conversation on race, vulnerability, segregation, displacement and opportunity to help inform how we plan for a more equitable future. When our land use processes dismiss these concerns, like we experienced in the recent Bay Street Corridor Rezoning, they fail to help to raise the standards of development, miss strategic opportunities to address inequality and risk exacerbating the experience of New Yorks communities living in a tale of two cities  where one community hoards opportunities and the other is targeted with the burdens of a growing city.

We need a racial impact study for land use decisions. Intro 1572 will require a racial impact study to be included in the citys Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) that accesses underlying community characteristics, underlying vulnerabilities and risks related to displacement, health and lack of economic opportunity, all through a racial lens. In Staten Island, our experience is shaped by our unique setting amongst New York Citys boroughs. Our community has been isolated, at times by design, from the kind of economic opportunity, housing choice, and open space options afforded to other neighborhoods.

The underlying lack of access can lead to inequitable outcomes and leave too many of our neighbors vulnerable, especially when you are Black or brown and low-income. These racial dynamics that influence development and investment priorities are present on Staten Island. For years, the planning process on Staten Island has been grounded in private economic interests with no comprehensive planning models to consider the impact on communities of color. A special planning district along the South Shore, given in 1975, seeks to balance the provision of public infrastructure with the pace of new development. This results in processes that, by design, include considerations for adequate school seats, natural resources, parks and other significant capital projects.

Meanwhile, Staten Islands neighborhoods that have a concentration of communities of color and lower-income residents continue to suffer from deep inequities in capital projects and planning. We know through experience that rezoning is about race and that rezoning is about more than land use.

While the Bay Street rezoning attempted to address some of the affordable housing needs, it did not account for the poorest with the need for MIH Options that provide the deepest affordability. It also did not make analysis of the impact on two of the largest Black and brown neighborhoods in the borough, which bordered like bookends the perimeters of the rezoning area  Park Hill and Jersey Street. The plan did not take full advantage of the significant amount of public land along the waterfront, as outlined in the communitys proposal for a Maritime Education, Recreation and Cultural Corridor (MERC) designed to address education, provide new open space, improve health outcomes and spur an inclusive economic development strategy to cultivate an industry based on the opportunity presented by the waterfront.

These concerns were not included in the rezoning plan or investment strategy. As New York City emerges from COVID-19, shot by shot, the city must ensure that there is an equitable recovery. Our current system concentrates too much burden on communities of color as evident in health outcomes, small business closures, affordable housing scarcity and eviction risk, gaps in education and access to broadband, and access to open space.

A racial impact statement must help disclose a baseline of community characteristics that can put an individual proposal or neighborhood action into proper context. While the conclusions drawn from these disclosures will be varied, the data itself will not prescribe what action should be taken. Instead of simply determining whether or not to grow in a particular community, the information should inform a more expansive set of options that help to highlight community-identified mitigations and alternatives that minimize displacement risk, advance local priorities, and include vulnerable people in the benefits of a proposed action.

On Staten Island, a required racial impact study wouldve captured this circumstance and laid out data for electeds, the public and advocacy groups to highlight the urgency for deeper affordable housing and the opportunity to address long-standing inequalities while advancing local initiatives. I applaud the urgency from the public advocate and the foresight of Councilmember Salamanca in the Bronx to advocate for a racial impact study for the proposed rezoning along Southern Boulevard.

The city must incorporate race into its land use decision-making process to improve outcomes for all New Yorkers. The time for a racial impact study was decades ago. We cannot let the inequalities in our city continue to persist. The City Council must pass Intro 1572 to put us on a direct path towards a more expansive conversation to address segregation, displacement and access to opportunity.

(Kelly Vilar is the director of Staten Island Urban Center, a grassroots community organization, and a member of the Racial Impact Study Coalition.)




By Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi



Malaysia, as we know it, is dead. There is no more life to it. Any hope to correct its civil institution, its education institution and its political institution bears no more exercise for resuscitation.

A police chief of the highest rank exposed inappropriate behaviors of politicians and senior officers in the police force but there is no action from the highest authorities of the land.

A girl makes a revelation of a heinous rape joke, not only there is no reaction from the religious clerics holding the highest positions of authority, there seems to be very slow reaction on the teaching profession and the education authority. The girl is further harassed by her teachers, schoolmates and netizens of her own race and religion for not wearing the tudung and exposing her aurat.

This is a clear example of a bankrupt religious morality as Islamic groups stay silent and so does the religious authorities.

A book on Christian threat by an official religious department is left unchallenged by 20 public universities, Islamic Reformist NGOs and Islamic political parties. A young Chinese hooligan gangster with a Datukship escapes the authorities because of alleged tips from his vast network of insider police personnel alleged to be under his salary scheme.

No official reaction of Royal Commissions are in the pipeline for any of these milestones of social, educational and political destruction.

This Malaysia that is sixty something years old has suffered its final heart attack and is now, from my stand point, officially dead. The old heart is damaged beyond repair. I will not spend the remainder of my life trying to revive or fix this old heart. Let it die.

What I think all Malaysians can do is to replace the heart with one that comes from our own special recipe of mutual acceptance, understanding and kindness as a family of 40 ethnic group. We must rebuild Malaysia within the Malaysia that has died by creating our own education system, our own 'political management' and our own social and religious institutions.

We should by-pass the old systems and construct new ones. We must build our own schools, our own universities, our own religious co-operations and our own economic and welfare programs. We will plant our own seeds in our own way and live our own life together as a small community of conscious beings who are a citizens of an 'inner Malaysia'.

I will write and outline my ideas for our own new school system. We will create a school where our children are the absolute priority, not the reputation of the school or its head teachers. We will have a school that is completely safe from rape jokes and insensitive remarks of any kind that will not be tolerated at all. We will educate our students to be global citizens with acceptance of other faiths and cultures as it primary goal and kindness to others as its anchor of humanity.

I will outline the curriculum that will achieve this end and Malaysians can take that framework and build it into a real entity of hope for our children's future. Our new school will use part face to face learning, part online learning and part community building while spending only a few hours and a few days in a building. I will take the best school teaching methods and philosophy offered by the world and blend it into a Malaysian and a global construct.

I will write on how we can build an online university program that would benefit mankind. This university will float in cyberspace and forego any evaluation that has been created by this country that would drag it into a mediocre, repetitive and meaningless exercise of certification upon certification.

The university I envisioned will be evaluated by the very best in the world and by the most humanistic personalities that mankind has produced. This online platform will use modules of the best teachers and professors the world has to offer.

I seek to create a graduate who appreciate all cultures and faiths and not perform a Nazi salute to kill a whole race. I seek to create graduates who would use human suffering as an idea impetus to provide sustainable solutions to humanity while creating wealth that would benefit all. I seek students who will question all their inherited and packaged learning even of my own philosophy so that they can construct their own brands of truth, reality and futures from the shades and shadows of my thoughts and that of others.

I will write about a new housing concept that would reengineer our communities into a truer version of our nation as envisioned by our forefathers and beyond.

The housing I envision will have religious groups and buildings that would celebrate all the important dates of all religions in respectful and open manner. There are no enemies in our new community but citizens of kindness, acceptance and respect for each other. We would have our own welfare fund to help all the needy in our new community. We will formulate a new security personnel that would be courteous, diligent, forgiving but fair and strict within contexts. We will have a community consultative body elected by our own community members to help and nurture all the members to be successful socially, economically and spiritually.

This Malaysia is dead. From its stinking carcass, we will raise a new bud of hope for the future. It is time to relinquish our energy on the old, bigoted and extremist concept of Malaysia and reengineer a new kind of politics, a new kind of people and a new kind of nation where all citizens depend on one another and all warganegara respect and love one another as humble beings of awakened consciousness, none better than the other but all needing each other.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the horizon gleams the dawn of a new hope, a new Malaysia for all.

(Professor Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor at a local university.)
Some of the countrys key business leaders have warned Australias deteriorating relationship with China is a wake-up call for industries too reliant on one market and have called for a ceasefire in the war of words between the historic trading partners.

Former BHP chairman Don Argus called China a tough negotiator but said Australia needs to have greater respect for its growth ambitions, adding the diplomatic exchanges through the media had to end.

Former BHP chair Don Argus in 2006. Credit:James Davies

Having your dirty washing out in the open is never the right way to solve a relationship. Its best to have these disagreements discussed behind closed doors, Mr Argus said. I dont know where the good faith has gone.

Mr Argus, who oversaw BHPs expansion into the region through the mid-2000s, said the federal government needed to do a better job of marketing Australias agricultural resources around the world to diversify our export mix but also called for both parties to put differences aside.
Collective effort needed to face national COVID emergency View(s):

After managing to contain the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to reasonable levels, today the Government is faced with the daunting task of controlling the spread of the virus as the third wave has resulted in an increased number of patients and deaths.

The demand on the countrys resources has further contributed to the strain on an already overburdened economy. The public health system is creaking with the lack of hospital beds, ventilators and even ambulances to transport the sick.

At a time when the Government is stretched to the maximum, one would think that the Government needs all the help it can get to face what is undoubtedly a national emergency. It needs the optimum cooperation of the countrys people in following health protocol and the input of health experts, together with the support of all shades of political opinions.

However strangely the Government is fighting shy of accepting the offers of cooperation from the different stakeholders and continues to want to operate on its own. At the same time Government spokesmen in response to Opposition criticisms call for the Opposition to cooperate in the task of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the Governments idea of cooperation is completely different from the Opposition. Last week during the adjournment debate on the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament the only cooperation the Government needed was for the Opposition to keep their mouths shut and allow the health authorities and the armed forces to do their job. That is enough. No other cooperation is necessary, said Mr Amaraweera.

Speaking the previous day at the same debate, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa called upon the country to unite to fight the third wave of the COVID pandemic. He lamented that unfortunately the Government had politicised the process of dealing with the pandemic. He offered the support of the Opposition, as he had done several times in the past, to deal with the pandemic. He went on to list some of the efforts that the Opposition had made with the international community to help the country in its efforts to address the pandemic.

Sajith Premadasa pledged to cooperate with the Government but said he would do so only in relation to systemic efforts but would not support decisions in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic based on political considerations.

The Opposition Leader also urged the Government to prioritise its expenditures. While welcoming the Governments decisions of repairing KFIR jets at a cost of US$ 50 million and setting up exercise centres all over the country at a cost of US$ 650 million, he urged that these sums be diverted to current COVID-19 requirements and to postpone the two projects.

He called upon the Government to divert all non-urgent expenditure to get down vaccines and COVID-19 related equipment. Sajith Premadasa also criticised the failure of the Government to give fiscal stimulus packages unlike in other countries.

In conclusion he also deplored the actions of the Government in creating religious tensions by unfairly denying citizens of their burial rights during the pandemic to appease racist elements.

But surprisingly the Government is not only not heeding the Oppositions calls for a joint effort to combat the COVID-19 virus but it even refuses to obtain the views of medical and health experts. Professor Tissa Vitharana, a leader of one of the constituent parties in the Government and an expert virologist with nearly three decades of experience working with the World Health Organisation, is completely kept out of deliberations relating to the pandemic.

The opinion of Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the State Minister in charge of COVID-19, seems to be not given the importance it deserves, while the Sri Lanka Medical Association, the General Medical Officers Association, the Public Health Inspectors Association are reduced to writing letters or holding press conferences to express their views.

The likes of Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Dr. Paba Palihawadane and Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara who played a leading role in combatting the first phase are missing in action. Their experience would have greatly benefitted the health officials who are valiantly heading the current efforts to battle the pandemic.

In the recent incident where the decision to enforce a lockdown in Piliyandala by the health authorities was undone overnight by a political hand is a clear indication that politicians are interfering in what is a task essentially for the health authorities. Another incident involving political considerations that comes to mind is the funeral of the late Arumugam Thondaman, where crowds were not following health protocol.

It is a tragedy that the country has so much expertise that can be harnessed to face the biggest challenge of our times but is un-used for no rational reason. On the other hand a joint effort by the political actors can do much to mitigate the situation. For example if a joint appeal is made by the Government and the Opposition to the international community it will undoubtedly have a greater chance of success than a solo effort made by the Government. (javidyusuf@gmail.com)
Casino operator The Star Entertainment Group has officially entered the race for James Packers Crown Resorts by proposing a $12 billion merger that would create a gambling and hospitality giant spanning seven properties in four states.

The merger proposal, set to be made public in an ASX announcement on Monday morning, pits The Star against US investment giant Blackstone in the unfolding battle for the beleaguered casino group. Regulators suspended Crowns licence for its new Sydney casino in February, and royal commissions into the company will begin in Victoria next week and in Western Australia on Monday.

The Star owns casinos and hotels in Sydney (pictured), Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Blackstone, which lobbed an $8 billion bid for Crown in March, raised its offer for the business on the weekend, while a third suitor, US investment fund Oaktree Capital, offered $3 billion for Mr Packers 37 per cent stake in the company last month.

The Star informed Crown on Sunday that it would publicly announce its non-binding, indicative proposal on Monday morning, according to sources aware of the offer who requested anonymity to discuss confidential matters.
Artist Robert Owen shares his name with a famous great-grandfather who was both a capitalist and a utopian socialist. Owen (1771-1858) ran his cotton mill in New Lanark, Scotland, as part of a model community that held the wellbeing of workers to be no less important than profit. He saw this enterprise as a template for a new society but it would remain a one-off, an ephemeral creation of his own philanthropic vision.

Two hundred years later Blue Over Time: Robert Owen  A Survey, at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, celebrates a descendant no less utopian in his aspirations. For this Owen utopia is an aesthetic ideal: an art that unites painting, sculpture, science, mythology, music and the spirit, in a body of work that defies categorisation.

Born in Wagga Wagga in 1937, Owen was painting, drawing and making things from early childhood. His route to the city came as a window dresser, when he secured a job at a store in Sydney. If this sounds unromantic its worth remembering that Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns worked as window dressers in New York.

Blue Over Time at Heide Credit:Clytie Meredith

Owen would go on to study at the National Art School under Lyndon Dadswell, before making his way to Europe, where he lived for three years in Greece on the island of Hydra, and for another nine in London. When he returned to Australia in 1975 he was an experienced artist who had learned a lot from the English constructivists and enjoyed some modest success.

Back in his homeland, Owen set about reinventing himself as a maker of ambitious installations, large geometric colour paintings, and abstract, linear sculptures. The Heide survey samples most aspects of his diverse career, although we see no more than a fraction of a vast output. Its a bewildering selection, from a book of poems inscribed by Leonard Cohen (a fellow resident on Hydra) to some spindly sculptures from early days, to a vibrant blue installation and a room-sized geometric painting.
With Spicks and Specks and the coming Eurovision, youre super busy right now.

Ive got lots of stuff on, which is good and I feel very thankful for that. Feeling really excited about Eurovision, because I miss working with Joel [Creasey]! Normally we wouldve done Australia Decides together in February, but we didnt get to do that this year, so its been over a year since I worked with him, when we did those Eurovision chat shows as a replacement for no Eurovision last year.

Myf Warhurst will once again present the Eurovision song competition with Joel Creasey, this year from Sydney. Credit:SBS

But no one from Australia actually gets to go to Europe this year, which is a shame.

Not even Montaigne [is going]. Which is sad, but all the artists had to record a live-to-tape version, all the countries. So while Montaigne is presenting hers live-to-tape, if anyone there gets COVID theyll have to present their live-to-tape as well. And that includes backup dancers and whatnot. So I suspect that live-to-tape might be quite normal by the time it happens. But we dont get to go, thats OK: I think itll be just as much fun doing it from Sydney. It wont be quite the same  it just totally consumes you when youre there, because you live it 24/7.

You can still be consumed at home.

Yeah I think so, because I used to watch it at home, and I was consumed. So I think itll be fine.

After all these years does Eurovision retain its magic?

It does! It really does. Each year I think: is it getting too glitzy, is it getting too cool, is it trying too hard? And then each year throws up little gems where I just go oh wow, this is still Eurovision. Like this year weve got that really clever pop from Iceland, totally out of the box. And The Roop with that crazy dancing. Couple more key changes  I think there are a few tracks, well, even Montaigne has got a key change. The power ballads, you go through each one and tick it off and go yes, its all still alive!
The proponent of a new gold mine in the states Central West is pressing the NSW government to hand over a large water licence that opponents say would damage the environment and farming.

Regis Resources, which wants to develop the $300 million McPhillamys Gold Project near Bathurst, has said it needs more water to proceed. It is in talks with the government to convert a licence of 192 megalitres a year of surface water in the Belubula River now held by the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation.

Site of a proposed gold mine near Blayney in the Central West region of NSW. Access to water could be key to its development. Credit:Nick Moir

A Regis spokesman said the project is designed to divert rainfall and runoff around the facilities as much as practicable, however surface water licensing is required.

That water is in addition to flows the company is planning to pipe from the Mt Piper coal-fired power station. The plants waste water would need five pumping stations over more than 83 kilometres and would cross 15 water courses, according to the Belubula Headwaters Protection Group that opposes the project.
An Australian man accused of supporting and recruiting fighters for Islamic State in Syria has faced court in Melbourne after being deported from Turkey where he had been jailed for links to the terrorist group.

Mohamed Zuhbi, 30, had claimed he was an aid worker helping refugees on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Mohamed Zuhbi, on September 27, 2014.

Mr Zuhbi appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday in a remand hearing and was kept in custody where he will serve 14 days of quarantine.

Mr Zuhbis lawyer Tass Antos told the court his client may be at risk of self-harm and needed to see a psychiatric nurse for potentially undiagnosed mental health issues, Nine News reports.
It is increasingly obvious that hotels  built for tourists or temporary stays by non-infectious residents  are unsuitable and unsustainable as a quarantine solution. The answer now increasingly argued for is that of Howard Springs, near Darwin, in the Northern Territory.

There is much to be said for that: overseas arrivals (detained for their and our safety) stay in huts where open air circulates in ways that are impossible in high rise buildings in densely populated cities. However, and isnt there always a however, little or no discussion seems to be taking place anywhere south of Darwin about how this solution may be affecting residents of the smallest and most isolated capital city in the nation, those who already work to capacity at the single large hospital, and the 30 per cent of the 250,000 Northern Territory population who are Indigenous and particularly vulnerable.

The Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin. Credit:Louise Radcliffe-Smith

If the relevant ministers were moving with less reluctance to establish similar quarantine facilities elsewhere  Toowoomba, Melbourne, Christmas Island, anywhere near Canberra  it would certainly make sense to see Howard Springs as an example. And yes, as part of a bigger picture of accelerating care. But as a sole adequate solution? And while expanding the number of people detained there to 3000 when staff are reportedly hard to find (and PPE is particularly uncomfortable in the steamy tropics)? It feels increasingly like those hopeful banners flashed across our television screens daily, telling us that if we are concerned about the content of what we have just viewed, Lifeline will mop up our problems.

As someone who in the last seven years has made Darwin her increasingly committed home (alongside my husband who has lived there for 40 years or more), I frequently feel that this small, fascinating, genuinely multicultural city, plus the territory more generally, is required to carry more than its fair burden of the governments eagerness to dump rather than share out problems.
In February, returned travellers caused a spectacle in Melbourne by wearing garbage bags over their heads while moving between quarantine sites. Not for any health reason but to protect their identity from the press who were on scene, hungry to score an exclusive.

News outlets reported the incident without much reflection, but the hotel guests were right to be afraid. Some media outlets proved their eagerness to incite blame and encourage condemnation throughout the pandemic.

Some media outlets proved their eagerness to incite blame and encourage condemnation throughout the pandemic. Credit:iStock

When two young women of colour misdirected contact tracers, some newspapers instinct was to vilify them. The Courier-Mail branded them enemies of the state while many papers published their names and photos. In the ensuing court case, the magistrate noted that the media scrutiny was so severe that it counted as a punishment in itself.

In another case, when a migrant on a temporary visa misinformed contact tracers about their movements, South Australian authorities treated them like a criminal by disclosing their personal information to the media and launching a police investigation in an attempt to make an example of them.
On Tuesday the Liberals will hand down their eighth federal budget. Already we are hearing the usual noises about how they will fix aged care. Theyll throw some money at it, based on years of underspending to make it look big. Photo ops will follow.

But Im convinced the Liberals have no idea how to actually fix aged care.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. The Liberals will hand down their eighth federal budget on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Im a nurse first, politician second. I spent 20 years nursing and then ran the nurses union. Ive been campaigning for aged care reform for 30 years.

Ive been saying the same thing the whole time  aged care reform means:
Dozens of people eligible for their coronavirus vaccination were in line outside Sydneys Olympic Park on Monday morning to receive the first of thousands of vaccines scheduled to be administered this week.

A dental hygienist from the Southern Highlands who left her house before the sun was up stood alongside University of Sydney clinical staff to receive their shots at the hub, which opened for appointment-only vaccinations at 8am.

Opening day for Olympic Park vaccination hub. Credit:Nick Moir

After following the teal-brick road of QR codes from the train station  they link to the vaccine eligibility tracker page  the group were ushered in by their 15-minute groups.

Some in the queue had previous been booked in to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine before cancelling their appointments, after vaccine advisory group recommended under-50s receive Pfizer.
As the city buildings grow, the black shadows they cast across the street move up the opposite facade and leave a permanent cold gloom where once there was warm sunshine.

VISITORS to Sydney from other capitals have already begun to refer to the dark canyons of our streets.

But plans are afoot to control this trend.

After months of research at the Commonwealth Experimental Building Station at North Ryde, a height of buildings code has been drawn up to ensure an orderly approach to the size of buildings in the city. Not only this; the amount of sunlight to be enjoyed at street-level has also been calculated.

The Sydney City Council and the Heights of Building Committee of the Chief Secretarys Department, who commissioned the work, lost no time in acting on the findings. Last month the council adopted the code and defined the area to which it will apply. The main boundaries are Sydney Harbour, the Domain, College Street, Railway Square and Darling Harbour.

One important principle involved in the new code is that city developers now have equal building opportunities regardless of whether their buildings will be under construction in the next few months or several years from now. First up, best-dressed will no longer be the rule.

Another important aspect that had to be considered by research workers at the building station was the psychological impression given by a gloomy city. OConnell Street, which was picked for the experiment, had the dubious reputation for a level of daylight as low as the authorities thought desirable. The street is narrow, its buildings are high, it is in the heart of the city. Perfect for their purposes.
Covid debate: Govt. on the defensive as Opposition unleashes a volley of allegations By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

As the country grappled with a dangerous third wave of COVID-19, the Government was forced to defend itself in Parliament amid Opposition charges that it had botched the response to the pandemic.

Underlying the situations seriousness, all doors leading to the Parliament Chamber were left open for the first time in its history during a debate on Tuesday as the Opposition moved an adjournment motion on the Prevailing Situation in the Country. The decision to leave the doors open was taken to ensure that the air-conditioned Chamber received as much ventilation as possible to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading inside. By Wednesday, even the side doors leading to the Chamber were open during the debate.

Moving the adjournment motion for the Opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Kalutara District Parliamentarian Rajitha Senaratne said the Governments failure to understand the difference between a war waged against a terrorist organisation and an unseen virus hd placed the country in a dire situation. When fighting a virus of this nature, one must be extremely careful and subtle, but the State sponsored mythical cures had put the public in more difficulty.

He pointed out that local scientists researching COVID-19 had clearly warned the Government on April 8 that a new variant of the virus had been identified in the country and had stressed on the need to take urgent counter measures. Not only did the political establishment ignore medical advice, it also took over the mechanism to control the pandemic, he claimed adding that people are now paying for these follies with their lives.

SJB Colombo District MP S.M. Marikkar questioned what the Government had done with more than a billion rupees collected for the dedicated COVID Fund coming under the purview of the Presidential Secretariat.

From what we have seen from media reports, more than Rs 1000 million had been deposited in the COVID-19 fund, but neither Parliament nor the public have been informed of how these funds were utilised. Was the money used to buy vaccines or medicines or to set up hospitals for COVID patients? he asked.

Mr Marikkar also said the Government was short of some 600,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to administer the second dose to those who had received their first. The shortage was due to the Government vaccinating more than 950,000 people and keeping just over 250,000 doses for the second jab.  Now the Government is trying to give another vaccine as the second dose. This could put lives in danger, he said.

Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena rejected the idea of going for another countrywide lockdown to control the situation. Show us one country where COVID cases werent reported even after coming out of a countrywide lockdown. We tried the same thing last year.

State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, meanwhile, noted that a complete lockdown would leave some of the poorest segments in the country helpless. We have about 1.4 million three-wheeler drivers. There are 600,000-800,000 ticket sellers and about 3 to 4 million daily paid labourers who earn between Rs 1000 and Rs 1500. Who will look after them if we go for a lockdown? We tried paying Rs 5000 allowance for them earlier but we have to calculate the cost. The Treasury had to provide Rs 212 million to pay the Rs 5000 allowance last week to people in some Kurunegala district areas that are under lockdown.

The country was currently undergoing a Corona Tragedy, said Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. He recalled that it was he who first brought to the Government and Parliaments notice the unfolding pandemic in January and February last year before any COVID patients were detected in the country. We asked that the Government distribute face masks to the public. The Governments response was that it did not believe it was necessary for the public to wear masks.

The Opposition Leader accused the Government of reducing the number of daily PCR tests to create an artificial self-confidence that it had defeated COVID before going for a parliamentary election. They came guaranteeing security, but in the end, the entire country has become insecure, he noted.

While this Government was busy promoting clay pots and peniyas (concoctions), other countries busied themselves ordering vaccines due to fears that there will be a vaccine shortage, Mr Premadasa said.

Also blaming the Governments alleged inaction was the National People Power frontliner Vijitha Herath. He said: The Government disregarded the advice of health professionals and acted arbitrarily to bring in Ukranian tourists just as the first wave was subsiding, leading to the second wave. Even now, the Government keeps allowing tourists from India to come to our country, though everyone knows what the situation in India is like.

Responding to these charges, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said the Government, while adopting the World Health Organisations (WHO) COVID guidelines, must also ensure that the countrys economy remains strong. That will enable us to buy whatever is needed to defeat COVID. We conduct a minimum of 25,000 PCR tests a day. One test costs Rs 1,700. We spend Rs 4.4 million on PCR tests alone every day, she told Parliament.

Explaining the Governments preparedness to face any emergency situation, she said: We have 13,800 beds allocated for COVID patients in hospitals. We are working to add a further 10,000 beds within the next two weeks. Our hospitals currently require an oxygen capacity of 25 tonnes, but we have the capability to increase that capacity to 80 tonnes. We currently have 24,000 normal and 4000 jumbo oxygen cylinders in our hospitals. We have also ordered 7000 more oxygen jumbo cylinders. We are due to get 400 of these next week.

We have allocated 104 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds for COVID patients. A further 64 High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds have also been allocated to COVID patients. At present, there are critical patients in 58 ICU beds. We have made preparations to allocate a further 138 ICU and 56 HDU beds for COVID patients if the need arises.

Covid-control State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle denied that the Government had reduced the number of daily PCR tests to make it seem numbers were down. When the number of patients reduces, it inevitably means the number of close contacts also reduces. We continued random PCR testing. Hospitals also did not stop the PCR tests done for those being admitted to have surgery and other admissions. The PCR test positivity rate had reduced in these cases as well.

She also said the Government had no reason to hide the reality that the country was having a shortage of 600,000 AstraZeneca doses. This is not the Governments fault. The suppliers have been unable to meet the demand for vaccines due to the sheer scale of the pandemic. We are also taking steps to bring down Sputnik and Pfizer vaccines. Research is currently being conducted on using a different vaccine as the second dose. We will have to wait for the results of the research, but if it proves successful, we may end up giving people a cocktail of vaccines, she revealed.

Indigenous Medicine Promotion State Minister Sisira Jayakody urged the Government to allow the Ayruvedic sector to treat COVID patients. We have 118 ayurvedic hospitals and 5,072 hospital beds in total. We have 1,022 degree qualified ayurvedic physicians serving in our hospitals while 1,274 trained community physicians are also attached to this sector, he noted.

Tamil National Alliance frontliner M.A. Sumanthiran pointed out that instead of passing new legislation through Parliament, the Government was using two archaic laws that were 100 to 150 years old to control the pandemic. In contrast, many countries have passed emergency legislation to deal with the new threat.

There doesnt seem any urgency in doing what this House ought to do. There are other Bills such as the Port City Bill which are being brought post-haste, but something that this House should have done has not been done even to-date, said Mr Sumanthiran, pointing out that in the end, he had to present a Private Members Bill on the subject to Parliament last year, which has now been forwarded to the Health Ministry for consideration.

Responding to opposition allegations, Pharmaceutical Production State Minister Channa Jayasumana admitted that Sri Jayewardenepura University researchers informed the Government on April 8 that samples taken from five Covid-positive construction workers from a Boralesgamuwa construction site were showing a covid virus variant not seen before in this country.

In medical terms, they informed us that there was an S-Gene dropout of the virus. There are three variants of the virus so far identified that contain this anomaly. One is the UK variant first identified in Kent. It is false to say the Government took no measures afterwards. We used intelligence agencies to identify 800 contacts of these individuals and tested them all. None of them came back positive for COVID-19, he stated, adding that it was wrong to say the Government ignored the issue.

The Governments target was to vaccinate 13.5 million of the population, Prof. Jayasumana noted, adding that it hoped to fully vaccinate 10.3 million people by December 31. We have placed our faith primarily on the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. We expect 13 million doses of the vaccine by December and hope to fully vaccinate 6.5 million people using that. This is half of the population we hope to vaccinate for the virus, he said.

Parliament will reconvene on May 18. The Speaker is expected to present before the House the Supreme Court determination on the controversial Port City Bill.
After more than three years tied up at wharves awaiting its fate, one of Sydneys last Lady-class ferries will once again become a regular sight on the harbour.

Ownership of the Lady Northcott, which plied Sydney Harbour for four decades, will be transferred from the state to the countrys largest Aboriginal maritime charity, Tribal Warrior, which will repair the vessel following a $300,000 government grant.

The Lady Northcott in 2017 shortly before she was retired from regular passenger services. Credit:James Alcock

The Lady Northcott and Lady Herron were the last of the Lady-class ferries to be retired from regular ferry services on the harbour in 2017, and for the past year have been berthed in Newcastle as the state government searched for buyers.

While the Lady Northcotts future on Sydney Harbour is now guaranteed, the fate of the Lady Herron is uncertain due to a lack of interest from commercial operators or other groups.
More than 150,000 dwellings are forecast to be built across Sydney in the next four years but more than a quarter of the citys suburbs will be untouched by the development.

NSW Department of Planning forecasters estimate between 132,800 and 171,200 new homes will be built in Sydney by 2025, reflecting continued uncertainty due to COVID-19. But no new homes are forecast to be built in 223 Sydney suburbs.

The highest growth suburbs are forecast to be Parramatta where 4305 homes are expected, Marsden Park (3760 new dwellings), and Rouse Hill (2965).

Areas forecast to have zero new developments include the north shore suburbs of Cheltenham, North Epping, Riverview, West Pymble, South Turramurra, East Lindfield, East Killara, Davidson, North Wahroonga and Killarney Heights.
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Trent Barrett refused to guarantee Kyle Flanagan would keep his starting spot for Magic Round after he made the biggest call of his young Bulldogs coaching career, benching his halfback as Canterburys season hit rock bottom.

Barrett hooked the clubs long-term No.7 at half-time and replaced him with Lachlan Lewis, who finished the match being taken to hospital with a rib and lung problem as the Dragons piled on further pain with a 32-12 win at Kogarah on Sunday.

The Bulldogs finished with Lewis and Allan (head and neck) taken away in ambulance - the latter convulsing after a heavy concussion - with Flanagans omission the first sign of Barrett losing patience with one of his own signings.

He is desperately trying to rebuild the club before the arrivals of Josh Addo-Carr and Panthers pair Matt Burton and Brent Naden next year.
New York: A piece of Chinas largest rocket is tumbling back to Earth this weekend. No one really knows when or where it will land.

On April 29, a Long March 5B launched a big piece of Chinas next space station, Tiangong. Usually the large booster stages of rockets immediately drop back to Earth after they are jettisoned, but the 23-tonne core stage of Long March 5B accompanied the space station segment all the way to orbit. Because of friction caused by the rocket rubbing against air at the top of the atmosphere, it has been losing altitude since and will soon make what is called uncontrolled re-entry back to Earth.

A large section of the Long March 5B rocket, pictured lifting off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on April 29, will crash down to Earth. Credit:AP

The chances that any debris from the Long March 5B rocket will strike anything or hurt anyone are slight but not zero.

Heres what you need to know about the Long March 5Bs journey.
Beijing: Remnants of Chinas biggest rocket have landed in the Indian Ocean, with the bulk of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, according to Chinese state media, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit.

The co-ordinates given by state media on Sunday, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office, put the point of impact in the ocean, west of the Maldives archipelago.

A large section of Chinas Long March-5B Y2 rocket crashed into the ocean on Sunday afternoon. Credit:Xinhua/AP

Debris from the Long March 5B has had some people looking warily skyward since shortly after it blasted off from Chinas Hainan island on April 29, but the China Manned Space Engineering Office said most of the debris was burnt up in the atmosphere.

State media reported parts of the rocket re-entered the atmosphere at 10.24am Beijing time (12.24pm AEST) and landed at a location with the co-ordinates of longitude 72.47 degrees east and latitude 2.65 degrees north.
Washington: Bo, the Portuguese water dog who became the first presidential pet in the Obama White House, romping in the halls of power, has died.

Bo, who was 12, had cancer, Michelle Obama said on Instagram. Barack Obama said the family had lost a true friend and loyal companion.

Malia Obama runs with Bo, followed by President Barack Obama and Sasha Obama, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington in 2009. Bo has died after a battle with cancer, the Obamas said on social media. Credit:AP

For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives  happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between, the former president wrote on Twitter.

He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair, Obama added.
New York: Top US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has shut its entire network, the source of nearly half of the US East Coasts fuel supply, after a cyber attack that involved ransomware.

The incident on Saturday (Friday US time) is one of the most disruptive digital ransom operations ever reported and has drawn attention to how vulnerable US energy infrastructure is to hackers. A prolonged shutdown of the line would cause prices to spike at gasoline pumps ahead of peak summer driving season, a potential blow to US consumers and the economy.

Oil storage tanks owned by the Colonial Pipeline Company in Linden, New Jersey, that transports fuels along the East Coast says it had to stop operations because it was the victim of a cyberattack. Credit:AP

This is as close as you can get to the jugular of infrastructure in the United States, said Amy Myers Jaffe, research professor and managing director of the Climate Policy Lab. Its not a major pipeline. Its the pipeline.

The hackers began their cyberattack against the top US fuel pipeline operator a day before it was shut down and stole a large amount of data, Bloomberg News reported citing people familiar with the matter.
~ French side businessman arrested for the deadly shooting.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- A shooting in the Dawn Beach area around 09:30 pm on Saturday night has left a well-known businessman dead. The businessman has been identified as Oswald Myers. Sources say Myers was shot by a businessman of French St. Martin who was arrested by police moments later.

Myers is known for installing rolling gate motors throughout St. Maarten/ St. Martin. He is the owner of Automation Gate Tech Services (AGTS) located at Industry Drive Cul de Sac.

According to a police press release the shooting took place on Saturday, May 8th at around 09:30 pm in the Dawn Beach area. The release states that when police and ambulance personnel reached the scene they found a man in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds in his lower extremities.

The preliminary investigation reveals that the victim had suffered a gunshot wound after engaging in a scuffle with the suspect. During the course of the brawl, the victim was wounded and got into his car, and attempted to drive away from the scene but didn't get very far. Reasons for which the two men were fighting are so far unclear to the police.

Ambulance personnel attended to the victim at the scene and later rushed him to St. Maarten Medical Center in critical condition.

After conducting a quick investigation, the police were able to determine who the alleged suspect was. The suspect who was still in the area was immediately arrested and handed over to the detective department for further investigation.

Later in the evening, the police were notified by the personnel of the Sint Marten Medical Center that the victim Oswald Myers had passed away from the injuries. The Sint Maarten police force would like to express its condolence to the family of the deceased.
'Covid, like Govts, suffocates the press' View(s):

Last week was World Press Freedom Day. Unlike in earlier years, there was little or nothing to celebrate. The combined forces of a spreading pandemic and rising authoritarianism saw to that. From Latin America through Africa to Asia, the heavy hand of repressive governments rode on the back of Covid, spreading its own virus.

Admittedly restrictions were placed on social contact and gatherings of like-minded people to commemorate an annual event recognised the world-over except by leaders and their cohorts who fear exposure and wish to cover up the callous and inhuman treatment of their own people.

It is scant wonder they try to discard each exposure, each act of corruption and abuse and violation of rights inscribed in the constitutions they initially vow to uphold, as fake and turn the repressive state machinery against those who focus the spotlight on violators of the law, the corrupt who put their dirty hands into the public purse and harass and intimidate the public.

It is hard to commemorate, let alone celebrate, when even the most globally destructive pandemic, in which millions of people have died or are on their death beds and even more are suffering today due to mishandling by governments, is used as a vehicle for clamping down on the media and journalists and suppressing voices of dissent.

Even in countries where press freedom is paraded as an article of faith and constitutionally declared as a fundamental right, police powers are being enhanced to curb public demonstrations and anti-government street protests as Britains so-called Police Bill clearly demonstrates.

While this strengthening of police powers will not stop the British public from stepping out onto the streets or the media from revving down their criticism of the Boris Johnson government that is now being peppered for its violation of rules and regulations regarding prime ministerial and ministerial dealings with business interests and billionaire entrepreneurs.

In a hard-hitting editorial, the Guardian newspaper slated Prime Minister Johnson and a former Conservative prime minister David Cameron for private communications on a tax deal with a billionaire businessman by the former and lobbying for a contract by the latter.

The pandemic justified urgency in decision-making but the government uses it to evade scrutiny and shirk accountability, wrote the Guardian. Boris Johnson has tried to justify his action as a matter of urgency in dealing with the pandemic. The Guardian replied saying that while expediency might be valid in some circumstances it cannot be stretched to cover every decision where corners were cut and contracts awarded to those with personal connections with senior Tory Party figures.

Those mired in dirty politics and shady deals might well argue that such things happen in democracies, too. But there are two vital differences between the occasional ethical deficit in the democracies and the unaccountable actions and unaccounted for deals that occur in many of the countries in the Global South.

One is that where rules, regulations and conventions underpinning the democratic traditions are broken or knowingly violated they are inquired into by independent persons, action taken where necessary and the guilty reprimanded and exposed.

Two, these indiscretions and breaking of long standing conventions etc are widely reported in the media. The Johnson affair was splashed widely in the media last month. Had it not been for the media exposure Johnsons private texting offering possible tax concessions to Sir James Dysons Singapore-based staff might never have come to light or so soon.

The crucial question is whether there would ever be official, independent inquiries if political leaders or their handpicked officials from the developing world were found with their hands in the public till and punished if guilty.

I cannot remember that happening in Sri Lanka during my working years there or ever since. Of course, there have been and will be inquiries, but that is if you belong to a defeated political party or a trouble-making dissident.

Even sections of the media are likely to take a vow of silence or retreat into the bushes unlike here where the British media across the spectrum splashed the Boris Johnson story, more so because he is the leader of the country and is expected maintain decorum and observe his political responsibilities.

But there is one danger. When western nations whose leaders are quick to point to the political abuses of developing countries and corruption and moral turpitude of those who run them, they open themselves to criticism in turn as their conduct is subjected to scrutiny.

Moreover legislation like Britains Police Bill that could be used to curb public protest and clamp on the freedom of expression and association could serve as examples for similar or even worse legislation in the South and so give legitimacy to repressive laws.

But repressive laws are not the only threat to the functioning of independent media. The World Press Freedom Index provides enough instances of the targeting of journalists by governments, politicians, criminal gangs, business interests and others who find investigative reporting and the media spotlight intolerable and invasive.

My Peradeniya University contemporary and Lake House colleague Thalif M Deen who has sent deep roots and sprouted branches during his 40 years in New York and become a permanent fixture at the United Nations has in his entertaining recent book talks of the life and death and sufferings of journalists who worked for Inter Press Service in which he was and is a sturdy stalwart.

IPS news agency, which has relentlessly covered the developing world, has suffered both under repressive authoritative regimes and also in war-ravaged countries where our journalists have either been detained, tortured or beaten to death in the line of duty in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

But for most surviving families, the tragedy has been doubly devastating because the killer or killers have never been apprehended, prosecuted or convicted in any court of law in their respective home countries  or in some cases their bodies never recovered.

The most glaring example was the fate of 30-year-old Richard de Zoysa, the IPS Bureau Chief in Sri Lanka, who was abducted, tortured, killed and dropped from a helicopter into the ocean  a crime reportedly perpetrated by death squads. His bloated body was washed ashore in the suburbs of Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital. The horrendous politically-motivated crime, which took place in February 1990, is still one of the unresolved murders after 31 long years.

Since then there have been numerous other Sri Lanka journalists of different ethnicities and representing different media who have been killed or tortured for doing their jobs as the public is well aware.

If the Asian voice has been relatively silent on Press Freedom Day, it is not because it lacks a collective conscience or does not realise the importance of a free and active media to be what Edmund Burke rightly called the Fourth Estate.

It is because the Fourth Estate like other estates have been nationalised in many countries. As the virus of authoritarianism spreads across Asia and the temptation to take refuge in nationalism grows, we see the evisceration of judicial independence too, another of the four estates.

Combining extraordinary powers and minimum transparency suits governments that enjoy doing business with chums hiding behind a veneer of national good and out of the glare of public scrutiny.

(Neville de Silva is a veteran Sri Lankan journalist who was Assistant Editor of the Hong Kong Standard and worked for Gemini News Service in London. Later he was Deputy Chief-of-Mission in Bangkok and Deputy High Commissioner in London.)
STAMFORD  A group of about 30 individuals gathered outside Government Center to protest the ongoing prosecution of five individuals who were charged for their roles in a march held last summer to protest the death of Stamford resident Steven Barrier.

Protesters bearing picket signs with slogans like Hands off protestors! and Drop all charges on protestors NOW! were greeted by a cacophony of beeps and the occasional shout as they rallied on the corner of Washington and Tresser boulevards Saturday afternoon.

David Rothstein, a member of the Stamford Mass Defense Coalition and organizer of Saturdays rally, said the goal of the protest was not only to see the charges dropped against the five facing charges for participating in an Aug. 8 protest that ended in a clash between protesters and police, but also to shine a light on the growing threat to residents constitutional rights of speech and assembly.

If these charges stand, its a threat to the right to protest basically anywhere in the state. If we allow this to happen, it tells the government that they can do what they want, Rothstein said.

On Aug. 8, tensions between police and protesters boiled over during a clash on Broad Street following a march and demonstration at police headquarters.

The clash ended with six people arrested, and officers and demonstrators alike claiming to have suffered injuries. Five individuals were charged with interfering with police and breach of peace, while one woman faced an additional charge of inciting a riot.

In the aftermath of the incident, police claimed the marchers had acted in a provocative manner and disobeyed police instruction to disperse and re-open streets to vehicular traffic.

The demonstrators, however, say police officers were aggressive and used excessive force on non-violent protesters as they were dispersing.

While one of the six cases  for interfering and breach of peace  has already been dropped by the state, the other five are still pending.

In March, the Stamford Mass Defense Coalition started a petition, which had about 2,000 signatures online and 150 on a physical copy as of Saturday afternoon, seeking to overturn the arrests made by police on activists marching for police reform and accountability in Stamford on Aug. 8.

Rothstein said Saturdays rally was simply a continuation of the coalitions efforts to ensure that justice was done by not only those five individuals still facing charges from last summers peaceful protest, but those like them around the state and the country whose freedoms are being infringed upon.

Martha Klein, a member of the Connecticut Climate Crisis Coalition and the Sierra Club, drove over 90 miles in traffic from her home in Norfolk on her birthday to attend Saturdays protest.

She said she was driven to do so by the malign neglect police showed in the lead-up to Steven Barriers death on Oct. 23, 2019, as well as how they dealt with protesters in the wake of the tragedy.

Its very meaningful to combine environmental issues with social justice issues  they do not live in a vacuum. The same power structure that harms the environment, degrades people, Klein said.

In a speech to rallygoers, Peter Goselin, a member of the National Lawyers Guild, said police, politicians and the court systems cant be relied upon to dispense justice as was evident in Minneapolis and Ferguson.

(T)hese are not the excesses of the system  this is the system at work, he said.

Justice, Goselin said, can only truly be achieved by the will of the people themselves.

But what effect these protests and petitions have had on the remaining five cases remains to be seen.

Attorney Phillip Russell, who represents the five individuals still facing charges in connection to the Aug. 8 protest, said the States Attorney Office has been unwilling to dismiss the charges outright, to resolve the matters in a way that would permit these young people to pursue claims vindicating their civil rights.

Our understanding of what occurred is very different from what the police have curated, formatted and put forward, exonerating their officers entirely of any excessive behavior, Russell said. I expect there will be a trial and no one should rush to judgment in advance.

All five defendants are next scheduled to appear at Stamford Superior Court on Aug. 9  nearly a year to the day they were all arrested.
NEW MILFORD  While Alyssa Milczarski isnt allowed to attend senior prom Saturday night, she still plans to go out for a fun time  and wear her prom dress.

For the past two weeks, Milczarski and other New Milford High School seniors have been quarantining at home and taking classes remotely because they came into contact with another student who tested positive for COVID-19.

The school says we were exposed last Thursday when we were at school, at lunch outside with our friends. Then we got called down to the nurses office that following Monday and they said we were contact traced and we had to quarantine for 14 days, said Milczarski, 18.

Saturday marks the last day of quarantining for Milczarski and the other students who were exposed.

Even though we tested negative for COVID, they told us we still have to quarantine and cant attend prom nor consider moving the prom date, said Milczarski, adding there is a total of about 20 students who cant attend prom.

Milczarski said she and her friends are upset since students who were exposed meet the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

CDC guidelines say quarantine times can be reduced to seven days after receiving a negative COVID test on or after the five-day mark.

In a letter to the New Milford school community on Thursday, Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo reminded parents that the district follows the 10-day quarantine guidance for people known to be close contacts of cases of COVID-19.

After seven days, persons need to continue to take the measures needed to prevent COVID-19, including but not limited to: wearing a mask when out in public and avoiding gatherings with people who are not in your immediate household, according to the CDC guidance that DiCorpo included in the memo to parents.

The districts medical advisor and the local health director support the school districts decision to continue utilizing the 10-day quarantine period guidance, DiCorpo wrote in her letter.

She also wrote that students who were deemed a close contact, meaning they were within 3 to 6 feet for more than 15 minutes or 15 minutes over the course of the day to someone who tested positive, cannot test out of the 10-day required quarantine.

DiCorpos letter said the only exceptions were if students had COVID-19 in the prior 90 days or 14 days have elapsed since they received their final vaccine shot.

DiCorpo and New Milfords principal did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

Milczarski said she is scheduled to receive her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine dose on Wednesday.

Milczarski said she and her friends who were exposed are planning to continue remote learning until two weeks after they have been vaccinated. She said they dont want to miss the remaining senior activities because of quarantine rules.

Last week, New Milford High School students started a petition on change.org called Prom 2021, requesting the prom date be pushed back to allow for more students to attend. More than 200 people have signed, and there were more than 20 comments posted in support.

Not being allowed to attend prom is not stopping Milczarski and her friends from enjoying a night on the town.

About four or five of us are going out anyway, in our prom dresses, she said. We figured its prom night and we should do something.

Their evening plans include a Japanese restaurant and a local recreation center, according to Milczarski, who purchased an aqua-colored prom dress.

We will hang out in our dresses, she said. We figured we might as well wear them since we cant wear them to prom.
Govt moots rolling out Coronavirus Cocktails View(s):

The Government is exploring the possibility of rolling out a different brand of vaccine as the second dose to nearly 600,000 people who have already been jabbed with the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, it was announced this week.

COVID Minister Sudharshani Fernandopulle told Parliament on Tuesday, that it will be possible to give the COVID-19 vaccine as a cocktail, based on the results of the research which is in progress to ascertain the possibility of giving the second dose with an alternate brand

of vaccine.

Research is in progress, the COVID Minister said, on the possibility of giving the second dose with another brand of vaccine to those who were given the first dose with AstraZeneca vaccine. We cannot decide on that. Based on the results of the research, we will be able to give a cocktail in the future.

We have an issue of providing 600,000 doses as the second dose. There is nothing to hide.

It is not the issue of the Government. The issue has

arisen due to the manufacturers inability to supply the

demand, State Minister Fernandopulle said.

Obviously, her statement causes concern. Raises the alarm. Provokes anger.

First, it provokes ire since the state ministers statement in Parliament that the dearth of 600,000 Oxford Astra vaccines is not the fault of the Government and that it has been caused

due to the manufacturers inability to supply the demand, will not do.

Even if the shortage is attributed to Indias own home needs given the scale of Indias present COVID crisis, which erupted in full force early April, why was the Government twiddling its thumbs all this time in pathetic inertia? In early January this year, while neighbouring Bangladesh and the Maldives had already announced vaccine rollouts from 26 January, what indeed, was the Lankan Government doing? Was it hoping Dhammikas paniya would do the trick?

As the SUNDAY PUNCH of January 4th commented five months ago, While many countries have joined the queue well on time to be in line to receive the life saving, life changing, hope restoring vaccine of vaccines to end COVIDs unchallenged siege in their respective lands, Lanka hasnt even arrived at the starters gate to be whistled out.

Instead, she is still in the paddocks making inquiries from potential suppliers without a clue as to which vaccine to order, regardless of its quality; and holding out the begging bowl

for charity from all passers-by

to raise the cash to buy the vaccine that will safeguard the health of her own people, the ultimate responsibility of any government.

For that, she has to depend on her tears not on spot cash, on evoking pity not on credit power, on prayer and hope not from sterling Fitch ratings, on grovelling on all fours for a freebie dose, on even selling off her last few possessions to get the COVID fix for her imperiled citizens.

Second, the state ministers statement raises alarm among the 600,000 odd people who fear they may be left high and dry due to the Governments failure to procure the balance vaccines on time. It has sent shockwaves through these 600,000 people who had taken the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose, knowing full well that they are medically bound to stay faithful to the same brand when it comes to taking the second booster dose.

It has placed them in a real quandary. For they now face the forbidding prospect of being called upon to dump their pledged loyalties and seek the protection of another deified vaccine as the second dose to complete the vaccines intended course, knowing naught of the adverse side effects that may ensue from embracing such an untried and untested mix and match concoction, even though approved by the expediency dictated convenient tag for emergency use only.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the United States stringent regulatory body responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food and drug safety. It is also globally revered for its scientific standards of vaccine safety, effectiveness

and quality. Heres what it has to say of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA):

An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Under an EUA, FDA may allow the use of unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions when certain statutory criteria have been met, including that there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.

Thus at the outset it must be clearly understood that the World Health Organisation which more or less use the same FDA yardstick to grant emergency approval to vaccines, grants emergency use only certificates to unapproved vaccines not because it is hundred percent safe but only because in a dire life threatening pandemic, there is no viable alternative.

Third, State Minister Fernandopulles statement that the COVID cocktail would be rolled out to Lankans only after the results of ongoing research has been released, though reassuring, also gives rise to concern and worry.

True, the WHO has granted emergency use approval to Americas Pfizer vaccine, to Englands Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured at the Serum Institute of India and this Friday to the Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. The Russian Sputnik V vaccine is still awaiting WHOs emergency use though its rollout in Lanka began this week with an initial stock of 15,000 doses

These four vaccines have been developed respectively in American, British, Chinese and Russian labs in isolation, each following their own protocols. Their platforms differ, for instance the Pfizer is based on Nucleoside modified mNRA, while the Oxford AstraZeneca is based on Recombinant ChAdOx1 adenoviral vector encoding the Spike protein antigen of the SARS-CoV-2. The Chinese Sinopharm is based on Inactivated, produced in Vero cells while Russias Sputnik V is based on Human Adenovirus Vector-based Covid-19 vaccine.

Their efficacy ratings also differ, as do their side effects of which little is still known since it is too early to gauge any significant long-term adverse consequences, if any.

With so little known of its individualistic traits and behavioral patterns, emergency use authorisation has been granted, nevertheless, solely on the grounds of expediency, because the extremely serious pandemic situation prevalent worldwide so demands its unfettered and immediate use and eclipses its potential harmfulness.

In the circumstances, how much more difficult would it be to predict the outcome of giving a different vaccine as the second dose? Will the Oxford AstraZeneca compliment the Chinese Sinopharm or tango well with Russias Sputnik V?

Trials to mix and match different COVID vaccines and determine whether its safe to inject the same person with two different vaccine jabs have already begun in Britain and elsewhere, but though some investigators have expressed optimism, it has hardly got off the drawing boards.

With many European countries increasingly considering mixed vaccination strategies, the European Medical Agency last month stated that currently there are no guidelines on the mix matching of COVID vaccines. It announced, The EMA hasnt issued guidelines relating to mixing and matching of different vaccines between the first and second dose.

The official take of the WHO on mix and matching is: Clinical trials in some countries are looking at whether you can have a first dose from one vaccine and a second dose from a different vaccine. There isnt enough data yet to recommend this type

of combination.

With world research still in its infant stage, it will be a pipe dream to entertain Lankan COVID Minister Fernandopulles hope that, based on the results of the research, we will be able to give a cocktail in the future, By the time, the process has been completed, its findings published and emergency approval is granted by the WHO, the 12 to 16 week time frame recommended for the second dose to be taken would have long expired for Lankans who took the Oxford Astra jab in late February and March.

A ray of hope lit Fridays evening sky, when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted that he has held a discussion with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus via zoom technology on the current COVID situation, and stated: I believe he will make effort to fulfil Lankas need for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination.

Hopefully, this piece of good news will come to pass. Or else, many Lankans who have taken the Oxford AstraZeneca as their first dose may have to decide for themselves whether its far more desirable to opt out of the vaccine programme and run the risk of COVID infection or dare risk a fate far worse than the plague by playing Russian roulette, mixing and matching with either the Russian Sputnik or the Chinese Sinopharm?

Pavithra plucks another folly from Tourism Ministers cap Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga who surrounded himself with the dubious kudos for opening secured island doors to tourists from COVID-infested Ukraine when Lanka was having a brief respite from the corona pandemic last December, added another folly to his cap last week by promoting Lanka as a quarantine destination to Indians streaming in from an India reeling under the worst COVID catastrophe, the world has so far seen. The decision was not taken on humanitarian grounds to provide basic medical care and safety to Indian refugees fleeing the Indian subcontinent but to merely offer Indians who could afford the tab a convenient parking lot in Lanka to circumvent entry rules imposed by countries that have banned visitors from India direct. Worse. This short sighted and potentially disastrous move came in the wake when Lanka was experiencing a virulent increase in COVID infections, recording over 1,500 cases per day. This is attributed to a UK variant. The last thing the nation needed was an Indian variant to make Lankas own man-made disaster replete. But this prospect seems not to have inhibited nor diminished the Tourist Ministers and his teams thirst for the extra dollar. In a report published last Sunday in the Sunday Times/Business, the Tourist Minister said that currently they were permitting Indians to travel to Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka has become an acceptable destination for Indians to seek quarantine facilities prior to proceeding to destinations like West Asia and Singapore. Currently, this facility could be offered to Indians only as Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling overseas. The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority gave fulsome echo to the Ministers sentiments. In a statement listing a new set of regulations issued on April 24 for international arrivals for the purpose of 14-day quarantine en route to other countries, it stated Some countries accept quarantine in Sri Lanka as an entry requirement to their country, where direct arrival for the origin country is not permitted. This is a reflection of Sri Lankas health and safety regulations. But will the creditable reflection of Sri Lankas health and safety regulations, earned due to the tireless efforts of the nations medical sector, remain so for long,

if the Tourist Ministry squanders it in this grossly irresponsible fashion, risking a worst catastrophe than Indias to unfold in the land? But many countries, wising upto this ruse, have now banned anyone who had visited Sri Lanka in the last 14 days from setting foot on their soil. Luckily  even if it came belated  Pavithras Health Ministry called a halt to this madness. On Wednesday, it issued new guidelines which banned airlines from disembarking passengers from India or with a 14 day travel history to India. As a result the Civil Aviation Authority  which incidentally comes under Tourism Minister Ranatunga as well for he is also Minister of Civil Aviation  had no choice but to stop the exodus from India under further notice. Its Additional Director General P. A. Jayakantha said, The Civil Aviation Authority has decided to suspend all Indian passengers entering the country with immediate effect. The problem is that the Tourist Minister and his high level panel seem hooked on fishing in troubled waters, blithely divorced from all reality; and tend, perhaps, to forget, in their surfeit of professionalism which, alas, has drowned common sense, that the troubled waters they are fishing in are no one elses but their own; and the water is rising dangerously high, so ominously high that it threatens to swallow whole not only the minister and his pundits but all of Lanka.


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Army and health authorities give different views on upsurge; minister overturns lockdown ruling of Kesbewas MOH

Desperate efforts to get more vaccines; President speaks to WHO chief, Senior advisor seeks help from US

As figures keep on rising, military personnel build temporary hospitals, but concern over lack of medical staff and facilities Early last year, when COVID-19 hit Sri Lanka for the first time causing a shiver among the people, intelligence sleuths used their skills for contact tracing.

The suspect victim was successfully located. Busloads of those who brushed shoulders were also rounded up for quarantine. Public confidence rose as figures of those connected with the pandemic fell low. That aura of safe living, however, was shattered when cases broke out at Brandix Apparel in Minuwangoda. The source of origin became a hotly contested debate.

The disease spread though strangely the name from where it originated disappeared. Officials called the newborn outbreak Minuwangoda cluster. Some said it was a remarkable public relations manoeuvre painfully executed at cost. Brandix owner Ashraff Omar did amends for it by turning over his Brandix Green garments factory at Seeduwa to the Army to be converted into a hospital with 1,200 beds. Then came the outbreak at the Peliyagoda wholesale fish market. Officially it was first the Peliyagoda fish market cluster that later morphed into Peliyagoda cluster. Even if COVID-19 or coronavirus remains the same, it has not only changed lives but also helped officials change nomenclatures at will.

Now, the so-called New Year cluster patients, as they call those who were affected by the UKs fierce variant (B. 1.1.7) have put paid not only to early counter measures but are also sapping governments meagre resources. The UK variant was identified in London as well as in Southeast and East of England in December 2020. Since its emergence, the UK variant has undergone several mutations that have said to have altered its infectivity and transmissibility in the community. Adding to fears now, according to Dr Chandima Jeewandara, is an Indian returnee testing positive to the Indian variant, (B1.617) for the first time in Sri Lanka. How serious these new variants, known to float in air, is illustrated by what happened to 40-year-old Pramoda Mahendra, a fruit seller from Mahendora in Piliyandala. He came home one night this week, had his dinner, and slept. Later at night, he woke up and wanted water. He drank it and slept only to be found dead due to COVID-19. True the surge came after the national New Year and some ignored the health guidelines. On the other hand, there was no mechanism to ensure they were followed. Now, at least one enforcement agency has gone to the other extreme.

This week saw the Dam Street Police in Colombo acting in the most crude way when they rounded up those not wearing masks. Also rounded up were those who wore it below their noses or mouths. Four Police officers in protective gear physically carried them to a parked bus. Shops in areas near those locked down were asked to shut down. Shop owners in Dharga Town, a Muslim village, not under a lockdown, were ordered to close. An association representing the traders pleaded that they had brought their goods with post dated cheques for sale during the Ramadan festival next week. They won a temporary reprieve. In a quarantine camp in Punani, 264 miles from Colombo, near eastern capital of Batticaloa, inmates have no water, not even to take their medication. This facility comes under the Polonnaruwa Base Hospital and there are two phone numbers pasted on the walls for inmates to call in an emergency but the phones do not work.

That these instances and many others are tough and unprecedented challenges for the authorities is no secret. There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases spread over 11 days. If the number of confirmed cases stood at 997 on April 26, it gradually rose as follows: April 27  1,111 cases, April 28th  1461, April 29  1531, April 30  1662, May 1  1716 cases, May 2  1891 cases, May 3  1923, and May 4  1914 cases. These figures included a considerable number of those affected but were compelled to remain in their homes due to non-availability of hospital accommodation. There were deaths in homes too although the exact number is not known. Yet others remain on floors of some hospitals because of a shortage of beds.

It is pertinent to note that all details connected with COVID-19 pandemic are handled by the Army. They include the number afflicted, the number dead, the number undergoing quarantine and even foreign arrivals. Those and other data form the contents of a daily report to Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who heads the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 outbreak. He, in turn, transmits the figures to the Government Information Department which releases it to the media. It is thus a numbers game on one hand.

On the other, there are a plethora of others making statements on their own. They include Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Ministers Professor Channa Jayasumana and Sudarshani Fernandopulle. They are backed by Health Ministry officials dealing with the ongoing malaise.

This is not to blame any single one but quite clearly, in the public mind, there has been more than considerable confusion. The reason  all their assertions, even under the most difficult circumstances, have been loaded on the positive side. One may ask why not when all the related information is being disseminated by the government and its official arms. Well, the answer  it has exacerbated a credibility crisis for the government. The question is how many people believe in the assertions both in Sri Lanka and abroad. One may liken Sri Lanka, perhaps to a lesser degree, to neighbouring India where there are some similarities of sorts. So much so, their diplomatic missions worldwide are under pressure from Foreign Minister, Subramaniam Jaishanker, to counter what he calls the malicious propaganda.

Even if this is rather unusual, Indias conduct of foreign relations has been unquestionably professional. This is the reason why 45 different countries hurried to Indias assistance after the unprecedented explosion of COVID-19 cases. That it reached uncontrollable levels is now common knowledge. The United States rushed plane loads of much needed oxygen cylinders in its huge transport aircraft. What of Sri Lanka? Just recently, Lalith Weeratunga, Senior Advisor to the President, wrote to Sri Lankas Ambassador in the United States. The letter enclosed a clipping from The New York Times where US President Joe Biden had declared he would help needy countries with vaccines. There has been a favourable response. Washington has asked Colombo to have its main agency dealing with the crisis to contact its US counterparts. Both Australia and the UK, however, have declined in view of their own compulsions.

The government has made requests to many friendly countries for vaccines, Professor Channa Jayasumana told the Sunday Times. He said they are waiting for a hopeful response. He said that 925,000 people have been vaccinated so far with AstraZeneca. The second dose was now being administered with 350,000 doses available. We will need a further 600,000 to complete the second round, he said. On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted: WHO today listed the Sinopharm #COVID19 vaccine for emergency use in all countries, a prerequisite for a potential #COVAX roll-out. Interim policy recommendations were also issued for the vaccine usage.

He had earlier tweeted that Had a useful zoom discussion with @DrTedros. I believe he will make effort to fulfil #lka need for 600,000 doses of #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination. Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose.

Earlier, regrettably, the administering of vaccines was carried out without a proper plan. This led to many in the greater Colombo area not receiving their vaccines whilst some who had political connections succeeded in getting them early.

As revealed in these columns last week, government leaders have rejected calls for a countrywide lockdown. This is on the grounds that such a move would further hurt the economy. Therefore, more than 100 areas in different districts were brought under a lockdown. Some have since been lifted whilst others are being added. Rejecting opposition calls for even a partial lockdown, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that would not be done. She said that the lockdowns would be partial in the light of the importance of the economy. There was some embarrassment to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by a ruling party minister who used his position to change a lockdown area. He claimed he would do so again if it became necessary.

In the conduct of diplomacy with any country, a lesson which the present-day disposition has not learnt, is the need for a friendly dialogue where agreeing to disagree should have been the hallmark. It was not to be. One is reminded of the remarks of Foreign Secretary, Professor Jayanath Colombage, urging President Biden to mind his own business and put his countrys human rights record right.

It came after US Ambassador Allaina B. Teplitz held a media round table and made a string of remarks which were viewed by him critically. This was ahead of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council sessions on March 23 where a resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted. Now, an appeal is being made to the US for vaccines. Ambassador Teplitz also met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) architect Basil Rajapaksa at separate meetings this week. A diplomatic source said they discussed topics including attracting foreign investment, implementing some of the past commission recommendations, and how USAID assistance has, contributed to the health and prosperity of Sri Lanka.

Significantly, the talks came as Parliament awaited the ruling of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality or otherwise of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill 2021. Hoping that the ruling will arrive this week, Parliament was set to debate the Bill for two days this week. Instead, Parliament chose a one-day debate on the spread of COVID-19. The report arrived at the Speakers residence on the night of May 6  the last day deadline for the SC. The delay caused concerns in sections of the government over the ruling and whether it would be unanimous. The debate will now take place on May 18 and 19 with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announcing the ruling on the first day.

It also came in the backdrop of President Rajapaksa calling off a planned visit to China on May 8. This was on the invitation extended to him by Chinas President Xi Jinping when he telephoned him. A separate visit was also to be undertaken by acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva to Beijing. It is the outcome of a two-day visit to Colombo by Chinas National Defence Minister We Fenghe.

A special envoy from the UK is expected in Sri Lanka in the coming days. It was the UK that spearheaded the resolution at the Human Rights Council. Sri Lanka is among countries seeking a postponement of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government biennial meeting. This time, it is expected to be held in Rwanda. The envoy, Foreign Ministry source said, would also discuss other bilateral issues.

Last Sunday, the entire Piliyandala Police area comprising 52 Grama Sevaka divisions was declared as an isolated area following a recommendation made by the Kesbewa Medical Officer of Health Dr Samanthika Wijesundara. She was legally empowered to do so as she feared the deadly virus would spread. In three consecutive days as many as 147 COVID-19 positive cases were detected from this area. This necessitated placing hundreds of others including residents under quarantine at their homes. Since Sunday, 219 cases had been detected up to Wednesday.

The isolation of the entire Piliyandala police area was announced on Sunday around 6 am by the Army Commander. He said it would come into effect immediately. Some local politicians and traders were angered by the move. They made representations to Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge, who comes from the Kesbewa area. The next thing that happened  the Police were no longer enforcing the lockdown. Shops remained open. Crowds were seen moving around and transport services operated. This was in marked contrast to other areas which were under lockdown.

However, by Sunday night a different announcement was made. It said that the isolation in the Piliyandala Police area would be effective except for 10 Grama Sevaka divisions. The lockdown was being lifted in those areas from Monday at 5 a.m.

It came to light that Minister Lokuge had presided over a meeting with the Police and selected officials on Sunday at the Kesbewa Divisional Secretarys office. However, Kesbawas Medical Officer of Health in Charge Dr Samanthika Wijesundara on Monday said she had not recommended relaxing the lockdown on the Piliyandala Police area which includes Kesbewa. There are hundreds of COVID-19 patients in the area and the restriction on the movement of people in the area is essential, she told the media.

Minister Lokuge claimed he had consulted the relevant officials and called for the lifting of the lockdown in some of the areas. Our intelligence and other sources say there was no necessity of lockdown all the areas. Therefore, we made a request to lift the restrictions, he said. However Minister Lokuge conceded that some of his own office staff had contracted COVID-19, but he was not on quarantine. I have taken one dose of the vaccine and also carried out a PCR test, Lokuge said when questioned as to how he was moving in the open after some of his staff members were down with COVID-19.

On Monday night, the Director General of Health Services, Dr Asela Gunawardena, was on a talk show on a TV channel. He was questioned whether he had been consulted in the decision to relax the lockdown in less than 24 hours after being enforced. Dr Gunawardena said he had not been consulted and said he would investigate.

Accordingly, a four-member Technical Committee headed by Dr S.M. Arnold, Deputy Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, was named to probe the matter. They visited the MOH offices in Piliyandala and Kesbewa. The sudden decision to lift the lockdown was raised in several forums as well as in Parliament during a two-day debate on the COVID-19 situation. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that health related decisions should be taken by relevant officials and politicians should not get involved in it.

Minister Lokuges conduct prompted Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to publicly remark that every one, irrespective of their positions, should respect health guidelines.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was among those who were critical of the intervention of Minister Lokuge. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr Naveen De Zoysa speaking at a media briefing on Thursday (6) declared: We saw in Piliyandala how a certain politician overruled a decision taken by the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH). This is shameless conduct and we ought to be ashamed of this as a country. We have expressed our strong protest over this incident. We believe the Director General of Health Services, who is the authority appointed under the Quarantine Ordinance, should take action against this individual.

These lockdowns are essentially a life saving measures and it is ironic that a Minister is overturning them. Imagine a situation if all ministers choose to do the same thing to show their power and authority? The efforts of Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva, and health officials would be in vain. People are being carried and loaded into buses for not wearing their facemasks properly. Minister Lokuge has changed quarantine regulations and there appears to be a cloak of silence over the issue.

The critical situation in hospitals due to lack of beds came up for discussion when the government parliamentary group met last Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Lalith Ellawala, was to raise issue over what he called the lack of co-ordination between the military and the health authorities. He said, when we ring the Health Ministry, we are asked to get in touch with the military. He said, he was receiving complaints from his constituents whose relatives or next of kin could not find beds in hospitals though they were suspected COVID-19 cases. Senior Presidential Advisor Lalith Weeratunga was present at the meeting to answer questions. He said he was confident that the vaccines would arrive in Sri Lanka by September or October this year. He said all could be vaccinated.

Some MPs questioned why the private sector was not being allowed to import vaccines and administer them to people. The answer came from Weeratunga who said that the manufacturers were not allowing the private sector to import since there was excessive demand from governments. He said stocks could be obtained by them only after the demands of the governments are met.

As the meeting ended, the talking point among some MPs was about the lack of visibility of Premier Rajapaksa in the campaign against COVID-19. The question arose after one of them pointed out that they could reach out to him with their issues. Another referred to the non-visibility of Basil Rajapaksa, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Recovery. However, the discussion did not extend and was cut short when most other MPs joined in.

That all is not smooth in the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Nidahas Sandanaya (SLPNS) alliance was demonstrated once again last Tuesday. President Rajapaksa was to chair a meeting of partner party leaders of the ruling alliance. However, a section did not attend. That included Minister Wimal Weerawansa (National Freedom Front) and Udaya Gammanpila (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya). Their complaint was that persons who are not leaders of political parties in the alliance were present at the meeting. Thus, the internecine feud within the alliance continues. On a previous occasion too, these members kept away, raising questions in political circles over their motive. Influential sections within the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), however, believe that it was more political posturing and that the prospects of their quitting the alliance were remote. Nevertheless, it does signal that all is not well within the alliance.

That is at a time when the alliance, now reeling under the resurgence of a dangerous strain of COVID-19, is facing an impending economic crisis of worrying proportions. The Army has been able to turn in more accommodation for the rising number of patients but that alone will not help. There would be a need for doctors, nurses, and equipment. This is a critical moment for Sri Lanka.
The chair of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) MP Biro Rozalia, said in a message on the occasion of Europe Day that after the unprecedented health crisis that hit Europe and the world, the European concept must be redefined through action and coordination, taking into account the needs of each society.

"At the moment, we need more openness to the Western Balkans, to the countries that are making efforts in the process of joining the European Union. We need a strong and united Europe, to be able to recover economically, to become a strong voice globally. Today, more than ever, Romania needs to firmly express its point of view and take concrete steps to show that its place is still among the consolidated European democracies, in which civil rights are respected, and the law is equal for all, regardless of ethnicity, culture or religion," says Biro Rozalia.

She says that the current regional and international context can be an opportunity for Romania to demonstrate that it is a strong country and has a mature political class, able to guarantee the security and prosperity of its citizens, agerpres.ro confirms.

"Europe Day, or Schuman Day, was established in 1964, and today, May 9 is a day that brings people closer to the legacy of European Union culture. Now, more than ever, there is a need for solidarity, for cooperation between member states, for the preservation of common values, for the consolidation and perpetuation of the European project. When Europe and the whole world face this pandemic, more pragmatism and empathy are needed. More than ever solidarity and unity are needed among all the countries of the European continent. After this unprecedented health crisis that has hit Europe - and the whole world - the European concept must be redefined through action and coordination, taking into account the needs of each individual society," said the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies.
The European project remains the basis of our stability, as well as a strong urge for global leadership and strategic resilience of the Union, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu says in a message sent on the occasion of marking Europe Day.

"European joint action, based on respect and trust, solidarity and cooperation, remains the most powerful tool in building and strengthening security and prosperity at European level. In times of unprecedented uncertainty, we convinced ourselves, once again, that 27 member states, with their own realities and priorities, can put in common within the European Union, 'creative efforts proportional to the dangers that threaten it', as shown by the Schuman Declaration", says Aurescu in the message made public on Sunday.

He adds that Romania has been involved in joint European action in response to the crisis, both within the Union and to its closest partners, agerpres.ro confirms.

"We have directly contributed to the implementation of European solidarity measures. Within the European Civil Protection Mechanism, Romania was the first of the EU member states to take over the responsibilities of establishing a strategic reserve of medical equipment for the entire Union (RescEU), which we subsequently transferred, as needed, to various EU member states or close partners in the Western Balkans. Also in the spirit of European solidarity, Romanian doctors and nurses supported the efforts of medical staff from countries such as Italy, Slovakia or the Republic of Moldova to manage the effects of the pandemic. Out of the quota of vaccines allocated to Romania, as an EU member state, over 300,000 doses were donated to the Republic of Moldova, to support the efforts of the neighboring state in the fight against the pandemic", Bogdan Aurescu added.

The Romanian Foreign Minister also points out that the lessons learned from the current pandemic must be directed towards increasing the strategic resilience of the European Union and of the member states, and the Conference on the Future of Europe, which is symbolically launched on Sunday in Strasbourg, is the most Good framework for a broad debate for this purpose.

"European citizens, including Romanian citizens, will voice their concerns and expectations from the Union, united around the same goal - to strengthen the European project for the benefit of all, present and future," Minister Bogdan Aurescu added.
Social Democratic Party (PSD) President Marcel Ciolacu told Sunday's event "Europe Day - a European project for Romania" organized at Snagov Palace, that the implementation in Romania of the European Pillar of Social Rights must be a priority for everyone, regardless of political affiliation."

"Most of the time, the political class has embraced festivism, to the detriment of concrete action. That is why, more than a quarter of a century after the historical moment in Snagov, Romania is today in an acute crisis of ideas and national projects. In 1995, a few years after the fall of communism, all political forces understood that they had to shake hands for a Pact that would lead Romania to the European Union and NATO. (...) I ask you today to have the wisdom to build a 'new Snagov' for the Romanian society! We have this duty, both for the Romanians born under communism, and for the generations of transition or those born in European Romania", Ciolacu said in his speech in front of some party representatives and leaders of some unions and employers, agerpres.ro confirms.

He concluded that "PSD has been an engine of integration and will remain a promoter of national interests in Europe." "We have led the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We have the necessary experience to start a new development project for Romania. Therefore, I hope that together we will find those common goals, left or right, above the current ambitions of Romania. What matters is to move Romania forward!", the PSD leader also said.

The event organized by PSD and PES Activists Romania was also attended by the general secretary of the party, Paul Stanescu, the president of the PSD National Council, Vasile Dancu, the president of the National Trade Union Confederation "Cartel Alfa", Bogdan Hossu, the president of the National Trade Union Bloc, Dumitru Costin and the president of the National Council of Small and Medium Private Enterprises in Romania, Florin Jianu.
Europe means for us new common values, the protection of human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, the rule of law and prosperity, the Speaker of the Senate, Anca Dragu, told the ceremony organized on the occasion of Europe Day, at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument.

"Europe means new values for us, it means the protection of human rights, it means democracy, freedom of expression, the rule of law, it means strong civil society, it means prosperity for all and high standards of living. Europe is important for us and our children. (...) Today, for a year and a half, we are beginning to think about the future of Europe, how to make Europe better. We can make it a better place, and most importantly, how to make our citizens part of this project. Bringing politicians, governments and citizens together, because at the end of the day we work for citizens, we are civil servants," Anca Dragu told a ceremony at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument in King Mihai I Park.

She added that Europe set an example of solidarity with the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The pandemic was declared more than a year ago and our lives have changed. What we have learned from this pandemic has been that solidarity matters and I believe that Europe has set a huge example of solidarity. And now we benefit from vaccines, we have a large number of people vaccinated in Europe, including Romania, and we hope to return to normal life as soon as possible," said Anca Dragu.
Integrations into the European Union and NATO have had a favorable impact on the lives of Romanian citizens, said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Ludovic Orban, at the Europe Day ceremony at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument.

"Integration into the European Union and, of course, integration into NATO have been objectives supported by all political forces and, in general, by society as a whole. It is very clear now that these decisions have had a favorable impact on the lives of Romanian citizens. Since the moment we became members of the European Union, Romania has been steadily moving forward in all respects and the lives of Romanians have been better and better. It is very clear that the European Union is in a period of changes and challenges. There are many things we should think about, because there are many enemies outside Europe and often inside Europe, who do not feel very well in the European concept and try to obtain various advantages, economic and political gains without taking into account the European Union. European institutions need to be closer to the people," Ludovic Orban said at a ceremony at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument in King Mihai I Park.

He added that a common foreign policy must be created, because the European Union should be more and more present at various events in different parts of the world, agerpres.ro confirms.

"Of course, we need to build our defence capabilities in NATO, not in competition with NATO, and of course we need to be more and more economically competitive and have common positions on various issues at European level related to this economic competition, which is global, and all the decisions that are made should be to the advantage of the EU's competitiveness," Orban added.
President Klaus Iohannis says in a message sent on Europe Day that this year's May 9 holiday has come in a context still marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put a strain on the European Union and its member states but "the challenges we face together do not diminish, but, on the contrary, reconfirm the relevance of the European project".

"We are celebrating Europe Day today, May 9, in a context still marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put the European Union and its member states to the test. It is a good opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from last year's experience but also an opportune moment in which, against the background of recovery efforts and renewed hopes, we can make a projection on the future of the Union. It is therefore an occasion to analyze but also to reaffirm the basic principles and objectives of the Union. Unity and solidarity are the cornerstones of the Declaration made by Robert Schuman more than 70 years ago, and these two common values are equally relevant today to the construction of Europe, to the adaptation, development and progress of the European Union. The challenges we go through together do not diminish, but, on the contrary, reaffirm the relevance of the European project and of a united response of the member States and the European institutions", says the head of state in the message sent on Sunday by the Presidential Administration.

He adds that the principles of the Schuman Declaration continuously inspire European action, including in this context of the pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The vision of that time, with a pronounced universal character, was the one able to ensure the overcoming of many difficult moments, through common, coordinated solutions, for the benefit of European citizens. The test that the European Union passes in the context of the pandemic is unprecedented. However, the European response to this crisis has given us the exact measure of the undeniable added value that the Union brings to all of us: unity, cohesion and solidarity are undoubtedly the strength and essence of our response. In this context, our joint effort has shown the need for a resilient Europe, in all respects: politically - by defending our democracies and the rule of law, economically - by strengthening our chains. supply and protection of free, digital or healthcare trade. Without cooperation at Union level, access to treatment and medical equipment, vaccines and financial assistance to support economic and social measures would have been much more difficult," said President Klaus Iohannis.

At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of respecting the fundamental values of the European Union.

"At the same time, the European response to the trials of the last period has been and must continue to be based on respect for the fundamental values of the Union, the force of effective multilateralism, respect for international law. All these values, together with well-founded measures of pragmatic action, including the strengthening of alliances with those states and organizations that share our democratic values and attachment to international law, contribute to strengthening our strategic resilience," Iohannis said.

He also points out that "it is not at all coincidental that the support shown by Romanians for the European Union is high and has remained constant over time."

"This unequivocally demonstrates our deep attachment to the European family, to European values and way of life, with all that it represents: respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, the prospect of prosperity and security. As part of its pro-European profile, Romania continues to support a Union of cohesion, with more solidarity and more united in times of crisis and not only. These are the indispensable pillars on which we build the future of Europe. Romania has managed the effects of the pandemic more effectively through close cooperation at EU level, so we set the green corridors for the free movement of people and goods, we bought vaccines in centralized manner, we adopted the Economic Recovery Plan. The reality showed us what we already knew: we are stronger when we work together. Guided by the fundamental value of European solidarity, we have provided assistance to both the member states and those in the EU's neighbourhood, such as the Republic of Moldova. We are proud of the fact that, in this crisis, Romania was part of this solidarity effort, given that our country not only benefited from support, but assumed, through concrete action, its share of responsibility", President Iohannis says.

In conclusion, he hopes that Romanians will have a strong voice in the debate on the future of the European Union.

"We want the widest possible participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe and we hope that Romanians will have a strong voice in the debate on what Europe will look like in which they and the generations to come want to live. It is time to remember the past, reflect on the current challenges, but also to commit ourselves to building the future. Happy birthday, Europe! Happy birthday, Romania!", President Klaus Iohannis concluded the message.
Sumanthiran slams Parliament for Sinhala-only letters and circulars View(s):

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has this week blamed Parliament officials for their lackadaisical attitude towards implementing the Official Language Policy.

Speaking during the adjournment debate on the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Mr Sumanthiran said a Private Members Bill he presented calling for a declaration of a public health emergency to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, but the letter from Parliament informing him that his draft bill had been referred to the Health Ministry was entirely in Sinhala.

How many times do we have to raise this? A Tamil Member of Parliament is being sent letters in Sinhala. Im told that circulars for (Parliament) employees too are done only in Sinhala. At least in this Parliament, can we give effect to the Constitutional provisions that there are two official languages in this country? Why do you continue

to observe this in the breach? an angry Mr Sumanthiran asked the House.

When A/L results brought in the good news, she was working in garment factory

When the results of Advanced Level examinations held last year were released on Tuesday, Maheswaran Kalyani who came first in Kilinochchi was working in a garment factory. She came to know about her results (2As,1B) in the Biotechnology stream only after she returned home in the evening.

Ms Kalyani, a resident from Paranthan, joined the garment factory to support the family of five following her examinations. Her father is a labourer and mother is a homemaker.

As she is receiving congratulatory messages and wishes from her relatives and local politicians these days, she is determined to continue working at the garment factory until her university studies begin.

TID investigates LTTE uniform issue

The arrest of Jaffna Mayor Visvalingam Manivannan over the use of uniforms similar to the ones worn by the cadres of the defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did send a strong message to local politicians in the North.

This week, the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) summoned to Colombo the five youths who wore the uniform as members of a security outfit the mayor had set up to record statements.

Mayor Manivannan also came under severe criticisms recently for recruiting some youths who dont live within the municipality as his personal staff despite allegations of nepotism.

Indian fishermen pose covid dilemma for Navy in the mid-sea

These days Navy personnel are deployed in the Northern sea for around-the-clock patrol to ensure that Indian fishermen do not trespass into Lankan waters and come into contact with the local fishermen as India is breaking grim records for hitting the highest number of covid cases.

The additional concern for the Navy is the recent attempts by locals to use the sea route to illegally migrate to foreign countries.

On Monday, the Navy intercepted eleven Indian fishing vessels with 86 fishermen on board and detained them in mid-sea for more than 12 hours. The matter was raised through diplomatic channels with Indian High Commission in Colombo and by evening they were sent back to India.

The following day, Navy personnel spotted another Indian fishing vessel with a fisherman wearing a t-shirt carrying a familiar face.

It was the image of the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Even though the LTTE chief is considered a terrorist in India, he still has a significant Che-Guevara revolutionary type following in Tamil Nadu.

Navy personnel took photos of the person with his t-shirt which proclaimed His Excellency V. Prabhakaran- TPK, an acronym for a local club or his followers group in the fishing villages along the Tamil Nadu coast. The fisherman was not arrested or detained. He too was allowed to return home.

Presidential covid fund: Rs. 1.6 billion unutilised: SJB

As the country reels from a third COVID wave and the health sector struggles to handle the influx of patients, questions are being raised as to what the Government has done with the Itukama COVID-19 fund managed by the Presidential Secretariat.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar raised the matter in Parliament this week, noting that there had been little transparency regarding how much funds had been collected or how they had been spent. They asked how much was spent to procure vaccines, medicines or set up hospitals.

The SJB was raising concerns that sections of the media, civil society groups and some members of the public have been asking for some time now. The website of the Itukama Fund notes that nearly Rs 1.7 billion has been raised so far, but does not indicate by which date that amount has been raised.

According to the Presidential Secretariat website, however, Rs 42.6 million from the fund has so far been spent on PCR testing while Rs 38 million has been spent on quarantine facilities. A further Rs 24.3 million has been spent on the funds advocacy programme. Accordingly, just over Rs 105 million of the fund has been utilised thus far, meaning that nearly Rs 1.6 billion is yet to be spent.

Local councillors make news for wrong reasons

Several incidents involving local government representatives and officials this week raise questions

on whether these elected representatives and officials believe they are law unto themselves.

In the latest such incident, a minor employee of the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Municipal Council (MC) has been interdicted by the Municipal Commissioner on charges of being outside his place of work during working hours. Some local councillors, however, allege that the employee had been interdicted because he allegedly angered the Municipal Commissioner by suddenly crossing the path of his vehicle as it was entering through the council gate.

This week, a video of an ugly physical confrontation between two ruling party councillors of the Maharagama Urban Council (MUC) went viral on social media after a video of the confrontation between the female and the male councillor was leaked to the media. The confrontation, which occurred while the UC session was on, saw the female councillor repeatedly hitting her male colleague. It later emerged that the reason for the confrontation was a video earlier shot over a mobile phone by some female UC members showing the male councilor allegedly sexually harassing female councillors. The male councillor has now been arrested and been placed in remand custody till May 10.

Meanwhile, Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando was also involved in an angry confrontation between his own constituents when Moratuwa MC workers tried to knock down several alleged unauthorised constructions which were obstructing a canal. Some residents who were affected objected stating that the decision to knock down the constructions was an arbitrary one taken by the Mayor. A furious Mr Fernando then clashed with the residents, saying Dont come to teach me. He even argued with police officers who arrived on the scene.

All this is happening while the country is facing a third and far more dangerous wave of COVID-19 wave. As one resident in Moratuwa was heard saying on video during the clash with the Mayor: Are these really things that should be happening now?

Ontario passes bill on Tamil Genocide Education Week, as Canada High Com still headless

A private members bill to declare a Tamil Genocide Education Week was passed in Canadas Ontario legislative assembly this week and will become law on receipt of Royal assent.

The Act establishes seven days each yearMay 11 to 18during which Ontarians are encouraged to educate themselves about, and to maintain their awareness of, the Tamil genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history.

Its preamble claims: Not only does this acknowledgement honour the lives that were lost, but it gives a sense of hope to those who have suffered since it represents the first step to healing and reconciliation. Most importantly, by recognizing the Tamil genocide, we affirm our collective desire to maintain awareness of this genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history in order to prevent such crimes against humanity from happening again.

The development occurred even as

Sri Lanka is grappling with finding a suitable person to head the diplomatic mission in Canada. Attorney General Dappula de Livera, who retired this week, learnt only from media accounts that he was to be posted to Canada as Sri Lankas High Commissioner. He refuted the report and declared that he preferred to remain in Sri Lanka.

The Governments first nominee, former Air Force Commander Sumanagala Dias, was rejected by the Canadian Government who gave in to protests by Tamil Canadians and parliamentarians.
LILBURN, Ga., May 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Learning Care Group is proud to honor Darla Heeter from its Childtime location in Lilburn, GA, as this years recipient of the companys prestigious Teacher of the Year award.

Heeter has been selected in recognition of her remarkable work in inspiring a love of learning in children of all backgrounds and abilities, helping prepare them for future success. She was chosen from more than 18,000 early education teachers nationwide from the Learning Care Group portfolio of schools  Childtime, Creative Kids Learning Centers, The Childrens Courtyard, Everbrook Academy, La Petite Academy, Montessori Unlimited, Pathways Learning Academy, Tutor Time, U-GRO Learning Centres, and Young School.

Heeter, a Georgia Pre-K Lead Teacher, is being honored for her excellence as an educator and for her outstanding work in building strong partnerships with families to support childrens developmental journey.

Darla does an amazing job personalizing the learning experience for each child to support their unique developmental needs, said Anne Manousos, Senior Division Vice President for Learning Care Group. She delves deeply into our teaching resources to create highly effective lesson plans, empowering and inspiring her students. Shes wonderfully supportive of her fellow teachers and collaborates closely with parents, sharing best practices and strengthening the bond between home and school. Were honored to have Darla represent us as our Teacher of the Year.

A lifelong learner, Heeter is deeply committed to her profession and especially passionate about providing nurturing support that encourages children to develop positive behaviors. She has made a profound impact by leveraging the companys Positive Behavior Support program and resources, including its proprietary myPath app, with her own students, as well as in mentoring colleagues in creating plans that help children build positive behaviors in the classroom, and in life.

About Learning Care Group, Inc. Learning Care Group is a leader in early childhood education, with more than 50 years of experience in inspiring children to love learning. Headquartered in Novi, Mich., the company is the second largest for-profit early education and care provider in North America. Learning Care Group provides early education and care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years through ten unique brands: Childtime Learning Centers, The Childrens Courtyard, Creative Kids Learning Centers, Everbrook Academy, La Petite Academy, Montessori Unlimited, Pathways Learning Academy, Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers, U-GRO Learning Centres and Young School. It operates more than 950 schools (corporate and franchise) across 37 states, the District of Columbia and internationally, and has a capacity to serve more than 132,000 children. Learning Care Group supports child development for infants to school-agers through a comprehensive, research-based curriculum in a safe, nurturing, and fun school environment. It empowers children to be ready for school, instills a lifelong love of learning, and provides a foundation for the future. Learning Care Group also offers early education and child care programs for organizations, including onsite locations, as well as corporate partnerships and back-up care programs in its community-based schools. For more information, please visit www.learningcaregroup.com

Contact: Lydia Cisaruk  Director of Communications, Learning Care Group; (248) 697-9140; lcisaruk@learningcaregroup.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc8c0868-5f06-4e2c-a6b5-234395f94f87

Darla Heeter Learning Care Group is proud to honor Darla Heeter from its Childtime location in Lilburn, GA, as this years recipient of the companys prestigious Teacher of the Year award.

Source: Learning Care Group
Weather Eye

with John Maunder

Temperatures have been recorded in the Tauranga area at several sites during the last 108 years, including the current Tauranga Airport site from June 1990.

It's very common for areas such as Tauranga to have had different observation sites during the years  and the readings from the earlier sites have been adjusted to the present site using standard climatologically procedures.

The temperature series, as shown in the graph, are based on the data from the original observations from the various sites as available on the NIWA National Climate Database archive, with data from the sites prior to the Tauranga Airport site being adjusted, where appropriate, to temperatures which are likely to have been recorded at the current airport site.

Traditionally, temperature observations have been recorded with a set of maximum and minimum temperature thermometers.

These record the daily maximum temperature (usually recorded in mid-afternoon), and the daily minimum temperature (usually recorded just before dawn).

The graph shows details of the average daily maximum temperatures (called simply afternoon'), for Tauranga for April from 1913-2020. Note April 1947 and 1964 are not included because of incomplete data.

The long-term average afternoon temperature in April for Tauranga for is 20.0 degrees Celsius, ranging from the cool April months of 1925, with an average afternoon temperature of 18.2 degrees Celsius, and 1923 with an average afternoon temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius, to the warm April months of 1938 (22.2 degrees Celsius), and 1916 (22.1 degrees Celsius).

The graph of the average afternoon temperatures for April shows generally normal variations from April to April, but several recent April months have been a little warmer than other April months.

From 1913 to 2021, there have been 16 April months with an average afternoon temperature of 21.0 degrees Celsius or more, and eight April months with an average afternoon temperature of less than 19.0 degrees Celsius.

The value for April 2021 was 21.3 degrees Celsius,

The 16 warmest April months  in terms of afternoon temperatures  on record, in chronological order, are 1916, 1924, 1928, 1935, 1938, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1978, 1981, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2021. In contrast, the eight coolest April months  in terms of afternoon temperatures  on record, in chronological order, are 1923, 1925, 1940, 1941, 1949, 1980, 1991 and 1992.

The average afternoon temperatures for Tauranga for the 50 years 1914-1962, and the 50-year period 1963-2011 are both 20.0 degrees Celsius.

***********************************************************************

For further Infomation about a wide range of weather/climate matters see my new book Fifteen shades of climate... the fall of the weather dice and the butterfly effect. The book is available through the web site amazon.com. Just Google Fifteen shades of climate for details.

www.amazon.com/dp/B08NDR1GFD?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Update 1pm: The Aerospace Corporation is predicting that the out of control CZ-5B rocket body is on track for reentry over the Pacific Ocean west of South America.

Spain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Australia and New Zealand are all in the risk zone for space debris with the highest probability for ocean impact.

China's foreign ministry said most of the rocket debris was expected to burn up on re-entry, and it was highly unlikely to cause any harm.

By late Sunday morning the latest prediction for when re-entry would happen was two hours either side of 3.02pm New Zealand time, the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (EUSST) says.

The probability of a ground impact in a populated area was "low", the EUSST said on its website, but it noted the uncontrolled nature of the object made predictions uncertain.

Another organisation tracking the rocket pieces said it could touch down in the Tasman Sea, between New Zeland and Australia; Re-entry and debris experts at Aerospace Corporation, a US government funded research and development centre predicted the re-entry for 3.26pm NZ time Sunday.

However, even a tiny variation in the entry time could mean the rocket actually enters over South America or Africa.

UPDATE Our latest prediction for #LongMarch5B CZ-5B rocket body reentry is 09 MAY 2021 03:02 UTC  2 hours along the ground track shown here. 1/ pic.twitter.com/JeIKVUd1fk  The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) May 8, 2021

Earlier, 11am: An out-of-control Chinese space rocket is expected to come crashing back to Earth within the next five hours.



Space Track has projected the re-entry of the CZ-5B rocket body to be between about 1pm and 3pm NZ time over the North Altantic.

The Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies  CORDS  at the Aerospace Corporation has been tracking the Long March 5B re-entry with the decreasing uncertainty window originally extending from as far north as Chicago, New York, Rome and Beijing and as south as New Zealand and Chile.

NEW Our latest prediction for #LongMarch5B CZ-5B rocket body reentry is 09 MAY 2021 03:26  2 hours along the ground track shown here. 1/ pic.twitter.com/Jn4A4IJQAD  The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) May 8, 2021



The 21-tonne Long March  Chang Zheng  CZ-5B rocket was launched a week ago to deliver the core module of Tianhe, the new Chinese space station into a circular orbit ranging between 340km and 450km above Earth. It has been circling the Earth at just under 300km and is expected to come down in a fireball.

With a take-off weight of 22.5 tonnes it is the largest and heaviest spacecraft ever built in China.

The core rocket stage is estimated to be cylindrical with dimensions of 5 x 33.2m and a dry mass of about 18 metric tons.

The core booster used to lift Tianhe did not make the deorbit burn that would have allowed for a more controlled and predictable re-entry and on the May 4 the 5B booster began an uncontrolled re-entry.

Before the rise of the Space Age in 1957, the only things we had to worry about falling from space were meteors, asteroids and the occasional comet. But today, satellites and spacecraft regularly launch into orbit and beyond, and sometimes they fall back to Earth.

Tracking site orbit.ing-now.com says the rocket has come down about 30km in the last 24 hours.

Space Track has updated their tracking of the rocket this morning, posting:

Aerospace says the centre of the current prediction window places the CZ-5B rocket body reentering over the North Atlantic.

Directly before the predicted reentry time, the rocket body will cross over the Gulf of Mexico and Florida. Directly after the predicted reentry time, the rocket body will cross over Portugal, Spain, and Northern Africa, says an Aerospace spokesperson.

On Saturday Aerospace predicted that the CZ-5B rocket was possibly coming down near the North Island of NZ. Predictions for time and location become more specific as re-entry time draws closer.
Wanted: A cure for Sri Lankas great political virus cluster View(s):

How is the law equal to all in Sri Lanka when some stray citizen unwarily dropping his mask at a tea kiosk is suddenly hoisted aloft by law enforcement officers in glistening Martian suits and carried kicking and screaming to waiting blue buses (not white vans) to be booked for violation of quarantine regulations while a Minister airily overrides the recommendation of the district health officer to declare an area lockdown in Piliyandala?

Determining the greater locus of infection

If anything is required to explain how important the law is to our lives, our health, our very survival, this would be it. As the country erupted in alarming waves of covid-19 transmission this week, we were told that Piliyandala accounted for much of the spread in the Western Province. So, was the greater locus of infection that obscene Ministerial cluster or some individual case here or there? Or should we name the whole of Sri Lanka as the great Political Virus cluster, perchance? This may be needed if the precedent of blustering politicians fancying themselves as medical administrators continue.

Indeed, it does not need a magic wand to predict what will happen next. The unfortunate populations of Brazil, the United States and India have been crucified in their thousands due to ignorant braggadocio by populist leaders. That sickness in populist politics invading the global North to the South has translated, quite literally, to lives lost in staggering numbers. Still, we have not learnt our lessons. In the United States, Donald Trump boasted that covid-19 would soon disappear and asked his adoring fans to drink disinfectant to combat the virus while aghast medical experts stood in horrified silence.

Americans died like flies as a result, numbering also staunch Republican allies who probably believed to their dying day that their beloved President was right. In Brazil, a Trump wannabe is now facing an inquiry over the handling of the global pandemic as surging numbers of deaths and infections still paralyse the country. And next door to us, Prime Minister Narendra Modis Government forges ahead with a proposed renovation of the Indian parliament, including a dashing new home for himself with a cost label of nearly two billion dollars while thousands die for lack of oxygen in the nations capital. India has become the gruesome epicentre of the pandemic, affecting the whole of South Asia.

Populism that kills human beings

So the lesson that our giant and grievously afflicted neighbour teaches us goes far beyond the criminal lack of preparedness of its Government for what was inevitable. Even as our hearts are stricken for the Indian people, we must understand that this is what populism, jingoism and chauvinism for profits and power gifts to citizens. What do we have in Sri Lanka but much of that same populism? Last year, competent state health sector professionals cautiously navigated the countrys complex political labyrinth, yet keeping the confidence of the public with sensible policy decisions.

Following a fraught Presidential election, a Government-in-waiting lapped up the plaudits it got for that effort. This was majorly why the Rajapaksa led- Podujana Party was handed a momentous electoral victory by a grateful public. Now we see the converse as the Centre dissolves, directives issued at the top are disregarded in almost all areas, from the prices of essential goods wildly rocketing out of control to random politicians dictating health policy. Money spinners are devised out of keeping the virus alive whether it be through quarantine processes and travel packages and yes-men at the helm of the state anti-covid drive struggle to explain themselves as to why their decisions are overridden by uncouth Ministers popping up like jack-in-the-boxes to explain that they are acting in the interests of their people.

And it is not only in health policy that the law is reduced to a parody. Not content with Parliament deciding to move on a Resolution to implement (illegal) recommendations of a fact finding Commission of Inquiry to withdraw ongoing prosecutions and to set aside convictions affirmed by the highest court in the land, ruling politicians continue to cast aspersions on the Bench. This is part of the Governments strategy to nullify the authoritative imprimatur of the Court, aided and abetted by their clones in the legal profession.

An unbearable crudity to attacks on the Court

The damage done to legal and judicial institutions by such imprudent moves goes far beyond transient power hungry motives of ruling politicians. Not that Sri Lanka is unaccustomed to such attempts as judicial history bears witness to, under the Presidencies of Jayawardene, Kumaratunge and Rajapaksa (the First). Indeed, the removal of a sitting Chief Justice by a presidential letter by the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration is yet another example of the above. This was all the more treacherous as it was accomplished under the banner of good governance.

Trenchant critiques of that yahapalanaya move in these column spaces predicted at the time that this entirely unwarranted action will return to haunt us. As indeed it has done now, given rumbling threats by the Government to correct that dismissal. What form that correction may take is anybodys guess. It is safe to assume that this will again result in one more hammer blow to the institutional integrity of the judiciary. Our plight therefore is due not only to what our politicians have done but also our own actions for uncritically supporting favourites in power in a quid pro quo exchange for personal or professional profit.

Even so, there is, I must confess, an unbearable crudity to what we see now. In Parliament a few days ago, the Minister of Public Security was apparently proceeding on the assumption that he had been vested with judicial power to comment on the correctness of the conviction of Sunil Ratnayake for the unlawful killings of eight Tamil civilians in Mirusovil (2000) including children who were returning to their shelled out homes to collect firewood. Though five soldiers were indicted, four were acquitted on the basis that the evidence was insufficient to implicate them while only Ratnayake was convicted (2015).

An existential struggle between first and fist

Ratnayake was pardoned by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa last year leading to extensive public concern given the barbaric nature of the crime. If the Public Security Minister had confined himself to the fact of the pardon, that is one thing. But here, what we heard was his explanation during a heated exchange with former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka that the pardon was issued because the conviction itself was due to a terrorist giving evidence. First, if a Minister can pronounce on the correctness of a judicial verdict, why do we not dispense with our courts once and for all?

Second, does a uniform give the licence to rape, kill and torture? Sri Lankas highest court has said no, decades ago, (Wijesuriya v the State, 77 NLR, 25 or otherwise known as the Premawathie Manamperi case). Perhaps the Minister of Education and an erstwhile law professor who should have remained in academia, may explain the fundamental tenets of that reasoning with which he is excruciatingly familiar to his excitable colleague in Government benches.

This was the value of courts and judges then. As activist practitioners, we struggled to keep those values alive. Yet the calamitous failure of those efforts are clear. Essentially, what the country is left with now is the boast to be first while being anything but first. Indeed, it is a curious fact that, shorn of the r in first, what we have is the word, fist. The fist is what populist dictators show, metaphorically and literally. It remains to be seen what will win in Sri Lanka in this struggle between the first and the fist.

That existential struggle will determine the survival of the nation as a functional but flawed democracy.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the current travel pause with New South Wales will lift today  subject to no further significant developments in NSW.

New Zealand health officials met today to conduct a further assessment of the public health risk from the recently identified COVID-19 community cases in Sydney. It has been determined that the risk to public health in New Zealand remains low, says Hipkins.

Consequently, the Ministry of Health is advising airlines that flights can resume from 11.59pm Sunday 9 May subject to there being no further significant developments.

This is good news and aligns with the lifting of NSW restrictions at 12.01am on Monday 10 May 2021, says Hipkins.

I am pleased with the way the response process has been managed this week. There has been close liaison between the health agencies, and this is reflected in the sound advice our respective Governments have received.

There is some specific advice for travellers to be aware of.

As already mentioned flights from New South Wales to New Zealand are to resume at 1159pm Sunday May 9 - subject to no significant developments in New South Wales.

Anyone who is in Australia and was at any of the locations of interest at the times specified is asked to follow NSW health advice regarding isolation and testing and must not travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.

As before, anyone who has arrived in New Zealand and who was at a location of interest at the specified time must self-isolate immediately and call Healthline for information on when they should be tested.

Direct flights from NSW to New Zealand were paused at 11.59 pm on May 6, pending further information and reassurance from the NSW health investigation into two cases of COVID-19 in the Sydney community.

Since the two cases were confirmed in Sydney last week, there have been no new community cases of COVID-19 detected in New South Wales.

New Zealand health officials have considered a range of factors, including whether any new cases had been identified, the results from COVID-19 testing of any contacts identified and from the wider Sydney community, and the results from waste-water surveillance testing.

Following this risk assessment and a review of these factors, they have been reassured that at this stage the two community cases in Sydney are contained and that there is no evidence of widespread undetected community transmission.

There will be some additional public health measures required for people who are or have recently been in Sydney.

The current NZ focus is on people who were at a location of interest rather than all of New South Wales.

Anyone who is travelling to New Zealand from Australia will be required to follow some additional instructions in order to limit any risk of further spread.

Airlines will continue to ask people departing Australia whether they have visited any locations of interest in New South Wales both before and when disembarking from their flights.

A Section 70 notice has been issued under the Health Act with a number of requirements for any person in New Zealand who attended a known location of interest or any locations of interest that are identified subsequently. More information on what a section 70 notice is and what it means for these people, is available on the Ministry of Health website.

Our officials remain in close contact with health officials in NSW and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Updates will be provided if there is any change to this latest advice, says Hipkins.

We acknowledge that this travel pause has caused disruption to travel plans.

New Zealand has consistently taken a precautionary approach to keeping COVID-19 out. The Government's overall public health strategy in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic is elimination. Border controls are a key tool for stopping the introduction and spread of new cases from overseas and remain central to our elimination strategy.

Information about quarantine-free travel between New South Wales and New Zealand is available on the COVID19 website:

https://covid19.govt.nz/travel-and-the-border/quarantine-free-travel/quarantine-free-travel-with-australia/new-south-wales/

Information about locations of interest visited by the cases is available on the New South Wales health website:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx
There are no new cases of COVID-19 to report in the community in New Zealand today.

There are two new cases to report in recent returnees in our managed isolation facilities, since the Ministrys last update yesterday.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is three.

The total number of active cases in New Zealand today is 27.

Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,286.

Since January 1 2021, there have been 58 historical cases, out of a total of 470 cases.

One of the new border cases arrived in NZ on May 7 from Philippines via Singapore and tested positive on arrival. The second new border case also arrived in NZ on May 7 from Pakistan via United Arab Emirates and also tested positive on arrival. Both are in managed isolation.

NSW travel pause

The current travel pause with New South Wales lifts tonight at 11:59pm (Sunday 9 May), following a public health risk assessment and subject to no further significant developments.

This aligns with the lifting of NSW restrictions at 12.01am on Monday 10 May 2021.

The current assessment from New Zealand public health officials is that the risk to New Zealand from New South Wales remains low. Public health officials have assessed that the situation in Sydney, following two community cases reported earlier in the week, is contained and there is no evidence to suggest widespread, undetected community transmission.

Anyone who was at a location of interest at the times specified must follow NSW health advice regarding isolation and testing. They must not travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.

Travellers who have arrived in New Zealand and have been at a location of interest during the exposure time must immediately self-isolate, and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on when they should be tested.

So far, 5,568 people who have arrived in New Zealand from NSW since Friday last week have been contacted by health authorities and provided with advice.

Information about locations of interest visited by the cases is available on the New South Wales health website.

A Section 70 direction has been issued under the Health Act with a number of requirements for any person in New Zealand who attended a known location of interest or any locations of interest that are identified subsequently. A Section 70 direction enables an authorised Medical Officer of Health to require those specified in the order to meet public health requirements to undergo testing and to isolate until they receive their result. Any time a person receives a direction from a Medical Officer of Health they must comply with it. More information can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

Testing information

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,054,651.

On Saturday, 3,048 tests were processed. The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday is 3,957 tests processed.

For all testing locations nationwide visit the Healthpoint website.

NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,814,303 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 264,854,946 and users have created 9,915,108 manual diary entries.

There have been 676,038 scans in the last 24 hours to midday yesterday.
A spokesperson for Greerton business owners has suggested there would be near universal opposition to any potential name change for the suburb.

A heated debate has been sparked regarding a potential renaming of Greerton in recent days due to its historical connotations.

Greerton is named after Lieutenant-Colonel H.H Greer, who was a British commanding officer of the 68th Regiment, during the Battles at Te Ranga and Gate Pa in 1864.

His actions, particularly at Te Ranga, have led to prominent Greerton resident and Te Tuinga Whanau executive director Tommy Wilson to suggest changing the name.

However, despite some backing, the idea has also drawn vehement criticism including from Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, who suggested it would be counterproductive and wrong.

Now, the business owners of Greerton Village Mainstreet have backed the latter perspective, suggesting it would not change historical actions and would also lead to costly rebranding for businesses.

The feedback from 99 per cent of the businesses that I have spoken to, and thats not to say I have spoken to them all, I can categorically tell you is not in favour of a name change for Greerton at all, says Sally Benning, Mainstreet manager of the Greerton Village Community Association.

Colonel Greer was not a very nice man. Nobody denies that. But it is history, it happened in the 1800s. We dont believe that changing the name of somewhere is going to make any difference whatsoever to that.

Sally, who was speaking as a spokesperson for the Greerton Village Community Association, also suggested a name change could have a significant impact on businesses regarding the cost and energy involved in any rebranding.

It is a massive undertaking, she says.

Imagine, for each individual business, they have just had a bad year with Covid and all that drama, if they were to be hit with a name change that they did not want in the first place?

That would mean everything. Their website, their facebook page, their business cards, their invoices. Everything. Businesses are not willing to pay for something like that when they dont want to do it.

Sally also suggests that Greerton has now established its own reputation, far removed from the legacy of Lieutenant-Colonel Greer, which should not be forgotten.

We have spent a lot of time, energy and money in building the brand of Greerton Village.

People before me have spent a lot of time and money branding ourselves as Greerton Village and we have come through some tough times but Greerton is booming.

The subject of a possible name change will be brought up at a Greerton Village Community Association board meeting on Tuesday, after which Sally suggests there may be a formal communication to Tauranga City Council.

The New Zealand Geographic Board Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa have the power to change place names although would require the support of Council, in the form of a formal resolution, to do so.

If a proposal to NZGB received objections, which based on the initial reaction seems likely, the final decision would rest with the Minister for Land Information Damien OConnor. The Ministers office confirms no current proposals for a Greerton name change have been tabled.

Sally says she is pleased to see such healthy debate surrounding the topic and believes the floor should always be open for such discourse.

However, when it comes to speaking on behalf of the business owners of Greerton, the message, at present, appears clear.

It is never a bad thing to have open discussion and conversation and I fully support that.

That said, everything I have heard has not been in favour. The overriding feeling is please can we not let this happen?
Shopping online, learning online, working online. Its the new norm, one we became well-accustomed to during the lockdown last year.

But what do those without digital devices do? How do they communicate and access information in a world that is out of reach due to cost?

There is a digital divide in the Western Bay of Plenty, one which SociaLink is hoping to reduce with a new initiative that will see Chrome Books distributed and internet connections installed for families and whanau most at need.

The project will soon be rolled out across the region, connecting with 50 families.

The devices will be distributed through social service providers who are best positioned to identify families and whanau most at need in their respective communities.

Each device will include an information pack of free digital training that is available locally, and key information about internet safety and security.

The collaborative initiative involves a local business and community groups, with SociaLink overseeing the project.

Trustpower has donated 50 free 12-month internet connections to address the barrier many whanau face in being able to afford internet access.

Kanorau Digital will provide Chromebook tutoring, travelling to whanau to ensure no barriers to participation.

Volunteering Bay of Plenty has also sourced volunteers to provide basic IT support to participating families.

As the umbrella organisation supporting the social and community sector in the Western Bay of Plenty, SociaLink decided to pilot the project. If successful, they will hand it over to a social service provider.

The issue of people experiencing digital exclusion during the Covid-19 lockdown was identified as part of a Covid-19 recovery plan for the social sector and the communities they work with

Many school students couldnt conduct their education at home, isolation and loneliness increased where individuals couldnt see their family and friends through online channels, and lack of access to online shopping, church, and counselling services impacted the health and wellbeing of those in need.

SociaLink General Manager Liz Davies says by addressing the inequity of access to digital technology and connection, the project will achieve many positive outcomes for participants.

The primary purpose for this digital inclusion initiative is to enable people to maintain contact with family and community, so they can maintain a level of continued participation in society and culture, says Liz.

This is particularly relevant at a time where Covid-19 has the potential to spike again, and a further lockdown is enforced. Digital inclusion will greatly reduce isolation and loneliness.

We hope to see this initiative lead to improved life and wellbeing outcomes for project participants, potentially in the areas of community connection, up to date information, and improved outcomes in housing, education and employment.

The project has been funded by the WBOP COVID-19 Recovery Fund, established by local funders TECT, Acorn Foundation, BayTrust and Tauranga City Council.

Liz says the $16,320 Recovery funding, which went towards purchasing the 50 Chromebooks, was vital.

Without this funding and the donation from Trustpower of the free internet connections, this project would not be possible.

We are incredibly grateful to our local funders for seeing the value in what we are doing and for being part of this collaboration. The positive difference for whanau being able to cross the digital divide, connect and access services in an increasingly digital, online world helps to reduce growing inequity.
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The fertiliser ban View(s):

Those readers who recall the early 1970s may remember what were then known as the Midnight Gazettes. These were official notifications that came out of the Government Press while the nation slept, only to wake up to find some sudden and radical step taken and given legal effect.

Not too different these days are the surprises the Government is wont to spring on the people overnight. From the ban on the slaughter of cattle (since reversed) to the ban on the import of palm oil (since amended), now comes the announcement that there is a ban on chemical fertilisers  with immediate effect.

The Government is determined to implement what has been stated in its election manifesto i.e. to pursue a policy that will redefine current agricultural policy that has contributed to the widespread increase in kidney diseases among farmers and cancerous foodstuffs in the market, most of which are attributed to chemical fertiliser. A monk turned politician was instrumental in getting the former President to implement a similar policy starting with the ban on the chemical weedicide, Glyphosate. A state institution for Strategic Enterprise Management was created under the Presidential Secretariat to, inter alia, oversee this policy decision but the agency was no sooner disbanded for lack of implementation after tea plantation managers began complaining that production was getting affected as a result of the ban. The same individual claimed credit for incorporating this same policy in the manifesto of the ruling party.

Nobody in his or her right mind would want fertiliser or agrochemicals that would pass poisonous substances through soil, water, rice, vegetables and other edibles into the bloodstream of the citizenry. The issue at hand is whether the remedy is the cure.

Proponents of this latest ban argue that the use and abuse of imported chemical fertiliser is a multinational conspiracy against the Third World; that industrial countries themselves have moved away towards organic farming and environment-friendly agricultural practices. They acknowledge the fact that the country is in dire straits with the lack of foreign currency and fear the possibility that opponents of the ban will be quick to say that the root cause of the ban is money.

They want a propaganda campaign that will dispel this notion from among farmers. Again, they say multinationals will be at work to dishearten the farmer by peddling this theory. They warn that Government officials themselves can be hand-in-glove with these multinationals in undermining this conversion to organic farming. They go further to say that most of the seed varieties used by the farming community are linked to imported fertiliser and call for a shift in such practices. They say the Government policy is contradictory by giving large new tracts for farming and then clamping this ban.

Even by what these proponents say, this overnight ban and what is being envisaged by the Government is a humongous task, a revolutionary reform in the countrys agricultural policy.

The critics are many. They are equally adamant that this is a mistake that could have disastrous consequences for the country and its people. Without a proper discourse, and without proper alternatives to supplement the absence of chemical fertiliser and minus any safety net, they argue that it could lead to a potential drop in domestic food production which will result in the need for food imports, which, in turn, would contribute to draining out larger sums of scarce foreign currency.

One of the main reasons they attribute to the problem of fertiliser usage is the poor quality of cheap fertiliser imports so that Governments can give a subsidy. Another is the wrongful and indiscriminate application of fertiliser partly due to the free subsidy and partly due to bad nutrient management by farmers not well briefed on the subject.

While the pros and cons are being debated in the midst of an already imposed ban, one indisputable fact that emerges is that of corruption. A common denominator in Sri Lanka, the State sector and the private sector have been equally in the business. Whether it is the States chosen nominees or some in the private sector, they are in the same game. Even the proponents of the ban, those like the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform caution about the possibility of new players close to the Government leadership entering the now open field to do business in ordering organic fertiliser from India, China and multinationals edging out the oldies in the trade. There will be new kids on the block seeing big bucks and new vistas as new avenues open up.

Then there is locally manufactured organic fertiliser that is expected. An academic writes in this newspaper (see Page 4 ST2) that systems are such in a developing country like Sri Lanka that there can even be commercial production of organic fertiliser domestically full of toxic material from freely available sewage sludge and municipal waste. Horrific as it sounds, these are realities that occur in this country. Take the recent case of the import of cancerous substances in coconut oil, widely used for cooking and the Governments sheer incompetence in taking proper action on it. When the carcinogenic Afltatoxin substance is discovered by chance in coconut oil by health inspectors, it is simply re-exported. When it slips through, inspection, it is in the open market.

Coincidentally, this week the new Director General of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka assumed office. The WFP is a UN agency helping countries with food security and has been in Sri Lanka since 1968. Sri Lanka is one of 88 countries relying on WFP help. According to WFP statistics, Sri Lanka is 6th in the Global Climate Risk Index due to extreme weather, floods, droughts, landslides etc.; 15 % of the countrys children under five suffer from wasting and 45% of women of reproductive age are obese or overweight. COVID-19 has hampered income earning, impacting food and nutrition security. It is not a rosy picture.

The proponents of the ban on chemical fertiliser cite Cuba as an example of reaching self-sufficiency in organic fertiliser, but Cuba is also one of the 88 recipients of WFP aid. These overnight decisions must not be taken lightly or based on any outdated political ideologies.

Organic agriculture is, no doubt, the ideal future. But sans proper preparation for a sudden overnight transformation, there can be, and there will be, major issues.

The road to disaster is sometimes paved with good intentions where the remedy might be worse than the problem at hand. In Latin it is said, bona diagnosis, bona curatio. A good diagnosis is required for a good cure.

Typically, the Government has second thoughts after imposing the ban and is expected to issue a revised option tomorrow.
Ithaca, N.Y. -- The 19-year-old man found dead near Ithaca Falls Saturday has been identified as Cornell University sophomore Phillip Zukowski.

Zukowski attended high school in Queens and had transferred to Cornell last fall from Grinnell College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa, according to a statement from Ryan Lombardi, Cornells vice president for Student and Campus Life. He said Zukowski had lived in the on-campus Becker House and was a member of the Phi Kapp Tau fraternity.

On behalf of the university, I offer my deepest condolences to Phillips family and friends, Lombardi wrote. Please join me in keeping them in your thoughts as they grieve this unimaginable loss.

Zukowskis body was found at Ezras Tunnel near the Ithaca Falls Natural Area, police said. Officers responded to the call at about 10:48 a.m., according to a news release issued by the Ithaca Police Department. Police said the death does not appear to have been caused by a criminal act.

Anyone near North Willard Way and Ezras Tunnel between 1 and 10 a.m. Saturday is asked to call the Ithaca Police Department at 607-330-0000 or provide information through the anonymous tip form at www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips.

Ezras Tunnel is a 200-foot long industrial sluiceway created in the early 1830s by a co-founder of Cornell University, Ezra Cornell, according to the Cornell Chronicle. The tunnel sits on land owned by the city.

A steel gate was constructed by the university in 2018 near the tunnels entrance after two students drowned  one in 2011 and the other in 2017  in the popular swimming hole at the end of the tunnel, according to the Ithaca Voice.

More recently, a section of the gate had been illegally removed by unknown entities, allowing anyone to pass through, according to the Voice.
Ithaca, N.Y.  A 19-year-old man was found dead Saturday morning at Ezras Tunnel near the Ithaca Falls Natural Area, police said.

Officers responded to the call at about 10:48 a.m., according to a news release issued by the Ithaca Police Department.

The identity of the man, and the cause of his death were not immediately released by police.

Police said the death does not appear to have been caused by a criminal act.

Ezras Tunnel is a 200-foot long industrial sluiceway created in the early 1830s by a co-founder of Cornell University, Ezra Cornell, according to the Cornell Chronicle. The tunnel sits on land owned by the city.

A steel gate was constructed by the university in 2018 near the tunnels entrance after two students drowned  one in 2011 and the other in 2017  in the popular swimming hole at the end of the tunnel, according to the Ithaca Voice.

More recently, a section of the gate had been illegally removed by unknown entities allowing anyone to pass through, according to the newspaper.

Police ask anyone with information about this death, or anyone who was in the area of North Willard Way and Ezras Tunnel between 1 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday to call the Ithaca Police Department at (607) 272-3245.

Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com.
COVID is a slow-moving disaster that slowly wears you down

"It has been frustrating seeing human beings, people who have died from COVID who could have been saved by masking, distancing, and later vaccinating," said Dr. William Paolo, acting chair of emergency medicine at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Dr. William Paolo, associate professor of emergency medicine; associate professor of public health and preventive medicine and interim chairman of emergency medicine, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

As a teen I was a bit of a hypochondriac and developed a fascination with microbes. I went to medical school to learn about them. I fell in love with emergency medicine. Ive been with Upstate since 2009.

When we first heard about COVID in China, I was hoping it would burn itself out. There had been other Coronavirus outbreaks in the past, but they had been regional. Then we saw what was happening in Italy. By the time we had a diagnosis on the West Coast where the patient hadnt been in contact with anyone who had traveled, we knew it was going to be bad. We had our first spike in March and April, but our big spike was in the fall.

That was pretty tough. We saw a tremendous number of people in the ER. We had the sickest of the sick who needed to be intubated or other critical care. Then there were those who were sick, but not as critical. Because the hospital was being inundated, many were sent home with a pulse oximeter and a follow-up telemedicine visit within days. Others who thought they might have been exposed, came in who wanted to be tested.

We were busy, and it was hot under loads of PPE. The Emergency Department generally can be busy and uncomfortable, but this was much more laborious. COVID is a slow-moving disaster that slowly wears you down. There was so much apprehension at the beginning because there was so much to be learned. Later, we were much more comfortable knowing there was a supply of PPE and that it works. It was still exhausting because youre dealing with a lot of people.

Once we finally got to know this disease, our practice patterns didnt change that much. We wear more PPE and change them more often. But, we do what we always do, what we trained to do.

For me personally, the biggest thing, looking back, was that for the first time ever I felt vulnerable going to work. My wife and I had a big discussion at the beginning. My children were 11, eight and six and we talked about whether I should live in a hotel. We decided after weighing the risk/benefit that it wouldnt be worth it. I would stay at home, but if I did a high risk procedure, I would. Otherwise, I sterilized every time I got home. Id strip down to my underwear in the mudroom, put my clothes in the washer then run in for a shower. No one was allowed to touch me until after I did all of that. I still do this.

At work, in the beginning we were in crisis mode, meetings throughout the day, seven days a week. Emergency Medicine is always busy, but we became twice as busy. We erected temporary barriers in the emergency room with vinyl walls separating the respiratory patients suspected of having COVID. The outbreak had been real to me, but that made the pandemic feel very, very real.

It has been frustrating seeing human beings, people who have died from COVID who could have been saved by masking, distancing, and later vaccinating. The frustration comes when you work to treat people who have become very sick, or who have died, not surrounded by family, but by being with a healthcare worker they only just met. Then you leave the hospital and drive past restaurants or shopping centers with packed parking lots when people arent taking precautions.

This year has changed me in a lot of ways. I was always pretty radical in my thinking on healthcare policy. Im a universal healthcare advocate. We have the capability to provide healthcare for everyone. Im even more convinced we need systems that help everyone. The lack of preparation and oversight...and allowing a system to work as a profitable venture for those with means, not for what is best for the group collectively. We need public health infrastructure.

I hope we have learned that while we feel very protected in our own domain, we can realize that nothing we do is done in isolation. We are not as individualistic as we think we are. The individual is important, but it is still part of a collective. I hope the religion of individualism doesnt supplant the obligations to the collective.

If I could take their minds off what they were dealing with even for a second, it was worth it

Crystal Marshall, assistant nurse manager at Upstate University Hospital, in Syracuse, NY, wore a different headband every day during the pandemic, to help take her staff members' minds off the fear and suffering.

Crystal Marshall, assistant nurse manager, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I had no idea how COVID would affect me or my colleagues in the beginning. This was new to everyone. We were all facing the same demon and we needed to work together as a nation to get a handle on it.

The biggest challenge was probably coming to work and seeing and hearing colleagues fear. They needed to feel safe and comfortable. They were bombarded daily with new and changing information that sometimes made them more anxious than the day before or even the hour before.

I attempted to help my staff feel less anxious by coming to work every day wearing a silly headband. I felt like if I could take their minds off what we were all dealing with even for a second, it was worth it. One nurse was on the brink of tears almost daily but when she saw me coming in with a silly headband, she immediately would start laughing. For a split second she forgot she was in a pandemic. She and others started looking forward to seeing what headband I would be wearing when I came to work. I did this from March to August, wearing a different headband every day.

One patient made a particular impression on me because of the kind of person he was and the life he lived. He is a very kind and generous man. He previously performed for the elderly at nursing homes, bringing them a little joy. He sang to them, did comedy, and danced for and with them. While a patient with us, he was justifiably scared that he wouldnt survive COVID. I would visit him daily and we would just talk about family, life and God. I wanted to distract him from what he was going through if only briefly.

We were family for a lot of patients. I probably spent more time than usual with them because family and visitors werent allowed. In my role as assistant nurse manager, I have more time to spend with patients than the bedside nurse does. I try to get to know them and put them and their families at ease since they cant see each other in person, sometimes for days or weeks.

Before COVID, our team had really good teamwork, but COVID made it a greater necessity. We were minimizing the number of staff going in and out of rooms as well as the number of times we went into the rooms. We mastered clustering our care so that we could ensure less exposure to this awful disease that we were still learning about and still provide the needed care to our very sick patients. Staff were always looking out for each other if they were in rooms, checking to see if they needed anything. We would do a thumbs up at the glass door as a quick check in. We just about burned out our communication system with blast pages to call for assistance or supplies so that staff didnt have to go in and out of rooms multiple times.

This all has made me realize that we take a lot of things in life for granted. None of us could have ever imagined being in this situation. COVID did not and does not discriminate. Everyone was at risk and we as a nation did not take it seriously enough and we lost a lot of lives unnecessarily. I try not to take things for granted like I used to. You never know when something can come along and change life as you know it. We are experiencing that right now.

I have learned that people dont always do whats right for the whole. There was and is a lot of selfishness and ignorance in the world. We need to always do whats right not only for ourselves and our loved ones, but also do whats right for everyone so we can live life to the fullest in all its gloriousness. And hopefully there wont be a next time. We should have learned the lesson this time.

Things were changing so rapidly sometimes within hours

"For anyone who has doubts about COVID, we have lived it. We can only share our stories," said Lynne Shopiro, interim chief nursing officer of Crouse Health in Syracuse, NYLynne Shopiro

Lynne Shopiro, interim chief nursing officer, Crouse Health, Syracuse, NY

My interest in nursing began when my father was ill. He was cared for at Crouse Hospital. I was very young and when I would visit, I was exposed to healthcare and nurses. When I grew up I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I came back to Crouse for nursing school and Ive been here ever since - 38 years.

When we first began to deal with COVID, the biggest challenge was that things were changing so rapidly, day to day, sometimes theyd change within hours. In healthcare, were not always used to changing rapidly and there were times when we changed policies multiple times a week to keep in step with state and federal health mandates.

It was important to make sure we were communicating all of this to the staff who were at bedside, taking care of patients. Seth Kronenberg, MD, chief operating officer/chief medical officer, conducted daily huddles with leadership on Zoom. Staff would get daily updates via email with such things as changes in PPE guidelines, availability of PPE and other important information.

One thing that became clear throughout this time was that caregivers need to take care of themselves, not just physically, but mentally. As nurses, we put our attention on our patients and not on ourselves. Preparing for nurses week 2021, I have tried to make sure this message is clear. I am sending the nurses daily inspirational messages, words of encouragement, sharing opportunities to self-reflect, to know its ok to be kind to ourselves and to leave work at work. This is more critical now than ever.

Its difficult when you walk through the door to the Intensive Care Unit and you see the numbers of patients well beyond what we typically see. When you care for these patients for long periods of time you develop relationships. To see patients isolated from their families. When they pass, the nurses grieve. Were their family while they are here. Its a sad story.

For anyone who has doubts about COVID, we have lived it. We can only share our stories.

The one thing we learned this last year is that as a community we can come together in difficult times. People donated PPE and masks right and left. Since families couldnt be with patients, we had to develop different ways for them to keep in contact. Families are an integral part of recovery. The community donated iPads so families could see their loved ones.

A motto I took to heart during this challenging time is If we can get through this, we can get through anything.

Its been incredibly difficult day in and day out to watch the critically ill COVID patients largely follow the same trajectory.

"I work with some of the most intelligent, resilient, and compassionate people Ive ever met. They are heroes of mine, and they do heroic work every day without a second thought," said Ruthie Tallents, RN, of the Medical Surgical ICU at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY

Ruthie Tallents, RN, Medical Surgical ICU, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

Lots of things nudged me into nursing. My aunt is a nurse, my parents are in healthcare; Ive always been interested in and impressed by the work they do. The relationships you form with people in this line of work are unique, both with colleagues and with patients. Few professions offer you the ability to have the kind of direct impact you can have on people as a healthcare worker.

Plus, I get to really use my brain at work, Im challenged, each day is different, and there are a lot of positives to what I do.

I felt this way since my earliest days in nursing. I worked as a CNA in a nursing home as I was taking my prerequisites and going to nursing school. I met so many wonderful residents.

One of the first women I took care of was wheelchair bound and had dementia, as many of the residents did. She was always smiling and happy. I helped her get ready for bed most nights. We would sing Elvis Presley and talk about her day. She always quoted JFK. A lot of our conversations were similar, but they were always meaningful. It was the first time I felt that something small that I did could have a positive impact on someones day.

She passed away years ago, but I always felt a bond with her, and I think of her often even today.

There have been a lot of hard days this past year. Sometimes on the COVID units the only thing that gets us through is leaning on each other. Weve kept each other moving forward in a year full of unprecedented hardships.

In the early days of the pandemic, my colleagues and I had to shift to critical care. More seasoned ICU staff really looked out for me and took the time to teach and guide me, even though they were equally overwhelmed. Their patience and help got me through the first few months of COVID ICU madness.

My coworkers at the hospital -- fellow nurses, providers, and support staff  have banded together to support each other in a way I have never experienced before. I work with some of the most intelligent, resilient, and compassionate people Ive ever met. They are heroes of mine, and they do heroic work every day without a second thought. They are completely selfless, adapting on the fly, taking the time to teach and support their coworkers. Im not unique or special. Im just blessed to work with them.

Theyre truly invested in the welfare of their patients. They wash and braid the patients hair whos been on the ventilator for weeks, they talk on the phone all day long with worried family members.

For us in the ICU, its been incredibly difficult day in and day out to watch the critically ill COVID patients largely follow the same trajectory. Once a patient is sick enough to us, its so challenging to get them to the point that they can leave. There have been success stories, and we hang on those. But they are not the majority.

This year has taught many of us what parts of our lives are really important. When all the noise and the extraneous pieces of your life get dialed back, what do you have left? Your relationships. Family, friends, people who mean the most to you. Thats what gives your life meaning. Its easy to take those things for granted when your life becomes chaotic with other commitments.

Life is still chaotic for a lot of us, but our experiences over the past year have given us some clarity on whats really important and whats just noise.

Many days I felt emotionally defeated, but I could not show this

Susan Payne, RN, said she masked her own emotions to preserve the morale of her colleagues at Menorah Park in Syracuse.

Susan Payne, RN, Menorah Park, Syracuse, NY

From the time I was a small child I wanted to be in nursing. My mom was a nurses aide in what was called a sanitarium in those days, but it was really a home for elderly patients. I can remember going there as a very young girl and interacting with those patients as if they were family. It was just the best feeling.

I came to Menorah Park in 2009 as a weekend supervisor. I left for a year due to a family illness but returned and moved into a unit manager position on a long-term care floor and still functioned as a supervisor and fill-in scheduler, when needed.

When COVID-19 was beginning to spread in the community, many of my staff, especially those who were fairly young (19-25), were very fearful to the point of tears. I remember calling them to the nurses station and telling them We are strong, and we will get through this. You must trust me. I will always tell you what I learn and how we will manage it.

I felt that early on it was important for them to see me calm. Inside, I was anything but calm, but I needed them to be able to trust that I would keep them safe at work and give them my support as best as I could.

At that time there were no COVID cases at Menorah Park, and I felt that we would be okay, but needed to be smart to avoid the virus getting into our building and affecting our residents. But it was inevitable that it would eventually affect our facility given the number of staff living in the community and the ease of the virus transmission. One of the biggest challenges was helping our residents families cope with the fact that they could no longer visit and trying my best to keep them calm as we maneuvered through what would become a global pandemic.

I called them multiple times a week because I felt they needed to hear from me that their family member was safe. They needed to know that we were doing what we needed to do to prevent spread, and that included, at that time, sending residents who tested positive to a facility that was prepared to manage the virus. Families were devastated to learn that they would have to leave Menorah Park.

I tried to keep in contact with those families to continue support them as best as I could and assure them that once the 14-day quarantine period was up and those residents tested negative, they could return to our facility.

As the pandemic continued, I felt strongly that I needed to calm my staff and my resident families, especially when a positive test occurred. There were many days I felt emotionally defeated but I could not show this as I needed to help them cope.

I remember my units first positive test well. It was a huge surprise since no one had been ill. It had come up during a random unit test. It was the weekend, yet I found myself calling all the families from home to inform them of the development and that we would continue to keep them advised.

I then contacted my staff to let them know about the positive test and to help them understand that we needed to heed the guidance we had about preventing spread, including the continued diligent use of our PPE. It is important that we not bring the virus into the facility.

As time went on, we were able to develop our own COVID unit so that if we had a resident who tested positive, we did not have to send them away. It allowed them to at least maintain some semblance of home, which for me, felt like a huge step. I think it showed our staff that we were committed to taking care of our residents. We offered incentives, including added pay, for those who volunteered to work in this specialty unit, which many stepped up to do.

We, thankfully, have had very few COVID deaths and I attribute that to the direct care and infection control policies that we have in place. I feel our entire leadership team did a stellar job of supporting staff throughout this past year. As for me, I tended to make myself available to staff and family after hours; if I needed to come in early or stay late, I would, as we started to have staff out with illness. Its just the way I am. I tried to make this as seamless and calm as I could.

Though, as I am sure many nurses would tell you, it is emotionally devastating to see the fear in the staff and the fear of the resident families as I tried to reassure them, even when I was not sure myself how this would play out.

I felt a sense of fear and unease, hoping that the information about the virus that was developing daily, would prove to be true. Projecting a sense of calm was important, especially with the way things seemed to be unraveling, in the midst of an upsurge.

There have been many sleepless nights. But as the vaccine became available and our numbers of positives went away, there is a sense of relief. The biggest thing that changed for me this last year was realizing that my staff and resident families had such trust in my words of encouragement and hope. I really felt I was just doing

what came natural and never thought much about it. That is the role of a nurse, I guess. I think a lesson we learned is how important it is to help people understand what science shows we need to do to help end this; that the choices we make, such as traveling, can affect other people. The outcome can be devastating if the knowledge we are given is not used.

Every decision we make affects other people

"Healthcare staff, especially nurses, came together and dug deep," said Siobhan Keough, RN, a clinical training specialist at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Siobhan Keough, RN, clinical training Specialist, MICU, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I used to be a social worker and for three or four years, worked with drug and alcohol addicted patients. The work took me to inpatient facilities where I spent time talking to nurses about my clients. I realized I was missing out on an important piece of their recovery. After nursing school I went right into medical ICU. I was a bedside nurse, a clinical leader and then clinical trainer. I coordinate and onboard new staff and guide them during their first year.

I think one of the biggest challenges of this epidemic has been that COVID patients could not be with their loved ones, especially when they were dying. Nurses would go into their room and hold up iPads so they could say goodbye. The ICU nurses were the last people they would see.

There was one patient, a younger gentleman, whose significant other just had a baby. He went through a very rough course for a very long time. He was able to walk out of the hospital, attended rehab and made it home to his family. He was one of the early patients when treatment was still trial and error. His hospital course was very challenging. Seeing him get home was really rewarding. We felt part of his journey.

At the beginning I was newly pregnant - two weeks. So, keeping me and my baby safe was always on my mind. My health care providers were not concerned at all about my health so I continued to work as long as I could safely.

As primarily a trainer, my experience may be a bit different than a bedside nurse. I was meeting with infectious control staff, making sure staff and patients were safe. Do we have gear? Does it fit properly? How can we do our jobs as nurses with new restrictions? We kept coming up with out of the box ways of doing things. For example, to decrease exposure we would use very long IV tubing that would reach into the hallway. That way, the nurse had access but didnt have to go into the room as much. We are still learning new things every day.

COVID made me very appreciative of the ability nurses have to be with people at the end of their lives. Bad things were happening with COVID and I had to dig deep and remember why we got into nursing. I had a sense of purpose and I appreciate that I still have a passion for nursing.

This last year has made me realize how tough we are as nurses. Healthcare staff, especially nurses came together and dug deep. The staff are some of the most important people in my life. Its hard to go home and talk about what you have been through to someone who hasnt been there. We leaned on our coworkers because they are the only ones who know.

I hope that people outside of health care have learned this last year that their actions affect others. Its a domino effect. I hope we have all learned to be grateful and count our blessings each and every day as we continue to move forward. People should know that every decision you make affects other people. I hope everyone counts their blessings. As tough as it was for people, others had tougher times -- the COVID patients, in particular.

Im grateful humanity won out

Susan Murphy, director of environmental services at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, says she always thought the cleaning staff were underdogs, until the pandemic showed how much they mattered.

Susan Murphy, MBA, CHESP, director of environmental services, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

I came to Upstate more than 20 years ago when my father was a patient. I realized then they needed some help in housekeeping, so I got a job and stayed.

We knew from the beginning of the COVID outbreak that our cleaners would be an important and impactful part of the response, but at the time, there were many unknowns about the virus. Our department has a diverse group of people with varying levels of education and who come from different countries, speaking some 35 different languages. The question became how do we help our people navigate this unknown?

We agreed that it is important for the departments three assistant directors and I to show our faces at the beginning and end of each shift so we could find out what the cleaners needed, help them with PPEs, answer questions and remind them that what they do is crucial. We tried to communicate the factual information we were getting in real time in a way that could be understood. It is about being clear and honest. The staff became confident.

COVID changed some things among our staff and highlighted others. It changed the frequency of cleaning. There was a greater sense of teamwork, pitching in and helping each other. There was a lot of camaraderie. A true showing of humanity, to be honest.

People from the community donated bagged meals from different places. Volunteers let us know we were appreciated. We received letters from patients recognizing and appreciating the things we did. Things like he was assigned to ICU and never complained, or I saw how he cleaned my room and cared. One wrote that, because he couldnt see his family, he appreciated regularly seeing a particular cleaner. She waved to me at my window every day with a smile, and I really needed that. Those were the things we were hearing.

Ive always thought that cleaners were the underdogs. I think COVID was the year to see environmental services. Im grateful people can see and value what our team does.

I think one thing I learned throughout this, is that while we have nonsense around us, when it comes down to it, people are very human and help each other. I wish it didnt take a pandemic to bond people. But Im grateful humanity won out.

I have come away knowing that we are very fortunate and very blessed. We have good people around: the infection prevention team, leadership, nurses, the doctors, all the cleaners.... Just amazing people. Its been a long year.

It surprises me that there are people who think the virus isnt real

"We continue to battle COVID and it is real," said Sally Thompson, RN, a clinical training specialist at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Sally Thompson, RN, clinical training specialist, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I decided to go into healthcare because I really do love taking care of people. I like to know their story, where they came from, where they are going. Its amazing that there are so many people with different experiences than I have had. What some people have overcome in their lives can be overwhelming, and yet they continue on.

My unit was not a designated COVID unit at first, but as numbers rose, we started taking COVID patients. I was worried that there wouldnt be enough supplies or nurses to take care of patients. I think this hospital did a fantastic job procuring masks, gowns, shields, computers, vital sign machines and all the other things to help us do our job.

Taking care of COVID patients has changed how we do our job. Its just a different kind of nursing. You really need to think of all the things you may need before you go into a room so that you dont have to call someone outside of the patient room to assist you.

These patients can become so sick so fast. What may seem like little variations in status for non-COVID patients can be big changes for COVID patients. We were educated on what changes to look for more closely. We also became more digitalized, communicating via zoom and Facetime with families that couldnt visit.

Im saddened that some of the patients have not seen their families in person for quite some time, and I miss sitting and visiting with patients in their rooms without full garb on. It has taught me to be extremely grateful for what I have personally.

I learned that we can and will get through this. Patients still need to be taken care of.

I hope we learned that preparedness and adaptability are key for our survival, and that there are heroes everywhere.

Its surprising to me that there are people who think that the virus is not real, or not still a threat. Everyday nursing staff, doctors, physical and occupational therapists, housekeepers, respiratory, radiology and all other medical professionals are donning and doffing personal protective equipment while we take care of these patients. We continue to battle COVID and it is real.

Ive seen some unbelievable compassion

"The biggest lesson I've learned is that we need to lean on each other," said Allison Abbatiello, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Allison Abbatiello, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I became a healthcare provider after my grandfather, my Nonno, was a patient at St. Joes. I was 18 and I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare. Seeing him on a ventilator pushed me toward respiratory therapy.

This year has probably been the most difficult of my career. The challenges that COVID has thrown at us are overwhelming. We have had to change our shifts, scheduling practices, and nursing model along with the environment.There were so many unknowns, and that made it difficult.

In terms of patient outcomes, its been a challenging year. But Ive seen some unbelievable compassion. Through the heartbreak, thats been a small bright spot. My colleagues have done everything in their power to make sure every patient is comfortable and not alone, even when their families couldnt be there with them. There are so many patients Ill never forget.

I am extremely grateful for the love and support we have received over the past year from the community.

Its rewarding to serve others and work with a group of people towards a common goal. We would love it if everybodys loved ones were able to go home with them. Ive seen how hard everybody works to try and make that happen.

The biggest lesson Ive learned is that we need to lean on each other. Maybe now more than ever, its apparent that we need each other, and we need to support each other. I also feel like its become so clear that the small moments, and the small wins, are truly the big things and they should be celebrated.

Im hoping we can all be a little kinder and try to be understanding. This past year has affected every single person in a whole bunch of different ways and we need to remember that.

Everyday people wanted to give and give and give

When Kristin Bruce began managing donations to Upstate Medical University, she got 300 to 400 emails a day. She found the community support to be heartwarming and overwhelming.

Kristin Bruce, MHA, MBA, FACHE, CAVS, director of the Office of Volunteer Programs, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

My real job is director of volunteer programs, directing and coordinating volunteers across our three Upstate hospitals and research. I create and organize roles for volunteers and volunteer programs for the hospitalsbut I havent done my job for more than 11 months.

Around March 17, 2020, we, like many people, were sent home. Our whole program was paused. Just three days later, I was called back to the hospital to help with donations that were pouring in. This was three times harder than my normal job.

All donations were coming in through one email, which I managed. For the first couple of weeks, there were 300 to 400 emails a day. People coming out of woodworkN95 mask donations, people wanting to make homemade masks for our staff. We had to decide, what should we accept? The situation was unprecedented and no one really knew what we would need.

The response was so heartwarming. Everyday people wanted to give and give and give. I remember one woman who was desperate to give us the five N95 masks she found while cleaning out her garage. They belonged to her late husband, an asthmatic who used masks while moving the lawn. She had seen something on the news about the shortage.

Another woman who lived near Rochester drove an hour and a half to drop off a 20-pack of N95s that she found in her basement.

There was a coalition of sewers who came together to make masks. We gave them to the staff, not to wear while working, but for when they went home. People felt so strongly about the need and how desperate things were.

Nail salons, which had been closed, joined together and gave us a gajillion masks and gloves. Just lately someone donated a ridiculous amount of Kind snack bars and by my calculation about $75,000 worth of tubes of hand cream.

Some of the things, like hand-made masks, we had plenty of so we donated many to our community members. Remember at the very start of the outbreak, how hard it was to find masks? I remember pulling up to an apartment building and a gentleman came out with a shirt pulled up over his face. I gave him two. Churches and other groups also were able to distribute some to their members.

One day I volunteered to help with the screening stations at the entrance to the facilities. That turned into a new job, training, scheduling and managing the team.

Wed take the temperatures of people who came into the building and ask all the questions: Do you have symptoms, have you travelled out of state? Wed make sure they would swap out their masks for a hospital-issued one. In the mornings from 6 to 8 a.m., we would have about a thousand people coming through the doors. Ive met more people than ever before.

Its interesting. There has been an evolution with the public for sure. In the beginning there was so much fear and anxiety coming to the facilities for appointments, wed try to allay their fears. My biggest take-away is with the kids. For them, all of this is nothing. Theyre used to getting their temps taken when they get on the school bus. You watch eight-year-olds; they pop off their Disney mask and put on their hospital mask with no hesitation.

As for the grown-ups, for the most part people are understanding. Ive heard people thank the screeners. But youll always find people who dont want to participate, who dont want to change out their mask, or wear one at all. Ive turned people away. Its not always pretty, they go back out onto the sidewalk and call their provider. Sometimes the provider will tell them to knock it off and put on the mask, other times, they go home and reschedule. It is soul rocking. Its not how we operate, turning people away. But, as I joke with my screeners, it is our job to guard the castle; to protect people inside.

For me, this has changed me a little bit. Ive had to toughen up. In my other job, Im used to being squishier, more accommodating. I found something in myself, a little more self-fortitude. It has made me see myself a little bit differently.

One thing people should know as we get through this pandemic is that it takes all of us. You cant do it alone and no one is unimportant. Sometimes we take for granted folks doing their jobs. People forget the important part everyone plays.

We also need to be kind to everyone because we have got to get through this together. We sometimes live in our silos and we dont play nice. But with a global pandemic, all bets are off. People have pulled together to fight. What we learned in kindergarten still plays today.

We did not really know how to treat these patients

Caregivers could not save some early patients who might have survived after new treatment protocols were discovered, said Richard Dabrowski, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Richard Dabrowski, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I really wanted to try and help people to live better lives by helping them get through rough patches. My specialty is Respiratory Therapy. We can help patients with breathing issues learn to manage their illness at home. But if they require hospitalization, we can give them the best treatment available. It can be very satisfying to see critically ill patients get up and walk out the front door of the hospital when they have been relieved of their disease state.

Rather than one specific thing changing my life during the pandemic, it was the whole range of things that mattered most, including all the shutdowns.

It shows how fast your life routines can be turned upside down. The whole process really tested your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. How we have had to almost lead new lives as a result of the pandemic and how fragile those lives can be.

At St. Josephs Health, all of us were thrown into situations, dangerous at times, to help treat and care for the new population of COVID-19 patients. Placing a breathing tube in a patients airway can be dangerous, because of the risk of coming into contact with their bodily fluids.

Our work environment changed. We had to learn new treatment modalities and, at the same time, protect ourselves and each other from being infected.

When the pandemic started, we did not know really how to treat these patients. With treatments still in experimental stages, we could not save some of them who we could save today. Over time we have developed certain strategies that we know can help treat COVID patients. Positional changes to help with oxygenation, and newer medications to help oxygenate a patients lungs.

I believe we, as health care providers, are all better off from all that we have learned and encountered.

For the larger community out there: Please take this seriously. This was not a hoax. Please protect yourselves and others by masking, social distancing, and becoming vaccinated. Life can be very fragile and unpredictable.

What they did was the definition of heroic

Sarah, an RN in Syracuse, says she hopes the pandemic has taught everyone "to give one another grace."

Sarah, RN, Syracuse

My grandfather was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when I was in high school. Many caregivers treated my grandfather, but it was the nurses who helped comfort him in his time of suffering. This resonated with me and influenced my decision to go into nursing. I have met some amazing patients. I get to hear their stories, see pictures of their family members, and ease their pain and discomfort.

Nothing compares to the instant gratification of helping a patient feel better than when they came into the hospital. I have also had the privilege of working with amazing healthcare workers, some of whom have become my dearest friends.

Working with such a dedicated, compassionate, selfless and skilled team humbles me and drives me to be a better nurse.

During the Spring of 2020 Onondaga County was predicted to have a surge in COVID-19 patients. The surge did not happen here. But our downstate colleagues in NYC and other areas across the country were in dire need of help. Many of our nurse and physician co-workers selflessly left the comfort of our manageable local COVID population to go where the pandemic had hit hardest.

In some of those places, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was not readily available. Often it had to be reused beyond intended use. And there was a lot we did not know about the virus. New information came out daily. We werent sure of how it could be transmitted or treated.

We all go into healthcare to help others. Risk is part of the profession. In my mind, though, what they did was the definition of heroic. They voluntarily risked their own health to fill a critical need during a fearful time. Some of these nurses and physicians are back working in our hospital, while others learned how much they enjoyed traveling to other parts of the country and continued to do so.

Here, I vividly remember caring for one COVID patient. The first day he was a little lethargic, but would perk up with conversation and encouragement to eat. As the days passed, his ability to communicate declined. He was unable to have family visit, so I often spoke to his family on the telephone. I remember telling his son exactly what we were doing to provide care and comfort. My patient was very fond of his family and I wanted to share with them every last word that he spoke.

The patients son asked me how I was doing. He asked if I had a break that day. Tears welled in my eyes. I thought, How could someone experiencing such grief and trauma care about whether or not I had eaten that day?

It was surprising, it was touching, and it gave me the motivation and encouragement to continue on and push through the difficult moments.

Among other things, COVID-19 has taught us the necessity of teamwork, not taking your health for granted, the importance of self-care. These all seem like common sense, but they truly get put to the test when faced with a global pandemic.

I also hope through this we have each learned to give one another grace. Everyone copes with fear and uncertainty differently. I think its important to ask people how they are doing, to check on your neighbors, to make sure your friends are okay. This has been a long road and we could all use a little empathy and compassion.

We need to enjoy life and trust the science

"It might take time, but the scientific method and evidcence-based practice are the best ways to improve treatment," said Christopher Gere, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Christopher Gere, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

Every one of my colleagues working at St. Josephs MICU did heroic work every hour of every day. Intensivists, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupation therapists, nutritionists, equipment techs and the logistical staff, which made sure we got enough personal protective equipment. Even that extensive list may leave someone out, for which I apologize.

What Ive learned from this is that we need to enjoy life and trust the science. It might take time, but the scientific method and evidence-based practice are the best ways to improve treatment.

They gave everything to defeating this pandemic

The Olson family, left to right: Nate, Mark, Mary and Noah Olson.

Mark Olson, husband of a nurse, Fayetteville, NY

Im not writing about myself, but about my wife, Mary.

Shes the manager of the employee health office at St Joes in Syracuse. She has worked 6-7 days a week since the pandemic started. Going in at 5:30 a.m and coming home at 5:30 p.m., calling employees on nights and weekends with their COVID test results.

Also she was on many hospital conference calls as part of the emergency management team while also running the health office and making sure her fellow employees were safe and could take care of their families.

Her mom passed away from non-COVID-related issues during this pandemic, so now she also takes care of her 90 year old father. She provides meals, schedules doctors visits, cleans and generally takes care of him.

She has never asked for any recognition or ever would but I can honestly say our life is on hold till this pandemic gets better. Its all for a good cause, all healthcare workers do whats best for others. We are a family of nurses and volunteer firemen, so we understand what it means to give back. But its still hard on the family.

From my point of view as the husband of a nurse, the rest of us had choices, we could work from home, go virtual or change how and where we worked. Nurses, doctors, and other health care workers didnt have that choice. They gave everything to defeating this pandemic. They not only sacrificed their own lives but in many cases changed their lives to help their patients and their colleagues.

Life is precious and very short

Christina Killino, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY, vividly recalls a patient telling her sister, "If I die, you have to take care of things."

Christina Killino, respiratory therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I became a healthcare provider simply to help people. Thats what I wanted to do. Sometimes I dont always feel like Ive helped. There are those patients that all I can do is help them die with dignity; thats not an easy thing to do. But if I can make someones life better for however long they have. then its worth it.

I met a patient here in the fall of last year. A COVID-positive patient. She was in her mid 60s. A new grandmother. She was on as much oxygen as I could provide her but was still failing. Her next option was intubation. I knew that her chances of survival after that were very poor. She called her sister prior to intubation. She was trying to explain to her sister what was happening. She said If I die you have to take care of things.

I remember thinking, thats me. Thats what I would say. She ended up dying a few weeks later. I will never forget her.

One of my heroes here is a critical care doctor. She knows so much, and shes so compassionate. And shes not afraid to shed tears or talk about how bad she feels about losing a patient.

The biggest lesson Ive learned is that life is precious and very short. Something that I know Ive taken for granted. I dont think I do that anymore. I hope that people see that if we pull together as a society we can rise above.

I would get off work and just cry, and not even talk to my family

J., RN, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse NY

I became a nurse around 2011. Previous to this I would help care for my grandmother with dementia so she could stay in her home. I realized I enjoyed helping people and the joy it brought to me. My mom suggested I go into nursing, so I did. Now Im almost 10 years into my career.

It was mid-March of last year when my hospital unit transitioned to a COVID only unit. I had been following the news for weeks, concerned about what this virus would bring. Others had compared it to the flu. I knew in my heart it was going to be so much more than that.

That first day, only a few nurses were chosen to work on the new COVID unit. I was one of them. From that moment on my life was changed forever. I worked on the COVID unit for a little over a month dealing with the unthinkable, the high stress and the sadness when the hospital chose to take the N95 masks away.

Within several days I was sick with COVID-19. I was out of work for 3 weeks. I could hardly get off the couch, let alone catch my breath. I was an avid runner before this and loved doing CrossFit. As I recovered everything was a lot harder. I had significant headaches and I could no longer run more than a few feet without my lungs stopping me; I was not the same person I had been.

I returned to work at the COVID unit, but it became too much. The stress, the loss, and the workload took their toll. I had lost myself in the pandemic, as had dozens of my coworkers who chose to leave before me.

Shortly after returning to work, the depression kicked in hard. I would get out of work and just cry and wouldnt even talk to my family. One day I even considered ending my life and that thought wouldnt leave my head. I ended up having to leave the hospital after being at the job that I loved so much for over 5 years.

I now have a new job now at a different hospital and still care for COVID positive patients. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think about COVID. I see many large gatherings in the news and this makes me worried about what the direction this pandemic will take next. When will the public see or care about what us healthcare workers have been through and how we are almost all at our breaking point within the healthcare community?

Now almost a year into the pandemic, with will and determination I am able to run again and I have found happiness in life again. As a healthcare worker that has been on the front line, I wouldnt wish this infection on anyone. Our patients need us, but when will everyone see the cost it has imposed on us, and the impact it will have the rest of our lives.?

I learned so much from all this. The biggest lessons were: Dont take the little things for granted, work to live and dont live to work, self-care is so important, and find one positive thing each day and focus on that.

One thing I hope everyone learns is that this is far from over. Healthcare workers are exhausted, we are depressed and Im not sure how much more any of us can take, please think about us before you decide to go out in large crowds that are against the law; maybe youre having a day of fun, but you are slowly killing us.
After a year off due to the pandemic, Syracuse.com is again sending photographers to high school proms and other formal dances.

Students of Fultons G. Ray Bodley High School celebrated at their junior prom Saturday, May 8, 2021. The event was held at Alexandrias on the Water in Oswego.

Prom coverage can always be found at syracuse.com/proms; this event was photographed by contributing photographer Marilu Lopez-Fretts.

Contact Brenda Duncan anytime: 315-470-2265 | Email | Twitter
Ed. Ministry to further develop online education in schools Additional secretary appointed to improve qualitative education View(s): View(s):

The Education Ministry has decided to develop the online education system in the country, due to the regular interruption of education activities due to the COVID-19 situation.

An Additional Secretary to the Education Ministry has been appointed to look into this aspect under the subject of improving qualitative education, Education MInistry Secretary Kapila Perera said.

At divisional level and provincial level, students and teachers will be involved in the scheme, he said.

Accordingly school principals will need to submit the time table for online education and introduce a scheme within their schools to ensure that students follow online lessons.

The Education Ministry will monitor implementation of the scheme.

According to the plan it will be compulsory to carry out the online programmes between 7.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m., while a few extra hours can be made use of thereafter to complete the lessons.

Each school should have its own time table, Prof. Perera said.

He said full time online classes will be planned, after taking into consideration the experience gained last year.

With the current COVID situation it is difficult to give an exact time frame as to when the classes can begin and therefore we have decided on developing a full time online education system, Prof. Perera said.

He said they hope to expand the online education system to include grade one to grade four students as well.

Until the online facilities are expanded, they hope to use existing systems, such as the use of television channels and radio channels, for students who do not have internet facilities.

Meanwhile there were plans to introduce a system where students from grade one to three will be requested to report to the nearest school instead of travelling to the school which they were enrolled in, Prof. Perera said.

This scheme will be implemented once schools can be reopened, he said.

He also said it was difficult to teach the alphabet for primary classes through an online system.
As a youngster, Matt Noland explored the USS Kidd Veterans Museum in Baton Rouge  and the World War II-era ship in his hometown played a part in his decision to follow a career in the Navy.

Now he's second in command of the modern USS Kidd, a guided missile destroyer based in Everett Washington that provides air defense, anti-submarine defense and anti-surface warfare. And, on Wednesday, he'll become the commander of the ship and its crew of 350.

Noland, 43, has served as executive officer of the ship for the last 20 months, making sure the ship ran like a well-oiled machine for Commander Nathan Wemett, who's leaving for duty on the administrative staff of an overseas Navy base.

"All the ship's five departments and the divisions in those departments come together for the first time at the level of executive officer," Noland said in an interview last week.

Nolan said it's the hardest job he's ever had  but also the best job.

"You're in the position every single day to be a positive example to hundreds of people," Noland said. "That's humbling and exciting and makes you want to be a better person every day."

"The commanding officer's job will be even better," he added. "I can't wait."

A graduate of McKinley High School and LSU, Noland, who holds a master's degree in strategy from the Naval War College, has served on two guided missile cruisers and one guided missile frigate and has been stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Japan.

He served as a warfare and tactics instructor at the Navy base in San Diego, the principal home port of the Pacific fleet, before becoming executive officer of the USS Kidd in September 2019.

+3 Meet the Baton Rouge native whos set to serve aboard the USS Kidd Like many local Boy Scouts, Navy Cmdr. Matt Noland spent a night aboard the World War II-era USS Kidd during elementary school. Unlike the oth

Noland is trained as a surface warfare officer, an officer who navigates ships.

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"There's nowhere else in the Navy that provides the opportunity to really lead people from such an early moment in the career pipeline," Noland said. "Our young officers are leading sailors from the very beginning."

"It's demanding from day one, but I can't imagine a more rewarding experience, from its earliest beginning to its fullest realization," he said.

Noland will be wearing his dress blues at Wednesday's ceremony on the USS Kidd's pier in Everett, Washington, when he and outgoing Commander Wemett each read their official orders with respect to the change of command.

"It's honoring the commander who's leaving," Noland said.

Noland's wife, Elizabeth, and their three daughters, as well as his parents, grandmother, sister and niece, from Baton Rouge, will be there too.

Noland, who joined the Navy ROTC in college and graduated from LSU with a degree in history, said he decided to follow a Navy career, after meeting fellow students who were Marines.

The USS Kidd Veterans Museum was part of it, too, he said.

Noland hopes to one day be able to establish a connection between todays sailors of the USS Kidd, the third ship to bear the name, and the USS Kidd Veterans Museum in Baton Rouge.

The ships are named for Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who was killed in action aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the first American flag officer killed in WWII.

Noland envisions a day when he could perhaps partner with the USS Kidd Veterans Museum and send some of his top sailors to take part in a ceremony there.

"They could sample that good Louisiana cooking, too," he said. "Everybody needs to."
Inauguration Ceremony 2021- Faculty of Graduate Studies, KDU View(s):

The Inauguration Ceremony 2021 of Masters Programmes of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) was successfully held on 30th March 2021 at the Auditorium, Faculty of Graduate Studies, KDU, Ratmalana.

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University is known as one of the best, highly recognized, Higher Education Institutes in Sri Lanka. KDU is affiliated to International Association of Universities (IAU) and The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). The Faculty of Graduate Studies of KDU is well  appreciated for its Postgraduate Degree programmes.

With a mission to provide students with the opportunity to develop their skills, transform attitudes and to find approaches for problem-solving, the Faculty of Graduate Studies at KDU is equipped with the newest teaching methods and technology, giving their students the opportunity to enhance their knowledge through interactive sessions, experimental learning and independent research projects.

Major General Milinda Peiris RWP RSP VSV USP, Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, warmly welcomed all the new students to the newly inaugurated Masters programmes of Faculty of Graduate Studies, KDU. The event was graced by the Chief Guest, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunge, Chairman of the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka.

Five Masters Degree programmes of FGS, KDU namely MSc in Management, MBA in Logistics Management, Master of Laws, MSc in Security and Strategic Studies and MSc in Disaster Risk Reduction and Development Programme were inaugurated and 159 students were registered to the said Masters programmes.
The announcement caught the attention of Dutchtown High School junior Sydney Hubbard early last fall  something about a way students could learn how to become entrepreneurs.

"I heard an announcement in class one day," Hubbard said. This sounds interesting,' I thought. 'I'm going to apply.

Hubbard did apply  and went through interviews  to become part of the 2020-21 class of the nonprofit Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge, now in its third year as a local chapter of a national program that teaches students how to create and run their own companies.

+6 Got an idea for a food business? Kitchen incubator concept launches in Lafayette It wasnt long after a customer tried to spit in her face to protest her stores mask mandate that Robin Bugge left her job in retail management.

The academy works with students in grades eight through 12. Tuition costs $995 and the program offers need-based scholarships. Students who graduate earn three credits at LSU.

"In the last three years, 60 students have graduated (from the academy) and launched 50 businesses in the Greater Baton Rouge area," said Sarah Munson, executive director of the academy's Baton Rouge chapter.

From September to April, 16 students in the Baton Rouge area took weekly after-school classes  on Zoom this year, but usually on the LSU campus  with instructors from the university's E. J. College of Business, as well as guest speakers.

Each student worked with mentors and volunteers to design logos for the businesses they hope to launch.

The students didn't have to come into the academy with an idea for a business, but Hubbard had one from the get-go: a website called Afro Next that would provide information to help African American women learn now to care for their hair.

"I had trouble doing my hair," Hubbard, 16, said. "I still have some trouble."

Baton Rouge schools to offer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible students Coronavirus vaccines will be available to eligible students within East Baton Rouge schools this week as the city-parish pushes to boost laggi

"The textures of African American hair are different, and there are different curl patterns," she explained.

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The idea of entrepreneurship comes easily to Hubbard. Her parents, Tim and Tori Hubbard, each have their own business. Sydney's mother runs a speech therapy practice and her father presidents over a commercial and residential construction company.

"I like the freedom of owning a business," Sydney said.

By the end of this year's Young Entrepreneurs Academy, with a virtual graduation in April, students had written a business plan  "Nobody knows how hard that is," Hubbard said  registered their business with the Louisiana Secretary of State's office and made pitches to an outside panel of professionals to receive seed money, in varying amounts, for startup expenses.

Hubbard was one of six Ascension Parish public school students in this year's class.

+20 Pond jump, water war mark end of long, strange year for graduating seniors A few traditions couldn't be stopped by the pandemic as graduating seniors at area high school did their best to mark the end of their high sc

The BASF chemical manufacturing plant in Geismar paid tuition for the students, something it's done for the Ascension participants in the previous two school years and plans to continue doing, the company said.

All the students in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy were able to meet on Zoom and that's the way Hubbard met Mya Beathley, a junior at Liberty Magnet High School in Baton Rouge.

The two became co-founders of the proposed Afro Next website, because of a shared interest in providing information on the care of African American hair.

Other graduates from this year's Young Entrepreneurs Academy are Alanna Riley and Edward Tyler, both of Dutchtown High in Ascension Parish; Morgan Miller and Luke Williams, both of St. Amant High in Ascension, and Jaylen Carter of Donaldsonville High, also in Ascension Parish.

From East Baton Rouge Parish are Mateo Chaney-Martinez, University View Academy; Siya Kuman, Baton Rouge Magnet High; Anmol Mehotra, McKinley High; Quentin Messer III and Joey Roth, both of Episcopal School, and Parker St. Romain, Catholic High.

Other graduates are Gabryel Duncan and Matthew Rotolo, both of Walker High in Livingston Parish, and Cardell Smith, of West Feliciana High.

Applications for the 2021-22 Young Entrepreneurs Academy are open now through Aug. 20 at www.yeabr.org/apply.
After decades of public school students attending school for nine months followed by a summer break, state education leaders are urging Louisiana school districts to try a new calendar.

Prodded by state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, a bill is moving through the Legislature that would pave the way for up to half a dozen school districts to overhaul the routine, including year-round classes marked by periodic breaks.

Louisiana schools chief supports 'balanced' calendar with shorter summer, more breaks State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Tuesday renewed his call for public school systems to consider revamping the traditional sch

One of the aims is to lessen summer learning loss  the all but inevitable slip in what many students learned during the previous school year when academics are shelved for nearly three months.

"What we know is that there is summer learning loss, we know that it is real," Brumley told the House Education Committee. He said students can forget up to 30% of what they learned in their previous grade.

"I am not here to tell you that a balanced calendar is a cure all," Brumley told lawmakers. "But given where we are in outcomes we should be exploring all options that make a difference in the lives of our students and teachers."

The measure, House Bill 528, cleared the House Education Committee without objection and next faces action in the full House.

The sponsor of the bill, House Education Committee Chairman Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette, delayed a vote on the measure that was scheduled for last Wednesday.

If the plan is approved by the House it would face scrutiny in the state Senate.

Under the measure, districts that take part in the pilot projects would do so on a voluntary basis.

The legislation would also allow officials of the state Department of Education to use a portion of federal stimulus dollars to help districts overhaul their schedules.

The plan is generating pushback from the state's two teacher unions  the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and the Louisiana Association of Educators.

Cynthia Posey, director of legislative and political affairs for the LFT, noted that some students rely on summer months to earn money for college or to buy a car.

Some teachers have second jobs when schools are closed.

New compromise for Baton Rouge schools: August start  not July  approved in new calendar After weeks of controversy over a proposal to start the next school year two weeks early, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday

Posey said the bill is "changing something that people in a sense have always planned their lives" around, meaning the nine-month school calendar.

Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, a member of the House Education Committee, said changing the school schedule could disrupt traditions. "I do think summer time is a very important part of our constituents' lives and this would cause a fairly difficult adjustment," Edmonds said.

Any change in the public school calendar can spark resistance.

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

East Baton Rouge Parish School District Superintendent Sito Narcisse ditched his plan to start the 2021-22 school year early amid a firestorm of criticism from teachers and others.

Baton Rouge schools won't start in July; superintendent proposes more traditional calendar East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Sito Narcisse is setting aside a proposal to move up the start date of the new school year by about two

But officials in one north Louisiana school district that overhauled its school calendar as a response to COVID-19 said the new routine has been well received, especially amid gains in student reading scores.

"For us it has generally been a blessing in the fact that our parents have said yes, our school board has said yes now we are seeing the fruits of those labors," said Karen Squires, director of curriculum for the Red River School District.

Students attend classes for 42 or 43 days, followed by two-week breaks.

Those who need extra help can get it during the breaks  called intercessions  and others can get enriched learning.

The school year is set to end on June 30, then resume on Aug. 11 after a roughly five-week break.

Brumley said state education workers would assist local school districts, like they did for the Red River school system, to craft new school calendars.

"We work with a system to set up a calendar that makes sense for them," he told the committee.

Rep. Patrick Jefferson, D-Homer, a member of the committee, praised the proposal.

"This is how we help our children," Jefferson said. "This is good. This is really good."

State law requires students to get a certain number of minutes of instruction per day, and 172 days of instruction per school year.

But there is latitude in exactly how those days are allocated.

Tia Mills, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said it is important that officials in individual school districts adopt school calendars that work for them.

Mills said research done by the National Education Association concluded there is no significant academic gains for students who attend school year round.

The Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge, which educates 430 students with dyslexia, is in its third year of using a shortened summer break and other non-traditional interruption in classes, including one week during Mardi Gras.

Heather Bourgeois, principal of the school, said the new schedule is aimed at helping students.

"That extended break is really detrimental," Bourgeois said. "We implemented it and the got support from families and are committed to working with families."
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The Canberra Times office in Fyshwick is being reviewed by its owners Antony Catalano and Alex Waislitz as their company Australian Community Media (ACM) pushes ahead with a nationwide property sale spree.

The pairs Ballarat print site sold last week for $6 million, adding to the $20 million worth of sales made in the last two years. Industry sources, who spoke anonymously because the plans arent finalised, said Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz are considering whether to appoint a sales agent or redevelop the Fyshwick office, which has been home to The Canberra Times for almost 60 years.

The interior of the Pirie Street offices. Credit:Archive

Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz bought ACM for $115 million in mid-2018, an acquisition that allowed them to acquire a large amount of property in regional and capital cities.

The real estate assets stretch across more than 25 printing plants and buildings in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. This footprint has decreased substantially in the past 12 months because of a decision made by Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz to divest from print centres and focus on editorial costs. So far 14 properties have been sold, with a further 11 to be reviewed that the pair estimate to be worth about $50 million.
Melinda French Gates began working with divorce lawyers well over a year before her split with Bill Gates was announced last week, partly over concerns about her husbands dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The 56-year-old spoke with attorneys from several firms as early as October 2019, saying the marriage was irretrievably broken, the Journal reported on Sunday (US time), citing documents and people familiar with the matter. Her unease about her ex-husbands ties to Epstein dates back to at least 2013, the paper said.

Melinda and Bill Gates announced last week they are divorcing after 27 years of marriage. Credit:Getty Images

The New York Times reported in October 2019 that the billionaire had met with Epstein several times, and once stayed late at his New York townhouse. A spokeswoman for Microsoft co-founder said at the time that the meetings had centred on philanthropy. Epstein had died in jail two months prior while awaiting trial on federal charges related to sex trafficking.

The divorce was negotiated during the pandemic, involving legal teams working with a mediator to divide their fortune, which the Bloomberg Billionaires Index pegs at $US145 billion ($184.7 billion).
The executive chairman of Rupert Murdochs News Corp Australia has confirmed the company has formalised payments from tech giants Google and Facebook as he announced plans to hire a further 100 editorial staff.

Michael Miller declined to comment on any future strategic plans for the local owner of The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun or whether the company would use money from the $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) in debt raised by the global parent company last month for local acquisitions. He said any assets acquired locally would be determined by what audiences were willing to pay for.

News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller said the new roles were born from readers appetite for more local news. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Weve always evolved with a variety of assets and without wanting to flag any of our future plans ... a greater proportion of revenues for our businesses are consumer-led, rather than client-led, Mr Miller said.

That is consistent with consumers preparedness to pay for a variety of services and its not just news media but entertainment media. Theres digital delivery, consumer revenues becoming a greater portion of our portfolio, but you do have to have a number of varying revenue streams so you are able to move as different audience movements and client movements occur.
Or, you can invest directly yourself in the host of securities traded on the sharemarket. You can, of course, buy shares in more than 2000 companies. However, if you want instant diversification, you could consider buying shares in listed managed funds, called Listed Investment Companies, or in Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), where you essentially get a bundle of shares. Now, Im not suggesting that you go out there and buy shares in everything that I do. That would be far from prudent. The examples I provide are for illustrative purposes only. Sure, I may own them but you should always seek your own personal financial advice before making any investment decisions. I decided to dip my toe in with an ETF as my first purchase. But which one? Create a short list of potential investments Now its time to do your research. Sign up to some newsletters. Read research websites. Listen to podcasts.

I signed up for a four-week trial of the Morningstar Premium website, which rates shares and investment products, and narrowed my search to a shortlist of four ETFs offering exposure to Australias top-200 listed companies, weighted by market size. iShares Core S&P/ASX200 ETF (IOZ) annual management fee of 0.09 per cent

SPDR S&P/ASX200 Fund (STW) 0.13 per cent fee

Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (VAS) 0.1 per cent fee (covers the top 300 companies)

BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (A200) 0.07 per cent fee The main things to think about are the long-term sustainability of the product, the liquidity and the fees, says Matt Wilkinson, senior research analyst at Morningstar Australia. I made my choice and then got serious. Open a brokerage account

There is no way around it, if you want to buy shares you have to use a broker. Brokers can vary from full-service, providing complex investment advice, all the way to purely transactional online broking websites. I went with the latter. Some of the cheaper online options include ThinkTrader ($8 flat brokerage fee) and SelfWealth ($9.50). Be aware that some online brokers operate on a US model where you do not end up owning the securities outright, but via a custodial arrangement where you become a beneficial owner of the shares. There are also micro-investing apps which essentially act as your broker, but enable you to enter the market with smaller sums. They include the Raiz, Spaceship and CommSecs Pocket book apps. I applied for my brokerage account online. I had to upload both photo ID and proof of address. My account was ready within a day. Transfer funds into that brokerage account

Different brokers have different options for getting your cash across. It can be useful to check your daily withdrawal limits at your bank. I had to increase mine. Its a bit scary seeing the money disappear. But once it re-appears in your brokerage account, youre ready to buy Place your order Go into your brokerage account and follow the instructions there. Generally, there are two types of orders you can place: a limited order or a market order. A market order is when you agree to pay whatever price it takes to fill your order. Beware, on thin trading days and for larger orders, this can leave you vulnerable to paying cascading higher amounts. I placed a limited order in which you specify the highest price you are willing to pay to have your order filled.

What price to bid? Your trading account should display for you how many bids are being placed at what price. If you want your bid filled immediately, pick the highest. If youre prepared to perhaps wait a bit, put in an order for one of the lower prices and see how you go. I also had to choose a date at which my order would expire, should it not be filled at that price. Then you specify the exact number of shares you want to buy. Simply take the amount you have to invest and divide it by the price. Round down, to make sure you dont over-draw your account. A last thing to consider is the time of day you place your order. The market can be particularly volatile just after the open (10am to 10.30am) and around market close (4pm). I chose lunchtime to pounce. Then, simply click submit order and experience a mild feeling of being suspended in air as you wait for your order to be matched to a seller. My order took only a few seconds and was filled at a couple of cents below my specified order limit.

I was the proud owner of about $5000 worth of my chosen ETF. I must confess I sat in stunned silence for a few minutes pondering all the possibilities. What if Id just bought at the top of the market? What if the shares were about to undergo a sustained, multi-year rout? What if  I catastrophized  Id managed to pick the precise inflection point in history at which the human race suddenly became incapable of combining capital and labour with greater efficiency to produce ever greater output?! Morningstars Wilkinson reassures me I am not alone in running the emotional gauntlet from fear to greed  and back again as I began my investing journey. He urges patience  and more homework. Make your first ETF purchase the first step in committing to long-term investing as there are no short cuts. For example, to benefit from compounding you should try to buy more of this ETF over time.

Loading Also you should work to understand your investing goals, get financial advice if necessary, and build a more diversified portfolio across asset classes. Wilkinson warns that by investing in an ASX 200 index ETF, weighted by market cap, I am heavily invested in financial services and material companies  because they are the titans of our sharemarket. Im also lacking exposure to international markets, some sectors like technology and health, along with smaller-cap stocks. But friends, its a start. Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers decisions about financial products. They should seek their own professional advice before making financial decisions.
Last time we celebrated Mothers Day, Victoria was a very different place, almost on another planet.

Brett Sutton, the Victorian Chief Health Officer who was just becoming a household name, announced that morning: Todays increase in cases illustrates once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against COVID-19 is far from over. The daily coronavirus announcement reported an increase of 10 new cases, bringing the running total to 1487.

Restaurants are breathing a sigh of relief for this Mothers Day.

The initial shock of the epidemic  the fights over toilet paper  was a couple of months behind us, but the Cedar Meats outbreak showed how vulnerable we still were and the second wave proper, sparked by hotel quarantine breaches, was still in the future.

And we were in the first lockdown, with only four reasons to leave home: collecting food and supplies, receiving medical care and care giving, exercise, and work or education.
Money alone wont ensure global vaccine equity By Rosalind McKenna, exclusive to the Sunday Times, Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

NEW YORK  In March, South Sudan received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines. While that is good news, it came almost four months after the first doses were administered in the United Kingdom, highlighting the wide disparities in global vaccine distribution. If these gaps are not narrowed soon  with international bodies leading a transparent and equitable global vaccine rollout  the entire pandemic response will be compromised.

South Sudan received its doses thanks to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility, which has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines worldwide. Institutions like the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and UNICEF have supported these efforts.

But rich countries are hampering progress by continuing to hoard supplies. In the United States, more than 2.1 million doses are being administered per day; South Sudan has administered around 1,000 vaccines in total. Overall, residents of high- and middle-income countries have received 83% of the 1.2 billion vaccine doses delivered so far.

In fact, the combination of export bans, hoarding, and supply shortages has meant that COVAX has so far managed to deliver only one in five of the Oxford-AstraZeneca doses that were supposed to arrive in countries by the end of this month. At this rate, advanced economies will be able to vaccinate their entire populations before many low-income countries even begin their vaccine rollout.

To accelerate progress, international development banks have committed considerable funding to help poor countries purchase and distribute vaccines, tests, and treatments. The World Bank alone has promised to contribute $12 billion. But the details of its pledge are getting lost, raising the risk that this much-needed money will be wasted for lack of scrutiny.

For starters, the World Bank has yet to clarify how it will use its market power to ensure that doses remain affordable. But as vaccine producers such as Johnson & Johnson back away from their pledges to make vaccines available on a not-for-profit basis, such intervention is becoming urgent. The three US pharmaceutical firms with approved vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson  have already shared with investors plans to raise vaccine prices in the near future. In making $12 billion available for vaccine procurement and deployment, it remains unclear what steps the World Bank is taking to make vaccine manufacturers share the technology and know-how to ramp up global production.

Furthermore, the World Bank is still struggling to explain how it plans to ensure that its expenditure is transparent, or ensure that countries abide by plans to get vaccines to priority populations. As the World Bank well knows, poor programme design and flawed vaccine rollouts can lead to exorbitant costs and unfair outcomes. The first World Bank-financed COVID-19 vaccine-procurement operation, launched in Lebanon in January, was nearly suspended within a month of its launch because politicians were cutting in front of higher-priority individuals, such as health workers.

Transparency is vital to limit such behaviours, but the World Bank may be setting itself up for more of the same: it recently approved a project in Ethiopia, where similar queue-jumping is a known risk. It has also approved a project in Tunisia, where vaccine hesitancy and scepticism, and disinformation efforts, are substantial  factors that can further undermine a programmes efficiency, if not addressed effectively.

These projects are being designed at rapid speed. Too often, however, World Bank teams  whether at the Banks headquarters in Washington, DC, or in the countries seeking funds  are developing these vaccine programmes without input from all essential stakeholders. If groups at risk of being excluded from the vaccine rollouts are not involved in project design and monitoring, it will become all the more likely that they will be left behind.

Such groups include refugees, prisoners, and people living in slums and other overcrowded conditions. In Greece, for example, more than 70,000 asylum-seekers are being excluded from the national vaccination program.

Persecuted minorities, such as Myanmars Rohingya population and Indias Dalits (the lowest-ranked group in the countrys caste system), are also at high risk of being overlooked. And coordination in conflict zones, such as in Syria, may pose a challenge, with governments potentially even ignoring people in these territories.

In-country vaccination programmes must include clear protections for the most vulnerable groups, with the World Bank using its leverage to prevent discrimination in the implementation of its projects. Any vaccine funding must be made contingent on its fair and safe distribution. Moreover, there must be supervision and monitoring of these projects, as the Banks own board recently urged.

For this to work, the World Bank must engage directly with marginalised groups. Their perspectives are essential to determine how best to spend the pledged funds and to ensure accountability by challenging misuse of resources and misallocation of vaccine doses.

The global vaccine rollout is a critical test for an institution whose stated mission is to end extreme poverty and advance shared prosperity. Fortunately, there is reason to hope that the World Bank will pass. Its president, David Malpass, has called the COVID-19 crisis a pandemic of inequality, one of its hallmarks being unequal access to vaccines.

But simply throwing money at the problem will not be enough to solve it. Only a transparent, inclusive, and well-designed strategy that explicitly protects the interests of the most vulnerable and gives them a way to sound the alarm when things go wrong can do that. That would be money well spent.

(Rosalind McKenna is a team manager in the financing division of the Open Society Foundations Public Health Programme.)

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2021. www.project-syndicate.org
NSW Health is warning anyone who books a jab at its mass vaccination hub at Olympic Park but is ineligible in this phase of the rollout will be turned away when they arrive, after a link allowing anyone to register was published online.

On Saturday The Sun-Herald was able to book a Pfizer vaccination on Monday for a 44-year-old using their real details and declaring they were a member of the general public, which was an option available from a drop-down list on the website.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian pictured following a tour of the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The link was sent to health workers to allow them to book their vaccinations, with the Olympic Park mass vaccination hub due to open for anyone in phase 1 of the rollout on Monday.

It was shared on Facebook and anyone who had the link could use it to book a jab. It was not clear on Saturday how widely the link had been shared.
Fundamentally, this is an experiment, he says. We dont know what the best way to do it is. We dont necessarily know how to make sure Facebook listens to us and that we can actually hold them to account. No ones really tried this before at this sort of scale. I think [Facebooks policies] are a mess all the way through the system: Board member Nicolas Suzor. Credit:Attila Csaszar Suzor talks a lot about holding the social media giant to account. He sees that as his primary role on the board; not only to hold Facebook accountable to its own policies on content and speech but to societys broader expectations and human rights norms. Facebooks policies have a long way to come, he says. Personally  not speaking for the board  I think theres a mess all the way through the system, Suzor says. They often misidentify critical speech: speech by minorities and marginalised people trying to speak to power. These are often the people who get silenced because Facebook doesnt really know how to tell the difference between important critical speech and other forms of speech that might on the face of it look like abuse and harassment. Theyre also failing to protect people from the torrents of hatred, racism, misogyny and religious vilification that exist on Facebook. Its not hard to find  they get promoted through our news feeds and search results. I think, ultimately, Facebook is going to have to rethink how it does all of its moderation to make sure it is able to do both of those things simultaneously.

Suzor says there are varying views on the board about how Facebook should balance freedom of expression with protection from harm, and about the efficacy of censorship, and those big debates are mostly still to come. While others on the board are not First Amendment free speech radicals, some people might view that more centrally than perhaps I do, he says. If anything, I pay a little bit more attention to those sorts of concerns [about racism and vilification] than some of the other board members. The Oversight Board pursues depth or quantity. Facebook receives thousands of complaints and appeals every day, but the board has made only 10 decisions so far, including last weeks ruling on Trump. The board has staff who find the most interesting cases that can set precedents and probe themes, a bit like the medical TV drama House. Im not sure about the analogy, Suzor says. I do like Hugh Laurie though. Typically, when the board takes a case it will assign it to one of three panels (a fourth panel works on case selection). There are five people on a panel. They start by deciding what information they will need from Facebook, what questions theyre going to ask partner organisations and language experts, if necessary, and contract out for contextual advice about the region, culture and politics. In all of our decisions weve been stressing that context is really important to understand the meaning of what people say, Suzor says. Often these cases turn on a turn of phrase. So far the boards cases have involved the removal of a post containing an anti-Azerbaijani slur (upheld), the removal of an Instagram post in Brazil involving nudity that was actually made to advance breast cancer awareness (overturned as soon as the board took the case) and the removal of a post involving blackface caricatures in the Netherlands (upheld).

Then there was Trump. Loading Facebook suspended the then president after removing two of his posts during the Capitol riot in January, including a video in which he said supporters should go home but repeated false claims about widespread voter fraud. I know your pain. I know youre hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us, he wrote. On January 21, Facebook announced it was referring its decision to the Oversight Board. On Wednesday the board finally ruled, upholding Facebooks decision but saying the suspension could not be indefinite. Facebook now has six months to decide a proportionate response.

It was necessary for Facebook to take some action on January 6, but it had no clear policy to decide how long a suspension should be for, Suzor says. Facebook doesnt have rules about how it suspends people. Thats crazy. We didnt come to a conclusion about what Facebook should do, we just said theyve got to figure it out. The decision has been criticised from all sides. Trump allies were outraged, many Democrats felt it wasnt strong enough. The man himself called it a total disgrace and said Facebook would pay a political price. Suzor describes the ruling as strong, nuanced and rigorous. He is surprised that the board reached a consensus on such a controversial matter, even if there were pockets of disagreement. He reminds people it was only in May last year  at the same time Trump said of Black Lives Matter protesters that when the looting starts, the shooting starts  that Zuckerberg was telling reporters social media platforms should not be the arbiter of truth in politics. Zuckerbergs remark enraged Suzor and others. He felt it was a missed opportunity to do what Facebook eventually did  arguably too late: suspending Trump and taking a stand against incitement to violence. Suzor says last weeks ruling should demonstrate that social media companies really can make a determination  in a considered and reasoned way  about what is acceptable on their platforms.
An opioid treatment being introduced around Australia has been dubbed a game changer after dozens of users at Melbournes safe injecting room stopped taking heroin.

The Richmond site was among the first in Australia to provide depot buprenorphine, a slow-release injection given weekly or monthly, outside clinical trials after it was approved for use in September 2019.

Dr Nico Clark at Richmonds safe injecting room. Credit:Eddie Jim

The treatment is designed to stop withdrawal symptoms, and in most cases blocks the effects of heroin altogether, helping to reduce and stop heroin use.

Medical director Dr Nico Clark has analysed the experiences of the first 41 people to try it at his clinic, finding that 59 per cent did not use heroin at the safe injecting room at all over eight months of monitoring from September 2019 to April 2020.
A man battling in court against a former partner who allegedly outed him as a love rat to his new fiancee has lost his bid to have a defamation trial heard in secret.

IT consultant Constantine Arvanitis is suing ex-girlfriend Selina Holder after she allegedly teamed up with two other women to write a letter that claimed he was a violent sex addict.

An eight-day trial is due to begin in the County Court on May 17. Mr Arvanitis wanted the matter to be heard behind closed doors after the legal action was revealed in The Age.

Constantine Arvanitis has lodged a defamation lawsuit against his former partner. Credit: Supplied

Ms Holder is accused of joining forces with two other women, who also dated Mr Arvanitis after meeting him on Tinder, to send a letter to his new partner telling her to leave him.
Australias COVID suppression strategy has not changed to an elimination strategy nor is zero cases our goal as reported, he said on Facebook. There will always be cases as we return Australians home from overseas. International borders will only open when it is safe to do so. Mr Frydenberg said he wanted to restore migration to the level seen before the pandemic, which was 239,700 in 2018-19, according to population figures in the federal budget last October. We will get back to it over time, he said. Obviously, net overseas migration went negative through this crisis. Youll see Treasurys forecast for the coming years on Tuesday night, but that again is a pandemic effect, not a permanent change. I believe in a generous, sustainable immigration program that reflects the best of who we are, which is an open, tolerant, diverse country. Labor leader Anthony Albanese said last week that the closed borders had highlighted the countrys reliance on temporary migrant workers and that we should be investing in training Australians to fill the skill shortages.

Loading Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally argued one year ago for greater priority to be given to unemployed Australians rather than a return to the migration levels of the past. Do we want migrants to return to Australia in the same numbers and in the same composition as before the crisis? Our answer should be no, she wrote. Former Department of Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi said a key test for the government would be whether the budget included an increase in the formal migration program to reach forecasts set out in a population statement last December. The statement said net overseas migration was likely to fall from 154,000 people in 2019-20 to about 72,000 people in 202021, an extraordinary reversal.

Migration will be a key component of Australias economic and health recovery from COVID-19, it said. By the end of the forecast period in 2023-24, net overseas migration is still not expected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels, it said. By 2028-29, net overseas migration is assumed to reach 235,000 per year. Deloitte Access Economics expects net migration to be 20,000 in fiscal 2022 and rise strongly to 175,000 the following year. Economists believe the budget will have to include an increase in migration to support its forecasts for jobs, growth and the management of Commonwealth debt. We might be able to hobble along for a couple of years without it but immigration is really fundamental to Australia, said Gabriela DSouza, senior economist at the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, an independent think tank that began in 1960.

Ms DSouza said the budget forecasts would be too optimistic if they did not come with measures to increase arrivals from overseas, such as using quarantine to expand the skilled worker and family intake. There will be entire sections of our economy that wont do very well, such as education, tourism and hospitality. Its going to hit a lot of sectors very hard, she said. I struggle to see how we can sustain very high growth without migration. Mr Frydenberg acknowledged border closures had increased consumer demand in some ways, such as forcing Australians to spend their money at home, but said this was not sustainable. Its an interesting point about the money that Australians are spending domestically, the money that otherwise they would have spent overseas. And, as you know, it is not insignificant, he said.

Loading This is a temporary effect of the pandemic, not a long-term structural change. While more than 11.3 million Australian travellers returned from an overseas trip in the year before the pandemic, the number of returning Australians was 1.4 million in the first year of the crisis, with millions of consumers forced to spend their money at home. Employers are warning of shortages of workers ranging from software programmers to veterinarians and chefs, saying the restrictions make it harder for companies to hire local workers as well. Australian Industry Group chief Innes Willox called for more budget spending on local apprentices as well as easier rules to bring in skilled migrants.
Washington: The ransomware group linked to the extortion attempt that has snared fuel deliveries across the US East Coast may be new, but that doesnt mean its hackers are amateurs.

Who precisely is behind the disruptive intrusion into Colonial Pipeline hasnt been made officially known and digital attribution can be tricky, especially early on in an investigation. A former US official and two industry sources have told Reuters that the group DarkSide is among the suspects.

Holding tanks for Colonial Pipeline Company during Tropical Storm Harvey in Port Arthur, Texas in 2017. Credit:AP

Cybersecurity experts who have tracked DarkSide said it appears to be composed of veteran cybercriminals who are focused on squeezing out as much money as they can from their targets.

Theyre very new but theyre very organised, Lior Div, the chief executive of Boston-based security firm Cybereason, said on Sunday.


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Keeping your loved ones safe with Suwapetha By Mahesh De Andrado View(s): View(s):

With the resurgence of the SARS CoV-2 virus in what people are calling the third wave, there is no greater time than now to strictly adhere to the safety protocols enforced by health officials. Google, for example, has added COVID-19 exposure notifications to its Pixel line-up of smartphones and other supported devices. These notifications will essentially give you a breakdown of the COVID-19 virus in your immediate area. Sri Lanka has also had its own version of a live COVID-19 tracker, but very few people seemed to have heard about it, until now.

Called Suwapetha, the app is developed by the Epidemiology Unit of the Western Provincial Ministry of Health and the WHO country office for Sri Lanka. The development team consists of Dr. Padmal De Silva, Dr. Yudhisteera Wedisinghe, Lt. Col L.R.K. (retd.) Kahandagamage RSP SLSC, and Mr. Tayon U. Jayawaradana. Released on the 22nd of November 2020, the app has undergone its fair share of tweaks and modifications. The most stable version of the app was launched on the 30th of April 2021.

What exactly is Suwapetha?

Think of it as a live COVID-19 tracker. You can use the app to see which areas in the country are affected by the COVID-19 virus. More importantly, it gives you real time statistics of those infected with COVID-19 in your immediate vicinity. The app also provides you with several guidelines and precautionary measures you can take to keep you and your family safe.

How does Suwapetha work?

Once the app has been downloaded to your smartphone/tablet, you are required to create an account on the app. This can be done either via your Google account or by signing in with your Facebook credentials. Once you have signed up, the app will request access to your immediate location. Once the permission is granted, the Suwapetha app is ready to go.

The app has a number of tabs. The first tab is the real-time COVID-19 tracker. The app uses Google Maps, making use of geospatial data as its backbone to show you your precise location and rates the area youre in based on how close you are to the nearest COVID-19 patient. It also displays the total number of patients within one square kilometer. The little bulb icon on the main screen gives you a live COVID situation, showing the number of active cases, number of recoveries and also deaths.

Suwaeptha also gives you a breakdown of daily confirmed cases. This data is further broken down into age categories and gender. Looking a bit more into where Suwapetha gets its data from, it appears that the developers data source is the COVID19API, which is a free API for data on the Coronavirus, which in turn gets its data from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Suwapetha also provides details of emergency contacts such as the Presidential Task Force, Government Information Center, Quarantine Unit, Health Promotion Bureau, and Lanka Sathosa, to name a few. Lastly, you can edit your profile, and add your contact details, address, age and gender if you wish to do so. If you are a doctor, you can also join Suwapethas Doctor Registration programme to help those in need.

Whats it like using Suwapetha?

To be perfectly honest, I was quite impressed with the app. Yes, the design could use a few tweaks here and there, but in terms of functionality, it delivered on everything it said it would. As soon as I gave the app access to my location, it alerted me that I was in a critical area and that the nearest COVID-19 patient was 250m away from where I was. The app also gave me details of the nearest hospital (along with directions to get there) and the nearest pharmacy (along with respective directions) as well.

Being touted as a live COVID-19 tracker, you would expect that Suwapetha gets updated frequently. And it is, to a point. Keep in mind that this app is developed by a small team and they indeed have their work cut out for them when it comes to making sure that the figures they publish are accurate. For example, it might take a couple of hours or perhaps even longer for Suwapetha to be updated with the latest figures, especially if its taking geospatial data into view. As some consolation, the app does provide the last time that it was updated so thats something.

All things considered, Suwapetha is indeed a step in the right direction to keep yourself aware of whats going on around you. It should be noted that Suwapetha is only to be used as a reference and information portal. The last thing we need is someone causing unwanted panic because theres a COVID-19 patient near their location. So if youre prone to anxiety attacks and are overly anxious about the current situation, wed recommend you not install the app, or you can opt to get details from a trusted family member/friend. After all, the purpose of Suwapetha is to keep track of such occurrences and advise the general public on what preventive measures can be taken. At the time of writing, Suwapetha is only available for Android, but it may be available for iOS on a later date.
4-Year-Old Indiana Girl Nearly Dies From Oxygen Loss Due to Infection From Lice, Mother Charged: Officials

An Indiana mother was charged after doctors said her daughters lice infection was so severe she almost died, according to officials.

Shyanne Nicole Singh, 26, was arrested and charged after her 4-year-old girl ended up in the hospital in critical condition last week, said the Scottsburg City Police Department in charging documents. Those documents noted that the Indiana Department of Child Services contacted authorities after the girl was taken to the hospital with a lice infestation that was a near fatality due to low hemoglobin levels, reported the Lexington Herald Ledger.

Hospital staff said the girls levels of hemoglobinwhich the Mayo Clinic says is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to your bodys organs and tissues and transports carbon dioxide from your organs and tissues back to your lungswas the lowest theyve seen, court documents said, according to the paper.

The girl already received four blood transfusions due to her condition, hospital officials said.

The child, who was not named, also could not walk, officials told WISH-TV.

According to the report, Singhs other child was sent home from school due to lice in March and had 30 unexcused absences.

The grandmother of the girls said that Singh had called her to take the children because she could not care for them and one of the girls couldnt walk and she would have to teach her to walk again, court documents cited by WISH-TV said.

Singh appeared on May 7 for an initial hearing before a judge. She was appointed a public defender.
Biden Admin Not Moving Fast Enough to Counter CCP: Gordon Chang

The Biden administration needs to move faster to launch a comprehensive campaign to counter threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to China expert Gordon Chang.

On the whole, the administration is moving in the right direction, Chang told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program. But were not moving fast enough.

This is dangerous, Chang said, because what China is doing can bring down our system.

We are not adopting the right posture with the right tools fast enough.

After more than three months into President Joe Bidens term, many key China policies initiated by the Trump administration are still under review, to use the White Houses terminology.

According to Chang, some of the policies enacted by Biden so far have been atrocious in relation to dealing with the regime, while others have been really good. The positive developments included U.S. sanctions on Chinese supercomputing companies, he said.

But one measure Chang took issue with was Bidens executive action in January aimed to combat racism and xenophobia toward Asian Americans amid the pandemic. The measure was partly enacted in response to then-President Donald Trump using the term China virus to describe the CCP virus, which originated in Wuhan, China. The memorandum directed federal agencies to ensure that language used does not exhibit or contribute to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Bidens action echoed a CCP narrative that claimed that using the term China virus or Wuhan virus fuels a rise in discrimination and violence toward overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese populations, Chang said. This narrative was propagated as part of the regimes bid to deflect attention away from its coverup of the early outbreak, as well as the possibility that the virus leaked from a lab in Wuhan.

The president of the United States should not be repeating what China is saying, especially because what China is saying is not correct, Chang said. So I find that horrible.

Chang decried Bidens suspension of Trumps executive order of May 2020, which paved the way to keep grid operators and utilities from buying equipment from countries deemed to pose a risk to U.S national security. On Jan. 20, Biden suspended Trumps order for 90 days while asking the energy secretary and director of the White Houses Office of Management and Budget to jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued.

I can understand he wants to review Trump policy  but at least he should have left the protections in place while he conducted that review, Chang said.

China has been probing our critical infrastructure, he said. They could do  in the U.S. what they did in Indias financial capital late last year.

A February New York Times report stated that the power outage in Mumbai, India, on Oct. 12, 2020, was part of a Chinese cyber campaign against India, as the two countries were locked in a fierce border battle. At the time, local authorities said the failure was caused due to technical problems, but an Indian minister said in March that it could have been the result of cyber sabotage, adding that it was being investigated.

Chang said that Biden himself is predisposed to pursue a cooperative relationship with the Chinese regime, but has been forced to adopt a tougher stance due to both Beijings aggressive conduct internationally and American public opinion, which has turned against the regime.

Whats occurring is that Chinas engaging in conduct that nobody can really abide, he said. Its forcing him [Biden] to adopt policies that are more robust.

Chang expressed concern over Bidens personal approach toward the regime and its leader Xi Jinping.

Its just a mystery that Biden has given the Chinese a lot of gifts. He hasnt asked for anything in return, he said. I just dont understand why he would do that.

He was particularly troubled by the way [Biden] speaks in loving terms with his meetings with Xi Jinping.

I dont know why the Chinese leader has some spell over Biden, Chang said.

Biden often brings up his long relationship with Xi when speaking about the Chinese regime. While Biden was vice president, Xi was the regimes vice chair, and thus Bidens counterpart at the time. The two had spent more than 24 hours in private meetings and 17,000 miles traveling together during that time, according to Biden.

In February, Biden said of Xi: I know him well. We spent a lot of time together over the years I was vice president.

Chinese Infiltration

Chang warned about the broadness of the CCPs efforts to infiltrate American politics and society.

Chinas just overwhelmed our society, he said. Theyve overwhelmed the FBI, theyve overwhelmed local law enforcement, local governments.

He raised the example of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, who previously had ties to an alleged CCP spy named Fang Fang, or Christine Fang.

A report by Axios in December 2020 claimed that Fang built up an extensive network of contacts with up-and-coming politicians in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Swalwell. The report stated that Swalwell cut ties with her after investigators gave him a defensive briefing, and that he provided information about her to the FBI.

Chang noted that Fang first contacted Swalwell when he was a councilman for the city of Dublin in California from 2010 to 2012.

That means they probably were just looking at Swalwell on the off-chance that someday he might become valuable to them, he said.

This suggests that theres more than one Eric Swalwell. There could be dozens, there could probably be hundreds of Swalwells, which means that there are dozens and hundreds of Christine Fangs.

Its time to start removing the CCPs influence from American society, Chang said.

They have infiltrated government, theyve infiltrated media, academia, business, you name it.

If its an institution, China has tried to penetrate it.
President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 28, 2021. (Melina Mara/Pool/Getty Images)

Biden Census Pick Santos Recalls Government Slush Fund for National Council of La Raza

Inspired by a racist tract, rebranded nonprofit remains cozy with government

Commentary

Biden pick Robert Santos, a Latinx statistician, is being hailed as the nations first census director of color. If embattled Americans find that puzzling, they might take a look at the Biden picks actual record.

The Texas-born Santos serves as vice president of the Urban Institute, where his specialty areas include undocumented immigrants and other disadvantaged populations. In 2007, Santos co-authored Paying the Price: The Impact of Immigration Raids on Americas Children, a publication (pdf) that was produced for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), an organization with origins that Americans might find troubling.

La Raza derives from La Raza Cosmica (The Cosmic Race) by Mexican educator and politician Jose Vasconcelos. His book contends that the fusion of Spaniards and Indians is a new race, infinitely superior to all that have previously existed.

The author derides the Mongol, with the mystery of his slanted eyes that see everything according to a strange angle. The Asiatic peoples are in decline and exhausted because they are lacking in the necessary boldness for new enterprises.

According to The Cosmic Race, blacks are uglier stocks and part of the inferior races. The black is eager for sensual joy, intoxicated with dances and unbridled lust. Vasconcellos ranks the Indian with inferior species, although they attained a relative degree of civilization because of Spanish conquistadors such as Cortes and Pizarro.

For Vasconcelos, the mestizo, the Indian, and even the black are superior to the white in a countless number of properly spiritual capacities. According to The Cosmic Race, American children descended from Scandinavians, Dutch, and English are much slower, and almost dull, compared with the mestizo children and youth from the south.

Their superior raza cosmica is replacing the inferior black, white, Indian, and Mongol races.

As Mexican American communist Bert Corona explained in Memoirs of Chicano History, Vasconcelos became a fascist and his racial theory was close to the kind of German racial superiority theory supported by Hitler. True to form, during World War II, Vasconcelos edited Timon, a German magazine that promoted the Nazi agenda.

La Raza Cosmica never caught on in South America but in 1979, it was republished by the Chicano Studies department at Cal StateLos Angeles, a public university supported by taxpayer dollars. La Raza Cosmica was also the basis for the National Council of La Raza, whose executives gained powerful positions in government.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner John Sanders attends a Police Week event in Washington on May 16, 2019. (Donna Burton/CBP/Handout via Reuters)

For example, National Council of La Raza Senior Vice President Cecilia Munoz became director of domestic policy for the Obama administration. Munoz played a role in drafting an immigration bill that included a $300 million slush fund for left-wing nonprofits.

Munoz told PBS that even if the immigration law is executed with perfection, there will be parents separated from their children. So the separation policy was intentional, and it turned out to be very profitable for the politically connected. Southwest Key, staffed by National Council of La Raza members Juan Sanchez and Anselmo Villareal, took in approximately $500 million in federal contracts to house immigrant children.

KXAN of Austin reported that Southwest Key had received $995 million in federal funds and had more than 200 violations at its facilities. According to CNN, Sanchez was bagging $1.47 million a year, which makes him one of the highest-paid charity CEOs in the country.

In July 2017, the National Council of La Raza changed its name to UnidosUS. Media reports contained little if any reference to La Raza Cosmica, although NBC News noted that the organization began as the Southwest Council of La Raza until it became a national organization in 1972. It was still the National Council of La Raza in 2007 when Robert Santos co-authored the report for the organization.

The name change cant obscure the reality that the National Council of La Raza, inspired by a racial supremacist, is perhaps the most blatantly racist organization in the United States. Even so, the federal government hired razaist bosses and gave razaist cronies millions of dollars to house illegals.

Young unaccompanied migrants, from ages 3 to 9, watch television inside a playpen at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, in Donna, Texas, on March 30, 2021. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP Photo)

Whatever it chooses to call itself, a ballpark figure for the amount of taxpayer funds this group should receive is zero. As the basis for Chicano Studies at public universities, La Raza Cosmica serves as an example of institutional racism. This vile book should have no place in college or high school curricula.

Legislators and media might want to question Santos about his views on razaist dogma. Legitimate citizens and legal immigrants might wonder if a specialist in undocumented immigrants is the right call for director of the Census Bureau.

President Joe Biden is on record that illegals are already Americans. So for Biden and his chosen Census boss, the rule of law, due process, and the border itself have little meaning.

Lloyd Billingsley is the author of Yes I Con: United Fakes of America, Barack em Up: A Literary Investigation, Hollywood Party, and other books. His articles have appeared in many publications, including Frontpage Magazine, City Journal, The Wall Street Journal, and American Greatness. Billingsley serves as a policy fellow with the Independent Institute.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A Colorado Springs police officer goes to help a person who was in a different mobile home to be able to get to her car from behind the crime tape in Colorado Springs, Colo., on May 9, 2021. A gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Colorado, slaying six adults before killing himself Sunday. (Jerilee Bennett/The Colorado Springs Gazette via AP)

Colorado Birthday Party Mass Shooting Leaves 7 Dead: Police

At least seven people were killed, including a suspected gunman, during a birthday party over the weekend in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Colorado Springs Police said in a news release Sunday that a suspect drove to the party, located inside a mobile home community, and entered the residence before shooting at around 12:18 a.m. Sunday morning. Officials said that the suspect, who wasnt named, is believed to be the boyfriend of one of the victims.

This is something you hope never happens in your own community, in the place that you call home, Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said. When these types of unspeakable acts happen, there is nothing that can be done to fully rebuild what was lost or replace those who are no longer with us.

Authorities believe the gunman also took his own life following the shooting.

Officials said that there were children attending the party who were not injured. Police said the children are now with family members, according to a police news release.

Today we find ourselves mourning the loss of lives and praying solemnly for those who were injured and those who lost family members in a senseless act of violence on Sunday morning, said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers in a statement. We think too of the emergency personnel who responded to a horrific scene and we keep them in our prayers today. We ask the publics patience with the investigation and we seek the sensitivity of our media partners as CSPD completes a thorough investigation to provide answers to the families and friends impacted by this tragedy.

The names of the victims and the suspect will be released at a later date by the local coroners office, officials said.

Anyone who has information about the shooting can call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000 or Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.

The latest shooting in Colorado is sure to prompt calls for new gun-control legislation at the state and federal level.

Several weeks ago, a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, killing 10 people. After that incident, as well as a mass shooting incident in Atlanta, President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress issued a series of gun-control proposals, while the House of Representatives passed two gun background check laws.

Colorado Democrats in the state Legislature also introduced three new gun-control measures in May, including a bill that would require licensed gun dealers to obtain approval from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on whether a background check is complete before a firearm can be transferred.

One bill would rescind a state law prohibiting a local government from imposing bans on selling, purchasing, or possession of a firearm; and another bill would create a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention to coordinate and promote effective efforts to reduce gun violence and related traumas and promote research regarding causes of, and evidence-based responses to, gun violence.
Californias Move to Release 76,000 Prisoners Early Sparks Concern | Col. Gary GI Wilson & Gene James

The potential release of 76,000 inmates from California state prisons is sparking concerns up and down the state.

Two criminal justice professors at Palomar CollegeColonel Gary GI Wilson, a retired Marine with over 30 years of military service, and Gene James, San Clemente City councilman, 20-year Army veteran, and former leader of Crime Stoppers of San Diego Countydiscuss the prison reform in California.

California Insider is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube, Rumble, Youmaker, and The Epoch Times website. It also airs on cable on NTD America. Find out where you can watch us on TV.
Pastor Artur Pawlowski moments after he drove police on a COVID-19 check out of his church in Calgary, Canada, on April 3, 2021. (Screenshot YouTube via The Epoch Times)

Canadian Preacher Artur Pawlowski Arrested, Charged After Allegedly Defying Public Health Orders

Officials in Calgary, Canada, said they arrested Artur Pawlowski, a street preacher who allegedly defied local lockdowns, over the weekend.

Earlier today, police arrested two organizers of a church service who were in violation of a new court order obtained by Alberta Health Services (AHS) in relation to mandatory compliance of public health orders for gatherings, said the Calgary Police Service in a statement on Saturday.

His brother, David Pawlowski, was also taken into police custody.

Both were charged with allegedly organizing an illegal in-person gathering as well as requesting, inciting or inviting others to join them, according to police.

The force said that Albertas provincial government obtained a bench order from a court that applies to protests, demonstrations and rallies that imposes new restrictions on organizers of protests and demonstrations requiring compliance with public health orders including masking, physical distancing and attendance limits.

It is important to understand that law enforcement recognizes peoples desire to participate in faith-based gatherings as well as the right to protest. However, as we find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic, we all must comply with public health orders in order to ensure everyones safety and wellbeing, the police service added.

A video uploaded on Twitter that appeared to show his arrest on a highway included Pawlowskis voice: If you are watching this video, it means that they have successfully arrested me. It included a link to a crowdfunding website for his legal defense.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pawlowski brothers have held gatherings and have denied officials entry into their church located in Dover, Calgary, according to reports.

Pawlowski drew headlines several weeks ago after he compared police with the Nazi Gestapo paramilitary forces and fascists.

And they did it again! Today, the Gestapo Attacked our Church Again! History is being repeated in front of our eyes! Another sad day for Freedom and democracy! Pawlowski wrote on April 24.

Before that, in a viral clip, he was seen in a video telling officers: I do not cooperate with Gestapo!

Im not interested in any word that you have to say. I do not cooperate with Gestapo, I do not talk to the Nazis, Pawlowski told officers on Easter Sunday weekend, adding, Brown shirts of Adolf Hitler. You are Nazi, Gestapo, communist, fascists! I do not cooperate with Nazis!

On April 3, Pawlowski was fined $1,200 for allegedly holding a public gathering of more than 15 people at his Street Church, in violation of COVID-19 health orders.

Pawlowski, who emigrated from Poland to Canada in the 1990s, told Fox News in April that Canadian police are engaging in Soviet-like activity during the pandemic. He has also been fined repeatedly for violating public health orders by holding church services.

I grew up under a communist dictatorship behind the Iron Curtain, under the boot of the Soviets, and Im telling you thats no fun at all. It was a disaster, he said in the interview. So, it was like a flashback when those police officers showed up at my church. Everything kind of came back to life from my childhood, and the only thing I could do is to fend off the wolves as a shepherd, and I used my voice to get rid of them, Pawlowski added.
Capitol police officers stand outside of fencing that was installed around the exterior of the Capitol grounds, in Washington on Jan. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

US Capitol Breach Defense Lawyers Receiving Tours of Building From Police

Attorneys defending suspects who have been charged with offenses related to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach are receiving crime scene tours of the building in May and June.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole made the disclosure in a court filing (pdf) in late April in a case for one of the defendants. The letter states that the U.S. Capitol Police have arranged five crime scene tours of the Capitol beginning on May 3, with the last tour scheduled for June 4.

Among the sites included in the tour are House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) office; the Speakers Lobby, outside of which Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer; the House and Senate chambers; and the Rotunda. The U.S. Capitol is still currently closed to visitors because of COVID-19 measures.

The tours are restricted to the defense lawyers, and recordings and photographs arent permitted, according to Cole.

The first tour was conducted by Capitol Police Inspector Thomas Loyd and attended by dozens of defense attorneys, CNN reported. The tours will help the defense attorneys to gather evidence for their cases.

More than 400 defendants were charged in relation to the breach. A majority of cases are related to entering a restricted building, obstruction of an official proceeding, and civil disorder, according to the Justice Department. Federal authorities are still looking for suspects connected to the breach.

Earlier this month, the DOJ announced that authorities had arrested a member of the Wisconsin National Guard and his friend for alleged participation in the incident.

The soldier, Abram Markofski, is facing four charges related to the protests, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Open Doors opens maiden Regional Forum Text and pics by Susitha Fernando Locarno Film Festivals Focus on Asia View(s): View(s):

Switzerlands prestigious Locarno Film Festivals Open Doors, an initiative to lead independent filmmakers from Asia to international heights, will launch its first Regional Forum via online from May 27 to 29.

Open to South Asian, Southeast Asian and Mongolian film professionals, the project will give priority to those coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The forum will create opportunities for daily sessions with regional and International professionals of the film industry, get the chance to interact with them and with peers from the regions. Open Doors runs under the label of Locarno Pro, the reference for industry professionals at Locarno Film Festival.

Over 2016-2018 Sri Lanka along with three other South Asian countries Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Maldives, received focus at Locarnos Open Doors Lab, a co-production, sales and networking forum targeting South Asian film industries, movies and filmmakers.

From 2019 to 2021 Open Doors has been exploring cinema in Southeast Asia and Mongolia via a co-production platform, a producers Lab and a non-competitive screening section taking place in August, plus year-round activities including Consultancy services and a knowledge-sharing platform.

Speaking about Open Doors Programme which opened window of opportunities for many new talents, its head Sophie Bourdon in an interview told media that the Open Doors section of Locarno Festival together with its partner, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), intended to spotlight filmmaking talents from the focused regions South and South East Asia , towards the audience as well as towards international film professionals; and to better connect the filmmakers with international film professionals, to possibly increase working collaborations on future films. In order to achieve this objective, Open Doors has been developing different activities; The Hub and the Lab for professionals, and the Open Doors Screenings for the public, as a window onto the cinematography of the focused region.

Sophie has said that the project focused on two areas; professional training activity (the Lab) designed for proactive producers in the yearly-focused countries to increase their entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of the international marketplace, and a business platform (the Hub) to introduce new feature-length film projects from South Asian countries to the international decision makers.

The purpose of the Lab is to introduce professionals from the respective regions and work internationally. Our goal is to give tools to the participants to better sense how to approach the international market. The programme was a 5-day journey combining individual consultancies, group tutorials and talks on several subjects relating to storytelling, international film financing and distribution, festival and marketing strategies within and across Asia and Europe. We hope to bring the emerging producers creative and business inspiration to strengthen the independent film industry in their own countries while reinforcing their visibility and commercial prospects abroad.

A number of Sri Lankan filmmakers and young and upcoming filmmakers had been features at the Open Doors of the Locarno Film Festival.

In 2015, at the 68th Locarno Film Festival Vimukthi Jayasundaras Sulanga Gini Aran (Dark in the White Light) competed at the International Competition. In 2017 Sanjeewa Pushpakumaras film Devena Vihagun was featured at the festival and in the following year, 2018 he won Open doors Grant for his film project Amma-Mother. The Open Doors Jury conferred the 15000 Swiss Frank grant for production support. The grant was awarded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) by the City of Bellinzona by the Swiss fund for production support Visions Sub EST. The festival also features Jude Ratnams Demons in Paradise and Prasanna Vithanage, Asoka Handagama and Vimukthi Jayasundaras joint film venture Thundenek (Her. Him. The Other) at the 71st Locarno Film Festival.

Young film producer Sumudu Malalagama was awarded the Open Doors  TorinoFilmLab Award. The award offered a grant allowing the winner to take part in the TFL Meeting Event in Turin in November that year, as part of a group of non-European producers, under the label Up and Coming.

Open Doors team heads Sophie Bourdon while Sarah Schiesser is the Deputy Head. Open Doors Community Coordinator is Zsuzsi Bankuti while Clara Kiskanc is Open Doors Community Junior Manager. Renowned film critics and specialist in Asian cinema Paolo Bertolin is the Artistic Consultant of Open Doors while Open Doors Young Talents Consultant and Programmer is Delphine Jeanneret and Open Doors Lab Head of Studies is Hayet Benkara.
Championing Americas First Freedom

Commentary

The right to worship freely is often called Americas first freedom. Our founding fathers understood religious freedom not as the states creation but as an unalienable right from God.

This universal right is enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Today, however, religious freedom is threatened or restricted entirely for millions of people around the world. Over 80 percent of the worlds population lives in countries with high or severe restrictions on religious freedom. In far too many places across the globe, governments and others prevent individuals from living in accordance with their beliefs.

Recent reports by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) found that violations against religious freedom around the world are ongoing and widespread.

For example, USCIRFs Annual 2021 Report recommended to the U.S. State Department that 14 countries receive its most severe designation, country of particular concern (CPC), because of their respective governments engagement or toleration of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations against religious freedom. These countries included: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, India, Russia, Syria, Vietnam, and Nigeria.

Further, ACN recently concluded, During the period under review, there has been a significant increase in the severity of religiously-motivated persecution and oppression. It found that in total, severe violations of religious freedom are taking place in 62 countries around the world.

Concerningly, the report authors wrote that some of the worst offenders are from some of the worlds most populous countries. For example, in China, the worlds most populated country with 1.4 billion people, the Chinese Communist Party is committing genocide in Xinjiang against Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities.

Moreover, USCIRF and ACN reported that in some countries, the COVID-19 pandemic was exploited to blame, target, and discriminate against minority religious communities, in some cases denying them access to food and medical aid.

As these reports have shown, the denial of religious freedom is not an issue that is unique to any one country or group. Rather, it is a global challenge that requires strong leadership, bold action, and an unwavering commitment to overcome.

During his tenure, President Donald J. Trump was a champion for religious freedom. In June of 2020, he signed an Executive Order on Advancing International Religious Freedom. This executive order defined international religious freedom as a moral and national security imperative. It ensured that $50 million per year be allocated for programs that advance international religious freedom and required international religious freedom training for U.S. federal officials.

The Trump administration also launched the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, a group of 32 countries committed to protecting religious freedom or belief.

Moreover, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted two Ministerials to Advance Religious Freedom in 2018 and 2019, bringing together leaders from around the world to promote and protect religious freedom.

While I served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 20172021, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See worked diligently with our partners and allies to advance and defend religious freedom.

As religious persecution and repression continue to be widespread, protecting international religious freedom should remain a U.S. foreign policy priority. The Biden administration should build upon the work of the Trump administration to defend this fundamental human right.

From Gingrich360.com.

Callista Louise Gingrich is a businesswoman, author, documentary film producer, and diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 2017 to 2021.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
People walk through an alley near Houhai lake in Beijing, China, on May 4, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

China Expected to Release Results of Once-in-a-Decade Census on May 11

BEIJINGChina is expected to release the results of its once-in-a-decade census conducted late last year on May 11, according to a notice from the State Council Information Office.

Officials from the census and statistics bureaus will brief the media on the census results on May 11, the State Council Information Office said in a notice on Sunday.

The National Bureau of Statistics said previously that the results would be released at a media briefing scheduled for early April. It later said the announcement had been delayed, as more preparatory work needed to be done.

People walk in a street during morning rush hour in Beijing, China, on Nov. 3, 2020. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)
Type 001A, China's second aircraft carrier, is transferred from the dry dock into the water during a launch ceremony at Dalian shipyard in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on April 26, 2017. China has launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier, state media said on April 26, as the country seeks to transform its navy into a force capable of projecting power onto the high seas. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas Naval Power Threatens Americas National Security, Does Anyone Really Care?

Commentary

In the first four months of 2021, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) demonstrated its continuing efforts and growing ability to dominate the high seas of the Western Pacific and, in the process, to negate the power and influence of the U.S. Navy. This change in the balance of naval power hasnt only destabilized the region, but threatens the safety and security of the average Americanand anyone else who doesnt want to live under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party.

On one day alone, April 23the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the PRCs navythe self-proclaimed PRC helmsman Xi Jinping oversaw the commissioning of three new Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) combatantstwo warships and a submarineat its naval base on Hainan Island.

As noted by the PLA Daily, this ceremony contained three firsts: the first time that China top commander conferred flags to three large vessels at the same time; the first time the PLA Navy commissioned three vessels at the same time in the same day; and the first time three surface and underwater vessels were commissioned to the same naval fleet.

The three commissioned naval combatantsthe Dalian, the Hainan, and the Changzheng 18augment the PLANs warfighting capabilities in unique ways.

The 12,000-ton Chinese naval ship (CNS) Dalian (hull 105), a Type 055 guided-missile Renhai-class cruiser, is the most powerful cruiser on the planet today with 112 vertical launch cells for anti-ship and land-attack missiles. The Dalian is the third ship of Renhai-class and the first commissioned to the South Sea Fleetfive more are in varying stages of production and will likely all be commissioned by 2025. The Type 055 cruisers are the shotgun escorts for the PLANs new aircraft carrier strike groups (CSG) and expeditionary strike groups.

Interestingly, Xi also commissioned the 35,00040,000-ton CNS Hainan (hull 31), a Type-075 amphibious assault ship (LHD) that is similar to the U.S. Navys Wasp-class LHD. The PLANs Type 075 LHD will be combined with the 25,000-ton Type 071 amphibious transport dock, and escorted by the Type 055 cruisers, to form the core of the PLANs expeditionary strike groups designed for an island-seizing mission against Taiwan and other island targets.

Lastly, Xi commissioned the PLANs fourth operational Type 094 Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), the Changzheng 18 (hull 421). Armed with 12 x JL-2 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), when on patrol within the waters of the western Pacific Ocean, the Changzheng 18 will provide the Chinese Communist Party a nuclear strike capability against America.

Six Jin-class SSBNs are expected in total, to be followed by the newest PLAN SSBN, the Type 096, which will be equipped with at least 12 x JL-3 ICBMs that will have a range of more than 6,200 miles and be equipped with multiple independent reentry vehicles.

A Great Wall 236 submarine of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, billed by Chinese state media as a new type of conventional submarine, participates in a naval parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Chinas PLA Navy in the sea near Qingdao, in eastern Chinas Shandong Province, on April 23, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP via Getty Images)

As noted by Nicholas J. Myers, president of the War vs Peace Foundation, these three ships are the 12th, 13th, and 14th ships to be commissioned by the PLAN in calendar year 2021, compared to just one for the U.S. Navy (the USS Oakland LCS 24) for the same time period. Yes, 14 to 1, and the United States is only expected to commission seven ships for all of 2021half of what the PLAN has already launched.

This pattern of the PLAN outproducing and commissioning the U.S. Navy has been going on for the past decade. Its why last year, for the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Defense acknowledged the PLAN was the largest navy on the planet. Based on all evidence, the gap between the size of the PLAN and the U.S. Navy is expected to continue to grow throughout the next two decades, by the end of which the size of the PLAN will be some 550 warships and submarines.

Experts in Washington like to dismiss the importance of counting the numbers of warships and submarines. But what the commissioning event on April 23 clearly demonstrates is that the PRC isnt just making more hulls, its also outproducing the U.S. Navy in tonnage (size) of its ships, as well as in the number of battle force missilesarguably the most important metric when it comes to pure naval power.

In addition to increasing its numbers of ships, the PLAN has also been very busy operating its warships at sea. For instance, in early April, for the first time ever, the PLAN dispatched a six-ship CSG to the South China Sea. Led by its first operational aircraft carrier, Liaoning, this deployment was also the first time a Type 055 cruiser had escorted a PLAN aircraft carrier. Before heading into the South China Sea, the Liaoning CSG operated off the east coast of Taiwan, providing another example of the level of effort the PLA will use against Taiwan in an invasion scenario.

Interestingly, following the Liaoning CSGs operations off Taiwan and in the South China Sea, the PLANs second aircraft carrier, Shandong, deployed with its carrier strike group to the South China Sea as well. This back-to-back deployment of PLAN carrier strike groups to the South China Sea demonstrates the commitment and ability of the PLAN to dominate the waters of the First Island Chain and thus drive out the U.S. Navy and reduce the regions trust and confidence in the United States.

There were other displays of PLAN power in the first four months of 2021. For instance, Type 022 fast-attack patrol boats chasing Philippine reporters out of their own waters and amphibious assault exercises across the strait from Taiwan. Given the very public increase in PLAN commissioning, capabilities, and operations, what is most hard to comprehend is the lack of urgency in Washington to address this growing gap in naval power.

Despite two decades of PLAN modernization, U.S. Navy leaders are once again debating what it means for the United States to be a maritime nation, what the role of sea power is in U.S. national security, and what kind of force structure is necessary. While the debates continue and the PLAN keeps growing, one wonders if anyone in Washington really understands the threat or really cares about the urgency of building the United States naval power.

Military aircraft including F/A-18 fighter jets are seen parked on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, the U.S. Navys nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, anchored off the coast in Danang on March 5, 2018. (Linh Pham/AFP via Getty Images)

If everything is infrastructure, as famously stated by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), then will the U.S. Navy get any share of the trillions that are being proposed for spending by this current administration? If not, then it is entirely possible the PLAN, not the U.S. Navy, will be ruling the seven seas before long.

Jim Fanell, a retired U.S. Navy captain, is currently a government fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland, and a former director of intelligence and information operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. His nearly 30-year career as a naval intelligence officer spanned an unprecedented series of afloat and ashore assignments across the Indo-Pacific, specializing in the Peoples Republic of Chinas navy and its operations. A recognized international public speaker and accomplished writer, Fanell also is the creator and manager of the Indo-Pacific Security forum Red Star Rising/Risen.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Disabled Portland Veteran Says Armed Black Lives Matter Agitators Beat, Hospitalized Him

A disabled war veteran in Portland said he was hospitalized for serious injuries after a group of Black Lives Matter (BLM) agitators attacked and beat him last week.

Joe Hall, 53, said that BLM protesters allegedly armed with rifles surrounded his car when he exited his work truck, Fox 12 in Portland reported. Hall said he was driving through the area after finishing a job to his next one, and the crowd stopped his work truck as they blocked the roada common tactic used by the Marxist group.

All of a sudden these agitators come out, screaming, pounding on my truck, Hall told the Fox station, adding that when he tried to drive around the group, he stopped because he thought he hit something with his vehicle.

By this time Ive got five people surrounding my vehicle, AR-15s, AK-47s, Hall, who served in the Marine Corps and Army, recalled. I pulled my .38 out of my right pocket and pointed it at the ground and told them if a weapon points at me again, I will shoot to eliminate the threat.

Hall said that someone then tackled him and grabbed his pistol before the group started kicking and hitting him, according to the station.

Describing his injuries, the veteran said he suffered a partially collapsed left lung along with broken ribs, a broken collarbone, head trauma, and spinal injuries.

It looked like he was face down and then people were kneeling on top of him, a witness told the Fox affiliate.

Social media footage posted last week showed Black Lives Matter and Antifa agitators surrounding vehicles on a road. In one instance, one of the agitators smashed a persons van and held them at gunpoint.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Portland Police Bureau for comment.

Hall, like many other Portland residents, said hes leaving for good.

Im done, Im done working in Portland, Hall told Fox12. Im shutting my business down and Im probably not going to be coming back.

Several weeks ago, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler asked the public to help identify Antifa agitators and demonstrators who engaged in acts of violence.

They want to burn, Wheeler said in a video in late April. They want to bash, like they did to the nonprofit Boys and Girls Club in Northeast. Really they want to intimidate. They want to assault.

Wheeler added: If BLM leaders can show the courage to stand up to this mob, then we all should  Make a stand and take our city back.
EU commissioner for internal market and consumer protection, industry, research and energy Thierry Breton speaks during a press conference following a college meeting to introduce draft legislation on a common EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on March 17, 2021. (John Thys/Pool via Reuters)

EU Has Not yet Ordered More AstraZeneca Vaccines, Says Internal Market Commissioner

PARISThe European Union has not yet made any new orders for AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June when their contract ends, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Sunday.

Breton also said he expected that the costs of the EUs recent order for more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines would be higher than the earlier versions.

The Commission last month launched legal action against AstraZeneca for not respecting its contract for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and for not having a reliable plan to ensure timely deliveries.

We did not renew the order after June. Well see what happens, said Breton, adding that it was a very good vaccine.

Concerns has risen on potential side-effects of the Anglo-Swedish COVID-19 vaccine.

A health worker holds a syringe with the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 at a new vaccination center at the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany, on March 8, 2021. (Tobias Schwarz/various sources/AFP via Getty Images)

Europes medicines regulator said on Friday it is reviewing reports of a rare nerve-degenerating disorder in people who received the shots, a move that comes after it found the vaccine may have caused very rare blood clotting cases.

Breton said an increase in prices for second generation vaccines could be justified by the extra research required and potential changes to industrial equipment.

The European Union signed a new contract with Pfizer-Biontech to receive 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 2021-2023, to cover booster shots, donations and reselling of doses, the European Commission said on Friday.

There may be a little extra cost but I will let the competent authorities unveil it in due course, he told France Inter radio.

By Sybille de La Hamaide
Former President Donald Trump participates in the Salute to the Heroes of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection in the East Room at the White House in Washington on Aug. 20, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Facebook Oversight Board Member Criticizes Indefinite Trump Suspension

A member of Facebooks Oversight Board has criticized the social media platforms indefinite suspension of former President Donald Trumps account, saying the companys rules are problematic.

The quasi-independent Oversight Board last week upheld a ban on the former commander-in-chiefs account due to his comments on Jan. 6.

We gave them a certain amount of time to get their house in order, board member Michael McConnell, a former federal judge, told Fox News. They needed some time because their rules are a shambles. They are not transparent. They are unclear. They are internally inconsistent. So we made a series of recommendations about how to make their rules clearer and more consistent.

Adding that Facebook exercises too much power, McConnell said Trump is subject to the same rules on Facebook as everyone else.

The Oversight Board held that this was in fact a violation and thus Facebook was justified in taking them down, McConnell said May 9. What we did say, though, was that they were not justified in taking him down indefinitely, that they did not provide any reasons for that, that is not a provision in their rules. That was wrong.

Facebook, he added, handed down an arbitrary decision as the board seeks to bring some of the most important principles of the First Amendment, of free expression law globally, into this operation.

The board gave Facebook six months to review Trumps indefinite ban, adding that the company violated its own rules.

After Facebooks decision, Republicans said they would further regulate the Menlo Park, California-based firm and other big tech companies.

Facebook is more interested in acting like a Democrat Super PAC than a platform for free speech and open debate. If they can ban President Trump, all conservative voices could be next. A House Republican majority will rein in Big Tech power over our speech, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) wrote on Twitter on May 5.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) also called for aggressive antitrust reform to end what he described as Facebooks monopoly.

Facebook, Twitter, Google, Amazon, and other tech companies have faced backlash over their decision to ban Trump. Some other critics included German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

I dont like censorship, Lopez Obrador told a news conference in January. I dont like anyone to be censored and for them to have their right taken away to send a message on Twitter or on Facebook.
Film Review of The Father: An Unflinchingly Realistic Look at Dementia

PG-13 | 1h 37min | Drama | 26 February 2021 (USA)

There are some basic issues that we all think about from time to time: our own mortality, the meaning of our existence, what happens after death, and so on. But many of us have also thought about the mortality and decline of the elders we are related to and love dearly.

Questions will eventually arise that concern the care of our elderly loved ones, especially those whose minds begin to erode as time passesmuch like wind blowing away a pile of sand, one grain at a time.

The Father is an incredibly moving story about a once-proud man whose mind is exhibiting signs of dementia. Thankfully, this film doesnt contain cliched filmmaking tropes when it comes to deeply emotional subject matter such as this. You wont see any hazy flashbacks, disorienting camera pans, other vertigo-inducing camera trickery, or overly saturated vignettes. Instead, the unsettling moments come from the gradual loss of one persons grasp of reality.

The film opens with an ever-dutiful daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), paying her father, Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), a visit at his upscale London flat. From the places furnishings, we can see that Anthony has had a life of prestige and importance.

Indeed, as he and his daughter trade quips, we glean that Anthony still has stubborn pride. We also learn that Anne is his primary caregiver. During these opening scenes, we see that although Anthony has some memory lapses, his condition doesnt seem too extreme.

Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is increasingly argumentative with his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), in The Father. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Anne has met a man named Paul (Rufus Sewell), with whom she plans to move away to Paris. Anthony seems surprised by the news, but Anne assures him that she has already discussed the matter with him.

It is also revealed that theyve tried out multiple caregivers for Anthony, but due to the difficulty of handling his stubbornness and mental condition, none have lasted very long. It doesnt help that he keeps telling Anne that the caregivers steal valuable items from him (events that take place only in his altered imagination).

Desperate to find someone who can handle the job, Anne brings in a potential caregiver, Laura (Imogen Poots), to meet Anthony. Here, we see flashes of Anthonys ingratiating charm as he flirts with Laura and even breaks out into dancetelling her that he used to be a famous tap dancer. But as soon as hes delighted Laura, he turns around and becomes hurtful and offensive toward her, embarrassing Anne in the process.

(LR) Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, and Imogen Poots, in The Father. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Due to her concern for Anthonys rapidly declining state, Anne decides to move her father into the apartment she shares with Paul. Paul isnt too pleased with the situation and is unkind to Anthony, especially after downing copious amounts of wine.

Paul feels as though he and Anne should shove Anthony into a care center so that they can move on with their lives together. He backs up his spitefulness by reminding Anne that Anthonys doctor has recommended putting him into a facility.

Rufus Sewell (L) and Anthony Hopkins, in The Father. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Although increasingly saddened by her fathers failing state, Anne remains resolute in her conviction to keep Anthony out of a care facility. It seems as though she would view backing out on Anthony as a betrayal (and probably her own failure). But as Anthony becomes increasingly difficult to manage, will her patience and dedication be able to withstand the mounting pressure?

One of the things thats incredible about this film is how it never quite settles into a comfortable cadence. Although it has some slower moments of beautifully structured dialogue between its phenomenal cast, the filmthrough Anthonys mindshows random characters appearing at the same locations or different ones, at different times, to interact with him. The whole effect gives one a sense of extreme unease because you never really know whats going to happen next.

There are plenty of films about aging, as well as ones about people losing their minds. However, Ive never seen a film as well-acted and unflinchingly realistic as this one, as well as thought-provoking. In the end, I hope The Father inspires people to appreciate their lives (and health) a little more, and also have gratitude for all of the good times they have with their loved ones while theyre still here, both physically and mentally.

The Father

Director: Florian Zeller

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Release Date: Feb. 26, 2021 (USA)

Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5



Ian Kane is a filmmaker and author based out of Los Angeles. To learn more, visit DreamFlightEnt.com or contact him at Twitter.com/ImIanKane
An employee works at a factory of Jiejie Semiconductor Company in Nantong, China, on March 17, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Global Chip Shortage Underscores Need to Diversify US Supply Chain

Chinas Taiwan intimidation and its domestic semiconductor investment threaten US tech sector

Commentary

The continuing global semiconductor shortage has highlighted the United States dependence on a fragile global supply chain of chip manufacturing thats concentrated in Asia.

Amid this environment, Chinas increasingly combative stance against Taiwanalong with its massive domestic investment into chipmakingis a key risk to the security of Americas chip supply.

The worsening global computer chip shortage has been destructive to several industries and hurt consumer pocketbooks.

While some U.S. automakers saw output disrupted late last year due to chip shortages; more recently, they have resumed production, just without certain smart features that require such chips. The domino effect is a lower supply of new cars, which drives up prices. Japans Sony Corp. recently blamed a lack of supply of its PlayStation 5 console on production stoppages due to a shortage of chips.

Supply constraints have hit other home appliancesall driving up consumer pricesdue to chip scarcity.

While several factors have led to the shortage, the key reason is last years semiconductor production stoppage due to the CCP virus pandemic. That supply shock was worsened by pent-up demand from businesses, as consumer spending ramped up globally; the demand is augmented due to consumer products, from toothbrushes to coffee makers, now requiring chips, because of smart features and internet connectivity.

Thats put pressure on the U.S. strategy of mostly outsourcing its chip manufacturing. While the United States is home to several semiconductor companies such as Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Nvidia, these chip designers have outsourced actual production to Asian fabricators or foundries.

The U.S.-based Semiconductor Industry Association estimated that only 12 percent of global production is U.S.-based as of late 2020, compared to almost 40 percent in 1990.

Like most other outsourced products, computer chips are cheaper to produce in Asia. But unlike other manufacturing processes, production cant be easily moved. Its an immensely complicated process and takes tens of billions of dollars of upfront investment.

That is why the worlds biggest chip fabrication company, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), plays such an important role in global chipmaking, and why Chinaand most recently the United Stateshave feverishly invested in chip manufacturing capabilities.

U.S. technology firms such as Apple, Google, AMD, and Amazon rely on Taiwanese contract chipmakers to produce up to 90 percent of their chips, technology analyst Sebastian Hou of Hong Kong-based CLSA told CNBC on April 13.

Such dependence on one country for critical infrastructure is eye-opening. China sees this weakness clearly.

The CCP is desperate to achieve semiconductor independence as soon as feasible. This serves two goals. One is to alleviate the impact of U.S. sanctions against Chinese companies suspected of military links such as Huawei. The other is to gain an upper hand in Chinas ongoing technology competition with the United States; having a domestic supply of quality chips would ensure that products can continue to flow to global markets while the chip shortage cripples competing foreign production.

Beijings Tsinghua University recently set up a dedicated college for training computer chip engineers. Despite government-backed investments in chipmaking plants, China has a shortage of qualified staff to operate these companies.

To close the talent gap, China has been courting semiconductor workers from Taiwan. Shanghai-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), the biggest chip fabricator in China, last year more than quadrupled the salary of its Taiwanese-born CEO, Liang Mong-song, according to the South China Morning Post. SMIC, a key Huawei supplier, was blacklisted by the Trump administration in December 2020.

The semiconductor brain drain from Taiwan to China is indirectly damaging to the United States. It threatens the fabrication capabilities of Taiwan and could affect the quality of its production.

Taiwans Ministry of Labor recently ordered the countrys online job boards to remove all listings uploaded by Chinese employers, to stem the outflow of semiconductor talent to mainland China.

The ministrys notice stated that the development of Chinas semiconductor industry has been adversely affected by the U.S.-China technology war, so Beijing has resorted to stealing technology and poaching talent from Taiwan to build its own semiconductor supply chain, according to the English-language Taipei Times in a May 1 report.

TSMC, Taiwans largest chipmaker and a massive U.S. contract manufacturer, also has a concentration risk within the country. Bloomberg reported that more than 94 percent of TSMCs production capacity is located at three facilities within a 100-mile radius in central Taiwan.

Thats dangerous for the United States if Taiwans security is ever threatened. In recent years, CCP leader Xi Jinping has stepped up threats to invade Taiwan. The rhetoric is matched by an increasing number of Peoples Liberation Army fighter planes that China has recently sent into Taiwans airspace.

If China ever successfully seizes Taiwan or destroys the massive chipmaking factories clustered within that 100-mile radius, the vast majority of Americas computer chip supply chain is at immediate risk. Thats not a favorable position for the United States.

In the Biden administrations $2 trillion infrastructure investment proposal, up to $50 billion is dedicated to domestic chip manufacturing incentives. While critics have pointed to the wastefulness of some portions of the plan, one can certainly argue that $50 billion allocated to chipmaking isnt enough.

In March, Intel Corp.one of the biggest integrated chipmakers in the world and which had been losing ground to Asian manufacturersannounced a $20 billion investment plan for two new facilities in Arizona. Days later, TSMC announced its own $100 billion plan over three years to invest in manufacturing capacity, which is expected to include expansion of its U.S. footprint. South Koreas Samsung had previously committed more than $100 billion over a decade to expand its foundry operations.

It will be a challenging and long journey for them to diversify away (from Taiwan), and thinking about how long it takes for the chip development and cooperation, its going to take a while, CLSAs Hou told CNBC.

For the sake of the U.S. technology sector, diversification efforts should begin as soon as possible.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
India Excludes Chinese Companies From Its 5G Trials

NEW DELHIIndia has decided to proceed with its fifth-generation (5G) wireless network technology and spectrum trials and has invited equipment makers from various nationsexcept China.

Experts say India is keeping Chinese 5G firms such as Huawei and ZTE out of its massive market because of the border dispute last year and because the exclusion will economically hurt Chinese entities.

The Department of Telecommunications of the Indian government on May 4 gave permission to its four telecom service providers (TSP) to conduct trials for the use and applications of 5G technology, according to a release by the Ministry of Communications.

These TSPs have tied up with original equipment manufacturers and technology providers which are Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, and C-DOT. In addition, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. [an Indian company] will also be conducting trials using its own indigenous technology, the ministry said in the release.

S. Chandrashekhar, a visiting professor at Indias National Institute of Advanced Studies with research interests in telecommunications and national security issues in the Indian context, told The Epoch Times in an email that the exclusion of Chinese firms from the 5G trials in India will hurt the companies economically.

India opting out of the Chinese standardI am sure the Chinese knew this was going to happenwould definitely hurt them, Chandrashekhar said. If China would have gotten into the Indian market, the value of Chinas 5G would have grown exponentially, he wrote.

Harsh V. Pant, the director of studies and head of the Strategic Studies program at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, told The Epoch Times over the phone that India was expected to exclude China from the 5G trials because of their turbulent relationship between the two countries.

India remains committed to pursuing a strong line against China. Until early last year, India had indicated that it would be willing to include Chinese companies in the 5G trials, Pant said. But because of the border crisis at Ladakh, Chinas reluctance to address Indias concerns, and its attempts at changing the status quo of the border unilaterally, India decided to fashion its foreign policy accordingly, he said.

This is a part of that posture, and India is increasingly worried about the Chinese involvement in critical sectors in India. Thats what this decision reflects, he said.

Visitors test a 5G virtual reality demonstration at the India Mobile Congress 2018 in New Delhi on Oct. 25, 2018. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

How Network Economics Works

Data, information, and knowledge are going to drive everything in the future world, and everything will get smarter. Success and failure in these products, such as mobile phones and personal computers, are governed by something called network economics, in that such devices and services associated with them have value only when theyre connected, Chandrashekhar said.

The smarter technology involves intelligent sensors, devices, and platforms, and data collection, data processing, data mining, deep learning, AI, and the movement of data, information and knowledge throughout the world (land, sea, air, underwater, space, maybe even the moon and planets)things, people, services, manufacturing, almost everybody and everything will be connected to the internet, he said.

The channels through which this data and information are transferred and exchanged are a critical element of this infrastructure, Chandrashekhar said.

5G is the latest technology to increase the capabilities and capacities for wireless transfer of data, especially between mobile devices to people and things having this capability. It generally provides last-mile connectivity to users and things, he said.

In network economics, the more connections the devices have, the greater their value, however, this value doesnt increase linearly but exponentially with the increase in the number of nodes.

So a network of 100 nodes will be significantly more valuable than a 50-node network. What this means is that companies that establish an initial large presence with a product that has network attributes have a significant economic advantage, Chandrashekhar said.

After the initial forays of companies in 1G, this understanding has led to companies getting together to create a common standard which is then used by all of them to build their own products. But since the platform is the same, all things that go into including software and peripherals become compatiblescale economies come into play depending on the number of nodes in the standardthey compete on the product side but cooperate on the platform side. So competing consortia of companies get together to develop these common standards2G, 3G, and 4G all saw these, he said.

Every new generation has a fresh battle of standards, and the 5G is the latestits expected to transform Indias industrial sectors with an estimated contribution of $450 billion from 2023 to 2040, according to a report (pdf) by Global System for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA).

I think given the way China has gone about dealing with India, it is good to give them the brush-off, Chandrashekhar said.

The Huawei logo at the IFA consumer technology fair, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Berlin on Sept. 3, 2020. (Michele Tantussi/Reuters)

Strategic Implications of 5G in India

5G is a key aspect of economic development, infrastructure, manufacturing, services, agriculture, with both civilian and strategic significance.

Disrupting it is one way of seriously affecting everyday life. Both the hardware and software and the network itself as well as each node is vulnerable. Many strategists think that there are backdoor entries through the hardware and software that can introduce viruses or other malware into networks that could damage critical parts of the national economy, Chandrashekhar said.

Last year, while the debate was still on in India about the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE in the Indian telecommunications network, fears were high particularly about potential threats to the Indian defense sector.

5G will bring enormous benefits to the Indian armed services over the next decade at least. It is widely regarded to be state-of-the-art technology, which will have a bearing on military operations, Kartik Bommakanti, a fellow with the Strategic Studies Program of the ORF, wrote in an analysis late last year.

The government has identified these companies as likely to install trap door or back door technologies that could enable Chinese spy agencies to conduct espionage. These technologies, if installed by Huawei or ZTE, will in all likelihood jeopardize Indias national security, Bommakanti said.

Pant says its for these reasons that India would prefer to work with like-minded countries when it comes to strategic technologies.

Chandrashekhar noted that India doesnt have indigenous 5G capability, and that makes the country vulnerable. He said India should create companies that can compete with the Nokias, Ericssons, or Siemens of the world, and there should be proactive support for that.
Former Classmate Charged in 1995 Murder of Mary Catherine Edwards

A former classmate has been charged in the 26-year-old case of Mary Catherine Edwards, who was raped and murdered in 1995.

Edwards was a teacher who lived alone in Beaumont, Texas. She was last seen on the evening of Jan. 13, 1995. Her parents discovered her body in the bathroom after going to her house to check on her when she didnt respond to phone calls.

Authorities determined she had been sexually assaulted and killed.

A spokesperson from the Beaumont Police Department confirmed to Beaumont Enterprise that the suspect was arrested in Ohio. Court documents obtained by KFDM-TV identified the suspect as 61-year-old Clayton Bernard Foreman who currently lives in Franklin County, Ohio.

Clayton Bernard Foreman, 61, in a booking photo. (Courtesy of Franklin County Sheriffs Office)

Public records show Foreman was taken into custody on April 29 and is awaiting extradition to Texas. The Franklin County Sheriffs Office identified him as a fugitive from Texas for murder.

He was charged for the rape and murder of Edwards, his former high school classmate.

She was also a bridesmaid at the wedding of Foreman and his first wife, Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham told KFDM-TV.

Foreman went to Forest Park High School, now West Brook Senior High School, with Edwards at the same time. He helped organize Forest Park High School reunions and was in charge of the reunion tributes to former classmates who died, the outlet reported, citing former classmates.

DNA evidence helped in solving the cold case.

Authorities said DNA collected from trash at Foremans residence matched DNA taken from Edwards and her home in 1995.

In a similar case, Foreman was charged with rape in 1981 and pleaded guilty to raping a fellow Forest Park High School classmate. He was sentenced to three years of probation in that case.

Beaumont Police Chief Jim Singletary praised the officers from the Robbery-Homicide Unit for cracking the 26-year-old cold case.

They take it personally, and theyll do everything they can, theyll follow the evidence until it runs out, and then maybe let it sit for a while and try some other avenues, he said.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Beaumont Police Department, Franklin County Sheriffs Office, and the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office for comments.
Rendez-Vous with Yasmin and Kumar View(s):

Rendez-Vous with Yasmin and Kumar, a Franco-Sri Lankan talk show was launched by the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka on its YouTube channel on Friday, the April, 30th.

Hosted monthly, this show, as its name suggests, will be a meeting place and highlight Franco-Sri Lankan bilateral ties across the spheres of language, culture, literature, diplomacy, music, art and travel etc through Francophone personalities.

The maiden edition, on 30th April Friday, featured the current Ambassador for France in Sri Lanka Eric Lavertu who explored Franco-Sri Lankan bilateral ties over three centuries from Lieutenant Delanerolle, the French Ambassador to the Court of King Rajasinghe the 2nd, down the years to the French Vice Consul Monsieur Paul Grimblot in 1859, to the present day.

In the pipeline are chats with celebrated film maker and Sri Lankas former Ambassador to France the francophone Sumitra Peries who goes down Memory Lane and recalls watching Roger Vadim shooting And God Created Woman on the streets of St Tropez in the late 1950s with an unknown actress named Brigitte Bardot.

She also recalls how, years later, on one of her many visits to France with husband Lester James, the couple were hosted at the family chateau in Lyon, owned by the Lumiere Brothers, Auguste and Louis, the inventors of the Cinematograph.

A former teacher at the Alliance Francaise Sri Lanka in the 1980s, Bruno Duparc who returns to Colombo after more than three decades as the new Director General of the Alliance Francaise, recalls life in Colombo in the good old days and the current place of the French language in Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the show, Ambassador Lavertu said, The Bonsoir French television programme, hosted by our Embassy, very successfully took France to all corners of Sri Lanka, both in English and in Sinhala, from the mid-1980s, the pre-internet era, to 2010. Im surprised that even to this day, many people still talk about Bonsoir with great nostalgia. In fact the French cancan music is still popular in Sri Lankan minds and evokes memories of great visits to France through this programme. Rendez-Vous is a continuation of that journey but in a different form and in a different space. Im happy to see Yasmin and Kumar continue on that journey. Long live Franco  Sri Lankan bilateral relations.

Yasmin Rajapakse and Kumar de Silva need no introduction to the public of Sri Lanka. They first appeared together thirty five years ago, in 1986, on Bonsoir which they co-hosted for fifteen unbroken years on ITN

The Government of France has decorated the both of them as Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans lOrdre des Arts et Lettres) in recognition of their longstanding contribution to the propagation of the French language and culture in Sri Lanka.

We are delighted to be back together all over again after a lapse of twenty years. We never actually left the French circuit. In fact we were also very happy to be a part of the Board of Directors of the Alliance Francaise de Kotte in Colombo. This show is yet another exciting avatar in our journey in the Franco-Sri Lankan landscape. Technology has changed dramatically, as have lifestyles and viewer tastes. Here we are back, older and greyer, and perhaps wiser, to bring France a little bit more close to Sri Lanka the duo chorus.
Trails across the night sky caused by the fifth deployment of satellites making up the Starlink constellation. (Andreas Moller)

Manmade Satellites Cause Light Pollution in Night Sky, Study Finds

Years ago, if you joined a stargazing party in a rural area, you could admire a dark night sky that was largely free of manmade light pollution.

Those days may be behind us now.

Satellite companies are rushing to launch small satellites into low orbits of Earth to provide fast internet access to remote places. These satellites form artificial mega-constellations that are quickly changing the night sky.

For instance, Elon Musks SpaceX has launched around 1,300 small satellites into space as part of its Starlink internet service, and SpaceX has already gotten permission to launch 12,000 of them. Now, even in the darkest places on Earth, the night sky is contaminated by the trajectories of these small satellites, which can sometimes be seen with the naked eye.

The problem is especially severe for the astronomy community. According to a new paper recently accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the artificial space-borne objects orbiting Earth could raise the overall brightness of the night sky in many parts of the world by more than 10 percent above natural levels.

This would surpass a threshold set over 40 years ago by astronomers to determine whether a location is light polluted.

Our primary motivation was to estimate the potential contribution to night sky brightness from external sources, such as space objects in Earths orbit, Miroslav Kocifaj of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and Comenius University in Slovakia, who led the study, said in a statement. We expected the sky brightness increase would be marginal, if any, but our first theoretical estimates have proved extremely surprising and thus encouraged us to report our results promptly.

The new study was the first one to consider the space objects overall impact on the night sky, according to the statement. Previous research mostly emphasized the effects of individual satellites and space debris affecting astronomers images.

The research team modeled the contribution of space objects to the brightness of the night sky, based on the known distributions of the objects sizes and brightness levels.

The study included both satellites and assorted space debris. Although professional telescopes and sensitive cameras are able to see space objects as individual points of light, low-resolution equipment and the human eye can only see the combined effect of many space objects, according to the statement.

The effect is an increase in the brightness of the night sky, which could obscure the Milky Way and other sights.

Unlike ground-based light pollution, this kind of artificial light in the night sky can be seen across a large part of the Earths surface, John Barentine, Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association and a study co-author, said in the statement. Astronomers build observatories far from city lights to seek dark skies, but this form of light pollution has a much larger geographical reach.

Astronomers have expressed concern about the growing number of manmade objects in the sky, particularly mega-constellations of communications satellites.

As the number of satellites grows, the chance that they will collide with each other or with other objects increases. These collisions produce more debris.

The new research suggests that the night sky will continue to brighten as new satellites are launched. Although SpaceX has recently changed its designs to reduce the brightness of its spacecraft, a sharp increase in the number of space-borne objects could change the appearance of the night sky.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recently presented a report on the impact of the satellites to a subcommittee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), along with some recommendations for reducing the severity of the problem.

Our results imply that many more people than just astronomers stand to lose access to pristine night skies, Barentine added. This paper may really change the nature of that conversation.

The IAU recommendations to the UN say that satellite operators and regulatory agencies that oversee them should consider impacts on astronomy and the night sky and should come up with general guidelines. If the subcommittee endorses the report, it will be sent to a meeting of COPUOS, which may decide to send the recommendations to the member states of the committee.

Its not really a policy agenda, but its sort of a tone, like the world got together, considered this problem, decided it was significant, came up with a series of recommendations to try to minimize it, Barentine told Vox.

Barentine realizes how little power the astronomy community has, Vox reported.

A major problem is the lack of international regulations for how satellites look, Vox stated.

Barentine told Vox that SpaceX is not legally obligated to do a thing in listening to the astronomers concerns.

SpaceX has been willingly working with the astronomy community to try to reduce the problem, but another satellite company might not.

Satellite constellations  strike at the core of humanitys scientific and cultural relation to the night sky, affecting millennia-old sky traditions and cultural practices across all nations around celestial cycles and the night sky, physicists Aparna Venkatesan, James Lowenthal, Parvathy Prem, and Monica Vidaurri wrote in a paper published in Nature Astronomy.
Mount Allison University Signals Its Social Justice Commitments Loud and Clear in the Rima Azar Case

Commentary

Intellectual engagement with the things of the world involves critical discussion. Since critical discussion can require one to hear unpleasant ideas about things that matter deeply to one, intellectual engagement can be threatening. Nonetheless, because universities are places of intellectual engagement, students must expect to feel, every now and then, that what is important to them is under threat.

At least thats how it used to be, more or less. Professors and students expected that they would hear and consider distressing ideas. Nowadays, though, that a student feels some aspect of their identity is not being celebrated by their professor is grounds for that student to complain and for their university to find that the professor has harassed them or discriminated against them.

Rima Azar, a tenured associate professor of psychology at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, blogs as Bambi on Bambis Afkar. Dr. Azar is a recent victim of the doctrine that expressing a view that upsets a student is to harass that student. She has been suspended from her duties as a professor and may not come to campus again until the beginning of December.

Fair and Unfair Treatment

University students should not be subjected to unfair treatment. Any member of a university community who treats a student unfairly should be told to stop it. When telling doesnt work, sanctions might be in order.

Professors, above all, certainly shouldnt be unfair. They should grade the work of each of their students by common and academically sound criteria. They should not favour particular students in the classroom or the hallways. They should also be kind to their students or, at least, not be cruel. While they must be honest and candid in their comments and evaluations, they must not disparage students to their classmates or publicly.

Universities typically have mechanisms by which to address allegations of unfairness. Students who believe their work has not been graded fairly may use a formal grade appeal procedure. Students who believe they are being ignored, mocked or demeaned in class can speak with the department chair or the dean.

What about students who feel unwelcomed or unsafe because of a topic on the syllabus (female genital mutilation, say, or correlations between race and intelligence), or because the professor introduces an upsetting view with regard to that topic, or because the professor endorses that upsetting view? Should they feel they are being treated unfairly?

No. The student has not been treated unfairly even if the view in question strikes at the students identity, and even if the students identity group is protected by human-rights law and the upsetting view is the professors own.

The student is being treated unfairly if the student is not allowed to question or object to the view. But no student is being treated in any way other than as a university student in good standing by being required to hear and consider a view on a topic, no matter how awful or distressing to the student that view is.

Back to the Azar Case

Mount Allison University launched an investigation of Dr. Azar after receiving complaints that she wrongfully discriminated against and harassed Mount Allison students by posting on her blog what they describe as hurtful views, and, perhaps, by having been a little testy in exchanges with a student or two. Student complaints mentioned comments about systemic racism (she said it doesnt exist in Canada), Black Lives Matter (she called them a radical group), transgenderism (she wrote about the J.K. Rowling incident and gender-neutral pronouns), and how peaceful Canada is (compared to her native Lebanon).

A building in Mount Allison University in a file photo. (Steve Smith/Shuttherstock)

Really, thats it. Dr. Azar expressed publicly views a few students didnt like, and she was suspended. (Id add that her views are not objectionable, though I dont think it matters if they were.)

Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated at Mount Allison. Students, faculty, and staff deserve to have a safe place to learn and work, and should not have to avoid any class, activity or person because of their race, gender identity or gender expression, reads a paragraph from the May 4 memo to faculty, staff, and students announcing Dr. Azars suspension.

Similarly, the University has an obligation to provide a mechanism for complaints and students need to feel confident that they can have their concerns addressed, without fear of retaliation. The goal of the Universitys decision yesterday was to reinforce these principles.

The fact is, though, that Dr. Azar treated no one unfairly, neither by harassing them nor by discriminating against them. She simply expressed her views. The announcement does not say why anyone, whatever their race, gender identity, or gender expression, would have to avoid Dr. Azar or her classes. Dr. Azar has not treated, and, indeed, is not alleged to have treated, anyone unfairlyin what at least until yesterday counted as unfair treatment.

Likely enough, Dr. Azars faculty association will grieve Mount Allisons imposition of discipline. If the adjudicator is committed to academic values, the decision will go against the university, and it is quite possible that the adjudicator will be committed to academic values.

Nonetheless, the university will have won, if winning is to limit the intellectual freedom of faculty and students. The reason is that the university will have signalled loud and clear to everyone its commitment to the ends and means of contemporary social justice movements. It will have signalled that it prefers a misguided anti-racism to its proper academic mission.

Having seen what Mount Allison will do to those who utter unapproved views publicly, professors and students will take care not to bring its wrath down on their own heads. Free and fearless inquiry into, for instance, whether Canada is a systemically racist country, will be a thing of the past.

Mark Mercer teaches philosophy in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is president of the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
AFP presents a photo essay of 20 pictures by photographers Hector Retamal taken on April 17, 2020 and by Johannes Eiseles taken on Feb. 23, 2017 of the P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. (Hector Retamal and Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

New Chinese Military Paper on Weaponizing CoronavirusesWest Should Respond With Defensive Decoupling and End to STEM Cooperation With China

Commentary

On May 7, The Australian revealed the existence of a Chinese military paper from 2015 that discusses the weaponization of SARS coronaviruses. COVID-19 is the disease caused by a SARS coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

Given 6.9 million COVID-19 deaths globally and counting, such military-scientific musings are the height of irresponsibility and should be decisively countered through new sanctions against Chinas science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) researchers.

In the paper, Chinese military scientists and senior Chinese public health officials predict that World War III, if it comes, will be decided by new biological weapons. We are no longer in the age of gunpowder or nuclear weapons. The future of war is biological, they argue.

The document is consistent with significant prior evidence of offensive Chinese biowarfare research that can access technologies such as gene-editing and viral gain-of-function (GOF) processes. Chinese military researchers have also shown an interest in bioweapon genetic targeting. A specific ethnic genetic attack technology would be a biological weapon that targets a specific ethnicity. Gene-editing, such as CRISPR technology, could facilitate such targeting.

GOF produces new viruses that are more transmissible and lethal than their progenitors, for example, the use of an avian influenza virus to evolve, in the lab, to a virus that can infect humans. If China can put these technologies together, and has the will to do so, it could design a killer virus that only infects a particular race that China considers to be an enemy.

As recently as June 2020, the U.S. Department of State (DoS) expressed concern (pdf) that China was violating the Biological [and Toxin] Weapons Convention (BWC or BTWC) of 1984 through research into dual-use technologies. In 2005, DoS alleged that China maintains some elements of an offensive [biological weapons] capability in violation of its BTWC obligations. DoS made similar charges in 2010, 2012, and 2014. The 2019 report stated that information indicates that the Peoples Republic of China engaged during the reporting period in biological activities with potential dual-use applications, which raises concerns regarding its compliance with the BWC.

The 2020 report was more specific, about compliance concerns with respect to Chinese military medical institutions toxin research and development because of the potential dual-use applications and their potential as a biological threat, and stated that China had an offensive biological warfare (BW) program from the early 1950s to at least the late 1980s. The report noted that China hadnt acknowledged the BW program, or provided evidence of its dismantling.

The newly discovered Chinese military paper is titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons. Eighteen authors at the highest levels of Chinas military and academic hierarchy wrote the 263-page paper. It was obtained by DoS in May 2020 and independently authenticated by digital forensics specialist Robert Potter. Additional details of the paper will be published in Sharri Marksons September book on the origins of COVID-19, What Really Happened in Wuhan (HarperCollins).

The Chinese military study describes SARS coronaviruses as providing a basis for a new era of genetic weapons, according to its authors, that can be artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponized and unleashed in a way never seen before.

It claims that following developments in other scientific fields, there have been major advances in the delivery of biological agents. It continues, For example, the new-found ability to freeze-dry micro-organisms has made it possible to store biological agents and aerosolize them during attacks.

The P4 laboratory (L) on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on May 27, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The document notes that a sudden flood of patients into hospitals during a biological weapons attack could cause the enemys medical system to collapse.

In the study, the Chinese military examines optimal conditions for the release of a biological weapon.

Bioweapon attacks are best conducted during dawn, dusk, night or cloudy weather because intense sunlight can damage the pathogens, according to the document. Biological agents should be released during dry weather. Rain or snow can cause the aerosol particles to precipitate. A stable wind direction is desirable so that the aerosol can float into the target area.

Analysts are increasingly wary of Chinas biowarfare programs, and potential leakage of U.S. and allied STEM research that could serve as enablers.

Chinese military researchers have closely examined American initiatives and international advancements, which have seemed to inform and inspire the direction of developments underway in China today, according to Elsa Kania at the Center for a New American Security, and consultant Wilson VornDick. So too, at a time when Chinese universities and enterprises are pursuing investment and expanding global research collaborations in such fields, it is important that their foreign partners remain cognizant of the interests and involvements of their counterparts.

For instance, although biomedical research involves numerous promising applications in medicine and therapeutics, there are also reasons for concern about some of the ethical and security externalities of these research engagements.

In another article on the weaponization of biotech, Kania and VornDick warn that the lack of transparency and uncertainty of ethical considerations in Chinas research initiatives raise the risks of technological surprise.

My read: Watch out for a surprise bioattack from China.

Given revelations about the latest Chinese biowarfare paper, along with Chinas criminal behavior related to COVID-19, genocide against the Uyghurs, highly aggressive military stance toward the United States and allies, national strategy of civil-military fusion, dangerous new technologies of gene-targeting, and facile theft of foreign technology, one must conclude that the United States and allies should act more decisively to defend ourselves.

The Chinese military, and the exploding economy from which it acquires strength, both depend upon STEM and trade that they obtain from the United States and allies. Continued STEM cooperation with China should therefore be immediately suspended. Decreasing imports from China would impose a logical consequence, and send a message, by constricting their economy.

Until China demonstrates a significant improvement in its ethics and transparency, cooperation with Chinas STEM academics and business people, including STEM undergraduates, graduate students, professors, and scientists, should be banned by law in the United States, the European Union, Japan, India, Brazil, and among our broader circles of allies.

President Donald Trump signs trade sanctions against China in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on March 22, 2018. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

But if we sanction Chinas STEM, make sure it doesnt simply flow elsewhere, or advance in isolation beyond allied science. Regulation of science in China is generally less demanding, and so Chinas military science could progress at a faster rate than allied science, through for example unethical forms of human experimentation. Note that five clinical trials of CRISPR gene-editing technologies are currently underway at Chinas military hospitals.

STEM sanctions against China should have been implemented in 2005, when DoS first found evidence of an offensive biological weapons capability in violation of the BWC. Continuing to cooperate more than 15 years later, when Chinas STEM research can be used to build offensive biological weapons that likely target the United States and allies, is irresponsible and unethical.

Knowing that Chinas intentions are in part illegal or even genocidal should make those who transfer STEM, willingly or unwillingly, culpable and criminally negligent.

Lets not wait for a surprise bioattack. Shut down Chinas bioweapons programs now, by defensively decoupling from, and thereby minimizing, the countrys STEM infrastructure. Add maximum economic and political pressure, to nudge China toward much-needed democratization. Only when the country democratizes should we allow it back into the international system.

Playing Mr. Nice Guy and tip-toeing around existential threats to America and democracy from genocidal technologies through elision, euphemism, technocratic language, and an illogical belief in political change in Beijing through the self-serving economic and scientific engagement of individuals and corporations, is no longer acceptable. We need the United States and allies to defensively decouple, and quickly.

Anders Corr has a bachelors/masters in political science from Yale University (2001) and a doctorate in government from Harvard University (2008). He is a principal at Corr Analytics Inc., publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, and has conducted extensive research in North America, Europe, and Asia. He authored The Concentration of Power (forthcoming in 2021) and No Trespassing, and edited Great Powers, Grand Strategies.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Ambulances are seen in a file photo in Brooklyn, New York City, on April 2, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

NYPD Investigating After 12-Year-Old Boy Dies After Complaining of Head Pain

The death of a 12-year-old New York City boy is being investigated by police as his family members say that classmates fatally beat him.

Romy Vilsaint, the boy, was complaining of head pain after reports said he was punched at school, officials told local media. He died last week at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn after he was taken by EMS, according to the New York Daily News, citing officials.

Romys father, Romain Vilsaint, said his son was very sick in the hours leading up to his death.

He was a great kid and so smart. He never had any problems with anybody. We love him very much. I dont know what to say, Vilsaint, 59, told the Daily News.

They beat my son in the school. They kill[ed] him, he also said, according to the New York Post. Oh God, I lost my son, I lost my son.

The Medical Examiner told the NY Post Saturday that the boys cause and manner of death were pending further studies, but there is no trauma.

His cousin, Roodwiny Exantus, elaborated on the incident.

He stated that he got jumped by two kids on Wednesday, and on Thursday, he got hit in the back of the head real hard, Exantus told CBS New York. The principal asked the kid why he did that. The kids were like, he got a paid a dollar to do it  He had a severe headache, and he had to spend the rest of the day in the nurses office in the school.

Exantus suggested that the school didnt act in an appropriate manner.

The school called the dad, but he was at work so he didnt pick up the phone, Exantus remarked. To me, they did something wrong. Like, if the kid got hit in the head and he couldnt come back to class and youre told its severe  you dont need to wait for his dads permission, just take him out to the hospital.
The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington on May 7, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Oklahoma Asks Supreme Court to Take Up Abortion Ban Appeal

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter implored the Supreme Court to hear a Mississippi case that could allow states to ban abortions after 15 weeks of gestation.

Hunters remarks came after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, signed a so-called trigger bill April 27 that would automatically outlaw abortion in the state if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, which, in 1973, made abortion lawful throughout the United States.

Hunter, also a Republican, said his office has an interest in getting involved when wayward courts get it wrong on vitally important policy issues, The Oklahoman reported May 9.

My role is to defend laws enacted by the people of Oklahoma and their representatives, he said.

In sum, when lower federal courts get the facts and the law wrong on issues of immense public importance like abortion, and especially when they do so while baselessly smearing state actors who are defending unborn lives and womens health, my office has a strong interest in seeing that those decisions are overturned.

Otherwise, the wayward approach of lower courts could easily spread to other circuits and states, threatening our laws, which is why nearly 20 states joined the (Mississippi case) amicus brief.

Hunter was referring to the amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court brief, filed with the Supreme Court by 18 states including Oklahoma in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, court file 19-1392.

The case was filed with the Supreme Court in April 2020. The justices have failed so far to decide what to do with the case. Court records indicate the case has been considered at 12 of the justices weekly conferences so far in 2021.

The other 17 states are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

The federal district court that found against Mississippi excoriated state lawmakers for passing the law in question, H.B. 1510, in its ruling.

The Mississippi Legislatures professed interest in womens health is pure gaslighting.  No, legislation like H.B. 1510 is closer to the old Mississippithe Mississippi bent on controlling women and minorities. The Mississippi that, just a few decades ago, barred women from serving on juries so they may continue their service as mothers, wives, and homemakers, a reference to a Mississippi legal precedent from 1966.

The Mississippi that, in Fannie Lou Hamers reporting, sterilized six out of ten black women in Sunflower County at the local hospitalagainst their will.  And the Mississippi that, in the early 1980s, was the last State to ratify the 19th Amendmentthe authority guaranteeing women the right to vote the district court stated.

The amicus brief takes umbrage at the district courts ruling, which tarnished Mississippis abortion regulation as the product of decades-old racism and sexism. States should be able to defend their laws before a fair forum that presumes good faith, not one quick to condemn state legislators, without any evidence, as bigots.

District courts are charged with making fact findings that are relied on by appellate courts. District courts cannot proceed from the assumption that abortion regulations are inherently illegitimate. Nor should they disparage the good faith of lawmakers who value unborn life.

Mississippis petition to the Supreme Court notes that the state enacted H.B. 1510, the Gestational Age Act in 2018, which protects the health of mothers, the dignity of unborn children, and the integrity of the medical profession and society by allowing abortions after 15 weeks gestational age only in medical emergencies or for severe fetal abnormality.

The petition states that surgical abortion after 15 weeks carries inherent medical threats to the mother and the risk of the mother dying is 35 times more likely at 16 to 20 weeks than at 8 weeks, and the relative risk of mortality increases by 38% for each additional week at higher gestations.

It is undisputed in the medical literature that a human fetus develops neural circuitry capable of detecting and responding to pain by 10-12 weeks after the last menstrual period.

At 14-20 weeks, spinothalamic circuitry develops that can support a conscious awareness of pain, the petition states.

During the time period covered by the law, the human fetus is likely capable of conscious pain perception in a manner that becomes increasingly complex over time.

The American Civil Liberties Union said Hunter isnt doing his job.

Tamya Cox-Toure, executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma, told reporters its the attorney generals sworn duty to uphold state and federal law, including most importantly respecting the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Abortion care is still legal across the United States. While we cannot know the outcome of this or any case before the courts, we can affirm that no one is truly free so long as they are unable to make decisions about our own health, our bodies, and our families.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds up information on COVID-19 alert levels during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand on March 21, 2020. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Policy Making Madness: New Zealand Pushes for Collective Bargaining in Radical Labour Law Reform

The New Zealand government on May 7 unveiled a new collective bargaining system marking the biggest reform of the countrys employment laws since the early 1990s. The changes have been met with fierce opposition from the business community, who say the process would be compulsory and against international law.

The plan, called the Fair Pay Agreement (FPA), is built upon Australias modern award system introduced under former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2009 and aims to raise wages by allowing unions to interact with employers to set minimum wage standards across entire industries.

Under the new plan, if 1,000 employeesor 10 percent of the workforcesign up for a fair pay agreement process, nationwide negotiations could be triggered. Any resulting deal would cover all workers in the proposed occupation.

The new system is set to be introduced next year and would bring back what is considered a relic of the 1970s in New Zealand: minimum pay rates and conditions, including penalty rates and overtime across all sectors, which may be higher than the national minimum wage.

It will also boost the institutional power of unions which will be at the center of negotiations even in industries where union coverage is minor.

A view from the Auckland Harbour looking back onto the Ports and through to the City skyline on July 24, 2004. (Sandra Teddy/Getty Images)

New Zealand Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood said the new regulation would ensure that working Kiwis get a fair go.

Fair Pay Agreements will improve wages and conditions for employees, encourage businesses to invest in training, as well as level the playing field so that good employers dont get undercut and disadvantaged, he said in a statement.

Fair Pay Agreements will help good employers by stopping the race to the bottom weve seen in various industries and encourage competition that isnt based on low wages, but on better products, services and innovation.

Opposition Says Compulsory FPA Dangerous

The scheme has met fierce pushback from employer groups. BusinessNZ, New Zealands peak business organisation said compulsory, nationwide agreements should be terminated.

There would be nothing fair about Fair Pay Agreements, BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said.

Any pay deals reached wouldnt be fair because the process is essentially compulsoryemployers would be required to agree to what unions wanted, with compulsory arbitration if they didnt, he said.

Hope said the plan would take away business right to have a say over wage-setting and would introduce a dangerous system that would lead to labour disputes and strikes.

This is against international law, which says collective agreements should always be negotiated voluntarily.

Unions can also initiate an agreement via a public interest test in low-wage sectors such as cleaning and security. The bargaining process will be underway before a new deal is struck if backed by more than 50 percent from both the employers and employees.

If the two parties fail to ratify an agreement twice the Employment Relations Authority will step in and make a binding determination.

Under the new legislation, union members can receive extra wages up to the value of their union fees. Strikes and other industrial action are prohibited during bargaining.

People wait in line on Queen Street before the opening of New Zealands first TopShop and TopMan store on March 12, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

New Zealands Labour Party has argued that the FPAs will contribute to higher pay and productivity, and target businesses that compete by offering the lowest price possible while underpaying their employees.

The Council of Trade Unions, which was given $250,000 a year for three years to establish the new system along with BusinessNZ, praised the decision.

The introduction of Fair Pay Agreements signals the biggest change to workplace laws in several decades, CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.

This is what working people in unions have been campaigning for; a more balanced employment relationship between working people and employersputting people back at the centre of employment.

Meanwhile, Employers and Manufacturing Association head Brett ORiley said the scheme would make businesses less productivewhich could lead to some businesses shutting up shop or hiring less people.

Our concern is that FPAs will result in higher wages, and the solution for businesses will be to cut down their workforce, or in the case of already struggling manufacturers and [small businesses], they may have to shut up shop, ORiley said.

David Seymour, leader of the classical liberal party ACT New Zealand, criticised the FPAs as policy making madness, arguing that one persons pay and conditions should not depend on another persons vote.

If everyones wages get raised regardless of effort, we will stop seeing people striving to work harder, Seymour said. Why bother when youre getting the same amount as someone doing the job to worse standard. Employers will stop taking risks on people who might be less productive.

He added, Making rules for more pay is not sustainable without productivity growth, that doesnt come from complicated union negotiations.
Police tape marks a line outside Rigby Middle School following a shooting there, in Rigby, Idaho, on May 6, 2021. (Natalie Behring/AP Photo)

Teacher Credited With Disarming Sixth-Grade Student Who Shot 3 at School: Father

An eighth-grade teacher in Idaho was credited with disarming a sixth-grade girl who opened fire in a school on May 6, according to the teachers father.

The teacher, Krista Gneiting, was trying to rush a wounded student to safety when she saw the girl with the gun run across the hallway.

So she sat the boy down and told him to be quiet and to be still. And she started walking toward the girl, talking to her very calmly and telling her things would be OK, we just needed to stop and think things through a little bit and just tried to settle her down, her father, Dean Turnblom, told Fox News last week.

Gneiting then got closer to the girl and put her hand up on the girls arm and then just let her [hand] slide down her arm until it got to the gun, Turnblom said. When she touched the gun, the girl let go of the gun, and she took the gun and had her other arm around the girl already kind of hugging her, he said.

Turnblom added that she kept her arms around the child until the authorities arrived.

She says I just kept going and I felt like there was an angel on my shoulder that was telling me what to say and what to do, Turnblom recalled his daughter telling him.

In a Facebook post from an account that appears to belong to Gneiting, she wrote: Thank you. I dont want money, I just appreciate the incredible support of Rigby!!! I love my students so much! It is why I teach!

Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson said the girl shot three people, including two students and a janitor, before the teacher disarmed her.

We dont have a lot of details at this time of why  that is being investigated, Anderson told The Associated Press. Were following all leads.
The Facebook logo is displayed on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken on Dec. 2, 2019. (Johanna Geron/Illustration/Reuters)

The Facebook Oligarchs Betrayal of America

Commentary

The hypocrisy of Facebooks so called internal supreme court decision to uphold former President Donald Trumps ban from the platform is astounding. However, this decision will ultimately help President Trump because it makes him a martyr for standing in defense of constitutional American freedoms.

Every American should take note of this decision. If the Facebook oligarchs can silence someone who served as President of the United States and received nearly 75 million votes, then they can silence anyone.

But to understand the depth of the hypocrisy and anti-Americanism of the Facebook elites, it is more revealing to look at who they are not removing from the platform.

Lets start with the Chinese Communist totalitarian dictatorship. Xinhua News Agencya state-run propaganda outlethas 90.2 million followers on Facebook. The Peoples Daily and the Global Times, which are Chinese Communist Party propaganda outlets, have 86.5 million and 62.9 million followers, respectively. The state-run television network, China Central Television, and its international arm, China Global Television Network, have 49.8 and 116.8 million followers. All of these organizations have been designated by the U.S. State Department as foreign missions.

To Facebook, a former American president is more dangerous than the Chinese Communist dictatorship, which is actively committing genocide and religious persecution, has taken over Hong Kong and threatened Taiwan, and openly says it intends to be the worlds dominant superpower by 2049.

In addition to the Chinese dictatorship, do the Facebook oligarchs think other dictators are less of a threat to America than President Trump? The Movement in Support of Vladimir Putin page has 3.1 million followers. Did Facebook forget that the Russian dictator has amassed troops on the Ukrainian border and just tried to poison his primary political opponent?

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, representing a country where its Congress openly chants death to America, has 883,829 Facebook followers. The corrupt Venezuelan dictator, President Nicolas Maduro, has 1.2 million followers on Facebook. Raul Castros replacement as the leader of Cuban Communist Party, President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, has 24,261 Facebook followers.

Facebooks so-called oversight board decided that a man who got nearly 75 million American votes and was President of the United States is more dangerous that the dictators of China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. We can conclude then that either Facebook is not patriotic, its leadership has no common senseor somehow hostile foreign dictatorships are less threatening to the United States than an elected former president.

Apparently, President Trump is also more unacceptable to the Facebook oligarchs than the group Nation of Islam, which has 81,179 followers. Nation of Islam is led by Louis Farrakhan, a known anti-Semite and preacher of hate.

President Trump is somehow also more dangerous to America than U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, who said if a guilty verdict was not delivered in the Derek Chauvin case, then, We got to stay on the street. And weve got to get more active, weve got to get more confrontational. Weve got to make sure that they know that we mean business. Waters has 375,787 followers on Facebook.

This is just a sample. It is disgusting that Mark Zuckerbergwho was made a billionaire by the freedom found in the United States, who has relied on the stature of this country, and whose business exists because of the freedom of speechwould preside over this phony, dishonest process in order to keep President Trump off of Facebook, while allowing real dictators to post freely.

This should be a national scandal. Zuckerberg and the Facebook oligarchs have violated fundamental American freedoms and betrayed their own country.

The Silicon Valley is looking a lot more like the Silicon Swamphostile to Americans and friendly to dictatorships.

From Gingrich360.com.

Newt Gingrich, a Republican, served as House speaker from 1995 to 1999 and ran as a presidential candidate in 2012.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
New York City police officers stand guard after a shooting incident in Times Square, New York City, on May 8, 2021. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Three People, Including a 4-Year-Old Girl, Shot in Times Square

WASHINGTONThree people including a four-year-old girl were shot in New York Citys Times Square after gunfire broke out in a dispute that they were apparently not involved in, the citys top police official said Saturday.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said a family from Brooklyn had brought the child to Times Square to buy toys. Shea told reporters gathered at Times Square that she and the two other victimsa 23-year-old female tourist from Rhode Island and a 43-year-old woman from New Jerseydid not appear related to one another or to the shooting itself.

It appears that all three are innocent bystanders, Shea said.

A man, whom police says is connected to a shooting near West 44th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, on May 8, 2021, is seen in this still image taken from a surveillance footage. (@NYPDDetectives/via Reuters)

Shea said police had one person of interest that they were seeking information from but no indication yet as to the context of the dispute, which he said broke out between two to four people just before 5 p.m.

Shea did not provide details on the conditions of the victims but said that the 4-year-old and 23-year-old were shot in the leg; he said the 43-year-old was shot in the foot.
Theyve got sustainability on their mind By Ruqyyaha Deane The Design Collective (TDC), founders Binu Wickramasinghe and Shahili Gomes launch the Sustainable Edit View(s): View(s):

With the goal of bringing together brands that have a common cause, looking at what is happening in the world and around them and the emerging fashion revolution, co-founders of The Design Collective (TDC), Binu Wickramasinghe and Shahili Gomes last month launched the Sustainable Edit.

The Sustainable Edit is a space dedicated to select brands that champion change within the fashion industry supply chain, and comply with the six core principles of sustainability identified by the Design Collective team.

The Sustainable Edit has been something that we have been wanting to do for sometime now. We wanted to bring a group of designers who want to work in sustainability in some way or the other even if it is just in one aspect of their system to start being more sustainable, says co-founder of The Design Collective (TDC) Binu Wickramasinghe explaining that designers sign up with them with the intention of eventually complying with the six principles of sustainability that have been identified.

Marketing executive Senuri Perera walked us through the six principles that are to reduce chemical usage, waste, use recycled materials, employ local artisans, guarantee fair wages and ensure products are animal-cruelty free. We wanted consumers to understand how a brand is sustainable and we chose these values and matched it with icons so consumers know at a glance how they are sustainable.

Designer Maria Domingos who founded Bubu explained the concept.  Bubu is all about reusing materials after their primary use and for our items we use gunny bags that I saw commonly used in markets of Colombo and recycled them into handbags, she tells us emphasizing that they strive to adhere to a one-bag, zero-waste policy where even the leftover material is converted into purses. The bags and purses are designed in a way that they are very lightweight as the elastic straps take all the weight for you and some of the bags are reversible giving you two bags for the price of one.

The Sustainable Edit at The Design Collective Edit store located at 70, Rosmead Place has brands such as House of Lonali, Sthri by Selyn, Kantala, Ethno, Ileana the label, Nithya, Mint Ceylon, Nakota Tuwa, Pigeon Island, Bubu, Salvage, Satat, Organic source and supply, Sustainablee, Beauty by Rosh, Amilani Perera, Leekoh, Koca by RN, Itr by Kyati Pandi, Bootek, Mala Yoga, DeAnma, NAD, Sangeeta Boochira, Swarang, Summerhouse and Suaroma.
Washington Governor Signs Bill Mandating Critical Race Training in Public Schools

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a bill that incorporates the doctrine of equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism into the training for all K12 educators across the state.

Under Senate Bill 5044 (pdf)which passed the state legislature in Aprilschool districts in Washington must use one of three professional learning days to specifically train all staff in the topics of cultural competency, diversity, equity, or inclusion.

Those topics were among several listed in the bills text: The legislature plans to continue the important work of dismantling institutional racism in public schools and recognizes the importance of increasing equity, diversity, inclusion, antiracism, and cultural competency training throughout the entire public school system by providing training programs for classified staff, certificated instructional staff, certificated administrative staff, superintendents, and school directors that will be provided in an ongoing manner.

Proponents of the bill, according to a state Senate report (pdf), said it would help educators better support those who are immigrants and students of color and that it would make students feel safe, heard, and understood. But opponents have called it a divisive and dangerous bill based on critical race theory (CRT), through which students would be taught to judge others based on the color of their skin.

Some key concepts in the bill, such as equity, systemic racism, and antiracism, are popular among advocates of CRT, an outgrowth from Marxism that views society through the lens of a race-based power struggle.

Equityin contrast to equal opportunityseeks to create equal outcomes by redistributing resources along lines of perceived economic or racial disparities. In the name of equity, New York City replaced the competitive entry exam for its Gifted and Talented programs with a lottery so that more black and Hispanic students could qualify for such classes.

Meanwhile, the idea of antiracism is that one can only be antiracist by actively identifying and confronting perceived racism all the time, in everything, because in a critical race worldview, its impossible for racism to be absent from any situation. According to Boston Universitys Ibram X. Kendi, as explained in his 2019 book How to Be an Antiracist, an antiracist policy is any measure that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups. There is no such thing as a non-racist or race-neutral policy, Kendi writes.

The controversy around critical race training gained more attention in 2020, when President Donald Trump placed a ban on training materials based on divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies in federal workplaces. President Joe Biden rescinded the order, instead issuing an order stating that his administration would pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all.
A man walks out of a Marcs Store in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, on Jan. 8, 2021. (Tony Dejak/AP Photo)

Weak Jobs Report Raises Doubts About Bidens Economic Policies

WASHINGTONU.S. jobs growth for April was far lower than what the market had predicted, adding to worries that excessive stimulus payments could have undesirable side effects in the long term, making the road to recovery rocky.

The April jobs report was the biggest miss on record. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy added 266,000 jobs last month versus an estimate of 1 million. The unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent from 6.0 percent in March.

Some economists believe that the path to full employment could be much longer than expected.

Going forward, U.S. job gains will be somewhat harder as they will depend on organic growth in demand and not just state and local governments easing of business restrictions, Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West in San Francisco, wrote in a report.

The economy is still 8.2 million jobs below pre-COVID levels.

Job gains for March were also revised down to 770,000 from a blockbuster 916,000 additions. The unemployment rate for African Americans rose to 9.7 percent in April, making them the only racial group to experience worsening metrics, according to Economic Policy Institute. Meanwhile, the jobless rate for white workers fell to 5.3 percent.

While President Joe Biden inherited a strong economic recovery, his policies are hurting companies, especially Main Street businesses, critics say.

Business surveys show that the majority of small businesses are facing difficulties in finding workers. According to a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, a record level of small-business owners (44 percent) in April reported that they couldnt fill job openings.

Many entrepreneurs have been complaining for months that they cant compete with the unemployment benefits offered by the federal government.

The Biden administrations new $1.9 trillion stimulus plan extended the weekly unemployment benefit at $300 through Sept. 6. In addition, the bill included a provision that made the first $10,200 in unemployment benefits received in 2020 nontaxable for households earning $150,000 or less.

Nearly 40 percent of workers could make more on unemployment at the $300 level than they would earn by returning to work, according to American Action Forum, a center-right policy institute.

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) accused the White House of being in denial that many businesses are struggling to hire more people.

This is a stunning economic setback, and unequivocal proof that President Biden is sabotaging our jobs recovery with promises of higher taxes and regulation on local businesses that discourage hiring and drive jobs overseas, he wrote in a statement.

Last week, Montana and South Carolina announced that they would end federal pandemic unemployment benefits next month, claiming that these benefits have discouraged people from returning to the workforce and become a drag on the recovery. More states are expected to follow suit.

Yet the response from Democrats has been completely the oppositethey have been calling for more government spending to heal the economy.

In response to the poor jobs report, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement that the evidence is clear that the economy demands urgent action.

Biden, when asked by a reporter whether the enhanced unemployment benefits had had any effect on the weak job numbers, said, No, nothing measurable.

However, prominent liberal economist Paul Krugman explained the problem of generous unemployment benefits in his book Essentials of Economics.

People respond to incentives, Krugman wrote. If unemployment becomes more attractive because of the unemployment benefit, some unemployed workers may no longer try to find a job, or may not try to find one as quickly as they would without the benefit.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledged that business owners are having difficulty in hiring workers.

I dont think that the addition to unemployment compensation is really the factor thats making a difference, she said.

Weve had a very unusual hit to our economy, and the road back is going to be somewhat bumpy. She added that supply bottlenecks and setbacks in various industries caused the slowdown in hiring in April.

Another troubling sign in the jobs report was that 219,000 more women had given up on working or finding a job last month.

Its clear that the flip-flopping by Washington bureaucrats on guidelines for the safe reopening of schools continues to have a direct, negative impact on the advancement of women in the labor force, Patrice Onwuka, director at Independent Womens Forum, said in a statement.

She criticized the Biden administration for caving to pressure from teachers unions.

Some economists also warn that Bidens ambitious plan to increase corporate taxes would prolong the recovery of the economy and the jobs market.

John Taylor, economist and former undersecretary of Treasury under President George W. Bush, told The Epoch Times that the proposals to raise taxes have missed the fact that the tax reform was beneficial before the pandemic and the economic crisis.

According to him, what really jumpstarted the U.S. economy following the financial crisis of 20072008 were the Trump administrations deregulation efforts and the 2017 tax reform.

We just cant lose track of that. I think that should be emphasized more, Taylor said.
Woman Says Her Rescue Cat Helped Save Her Life After Detecting Breast Cancer

An animal lover has hailed her rescue cat a hero after he saved her life by alerting her to undiagnosed breast cancer.

Kate King-Scribbins, 35, from St Paul, Minnesota, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer after finding a lumpthanks to her cat, Oggy, who became obsessed with lying on the left side of her chest.

I look back on the changes in his behavior towards me before my breast cancer diagnosis and I truly believe he was trying to alert me to the dangers growing in my body, Kate said. Oggy had always loved to snuggle up in my arms but he began to snuggle more aggressively than usual, which was odd.

The cat was focusing on Kates chest area and more prominently on her left side for months. Although Kate would direct Oggy to some other place, he wouldnt move and was determined to just lie on the left side of her chest.

This subconsciously prompted Kate to check her breasts and after discovering a lump, she was later diagnosed.

Kate, who was 20 when she rescued Oggy, accepts that some people will be skeptical but thinks people with a close bond to their pets will understand.

I dont blame people who dont believe me but Im not above looking like a crazy cat lady if it means someone else is alerted to a health problem sooner, Kate said.

During her treatment that followed, Kate made sure to watch Oggys behavior closely.

I noted that he continued to act like this throughout chemotherapy, and it wasnt until I had surgery, and the cancer was finally removed, that he stopped focusing on my chest, Kate said.

Grateful to her cat for helping her detect the issue, Kate said: If only I would have realized what he was trying to tell me. I feel if he could talk he would call me stupid and say Ive been trying to tell you about this cancer growing in your breast for months now, please notice it and go get checked out.'

Kate believes she would have caught the issue earlier if only she noticed her cats behavior earlier and listened to him.

After grueling rounds of chemotherapy and a mastectomy, Katewho also had part of her stomach removed in 2019 in a bid to stop cancer from returning after doctors found a rare genetic mutationis now in remission.

Its been a crazy three years, when I heard the words you have cancer my life changed forever, but my husband has been great and I have befriended a lot of cancer survivors. It is good to talk, Kate said. Today I feel pretty good, the stomach removal surgery was pretty huge but Im starting to get my body and life back.

Kate, who has recently returned back to work as a health care fraud investigator, lives with her husband Andy, 37, and their four pets.

The couple have two cats and two dogs, and Kate thanks her pets for their therapeutic help since the start of her cancer battle.

I cant say Im on the other side of cancer, because as all cancer patients know, the effects of ongoing treatments and check-ups, are never ending. I will continue breast cancer treatments for years to come, Kate said.

Cancer is forever a part of my life, and I am ok with that. It has made me who I am today and I am forever grateful to my amazing animals for their emotional support.

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
CHICAGO (AP)  Helmut Jahn, a prominent German architect who designed an Illinois state government building and worked on the design of the FBI headquarters in Washington, was killed when two vehicles struck the bicycle he was riding outside Chicago.

Jahn, 81, was struck Saturday afternoon while riding north on a village street in Campton Hills, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) west of Chicago. Jahn failed to stop at a stop sign at an intersection and was struck by the two vehicles, headed in opposite directions, Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Miller said in a news release.

Jahn was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Authorities say the driver of one of the vehicles that struck Jahn was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

A profile posted on the website of his firm, Jahn, says he was born in Germany in 1940 and graduated from Technische Hochschule in Munich. He moved to Chicago in 1966 to study under legendary architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a creator of modernist architecture, at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Jahn's professional career began in 1967 when he joined CF Murphy Associates, which later became Murphy/Jahn. He worked on several major projects, including Chicagos McCormick Place and the United Airlines terminal at OHare International Airport, which includes a walkway famous for its colorful lighting. He also had a hand in the design of the J Edgar Hoover Building, the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Jahns work internationally includes the Sony Center in Berlin and the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.

Helmut had an exceptional career both for its length and for the consistent quality of the work, Reed Kroloff, dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology's College of Architecture, told the Chicago Tribune on Sunday. At his height, he was one of the most influential architects in the world. Not only formally, but technically. He engaged early on with building-skin technologies that were very advanced. He created buildings of every variety.

One of his more controversial buildings was the James R. Thompson Building, a glass-sheathed, Illinois government office building in Chicagos Loop that opened in 1985. It was put up for sale last week. State officials say the 17-story building is a drain on state finances because its inefficient to operate and in need of hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs.

Jahn taught at the University of Illinois Chicago, Harvard University, Yale University and the Illinois Institute of Technology.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that Campton Hills is west of Chicago.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Saudi Arabia's most prominent womens rights activist was summoned by security officials on Sunday and informed of a supreme court decision that ultimately upholds her initial conviction, relatives told The Associated Press.

The twists and turns of Loujain al-Hathloul's case have drawn international attention and brought focus to a wider crackdown on rights activists and perceived government critics in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Shed been among a group of vocal activists who pushed for greater womens rights and the right of women to drive a car before the ban was lifted in mid-2018.

Al-Hathloul was tried and found guilty in December by an anti-terrorism court on charges related to her activism. She was sentenced to five years and eight months with conditional release.

She was released from prison on Feb. 10 after nearly three years in detention, including stretches of solitary confinement and allegations shed been tortured.

Her release from prison in February, based on time already served, came just weeks after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, who has vowed to reassess the U.S.-Saudi partnership and stand up for human rights. He welcomed the news of her release from prison at the time, describing it as the right thing to do.

On Sunday, her sister, Alia al-Hathloul, told the AP she was asked to report to the office of the Interior Ministrys General Directorate of Investigation, or mabaheth, in the capital, Riyadh. It was not immediately known why shed been summoned.

Hours later, her relatives told the AP and her sister, Lina al-Hathloul, confirmed on Twitter that shed been called in to sign a document informing her of a supreme court decision to uphold the judgement of an appeals' court, which had upheld her initial conviction. They questioned why she was informed of the legal ruling by a security agency.

The terms of her release from prison include a five-year travel ban and three years of probation. Many Saudi prisoners released on charges related to their activism and speech must also sign declarations before leaving prison, vowing to stop tweeting and posting on social media. Some are also routinely summoned for questioning during probation.

In recent days, al-Hathloul has shared posts about a women's rights campaign against sexual harassment in Kuwait, and waded into the sensitive topic of Gulf Arab normalization with Israel. Recently, she wrote that many of her Saudi friends have stopped writing on Twitter altogether.

When is this nightmare going to end?, she wrote. I WANT my friends back!

A number of other women's rights activists remain imprisoned, including Samar Badawi, whose brother Raif Badawi is serving 10 years in prison and was publicly flogged in 2015, and Nassima al-Sada, a rights activist from the Eastern Province.

Saudi activists say Mohammed al-Rabiah, who'd posted on Twitter in support of women's right to drive was sentenced last month to six years in prison. He was detained in the sweep against womens rights activists in May 2018 and thus has already served three years of his sentencing. His charges included seeking to disturb the social fabric", instigating strife and carrying out "foreign agendas that disrupt security and stability."

The rights group that focuses on Saudi human rights cases, known as ALQST, and others who have spoken with his relatives, say al-Rabiah suffered torture while in detention - being held in a small wardrobe for several days, hung upside down by his feet, and beaten unconscious.

His verdict, activists say, points to the continued suppression of rights campaigners by Prince Mohammed. The crown prince, who has been hailed for introducing social and economic reforms, has simultaneously faced international criticism over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 by agents close to him.
On this weeks episode of Segue, Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles weekly radio program exploring the lives and work of the people on campus and beyond, Chancellor Randy Pembrook interviews Ronda Sauget, PhD, executive director of the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois.

This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 9. Listeners can tune into WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound or siue.edu/wsie.

Sauget began serving as executive director in 2015, having previously served as the vice president, president and chair of the Leadership Council. In her current role, she works closely with leaders in business, industry, labor, education and government to address and lead initiatives regarding regional economic development issues.

Earlier in her career, Sauget worked in market intelligence for the 8th District Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, where she conducted numerous monetary public policy analyses, banking industry studies, and business development strategies. She has more than 25 years of experience working across industry sectors and consulting roles in strategic management, market research and executive leadership.

Sauget was previously the president of her firm, Validus Business Strategies LLC, and served as the executive director of Archview Economic Development Corp., attracting millions of dollars in new investment and creating hundreds of regional jobs in southwestern Illinois. She is an SIUE alumna, earning both bachelors and masters in business administration in 1993 and 1998, respectively.

Can you share more about the duties of the Leadership Council? begins Pembrook.

The Leadership Councils mission is to unite the region for growth, explains Sauget. Back in 1983, community leaders at SIUE decided they wanted to form an organization that represented one voice for southwestern Illinois in business, industry, education, labor and government. Bringing all of these factors to the table helps our communities and 9 counties have a voice at the state level.

You have a number of large projects going on, and Id like to talk about how these initiatives serve the Metro East, notes Pembrook. Lets start with the Broadband Initiative.

There has been an immense need during the pandemic for connectivity pathways to allow people to work remotely, access telemedicine and learn online, says Sauget. The architecture that had been set up wasnt able to handle all of that capacity, so the education committee took on that issue to help our communities.

The committee applied for an Illinois Connected Communities grant to identify an action plan for progress toward improved broadband access in the areas of community and economic development, education, civic engagement, and healthcare.

If youre not connected in todays society, its quite difficult to work from home and have e-learning activities for K-12 and higher education, adds Sauget. Not having internet connectivity and broadband is a huge problem. If were going to move ahead with our economic development, we must be better connected.

You mentioned the importance of the emerging workforce earlier, says Pembrook. What do you think of workforce preparation?

Workforce is incredibly important to our business community, answers Sauget. All of the major industry sectors in southwestern Illinois need workforce significantly at all levels. At this point in time, we have many amazing career opportunities available in the business community. To bring new companies here, we must fill those available jobs.

Pre-COVID, you spent much time in K-12 environments talking with students about careers and possible areas they hadnt thought about, says Pembrook. It must be rewarding to reach out to these young students.

We visit all levels in K-12, from reading Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and passing out hard hats to elementary students to getting high school students involved in hands-on demonstrations, responds Sauget. Getting students engaged in technology throughout different fields excites them and influences the classes they take.

We learned that we had to start from a young age to truly bring these career opportunities forward. Its exciting to see the light bulb go off in students when we bring speakers from different industries into the classroom.

Tune in at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 9 to WSIE 88.7 The Sound to hear the entire conversation.
On this weeks episode of Segue, Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles weekly radio program exploring the lives and work of the people on campus and beyond, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD, interviews Ashton Speno, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communications.

This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 2. Listeners can tune into WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound or siue.edu/wsie.

Speno earned a bachelors from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a masters from the University of Delaware, and her doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia, all in communication and media studies. She joined the SIUE faculty in 2017, and her research primarily focuses on issues of gender and sexualization in the media, adolescent experiences with new media technologies, and media effects on attitudes, behaviors, health outcomes and self-concept.

Recently, Speno was awarded the 2021-22 Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award, which recognizes faculty members whose research has the promise of making significant contributions to their fields of study, their respective school or department, and to SIUE in general. The award will support her project entitled, An Examination of the Intersection of Gender and Race in Tween Television Programming.

How did you become interested in communication and media studies? inquires Leonard.

I was the undergraduate student that changed their major six or seven times, says Speno. I made the rounds across the social sciences and found myself in a media in society course, and became fascinated with the how people learn from the media.

My professor discussed how women are sexually objectified across the media, how this impacts the way we think of ourselves as women and how others treat women. I love the abstract thinking associated with the major. We spend a third of our lives with screen media and rarely study it.

Now, Speno teaches a similar entry-level mass communications course at SIUE with the same enthusiasm she had as a student during her lectures.

Was there a pivotal moment in which you realized that you wanted to devote your career to this area? asks Leonard.

I did two internships as an undergrad, but they didnt have the social science element I was searching for, responds Speno. Afterwards, I made an appointment with my advisor who asked me what I enjoy doing, money aside. I told her that I loved our classes and learning, and she helped me apply for graduate school. Im first and foremost a learner, and thats what has kept me coming back for more.

Because of her experience, Speno pushes her students to apply for internship opportunities to learn what they like and dislike about the communications field.

What personal experiences have helped guide your research? asks Leonard.

A main vein running through my research deals with objectification theory, and Im also interested in sexism and gender portrayals, shares Speno. My experience growing up with dance helped me understand objectification. In shows such as Dance Moms, young girls wear skimpy outfits at a young age. Jean Kilbourne calls this adultification, which is also something Ive studied throughout my research.

Spenos experiences with sexism have also helped her understand gender and sexism across mediums. As a pregnant woman, she is currently interested in how motherhood and postpartum celebrity culture impacts thoughts about the self during pregnancy.

Is there a set of questions that have guided your research over the course of your career? inquires Leonard.

My main question is what do young people learn from media? says Speno. Another question that has lingered throughout my research is what are the effects of media sexual objectification on individuals? Finally, I ask what types of media production people are creating and why.

What conclusions have you drawn from your research? asks Leonard.

I have found that girls are underrepresented in tween television programming, and that they are generally portrayed as being more attractive and concerned about their appearance, Speno explains. Girls learn early on that appearance is the most important thing, and that it is appropriate and even desirable for others to comment on their looks. Ive learned that sexual objectification of women and girls is prevalent and has negative effects such as self-objectification and reduced cognitive abilities.

Tune in at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 2, to WSIE 88.7 The Sound to hear the entire conversation.
28,000 community police officers to keep neighbourhood watch By Sandun Jayawardana New State Minister explains their roles: Like village headmen of the past, they will help resolve minor disputes, will be working out of Grama Niladhari offices, will also function as intelligence officers View(s): View(s):

A Community Police contingent of 28,000 is to work out of Grama Niladari offices rather than Police stations to resolve minor neighbourhood disputes and counsel wayward youth before issues escalate into bigger proportions, according to the Governments newest plan to nip local-level problems in the bud.

These community police officers will come under a new State Minister, Dilum Amunugama, who took his oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this week. The state ministry will come under the cabinet Ministry of Public Security.

Mr. Amunugama, who is also State Minister for Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services, Train Compartments and the Motor Car Industry, told the Sunday Times that the men and women of the Community Police Service would be stationed in their own residential areas, play the role of the former Village Headman (Gam Muladani) and even act as Intelligence officers for the State.

As per the Presidents directions, we plan to recruit 28,000 new officers to the police to serve in the Community Police Service. We will assign two officers to each Grama Niladhari (GN) Division. The difference here is that the officers will be assigned to areas where they reside, he explained.

The officers will be based out of offices where the area Grama Niladhari and other local officials work from. They will continue to work in these areas through their first promotion to the rank of Sergeant. However, those who rise to the rank of Sub Inspectors (SI) will thereafter be assigned to other duty stations.

The primary aim of recruiting the new officers is to establish a strong community police service to ensure that complaints related to most minor disputes are resolved at the community police level without complainants going to police stations, State Minister Amunugama noted.

Issues such as minor domestic disputes and scuffles over boundary fences for example, could be taken to the local community police officers without having to go and lodge complaints with the area police station, he said. So many minor complaints are made at police stations and the case files get piled up in courts. Therefore, in such minor disputes, the officers will try to reach a settlement with the parties first, and only if that fails, will there be a complaint made to the station and the matter taken to court.

As the officers will be from the local community, they will have a clear understanding of the issues their community faces, the State Minister pointed out. They will work closely with the local civil defence committees and the communities themselves. I would say their role is closer to a Gam Muladeni (Village Headman), he elaborated.

For example, COVID-19 is a major threat right now; so the officers will have to work with other local authorities to ensure that COVID health guidelines are being followed in their communities. Drugs are also a big problem and community policer officers will be working with the area civil defence committees to prevent the spread of drugs in their areas. The officers will also be useful to the police as a source of genuine intelligence as they would be providing accurate reports on the goings on in their areas.

While the new recruits will have the same powers as normal police officers, a major part of community policing is working with the local community, State Minister Amunugama noted. That means the first response of the officers should not be to arrest anyone who they find to have committed an offence. If the officer knows that a youth is smoking ganja, he should counsel the person and advise him to stop and assist the youth to seek help if he requires.

As such, the State Minister said they would be looking into candidates who have functioned in leadership roles in places such as community organisations, Dhamma Schools and others when recruiting new officers for the community police.

The cabinet paper related to the recruiting of the new officers is being drafted, said Mr Amunugama, adding that he is confident that the recruitment process will begin soon after cabinet approval is granted.
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The Act (the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Positions etc), Act 1988, referred to in part 1 of this piece, it was argued only focuses on the commission of any action or omission by persons without lawful authority. Thus, where an organization has a licence to store waste resulting from production, they are seemingly omitted from the ambit of the Act, but the law failed to take into consideration the inadequate storage or inadequate waste management system by licensed firms or groups.

The above defect is by no means unique to the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Positions etc), Act 1988 as similar oversights or omissions cuts across all others Acts listed above (part one of this pieces).

With this challenge highlighted, there exists, yet, another legislative arrangement in both the petroleum sector and the Niger Delta region that pushes more people of the region into destitution. It is the asymmetrical structure of the nation

Take as an illustration, characteristically, a region in Nigeria such as the Niger Delta houses the crude oil deposits but lacks the constitutional power to sign, monitor or regulate the explorations as the land use act and other mineral laws in Nigeria exclusively vested such powers on the government at the center.

Unfortunately, the government at the centre lacks the interest, plan and the will to develop the regions. Even, in case after case, successive administrations at the centre have at different times and places expressed more interest in promoting/protecting crude oil exploration/production, politicized the environmental protection process with the environment remaining neither prominent on the agenda nor given a symbolic attention or substantial action.

Using the minimum components of the right to a healthy environment-Ogoni community as a baseline, the environmental condition of the coastal communities in the Niger Delta region can best be described as not only deplorable but laced with non-development, poverty and extreme lack of government presence.

As we know, It was in a bid to compel the governments response to glaring environmental injustice mated to the people of Ogoni land and other Niger Delta communities that propelled the Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC) in close collaboration with the New York-based Centre for Economic and Social Rights(CESR) to file a communication (Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC) Vs Nigeria) with suit Number 155/96 before the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights against the Federal Military Government of Nigeria asserting that the wild spread contamination of soil, water and air, the destruction of homes, and the climate of terror visited upon the Ogoni communities constituted a violation of their rights to health, a healthy environment, housing, and food.

As a response to the communication, the Commission in October 2001, gave a well considered rule finding the Federal Republic of Nigeria in violations of 2, 4, 14, 16,18(1),21 and 24 of the African Chapter on Human and Peoples Right (ACHPR), and therefore recommended a total clean up of the polluted Ogoni and other adjourning communities in addition to taking preventive remedial and compensatory measures to improve economic and social outcomes for the Ogoni community.

This brings the piece to the issue of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), a piece of legislation that currently occupies the frontline of the nations political and socioeconomic discourse and presently under consideration by the National Assembly.

The nation needs to pass the Bill to law not for political reasons but because, going by what industry watchers are saying, the Bill if passed to law will engineer development of host communities in ways that entails all-encompassing improvement, brings a process that builds on itself and involves both individuals and social change. Attracts growth and structural change, with some measures of distributive equity, modernization in social and cultural attitudes, foster a degree of transformation and stability, bring an improvement in health and education and an increase in quality of lives and employment of the people.

This claim is more pronounced in sections on community relations provisions such as Section 241 which among other provisions mandates that Settlors (a holder of an interest in a petroleum prospecting licence or petroleum mining lease or a holder of an interest in a licence for midstream petroleum operations, whose area of operations is located in or appurtenant to any community or communities) shall incorporate a trust for the benefit of the host communities for which the settlor is responsible (host community development trust). The constitution of each host community development trust, the bill added, shall provide that the applicable host community development trust fund be used exclusively for the implementation of the applicable host community development plan.

There is also another ingrained way of how the Bill will assist in clearing the Augean Stable in Niger Delta. This has to do with the Prohibition of Gas Flaring in section 104. Going by its provisions, the Bill in a bid to fulfill its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and similar Conventions, demands strict adherence to a gas flaring plan. A licensee or lessee, it explained, producing natural gas is expected to, within 12 months of the effective date; submit a natural gas flare elimination and monetisation plan to the Commission, which shall be prepared in accordance with regulations made by the Commission under this Act. A Licensee or Lessee who fails to adhere to the provision shall pay a penalty prescribed pursuant to the Flare Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulations.

To win, the nation Nigeria must borrow a soul in order to raise a body. They must seek solutions from the countries that are presently doing well in these areas we are facing challenges. As an incentive, it will not be out of place if they seek answers to why and how Lee Kuan Yew, the father of the modern-day Singapore was able to build and efficiently managed a refinery even when it was obvious that the country had no drop of crude oil at that material time? It will also be rewarding in socioeconomic terms if Mr President and his team study what propelled Britain as a nation without a drop of crude oil to build one of the best petroleum training Institutes in the world?

We must also in the interim take seriously the ongoing National Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP), which in the words of the immediate past Minister of state (Petroleum), Dr Ibeh Kachikwu has the prospect to create employment; control pollution of the environment by turning the flared gas into productive use while adding money to the Federal Government Coffers.

Specifically, Nigerians have in different times and places argued that government agency such as the National Oil Spill Detections and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), and its subsidiaries have no business being in Abuja since the chunk of its responsibility is in the Niger Delta region. Another key action that may guarantee a fast-tracked development of the region is the immediate relocation of the headquarters of (both private and government-owned) organizations to the region. it will not only add to a new relationship but soaks up the existing tension.

Finally, though faced with interminable socioeconomic and environmental challenges, the region is troubled but not despondent- a situation that makes it easy for them to be managed and contained if only the federal government via the Niger Delta Ministry could come up with a plan and political will to tackle the challenges as currently faced by the people of the region.
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The Chairman of the Kogi Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Wakili Damina, who was allegedly kidnapped has been released.

Recall that on May 4, 2021. The Nigerian Voice reported of the abduction of Alhaji Wakili Damina in Kogi State.

The state secretary of the association, Mr. Adamu Abubakar told newsmen in Lokoja on Saturday that Damina was released in Abuja late night of May 7.

Adamu said from Daminas account, he was released by men suspected to be from one of the security agencies and not kidnappers as earlier suspected.

He said that Damina arrived at his Chikara home in the Kogi Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday to reunite with his family.

Adamu had announced to newsmen in Lokoja on May 4, that Damina was taken away from his house by eight men dressed in military camouflage.

He said that the men forcefully took him away in a white bus.

He also said that all efforts to get across to him proved abortive as his telephone lines were switched off.

However, the secretary, said that the national body of the association had taken the matter up to ascertain why Damina whisked away in such a manner.

He also said that the group had instructed a lawyer to take the matter up.

Adamu then expressed the gratitude of the association to the state government, police, media, and members of the public for their support and concern during the period.
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Let me start my admonition this week with a usual unusual, an unexplained norm within our political space and leadership sphere. Who amongst us has understood the idea, principle or workings of office holders going to functions late, and then blaring away sirens, racing in breakneck speed, which in not just one case, in that mad rush, their convoys have been responsible for innumerable casualties? Why go late to a meet/function that you were made aware of by your protocol many days beforewhy?

So, in the unusual manner I started, I painfully continue; a certain Mrs Adeola Egbebi, an environmental security guard, collapsed on duty at Oja Oba market in Akure after being reportedly slapped by Dr Doyin Odebowale, the Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Special Duty.

Odebowole allegedly attacked the heavily pregnant worker for not standing up to greet him like her other environmental staff.

The woman had been working since resuming service, and it was time for the environmental protection guards to leave the Erekesan market when the governors SSA Odebowale arrived with his men and began threatening the workers, but Mrs Egbebi was unable to greet him immediately, which enraged the SSA, who gave her a hot slap and she slumped.

The most unfortunate thing is that the SSA didnt even care to take the woman to hospital. It was her colleagues and some good Samaritans that helped us to take her to a private hospital, a source revealed.

Only God in heaven, no let me rather put it in this manner, only the god of men in this clime know how we churn out such characters that occupy leadership spaces. But whyreally why are we like this: who do us like this, it was Ortom and Lalong in the past, Ortom and Bala, and now its Ortom and El-Rufai desecrating public spaces with childlike muttering and uncouth venom. Why are we like these, and such rantings fill public spaces, and we debate about it, are enraged but no one is concerned about a public officer that slaps a pregnant woman.

What kind of education, what system is responsible for the kind of leaders we produce, is it truism that we deserve what we get, and leadership cannot be elevated beyond followership, but whyCatholic bishops versus the FG, Christians versus Muslims, south versus norththe list of dichotomies full of hate is countless, why is it so?

While ASUU strike, is nothing to celebrate, it is essential to note that beyond the pandemic that such prolonged school disruptions have and will continue to have, tell me a sector that literally have not downed tools, its profound impact on the lives and learning of a whole nation, to the extent that a government official slaps a pregnant citizen for not greeting him.

But why the inequitable access to health care, income inequality, and disproportionate employment in high-risk, essential jobs, low-income, marginalized communities to a deplorable point where Nigerians now are a government to themselves. Dire security, health and economic disorder to a point schools close in the nations capital because of a truckload of bandits seen by citizens and yet not seen by the intelligence and security communities.

Our systems are highly inequitable and plagued by opportunity gaps in all corners. Although we may see the light at the end of the tunnel but if we dont talk, if we dont dialogue, the long equity crisis is just the beginning of sad days ahead, in a tunnel we do not know the length.

When social and emotional well-being is absent in a people, they spend three years after unveiling a national carrier and no planes, no office, nothing to show beyond a brand name with no product. Nothing in Nigeria is restorativethe spaces where citizens feel safe, known, supported, and fully engaged with the groundwork for long-term and systemic transformation is lacking.

But why, my beloved country, the old adage goes, Never let a good crisis go to waste. So these are some of the crisis316 duplicated projects worth almost 40bntraced in the budget, the Finance ministry fails to provide evidence for N7.5bn withdrawal. We are discussing coup, coup plotting, coup d'etat and overthrow; no overthrow.

Incompetency, nepotism, favoritism, ethnic jingoism, and religious cherikambia (wait I am coming) yet we cant define right from wrong, our religion has no morals, governance is non-existent. Trigger happy soldiers and IPOB, ESN and unknown gunmen, police now endangered species, inmates everywhere or and at large.

Sick politicians, sick followership, sick nation, but we keep moving one day at a time. We wont die, we have a strong resolve, and we believe that it cannot end just like that. Our immune system defies medical logic.

We have saddled upon ourselves a history tainted in intra elitist cleavages and ethnic parapoism, with each power bloc cementing its own cleavages. The possibility of genuine democratization is not only lost because we lack the will to radicalize the material foundations of our society but because we live a life of fallacy. One of such is thinking that Mr. Buhari is the problem, no he is not, he is only part of the problem and not the solution.

We are almost certainly either a sick nation or a sick people, maybe a sick people inhabiting an equally sick nation. Our leaders continue to steal us blind. In our shortsightedness, we see our differences, and sure they are there but we are afraidto remedy it.

Nigeria is splitting, it is not dividing, we are leaking in various holes, towards various leanings and we still are lacking in leadership that has any model to solve our mirage of problems.

Let me end in this light, speaking of Nigeria using analogy, three sons left home, went out into the business world and all prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother.

The first said, "I built a big house for our mother." The second said, "I sent her the latest Mercedes with a driver."

The third smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. You know how much mother enjoys reading poetry? And you know she can't see very well. So, I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites all her favourite poetry. It took a world- famous literacy teacher 12 years to teach him and cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars to see to his maintenance yearly He's one of a kind. Mother just has to name the poem, and the parrot recites it."

Soon thereafter, Mother sent out her letters of thanks:

"Milton," she wrote to the first son, "The house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house."

"Gerald," she wrote to the second, "I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!"

"Dearest Donald," she wrote to her third son, " You have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was absolutely delicious!

But why this story, Nigeria is not about Buhari, APC, PDP, next level, anu level or secession, it is about the different narratives which often than not betray our sense of emotion. We act in the now, we pour venoms on each other, and fact is we really do not know what we want. We don't know the story, but we know our side of the story. The seismic disruption in the status quo presents an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild our systems to better serve Nigeria and Nigerians but why we dont want to take it shocks collective sanity; how long will our public officials and office holders keep slapping our pregnant women, spending without evidence, killing and maiming recklessly, running an education that is pin head faulty and body handicappedOnly time will tell
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Boko Haram which was founded in 2002 by the late Mohammed Yusuf assumed a militant and deadly approach in 2009 after his untimely death in the hands of the security agencies. Before now Nigerians were once referred to as the happiest people in the globe and the thoughts of suicide bombing in our shores seemed so far fetched.

Borno, Yobe and Adamawa became theatres of war overnight as bombs were freely detonated with alarming alacrity. Abuja, the political capital wasnt also spared as the United Nations building and Thisday were bombed with Boko Haram claiming responsibility for it.

Goodluck Jonathan seemed so overwhelmed by the near daily bombings that he said with his arms akimbo that Boko Haram had infiltrated his government. Some of his die hard apologists opined that Boko Haram was political and that it was used to destabilize his administration as the northern elite were displeased that his boss didnt complete his term in office.

In 2015, the then All Progressives Congress Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari promised to make the insurgency history. Though he didnt state how he intended to do that as he shied away from participating in the presidential debates, Nigerians believed him as his antecedent while in the army spoke volumes. In the Second Republic while he was a GOC, he was beckoned upon by a distraught Shehu Shagari to deal with the Chadian rebels who had berthed on Nigerian soil. He rose to the occasion and chased them back to Chad. The APC National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu sold him to the electorate like a modern day reincarnation of the French war hero, General Charles De Gaulle.

The elections were won by the opposition for the first time in 2015 and expectations were high for Buhari to stem the tide of the ravaging insurgency. Tragically, he has failed to rise to the occasion as the insurgents have grown bolder and increased their territorial foothold in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa with their flags being hoisted in a similar manner to how Sir Francis Drake hoisted the English flag all over the world after he and his band of merriment raided, maimed, pillaged and killed the hapless locals. What was his reward? He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. Buhari seems to be repeating history as he seems to be pampering the terrorists and is not known to have spoken tough against their sinister activities. His silence is alarming and divergent interpretations are being given to it. Is this the same Buhari who once fought rebels? Is this the same man who once talked tough on terrorism? How come he has no sturdy counter terrorism strategy in nearly six years of being in office and twelve years of electoral contests before he assumed office in 2015? Did he just want power for its mere sake?

The Tamil Tigers founded in 1976 in Sri Linka had the aim of creating a Tamil State with the aid of terrorism. Successive administrations tried to unsuccessfully crush the group until Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power in 2005. He addressed his countrymen almost on a daily basis as well as the troops and in some instances visited the troops and greatly increased their morale. This led to their final defeat in 2009 after a 33 year siege and its now the subject of study for thesis and doctoral dissertations in universities around the world. That is the ethos of a firm leadership which Buhari lacks as his silence is traumatic on the psyche of Nigerians.

As if the activity of Boko Haram is not enough, bandits who kidnap for ransom and in some cases kill their victims after the ransoms must have been paid have sprung up all over the country. Nowhere is safe as they unleash terror everywhere most especially in educational institutions where their sinister activities have constituted a gargantuan rape on the quest for knowledge by the students.

Five students of Greenfield University located in Kaduna were killed with sixteen more still in captivity and the bandits have given an ultimatum for the provision of the whooping sum of a hundred million naira after fifty five million had been earlier paid which they claimed was used to feed the beleaguered students. Many more students especially in the northern part of the nation have gone through gory times and its so bad now that schools have been shut down in Abuja due to a rumour of a plan to bomb the city. This is an assault on learning and it is disturbing that in a country where there are about twelve million out of school children, learning has now become a surreptitious crime no thanks to the bandits who have now discovered their new oil in hostage taking.

Buhari has shown utter disdain for the press by refusing to address his emotionally battered countrymen leaving his communication solely to his aides  Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina who do nothing but stoke the embers of anger in the blood soaked land through their insensitive and unguarded statements.

George Bush waged war against terror through the bombing of Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite his oratorical deficiency, he spoke forcefully against it to his countrymen and assured the world that America was still the leader of the world despite the World Trade Centre Bombing in New York on September 11, 2001.

Barack Obama ensured that Osama Bin Laden was brutally annihilated through the Seals and spoke eloquently against terrorism.

Buhari on the other hand has been quiet and aloof to the plight of his countrymen  millions of whom are now internally displaced in their so called motherland with no end in sight to their misery. What happened to his military prowess that was the major selling point in the 2015 campaign? How can he sit back and watch Boko Haram Insurgents and bandits slaughter his countrymen with reckless abandon and do nothing about it?

The complacence of the government has led to the rise of non state actors like Sunday Igboho and Sheikh Ahmad Gumi whom the BBC described as the chief negotiator for bandits. They have subtly usurped the powers of the government and they now grant succour to Nigerians who now live daily with their hearts in their mouths and watching constantly over their shoulders so as not to be the next victim. The quality of life has fallen to an abysmal all time low and Buhari simply doesnt give a damn as he thinks he lives in a well fortified fortress called Aso Rock.

The erudite Professor Pat Utomi recently said that Boko Haram will soon hoist their flag in Aso Rock. Perhaps Buhari will go on exile to London on security asylum to govern from there if it happens as he simply doesnt give a hoot as to the fate of the millions of his fellow countrymen who are now weeping and gnashing their teeth in buyers remorse.

Professor Chinua Achebe said in Things Fall Apart that one doesnt learn how to become left handed in old age. Given Buharis antecedent of non adaptability to change, this may most likely be the lot of Nigerians in the remaining two years of his administration unless a miracle happens.

Tony Ademiluyi is the Co Founder of The Vent Republic Media  www.theventrepublic.com and wrote from Lagos.
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Unknown gunmen have again, set ablaze a Police Station at Ubani township Market in Umuahia North local government area of Abia State.

It can not be presently confirmed if there were human casulties during the attack as efforts to reach SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Abia State Command has not been successful.

Recently, attacks on security operatives and police stations in the southeast of Nigeria has continued unabated, more than 10 police officers were killed on Saturday, between Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State.
PHIs voice grave concern The COVID-19 situation is very bad and last week even though we asked for a lockdown at least for two-three days to lower the case numbers and take care of those who have been infected, the government did not heed our plea, said a senior public health official. The Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIs), M. Balasooriya warned that with the caseload being very high, they were facing immense challenges and difficulties in finding places for the infected in treatment centres. He urged that if the authorities are not ready to impose a lockdown, there should at least be travel restrictions, either inter-district or within districts. As there are no such restrictions, people are going about and taking the virus along with them. Those from the highly-infected Western Province are travelling to the north and central areas of the country. Instructions to perform RT-PCR testing or rapid antigen testing is not feasible. It cannot be done and it is not being done. We are very concerned about the economy. But if we keep going like this, there will not be an economy to worry about as the situation will be overwhelming. Even though a lockdown is the most preferable as there is still time to turn this around and not end up like India, at least impose strict travel restrictions, he said. When we keep positive people at home in the rural areas, they are unable to isolate themselves because they do not have the luxury of separate toilets, said Mr. Balasooriya, adding that another huge issue was RT-PCR test results being inordinately delayed. Some results come as long after as six days which poses a major issue of tracing the contacts of the infected. This leads to rapid spread. These delays also lead to the infected people not informing the PHIs that they are positive and continuing to remain at home leading to a further spread of the virus, he said, also pointing out that there is a dearth of PHIs and they are stretched to capacity.
An interview with Weston Cage Coppola

It seems that the apple didnt fall from the tree when it came to Nicolas Cages son Weston Cage Coppola. Not only has Weston followed in his fathers footsteps when it comes to acting but he is also the lead singer of a black metal band and is a martial arts expert that has seen him win a few belts along the way. Now Weston returns to the screen with his latest film, action flick Assault On VA-33 and he couldnt be happier.

World-Entertainment

By David Griffiths

Sunday 9 May 2021, 12:30PM

Weston Cage Coppola. Photo by Hila Cage Coppola

I think it was the actual intensity of it, says Weston as he chats about what it was about the screenplay for this movie that made him want to commit it. It was so high octane and there was this amazing speed of urgency that seemed to develop for the protagonist. For every character in the film everything is just so complex and I just knew that I wanted to be involved.

Weston is certainly not the hero in this story; in fact he is very much the villain as he gets to play a Russian terrorist hell-bent on getting revenge on an American military general.

His name is Adrian Rabikov and he is ex Russian military, explains Weston as we start to discuss the in and outs of characters. Essentially he just wants to know the whereabouts of his brother. His brother was kidnapped during an American military operation and he is doing everything that he can to find this General Welch who would know where his brother is.

There is a harshness to Rabikov and Weston is quick to admit that he is not a very nice guy. It is not uncommon for him to torture people, he admits. He is basically willing to conduct terrorist acts in a bid to get what he needs. I guess the relief for me to be able to play a terrorist was that in his eyes he sees himself as a freedom fighter. Because of the fact that he is looking for his brother that to me kind of makes him a redeemable villain, that helped make him somebody that I wanted to bring to the big screen.

The complexity of the character meant that Weston had to work really hard when on set and he admits that there were times when he had to try and find a way to try and relax at the end of each day, especially after the torture scenes.

When it came to the scenes with the hostages I just used to try and make them laugh between takes, he says when we begin to talk about how intense things were on set. I was really carrying a lot of frightening energy. The statement that my character was so intense that I felt like I had to try and make everybody laugh between takes so there was some kind of release for everybody. A couple of times I couldnt but I tried to as much as I could because for all of those people in the background that scene felt so real.

A lot of that intensity came from Westons performance and the fact that at times he was so fired up with his performances that saliva sprayed from his at times while he was delivering lines. I had to do a lot of meditation, he says laughing as we discuss how he went about calming down each day when shooting wrapped. I was taking a lot of hot baths; I was doing breath work and just meditating anyway that I could really. I just had to do whatever I could at the end of the day to try and get out of that mentality.

Of course that role was somebody that I think people have to be stone cold sober to play, he says continuing. I was just keeping up my vitamins and making sure that I got plenty of sleep because I knew that role could take people places that they didnt want to go even a bar.

The intense Assault On VA-33, which stars Weston Cage Coppola and Sean Patrick Flannery, is available to stream or rent online.

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
Gerald Hoggs grand adventure

Gerald Ged Hogg has written eight books since he retired to Thailand in 2017. While many older Westerners spend anxious hours wondering what to do with their newly acquired freedoms, Ged spends his time exploring life in Southern Thailand and writing travel books, his autobiography and has completed his first two mystery novels about the adventures of Thai Police Lieutenant Chai Son Sinuan, who battles both violent crime and police corruption.



By Bruce Stanley

Sunday 9 May 2021, 02:00PM

Gerald Hogg, happily retired in Thailand.

Through determination and hard work, Ive built a great life for myself by taking advantage of opportunities. But it hasnt always been easy. says Ged.

Ged began his life in Middlesbrough, northeastern England, which he describes as cold, colourless and polluted by the local steel and chemical industries. But then as a young boy, his family moved to Kingston, Jamaica, where his father was posted as a construction manager.

Even though he was very young, he immediately responded to the warm weather and tropical vegetation, the surf and the welcoming seas.

Eventually we had to return to Middlesbrough when my fathers contract was finished. I was determined to leave as soon as I finished school. As I did not plan to take the CSE or GCSE exams like a few of my fellow mates, we were escorted off the school grounds with the parting words of you lot will never amount to anything; youll end up as drunks, unemployed or in prison. Those words gave me the inspiration to make a productive and fun life near tropical beaches, sunshine and smiling faces, he says.

Ged first moved to London and learned to master the culinary arts of fine dining. He figured that he could always work in the kitchens of fine resorts and cruise ships while travelling the world. He managed kitchens for a Caribbean cruise line and on European ferries as well as five-star hotels in Australia, the UK and Bermuda. He also directed kitchen operations on supply ships to Antarctica. During a life of travel and work, hes been posted to 10 different countries including Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Falkland Islands.

By 2017, he decided to change course and retire from active employment. He planned to move to Thailand with his partner of nearly 50 years. But she told him that she had decided to live alone at their home in Australia. After the shock of the unexpected separation, he was determined to continue with his plan to move to Phuket to recapture his childhood memories of living in tropical comfort with smiling people.

It didnt happen that way we never intended to move to Thailand together. Our marriage broke down about a year after I retired which was when I decided to move to make a clean break and move to Thailand.

But six weeks after he arrived on the island, he was knocked unconscious off his motorcycle by a speeding vehicle. When he regained consciousness, Ged was in an ambulance searching for a local hospital willing to accept a foreigner with adequate medical coverage. His adventures to Thailand had begun. After healing from his concussion and a broken foot, he began to write the first of four travel guides to Southeast Asia. The first, The Retire-in-Thailand Handbook (the First Six Months), was published in late 2019.

My first six months in Thailand were frustrating. There are numerous problems to sort through when moving to a new country and new culture including banking, organising visas, acquiring or leasing property, getting a drivers license, finding good medical care etc. So I wrote the handbook which I wish I had before I arrived.

He has since published more travel advice manuals for surrounding countries. All of these can be purchased through the Amazon.com website by searching for Gerald Hogg. The cost per book is less than B200 for a kindle version.

In early 2000, as the COVID virus began to spread in the region, Ged got a positive diagnosis so he decided to stay home and create his two crime suspense novels.

My positive diagnosis for COVID came in April of last year so I had to self-isolate. It occurred to me to write a book of adventure using COVID as a main theme. In Thai Died Murder in Paradise, I introduce Police Lieutenant Chai Son Sinuan who will be featured in this ongoing series. I have just released the second in the series, Thai Died Bar Girl.

Geds ambition for his life has been to travel and live in the most beautiful countries around the world. Now retired in Thailand, he believes his dream has come true.
Moderna package likely below B3,000

THAILAND: The price for a package of two shots of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine offered by private hospitals will be no more than B3,000, hospital executives say.

CoronavirusCOVID-19Vaccine

By Bangkok Post

Sunday 9 May 2021, 09:06AM

Moderna is likely to be the first brand to be ordered by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization on behalf of private hospitals. Photo: AFP.

The Private Hospital Association announced the plan after a meeting on Thursday (May 6) to discuss a common approach to offering alternative vaccines. Moderna is likely to be the first brand to be ordered by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) on their behalf.

Private hospitals have started surveying the demand for the vaccine. Once they get an estimated number, they will ask the GPO to buy it for them, Dr Chalerm Harnphanich, chairman of the association, said after the online meeting.

All member hospitals agreed to offer the package at the same price, estimated at not more than B3,000, including service fee, insurance and value-added tax, said Dr Chalerm, also chairman and CEO of SET-listed Bangkok Chain Hospital Plc.

He said the Moderna vaccine cost $37 to $38 (B1,200) a dose. Two doses are required.

The hospitals are also working with the General Insurance Association and the Office of the Insurance Commission on coverage in case of side effects or allergies.

The premiums are likely to be B50-100 for the coverage of 90-100 days after the first shot.

If side effects are serious and required hospitalisation, the insured will be compensated with B100,000 or 1 million in case of death.

Dr Chalerm was not sure about the arrival time of the vaccine but assured there would be no delay.

As soon as the Food and Drug Administration approves it and we receive the products, we will distribute them to over 400 [private] hospitals nationwide as soon as possible, he added. The FDA is expected to approve the vaccine this month.

GPO director Dr Vitoon Danwiboon said COVID vaccine would be on the Commerce Ministrys price control list.

He added GPO had to act as the intermediary due to restrictions on the emergency use of COVID vaccines, which require vaccine manufacturers to deal only with the government.

Dr Chalerm said interested people must register with the Mor Prom Line Official Account or app to centralise population data.

If you are not sure whether you should get the shots provided by the government or private hospitals, we advise you to get the free shots by the government given the situation today, he said.

As yesterday, however, there was no option for people to choose to be vaccinated by private hospitals through the channel.

Dr Chalerm also said vaccine bookings by private hospitals could not be done now. Since no alternative vaccines have arrived in Thailand, a private hospital cannot legally open registration for them, he said.

Last year, a hospital was fined by the FDA for breaking its advertising law when it invited people to register to get a shot. The FDA said advertising any product or service that one doesnt have in hand was illegal.

Apart from Moderna, private hospitals are looking at Sinopharm, a Chinese-made vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation on Friday.

Since Sinopharm is a dead virus vaccine, Dr Charlerm said private hospitals could order it directly from an importer but had to ask the GPO to register it first. They could not import it by themselves since they dont have licences to import biological products.

Private hospitals nationwide will help the government administer free vaccines under the Mor Prom programme. The vaccines used by the government are made by AstraZeneca (AZD1222), Sinovac Biotech (CoronaVac), Pfizer (Comirnaty), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and Russias Gamaleya (Sputnik V).

Because of this, they are not allowed to commercially vaccinate people using these five vaccines due to conflict of interests, according to sources.

Slow bookings

The government opened registration for free vaccine last Saturday, targeting 16 million people - 11.7 million aged 60 or more and 4.3 million with the following conditions: severe respiratory disease, heart and arterial disease, chronic kidney failure, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

A week later, only 1.55 million people registered - 1.25 million through the Mor Prom Line official account and app and 296,000 through hospitals and village volunteers, according to the Public Health Ministry data at 4pm yesterday.

Vaccination will begin in June and the shots administered will be AstraZeneca made by the local company Siam Bioscience Co.

Authorities said on Friday the National Communicable Disease Committee had approved the use of Sinovac shots on people aged 60 or more, citing a clearer study in China.

The administration of the vaccine in the age group will begin in COVID-hit areas after the Food and Drug Administration changed its regulations accordingly.

Earlier, the vaccine was not used on people in the age group because the clinical trial in China did not include them.

Sinovac has not been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization. The WHO had previously only approved the vaccines made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
New daily infections in Phuket hit 12

PHUKET: Phuket recorded 12 new infections yesterday (May 8), staying above the official target to keep new daily infections under double digits.

CoronavirusCOVID-19health

By The Phuket News

Sunday 9 May 2021, 03:14PM

Image: PPHO

According to the Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) the 12 new COVID-19 cases bring the total number of people confirmed as infected in Phuket since Apr 3 to 520.

The number of people from other provinces brought to Phuket to be treated for symptoms of COVID-19 stays at six.

The PPHO reports that 322 patients have so far recovered and been discharged from medical care. The remaining 204 patients are still receiving at various hospitals, including government, private and Field Hospitals.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) reports the locations of the infections in Phuket, accurate as of 6pm last night (May 8), as follows:

Wichit  54 infections

Rassada  50

Patong  46

Phuket Town  46 (Talad Yai 28, Talad Neua 18)

Cherng Talay  44

Chalong  42

Kathu  38

Kamala  32

Srisoonthorn  31

Rawai  28

Thepkrasattri  19

Koh Kaew  16

Pa Khlok  10

Karon  18

Sakhu  8

Mai Khao  9

Meanwhile, the rapid antigen testing of people arriving to enter the province continues, with medical officers yesterda testing 338 people at the airport, 1941 people at the Phuket Gateway and 729 people at the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai. All 3,008 rapid tests gave negative results.

In total, medical officers at the entry points to Phuket have tested 48,905 people since the campaign began on Apr 22. During this period officials recorded 23 positive results, with five of them later determined to be false positives.

As confirmed by Governor Narong Wonciew yesterday, from May 15 there will no longer be any rapid antigen tests for people arriving on the island from red zone provinces.
The Plays The Thing: A bright star in Phuket

I have only met her in person once and it just so happened I was wearing a dress, false eyelashes, wig and gobs of makeup at the time. No, I wasnt moonlighting in Bangla Rd; I was performing Widow Twanky in Aladdin: A Christmas Panto, at Underwood Art Factory. I instantly recognised her since we have been Facebook friends and have followed each others progress over the past few years, the reason being the similarity of our work goals. She is none other than the lovely Irish Vicki Kiely. I had the privilege of recently conducting a phone interview for this article with her. Here is what I learned.

The-Plays-the-Thing!

By Joel Adams

Sunday 9 May 2021, 11:00AM

Young stars shine during rehearsal for The Witches, to be performed in Phuket in May.

Vicki is a passionate promoter of the performing arts and a dedicated proponent of animal care and welfare. She volunteers the one free day she has in her busy week as Social Media and Experience Manager at the Khao Sok Elephant Sanctuary. You may very well have seen her on Facebook, promoting her goal of ensuring a vastly improved life for all the marvelous elephants we have on our island and our adopted country. Keep up the good work, Vicki.

This article being about theatre, lets get back to Vickis performance career and theatrical pursuits. She studied acting at Gaiety School of Acting, Irelands leading drama school, in Dublin. She went on to receive her drama teaching diploma at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Besides performing conventional and musical theatre over the years, she has written, sung and recorded many songs. I came across a delightful album of four songs from her on Spotify.

Here in Phuket, where she has lived the last eight years, she founded VK Performers Studio in Boat Avenue, Cherng Talay, about four years ago and is presently its owner and drama/singing teacher.

The goal of her work is to nurture confidence and self-esteem in youth through the love of the performing arts, and from what Ive seen of her kids and activities on social media, she is doing a great job of it. We discussed our vision and methods a little and we both agreed that the very most important element in a theatre classroom is an atmosphere of safety, fun and friendliness, that the theatrical classroom should be a safe space where one feels accepted and appreciated. In short, theatre for kids should be fun, even therapeutic when needed. We both have seen shy and reticent young people find a voice and confidence through theatre and emerge like butterflies from a cocoon.

Her studio is located at 49/71-72 Boat Avenue in Cherng Talay. She and her partner Mike Mitchell offer classes in singing, musical theatre, public speaking, acting, instruments, music production and song writing to students from 3 to 18. She also teaches LAMDA classes. LAMDA stands for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and is perhaps the oldest English-language acting school in the world, dating back to 1865. Students can receive their training anywhere in the world and be tested by LAMDA examiners, receiving certification for their achievements. In Phuket presently VK, HeadStart International School, BISP, and Theatrix all conduct LAMDA classes. You can contact VK Performers Studio at: 092 285 9514 or vkperformersstudio@gmail.com.

At the moment she is working with a group of students on a play adapted from Roald Dahls famous story, The Witches, by David Wood. This very fun play will be performed by her cast of 15 young actors ranging from 7 years old to 13 at the Grapevine in Cherng Talay on May 15 and 16. If you would be interested in seeing this, there are a limited number of seats, so call VK Performers Studio to inquire. I definitely plan on going out and watching it. 50% of any money made will go to the Khao Sok Elephant Sanctuary, Vicki told me.

Her latest initiative is a series of online classes that she is now filming called VK Creative Kids for which she is creator, host and songwriter. So look for that as well.

I had a lot of fun in our telephone interview (I think she did too or else shes an even better actor than I thought), and by the end we were discussing the idea of our acting together in a two-hander. Since then, I have been looking for just such a script or idea that we could do together. Thats one of the things I love most about the theatre world, how theatre groups, rather than seeing themselves as competition, often cooperate to provide much-needed creative input, and I look forward to working with Vicki and her team in the future to provide our island with exciting theatre and performances for all ages.

Joel Adams is building a vibrant theatre community right here in Phuket. You can contact him at theatrixphuket@gmail.com or by phone on 093 6490066. Facebook: Theatrix Group
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
Keystone pipeline canceled after Biden had blocked permit

The sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline said Wednesday it is pulling the plug on the contentious project
A private education institution is being tuned into a COVID-19 treatment centre with 800 beds under the supervision of Director Health services for the Puttalam district, Dr Dinusha Fernando. The army is assisting the project. Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
Symphonia Sol, on the southernmost tip of Nuns' Island. In the comfort of their homes, buyers will have the opportunity to discover online some 50 projects through virtual visits, presentation videos and digital photo or illustration galleries.
Beyond the Pages: Episode 30- Restaurant Renaissance Symbolic two-hour opening of downtown Montreals best restaurants, bars and clubs
GODFREY  Business was blooming on Saturday at The Nature Institutes annual Wildflower Market, where fans of pretty plants browsed and bought horticulture that feels right at home in the Riverbend.

Were buying a little bit of everything to enhance the prairie restoration we have at our house, said Brent Schindewolf of Godfrey. Native plants do a better job of attracting the animals, birds and butterflies and they also take the place of invasive plants.

Dave Brown came from Des Peres, Missouri on Saturday and purchased two trees, a Serviceberry and a small Swamp Chestnut Oak.

Its just the way both my wife and I grew up, we like the outdoors, we appreciate it, and we have all sorts of areas that are landscaped, Brown said. We lost a lot of our big old trees; they just aged out. So we are trying to build it back up again.

This year, local native plant vendors were invited to sell plants alongside the native plants produced by volunteers in The Nature Institutes greenhouse in Godfrey. As a result, there were more plants, a greater variety, and more experts to help with native plant questions.

All of these plants were raised by volunteers in our own greenhouse, and we are trying to bring natives back to the area, said Executive Director Angela Moan. All of the money raised here will go toward our mission of fostering preservation, restoration and education.

The Nature Institutes Eric Wright said adding native plants to area yards helps to restore the ecosystem as a whole.

You have those little habitat islands in peoples yards, Wright said. People see how these plants interact with wildlife and it confirms that these native plants are actually helping more species versus having the typical landscaping plants.

All of our plans are grown from seeds that are collected locally, within a mile of where we are standing. That means its a local ecotype, so its very specific to our conditions, Wright said. Those plants are adapted and ready, and they need a little less care in the long run. You have to baby them in the beginning but after that they are going to take off and thrive without a lot of attention.

The Nature Institute is a non-profit land conservation and environmental education organization based in Godfrey that owns and manages more than 450 acres of protected land, such as the Olin Nature Preserve, the Mississippi Sanctuary, the Kemp and Cora Hutchinson Bird Sanctuary, and the Heartland Prairie Project at Gordon Moore Park.

Meanwhile, just down the road, a Godfrey entrepreneur was busy fulfilling Mothers Day orders for places to put those new plants. Second Hand Barrels recently moved into their new location on Stanka Lane, and owner Ryan Jenkins had stacks of White Oak distillery barrels that had been modified

to hold flowers, including their signature cradle style planters where the barrels are sawed vertically, creating an oblong rather than a round planter.

At least half of our business, if not more, these past two weeks has been guys sprinting in after work looking for a last-minute Mothers Day gift, Jenkins said. Experts sometimes say dont plant anything until Mothers Day, so what a great gift for mom.

This is the first spring season for Second Hand Barrels at their new, larger location, and Jenkins said sales have nearly doubled since the move.
ALTON  The Madison County Health Department on Sunday reported 166,025 COVID-19 vaccinations have now been administered in the county.

A total of 83,768 county residents  or 31.67% of the countys population  are now fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

The MCHD continues to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics, with vaccinations planned May 10, 11 and 13 in Collinsville; May 11 in Godfrey; May 14 in Roxana and Edwardsville; and May 15 in Madison and Alton. Walk-ins will be accepted at the clinics, but appointments are requested for planning purposes.

To schedule an appointment, click the green appointment link at www.madisonchd.org. People needing help scheduling appointments can call 618-692-8954, Ext. 2, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Minors who are 16-17 years old are only eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, must show a photo ID (e.g. drivers license, school ID, etc.), proof of age, and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to their appointment. Additional details are listed on the scheduling link.

The Greene County Health Department is planning COVID-19 vaccinations May 13 in White Hall and May 18 in Roodhouse; for details visit http://greenecountyhd.org/. The Calhoun County Health Department is planning vaccinations May 13 in Hardin; for details visit http://www.calhouncountyhealth.net/.

Walmart and CVS pharmacies also are now offering COVID-19 vaccinations.

More Information Vaccinations Total: 166,025 Fully: 83,768 (31.67%) Source: MCHD COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 29,897 (496 deaths) Jersey - 2,684 (49 deaths) Calhoun - 524 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,344 (48 deaths) Macoupin - 4,841 (111 deaths) Montgomery - 3,708 (73 deaths) St. Clair - 27,762 (512 deaths) Clinton - 5,751 (90 deaths) Bond - 2,037 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,355 (93 deaths) Randolph - 4,126 (84 deaths) Washington - 1,638 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & MCHD See More Collapse

On Sunday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that 9,908,489 vaccines vaccines had been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily in the state is currently 73,622 doses, according to the IDPH.

As of Thursday, 33.78% of the residents in Jersey County were fully vaccinated according to the IDPH. Other fully vaccinated rates were 29.2% in Calhoun County, 29.24% in Greene County and 31.62% in Macoupin County.

The MCHD recorded no new COVID-19 related deaths on Friday or Saturday, leaving the total at 496. Sundays figures were not available as of presstime.

On Sunday the IDPH also reported no new COVID-19 related deaths in Madison County.

On Friday the MCHD reported it 41 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, as well as 727 new tests. It also reported 12 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases Saturday as well as 677 tests. To date, Madison County has recorded 29,897 cases and 315,212 tests. There were 13 COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals Saturday, none on ventilators.

The IDPH on Sunday reported 1,741 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 30additional COVID-19 related deaths statewide. To date, the IDPH has reported 1,354,967 cases, including 22,223 deaths.

Statewide there were 1,870 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Saturday night, including 452 in intensive care units and 232 on ventilators.

On Saturday Madison County posted a three-day positivity rate of 4.03%, a seven-day rate of 3.5% and a 10-day rate of 3.79%.
Johnine Bickauskas adjusted her shirts sleeve and the assortment of colorful bracelets on her wrists.

One bracelet spells out Mama, and while its type is small, it has a tremendous meaning for her, for it sums up her proudest title, her hardest-won battle and what made her who she is today.

She once stumbled upon an African philosophy, ubuntu, a concept that loosely translates to I am because we are. And for Johnine, her children  Kayla, 16, and Kase, 6  are her world.

I am because of them, she said recently at her Jefferson Twp. home. Everything I do is for them, and everything I am is for them. Theyve made me a better person, and I owe my life to them.

Faith in Gods plan

When she thinks back to her life before children, Johnine can still hear her late mothers words. Johnine and her husband, Darryl, endured a long, arduous and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to have children. It left Johnine devastated, but her mother, Catherine Keating, knew there was a plan.

She said, God has a baby for you. He just hasnt found the right one yet, Johnine recalled. Ill never forget her saying that to me because it all worked out. Not only did God find the perfect baby for me, but he found two.

She and her husband fostered Kayla and Kase before officially adopting them. Johnine works to make sure her kids have every opportunity possible and tirelessly supports them, from Kaylas activities and extracurriculars to Kases multiple disabilities and medical complications, including being blind and deaf.

Darryl is in awe of his wifes selflessness when it comes to her children.

She gives absolutely everything of herself, he said. She just pours her entire person into making sure her kids have the world and can be independent and strong.

Johnine simply wants her children to grow into good human beings.

My kids have brought out the best in me, and I only hope to bring out the best in them, Johnine said. If I can do that, then Ill feel like Ive done my job.

A new adventure

Johnine and her husband were always movers and groovers ready for adventure, she said. They would take spontaneous trips and even drove to Philadelphia every other weekend to go rollerblading. They loved each other and wanted to embark on a new adventure: children.

Having trouble conceiving, they began a long fertility journey full of cycles that started with hope and ended with despair. After treatments failed, the couple began the long, complicated process to foster with the hope of adopting a child.

Finally, around Christmastime, 6-month-old Kayla came into their care as a foster child. While all different emotions overcame Johnine, even making her  like most new moms  doubt herself at times, she felt overjoyed with this baby girl.

I was so in love, she said. I almost couldnt believe it was real and she was here. We had prayed for her for so long, and to have her in my arms was unlike any emotion I had ever felt. My heart grew 100 times its size because I was just so in love with her.

The adoption process takes quite a while, and Kayla was about 3 years old when the Bickauskases officially adopted her.

Ever since she was little, Kayla has kept busy with different activities, with Johnine letting her daughter decide what to pursue.

I always tell her Im not going to force her to do anything, Johnine said. Kayla has to make that decision for herself. She knows, though, if you start something, you have to finish it.  Someone is counting on you to be there, and even if we dont do it again next year, you have to stick it out.

Kayla eventually found her passions, like dancing with Ballet Theatre of Scranton and taking voice lessons with Erin Malloy. Now a junior at Holy Cross High School, shes also a talented painter, and her artwork decorates much of the familys home.

Kayla appreciates the relationship she has with her mom. Like most mothers and daughters, they can clash at times, but at the end of the day, thats my best friend, Kayla said.

I never have to hesitate to come to her about anything, and I know she always has my back and my best interest, no matter what the situation is, she added. She gives me the (guidance) I need to go forward, but she lets me experience things on my own and learn about them for myself. I know shes always right there, though.

Kayla has a giving heart, too, including helping with a peer tutoring camp, attending Eagle-Orzel Educational and Cultural Exchange in Poland and running a lemonade stand to raise money for pediatric cancer research.

She was young, but it touched something in her that these children were her age and they maybe couldnt go to school or dance class, Johnine said. She wanted to do something to help them, and we backed her up with whatever she wanted to do.

Over the past nine years, Kayla raised more than $9,000 for the organization. Johnine cant put into words how proud she is of Kayla, but shes not surprised by it at all. Her daughter is a helper, she said, to everyone from strangers to her own little brother.

She is incredible, and he adores her, Johnine said. And her sign language with him is just amazing.

Welcoming Kase

Kayla learned American Sign Language as a child when, out of the blue, she asked her mother to attend sign language camp at the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children. Then, a few years later, she saw a little girl at her dance studio using sign language, and Kayla asked to learn from her interpreter so she could communicate with the girl, too. Today, Kayla signs with Kase.

He has a plan doesnt He? Johnine said. He always has a plan.

Adopting another child didnt come on the couples radar until Kayla was about 10.

I just remember I didnt want it to end, Johnine recalled with tears in her eyes. I loved it so much, and I knew we had so much more love to give, Kayla included. There was so much more love in this family.

Once again, the couple began the adoption process. Not long after, Johnine was with Kayla at rehearsal for the annual Nutcracker ballet when Darryl ran up to her with news: hed had a call from a local agency with a baby for them to foster.

And before I could say anything, he told me he told them yes, she said, laughing. I didnt want to get my hopes up because we had been through a lot.

Kase was just a few days old when Johnine learned he would be placed in their care. She immediately got childcare and more in place for him and began to adjust their life as parents of a young child and a newborn.

Kases first outing with his new family was to see his big sister dance in the Nutcracker. He was so tiny that Johnine dressed him in one of Kaylas stuffed bears outfits as the Nutcracker Prince.

They all were ecstatic with their new addition, but after a few weeks, Johnine began to notice something wasnt right.

He was too perfect of a baby, she said. He was sleeping through the whole night, and were not quiet. Wed make so much noise in the mornings, and he never even noticed.

Seeking a diagnosis

Armed with her intuition, Johnine and Darryl took Kase to doctors, tests and meetings with specialists even before they formally adopted him. Johnine advocated for her son and learned along the way to trust her gut.

Things just werent adding up, she said. It was like we knew something wasnt right but no one could pinpoint exactly what was going on. We had some diagnoses, but nothing felt like a definite answer.

An MRI unlocked some answers, including problems with vision, hearing, communication and more, as Kase cannot process what he hears and sees. Immediately, Johnine and Darryl got Kase into early intervention programs, which provided a lifeline to the family.

Johnine often references the village  the network of family, friends, neighbors, teachers, nurses, doctors and more who helped them ensure their children thrive. She feels so blessed to have selfless, kind people who care about her children as much as she and Darryl do.

Her next move is to get Kase into alternative therapies  including music, art, equine and more  to get him to be as independent as possible. While she wont let her children struggle, Johnine believes in the importance of helping them learn independence.

Ill never let them drown, but sometimes they need to go under, she said. I will always be there waiting with the life-preserver if they need me, but the best thing I can do for them is to teach them how to save themselves.

Johnine is always there to advocate for her children or get involved, Darryl said. She serves on several boards and always volunteers her time for her childrens schools and activities.

Shes big on creating memories and giving them experiences they can hold on to, he said. She educates them, too, but through these fun activities and trips through art, culture or music. ... She wants them to experience everything the world has to offer.

Now as a party of four, Johnine said, the family is still going on adventures, whether visiting and supporting local restaurants and businesses such as Roba Family Farms or Brown Hill Farms to attending local events and fundraisers. They celebrate everything, too, from big milestones to small victories. Both of the children came to them as foster children in December, and a sign hanging in their kitchen year-round reads, We believe in Santa. The family also travels to New York City around Christmastime to take in the citys magic.

And in May, when they officially adopted both children, the Bickauskases attend the Diocese of Scrantons annual Mothers Day Adoption Mass at St. Peters Cathedral. They also mark both Kaylas and Kases adoptions every year with something special.

Johnine recognizes her husband for being the best partner to have on this journey, and she celebrates Kayla as she inches closer to adulthood, from learning to drive to looking forward to life after high school. Kayla is looking into colleges with a deaf-education major. Johnine cheers on Kase as he makes progress during therapy. In pre-school at the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children, Kase is kind, quirky, funny, unique and so much more than any diagnosis, she said. And she also honors both Kayla and Kases biological mothers for giving them life, posting a message about them on her Facebook page every Mothers Day.

Johnine, meanwhile, considers herself unequivocally blessed to be Kayla and Kases mom.

This journey of motherhood came to me as a miracle of life from two women who truly know the meaning of true love. My children are so blessed to have been given life by their mothers, she said. Im just lucky to direct them on their journey as their mom.
Doctors appeal on FB brings generous donations to set up COVID treatment centre By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

With Covid-19 cases surging in many parts of the country, health officials are scrambling to find beds to accommodate the large number of patients who test positive on a daily basis. Rather than wait for the Government to come up with the funds and equipment necessary for such centres, many officials are using social media to reach out to members of the public who are willing and able to assist.

In Wellawaya in the Monaragala District, officials this week set up a new intermediate Covid-19 treatment centre at the Wellawaya National Youth Corp (NYC) premises.

The Wellawaya Divisional Secretary and other Government officials suggested the location to health authorities as the most feasible place, large enough to accommodate the increasing number of Covid-19 patients, said Dr Jagath Pushpakumara, Consultant Physician at the Wellawaya Base Hospital. However, building such a care centre at a premises that is not a hospital is far more difficult than turning an existing hospital into a care centre for Covid-19 patients, he pointed out.

To begin with, the NYC premises only had 90 beds and 60 mattresses. The Sri Lanka Army, however, stepped in quickly to completely clean the premises and to handle the supply of food for the patients, Dr Pushpakumara said. Officials however, still had to find mandatory items and medical equipment needed for such a centre. We had to find everything from pulse oximeters used to measure oxygen saturation to staplers used for paperwork.

Given the urgency of the situation, Dr Pushpakumara put out an appeal on his personal Facebook page noting that donations were welcome to the new treatment centre. Within hours, through the help of two fellow doctors, he was introduced to Lahiru Gunathilake, a senior software engineer currently based at Googles office in Sweden. Within 12 hours of the online meetup, Lahiru had provided the necessary funds to purchase most of the equipment needed for the care centre.

Other donors soon stepped in too, and by Friday, the necessary equipment had already been purchased and handed over to the hospital. Among the items purchased through donor funds were bedsheets, pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors, nebulisers and other medical equipment. Donors also funded the purchase of a fridge and a washing machine for the treatment centre.

Thanks to the generous donations received following Dr Pushpakumaras online appeal, the centre now has the necessary equipment to start functioning from early next week. It can initially accommodate 100 patients, but plans are underway to expand the centre with more beds if the requirement arises.

Dr Pushpakumara thanked all those who contributed, along with Wellawaya Divisional Secretary Chandana Ratnayake and other officials at the Divisional Secretariat, Dr Anuradha Ranadewa, Medical Superintendent  Wellawaya Base Hospital, the nursing and other staff at the Wellawaya Base Hospital, Regional Director of Health Services Dr A M T K Attanayake, and the Sri Lanka Army for their assistance.

Aside from Dr Pushpakumara, the new treatment centre will be supervised by Consultant Physician Dr Lalitha Gunaratne and Consultant Paediatrician Dr Sajith Sandamal.

While the centre will begin functioning next week, it will continue to need donor contributions to meet essential needs. As such, donations are still welcome, and anyone who wishes to contribute is advised to contact Dr Pushpakumara or the Wellawaya Base Hospital.
When Tara Paolucci became a mom, staying healthy developed a whole new meaning.

The Clarks Summit resident had always struggled with weight and wellness, but when she became pregnant with her son, Carter, she realized she wasnt just caring for herself anymore. She started on a health and wellness journey for the both of them, which continued over the next several years, including through the birth of her second son, Lorenzo, aka Enzo.

My whole perspective really shifted when I had kids, and I needed to make sure I was providing them a healthy life, she said during a recent day inside the home she also shares with her husband, Anthony. Not only did I have to be healthy and strong for them, but I wanted them to develop those good habits.

Now that the boys are 9 and 3, Paolucci has come up with some killer healthy recipes for her family that dont skimp on taste. One in particular is her Healthy Pizza, which earned Paolucci a $50 gift card to Riccardos Market, 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore.

Theyre big pizza lovers, Paolucci explained, and she wanted a more nutrient-dense take on the dish. She grabbed a handful of pizza shell recipes and tried them, taking things she loved from each to put together her own creation. Her perfect incarnation is made with almond and tapioca flour and is paleo-friendly as well as gluten- and grain-free. Its savory, too, loaded with herbs and spices to avoid the cardboard taste and texture some healthier crusts tend to have, she said.

Paolucci advised bakers to make it their own as far as the spices in the crust and pizza toppings go. She typically uses marinara sauce, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese for her basic pizza, but she also changes up the toppings, using arugula, roasted red peppers, garlic, basil and feta, or creating White Clam Pizza, Shrimp and Sweet Pepper Pizza, and Hot Wing Pizza. Paolucci also makes a thicker version of her pizza crust that she tops with an American cheese blend, similar to an Old Forge-style pizza.

Her other favorite, nutrient-dense dishes include Turkey Meatloaf, Quinoa Bowls, Cauliflower Wing Bites and her coveted Pasta Salad. Paolucci gets pointers from the fabulous cooks in her life, like her mother, Kathleen Kern, and her mother-in-law, Lisa Paolucci.

I just love to feed people, she said with a laugh.

Throughout the pandemic, Paolucci, who works as a hairstylist, had downtime to spend cooking and being with her kids. She started sharing these moments on her Instagram account, @xo_tmc, where she now posts fitness goals and recipes as well as her honest, humorous takes on health and being a woman, wife and mom.

I started it on a whim, and I really just wanted a place to post about my progress and what I was doing, she said. I think a lot of people can relate to it because there is not one set way to do things. Were all just trying to figure out whats best for us and our families.

Paolucci stressed that her family still indulges in comfort foods and goodies, but they balance it out with healthy, delicious meals and staying active. And while they wont ever give up pizza from local favorites including Ninas, Rosarios Pizzeria & Ristorante and Nicholas Pizza Shop, its nice to make it together as a family activity. She hopes to continue to pass on the idea of self-love to her sons, which starts with caring for themselves from the inside out.

Its so fun to cook with them and be able to share this with my kids, she said. Not only is it a family bonding time, but I hope it also sticks with them that its important to take care of our bodies.
Johnson College earns designation

Johnson College announced that it has earned the 2021-2022 Military Spouse Friendly School designation.

Institutions earning the designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-2022 survey, with 747 schools earning the designation of a Military Friendly School, of which 194 were selected for the Military Spouse Friendly Schools list. Johnson College was designated as a Military Spouse Friendly School for its leading practices, outcomes and effective programs for military spouses.

The 2021-2022 Military Spouse Friendly Schools list will be published in Military Spouse magazines May issue and can be found at

militaryfriendly.com.

Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institutions survey response set and government/agency public data sources within a logic-based scoring assessment.

Graphic design program ranked

Marywood University was recently notified that its graphic design program ranks among the top 10 in Pennsylvania for 2021, according to Animation Career Review. The graphic design program at Marywood incorporates the study of design and type, conceptual development, design history, research, studio technique and strategies for problem-solving.

The criteria used for the animation rankings consists of academic reputation, admissions selectivity, depth and breadth of the program faculty, value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness, graduation rate, geographic location and employment data. During the school year, Animation Career Review reaches out to each of the schools under consideration to request information about their specific program, as well as their perspective regarding which other school programs they consider to be the most impressive, both nationally and regionally.

Marywood University offers a bachelor of fine arts, master of fine arts and a minor in graphic design. Additionally, the MFA is a low-residency program.

Area college receives grant

Johnson College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation. This grant, which will be disbursed over a three-year performance period, will support the foundation and colleges goal to address the critical growing need for health care professionals by promoting opportunities for careers in health care and training for traditional and non-traditional students.

Using a motorhome shell customized to demonstrate various health care training modalities, Johnson College plans to give potential students a hands-on experience to see and feel what it would be like to work in a health care environment. In addition to the hands-on encounter, Johnson College staff will be available to answer questions and help potential students resolve or eliminate common barriers to educational access.

With this new program, Johnson College will be able to show participants that there is a path to meet their needs. Johnson College offers pathways to healthcare careers with associate degree programs such as physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology and biomedical equipment technology, and continuing education programs such as certified nursing assistant and medical billing and coding.

Family association earns rating

The Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania (FSA) recently earned a 100-out-of-100 rating from Charity Navigators Encompass Rating System due to its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency. The third-party score designates the 125-year-old nonprofit as an official give with confidence charity, indicating that the organization uses its donations effectively based on Charity Navigators established criteria.

Charity Navigator is Americas largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 8.5 million users annually. The Encompass Rating System is a comprehensive evaluation tool that analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators. In 2020, Charity Navigator released its first indicator, Finance & Accountability, to highlight nonprofit organizations demonstrating fiscal responsibility. The score is determined by five metrics: Program expense ratio, independent audit, board composition, liabilities to assets and website listing.
At 86, Diane Nixon, living in an apartment at the back of a daughters house, no longer drives and has trouble getting around.

When her health worsened last year before the coronavirus pandemic, she and all four of her daughters talked about whether a nursing home would be the next step. She worried that she had become a burden to her children.

She was very adamant about not wanting her daughters to be caregivers, said Jill Cooper, one of her daughters, who lives nearby in the Pittsburgh area.

But as infections began to tear through nursing homes across the country, killing tens of thousands of residents last year, Nixon and her family realized a group home was no longer a viable choice  especially after most of them barred visitors to help contain outbreaks.

Not to be able to see her was not an option for us, Cooper said, so the family contacted a local home health agency to hire someone to help her during the day.

It made us look at an alternative that we might not have looked at as hard, she said.

The pandemics toll on nursing homes drove occupancy down significantly  not just from the 132,000 deaths but also because of a decline in admissions. The 14,000 skilled nursing facilities in the United States now have on average a vacancy rate of slightly more than 25%, according to figures from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care.

But as immunization campaigns inside them began taking priority in the winter this year, with nearly 3 million residents and staff members fully vaccinated, the outlook improved somewhat. Nursing homes point to the steep decrease in COVID-related deaths, saying they have dropped by 91% since December.

While the industry has received $21 billion in federal funding under the CARES Act as part of congressional efforts to help health care facilities during the pandemic, nursing homes are lobbying for more federal aid to cover the higher cost of personal protective equipment, testing and staffing at their facilities. They say that they are losing tens of billions of dollars in revenue because of the pandemic and that many homes are at risk of closing.

But the deaths of so many elderly residents, captive in those homes, has deepened levels of anxiety and guilt among many families planning the next phase of care for an aging relative. Experts say rethinking the purpose of nursing homes is long overdue.

Even before the pandemic began 14 months ago, nursing homes had become the source for rampant, antibiotic-resistant infections. The facilities also faced systemic problems like high turnover among nursing home staff and the gaming of the federal governments rating system, which made it hard for families to judge the quality of homes.

For years, federal health officials and some insurers have tried to encourage more stay-at-home care, and the pandemic has created a sense of urgency.

Its really changed the paradigm on how older adults want to live, said Dr. Sarita Mohanty, chief executive of the SCAN Foundation, a nonprofit group focused on issues facing older adults. The vast majority of those adults would prefer to stay at home as they age, she said.

Whats happened is a welcome sort of market correction for nursing homes, said Tony Chicotel, a staff attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform in San Francisco. Some families, he said, ended up agreeing to a nursing home without giving it a lot of deliberation. But after trying home care during the pandemic, many families found keeping an older relative at home was a viable alternative, he said.

Nursing homes rose from the almshouses in England and America that cared for the poor. In the United States, passage of the Social Security Act in 1935 provided money for states to care for the elderly. Thirty years later, the Medicaid program expanded funding, making long-term care homes central to elder care, said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, an advocacy group for older adults. If you pay the nursing homes, thats where you go, Fulmer said.

It was not until the 1970s that some programs began to pay for home care, and the number of nursing home residents nationwide started to slowly decline, with occupancy levels in recent years flattened to about 80%, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

New technology makes it easier to monitor someone at home, said Fulmer, who thinks the pandemic might be a tipping point.

Beth Kreisman, a nurse who works at Debra D. Feldman & Associates in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, helping families navigate these issues, faced the same dilemma with her stepmother, now 89. Her stepmother had been showing signs of dementia, and a hospital stay last spring took a lot out of her, Kreisman said.

She couldnt go home by herself, she said. We were really in a quandary if she should go to skilled nursing or go home with a caregiver.

But concern about her contracting the virus at a facility persuaded the family to opt for home care. We were absolutely convinced that if she got COVID, she would die, Kreisman said.

Now that her stepmother is vaccinated, the family has renewed discussions about whether she would be best served in a nursing home. Her stepmother does not want to leave the home where she spent decades with Kreismans late father. In her mind, if she moves out of her place, then she is leaving my dad, she said.

Weve decided for the time being to keep her home, she said. Many of her clients are also choosing home care in lieu of a nursing home.

I think people are going to be more cautious and ask more questions before they place a loved one in a nursing home or choose one to go to themselves, said Lori Smetanka, executive director for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, a nonprofit group. People are still worried, to some extent, about their safety.

While the availability of a COVID vaccine has lessened the risk of a resident becoming ill, some residents and staff members are refusing to be vaccinated, making the environment still potentially dangerous. In Kentucky, an unvaccinated worker recently set off an outbreak, according to a study released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And some individuals may not need nursing home care. Debra Feldman, founder of the Chicago agency, said she made the decision to have one client with dementia leave the facility where she was recovering from surgery for a broken hip because of the coronavirus restrictions imposed last spring.

It was really nice outside. She was being shut in her room, and she couldnt understand what was going on, said Feldman, who said her client was becoming increasingly agitated. The nursing home would not allow her to go outside on the patio.

The woman, in her mid-80s, recovered well at home. Now shes walking without a walker, Feldman said. She is pretty solid on her feet.

But many people do not have a choice because of their financial situation or physical needs. Theres limited wiggle room in avoiding nursing home care, said Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, a nonprofit group in New York. Youre not given a lot of time and choices when you leave the hospital, he said.

And many families know circumstances can change. Nixons family has not ruled out someday having her move into a nursing home. Were continuing the journey, Cooper said, emphasizing that they still viewed long-term nursing homes positively.

Home care costs can be prohibitive. If a person is reliant on Medicaid, the federal-state program, what services are available within the community or at home vary widely, depending on the individual state. In some places, paid home care is capped. We are already seeing that people with low incomes have fewer choices because of the way the system is structured, Smetanka said.

The Biden administration has proposed spending $400 billion to address some of the gaps in long-term care by providing more funding under Medicaid for these alternatives, but prospects for President Joe Bidens $2 trillion package are unclear.

In some areas of the country, staff shortages may limit the available options, said Liz Barlowe, the former president of the Aging Life Care Association, a nonprofit representing senior care professionals. Even with seemingly low occupancy rates, nursing homes may be slow to accept new long-term residents because they do not have enough staffing, and home health agencies have difficulty finding enough aides if people need round-the-clock care. That is a huge challenge, not only for facilities but also home care, said Barlowe, who advises families in Seminole, Florida.

Still, she said she has sensed a shift in views on long-term care among families, even as some of the worst of the experiences in nursing homes fade.

The crisis laid bare how poorly equipped many facilities were to handle a pandemic, she said. It also underscored that the industry needs to make fundamental changes to restore the confidence of the country.

The damage is done, Barlowe said. Now we all know it can happen. We need to be looking at system change.
SOUTH ABINGTON TWP.  Lisa Bath was only 6 years old when her mother, Barbara Mamana, died at age 33 in 1974.

Bath, now 53, still grieves.

Last year, the township resident created Moving Forward, a community group for women who have experienced what she calls mother loss, whether long ago or recently.

Its meant to be a community of women who share their experiences and make space for grief when everyone says move on and you cant, Bath said. By acknowledging and sharing what were dealing with, we give ourselves proper space and time to remember  sometimes in grief, sometimes in celebration.

Started during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Moving Forward meets monthly via Zoom.

On Saturday, about eight participants met in person for the first time, at South Abington Park along Northern Boulevard, where they gathered to each toss a few fresh-cut flowers into Leggetts Creek in memory of their deceased mothers.

Participants also wrote heartfelt messages to their deceased mothers or grandmothers on rice paper and tossed those into the rain-swollen, swiftly flowing creek.

The idea is theyll flow and move forward through the creek, Bath said of the blossoms and rice-paper messages.

Bath started the group with the support of the Abington Community Library, as part of its adult programming. She figured there must be others who would feel that they could benefit from sharing their grief.

Its something thats been in my heart to do, to create this community, said Bath, who has two daughters, Sarah, 20, and Grace, 17. Theres a group for everything, but I didnt see this need being met in the community at large, and I needed it.

Mari May of Dunmore joined the group after the death of her mother, Margaret Peggy Carrick, on April 2, 2020.

It was hard because we couldnt have a viewing, a funeral (because of the pandemic). It was very, very difficult. We didnt have closure, May said. I really struggled with my grief and still do. Its with me all the time and this group understands that.

Bath, who is a teacher at the Abington Heights Middle School, envisioned holding services or events, including a Mothers Day tea or potluck of mothers recipes, which likely would have drawn small crowds.

Whats your mothers favorite recipe? Cook it. Bring it. There would have been no second thought to doing that before the pandemic, Bath said. Instead, monthly Zoom meetings have had to suffice. A few people have participated virtually at any given time.

But Moving Forward is the kind of sisterhood that cries out for coming together in person, Bath said. She hopes that now as the pandemic eases, the group will flourish.

I know theres a need out there but enough people dont know about it yet, Bath said.

For information, email Bath at bathlisa@gmail.com.

For links to Zoom meetings held on third Mondays at 7 p.m., email Emily Sandercock at Abington Community Library at esandercock@albright.org.
As Scranton celebrates native Jane Jacobs, author and urban activist, it seems the perfect time to talk about natives, nativism and the harmful effects of turning away the ideas and ideals of people who come from away.

The timing seems prescient, as being an outsider continues to blight local politics in this important election year.

Nativism, the reasoning that only some of us are really Americans, or really are from Scranton, or really are from the right part of town, figures in the news because hardline conservatives think the U.S. is under siege by outsiders. Last month, former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum schooled young conservatives that there was nothing here when European boats hit the Atlantic coast, that there really isnt much Native America in American culture.

Nativist views arguably fueled the Charlottesville United the Right tragedy and some Black Lives Matter counterprotests. Those views were plainly visible on Jan. 6, when white supremacist and nativist expressions were carried into the U.S. Capitol on insurrectionists banners and T-shirts.

Nativist views are difficult to understand because most of us are born of immigrants. Most in our region revel in our immigrant heritage, its our identity politics and culture. Most of us understand that Americas success was built on inclusivity. Yet, here it is, the local election season, and where youre from is an issue.

The 2019 municipal election results chipped away at the embarrassingly long-held view that no one from outside the length of the Lackawanna River was welcome to tackle the problems and challenges in these parts. Former Scranton school board member and experienced Democratic operative Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, an Oregon native, along with a strong collection of successful women, breached the walls of the old-boys castle, and walls fell.

Undeterred by their undoing, the local old-boy network has put one of their own up against the outsider. Democratic primary mayoral challenger John Murray has nativism as the primary plank in a pittance of a platform. He opposes a mayor elected in a landslide because its stuck in the old boys craw that someone came from away, succeeded without them and now has the power.

I was introduced to Jane Jacobs in a freshman architecture course at Duquesne University. Few courses had such an impact. The reading list included excerpts of Jacobs defining work, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

I learned more about Jacobs by following reporting on urban planning issues of 1970s New York when her outspokenness on what the city should be and how to make it so appeared regularly. In 1987, she wrote a letter to the city of Scranton about a proposed redevelopment of a long swath of Lackawanna Avenue, the Steamtown Mall, comments dissected during the recent commemoration, Observe Scranton. She said then that as an outsider her perspective was likely unwelcome, despite holding Scranton as a force in her devotion to building better places.

Recently, on a winter respite in Houston, I sat with my pal, Jack, a Simpson native, in a new pocket park, a small piece of green with a dog run, kids stuff and a tableau about neighborhood history, just the type of place Jacobs would love. Jack and I arrived in Houston in 1982 for great opportunities in broadcasting, me in news, Jack in production. We never imagined a long stretch of our lives would be spent in Houston, watching its still-exploding growth, becoming the most ethnically and culturally diverse city in the nation.

Eventually, Jack hosted radio programs that supported Houstons gay community. Jack is a neighborhood assistance official. He served under Annise Parker who rose from activist to become the first openly gay mayor of a big American city.

Jacobs, the Scranton native, also moved through other places to collect experience that would form her mission. She gave us blueprints of how to do better things, how to find ways through careful planning and activism to make anywhere a better place.

The inspiring Broadway musical Come from Away tells the story of Gander, Newfoundland, and its citizens heroic compassion and kindness on 9/11, when passenger jets had to land there after the terror attacks. Passengers unloaded into the hands of people who didnt think twice about how to treat one another. Gander natives listened to the drop-ins stories and learned, shared and kept one anothers spirits alive.

We have to treat one another better in this region. We have to stop this harmful and hurtful turning away of the ideas and ideals of those who come from away. We must reject nativism with an open mind, an open door and open hearts.
The Republican Party has decided to make woke its public enemy No. 1, weaponizing the word against its political opponents.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, called out woke companies for turning against GOP voting reforms in Georgia and elsewhere.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, of Missouri, called out the woke mob for pressing a publisher to cancel publication of his book.

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte of Montana even attacked the woke state of Washington for refusing to source its electricity from coal mined in his state.

Thats an awful lot of name-calling for as unwoke a clan as ever there was.

To Democrats, woke means awareness about inequality and injustice.

To Republicans, it means anything progressive, liberal, or Democratic. Woking someone, you might say, is the Republicans current way to run against the culture and values of Democrats when a Democratic president remains popular.

It is not a new term, but it is now the term for tagging Democrats. Its like calling them ugly. Or stupid. Or uncultured. Of course, once the GOP and its largely White-male membership co-opts a popular term, one may presume its cultural power is about to fade.

At least one commentator has suggested as much. Elijah Watson, news and culture editor for hip-hop site Okayplayer, recently suggested on NPR that its time to retire woke  a word that was something that we were taking seriously and then it kind of transformed into something ironic and then it became a meme and then it became a trademark.

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville went on an anti-woke rant last month during an interview with Vox. Wokeness is a problem, and we all know it, he said, before launching into a critique of what he called the faculty lounge language Democrats often speak and regular folks do not understand.

They talk about communities of color,  he said. I dont know anyone who speaks like that. I dont know anyone who lives in a community of color. I know lots of White and Black and brown people and they all live in . . . neighborhoods.

In contrast, Donald Trumps facility with plain talk and memorable slogans was crucial to his success. He broke it all down for his followers: Woke is destroying the country. Anyone can understand and, importantly, repeat those five words.

Republicans have latched on to woke out of necessity. They know they need something, or someone, to blame  and fast  for President Joe Bidens popularity and their own failings. This is especially critical now that Republicans have come under fire from some smart people in their own party for sticking with Trump.

Former president George W. Bush went first, saying that if the Republican Party stands for exclusivity and white Anglo-Saxon Protestantism, then its not going to win anything. Last month, during an interview with NBCs Today, Bush said todays GOP is isolationist, protectionist and to a certain extent nativist. (Bush modified those remarks a few days later to say that not all Republicans fit that description, noting it excluded a lot of Republicans who believe we can fix the problem.)

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah went next. As he was about to address his states Republican convention on May 1, the former Republican presidential nominee was booed and heckled. Who knew that Mormons, the nicest people on the planet, knew how to boo? In an instant of pure Mitt-ness, Romney batted away words such as traitor and communist and said, Arent you embarrassed?

Uh, no, as a matter of fact. The party that elected Trump obviously cannot be embarrassed. But normal people should be.

You can boo all you like, Romney finally said. Ive been a Republican all of my life. My dad was the governor of Michigan, and I was the Republican nominee for president in 2012.

Romney left out that he was also a successful governor of Massachusetts. But to Trumpublicans, all that matters is that Romney voted to impeach their president.

Now they are after GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, of Wyoming., who, in addition to refuting the big lie of the stolen election, did the very polite  but apparently suicidal  thing and bumped fists with Biden recently. For her treachery, she is likely going to be replaced as House Republican Conference chair by someone who knows how to stay on script.

This GOP, which is nothing like the storied Republicans who raised these three so-called traitors, just is not being very smart right now. By trying to shut down or marginalize people such as Romney and Cheney, it may soon fulfill Bushs prophecy of extinction.

KATHLEEN PARKER writes for The Washington Post. kathleenparker@washpost.com
Editor: An ideological gauntlet has been thrown down at the feet of all Republican candidates for public office.

Almost four months after the traitorous and violence-filled attack at the U.S. Capitol in the failed attempt by anti-American zealots to subvert a constitutionally mandated process  as well as our centuries-old tradition of peaceful transfers of power  President Biden and The Washington Post have defined in stark terms that gauntlet.

In his Jan. 6 speech calling for a halt to the insurrection Biden characterized the actions of seditionists who attacked our democratic processes and traditions as ...an assault on the citadel of liberty ... on the peoples representatives and the rule of law.

He called the insurrectionists a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness.

What played out that awful January day was the epitome of this line from oaths of office attested to by members of Congress and the military: ... I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

The post framed the proverbial gauntlet as fealty to Trumps election falsehood becomes a defining loyalty test. It summons a question all Republican candidates must answer: Do you condemn in no uncertain terms the actions of the insurrectionist horde on Jan. 6? Anything less than a full- throated condemnation means the candidate fails the test of loyalty to our democratic traditions and to our Constitution.

The choice is clear.

Candidates either hold fast to our 245-year tradition of democratic philosophy going back to our Declaration of Independence, running through the U.S. Constitution, American history and achievements, or join a wannabe despot who typifies all that is ignoble, is an authoritarian, tyrant and failed businessman.

So, will Republican candidates stand against enemies, foreign and domestic, or with anti-American forces?

GIRARD HISTED

ARCHBALD

Editor: I am concerned about the upcoming election of members of our local school boards.

I believe it is essential for voters to have a clear understanding of each candidates background and what they stand for before going to the polls. As a former educator, I once believed that a teacher would be a good addition to a board because a teacher could provide insight to what goes on in the classroom. I felt that board members were too far removed from the classroom experience to truly understand what is necessary to make a classroom experience successful.

As a taxpayer, however, I now realize that beliefs and motivations of a teacher and those of a board member can represent a conflict in the overall well-being of students and their education. Is a practicing teacher, even one outside of the district, capable of separating personal interests, such as class size and payment schedule, from the interests of a taxpayer? More to the point, can a teacher or someone closely connected to one separate what is important to the teachers needs from what is important for the integrity and well-being of the school district?

If a teacher feels justified in being granted a higher salary, for example, would that teacher  or someone personally concerned with teacher rights  in good conscience vote against personal gain and in favor of money for the maintenance of school buildings and the guarantee that money is regularly put aside to replace a roof, for example, when needed?

At every board meeting, all members must sit across the table from each other and maintain objectivity in their vote and advocacy. This is of utmost importance for the success of our schools and students.

BONNIE ALCO

GLENBURN TWP.

Editor: The League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County commits to ensuring voters have information they need to participate meaningfully in every election.

We conducted candidate forums for several races: Democratic primaries for Scranton mayor, city council, and tax collector; Scranton School Board; Lackawanna County Court and the Pennsylvania Senate 22nd District special election.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, forums were prerecorded. Voters are encouraged to visit our web site to view them, LWVLackawanna.org and learn where candidates stand on important issues.

All voters should participate in the election on May 18. Registered Republicans and Democrats will vote for primary candidates. All voters, whether registered with a major party or not, can vote in the special election for the 22nd Senate district. In addition, all voters can vote regarding ballot questions on changing the Pennsylvania Constitution in specific ways.

The league has prepared analyses of these ballot questions, which are posted to our website, LWVLackawanna.org.

DIANA DAKEY

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY,

DALTON
Press Release

May 9, 2021 Lacson: Cut Humongous Congressional Insertions for P20B Vaccine Needs

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/05/09/lacson-cut-humongous-congressional-insertions-for-p20b-vaccine-needs/ Why not use the humongous congressional insertions tagged by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as "For Later Release" (FLR) to meet the P20-billion requirement for COVID vaccines for this year? Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised the possibility following a meeting between him and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and the "three czars" of the government's COVID response program last Thursday. "I suggested that the P20 billion can be sourced from the insertions made by lawmakers marked 'FLR' because the implementing agencies concerned were not consulted on the insertions and thus could not implement them," he said in an interview on DWIZ radio Saturday. During his interpellation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)'s 2021 budget last year, Lacson noted some "favored" districts got humongous appropriations in the General Appropriations Bill - one got P15.351 billion, while another got P10.299 billion. Another got P7.924 billion, while still another got P7.559 billion. Lacson, an avowed enemy of the pork barrel system, also said huge unused appropriations of several executive agencies like the Department of Education, Department of Transportation and DPWH - which has a history of low utilization and a poor disbursement record - can be tapped for the purpose as well. "On the other hand, there is a huge amount of unused appropriations that can be realigned. Under the Constitution, the President can realign funds in the executive department; the Chief Justice can realign funds in the judiciary; and the Senate President and House Speaker can realign funds in the legislative branch. If for example, there are unused funds in the DepEd, DoTr, and DPWH, it will be relatively easy to source the P20 billion," he said. Lacson said he and Senate President Sotto suggested that the three czars initiate talks with DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado to determine which appropriations in the 2021 budget can be realigned for the vaccination program. "It is best they talk to Sec. Avisado so he can check which appropriations can be realigned for the vaccination program. That way, we need not include the amount in the Bayanihan 3 measure," he said. Lacson noted that during Thursday's meeting, the COVID response czars - vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., testing czar Vivencio Dizon, and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong - had said they needed P90 billion for vaccines in 2022, and P20 billion for this year. To address this, Lacson said they discussed that the P90 billion needed for next year's vaccine procurement budget be included in the regular budget of the Department of Health, instead of putting it under the Unprogrammed Fund, thus ensuring its availability, especially under a cash-based budgeting system. Meanwhile, Lacson said he and Sotto are open to having more informal meetings with the three czars regularly, to address the issues in the COVID response efforts. "Later on, if other senators want to join, we can expand the meetings," he said.
Experts warn outright ban on fertilisers would cripple farmers and harvest By Wasantha Ramanayake Go for total organic in five years, 50 per cent in two years View(s): View(s):

Rice production could drop by almost half in the next Maha season due to the outright ban on agrochemicals, a former top industry expert warned, as debt-ridden farmers pleaded for a phased cessation of fertiliser and agrochemical use.

Vegetable prices will increase towards the end of the year and the countrys rice production would be decreased by 30-50 per cent in the coming Maha season early next year leading to higher rice prices if the government imposed a total ban on fertiliser and pesticide imports, former Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Samantha Ranatunga, said.

Announcing a complete ban on agrochemicals on April 22, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa defended the move on grounds of adverse effects to human health through increasing toxicity of chemical-polluted groundwater and other water sources. Lives are more valuable to me than a high yield, a statement from his office said.

Mr. Ranatunga, who has three decades of experience in agriculture, pointed out that the price of rice had increased despite the bumper harvest of the last Maha season and excellent weather early this year.

We had excellent weather, fertiliser, everything was good, but prices of paddy remained high, he said. Assuming similar conditions and without the aid of chemical fertiliser, he predicted yield would be reduced by 30-50 per cent.

The government would have to pay for imports to fill he shortfall on top of paying farmers for the loss of yield from switching to organic fertiliser, Mr. Ranatunga said.

A farmers leader said most farmers have outstanding loan payments from various financial institutions and are frightened that higher costs and lower yields would push them further into the abyss.

They are calling for a relaxed phasing-out of chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals with guidance and state oversight.

If farmers are to cultivate crops without fertiliser the yield is sure to be lower and farmers would be compelled to move out of farming, W.P.D. Somaratne, a seasoned farmer in Saliyawewa, Kahatagasdigiliya, complained.

We all know chemicals are bad. Yet, farmers dont know how to use them. they do what agrochemical traders ask them to do and traders are in turn, advised by chemical companies, he said, claiming that government agricultural officers had not advised farmers how to use chemicals.

Most of the time, farmers overuse fertiliser and other chemicals. They use it right before the harvesting of vegetables. There is nobody to regulate or monitor the use of chemicals, Mr. Somaratne said.

While speaking out against the ban on farm chemicals, Mr. Somaratne seemed to acknowledge the harm believed to be linked to extensive use of the substances.

Whatever they do, farmers lose. Everybody will become ill with cancers or kidney diseases, he said.

He stressed that ad hoc transition from chemical to organic cultivation could be disastrous and suggested a gradual shift, with intensive guidance by officials on how to control pests and on methods of making manure.

He also stressed the importance of introducing high-yielding indigenous seeds.

Organic farming is arduous, he explained. It made cultivation harder at every stage, from preparing soil to the harvest. Using chemical fertiliser was easier.

Organic farming meant more planning: All adjoining fields should be cultivated simultaneously, he said. Using nets to control pests was costly.

Young farmer Mohamed Arshad said there was a dearth of fertiliser in Nuwara Eliya, the heart of the countrys temperate vegetable-growing region, following the announcement of a total ban on fertiliser imports.

Farmers here are already helpless without fertiliser, he said. The hybrid varieties of vegetables need fertiliser: without it, you cant get a good harvest.

He claimed the organic fertiliser available in the market was substandard and called upon the government to grant subsidies to buy manure in large quantities.

Potato farmer W.A. Meththananda said imported hybrid seed varieties of vegetables need more nutrients than organic fertiliser could provide. The country does not produce any hybrid seeds, nor do we have any alternatives, said Mr. Meththananda, who is head of the Community Seed Potato Farmers Association.

Like Mr. Arshad, he said fertiliser and other agrochemicals were out of stock in Nuwara Eliya, attributing this to hoarding by large-scale farmers.

We cant meet farmers demand, agrochemical trader Mohan Pinnduwa of Agarapatana said. He and another agrochemical trader in Nuwara Eliya, W.M. Dhammika Rajapaksha, complained of empty shelves in their shops because of rush buying.

When the government announced the ban of chemical fertiliser, well-to-do-farmers bought sackloads, leaving nothing for ordinary farmers, Mr. Rajapaksha said.

Those small-scale farmers need pesticides to start new cultivation of leeks, carrots and beetroot in a few weeks as snails would not leave any small vegetable plants unharmed, he said. The snails could not be manually controlled, he asserted.

Mr. Pinnduwa said farmers in Nuwara Eliya depend on agrochemicals as the district received more rain than the dry zone,

The District Director of Agriculture in Nuwara Eliya, T.M.A.K.D. Tennakoon, while speaking of problems in moving to organic fertiliser, spoke plainly about the effect of decades of chemical spraying on soil.

The soil here is dead due to use of excessive fertiliser and chemicals, he said. We need to revive it with organic fertiliser.

He said low levels of nitrogen in organic fertiliser had to be addressed and pointed out that considerable labour was needed to produce this fertiliser in the quantities required by tea plantations in the area.

The climate of Nuwara Eliya was unsuitable for the processing of organic fertiliser noted the director.

Former Chamber of Commerce chairman Ranatunga said President Rajapaksas total ban was impractical. Free fertiliser to no fertiliser at all is contradictory, he said.

Bring in the advanced organic farming methods now available in the world, he advocated, and claimed we use the crudest form of fertiliser where there much more efficient and less harmful forms are available.

His advice is: Go for total organic in five years, 50 per cent in two years, with a structured and phased approach.

He warned the government would face huge costs in implementing an immediate ban with paying farmers compensation for reduced yields and also for rice imports to fill shortfalls next year.

The government is paying for the farmers for what is not produced instead of paying of what is produced and also for import to address a 30-50 per cent decrease in harvest, he said.

He calculated this would amount to more than the fertiliser subsidy of Rs. 50 billion. The cost implication at a time of pandemic and balance of payment problems would amount to policy failure.

A ministry spokesman said Agricultural Ministry Secretary Rohana Pushpakumra was not in a position to comment.

Additional reporting by Shelton Hettiarachchi in Nuwara Eliya and Jayaratne Wickremaarachchi in Karuawalagaswewa
Nearly two years ago, I attended a 'cash summit' event hosted by consumer group Which?

It was a meeting designed to discuss how the country's rush towards a cashless society (contactless payment rather than banknotes and coins) could be slowed down so that millions of people dependent upon cash would not become financially excluded.

The event sticks in my mind for all kinds of reasons. First, I remember arriving at Which?'s swish offices in London, looking as if I had just been swimming fully-clothed in the nearby Serpentine.

Boy, did the heavens open that morning  and boy, did I make a mistake deciding to travel there on board a hired Santander bike.

Go slow: Rishi Sunak promised legislation 14 months ago, but the Government has been unforthcoming on the issue ever since

Second, I recall being very disappointed at the fact that John Glen, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, failed to turn up and tell us what the Government had up its sleeve to save cash.

An underling stepped into his shoes and proceeded to tell us the square root of nothing.

The only positive memory from the event was listening to the diminutive  but formidable  Natalie Ceeney (the queen of cash) talk passionately about why access to cash must be maintained.

This Thursday, Which? is running a follow-up summit, although lingering lockdown restrictions mean it will take the form of a webinar (at least I won't get wet).

Ceeney, author of the most authoritative report ever written on access to cash, will be returning to the fray.

Other speakers include the boss of Which? and the banking director of the Post Office  an organisation currently mired in scandal over its despicable treatment of hundreds of sub-postmasters, who were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting as a result of a Post Office computer system riddled with glitches.

Glen is scheduled to speak although I wouldn't bet my house on him attending  a recent request by The Mail on Sunday to get his view on the Government's approach to safeguarding cash was met with a wall of silence.

The summit could not be better timed. By Thursday, we will have a clearer idea as to whether the Government intends introducing legislation to ensure cash remains a viable payment option on the high street.

Rishi Sunak  Glen's boss  promised such legislation 14 months ago, but the Government has been unforthcoming on the issue ever since.

The Government may introduce legislation to ensure cash remains a viable payment option

There is a chance it might be included in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday, but money experts aren't confident about such an outcome.

Instead, they believe the Government will deflect criticism of foot-dragging by pointing to the wider availability of high street cashback facilities.

This is likely to happen shortly, after legislation was passed that permits cashback without the need for a customer to make a purchase.

While this is a welcome step  hats off to the tenacious Lord Holmes of Richmond for making it happen  it is not the solution. Much more needs to be done to ensure consumers can continue to use  and access  cash.

As my colleague Toby Walne reports, new ways of keeping access to cash alive are being tested as part of a scheme overseen by Ceeney and funded by the banks.

Some of these ideas, most notably community banking hubs in towns where there is no longer a bank branch, make great sense and should be rolled out nationally.

Government legislation would help this happen, especially if (as Which? urges) it empowered the Financial Conduct Authority to oversee access to cash and hold the banks to account when they do not act in the best interests of communities.

Closing the last bank in town is not community-friendly  agreeing to support a branch where the overheads are shared by all the banks is.

Preservation of the free-to-use cash machine network is also imperative.

Two of the country's leading independent operators of cash machines  Cardtronics and NoteMachine  have just fired off a letter urging the Government to review the fees banks pay them when customers use one of their ATMs.

Unless they get a better deal, they warn that further shrinkage of the ATM network is inevitable.
American burger giant Wendy's is turning the heat on McDonald's and Burger King with a plan to open up to 400 outlets in Britain, just months after becoming the second-largest burger chain in the US.

Wendy's international boss Abigail Pringle said it will 'steal market share' in the UK from both its major rivals, starting with an outlet in Reading which opens on June 2.

It has a motto specifically for the UK market  All Beef, No Bull  which, Pringle said, would enshrine its approach to food preparation and supply, customers and staff.

That includes a promise of 'no zero-hour contracts', she added.

A big fan: Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger enjoys a Wendy's burger in the 1970s

This will be seen as a swipe at rivals such as McDonald's, which has come under fire for using contracts that do not guarantee working hours each week.

Pringle said of the motto: 'It's more than a tagline  it's what you get. We're not going to B-S [bullsh*t] you  we're going to give you fresh beef, all British produce.

'And we are going to treat our people the way they should be treated. [That means] no zero-hour contracts and bonuses paid at crew level, rather than just management saying: 'If we win, you win.'

McDonald's currently says on its website that it offers a 'choice of flexible or fixed contracts' to employees, following pressure from workers and unions.

Wendy's move into the UK, which was first revealed by The Mail on Sunday two years ago, could ultimately create thousands of jobs and trigger a new entry into the delivery market through a partnership with Uber Eats.

Burgers from Wendy's include the Dave's Single and the Baconator  the latter being the largest from its American menu arriving in the UK at around 950 calories  equivalent to drinking more than four pints of Guinness.

The chain expects to have around 7,000 restaurants globally by the end of this year.

THEY'LL BE BACK! RETURN OF ARNIE'S SQUARE MEAL... Britons may find the Wendy's brand familiar after an abandoned foray here in the 1980s and 90s. You may recall its 'Girl in the Pigtails' sign, that it is famous for its square burgers  and that Arnold Schwarzenegger has enjoyed a few along the way. The girl  daughter of founder Dave Thomas  has survived several company makeovers and helped make the firm one of the best-known brands in the States. Wendy's uses every opportunity to contrast its rivals' approaches with its promise of locally sourced produce and freshly made burgers using meat that isn't frozen. International boss Abigail Pringle claimed Wendy's is 'a great underdog', adding: 'We want to be the best, not always the biggest. 'That's been true for us from 1969 all the way to now as we launch the brand here. I think customers are rooting for us.'

Pringle said there is an opportunity to open between 300 and 400 in Britain and the firm will use its team here to plan an expansion into mainland Europe.

By contrast, McDonald's has 1,300 outlets in the UK and more than 36,000 worldwide.

Pringle said: 'Putting Covid aside for a moment, the overall hamburger segment and the informal eating out segment has been growing.

'But, even if there wasn't significant growth, we think we can steal market share from some of the other informal eating-out burger chains  ones that come to mind are McDonald's and Burger King  but even Five Guys and some of the other [more upmarket] brands.'

Wendy's has credited its emphasis on quality as part of the reason it has dethroned Burger King over the past year as the No2 burger company in the US.

Pringle added: 'We think the British consumer shouldn't have to pay more than they need to and still have great quality.'
Vision: Andy Briggs is also looking at offloading some of the business

Overseeing billions of pounds of retirement money is a serious business, but Andy Briggs is showing little sign of feeling the strain.

In fact, the chief executive of FTSE100 insurer Phoenix Group exudes the confidence of a man with a plan as he talks over Zoom from his West London home.

And he certainly has a bold vision for Britain's biggest retirement firm.

In his first big interview since taking the top job last March, Briggs reveals a strategy for winning new customers that, he hopes, will pave the way for another dividend boost.

He knows a dividend hike will be attractive to investors: lots of companies have slashed payouts during the pandemic, but Phoenix has so far bucked the trend.

The group boosted its final dividend by 3 per cent last year and the stock yields 6.7 per cent, making it the ninth highest payer in the FTSE100, according to investment site AJ Bell.

Although the company's dividend has soared by 50 per cent in the past decade, this has been propelled by acquisitions rather than growing new business.

Now, Briggs aims to go further. He wants to generate extra cash by signing up more firms to Phoenix's workplace pension plans; expanding its offering of retirement products to over-55s who use the pension freedoms; and ramping up Phoenix's business insuring defined benefit pensions as companies protect their balance sheets after years of making costly payout promises to staff with final salary schemes.

All told, the 55-year-old reckons Phoenix could rake in more than 800million from new business this year  up from 766million last year.

'If we're able to get that above 800million that will be the trigger for us to consider growing the dividend organically,' Briggs says. 'Most people own insurance stocks, including Phoenix, for the income.'

Before taking on the chief executive role last March, Briggs was in the running for the top job at rival Aviva. He narrowly lost out to Canadian Maurice Tulloch in 2019, who lasted less than a year and a half in the position.

Is Briggs bitter about the way it panned out? 'The Aviva thing I was quite relaxed about,' he says. 'At the time, the board was not persuaded [by my pitch] and didn't want to go down that route, but it's all very amicable.'

Briggs's push for new business is a significant development for Phoenix. Until recently, it had been known as a company that acquired only closed pension and life insurance funds which no longer sold new policies.

Its business was based on winding down these so-called 'zombie' funds in a cost-effective way.

But just over two years ago, Phoenix bought Standard Life's pension business, paving the way for an expansion into workplace pension sales. Phoenix will finalise a deal to use the Standard Life brand name next week on May 18.

After snapping up rival Reassure for 3.3billion last year, Phoenix now oversees 338billion of pensions and savings and has 14million customers with some 7,500 employees.

Shares are up by more than a fifth over the past year, giving Phoenix a market value of 7.3billion.

Briggs says he will continue to build the closed business and hunt for acquisitions  but his big drive will be on expanding the workplace pension business and serving retirees.

Phoenix now oversees 338billion of pensions and savings and has 14million customers

'When we bought Standard Life, it was the first time Phoenix had bought an operation that was open to new business,' he says.

'Now we are the UK's largest longterm savings and retirement business, [the question is] what is our core social purpose, what are we here for, what are we all about?'

His answer is simple: follow the money. 'Corporates want to de-risk their defined benefit pension schemes. That's worth about 30billion to 40billion a year,' he says.

'You've got about 40billion a year coming into workplace pension schemes as a result of auto-enrolment [where staff are signed up by default by their company].

'And then every year, you've got about 30billion from people over 50 on their journey to retirement. So our strategy is built on those market trends.'

Briggs says he's been busy 'hiring some strong talent' to capitalise on the business insuring costly defined benefit pension schemes.

He adds: 'Last year, we invested 150million and wrote 1.8billion of business. This year, we're more likely to allocate 200million, to write 3billion to 4billion, so we've got quite ambitious plans.'

Meanwhile, Briggs is on the lookout to acquire companies that operate employee benefits packages.

'Corporates in the UK want to offer wellbeing protection for their employees as part of their benefits packages,' he says. 'Group protection plans is one thing we don't have currently, and there'd be a good strategic logic to having that.'

Briggs says although he's not 'desperately pounding the streets looking for the next deal', Phoenix has the 'appetite and firepower' if the right opportunity comes along.

'The outlook for acquisitions is attractive,' says Briggs. The pandemic has meant some companies are looking to offload parts of their business to free up capital, he explains.

Rivals including Aviva and Prudential have been sharpening their businesses by splitting the group or pulling out of less profitable overseas markets.

Phoenix is also assessing whether to offload part of its business  specifically its German and Irish operations, which were acquired from Standard Life.

Investors will hope that, sale or no sale, Briggs has enough irons in the fire to deliver that alluring dividend boost.
Govt. reviews blanket ban on chemical fertiliser By Namini Wijedasa Regulations relaxed for shipment finalised before May 5; import licences for some products View(s): View(s):

The Finance Ministry has issued a gazette that, without completely banning the import of all agrochemicals, allows for some items to be brought in after May 6 this year subject to special import licence regulations.

The gazette also effectively permits any shipments of agrochemicals that were seaborne on or before May 5 to arrive, be cleared and distributed. In the chemical fertiliser, pesticide and other agrochemical sectors, sources expressed confusion at the development this week as they had been told a total ban would be imposed with immediate effect.

We are waiting till Monday to clarify this with the Controller General of Imports and Exports and relevant authorities, one private sector source said. The directions are not clear cut.

Gazette 2226/48 of May 6, signed by Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as Finance Minister, is available on the website of the Department of Imports and Exports Control but is yet to be released via the Government Printer. It says the regulations shall only be applicable to the importation of goods which have a date of bill of lading or airway bill on or after May 6, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Department issued operating instructions to commercial banks stating, among other things, that: Commercial banks shall not proceed with any payment in respect of the importation of items shipped on or after May 6, 2021, mentioned under regulation No 3 of Gazette Extraordinary No 2226/48 of May 6, 2021, without a valid Import Control Licence (ICL).

Sri Lanka Customs shall not release the items which shipped on or after May 6, 2021, specified under regulation No 3 of the Gazette Extraordinary 2226/48 of May 6, 2021, without a valid Import Control Licence (ICL), the letter, addressed to the Chief Executive Officers of commercial banks, states.

There is no impediment to the clearing of any shipments from the port if they were seaborne before 6th May, Imports and Exports Controller General T V D Damayanthi S Karunarathne, said. Anything after May 6 must have a valid import licence.

But both the gazette and the operating instructions contain chemicals listed by the HS codes with the letters L (for licence) and B (for banned) listed alongside. Some items, however, have neither. Also, the banned items included in the gazette are not contained in the list attached to the operating instructions. This has created confusion in the industry.

Allowed under licence are chemicals like transfluthrin (insecticide), thiobencarb (herbicide), fenamiphos (insecticide) and glyphosate; and fertilisers urea, ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate. But banned are mixtures of ammonium nitrate with calcium carbonate or other inorganic non-fertilising substances, mixtures of urea and ammonium nitrate in aqueous or ammoniacal solution, etc.

The fertliser industry is expected to speak with the Controller General about a large shipment of around 30,000 tons of urea which was being loaded at the time the gazette was issued. A few smaller shipments were also affected, private sector sources said.

As for pesticides, a source from one company said the shipments that were arriving now had been ordered nearly three to four months ago for the Yala season that just started. Most entities also planned ahead for the Maha season because of delays anticipated in view of the global pandemic. Those consignments will now be cancelled.

There will be scarcities in the Yala season and no supply during the Maha season, he warned. We have received directions from the Agriculture Ministry to look for alternatives but we have to see what is available in the global market to address the issues in Sri Lankan agriculture. To adopt changes also requires a little more time.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced last month that he intends to make Sri Lanka the first country in the world to completely stop the use of chemical fertliser. It cost Sri Lanka US$ 221mn in 2019 to import chemical fertliser, he said.
Europeans can look forward to traveling this summer, if coronavirus cases keep declining further on the continent, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday.

While the European Union is developing a vaccine certificate valid throughout the 27-nation bloc, summer vacations abroad should be possible again even for people who havent had their shots against the coronavirus, she said.

If you look at the low incidence (of COVID-19) that some of our European partner countries already have,then Im very hopeful that we can also generally afford to do what was possible last summer, too, Merkel said.

She cited the sharp drop in COVID-19 cases in Portugal in recent months after the country imposed a drastic lockdown.

Portugal had one of the highest infection rates worldwide in January, but by Friday the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases stood at 3.3 per 100,000 inhabitants  about a quarter of the rate in the United States.

Merkel said that Germany also appears to have broken its most recent outbreak.

Step by step, more will be possible in Germany, too, wherever the incidence drops, and that will hopefully be the case for all of Europe, she said.

Merkel spoke to reporters in Berlin, from where she took part remotely in a two-day EU summit that discussed, among other issues, the effort to develop a green certificate that would facilitate travel across the region this summer. Even if case numbers drop, some countries will likely impose restrictions  such as mandatory testing and quarantine  for travelers who cant prove theyve been vaccinated or recovered from infection.

EU leaders discussed the technical requirements for such a certificate, which would record a persons vaccine status, and outstanding questions about how to treat people who received vaccines that werent approved for use in the bloc.

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said Saturday that the certificate was on track to be launched in June.

So far, about 30% of adults in the EU have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

SOURCE: AP
LAKE GEORGE  During a stretch of unusually warm weather and calm water last fall, a pair of algal blooms appeared on the famously pristine surface of "the Queen of American Lakes."

The blooms in Bolton Landing and Assembly Point were the first documented harmful algae, or cyanobacteria, outbreaks on the lake, and theyve raised urgent questions about whether state officials are doing enough to keep pollution out of its waters.

This sort of bloom is unsightly  flare-ups can resemble green dots, spilled paint or pea soup. The kind spotted around Assembly Point can also become dangerous if they release chemicals that damage kidneys, liver or the nervous system. Tests did not find detectable levels of these toxins.

Other waters, including nearby Lake Champlain, have endured repeated algal blooms apparently caused by pollution. The combination of undrinkable water, worried tourists and lower property values is a nightmare for lakeside communities.

Carol Collins saw Lake Georges first documented bloom near her home on Assembly Point. The stuff she saw in the water is of the same species she did her doctoral research on decades ago.

Its sad for Lake George, but its not something we didnt expect, Collins said.

She wasnt alone in fretting. And like other researchers, property owners and formerly regulation-weary elected officials, she thinks she knows where to point a finger: leaking lakeside septic systems.

A string of studies over at least the past half-century has warned about septic tank sewage polluting the lake. Some of the same studies showed leaking sewage could cause or contribute to algal blooms. But the state has done little to rein in failing shoreline septics.

In the late 1980s, state lawmakers aware of these worries beefed up the Lake George Park Commission and tasked it specifically with controlling the amount of sewage going into the lake. But some 30 years later, the Park Commission doesnt have a single person working for it that regulates wastewater.

Collins and other residents, as well as the lakes two largest nonprofit watchdogs  the Lake George Association and the Fund for Lake George, which recently announced they would merge  have argued that the state has stayed on the sidelines for far too long.

Over the past several years, the state has had to close Million Dollar Beach for days after finding waterborne human bacteria, including E. coli. Officials could never pinpoint what caused the problems, though an aging village sewer system in Lake George, stormwater runoff and leaking septics were all suspects.

And for well over a century, lakeside sanitation has worried people who live around the lake. The Lake George Association, formed 130 years ago, had discussions in the 1890s about sanitation woes. At one point, it hired its own inspector, Harry Smith, to look after the lake. Way back in 1929, Smith was fielding complaints about sewage. One doctor with property on the lake wrote to Smith to complain that another doctor with property on the lake had an outhouse altogether too close to the brook.

Perhaps little has changed since then: Recent tests by the association show small levels of caffeine and the chemical sweetener sold as Splenda are in the lake. That indicates sewage is still getting in.

But now, with 6,000 septic systems around the lake, its not so easy to point the finger at a single source.

Lake Georges decades-old designation as a park within the Adirondack Forest Preserve started to really mean something in the late 1980s when lawmakers decided to give more power to the Lake George Park Commission.

Bill Hennessy, an Albany insider and ally of then-Gov. Mario Cuomo, was called in to help overhaul the commission, which had existed without much power. Hennessy asked Tom West, a young attorney who had worked with the Lake George Association, to help draft the new law.

The law, passed in 1987, gives the Park Commission extraordinary powers to regulate activity around the lake and on the water. The agency now polices the lake with its own marine patrol, issues boat permits and oversees docks, moorings and marinas.

The law also clearly says commissioners shall adopt rules and regulations for the discharge of sewage. But the Park Commission doesnt have rules and regulations about sewage or even a sanitary inspector like Harry Smith to field complaints.

In Wests view, the Park Commission is failing to live up to the law and is ignoring science. He compared the failure to regulate septics to peoples failure to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

Its time for the Park Commission to step up to the plate and take up the authority it was given back in the 80s, West said.

Legal challenges

Its not as if the Park Commission hasnt tried to deal with septic systems. It just hasnt tried in a long time.

Soon after the 1987 law gave the agency its new power, commissioners set out to use it. But at nearly every turn, they faced a legal challenge of one kind or another, usually from conservative activists Bob Schulz or John Salvador, who both lived around the lake.

In court, the commission won some and lost some. One of its biggest losses was when Schulz challenged its 1990 plan to regulate septic systems.

A few communities, like the village of Lake George and the town of Hague, have sewer systems that collect wastewater from peoples homes and send it to a main treatment plant. Those are regulated by another arm of the state and subject to federal guidelines.

But many lake residents rely on septic tanks in their yards.

Its easy to gloss over what the tanks do. Septics are really just a way to carefully dump sewage into the ground. The goal is that wastewater leaves a septic tank slowly enough that the soil near the home will remove the bad stuff before anything dangerous ends up in the lake. A broken septic system will release too much raw sewage too fast, overwhelming the soils cleaning power.

The Park Commissions early septic rules were pretty straightforward: If someone had a septic system, they had to get it inspected to make sure the system was working and bad stuff wasnt ending up in the lake.

For people who happened to live in areas where septics were more likely to fail because of things like poor soil, the rules created an out: The commission could consider plans to create a municipal sewer system to collect all that sewage and send it to a treatment plant.

But that was the rub. A large sewer system for the whole south end of the lake had been envisioned but failed to materialize a decade earlier amid local opposition. While sewer systems are usually considered a public good, they occasionally get attacked on the theory that they promote new development, which can be controversial.

Judges agreed with Schulz, who brought the case against the Park Commission: The agency hadnt done enough to study the expansive sewer system that its septic regulations might lead to.

Instead of working to correct this relatively technical error by doing a study, the Park Commission gave up on septic inspections for the next quarter-century.

A known threat

Lake Georges problems were not only foreseeable but were also foreseen.

In October 1982, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that without better sanitation existing water quality problems associated with the use of on-site septic systems in the Lake George Basin will continue and intensify. In particular, the agency warned of algal blooms.

Fast-forward to 2018, the year after algal blooms marred Skaneateles Lake, the source of Syracuses drinking water and a lake similar in many ways to Lake George. Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration released plans to combat algal blooms on a dozen major New York lakes. Eleven of those already had documented blooms; the 12th was Lake George.

The report on Lake George, published by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, called for mandatory septic system inspections to start within three years, followed by money to help lakeside property owners upgrade failing septic systems.

Since that report, three years ago, theres been little movement by the state to make that goal into a reality. And last falls algal blooms brought new scrutiny back on the state for appearing ready to break another commitment to do something about septics.

New York State is committed to protecting the water quality of Lake George and waterbodies throughout the state and has invested record resources to ensure the protection of public health and the environment, the department said in a statement.

In early December, a group of Assembly Point residents, led by Collins, wrote Cuomo a letter that asked what had happened to the 2018 goal of inspecting the lakes septic systems.

The reply from Dave Wick, the Park Commissions executive director, posed its own question: Inspections are easier said than done  and are they really even needed?

Wick, who grew up near the lake, has been his agencys top staffer for nine years. He reports to a board. Many of the commissions major decisions also get sent to Albany for approval.

Wick has taken an agency that fumbled early and often to one that seems to be carrying a few balls at once.

During his time there, the Park Commission began a boat inspection program to crack down on invasive species in the lake. Now, the agency is close to finalizing rules that update how close landowners can build to streams and what they must do to prevent pollution from running off their property.

The runoff rules, known as stormwater regulations, are, in Wicks view, one of the keys to keeping the lake from deteriorating, because many studies find that stormwater is a bigger problem than septic leaks.

So were doing very proactive good things, he said, but we cant do everything at once.

Wick said hes not sure the science can justify what could be a multimillion-dollar septic inspection regime.

He is clear about what the problem is: The DEC oversees a handful of larger wastewater treatment plants around the lake. The state Department of Health has rules about new septic systems that go in the ground. But if a septic system is already in the ground, no state agency is in charge of making sure that septic system is functioning correctly.

The latest lakewide research doesnt show that septics are the lakes biggest problem, Wick said. One report he cites, a 2001 study, found leaking septics made only an incremental contribution to the lakes problems.

The Assembly Point algal bloom was, in Wicks view, minor, and nobody is sure yet what caused it. He doesnt want the commission to overreact with rapid regulation that cant pass muster in Albany or survive a court challenge.

Town of Queensbury Supervisor John Strough, however, is one of the local leaders around the lake who disagree. In the past several years, Queensbury and the town of Bolton adopted their own regulations to require inspections of septic systems before property can be sold. Queensbury property owners have to pay $250 for each inspection.

The water quality adjacent to the home directly impacts the value of the home, Strough said.

What Queensbury is finding shows a great need for a lakewide inspection program, he said. Though many of the problems were minor, about 80 percent of the systems inspected so far in Queensbury have at least some sort of problem that required repair.

Across New York, other water managers have decided septic regulations are worth it. Routine septic inspections are mandatory for people living around Keuka Lake, Otsego Lake and Cayuga Lake, for instance. And New York City even helps pay for people in the Catskills to upgrade their septics in order to keep leaks from polluting the citys water supply.

A new septic system can cost $30,000, which is surely why there is hesitation to make people deal with failing septics on their own. Last year, the Fund for Lake George worked with two banks to offer special loans to upgrade septic systems that are leaking sewage into the lake. The DECs plan for the lake said if there is an inspection program, the state should help pay to repair failing septic systems.

Wick argues that regulating the wrong way, without proving to people and agencies that its needed, could complicate future efforts to confront pollution.

Collins agreed that its hard to prove that an algal bloom is caused by a septic leak. Still, she said, years of research, in New York and across the globe, have made a connection that demands action. Regulating septics is a start.

You control what you can control, she said.

Ry Rivard covers water policy for the Adirondack Explorer, a nonprofit news outlet covering issues within the forest preserve.
LAKE GEORGE  Surveyors are finding more areas along Lake George have the invasive bug that kills hemlocks, and treatment options, including the release of a non-native predator beetle, have begun.

A camper reported sick hemlock trees at the Glen Island Campground earlier this summer and the state Department of Environmental Conservation later confirmed the presence of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. DEC, in partnership with several organizations, have identified 250 acres of infected trees, but that number appears to be increasing.

The Nature Conservancy confirmed last month that the invasive bug has infected hemlock trees on Dome Island, a protected area owned by the conservancy. The DEC said Friday that surveys have identified more adelgid-infected trees near Pilot Knob, a hamlet on the south eastern side of the lake.

So far that infestation looks small, though there is additional survey work needed to better determine the size, a DEC spokesperson said.

Treatment of the trees has begun, with DEC using two kinds of pesticides that kill the woolly adelgid. One, called dinotefuran, is fast acting and typically starts killing HWA (hemlock woolly adelgid) throughout the tree within weeks, the spokesperson said. The second pesticide, imidacloprid, is slower to show results, but its protection lasts up to seven years.

But there are other methods at work.

Mark Whitmore, an entomologist and leader of the New York State Hemlock Initiative, released 620 beetles at the end of October called Laricobius nigrinus. The beetles are predators of the hemlock woolly adelgid, but are originally from the Pacific Northwest.

Whitmore breeds the beetles in his lab at Cornell University. He has been part of releasing them at more than 20 sites across the state, and now Lake George is added to the list. Whitmore can do this through a permit with the U.S. Department of Agriculture that allows for the release of biological controls.

The DEC does not need to provide permission for the beetles release. The DEC, however, does help fund Whitmores work through the Environmental Protection Fund.

In order to release the predator beetles, there has to be enough woolly adelgid for them to eat. It will take time for the beetle population to establish. Whitmore plans to return in the spring and release two more predators to the hemlock woolly adelgid, species of the silver fly. Those, too, are from the Pacific Northwest and reared in Whitmores lab.

Well come back and well keep releasing because this is basically the coldest place in the state where we have hemlock woolly adelgid right now, Whitmore said. We need to see if they (the predators) are successfully establishing and spreading.

The state is hopeful that the combination of treatments will work for Lake George.

These particular biocontrol methods for HWA have been extremely vetted both federally and by universities over the years, a DEC spokesperson said. DEC will continue to monitor the success of any biological control efforts throughout New York.

A version of this story was first published by AdirondackExplorer.org.
In 2004 she left for India to escape the war here, but last week, she fled India to escape covid Text and Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe View(s): View(s):

In 2004 the then 17-year-old newly married Munsai Ranmugam together with her husband took a flight to India to escape the woes of Sri Lankas separatist war, but last week she together with her children took a risky boat ride to return to her home country to escape the raging COVID-19 pandemic in India

When she left Sri Lanka, the teenage bride from Puttalam had no plans to return, but, with the covid situation worsening in India, she decided to do so with her two sons  aged 14 and 4  leaving behind her husband who refused to join the journey. Warnings of being arrested by the Navy did not deter her from undertaking the risky boat ride.

The family was residing in Chennais Kuppam area where they were surviving from the income from a small leather factory they had set up. But with the COVID situation worsening and the income dwindling, her husband started a business of repairing vehicles and selling them.

As the coronavirus was fast spreading in the area, Munsai decided to take no chances and embarked on the journey back to Sri Lanka on April 30 from Tuticorin.

I managed to find a fisherman who demanded Indian Rs 20,000 to take me on the journey. There was another woman from Kochchikade, Negombo in the same boat, she told the Sunday Times.

When we reached Talaimannar, the boatmen left us at a lonely spot on the beach and left. We walked for about five kilo metres and managed to board a bus to Mannar, she said.

From Mannar, Munsai and the two boys boarded a bus to Vavuniya and from there in two separate bus journeys they reached Munsais parental house in Puttalam via Anuradhapura.

When the news spread, two Public Health Inspectors had come looking for them, but by then they had left home and arrived in Colombo.

Munsais sister had called her to tell them that the PHIs and the Police were looking for them and urged her to get back to Puttalam. She complied and returned to Puttalam. Police took Munsai and the children for a PCR test and arrested them. After being produced in courts, they were granted bail. Munsai is now under home quarantine.

We returned to the country to save our lives, she said.

About 30 residents who have come into contact with her have been placed under quarantine.

Puttalam Administrative Public Health Inspector N. Suresh said he received a tip-off that a woman and two children had come from India. He then directed PHIs Dhananjaya Manoj and Hasindu Nimantha to carry out further investigations. A separate investigation is also being carried out by Puttalam Police Inspector P. Kumaradasa.
TROY  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is three days into dealing with a malware attack that has shut down much of its computer network, impacting the universitys students as they go into finals for the spring semester.

The attack prompted RPI on Sunday to announce all final examinations, term papers and project reports due on Monday and Tuesday were canceled. In a post on Instagram, the university said grading policies would be modified to reflect the cancelations. Modifications were also being made for any tests that were interrupted by Fridays attack.

Rensselaer is investigating a trespass into our University network, a message sent out to the RPI community Friday night stated. RPI has called on law enforcement to help it deal with the situation but has been silent about the nature of the attack.

We have temporarily suspended access to the network as we work with law enforcement and cyber security experts to determine the extent of the trespass, the statement says.

The most recent posting on the home page of RPI's website is from Thursday.

The world-renowned engineering schools email system is down, with members of the RPI student body, staff and faculty unable to receive communications. The Student Information System, which provides students with access to courses, catalogs and other information, also is offline. Calling up any of those pages results in the response, This site cant be reached.

U.S. schools, universities, governments and companies are frequent victims of cyberattacks. The city of Albany suffered perhaps the most high-profile attack in the region, a 2019 ransomware that disabled the city's computer system and destroyed digital files going as far back as 2017. The towns of Guilderland and Colonie as well as Schenectady County have also faced malware attacks.

RPI has advised students that steps are being taking to assist those who are scheduled for final exams being offered online.

Accommodations will be provided to any student with online exams impacted by the suspended access to the network. Those affected will receive specific information from the Office of the Provost and/or the Academic Deans, RPI alerted students.

Jesse Madrid, a junior at RPI, was working on an assignment with a classmate when his girlfriend told him she got a notification about the cyberattack.

"We started looking around and we couldn't access anything  LMS (the Student Information System), our RPI email, anything," Madrid said.

The wifi at his fraternity house, Phi Sigma Kappa, has also been down since it's provided by the school. Madrid said the school community has been hectic with students trying to figure out what to do about their finals and assignments, and teachers trying to find ways to connect with them. Some professors, he said, had already had Slack channels set up with their students  but others are scrambling to find ways to reach their students.

"People were making jokes at first," Madrid said. "But now it's day three."

On the Reddit RPI page, one person who identified himself as a faculty member spoke about the situation.

The RPI faculty have been given no information about this cyberattack beyond that curious unsigned announcement yesterday. We don't know what happened, how serious the damage was, what is being done, and when we might be back online. We also do not know if this is a widespread problem or unique to RPI, the comment said.

Reddit often draws RPI students commenting about campus cocnerns. There is a string of comments and speculations as those on the thread attempt to figure out whats happening and describe how some faculty members are setting up alternate forms of contact.
TROY  The Rensselaer County Court Houses rock solid appearance is crumbling. Its granite facade is slowly turning to dust, but its not too late to save the historic building, according to one of the nations leading historic preservation architects.

Its really a tribute to careful design and superior materials and construction technology that was used originally that the building is not in worse condition. It really needs work now, said John G. Waite, an Albany-based architect who oversaw interior renovation of the courthouse complex 20 years ago.

When the courthouse at Second and Congress streets was restored to its historic interior luster, officials knew the facade was decaying. But they faced financial limits on an already expensive project. Everyone knew there was a lot of work that had to be done on the exterior, Waite said.

Waite is back at the courthouse advising county officials on what needs to be done now. The government leaders are ready to save the face of the original courthouse and the courthouse annex, a former Presbyterian church where the countys Ceremonial Courtroom is located. It once hosted the final trial of legendary gangster John T. Legs Diamond.

Waite is a Troy native whose expertise in historic architectural restoration includes work at the Statue of Liberty, the Capitol in Albany, the Baltimore Cathedral, the Lincoln Memorial, Blair House in Washington D.C. and the Tweed Courthouse in New York City. His firm is John G. Waite Associates Architects.

Granite dust is falling off the building and piling up on the sides of the steps leading up to the courthouses Congress Street entrance. A walk around the courthouse reveals a facade weakened by water damage and flaking. It was built between 1894 and 1898.

The county estimates it will have to spend $5.5 million to $8 million to repair the facade as well as the exterior of the annex. The county hopes federal and state grants will help pay for the work. Renovation plans are expected to go to the county legislature this year.

The Rensselaer County Court House is a landmark in downtown Troy and Rensselaer County. We are proud to be working with John Waite to begin restoring the exterior of the courthouse, and continuing important work to protect the building first started two decades ago, County Executive Steve McLaughlin said in a prepared statement.

John Waite literally transformed the inside of the courthouse and gave the building new life after decades of decay. We are excited to again see what can be accomplished with this new project."

Retired state Supreme Court Justice Edward O. Spain was delighted to hear about the latest courthouse plans. Spain was part of the team that oversaw the prior renovations. He continues to have a role in the restoration of the courthouses historic paintings.

Its an answer to our prayers. The facade is crumbling. Theres little trees growing out of the crevices of the granite. Its badly in need of refurbishment and restoration. Jack Waite is the best person in the whole world to be asked to do that, said Spain, who served as an associate justice on the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court.

Waite conducted a study of the work needed at the complex.

The county says the work that needs to be performed includes repointing, replacement and repair of joints, stones and ornamental fixtures on the courthouse; repairing the stucco exterior on Second Street of the courthouse; removing, restoring and replacing stained glass and historical windows; repairing the courthouse annex tower clock so it tells time again; making the courthouse weather-tight; and repairing sidewalks and making them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The courthouse interior was overhauled over 20 years ago as part of a roughly $20 million project to bring the countys court facilities up the standards of the state Office of Court Administration The project added courtrooms, moved the county clerks office to an annex on Third Street, removed an elevator from the courthouse atrium and restored courthouse interiors.

They did everything correctly 20 years ago. They did not cut corners, Waite said.

Its an important building functionally for the county. Its also a real source of pride, Waite said. They wanted to make sure it lasted not decades into the future but centuries.
Not even a pandemic could slow down one of the longest-standing practices of shady lawyers in New York state: theft.

The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection, a state agency that compensates victims of crooked and extremely negligent attorneys, paid $3.4 million alone last year to victims whose attorneys who stole from real estate escrow accounts. Thats more than 40 percent of all the money the agency reimbursed, according to its most recent annual report.

That itself is no shock considering the agency has reimbursed more than $81 million to victims of real estate escrow thefts since 1982. It's the highest dollar amount of all kinds of funds sent back to clients.

More alarming is that in 2020, The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection had its fewest number of overall claims since 1984. And yet it paid out more money for real estate escrow thefts last year  amid the COVID-19 pandemic  than the $2.2 million it dished out to victims in 2019.

The few lawyers responsible for these losses cause substantial harm to law clients and to the reputation of the over (338,000) registered lawyers in New York State, the report stated.

The fund, created in 1981, is the product of $60 fees that attorneys may not even realize they are paying. It is part of the $375 registration fee lawyers must pay every two years in New York. Last year, the fund doled out 114 payments worth a combined $8.4 million to compensate victims of 46 ex-lawyers.

The persistence of pilfering has led The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection to recommend serious consequences for crooked attorneys.

"Lawyers who steal should be disbarred," the fund's former executive director, Timothy J. O'Sullivan, testified in 2015 before the Commission on Statewide Attorney Discipline, which was put together by then-Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to review the state's disciplinary system for attorneys.

O'Sullivan testified that automatic disbarment for lawyers who intentionally "convert" (aka "steal") funds would "deliver a strong message to victims, the public and to lawyers about the administration of justice in New York state."

Under Sullivan's successor, Michael J. Knight of Bethlehem, that view has not changed. The agency's 2020 report said lawyers who intentionally steal escrow funds should be disbarred "no questions or excuses."

The vast majority of real estate escrow theft is in New York City and downstate counties, but The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection, based in Albany, has plenty of experience paying back victims of attorneys in the Capital Region.

Payments to victims can range from only a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions.

The most recent report for 2020 showed the fund paid 1,195 to a client of Troy attorney Philip G. Ackerman. Additional details were not provided. In 2019, the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court's Third Department in Albany disbarred Ackerman, a lawyer since 1993, after he did not comply with the a grievance committee's investigation into complaints by Ackerman clients who said he neglected their cases.

The agency paid $372,748 to a client victimized by James M. Russell, a former Fulton County lawyer who was disbarred in 1995. That was after he pleaded guilty in Westchester County to fourth-degree grand larceny for his handling of trust funds.

The agency paid $400,000 to a client of Paul Richard Karan, a disbarred Manhattan attorney who pleaded guilty in 2018 to grand larceny and scheming to defraud. Karan fleeced more than $2.6 million from estates and trusts of multiple families. He then spent the proceeds on mortgage payments, loans, credit card bills, restaurants, traveling to Europe and country club fees.

And the fund paid $400,000 to a victim of John Shasanmi, a Delaware lawyer who pleaded guilty in 2019 to grand larceny for stealing $600,000 from an upper Manhattan church that he represented in a real estate transaction, stealing the money from an escrow account.

Russell, Karan and Shasanmi were all listed as attorneys registered in the Albany-based Third Judicial District, which covers Albany, Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Schoharie, Ulster and Sullivan counties. Their direct ties to Albany were not entirely clear.
EAST GREENBUSH  The Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of the Mohican Indians has regained ownership of a culturally significant 156 acres along the Hudson River that was deeded to a Dutch colonist 386 years ago.

The Open Space Institute donated the Papscanee Island Nature Preserve to the Mohicans reestablishing the Native American nations presence on a historically important location in its ancestral homeland. The Mohicans are based in Wisconsin after being forced westward by European settlers.

This is a significant part of our homeland. To be able to say its ours again is very cool, said Heather Bruegl, cultural affairs director for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.

Papscanee Island is named for Papsickene, a Mohican sachem, who led the village at the site. His heirs signed a deed to the property turning it over to Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, a Dutch diamond merchant and member of the Dutch West India Company, on April 13, 1637.

As part of the announcement of the lands return, the Mohicans and Open Space Institute issued a story map entitled "The Long Journey Home: The Return of New York's Papscanee Island to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community."

The return of Papscanee Island Preserve is an acknowledgement of the Stockbridge-Munsee Communitys historic connection to this property, and of the bitter history of land dispossession and land policies that not only removed Mohican ancestors from this homeland but also brutalized and segregated generations of those who originally inhabited our nation, said Kim Elliman, president and CEO of the Open Space Institute.

The Mohicans take their name from their word for the Hudson River, the Mahhicannituck, which means the river that flows both ways or the waters that are never still.

The Mohican Nation thanks Open Space Institute for this exciting opportunity to reestablish a connection to an important cultural site in its ancestral territory, said Shannon Holsey, the Stockbridge-Munsee Community president.

The Mohicans have been active in their ancestral homeland along the Hudson River in New York State east into Massachusetts protecting culturally important sites and explaining their history and connection to the region.

The Mohicans have identified the location through tribal tradition and archaeological investigation as being a village site for thousands of years. Indigenous people took advantage of the rich waters of the Hudson River and the prime farmland on it during the residency.

It was the third sale of land by Mohican people to the Dutch; payment was made in the form of duffels, axes, knives, and wampum. The land was immediately settled and farmed by Dutch tenants and has been in continuous cultivation ever since, the Mohicans and the Open Space Institute said in announcing the transfer of the property.

To have a place where he (Papsickene) lived; to have it back in our ownership is very significant, Bruegl said.

The Open Space Institute acquired Papscanee Island in the early 1990s to protect the culturally and environmentally critical lands from development from the nearby Port of Rensselaer to the north. The nature preserve is in East Greenbush, Rensselaer and Schodack off Route 9J and its hiking trails are administered by Rensselaer County.

Ashley McLaughlin and her husband Jimmy McLaughlin were hiking the three miles of trails in the preserve Friday afternoon, taking advantage of the warm, sunny spring weather after days of rain.

Its great. Its about time, Ashley McLaughlin said about the return of the land to the Mohicans.

The Papscanee Island Nature Preserve will continue to be managed by Rensselaer County and the Rensselaer Land Trust for public access and protection. Bruegl said the site will be used for cultural events in the future now that the Mohicans again own it.
ALBANY  Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, endorsed Rep. Elise Stefanik for the GOP conference chair position in party leadership, fast-tracking the 36-year-old Schuylerville politician toward greater power  and national prominence if the Republicans take back the majority in next year's election.

Stefanik would be taking the spot of Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, who faces expulsion from the leadership post by Republicans who say they've lost faith in Cheney over her decision to break with former President Donald Trump's insistence he won last year's election and her vote to impeach him after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The vote on the House leadership switch is expected within the next week. Stefanik has in recent weeks began pursuing the job in earnest, courting the conservative Freedom Caucus members in the House, appearing on a podcast with former Trump strategist Stephen Bannon and openly expressing her interest in the job.

In response to a request for comment, a spokeswoman pointed to Stefanik's tweet thanking McCarthy and declined to comment beyond that.

Stefanik's rise would make the North Country representative one of the most prominent Republicans in Congress and comes after months after fellow New Yorker, Sen. Charles Schumer, a Brooklyn Democrat, became the majority leader of the Senate.

McCarthy, of California, said on Fox News on Sunday morning that he supported Stefanik for the spot because he believed it was necessary to unify the House Republican caucus to better position the party to win back the House in 2022.

His support of deposing Cheney from leadership is a remarkable turnaround for several reasons.

First, Cheney has long been seen as a rising star in the party and a possible future speaker of the House. Her downfall is an acute reminder of the sway that Trump, even in defeat, has over the party. Second, McCarthy personally criticized Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol, only to walk back those comments later. Finally, McCarthy supported Cheney in an initial vote earlier this year to remove her from leadership, when she clung to her job, only for the minority leader to backtrack in recent months and now fully break from Cheney.

Now, the momentum seems to be moving toward Stefanik. Last week, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the number-two Republican in the chamber, declared he had "pledged" to support Stefanik.

In an essay published in The Washington Post, Cheney this week framed the vote between her and Stefanik as a battle for the future of the Republican party. She claims the GOP is punishing her for pushing back on the falsehoods spread by Trump about the integrity of the 2020 election that he lost, as well as her willingness to acknowledge the severity of the events of Jan. 6 and Trump's role in it.

In contrast, Stefanik supported Trump's efforts to invalidate the 2020 election and voted to overturn the election results in the House shortly after the Capitol siege.

There was widespread speculation among New York political observers that Stefanik was positioning herself for a run for governor, although her decision to pursue a position instead in party leadership would seem to rule that out. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-Shirley, has officially announced his candidacy for governor.

Stefanik's looming ascension within the GOP is a milestone in her career, in which she initially cast herself as a moderate, bi-partisan focused politician, initially criticizing Trump as he rose to power. In recent years, she has reinvented herself as a fierce defender of the former president and has become a darling of Trump's base.
Readers of the Looking Back feature in the Times Unions Capital Region section no doubt were intrigued lately by a bizarre story about an Albany devil baby a century ago.

Back in April and May 1921, word got around that a local doctor had delivered a baby with horns and a tail. The doctor and his nurses denied it, but the crowds that gathered for days on end refused to believe otherwise. There were reports that the baby could speak and had threatened people. One woman told a reporter, We will burn him with brimstone. The mob had to be repeatedly dispersed by police. One officer made a show of inspecting the premises and assured the crowd there was no devil inside, to no avail.

A hundred years later, we can smugly shrug such nonsense off as a case of mass hysteria in a less enlightened time. Nothing so clearly false could be believed today  not in a modern, well-educated, technologically advanced society like ours. Surely no one could persuade level-headed Americans now that a proven lie was true. Right?

Wrong.

Here we are, more than four months into a new presidency, and the Republican Party has gone all in with Donald Trump on his big lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, that somehow Democrat Joe Biden didnt win it after all. Whats sometimes called the Grand Old Party has become a delusional cult of personality in which the most essential rite of passage is to deny the truth.

But this isnt some street corner mob. In Arizona, the Republican-controlled state Senate has hired a firm run by a conspiracy theorist to do a sham audit of election results. States are passing laws that roll back voting rights on the justification that people need to have more confidence in a system full of fraud that doesnt exist.

And nearly half of Congress has been swept up in this madness.

Consider the drama playing out over the House Republicans third highest position, Republican conference chair. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming appears to be on the verge of being ousted from the post for refusing to make the required profession of loyalty to the ex-president and declare faith in his lie. To the contrary, she voted in January to certify the Electoral College results that Mr. Trump and his sycophants continue to deny are valid, and she has incensed colleagues by continuing to say that Mr. Trumps claim of a stolen election is simply not true.

Whatever disagreements we may have with Ms. Cheney on issues and policies, we admire her determination in recent weeks to stand up for the truth. That display of integrity looks likely to cost her the leadership post.

And quite ready to seize it is Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, who remains firmly in Mr. Trumps corner. On the day Mr. Trump helped incite a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to stop Congress from affirming Mr. Bidens victory, Ms. Stefanik voted against certifying the Electoral College results. She has repeated many of Mr. Trumps demonstrably false claims.

For such faithlessness to the truth  not to mention betrayal of her oath to defend the Constitution  we called on Ms. Stefanik to resign. At the very least, she and all those who promulgate such untruths and stoke such division and distrust in our democracy should be pariahs in any political party that seeks to be taken seriously. Instead, with Mr. Trumps blessing, her party may be about to elevate her to leadership.

As far as we can tell from the archives so far, the furor over the devil baby 100 years ago ran its course after a week or so, the mob petered out, and Albany returned to normal.
The following is from a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial:

In the days preceding President Joe Bidens release of his $1 trillion American Families Plan, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and several of his Democratic colleagues lobbied for it to include a provision he has been introducing and reintroducing for years  the option to buy into Medicare at age 50.

The efforts were for naught. So far.

Instead, the Biden administration has proposed extending the health insurance tax benefits that were approved as part of the last coronavirus relief measure. And though his campaign messaging had supported expansion of Medicare to scoop in people as young as 60, that proposal was absent from the $1 trillion plan.

Nonetheless, there seems to be momentum building for, at the least, incremental change. The proposition warrants serious consideration.

In a political universe where some resist almost any measures that would expand government-run health insurance while others push full throttle for universal government health care, the debate needs more proposals for pragmatic steps forward.

Medicare buy-in at a younger age appears to have broad, popular support. A 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows 85 percent of Democrats and 69 percent of Republicans favor lowering the Medicare age to as young as 50.

Giving people in the 50-64 age bracket the option of participating in the Medicare program would take the most expensive people out of the private insurance markets, which could drive down overall costs. It also would benefit people forced into an early retirement or late-career people who would like to retire or need to for health and family reasons but stay on the job just for the insurance benefits.

Allowing 50- to 64-year-olds into Medicare is not the cure for all that is wrong with health care and does pose some challenges. Current estimates are that the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, which funds the Medicare Part A hospital insurance, could become insolvent by 2024. It will be critical for Congress to address this issue before adding a new age group to the program.

For practical reasons  both economic and political  the solutions for American health insurance and health care are likely to be incremental. Lowering the age for Medicare eligibility is one incremental idea that moves the discussion in the right direction.
Lanka begins using Sinopharm vaccine View(s):

Sri Lanka yesterday put into use the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine by vaccinating more than 300 people in Panadura amidst plans to either import or seek a further donation from China, as the COVID-19 situation worsened.

Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control, told the Sunday Times they hoped to provide the available Chinese vaccine to some 300,000 people while retaining the second dose for them. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) yesterday granted approval under emergency-use listing (EUL) for the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, a day after the World Health Organiz=sation (WHO) did so.

On the recommendations of the Panel of Experts, the NMRA granted this approval yesterday, said NMRA Chairperson Dr. Rasitha Wijewantha, adding that approval for the Pfizer vaccine was granted on Friday after the nod of the Panel of Experts.

In January, the NMRA granted EUL for the AstraZeneca vaccine and in early March for Sputnik V.

While 15,000 Sputnik V vaccines were brought into the country this week, China had donated 600,000 doses of which 5,318 doses have been used to vaccinate Chinese workers in the country.

Health officials confirmed that 670 people in Gothatuwa in the 30-60 age group have been vaccinated with the Russian vaccine.

Meanwhile the Government has placed an order for the import of 2.2 million PCR test kits to increase the number of tests.

To increase the PCR tests, the Government also hopes to carry out testing on a shift basis.

The moves came as the COVID-19 death toll increased to 86 in a week, the highest for a week. The numbers of COVID-19 infected persons were also on the rise with more than 1,800 cases a day this week.
[May 08, 2021]

Next-Gen Toy Company Selling Toys Through NFTs, Launched Today on OpenSea

VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TOYMINT, a Vancouver-based toy startup, launched today their first line of premium collectible toys with a twist - you can only get a toy if you buy a matching NFT on the OpenSea marketplace.

In collaboration with Italian artist Claudio Bellini, the release includes three NFTs inspired by three matching toys in ultra-rare Genesis Edition.

Two years in the making, the company's vision of a beautiful future starts today with better toys. Smart collectible toys are made from sustainable materials, kid-friendly, verifiable on blockchain, and connected to the cloud - creating an ultimate collector experience.

An award-winning agency Spitfire Industry from Brooklyn has designed the three Genesis Edition toys - two CNC machined walnut toy cars and a teddy bear with a necklace that gives it a unique value.

NFTs are available for purchase on OpenSea starting today, and buyers can redeem toys on the TOYMINT website. The delivery of toys begins in June.

"Toys are the first asset that kids own, and we want to expose them to the best craftsmanship and quality this planet has to offer," said Zorn Kovacevic, Founder and CEO of Toymint. "We want toys to grow in value so that families over time end up with a valuable toy collection."







Parent experience is at the heart of TOYMINT. From no-mess packaging to blockchain authenticity and no small parts to breakthese toys will become instant parent favourites.

"Most parents are overwhelmed with the cost, mess, and waste from toys," said Krystal Ho, Chief Experience Officer at TOYMINT. "We are creating a new toy experience for parents to collect valuable toys and eliminate waste and unwanted gifts."

Media Contact:

Caroline Martins, Media Relations

media@toymint.co

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SOURCE Toy Mint Corporation
[May 09, 2021] Telix Commences Phase III Clinical Trial of Prostate Cancer Therapy

MELBOURNE, Australia, May 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces it has been granted Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval and received Clinical Trial Notification (CTN) clearance by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to commence a Phase III clinical trial of the Companys PSMA1 targeted prostate cancer therapy candidate TLX591 (177Lu-DOTA-rosopatamab), in patients with advanced metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

The Phase III ProstACT trial is an international, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial (RCT) in patients with PSMA-expressing mCRPC, experiencing disease progression following prior treatment with a novel androgen axis drug (NAAD). The ProstACT trial will enrol approximately 390 patients and incorporates patient selection using 68Ga-PSMA imaging with TLX591-CDx (Illuccix). The trial will compare standard of care therapy alone versus standard of care therapy plus TLX591, with a primary endpoint of radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS). Trial secondary endpoints will include overall survival and quality-of-life assessment. Telix has commenced the initiation of Australian ProstACT trial sites and will add global sites progressively during the second half of 2021, subject to the requisite approvals. Telix Chief Executive Officer Dr. Christian Behrenbruch stated, The commencement of the ProstACT Phase III study for TLX591 marks a major corporate milestone for Telix that brings the Company a step closer to delivering on a major unmet medical need for treatment options in this patient population. ProstACT builds on a significant body of clinical data for TLX5912, which to date has been studied in over 200 patients with advanced prostate cancer, across five previous studies. TLX591 has demonstrated promising and competitive clinical potential that we believe warrants further confirmation in this second-line disease setting. It is also noteworthy that Telixs differentiated approach to integrating molecular imaging with PET alongside terapy, enables a comparatively streamlined study that we believe will support efficient patient enrolment and study execution.



About Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer and worldwide 1.4 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. Despite advances in treatment, prostate cancer still accounts for a large number of deaths and in 2020 more than 375,000 men died from their disease. Rates of diagnosis are increasing, and the highest incidences of prostate cancer are found in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.3

About TLX591 TLX591 (177Lu-DOTA-rosopatamab) is an antibody-based radioimmunoconjugate (molecularly-targeted radiotherapy or MTR) targeting PSMA, a cancer target highly expressed in men with metastatic prostate cancer. About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Telix is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of diagnostic and therapeutic products using Molecularly Targeted Radiation (MTR). Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia with international operations in Belgium, Japan, and the United States. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical-stage products that address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX). For more information visit www.telixpharma.com and follow Telix on Twitter (@TelixPharma) and LinkedIn. Telixs lead investigational product, Illuccix (TLX591-CDx) for prostate cancer imaging, has been accepted for filing by the U.S. FDA,4 and is under priority evaluation by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).5 Telix is also progressing marketing authorisation applications for Illuccix in the European Union6 and Canada.7 None of Telixs products, including TLX591 and TLX591-CDx, have received a marketing authorisation in any jurisdiction. Telix Corporate Contact Telix Corporate Communications Dr. Christian Behrenbruch Dr. Stewart Holmstrom Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Managing Director and CEO Director of Corporate Communications Email: chris.behrenbruch@telixpharma.com Email: stewart.holmstrom@telixpharma.com ___________________________

1 Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)

2 Tagawa S et al. Cancer 2019.

3 GLOBOCAN 2020.

4 ASX disclosure 24/11/20.

5 ASX disclosure 14/04/21.

6 ASX disclosure 1/05/20.

7 ASX disclosure 16/12/20.



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Progressive perspective from a niche mag defends the Commander-In-Chief from clerics who denounce the pro-choice stance of the current administration.

Read more . . .

It seems obvious to me that this rush to draft a document is the ecclesial equivalent of the effort by Republican officials to cast doubt on results of the 2020 election, an effort to delegitimize Biden in the public's mind.
A quick celebration of local moms along with pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Kansas City Drives Votes

Kansas City, Missouri, hosts John Lewis Voting rights Act 'votercade' KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, community leaders gathered on Saturday to speak out against voter suppression efforts. The city hosted a "John Lewis Voting Rights Act votercade" as part of Voting Rights Action Day. KCMO is one of more than 140 cities across the U.S. to recognize the day.

Money Cant Buy Laughs

Billionaire Elon a 'Musk see' on 'mediocre' episode of 'SNL' Elon Musk hosted "Saturday Night Live" this week like a man with nothing to lose. That's probably because his net worth is $166 billion. What's a 90-minute-long sketch show to a man with an income greater than some countries' defense budgets? But 49-year-old Musk had been under pressure for weeks.

GOP Divided

Trump advisor Jason Miller says defeating Liz Cheney is 'one of the highest priorities' Trump advisor Jason Miller pointed out Liz Cheney as a top political target of the former president. Cheney faces the loss of her leadership role in the House and a tough GOP primary challenge in 2022. The No. 3 House Republican refuses to waver from her criticism of Trump's continued election lies.

Former First Lady Worries About Discrimination

Michelle Obama on the Worry Black Parents Feel For Their Kids: "Many of Us Still Live in Fear" Michelle Obama says Black parents in America have fear in their hearts. After Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, the former first lady sat down with CBS's Gayle King to talk about her feelings following the verdict and the worry she feels for her own daughters, Malia and Sasha, today.

India Scolded Amid Plague

Medical journal slams Indian government for 'squandering' early success on Covid-19 The Indian government has been blasted for ignoring warnings of a second wave, encouraging complacency, and failing to be transparent on Covid-19 data, in a scathing editorial in prestigious medical journal The Lancet.

Moms Day Testimony

Opinion | Why I hate Mother's Day as a daughter, daughter-in-law and mother I hate Mother's Day. I've hated it as a daughter, a daughter-in-law and a mother, and not because I don't love the women it purports to honor. I'm not saying don't honor mothers. But I am saying we shouldn't do it in the threadbare fashion we have pursued for more than a century.

WEATHER

Your Storm Track 5 Daily Forecast Active weather expected as we head through late this evening and into the overnight hours. Showers and storms will develop just to our west and continue to build eastward. These storms could come together to form an organized cluster or line. If this happens damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph will be the primary threat.

I'm A Mother by The Pretenders is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
The investigation into the murder of Aviva Okeson-Haberman continues and recent news testimony offers more insight.



Here's the word and CONFIRMATION from our blog community that the "stray bullet" theory has been discredited.



Police now say the crusading journalists murder wasnt random  although they havent named suspects or described a motive.



But a neighbor has come forward to tell police she believes the bullet was meant for her  and the murderer got the apartments mixed up.

Check-it and special thanks to KICK-ASS TKC READERS for sending this note our way . . .


Rs. 206 m funds misused by co-op set up to empower farmers: Audit report View(s):

A Polonnaruwa co-operative society, set up during the previous Government to empower small-scale and middle-scale rice farmers and break the rice price-fixing oligopolistic system in the country, drew a staggering Rs. 206 million of state funds. The funds were misused without following any proper mechanism, an audit report recently revealed.

The audit report compiled by the National Audit Office, observed that the Polonnaruwa district branch of Sri Lanka Rice Producers Co-operative Society Ltd secured the highest amount of Rs. 206 million than any of the other branches in the country.

It was also noted that the Chairperson of the Polonnaruwa district co-operative society was also the head of the Sri Lanka Rice Producers Co-operative Society Ltd as well.

The Chairman of the Polonnaruwa district cooperative society had used the money obtained from the loan for his own personal needs. The report also noted that Sri Lanka Rice Producers Co-operative Society Ltd had not performed its functions properly as specified in the guidelines prepared by the Food Commissioner.

In 2000, the total number of rice millers in the country was around 2000 but the number had decreased to 800. Rice production has been limited to a certain group of people, and this has resulted in an oligopolistic rice market, the report said.

To resolve this situation, the previous Government initiated a programme of granting concessionary loan facilities to small-scale and middle-scale rice farmers in February 2019, and Rs. one billion was allocated for the project.

This programme had been implemented in eight selected districts  Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Kandy, Hambantota and Batticaloa.

The main objectives of this programme were fixing a fair price in the purchase of paddy, the uplifting of small and medium scale rice farmers and to give opportunity to the consumers to buy rice at a reasonable price by removing a group of large-scale rice suppliers, the report said.

Hence, this would help the rice market to move away from being an oligopoly to a more competitive market, the report added.

The report also highlighted that other major setbacks were the non-settlement of funds given to each district society by the Government within the specific period and a lack of adequate data related to details of farmers.

As a result, the benefits of the programme to the producers who engage in paddy farming and the consumers could not be reached since the anticipated performance of the programme could not be attained, the report said.
Horrific phrasing from a Missouri Congresswoman has sparked backlash across the world.



DID REP. CORI BUSH RUIN MOTHER'S DAY?!?!



In a style very much akin to Prez Trump, we can only hope she was gaming the MSM for a bit of press but her "3d chess" might have backfired into a hot mess that seems family unfriendly and unnecessarily divisive.

Check the links . . .



New York Post: Congresswoman criticized for using term birthing people

Daily Mail: 'Birthing people - you mean moms?' Squad member Cori Bush refers to mothers with 'woke' gender-natural language: Tucker Carlson leads those mocking her asking if Mother's Day is now canceled

Fox News: Rep. Cori Bush scorched for referring to women as birthing people:' She's reducing mothers 'to a function'

You decide . . .
Appreciations View(s):

A larger than life person he had time for everyone

AZLI ISMAIL

Ahamed Ghazzali Ismail  or Azli as he was universally known  passed away on April 19, at the relatively young age of 61 years. But boy, did he live those years large!

This was made even more self-evident by the outpouring of grief from so many people who felt a light had been extinguished. He touched peoples lives through his passion for music, cars and food, amongst many other interests which he had. But, mostly he had something very precious that he gave freely  time!

I have known Azli since my early teens, and we were naturally attracted to his welcoming home in Kynsey Road where his modest room was packed to the brim with all manner of gadgets. For teenagers wanting to look cool, Azli was an essential resource as he would equip you with gadgets, jokes and the like.

Azli was not the studious type and ended up spending most of his school hours at Royal outside the classroom. His real love was fiddling with anything mechanical, and he started his career at Richard Peiris & Co, where he apprenticed under David Peiris, who he accompanied on many trips overland to participate in the Formula races at Sholawaram, Tamil Nadu. In due course he started his own workshop which he ran for many years, whilst being associated with several other enterprises in the motor trade.

During his schooldays, Azli was persuaded by his parents to take up competitive swimming. Whilst he was naturally gifted, the discipline of rigorous training was not for him, and he took every opportunity to go through sessions expending the least amount of energy. I still remember one competitive swim meet, where he dived in, frog fashion, evoking laughter from the spectators, although his father was not amused. I believe his swimming career came to an end shortly thereafter!

But, his real passion was designing home theatres, and with Azli it was never just about supplying the equipment. If you asked him to undertake a project, there was no pulling out and it most always ended up in redesigning the room interiors to bring out the best sound/picture quality. And of course, the job was never finished until he organized a party to demonstrate his work to the friends of the client!

From our young days the most enjoyable experiences we had were travelling around the country. Although we started off as a gang of guys, soon it extended to a gang of couples and Azli was the star of the show. He would pay meticulous detail to the food, drink, music and everything else it took to make a memorable trip. I remember well a recent trip to Jaffna where we had hired a 40-seater bus, and together with our families we set off around midnight for the long trip. Not only had he organized food and drinks for the journey, but, also cold towels .. such was his attention to detail!

I also got to know Azli from a very different perspective as I had the good fortune of marrying his sister Azira. I could not have asked for more gracious and loving in-laws, but, this I already knew as we spent so much time in their house when we were kids. He was very close to his cousins and their families and I know the Ismail family will feel the void.

He married Petra at the relatively late age of 36 years. I am sure her Bavarian parents must have been concerned at the thought of their only daughter moving to Sri Lanka. But, like most people he touched, he won their affection and even persuaded them to cook his favourite curries on his many trips to Munich. Although they do not have children of their own, Azli was very much the family man and the cool uncle to our kids, and indeed to many of the kids in our extended circle of friends.

Azli looked to be in great shape in April 2019, so it came as a complete shock to us when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. This would have been devastating news to most anybody, but, Azli being the person he was, fought his illness with courage, optimism and humour. During his frequent visits to hospital, he befriended the nursing staff, tea boys et al with his ready smile and endless supply of jokes. And it was the same with Doctors who would take a breather from their busy schedules to chat and have a laugh with him.

Whenever there was a band, Azli would love to get on the bandstand and usually he would belt out his favourite song  Frank Sinatras My Way. It is so fitting that the lyrics exemplified his approach to life on earth

And now the end is here

And so I face that final curtain

My friend, Ill say it clear

Ill state my case, of which Im certain

Ive lived a life thats full

I travelled each and every highway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way

He leaves behind his devoted wife Petra, his loving mother Lathifa, his sister Azira, his extended family, many many friends . and of course Alexa!

RIP my friend and brother. We will all miss you. You enriched our lives and we will always treasure the memories of good times spent together.

Husein Esufally

He cared and he showed up

Ranjit Goonetilleke

We have different ways of coming to love the people we love. With some people you fall in love, with others you grow slowly into love, some are loved because they are lovable, others are loved even when they are not. With some people, you love them because they loved you first; their love and care is so palpable that you cannot help but know it, and they have a forever place in your heart because of it.

Ranjit Uncle was one of those. My mothers only brother, he treated us, his nieces, with such fondness and care that I think all four of us have a special place in our hearts for him. My first told memory of him is when he brought me a life-size (at least toddler-sized) teddy bear as a gift  it apparently scared me to bits, yet, giving lie to that story is a photograph of me, sitting happily (and fatly, I might add), clutching the teddy as one would a favourite toy.

My other early memory of him is also related to gifts. Every year, each of us received an Annual (e.g. Princess Tina Annual) as a Christmas gift. Looking back, I suspected money changed hands between him and my mother or grandmother, and the Annuals were surreptitiously purchased during our annual shopping spree to Fort in December. My parents did not have a lot of money to spare when we were growing up, and these little bits of extravagance came our way courtesy Ranjit Uncle, who was a bachelor, at least in the early lives of three of us.

When he married Aunty Vivette in 1969, I was his flower girl, an honour I cherished. When he had a son  my cousin, Rajiv  of his own, I recall my five-year-old self being jealous  perhaps we would lose our place in Ranjit Uncles favour. But we never did. Gifts gave way to holidays, at China Bay, in Trincomalee, at Diyatalawa, and finally at Katunayake, wherever he happened to be stationed, in his job in the Air Force, where he eventually rose to be Air Commodore. When he and his family moved to Colombo, my younger sister and I would still spend a day or two of our holidays staying with them at the Summit Flats. My memories of all these holidays are of exciting, fun-filled days.

I think Ranjit Uncles love and care for us stemmed from his love for my mother, his elder sister. He would talk of being grateful to her for paying for his education. In my mothers typical unassuming way, she confessed to me that all she ever did was once pay for some books he needed. But he, rightly, probably, took that as evidence of her moral support and was eternally grateful. He was heartbroken when she was ill, and was a regular visitor to her hospital bed. My last memory of visiting my mother includes a memory of Ranjit Uncle and me both putting on our footwear outside the ICU, his eyes filled with tears. No doubt he also had painful recollections of losing Aunty Vivette  also to canceralmost exactly ten years before.

Ranjit Uncle was an involved parent and grandparent. Thinking perhaps of his own fathers patriarchal distance, he approved heartily that my husband was actively engaged in the bringing up of our daughter. After the passing of my mother (his sister) and father, he increased his involvement in our (his nieces) lives. He and his second wife, Chitra, hosted us to Christmas lunch every year. They attended my book launch. They visited and stayed with my family in Kandy. He would keep in regular contact with my younger sister who lived alone, making sure all was well with her. He and Aunty Chitra would call my sister who lived overseas for her birthday, and be concerned if the phone was not answered. When he knew of the gravity of my brother-in-laws illness, he did his best to convey it to me, while keeping his promise to my elder sister not to talk about it.

He had his own views about how life should be lived, and he lived by them. Rest and relaxed enjoyment was an important part of his life. I think he slightly disapproved of my tendency to overwork. Having a long retirement, living at a restful pace was something he enjoyed, yet, he remained active, involved with his grandson and the care of others. I am grateful to him and to Aunty Chitra that their verandah was always open to me. I would only need to call a few minutes before arrival, and I would be given a warm welcome. I will miss those long, leisurely evening chats until we meet again on a heavenly verandah, beyond the sunset.

Dileni Gunewardena

A pioneer in medical health and our unofficial father and guardian

Dr.Nihal Abeysundare

Uncle Nihal, fondly called by all studying medicine in Bangladesh during the 80s, bid farewell causing much sadness, shock and grief.

Dr. Nihal Abeysundare was a pioneer and veteran in public health who was held in high esteem locally and internationally. A product of Colombo Medical College in the early 60s, he started his public health career as the Medical Officer of Health, Horana. His passion to serve the public in preventive medicine would have started from there. That journey was unstoppable until he achieved the important position of the WHOs country head in Bangladesh and Nepal.

The malaria epidemic was the leading public health problem in Sri Lanka at the time he joined the Anti-Malaria Campaign in the 60s.

He fought that battle as a consultant malariologist with his scientific knowledge at the national level in Sri Lanka and later in Nepal and Bangladesh. His immense knowledge and experience gained as the Chief Epidemiologist in the Health Ministry of Sri Lanka was highly recognized and well utilized by WHO to serve this region. Even after his retirement his expertise was sought by UN agencies to formulate health policies in Sri Lanka and other countries alike.

I was lucky to associate with Uncle Nihal and his lovely family during my medical schooldays in Bangladesh. His doors were always open with tasty meals made by Aunty Nalini to all Sri Lankan students at any given time. He was our unofficial father and guardian whom we all could approach for any assistance which he would offer wholeheartedly. Even after graduation, he would with open hands extend his support as a friend and mentor.

He was great host and joyful loving personality to his friends and colleagues at all times. I can still remember the fantastic fellowships he hosted at family and official events. Those nostalgic memories still live in our hearts.

Uncle Nihal was truly a family man who lived by his faith as a devout Catholic. His alma mater, St Peters College had nurtured him to follow this all through his life. Nirain and Nilani, his two children have excelled in their careers, as a bio-medical engineer in USA and at the UNDP Sri Lanka respectively. I am sure dear aunty Nalini with whom he shared his lifes journey, would be missing him every moment.

May his soul have eternal rest in the hands of the Lord.

Dr Tilak Silva

Lessons that my father taught me

Lakshman Soysa

My father passed away on November 7, 2020 after a period of illness which peaked in June. I left Sri Lanka over 30 years ago to pursue my studies and settled in the US.

The most difficult part of being apart is the memories we dont get to share with our loved ones. The last time I got to hug my father was three years ago and despite my fervent desire to do that one more time before the day we all knew was coming, COVID had other plans.

Both myself and my brother who resides in Australia had to say our goodbyes virtually without being with our mother and sister.

If I summarize Thathi in a few words, they would be humility, integrity, planner, musical, learner, dutiful, empathetic. Having lost his own father at the age of 11, growing up was not easy, yet through perseverance he graduated as an electrical engineer from Peradeniya. Thathi was a telecom man. Having joined SLTD as a junior engineer, he reached the peak as Additional Director of Telecommunications and was directly responsible for establishing the IT infrastructure at SLTD and computerizing the billing system.

He was a life-long learner and embraced a technology that was completely new in the early 80s and unleashed its benefits far and wide, touching many people. One of his distinct phrases was you must be able to do what you ask of others yourself first, a truism that leaders often forget today.

As well as learning, he was also very focused on bringing others to the top, especially those he was responsible for. The multitude of WhatsApp messages from his former colleagues acknowledging his character was humbling to read.

In the midst of his rising career, he still had the boldness to step outside the norm. A two-year stint in Brunei as an expat with three young children would be daunting for most, but he and my mother did it. Thanks to that step, my siblings and I got to experience the world at an early age. His two tours as a UN Telecom consultant to Nepal and Yemen are yet more examples of his willingness to see beyond the comfort zone.

Despite all his achievements, Thathi was the most humble person I know of, and who always had consideration for the downtrodden. As a senior government official dealing with a multitude of foreign corporations vying for business in Sri Lanka, my father had ample opportunity to lead an opulent lifestyle with the appropriate favours. But he held personal integrity to the highest standard. Many times did I hear him say be honest, and you can face anyones criticism.

Education was big in our house. My biggest lesson that I apply every day is any problem can be solved if you break it down to first principles. He once told me you live to study, after a particular not-so-glowing report card, all in the name of ensuring that I had the best future. This was proven when he had to make a momentous decision at the peak of his career, climb up the leadership ladder after SLTD privatised or take early retirement and migrate to Brunei as an expat consultant so that my siblings and I could complete our higher education abroad. He chose the latter and thankfully, all three of us were set for life.

My father loved music. While he was an accomplished classical guitarist, you could find him manning the guitar or the piano during the impromptu singing sessions with his friends at most parties after a few shots. He wasnt perfect by any means but he loved his wife and children and strived to provide the best for us and anyone else in need.

This is a mere drop in the ocean when describing who my father was. While I miss him dearly, his passing-away is moving me to be and do better in every aspect of my life by being bolder, fairer, kinder, learn more, love more and enjoy this life. If I can look back and say I did something worthwhile with my life as he had, then I would be lucky indeed.

May you rest in peace Thathi and may God bless you.

Sulak Soysa
From clatter of oxygen cylinders to noiseless flow at NHSL By Dr. Hector Weerasinghe View(s): View(s):

Oxygen has become the most used word among healthcare workers after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially now in neighbouring India battling a desperate shortage of oxygen.

The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) in the heart of Colombo is the largest and best equipped Teaching Hospital in the country with a bed strength of nearly 4000. Flanked by 26 operating theatres, 28 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and several Institutes including one for Cardiology housed in many buildings, it is circled and intersected with busy roads, always filled with hurried medical staff, ambulances with sirens blaring, trolleys carrying patients, distressed relatives and tired visitors. If one wondered why a truck loaded with cylinders was crawling across this melee, it was to ensure continuous and uninterrupted supply of essential medical oxygen for the patients treated in ICUs and those undergoing surgery in operating theatres.

A few years ago there were 6-7 jumbo oxygen cylinders hanging on walls outside these operating theatres and ICUs. When I made the morning strolls down the hospital corridors, my eyes always fell on these cylinders. Oxygen was taken through a copper tubing system fixed to these cylinders to the respective destinations  the oxygen outlet at the bedside of patients treated in ICUs and in operating theatres.

The hospital had a sufficient number of cylinders filled with oxygen. No sooner a cylinder was empty it was replaced with a refilled one. Every day workers collected empty cylinders, loaded them on a truck and transported them to the Oxygen Company in Mattakkuliya for refilling.

On certain days when oxygen consumption was high, this operation had to be doubled. The hospital had its own truck and specially trained skilled employees assigned for the task. Loading and unloading of these jumbo cylinders was a specialised job.

I noticed this operation during my afternoon inspection tour. In fact, the noise made in loading and unloading as well as dismounting and mounting cylinders on the walls and the sight itself, to say the least, was an eyesore. Once the truck returned, the refilled cylinders were immediately distributed among the theatres and ICUs. Needless to say this was a hectic operation.

There were tense situations when the truck did not return on time due to a breakdown, traffic congestion or an accident. Thoughts of the trucks being delayed gave me many sleepless nights. My official residence was in very close proximity to the Merchants Ward where many cylinders were unloaded. No sooner I heard the clattering sound, I would rush to the window to witness the unloading.

As Director of the countrys largest hospital, I was responsible for the overall smooth functioning of the hospital and its men, material and machinery. Ensuring the continuous and uninterrupted supply of oxygen for critically ill patients and those undergoing surgery was foremost among many tasks. Only a handful of staff knew the complexity of the oxygen supply operation in the hospital. Others did not realise it as all the steps in this operation had been well taken care of, monitored and executed. It was a nightmare for me personally and all my predecessors.

Worrying over this cumbersome, complex manual operation, my mind was busy exploring and weighing alternatives. Listening to the clattering of cylinders and watching the swift movements of workers hands in the unloading operation in the middle of the night, with a cup of steaming cup of coffee in my hand, a thought struck my mind. I heard my own voice shouting over the clattering sound of falling cylinders; Hey! Man, be practical, instal a Liquid Oxygen Plant in the hospital premises itself.

Early next morning ignoring the supervision tour, I prepared a comprehensive proposal to the Ministry of Health with a clear justification of the investment. Having submitted the proposal followed by a few telephone calls, the Ministry responded by approving the proposal.

The proposal was to have a Liquid Oxygen Plant with the highest capacity for the hospital and another with lesser capacity for the Institute of Cardiology located a little away from the main hospital premises across the street.

A few moons later, a Liquid Oxygen Plant near Ward 13 and a separate smaller plant on the premises of the Institute of Cardiology rose to the sky. The copper pipelines were laid connecting all the operating theatres, Intensive Care Units and high dependency units which required continuous uninterrupted supply of oxygen. The project was completed within a few months giving me great relief.

It was in 2006 that the hospital installed the two oxygen plants. Since then we did not have to wait for the truck or bother about cylinders to have a permanent reliable source of oxygen supply for our patients. The company which installed the tanks attends to maintenance and repairs and regularly monitors the level of consumption and replenishes the tanks. The hospital staff need not intervene. After retirement today, I look back at my time as Director of NHSL and recall how the idea to instal a Liquid Oxygen Plant to ensure the continuous supply of oxygen to patients dawned on me 15 years ago, much before the COVID-19 pandemic entered our vocabulary.

(The writer is a former Director  The National Hospital of Sri Lanka)
Organic-fertiliser-only policy will plunge Lanka into a food crisis By Saman Dharmakeerthi View(s): View(s):

The cabinet of Sri Lanka on the 29thApril, 2021 has approved a ban on importation of chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals in the bid to become the first country ever to practice organic only agriculture. The policy document of the present government,Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour,which has been mandated by the nearly 2/3rd of the voters at the 2018 Presidential Election, state that Sri Lankan agriculture will promote and popularize organic agriculture during next ten years. Their intention is to protect the health of the people and environment of the country that have been deteriorated due to agrochemicals used in conventional agriculture.

The Government claims that because of chemical fertilizer usage, soil fertility has been degraded, soil acidity increased, biodiversity reduced, and most of all,yield and yield quality has also not been improved. The Government also claims that chemical fertilizer usage has resulted water pollution andaccumulated poisons in foods,resultinggreater incidence of cancer andchronic kidney disease (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. While this writer agrees that chemical nitrogen fertilizer could lead to soil acidification, other issues stated above are common to both organic and inorganic fertilizers,in one way or the other, if poor quality fertilizers are applied against the recommendations made by Crop Research Institutes. The argument that chemical fertilizers have not increased crop yields in a given soil crop-environment cannot be justified either. Therefore, this writeris still trying to understand the other reasons for banning chemical fertilizers in Sri Lanka.

The organic movement started in the 20thcentury in German- and English-speaking countries, and was influenced by different groups that promoted rural traditions and the use of biological (instead of synthetic) fertilizers. It has gained popularity since the 1970s with rising public concerns about health and environmental effects of industrialized farming.After the green revolution of Dr Norman Borlaug and Dr M.S. Swaminathan in the 1960s, agriculture used crop varieties that are responsive to readily available nutrient sources. Even in Sri Lanka, plant breeders produced varieties that weremore responsive to nutrient inputs. Therefore, the use of chemical fertilizers became inevitable to achieve higher yields even todate. Due to multiple reasons which are beyond the discussion of this article, farmers apply chemical fertilizers indiscriminately in their agricultural fields resulting many environmental and health issues. To add salt to the wound, the quality of some chemical fertilizers available in the market does not meet minimum standards. Improper usage and poor quality of chemical fertilizers has therefore raised concerns amongenvironmentalists and politicians. Hence,the present government is trying to promote alternative technologies that are only organic. Department of Agriculture has already recommend number of technologies, such as precision farming and promote the application of organic fertilizers, to increases the soil fertility and efficiency of added plant nutrients.

The scientific community is divided on whether organic agriculture could feed the world or not. In May 2007 at the FAO Conference on Organic Agriculture, Dr. Badgely and co-workers contributed to the debate by presenting an analysis supporting the idea that organic agriculturecan significantlyincrease productivity in developing countries andcould feed the entire world. This paper has received much attention in the popular press and science magazines such as the New Scientist. However, in the following year,Dr. Corner pointed out that Dr Badgelys findings wereinvalid because data weremisinterpreted and calculationsaccordingly wereerroneous. In a recent publication which appeared inthe Annual Review of Resource Economics, Meemken and Qaim reviewed and analyzed the extensive literature on various aspects of organic farming, including production, social well-being, environment, and economics. They concluded that organic farming is not the paradigm for sustainable agriculture and food security, but smart combinations of organic and conventional methods could contribute towards sustainable productivity increases in global agriculture.

Encouraging further deforestation

People who promote organic agriculture assure that land productivity will not be affected in the long run or could sometimes be even higher than that of conventional agricultural systems. Three scientifically more rigorous meta-analyses of organic-conventional crop yield comparisons were published in the last few years. Results of these analyses clearly indicates that across all crops, mean yield reductionin organic agriculture are in the magnitude of 1925%. Considerable differences can be observed across different crop species, with legumes and fruits showing smaller yield gaps than cereals and root and tuber crops. If that is the case, in order to feed the growing population more lands have to be cleared and brought into agriculture. For an example, reduction of paddy yields by mere 20% will have to increase the conversion of about 33,000hectares of additional lands in to paddy cultivation even though we produce about 0.5 million tons of rice over the self-sufficiency level. In an era where technologies have to be invented and introduced to increase the productivity of lands in order to assure the food security of the country, organic agriculture without proper technological advice for farmers and policymakers could lead to further deforestation in the future.

Availability of organic fertilizers

To supply the crop nutrient demand, an enormous quantity of organic fertilizers and biofertilizers need to be produced within the country.Currently, about 3500 tons of municipal organic wastes are generated per day in the countryand from that, about 2-3 million tons of compost could be produced per year. However, for organic paddy cultivation alone it requires nearly 4 million tons of compost at a very nominal rate of 5 tons per hectare. For tea plantations,this figure could be well over another 3 million tons. However, at present the country is producing only 0.22 million tons of compost through both Department of Agriculture registered producers and by municipal councils. Hence there is a humongous task ahead to produce organic fertilizers in the country. We cannot advocate the importation of organic fertilizers at any cost if we are to safeguard our people and the environment.

Misconceptions on organic agriculture

With all that drawbacks in adopting and implementing organic only agriculture, this writer also believes that the correct usage of organic fertilizers has the edge over chemical fertilizers in environmental point of view. However, environmental benefits alone cannot achieve sustainability in agri-food systems. Among the people who advocate organic-only agriculture, there are some misconceptions that need to be pointed, and then discuss and debated for the better- and well-informed decision making by policymakers.

Misconception 1. Chemical fertilizers are responsible for health and environmental concerns in Sri Lankan agriculture: Some of the health and environmental concerns related to the chemical fertilizer usage are not supported by scientific evidence. The most important example related to this is the incidences of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) that is prevalent among farmers in the Dry Zone. This has been related to cadmium and arsenic present in Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) importedinto Sri Lanka. Despite the fact that cadmium and arsenic have been found in excess concentrations in fertilizers available in the local market, so far, noscientific evidence has been publishedto prove beyond reasonable doubt, that heavy metals in TSP (or any other chemical fertilizer) is linked to CKDu prevalence in Sri Lanka. Recent scientific evidence confirms that bioavailable, potentially toxic trace metal concentrations in agricultural soils and in drinking waters are well below the EU defined maximum permissible levels. Cyanotoxins, fluorides and hardness in well water have been shortlisted as possible causes according to an article published in the Nature Scientific Reports.

The other health issue that raises concern is the carcinogenicity of vegetables that have high concentration of nitrates. Accumulation of nitrate in leafy vegetables at high levels is a possibility if nitrogen fertilizers are applied in excessive quantities. Adding recommended rates of N fertilizer provide only a minimum possibility for accumulation of N in crops.We have observed extremely high phosphorus concentrations in intensively cultivated vegetable fields in the upcountry but there is no immediate health issue related to phosphorus, except the possibility of cyanotoxin producing bacteria proliferation due to high concentrations of phosphorus in water. There is a major environmental issue related to extremely high P in agricultural soils as it could trigger eutrophication in surface water bodies. High P in agricultural soil is due to excess P application, non-availability of P free fertilizer mixture and application of poultry manure. Potassium and Magnesium containing fertilizers are relatively less harmful.

Close look at the causes of issues related to chemical fertilizers; one could find that it is mainly due to the poor quality of the imported fertilizers and their incorrect usage. Fertilizer importers are largely responsible for importing fertilizers containing heavy metals into the country in addition to officers who regulate fertilizer importation. I do not point fingers at farmers for indiscriminate fertilizer application, because firstly, it is only a few commercial agriculture practicing farmers who apply high rates of fertilizers as an insurance dose and even they do it because fertilizers are freely available at subsidized prices. Secondly, they are often ignorant about acute environmental consequences related to bad nutrient management practices.

Misconception 2. Organic only nutrient management technologies are always environmentally friendly: This is another big misconception and those who advocate environmental safety and human health have often overlooked or purposely ignored some negative externalities related to organic farming. Assume anintensively cultivated vegetable cropping system in Nuwara Eliya where very high levels of Phosphorous are present in soil. Since the most limiting nutrient is N, large quantities of organic fertilizers have to be applied. If a minimum of 5000kg of compost,which contains 2% N and 0.5% phosphorus, is applied to meet the N requirement, a farmer will be applying 25 kg of phosphorus every season when environmentalists shout not to apply phosphorus into such lands. Poor farmers cannot change the composition of organic fertilizer available in the market or they produce and contribute to the acceleration of eutrophication and cyanotoxicity thanks to ill-advised organic farming.

Poultry litter is one of the most commonly available organic fertilizer source, next to compost. They containchicken manure that is rich in nitrogen and waste feed that contains high phosphorus. However, recent scientific evidence confirms that there are antibiotic traces present in poultry manure and antibiotic resistance is being developed in soils amended with them. In addition, the quality of the raw materials used in organic fertilizer production is very important to produce anenvironmentally safe organic fertilizer. In a developing country like Sri Lanka where the system is very corrupt, when the raw materials are depleted, commercial producers will resort to using low-quality materials such as sewage sludge, municipal solid waste that are amply and freely available for organic fertilizer production. Such raw materials contain potentially toxic trace metals and sometimes even pathogens and could result in even greater repercussions than what we have now.

Therefore, quality of the organic fertilizers and their correct usage determines the environmental friendliness of organic farming. When we cannot even assure the quality of the chemical fertilizers imported and marketed in the country, how can we set quality standards for an array of different fertilizers and regulate the quality of organic and bio-fertilizers? Do not even think of importing organic or bio-fertilizers as, they can threaten bio-diversity of Sri Lankan soilon one hand. On the other hand,we cannot assure the quality of such fertilizers, and therefore any garbage can be brought in and dumped into our precious natural resource: the soil. The presence of weed seeds, pathogens, toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants need to betested and for that quality standards has to be formulated first.

Misconception 3.Organic-fertilizer-only approaches can always sustain crop productivity: Out of 18 essential elements required for optimum plant growth,nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium are deficient inmost agricultural soilsin Sri Lanka. However, some research findings suggests that the application of phosphorus fertilizer over long periods has increased the plant available P levels, and crops are less responsive to phosphorus fertilizers. Even though a cropping system could be productive without phosphorus fertilizer for a short period, in the long run, P fertilizer application or develop technologies to recycle P is essential for sustainable production simply because they are removed from the soil-crop system with the yield.On the other hand, if there is a demand for potassium and magnesium in a given soil-crop system, existing technologies on organic agriculture is not capable of providing these two nutrientssustainably. Both these plant nutrients are not released from agricultural soils at a rate thatplants require. Irrigation water and crop residues can supply a portion of these nutrients but the outflow of them as yields is greater than the supply. Usually, crop residues are used for organic manure production and applied back to cropping fields without a net gain.

Misconception 4.Nutrient requirement of the crop can be provided through organic fertilizers: Nitrogen is the most limiting and most responsive nutrient in Sri Lankan agriculture. In general, annual crops require about 100 kg of N per hectare as readily available chemical fertilizers. Assuming 75% of nitrogen use efficiency in organic fertilizers and 30% in chemical fertilizers, this equals to about 40 kg of N as organic fertilizers. Although commercially available compost has only 1-2% of total N, if we assume 5% of plant available N in an organic fertilizer, to meet crop N requirement we need to apply 800kg of organic fertilizers per hectare as against 220 kg of urea. Therefore, the practicability and advantages of supplying N from outside into the cropping fields as organic fertilizers are questionable. Apart from that huge quantity, in systems where organic N management had been successful in the world, Nitrogen has been supplied as a green manure crop or by introducing a N-fixing legume into the crop rotation. And successful organic agricultural systems integrate animal husbandry as well. Introducing a non-food crop into existing limited agricultural lands even for one season in a crop rotation will reduce the food production in the country. The potential for using dry periods in between the two main cropping seasons needs to be investigated in future research. We have observed that the loss of rice yield due to lack of N fertilizer could vary from 10% to as high as 60%, depending on the soil characteristics, with an average loss of about 35%. If nitrogen-rich organic fertilizers cannot be provided to farmers in required quantities as a result of this new policy decision, yield losses are inevitable.

If we manage Nitrogen requirement by matching Nitrogen requirement of the crop with N availability from organic manures, we are sure to over apply some other nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium. Accumulation of phosphorus in intensively cultivated vegetable growing soils is already evident and this is in part due to the application of large quantities of poultry manure. Extremely high phosphorus levels in those soils (about 10-20 fold) has already polluted surface water bodies in that area evident as green colored water which leads to eutrophication. Composition of nutrients in organic manures vary widely and therefore extension services have a daunting task in educating farmers on the appropriate rates of organic fertilizer that are available in a given area. One of the main challenges in site-specific plant nutrient management (precision farming) using organic sources,even for scientists, is their inherent variability in nutrient contents and more importantly nutrient proportions.

Misconception 5. Biofertilizers can supply deficient plant nutrients in organic only agricultural systems:One could argue that what is not provided as organic fertilizers could be supplied as bio-fertilizers in organic agricultural systems. Bio-fertilizers contain micro-organisms that could make plant nutrients available that are otherwise not available; for example, atmospheric nitrogen gas byfixation and fixed phosphorous in soils by dissolution. However, those who have some knowledge on soil microbiology know that microbes that work in one place do not necessarily work in all areas equally. Only the fittest will survive in a different environment.Hence, various microbial species/consortiums need to be isolated for different soil-crop environments to formulate an effective biofertilizer. The number of effective soil micro-organisms hasindeed been isolated in Sri Lankan laboratories and marketed by some companies.Still, their effectiveness in different agro-ecosystems and at all times is questionable. That is the simple reason why biofertilizershave still not been approved by various Crop Research Institutes as blanket recommendations for a given crop.

There can be many bio-fertilizers or organic fertilizers in the world that has shown very promising results in their specific environments. That should not be a reason for us to import such organic and bio-fertilizers from other countries, as organisms present in such fertilizers could become an enormous threat to our soil biodiversity. Testing such fertilizers for their environmental safety and agronomic effectivenessor even setting up quality standards is a daunting task. Therefore, further research is needed to develop effective bio-fertilizers for different soil-crop environments in Sri Lanka in the quest for 100% organic fertilizer based agriculture in Sri Lanka.

Solutions for a sustainable agriculture

It is prudent that the production of high-quality organic fertilizers and effective biofertilizers is a prerequisite to cutdown even a fraction of chemical fertilizers used in Sri Lanka. Much research is still required to be carried outon organic agriculture to identify the most appropriate technologies to make agriculture more environmentally friendly and sustainable. And then, farmers need to be educated on such advanced technologies. Therefore, meticulous planning and a innovative technologies areessential to achieve the expected goals from the new policy change. A considerable period of time is thereforerequired to implement strategies successfully,thus identified.

However, as an immediate solution for concerns related to chemical fertilizer, imposing strict regulations is a more practicable and feasiblesolution. Some regulations are already available in the current Fertilizer Act. For indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, we need to educate the farmers more on ill effects related to such practiceswhile providing incentives/subsidies for farmers who adopt eco-friendly fertilizer technologies. Some of such technologies are: site-specific nutrient application based on a need assessment donethrough soil or plant testing, use of good quality organic manures and effective bio-fertilizers to reduce chemical fertilizer usage, application of chemical fertilizers together with organic matter to retain added nutrients without being leaked, application of organic matter into already degraded Sri Lankan agricultural lands to increase soil organic matter contents and thereby improve soil fertility and productivity. Therefore, the present material subsidy given only for chemical fertilizer should be revised to promote good fertilizer practices among farmers.

Potential for urea production using wastes generated from petroleum refineries, such as naphtha and atmospheric nitrogen, can be re-investigated. Phosphorus and potassium deposits available in Sri Lanka should be mined wisely and improve their solubility using environmentallyfriendly technologies. Production of synthetic fertilizers within the country could push Sri Lanka towards a true self-sufficiency and save hard earn foreign exchange for other essential purposes. Local production of good quality organic manures and effective biofertilizers should be promoted by providing required technical know-how and financial support for entrepreneurs.

Rather than adopting such feasible strategies step-by-step, the government has banned chemical fertilizer importation overnight. Thiscould plunge Sri Lanka into a food crisis in the coming years due to lowering of land productivity. Therefore, the decision to completely ban chemical fertilizer usage needs to be re-considered without any delay. If not, eventually it is the expectations of the 6.9 million people who voted for the Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour,including this writer, as well as that of all otherswill be shattered.

The writer is a Professor of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. (dharmakeerthirs@gmail.com)
Tahani recalls her heart was filled with fear and anxiety as she boarded a flight to Rwanda, leaving behind her only daughter. Separated in Libya and unsure of her whereabouts, the 36-year-old single mother was forced to make the tough decision to leave her daughter behind.

Throughout the journey, she would occasionally glance at her 17-year-old daughters photo.

Id look at her photo and think, God, why did I leave in the first place? And if we were to die, I should have just stayed there, said Tahani. The Sudanese mother and her two young sons were among the first group of 66 vulnerable refugees  including 22 children separated from their parents  who were evacuated from Libya.

Despite her fears, Tahani felt a sense of relief as the plane touched down at Kigali International Airport.

With Tahanis daughter [Amina*] onboard, the humanitarian flight landed with 129 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya in the night of December 30, 2020.

I have faced some problems and challenges, I had to adapt because I was alone, I had no one with me, said Amina.

In Rwanda, I feel relieved, I feel safe. I no longer carry the burden. All the problems are behind me.

With thanks to the support from the European Union and EU member states, refugees like Tahani and her family regain hope and safety in Rwanda.  UNHCR/Eugene Sibomana Tahani recalls her heart was filled with fear and anxiety as she boarded a flight to Rwanda.  UNHCR/Eugene Sibomana Amina and his brother are living happily in ETM centre in Rwanda./  UNHCR/Eugene Sibomana In Rwanda, I feel relieved, I feel safe. I no longer carry the burden. All the problems are behind me. Amina*  UNHCR/Eugene Sibomana

The 19-year-old is one of thousands of African refugees and asylum seekers who embark on perilous journeys in search of safety, often to become the captives of brutal human traffickers in Libya.

Many are kept in Libya for months in deplorable circumstances and are subjected to violence and cruelty that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

With thanks to the support from the European Union and EU member states, refugees like Amina and Tahani regain hope and safety at the Emergency Transit Mechanism centre, in Rwanda.

Rwanda is safe, we live a normal life here, said Tahani. But whenever I remembered my daughter, I couldnt sleep because I worried that something had happened to her.

Established to provide protection to refugees and asylum seekers currently held in detention centres in Libya, ETM centre has been home to 515 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya with five flights. As of now, at least 260 people have been resettled to third countries.

* names have been changed for protection reasons.

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The campaign for a female UN chief maybe a good try in a lost cause By Thalif Deen View(s): View(s):

UNITED NATIONS  As negotiations for the upcoming election of the UN Secretary-General gather momentum, one undeniable fact looms heavily over the final decision: the choice of a UN chief is the intellectual birthright of the five big permanent members (P5) of the Security Council, namely, the US, the UK, France, China and Russia.

All others remain bit players in the political drama currently unfolding in a world body locked down by the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020.

The 193-member General Assembly, the UNs highest policy making body, remains and will continue to remain a non-entity playing only a subservient role to the Security Council.

Perhaps its only task is to rubber-stamp the decision made by the big powers  as it has sheepishly done over the last 76 years  even though it has the right, and the overwhelming votes, to reject any of the candidates nominated by the Security Council.

So, how effective or ineffective is the campaign, mostly by NGOs and womens rights activists, for the UNs first woman Secretary-General (SG)?

With no public support from any of the P5 countries, the gender-empowered demand for a female UN chief may eventually be a good try in a lost cause.

Despite the UNs campaign for gender empowerment, both globally, and also inside the world body, the UN has so far elected only four women  in contrast to 71 men  as presidents of the General Assembly in the last 76 years, while it has never had a female secretary-general.

Arora Akanksha, a UNDP staffer and a self-nominated candidate challenging the incumbent Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says: The UN preaches democracy to the world but cant organise a competitive election in its own backyard. Its a hypocritical sham. The absence of any women, people of colour, or young people from the race should set alarm bells ringing for anyone who cares about democracy, justice, or equality.

But hers may be a voice in the wilderness because not a single P5 country has indicated its willingness to support her candidature  at least, as of now. She also does not have the sponsorship of either India or Canada, her motherland and her country of adoption respectively.

Asked about her current status in relation to the upcoming elections, Akanksha said: I have reached out to all 193 member states. I have met with five countries so far. Countries are fearful of nominating me because of retaliation from members of the Security Council and the European Union.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, former UN Under-Secretary-General and ex-Ambassador of Bangladesh to UN, told IPS it is interesting to find that this years election for the Secretary-General of UN is getting all the attention for the candidacy of individuals who are showing their interest in the post.

Among them, the media  both social and traditional  outreach of Ms. Arora Akanksha seems quite wide ranging. I am in full support of her campaign focus on a woman to be the next Secretary-General as I have been advocating for years.

But the point about the absence of people of colour is not factual as we know that out of nine SGs, five were non-white, said Ambassador Chowdhury, who was President of the UN Security Council in June 2001, and who led the process for a second term for Secretary-General Kofi Annan of Ghana (1997-2006)

Also, I am sure Ms. Akanksha understands that when she says The UN preaches democracy to the world , the functioning of the Organisation is not democratic as the UNs founders included in the Charter of the UN the creation of five permanent members of the Security Council whose positions finally decides the election of the Secretary-General.

The basic point that she makes is that her candidacy is legally valid under the rules established by the UN in 2015 according to UN General Assembly resolution 61/321. The main focus and assertion of that resolution is that only Member States of the UN are invited to nominate candidates. I believe amongst Ms. Akankshas 200 policy experts, there would be people to know that and would have advised her correctly, he added.

Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), a coalition of over 100 womens rights organisations from more than 40 countries worldwide, told IPS it is great to know that there are now seven self-nominated applicants.

However, at this point, there is only one candidate, the incumbent Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Because (according to the President of the General Assembly Volkan Bozkr ), it is only when the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council sign a joint letter that an applicant could become a candidate.

Do all of the applicants know about this rule? How many people are aware of this? And if this is a rule, why is it that the Security Council is not ready to sign joint letters? As Mr. Bozkir himself said, there are grey areas in this process. I believe the grey areas are putting the applicants in disadvantaged positions, she said.

A true UN reform should address the continued dominance of the permanent members of the Security Council: the US, the UK, France, China, and Russia in selecting the Secretary-General.

This is the 21st century! I thought colonialism is over! If I am a Member of the General Assembly, the biggest UN organ that prides itself on one country, one vote policy, I will be insulted.

I also find it problematic that civil society continues to remain on the sidelines in this selection process. How many General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions have sung praises to the critical role of civil society in implementing the mandates of the UN?

Thats why I commend and strongly support various efforts of fellow civil society actors to demand transparency and inclusion in the selection of the Secretary-General, such as the Campaign to Elect a Woman Secretary-General (WomanSG campaign) 1 for 7 Billion, and #Forward.

The selection of the Secretary-General  particularly whether or not it is a level playing field for women, the transparency of the selection process, and the inclusion of civil society  has become the litmus test for the legitimacy and credibility of the UN, she declared.

Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), told IPS this is one of the most difficult and important jobs in the world.

It requires wisdom, political savvy, experience and a depth of humanity  a quality that is often undervalued.

Given the UN is 76 years old as an institution, having difficulty to pull itself into the 21st century, there has been an urgent need for an SG that has vision, imagination, empathy for the marginalised and the energy needed to shift course and renovate the culture and practices of the system.

At the very least, it would be good to see a job description setting out the criteria for eligibility. It would also be good to see the institutions power brokers  notably the member states  uphold the existing rules.

She pointed out that if retirement age for UN staff is 65, shouldnt the same rule apply to its senior leadership and envoys? Instead, it seems that a different set of rules come into play only on the Secretary-Generals 38th floor.
Violation of remand law and rights View(s):

Malpractice of remand from inadequate judicial process has a debilitating effect on law and order. This is, perhaps, a matter of recent experience and growing by the day, as it were. The people have taken up this problem as laymen reacting to this column on law and order. This article is therefore in response to those sympathetic public concerns.

Remand process and remand malpractice are problematic to law and order, in many ways. This comes through violation of law and violation of rights. In this manner, remand process and practice vitiate the viability of the whole Criminal Justice System (CJS). Together, these take a heavy toll on rights of the public. These assertions bear some explanation.

Violation of the law

Remand order today is in direct violation of the Bail Act. The Bail Act 1997 in section 2 says: The granting of bail shall be the rule and that the refusal to grant bail will be the exception. This law proclamation sounds pontifical, but as with all sermons, the remand practice is profane. This rule is even turned on its head. Now the exceptions are the rule and the Bail rule has to fend for itself.

The violation starts with the Police with their frivolous application to court for remand, with outside influence. Police application for remand is not trivial, for they are made as directed. That is the first point of violation of the law. The second point is courts, on such mal-application for remand, just agree to it, routinely. They ask no questions as to the exceptional need of remand. The Police are not brought to explain. In fact, exceptional reasons to refuse bail and ask for remand would be so rare, and barely applicable. But remand order is yet freely given. There is no intervention by the AG or by the BASL, as in some other countries abroad to check malpractice. Such is not conceivable in this country.

More significantly, violation of the law is, thereby, not merely in breach of the law, but is also a subversion of the exercise of the law. Subversion can be so only on purpose. The prior impulse for subversion also can only come from outside the system. These influences use the law process to that end. That purpose can then be political though pursued through the judicial law. Such action in violation of the law is then simply to undermine and to destabilise the CJS to serve the ultimate purpose of the politician. This is the reality. There is little to question it.

This wrongdoing has been so reigning over other jurisprudence imperatives such as Justice and Morality, to their near occlusion. This misconduct is then blatant. It continues insensitive to other niceties of the law, with little let or hindrance. This then is simply an everyday matter. The system is, thereby, weakened and afflicted and is prone for politicians to further manipulate the order and join in unabashed through violation of the law.

Surely, violation of the law is not an academic or jurisprudence exercise. They are as such not attractive enough to these outside pressures as violation of rights. For violation of rights is more influential and remunerative. Rights law, ensconced within violation of the law, is, in this sense, superficial as it does not take into account the role of money and power which drives their manipulation within the law, and take control of those who would be so manoeuvred. Courts would avoid such concerns. Court would prefer a clean plate.

The problem then continues between those who earn and spend for profit and those who would be bought up in the process. A trivial nature of rights can even be enlarged to the fundamental of rights, that too through the violation of the law. The courts and the administration of the law barely differentiate between the two. So, this too is another form of violation of the law.

The case of Tissa Kumara v. IP Premalal is illustrative. In this case, the IP was found by the Supreme Court to have violated rights by torture. The IP was indicted in the Kalutara High Court and found not guilty of the same alleged torture. What was more in the SC was reduced to less in the High Court. The AG avoided appeal out of discretion.

What has all this to do with remand, the layman asks. The answer is that when the law does not deliver, other discrepancies insinuate into the process. Remand, as is now seen, can serve such insidious purpose politicians and other influences they entertain, exploiting the violation of the law.

Violation of rights

Violation of rights only runs parallel and in tandem with violation of the law. The application for remand by Police, the order by courts for remand, the custody by prisons of those remanded, are in direct violation of rights of alleged suspects. In prisons, violation of rights is brutal; that too not out of a peculiar pathology. Prisons only take the cue from what is given to them at all stages of the CJS. They do not fall short. Direct or indirect, these violations of rights are insidious and invidious. Punishment through remand is the devious purpose, and induced by gainful incentives too.

Rights of the people

Violation of the law and violation of rights thus run through the entire criminal justice system (CJS). The peoples rights are in jeopardy at the very hands of a Justice system. Rights of the people are of their interests, in their security, for their safety, and in their wellbeing. But the people find their interests gravely affected through violation of the law and rights. In other words, the CJS  a system instituted at much expense for the people  has failed them.

Suffering is now the lot of the people. The subject, remand, is today topical and indicative of the denial to the people their idea of justice. In truth, punishment from remand than by Justice is what is meted out by the CJS. And is not the invariable practice of handcuffs for remand suspects an aspect of punishment, whereas Sec. 88 of the Prisons Ordinance lays down: No prisoner shall be put under mechanical restraint as a punishment? Sec 89(1): A prisoner may, whenever he is outside prison walls, be put in handcuffs solely as a precaution against violence, escape etc. Police action too falls under this law: Sec 77(5) Every police officer for the time being engaged in escorting any prisoner or prisoners or in guarding any prison or  shall be deemed to have all the powers and right granted by this section to prison officers. It is inconceivable that most of the political prisoners, many being distinguished personalities, seen in handcuffs, fall into this category.

The conclusion may be: Good law makes for bad economics; the converse is even truer, though embarrassing. Remand, the exception, brings in better gain than the Bail rule. In this event, therefore, the Bail law is turned on its head by the remand practice, plainly for unlawful gain.

(The writer is a Retired Senior Police Officer. He can be contacted at seneviratnetz@gmail.com ; TP 077 44 751 44)
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We may never know if a Manchester police officers act of kindness to a teen would-be shoplifter will make a difference in the teens life. But it certainly brightened the day of a lot of Manchester residents and others who read our story or saw the TV newscast about Officer George Morales.
In the history of the world there have been some very bad ideas: Screen doors on submarines. New Coke. Eliminating nearly 22 child protective social worker positions at the NH Division for Children, Youth and Families. While the first idea is a joke and the second idea a marketing failure, t
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th May, 2021) Dubai Customs concluded its activities on the World Intellectual Property Day 2021 by organising an event in cooperation with Al Mawakeb school titled "Al Mawakeb Innovates2" in which the Department judged and evaluated creative projects introduced by the students.

The event, organised by the IPR Department, aims at encouraging creativity and appreciating genuineness.

Celebrating the World Intellectual Property Day is to emphasise the significance of creativity in developing the national economy. The UAE, in its year 50th and Golden Jubillee has always supported creative people and it boosts an outstanding record of protecting the intellectual property rights.

A jury from the IPR department, which included Saeed bin Faris, team leader, Khuloud Al Housani, awareness officer and representatives of DEWA, Dubai Health Authority, and Hamdan Innovation Incubator, judged the contest "Al Mawakeb Innovates 2".

More than 26 projects were judged against certain standards including sustainability and creativity. Winners were announced and the projects included cubes for visually impaired people and the educational DNA game, etc.

This year, the World Intellectual Property Day shines a light on the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economy, and how these enterprises can use intellectual property (IP) rights to build stronger, more competitive and resilient businesses.

An educational film on protecting intellectual property was displayed which included a statement by Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs and a message by Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

The IPR Department has also organised a virtual IPR workshop number 65 which saw the participation of eight brand owners and the attendance of 46 Dubai Customs employees and inspectors. Another workshop focused on protecting intellectual property of SME entrepreneurs.

Dubai Customs honoured a number of entities on the day, and these included Omar bin Al Khattab School, 2nd December School, Al Mawakeb School (Al Khawaneej branch), Dubai University, American University in Dubai (AUD), Ajman University, Hamdan Innovation Incubator, the Mohammed bin Rashid Fund For SME, among others.

"This year, celebrating the World Intellectual Property Day gains more importance as we also celebrate the UAE Golden Jubilee and our long journey of protecting creative people and brand owners rights in the UAE," said Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department. "The wise leadership has incubated creativity and provided a positive and encouraging environment that support creative and gifted people, and at the same time protects the society from counterfeiting and any IP violations."

Along the same line, Mahbooba Baqer, Head of Awareness and education Section said; "Dubai Customs celebration on the World Intellectual Property Day included a number of activities that aimed at highlighting the role of protecting IPR in supporting SME and encouraging creativity. They also aimed at raising awareness around different methods of fighting counterfeiting and distinguishing fake goods from genuine ones to prevent their entry into the local market."
Cairo, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :Egyptian authorities on Sunday executed a Coptic Christian monk convicted over the 2018 killing of the abbot of an ancient desert monastery, the monk's family told AFP.

"We were told at 8 am (0600 GMT) this morning that the execution took place in Damanhour prison and I am on my way to pick up the body," said Hany Saad Tawadros, the monk's brother.

Capital punishment for civilian convicts in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, is carried out by hanging.

An Egyptian court last year confirmed the death sentence for the monk Isaiah, whose original name is Wael Saad Tawadros, over the killing of Bishop Epiphanius.

Another monk convicted for his role in the crime was sentenced to life in prison.

"I didn't even tell the rest of the family because I didn't want them to be heartbroken. We thank God in any case," Hany Tawadros said.

Security and judicial sources also confirmed the man's execution to AFP.

The abbot of the Saint Macarius monastery in the plains of Wadi al-Natrun, northwest of the capital Cairo, was found with a bleeding head wound after being bludgeoned to death in July 2018, in a case that shocked the middle East's largest religious minority.

Coptic Christians make up about 10-15 percent of Egypt's predominantly Sunni Muslim population of over 100 million, and the country's vast deserts are home to some of Christianity's oldest monasteries.

The church later defrocked the pair and placed a one-year moratorium on ordaining new monks.

Prosecutors said Wael Tawadros confessed to beating the cleric with a metal bar as the second monk kept watch.

Authorities blamed the killing on unspecified "differences" between the bishop and the two monks.

In video footage of court sessions shared on social media in recent years, a sobbing Tawadros, wearing white overalls, accused interrogators of stripping him naked and torturing him physically and psychologically.

Stop the Death Penalty Egypt, a local advocacy group calling for the end of capital punishment in the North African country, said Sunday that its pleas to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to revoke the verdict and pardon the monk had been ignored.

"The (monks') trial was marred by discrepancies, violations and forced confessions taken under duress," the group said in a statement on social media.

In April, Egypt executed at least nine people over the storming of a police station in 2013 in which 13 policemen were killed.

Amnesty International last month noted "a significant spike" in recorded executions in Egypt, which saw a more than threefold rise to 107 last year, from 32 in 2019.

"Egyptian authorities have displayed a ruthless determination to persist with their escalating use of the death penalty," Amnesty said in a statement.

"It is extremely concerning that it (the death penalty) is used after unfair trials, with courts routinely relying on torture-tainted 'confessions'," it added.
Pangilinan backs calls to probe Bayanihan 1 and 2 spending

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan has backed calls for the special audit of the 570-billion-peso fund earmarked under the Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2 to ensure that billions of pesos in public funds are spent accordingly to help alleviate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

"Dapat suportahan natin iyan. Kailangang busisin natin iyan dahil bilyun-bilyon ang halagang involved dito," said Pangilinan during an interview, referring to Senator Risa Hontiveros' Senate Resolution 710 urging the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on the government's expenditure under the Bayanihan Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) and the Bayanihan to Recover Act (Bayanihan 2).

Pangilinan said the investigation should also tackle the issue on overpriced personal protective equipment (PPEs), testing kits, and laboratory equipment bought by the government to help address Covid-19.

"Bakit overpriced iyong PPEs? Hanggang ngayon hindi pa natin nareresolba iyan nang lumabas ang isyu. Bakit nag-overprice ang testing kit at testing laboratory equipment?" he said.

The senator said the distribution of financial assistance should also be scrutinized amid reports of various anomalies, including the incorrect amount given to the public.

Pangilinan said the government should also religiously update the Senate and Congress regarding the spending of the Bayanihan 1 and 2 funds through weekly financial reports as required by law from Malacanang under Bayanihan 1.

"Ang intensiyon ng Senado at ng Kongreso roon ay talagang magkaroon ng transparency kaya dapat talagang may reporting requirements," said Pangilinan.

"They have to continue reporting and if they don't, we would exercise the oversight function of the Senate and Congress to force them to report and give us the latest update on the spending," he added.
Spain and other countries in Europe are once again turning to the sea as a source of wealth, and this 'blue economy' creates a clear opportunity for Malaga and the Costa del Sol.

Several companies at the Cluster Maritimo Marino de Andalucia, a maritime business group, are currently involved in this type of project. However they are little known because they are usually classed under other industry sectors such as training, energy, tourism or technology.

With this in mind, the group is currently involved in drawing up an overview of the sector. Its preliminary analysis shows that there are about 700 companies in the blue economy in Malaga province, employing over 50,000 professionals. Their projects include underwater robotics, environmental engineering, shipbuilding and maintenance, nautical tourism, aquaculture, heritage, knowledge, security, training, biotechnology and services. Companies associated with so-called blue tourism are the biggest generators of jobs, says Mar Recuna, who runs the maritime cluster.

The blue economy generates a significant part of the GDP of Malaga, bearing in mind that the port and supporting industries alone cover 200 companies. In Andalucia there are about 300,000 workers in the sector; that is ten per cent of all those in the region, and its contribution is around 17 billion euros, which is 10.5 per cent of GDP. Malaga leads some of the sectors in the region, especially tourism (cruises) and technology.

"Malaga needs to talk about a model for developing the blue economy, because in ten years turnover could double. It is a strategic sector," says Javier Noriega, president of this association of innovative companies in different maritime sub-sectors.

Robotisation of Malaga Port

One of the biggest pillars of this development, current and future, is Malaga Port, which Recuna says is "a leader in the cruise market and a benchmark in the model of integration with the city". There is also an opportunity for growth in its hinterland and as a complementary logistics hub for Algeciras. On this point, Noriega is calling for urgent digitalisation and robotisation of the facilities to make them more competitive. "A strong port makes Malaga strong too," he says.

In shipbuilding, the benchmark is the Mario Lopez shipyard, although there are 19 companies in this field in all. There is also increasing demand for wooden boat building, in which the Nereo shipyard is a leader. For pleasurecraft, there are 11 marinas with 4,800 berths, 20 per cent of all those in Andalucia, and 53 companies providing different services.

With regard to fishing, the future lies with sustainable aquaculture and high quality production, because consumption is far higher than the ability to produce. "The problem in Andalucia is that this market is not valued very highly, so fishing could become a luxury in the future," warns Mar Recuna.

In Malaga there are also companies like Algaqua, which study algae and new species that may be suitable for marine farming.
LISBON, May 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :-- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday at the end of the social summit of the European Union (EU) held in the Portuguese city of Porto that leaders of the EU countries understand that there are "more pressing issues" than patent waiver on vaccines against COVID-19.

Speaking to journalists, von der Leyen said this topic "is important," but will be discussed "in the long term, not in the short or medium term." According to her, Europe should not "lose sight of the main urgencies," which are "production of vaccines as soon as possible and how they will be distributed in a fair and equitable way." The EU executive stressed that "the European Union is the pharmacy of the world." "Up to today, 400 million doses of vaccines have been produced in the European Union. And 50 percent of them -- 200 million doses -- have been exported to 90 different countries in the world. So we invite others to do the same," she added.

According to her, "this is the best way, in the short term, to address bottlenecks and lack of vaccines worldwide." "We have now delivered over 200 million doses to the European people. So we are on track to achieve our objective of enough doses being delivered in July to vaccinate 70 percent of the European adult population.

Close to 160 million Europeans now have already received a first shot of the vaccine, that's over 25 percent of the EU population," she noted.

She also announced that the EU has concluded the negotiations with BioNTech-Pfizer for a new contract which secures 1.8 billion doses of vaccines through 2023.

Von der Leyen was glad to report that the legal and the technical work on the EU travel certificate -- the vaccination certificate -- is on track for the system to be operational in June.

The U.S. on Wednesday agreed to support waiving IP restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

French President Emmanuel Macron said during the social summit that he is "available to debate the proposal, but that this is not the solution" to increase the speed of vaccination.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Saturday that the U.S. proposal to suspend patents on COVID-19 vaccines "will not guarantee an increase in the supply of vaccines."Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the EU has been "exemplary" in its contribution to the COVAX mechanism, which helps the poorest countries to have access to vaccines.
Guatemala City, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :Dozens of Guatemalans protested Saturday in the capital to demand the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei, holding him responsible for a lack of Covid-19 vaccines.

"We are protesting for him [Giammattei] to resign and to tell us where the money for the vaccines is," Karla Perez, a 48-year-old woman who held up a banner at the demonstration, told AFP.

"Vaccines go in the arm, not in the pockets," said the banner, displayed during the protest held in front of the National Palace, the former seat of government, which was guarded by a large contingent of police.

Since February, 658,200 vaccine doses have arrived in Guatemala, some purchased and some donated.

The country has a population of more than 16 million.

For the protesters, the numbers reflect mismanagement and fuel suspicions of corruption.

"The government has been very non-transparent with the use of the money. There is total incompetence over public administration," said Jorge Bucaro, leader of the Association of University Students (AEU) of the University of San Carlos, the country's only public university.

Giammattei, a 65-year-old physician, has argued that the lack of vaccines is due to high global demand and has criticized the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme for the delay in deliveries.

Since March of last year, the Central American country has recorded 233,696 cases of Covid-19 and 7,695 deaths.
Wellington, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :New Zealand health officials cleared the way for quarantine-free flights to resume to Sydney Sunday as fears of a Covid-19 outbreak in New South Wales eased.

Flights were suspended on Thursday after two people in Sydney tested positive for the virus.

It was the third disruption since the quarantine-free travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia opened on April 18, almost 400 days after both closed their international borders due to the pandemic.

The earlier stoppages to flights to and from Western Australia lasted only a few days and the current travel pause with New South Wales would end at midnight Sunday.

"The current assessment from New Zealand public health officials is that the risk to New Zealand from New South Wales remains low," the health ministry said in a statement.

"There is no evidence to suggest widespread, undetected community transmission."New South Wales health officials said that despite extensive investigations they had not identified how the latest cases became infected although they believe there was "contact with a currently unidentified person who was infectious in the community."The trans-Tasman travel bubble between the largely coronavirus-free neighbours has been hailed as a major milestone in restarting a global travel industry that has been crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Rome, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2021 ) :More than 1,400 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa overnight Saturday and during the day on Sunday, media reports said.

The mass landings sparked calls from far-right politicians for action to stem the flow, amid fresh moves by Italian authorities against the rescue boats who operate in the central Mediterranean.

Some 15 boats arrived on Lampedusa from Saturday night onwards, Italian news agencies reported late Sunday -- one of them with almost 400 people on board, including 24 women and children, of different nationalities.

The arrivals were condemned by Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party who is facing trial in Sicily for refusing to allow migrants to disembark while he was interior minister in August 2019.

"With millions of Italians in difficulty, we cannot think of thousands of illegal immigrants," he said, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the issue.

Charity Alarm Phone meanwhile appealed for help to pick up five boats carrying more than 400 people in distress in Maltese waters, warning: "The situations on board are critical... Rescue is needed now!" Italy is a prime entry point for Europe-bound migrants, and more than half a million people have landed on its shores since the start of 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The stretch of water between Sicily and North Africa is also one of the world's deadliest migration routes.

Between January 1 and April 21 this year, 8,604 people arrived in Italy and another 65 in Malta, while 359 people died, the IOM says.

Numerous NGO ships operate in the area, trying to save those who end up in the water after crossing in packed or leaky boats. Some activists accuse authorities of letting them drown.

But the NGOs in turn have faced accusations of colluding with Libyan migrant traffickers to bring people to safety on European shores -- charges they strongly deny.

Judicial authorities in Sicily this weekend reinstated a detention order against the Sea-Watch 4 vessel, run by Germany's Sea-Watch organisation, which had kept it in Palermo for six months until March, media reports said.

The order followed a safety inspection that found too many life jackets on board, saying the ship's sewage system was insufficient for the potential number of people rescued.

Activists claim the inspection was a smokescreen to block the ship.

Another vessel, Sea-Watch 3, was impounded by the Italian coastguard in March in the Sicilian port of Augusta, again over safety issues.
Vatican City, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his concern at the unrest in Jerusalem, saying: "Violence only generates violence. Let's stop these clashes.""I pray so that this might be a place of encounter and not violent clashes, a place of prayer and of peace.

I invite everyone to seek shared resolutions so that the multireligious identity and multiculture of the holy city might be respected and so that fraternity might prevail," he said after reciting the Regina Caeli prayer.
London, May 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday wrote to Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon congratulating her on her election result and asking her to work together, Downing Street said.

"I believe passionately that the interests of people across the UK and in particular the people of Scotland are best served when we work together," Johnson wrote to Sturgeon.

He said the UK government wanted to work with Sturgeon's government in a "cooperative spirit" as part of "Team UK".

The letter to Sturgeon came after her SNP won a fourth term in the devolved parliament in Thursday's poll.

On Saturday, she repeated her demand for Johnson to allow a fresh independence referendum, something he has already ruled out.

In his letter, Johnson asked Sturgeon to take part in a "summit meeting to discuss our shared challenges" in planning the recovery after the pandemic.

The heads of the devolved parliaments of Wales and Northern Ireland would also receive invitations, he added.

The national leaders "will not always agree", Johnson said, but he called for them to "build back better".

Johnson, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph published earlier Saturday, said he would not accede to the SNP's demand for a fresh referendum even if it won an overall majority at Holyrood.

In the event it fell one seat short.

Sturgeon, in her victory speech after the SNP won 64 of the 129 seats at Holyrood, said there was "no democratic justification" for Westminster to deny a referendum.

The Scottish Greens, who also back an independence referendum, won eight seats in the parliament.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday urged the countrymen not to let the anti-COVID guard down and keep following the precautions and strictly follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) during Holy Ramazan and Eid.

The president said people of Pakistan must be doing something good that COVID-19 had not overwhelmed Pakistan like in neighboring countries.

"We are on a plateau of around 4000 daily cases. Don't let your guard down. Strictly follow SOPs, in Ramadan/Eid & all smart lockdown policies. Allah will keep you safe," the president twitted.\867
(@FahadShabbir)

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Sunday, inaugurated Mass Vaccination Center at Expo Centre Karachi that is capable to administer 30,000 jabs in a day.

Sindh secretary for Health Dr. Kazim Hussain Jatoe, representatives of National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) and other officials were present at the occasion.

The biggest vaccination center set up at the Hall number 4 of the Expo Center would work round the clock with 12 registration counters to deal with general public arriving there for vaccination against COVID-19.

At the occasion the health minister appealed masses to get themselves vaccinated against the deadly disease at the earliest so that spread of contagion could be curtailed.

The health department was providing all necessary facilities at the center to facilitate the masses, she added.

The center is comprised of 6 blocks in which 96 cubicles were set up to ensure administration of vaccine while thoroughly following the SOPs.

A large number of health care professionals were deployed in the center to smoothly run the operations as 360 health workers would be in attendance in a single shift.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th May, 2021) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has argued that it was up to the United States to take a step toward compliance with the nuclear deal.

US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he believed Iran was serious about returning to its nuclear commitments. "But how serious, and what they are prepared to do is a different story," he added.

"POTUS has to decide whether US continues lawlessness or adheres to law. Onus is on US, not Iran," Zarif tweeted on Saturday.

Talks are underway in Vienna between Iran and the remaining signatories to the 2014 pact on how to bring the US back after then-President Donald Trump walked out of the deal in 2018.

Iran demands that the US lift sanction imposed on it in the past three years, while the US wants Iran to stop enriching uranium beyond the agreed limits.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th May, 2021) SpaceX/Tesla founder Elon Musk said during the Saturday Night Live (SNL) show he is hosting for the first time that he has Asperger Syndrome, a kind of autism spectrum disorder.

Musk said at the start of his monologue that he is the first SNL host with Asperger's. Musk might have been joking, given the light-headed character of the late-night comedy show.

Musk, 49, also joked about how he smoked marijuana on American comedian Joe Rogan's podcast. He also brought his mother, Maye Musk, on stage, as the show played off the theme of Mother's Day, which is celebrated on May 9 this year in the US.

Musk is not the first non-actor to host SNL. Former US President Donald Trump hosted it in 2015, back when he was presidential candidate. Rudy Giuliani and Al Gore have also hosted the show.

This Saturday, the SNL is featuring Miley Cyrus in her sixth appearance as the musical guest.
Cruise ships will finally make a return to Malaga Port in June, albeit only on domestic routes, according to the president of the Port Authority, Carlos Rubio. Now that the Junta de Andalucia has approved the safety protocols for ships with Spanish itineraries (international stopovers are still prohibited), cruise companies have shown an interest in operating through Malaga this summer, Rubio has said.

"The forecast is that by June we will see the first stopovers, initially with limited capacity and with all the security measures in place, but it's a start... a gradual return for an activity which is so important for this city, which in a normal year should bring more than 500,000 passengers," he said.

Despite the pressures to handle the pandemic response, Rubio praised the Junta's willingness to devise a protocol for cruise travel, calling Andalucia "a pioneer".

"Any cruise ship that has an exclusively national route can dock in Andalusian ports," he explained, pointing out that several companies are planning routes within Andalucia to showcase its "diversity", while others will include stops in Cartagena, Valencia and Barcelona.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxemburg and president of the Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), applauds the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe on Europe Day.

By Vatican News staff writer

Sunday, 9 May, marks Europe Day, which this year will feature the launch of a Conference on the Future of Europe. The meeting will involve all European citizens, civil society, as well as Churches and religious communities, to discuss what kind of European Union is desired.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, president of the Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Union ( COMECE ), and Rev. Christian Krieger, president of the Conference of European Churches ( CEC ), are applauding the initiative.

In a joint press release , both leaders said this is good news since the Conference will offer the possibility for a broad, open and inclusive discussion about the future of Europe, a much needed first step to renew trust in and reinvigorate commitment to the European Union as a true community of values.

CEC is a fellowship organization bringing together 114 churches from Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican traditions from all over Europe for dialogue, advocacy, and joint action, and COMECE - the Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of the European Union - together represent through their members millions of European citizens in all EU Member States.

COMECE and CEC have both expressed their strong committment to actively contribute to the Conference on the Future of Europe. Both hope to "enthuse, inspire and facilitate involvement of our members at local, regional and national level" the joint statment notes, while involving young people and addressing the key question: "How can young Europeans  the future of Europe - regain high hopes, trust and confidence in the European project?"

Looking to the future

In an interview with Vatican Radio's Devin Watkins, Cardinal Hollerich looked at the challenges facing Europe today and his hopes for a brighter future for all.



Q: How can COMECE and the CEC contribute to the conference on the Future of Europe?

I'm very happy about this question, first that you speak about COMECE and CEC because we closely work together.

We want to be present as Christians in Europe and we shall have next week a meeting with the foreign minister of Portugal, as Portugal has the presidency in the European Union, and my colleague Pastor Krieger and myself will go to Lisbon to meet the minister of foreign affairs and we will present our opinion also about the conference on the future of Europe.

I think its a great chance for the Christians in Europe to get ready about what they want from the Union, what are the desires of the Christian population, of the Christian citizens in Europe. It's also very clear that you cannot just speak about Europe without thinking of the rest of the world.

Q: As we celebrate Europe Day, what are the common European values you hope to strengthen at the conference?

I really hope for more solidarity among the countries, but also solidarity inside the countries.

Solidarity with the poor because we have a new poor in Europe because of the pandemic. We have to get to the core of the social problem. We have to tackle climate change. The green deal of Europe I think is very important.

We have to see how we can strengthen democracy in Europe. I think we need some European media in order to have also media control of European politics and a common conscience among the citizens of Europe.

And I would like to speak in favor of the migrants and refugees. I think Europe is doing very badly at the moment. It is a shame. So we have to face the situation that people die now very often on the Mediterranean, they die in the Atlantic Ocean, they die in front of Europe. Europe is saying that it does not act. The European Union lets people die. I mean, that is surely not compatible with the values of the European Union. So when we speak about these values, we should be honest.

Q: What are some of the main priorities, and make the main challenges, for Europe going into the future?

I think we have to look about the concept of European integration. Up to now some people want a federal state, others want other structures, but it could look like a superstructure we have defending its own interests in a world more and more globalized.

I would like that we live more the teaching of the Pope in Fratelli tutti so that the European Union could show how the rich countries could contribute to more fraternity in the world.

I mean, of course, migrants and refugees, but also justice in economic dealings, justice in commerce, fair trade. There are so many things which still could be done.

So, Europe should not be concentrated on itself, but Europe should be open to the world and see that in other states and other parts of the world we have sisters and brothers. We are co-responsible for their well-being and their happiness.
At the Regina Coeli prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis reflects on what it means to abide in Jesus love, saying it is best expressed in self-giving service to others.

By Devin Watkins

Taking his cue from the days Gospel (Jn 15:9-17), Pope Francis explored the fruit that can be seen when a Christian abides in Jesus love.

Jesus, said the Pope, invites us to abide in His love so that His joy may be in us and our joy may be full.

Knowing the Fathers love

He said this love has its origin in God the Father, who is love, and flows like a river through Jesus, His Son, to us.

The love Jesus gives us is the same with which the Father loves Him: pure, unconditional, freely given love, said the Pope. By giving it to us, Jesus treats us like friends, making us know the Father, and He involves us in His same mission for the life of the world.

We remain in Jesus love, he added, by keeping His commandments.

Loving one another

In the same passage, Jesus summarized His commandments with the words: that you love one another as I have loved you.

Pope Francis said loving like Christ means going beyond our own selves and opening up to those in greater need.

To love as Christ means to put yourself at the service of your brothers and sisters, as He did in washing the feet of the disciples, said the Pope. It means making ourselves available, as we are and with what we have. This means to love not in word but in deed.

Listen to our report

Service, not violence or control

Pope Francis noted that loving like Christ requires us to put aside other loves offered by the world, like the love of money, success, or power.

These deceptive paths distance us from the Lords love and lead us to become more and more selfish, narcissistic and overbearing, he said. And being overbearing leads to a degeneration of love, to the abuse others, to making our loved ones suffer.

The Pope added that he was thinking about the many women who suffer unhealthy love that becomes violence. He said this is not love.

To love as the Lord loves us means to appreciate the people beside us and to respect their freedom, to love them as they are, gratuitously.

It also means overcoming the ambition to control others, and instead giving ourselves to others.

Witnesses to joy

Finally, Pope Francis invited Christians to abide in Jesus love so that our joy may be full.

The joy of knowing we are loved by God despite our infidelities enables us to face the trials of life confidently, makes us to live through crises so as to emerge from them better, he said. Our being true witnesses consists in living this joy, because joy is the distinctive sign of a true Christian.

And he concluded the Regina Coeli address praying that the Blessed Virgin Mary might help us abide in Jesus love and grow in love for everyone, witnessing to the joy of the Risen Lord.
CGV Vietnam and Lapen failed to reach a common voice

District 1 Peoples Court in Ho Chi Minh City has just admitted the dispute between the cinema giant (plaintiff) and Lapen Investment Advisory JSC (defendant), the developer of Lapen Center.

According to the lawsuit, CGV Vietnam on November 21, 2017, signed a land leasing contract with the Lapen Center shopping mall (Vung Tau) to open a cineplex for the duration of 20 years at a leasing cost of VND413 million($17,956) per month.

The two sides cooperated without issue until the pandemic interrupted the performance of the cineplex.

The cinema company stated that at the time they signed the contract, they could not foresee the pandemic. CGV added that it tried various solutions but was unable to improve its finances.

On October 29, 2020, CGV Vietnam sent a document to Lapen proposing to renegotiate the lease contract, with the aim of reducing financial damage. According to local media, the cinema operator requested reducing lease to 8 per cent of its revenue in the shopping mall from December 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, which would be followed by talks on a mutually acceptable monthly payment. According to the proposal, in case they cannot reach a common voice, either side could choose to unilaterally terminate the contract without having to pay compensation.

However, since the end of February, the two sides could not reach an agreement. Therefore, the South Korean-invested company filed a lawsuit against the landlord, requesting the court to put an end to the contract as there had been a material change in circumstances. CGV Vietnam claims to no longer have an obligation to pay a fine or compensations to Lapen. It has also decided to return the premises to Lapen and is requesting the deposit of VND2.2 billion ($95.652) from the company, according to the document.

Due to the health crisis, the cinema company has been struggling to maintain operations in Vietnam. According to Chang Bok Sang, chairman of CJ Vietnam which directly operates CGV Vietnam, the cineplexes have born the worst damage of all 15 company members in the country.

The global performance of CGV cineplexes has also been poor. According to newswire Business Korea, its debt-to-equity ratio soared by nearly 200 percentage points in three months to 845 per cent in the first quarter of last year, with its total capital falling 22 per cent during the same period. Compared to a year ago, sales were halved and net losses increased from KRW85.7 billion ($70.6 million) to KRW118.6 billion ($97.76 million).
What is the current competitive situation of the digital banking arena in Vietnam?

Interim Vietnam Citi country officer Lai Minh Thuy

There were 68 million internet users in Vietnam in 2020 and this number is forecasted to grow to 75.7 million by 2023. More than 90 per cent of Vietnamese internet users are connected online primarily through their mobile phones, and services that were previously limited to a few people are now almost universally accessible.

Digital payments are rapidly gaining popularity. According to the annual report from the State Bank of Vietnam just before the pandemic hit, 96 per cent of banks in Vietnam are building strategy based on 4.0 technology and 92 per cent of them are developing their services on internet and mobile. As per our assessment, most of Vietnams local banks have implemented digital core banking systems to accommodate internet banking payment services and digital payments.

Despite the highly competitive digital banking landscape, Citi Vietnam has performed very well with customers who are highly engaged digitally. With all of Citis new digital capabilities that are now available in Vietnam, 100 per cent of customers have opted for e-statements, and more than 80 per cent are enrolled in the online banking experience. Such resiliency and acceleration of digital banking has led to Citi Vietnam being named Digital Bank of the Year.

What are the main digital strategies at Citibank?

The foundations for our rapid rise in digital usage were laid in 2017 where we geared towards a mobile first strategy. In 2020, we have headed toward a mobile adoption strategy that puts all the access and capabilities consumers need into their hands. The strategies are paying off with strong gains in client engagement, preference, and satisfaction.

During COVID-19, Citi Vietnam launched a series of digital measures to offer further assistance to retail and institutional customers. The banks priority is on supporting clients through this challenging period, especially via digital means.

In corporate banking, our award-winning electronic platform CitiDirect BE, coupled with our host-to-host capabilities via CitiConnect, help to ensure that our institutional clients can continue to perform their core banking activities in a controlled, digital way during the challenging environment of the pandemic. From 2019, Citis institutional clients in Vietnam could also use fingerprint or facial recognition to access our institutional banking platform on mobile.

The bank has also recently launched CitiDirect Digital Onboarding in Vietnam, providing corporate clients with a digital channel for account opening and product implementation. Clients can digitally sign documents or alternatively download, complete, scan, and upload documents, eliminating paper submission to branches.

In Vietnam, the number of unique mobile users has increased by 25 per cent on-year and the Citi consumer credit card business has earned highly prestigious scores. Why, therefore, is Citi Vietnam pursuing an exit from consumer banking?

It is not an exit plan in Vietnam. As part of its ongoing strategy refresh, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser announced Citi will focus its global consumer bank presence in Asia and the Europe/Middle East/Africa market on global wealth centres and as a result, will pursue an exit from consumer franchises in 13 markets across two regions, including Vietnam.

However, Citi has been in Vietnam for several decades and the global announcement about strategic actions in consumer banking across 13 of our markets does not in any way dilute our long-term commitment to Vietnam or the Asia-Pacific region. With this strategic re-positioning, we will be able to further invest our resources in significantly growing our institutional business in Vietnam.

The bank is committed to Vietnam and is growing further in the country. There is tremendous opportunity with this strategy refresh by Citi for us to offer a uniquely differentiated value proposition to our clients as we move into a new phase of growth and transformation focusing on our institutional franchise.

What change to your operations will there be in Vietnam as a result of this strategy refresh?

Citi Vietnam assures customers that consumer business operations and offices will continue to operate as normal with the same dedication and passion to serve and support clients.

We would like to convey to all credit card and bank account holders, as well as our customers in loans, that all our existing products and services will continue normally and there will be no change in our high level of service. All branches, ATMs, call centres, and offices continue to operate as they do today.

Customers can continue to conduct transactions or service inquiries through the Citibank Mobile App, Citibank Online, and Citiphone. This will remain the case until we notify customers of any changes in the future. Our global mission is to Be the Best for our clients and this is the cornerstone of our development roadmap for both corporate and individual clients.
The Australian federal government is poised to cancel a 99-year lease awarded to a Chinese firm in 2015 allowing operations at the strategic Darwin Port in the countrys Northern Territory over concerns about the owners close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the national security threats posed by the association.

In October of 2015, Shandong Landbridge Group was granted a lease over the Port by the Malcom Turnbull administration after promising to invest $200 million AUD ($154 million USD approx.) into the area over a 25-year period. The company is headquartered in Rizhao, Shandong Province, and its owner, billionaire Ye Cheng, is said to have close ties with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) regime.

Reuters recently quoted an anonymous source from the federal government saying that defense officials were investigating Landbridge and giving serious consideration to terminating the lease over national security concerns as tensions between Beijing and Canberra show no signs of easing.

Advice has been sought on the port and that will go to national security committee in due time, said the source.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared to at least implicitly confirm his administration was placing the Darwin lease under scrutiny with the remarks, In relation to the Port of Darwin, if there is any advice that I receive from the Department of Defense or intelligence agencies that suggest there are national security risks there, then you would expect the government to take action on that, given in a radio interview according to Bloomberg.

The decision comes as Australia passed new foreign investment legislation in January aimed at protecting the country from foreign manipulation and threats. The laws give the government retrospective power to impose new conditions or even force divestment on deals that have already been approved.

The powers have already been used. In April, Morrisons government stepped in and cancelled Victoria Premier Daniel Andrewss Belt and Road Initiative agreements signed with Beijing using the new law.

In 2015, Australias then-Defense Secretary Dennis Richardson mocked concerns over Beijings connection to Landbridge as alarmist nonsense. He also claimed there was no risk of the CCP spying on U.S.-Australia naval communications in the Port.

Dennis never thought it was such a big deal, he was always mildly relaxed about it, said a senior defense official who spoke anonymously to ABC News.

[Others] thought it was unnecessary and potentially dangerous. I am not sure it is at the same level as the direct investment that the Chinese government has into ports in Pakistan and Sri Lankathe potential for port disruption by the operator [Landbridge] at crucial times remains one of my big concerns.

In Nov. 2015, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) published a report expounding on Landbridges Communist Party ties, revealing the firm established an armed militia within the company with the backing of no less than the Peoples Liberation Army in August of 2014. In 2015, when Turnbulls administration announced the lease, Barack Obama expressed mild displeasure because the U.S. was not informed in advance.

Just four years back in 2011, the United States had established a troop presence in Darwin to counter Chinese pressure in the Indo-Pacific. In March 2016, Washington raised concerns about potential Chinese espionage in the port given Landbridges association with the PLA.

The U.S. Department of Defense said Beijing could be collecting intelligence on both American and Australian forces stationed nearby.

Neighboring New Zealand has also been facing troubles working with China. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently stated that the interests and values of her country do not mix well with that of the Peoples Republic, providing a big obstacle in reconciling the differences between the two nations.
China emits more greenhouse gases (GHG) than all other developed countries combined according to a report released on May 6 by Rhodium Group, an independent research provider of data used by leading think tanks and universities.

In 2019, Chinas emissions not only eclipsed that of the USthe worlds second-largest emitter at 11% of the global totalbut also, for the first time, surpassed the emissions of all developed countries combined, the report stated.

According to Rhodium Group, China was responsible for 27 percent of the worlds GHG emissions, followed by the U.S. with 11 percent, India with 6.6 percent, the EU-27 (European Union) with 6.4 percent, Indonesia with 3.4 percent, Russia with 3.1 percent, Brazil with 2.8 percent, and Japan with 2.2 percent.

Chinas GHG emissions of over 14 gigatons eclipsed their 1990 levels by more than three times and increased by 25 percent over the past decade. However, the Rhodium Group, which is backed by Bill Gates, downplayed the statistics by saying that Chinas per capita rates of emissions were modest compared to those in the developed world.

The report stated, Chinas history as a major emitter is relatively short compared to developed countries, many of which had more than a century head start China still has a way to go before surpassing the OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] on a cumulative contribution basis.

In 2020, China was the only nation in the world to experience economic expansion, while most of the world experienced economic contraction, according to Rhodium Group. Back in September, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping strategically announced that China would aim for peak emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

Li Shuo, an expert on Chinese climate policy from Greenpeace Asia, said that Xis announcement was a bold and well calculated move, which demonstrates Xis consistent interest in leveraging the climate agenda for geopolitical purposes.

According to CNBC, reducing carbon emissions is one of the few areas China and the U.S. have said they could cooperate on. Biden has said that by 2030, the U.S. aims to lower emissions by 50 to 52 percent, which is double the prior commitment made in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

In April, Xi Jinping attended a climate summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. At the summit, Xi stressed that more developed nations should step up with plans to address climate issues while also helping less developed nations to catch up. China looks forward to working with the international community, including the United States, to jointly advance global environmental governance, he said.
The coronavirus crisis is not abating in India, with the country reporting Sunday that it had counted more than 403,000 new infections and 4,000 deaths in the last 24 hours.

In addition, health experts say the tolls are likely undercounted.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not imposed a nationwide lockdown to help stop the spread of the coronavirus despite calls to do so from politicians and public health officials. Some local governments, however, have imposed lockdowns on their jurisdictions.

New Delhi has announced that a lockdown that began April 20 will be extended to May 17. The Indian capital also announced that Metro transit service will be suspended, starting Monday.

The southern state of Tamil Nadu said it would shift from a partial to a full lockdown after neighboring Karnataka state extended its full lockdown Friday.

In an interview Saturday with the French news agency, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organizations chief scientist, warned that "the epidemiological features that we see in India today do indicate that it's an extremely rapidly spreading variant."

Swaminathan said the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was clearly a contributing factor to the catastrophe in India, her homeland.

"There have been many accelerators that are fed into this," the 62-year-old pediatrician and clinical scientist said, adding, "A more rapidly spreading virus is one of them." She added, however, that large gatherings and a lapse in mask-wearing also played a role.

The B.1.617 variant was first discovered in India last October. The United States and Britain consider it a variant of concern, which indicates it is more dangerous than the original virus.

In addition to the number of cases and deaths, Swaminathan said another danger is the increasing likelihood of variants that could outwit vaccines.

"Variants which accumulate a lot of mutations may ultimately become resistant to the current vaccines that we have," she said.

The India toll came as the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center in the U.S. recorded 157.7 million global infections early Sunday, with 3.3 million deaths.

Johns Hopkins also said India currently had more than 22 million confirmed cases and 242,000 deaths.

India is second to the U.S. in the number of infections. The U.S. currently has more than 32.6 million infections and 581,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.

EU summit, US criticism

On the second day of a European Union summit in Portugal on Saturday, the EU approved a contract extension with Pfizer-BioNTech to provide up to 1.8 billion additional doses of its vaccine through 2023.

Pfizer-BioNTech has already provided the EU with 600 million doses, as required in the initial contract.

Also at the EU summit, the U.S. faced mounting criticism from EU leaders over U.S. President Joe Bidens surprise endorsement last week of lifting COVID-19 vaccine patents to make more doses available to poorer countries.

We dont think, in the short term, that its the magic bullet, said EU Council President Charles Michel.

Michel and other EU leaders said the U.S. should, instead, start boosting U.S. vaccine exports to have maximum impact on the global pandemic.

Im very clearly urging the U.S. to put an end to the ban on exports of vaccines and on components of vaccines that are preventing them being produced, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The U.S., like Britain, has limited exports of domestically developed vaccines so it can inoculate its population first. The EU has become the worlds leading vaccine provider, distributing about 200 million doses to the 27-nation bloc and roughly an equal number to nearly 90 countries around the world.

Pope Francis said that he supports the temporary suspension of vaccine patents, according to news reports. He added that market forces, as it relates to the vaccines, must not predominate.
China's Sinopharm is poised to play an increasingly greater role in bolstering global fight against COVID-19 with vaccines assistance worldwide, particularly among the developing countries, following the approval for use by the World Health Organization (WHO), said Shao Yiming, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on Friday.

The WHO validated on Friday the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm for emergency use, making it the sixth vaccine to receive WHO validation on account of its safety, efficacy and quality.

This makes it the first Chinese vaccine that has been officially recognized by the WHO, which also means that the China vaccine can play a greater role in the global fight against the epidemic, Shao said.

Indeed, this vaccine has been proved to be effective with solid data to support this. Just as Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director general for access to health products, pointed out the vaccine's efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalized disease was estimated to be 79 percent, for all age groups combined.

Shao Yiming, also an advisor to the Product Development Vaccine Advisory Committee under the World Health Organization (WHO), noted that the vaccine's efficacy is close to 100 percent in preventing hospitalization, severe illness and death.

In addition, the vaccine has the potential to rapidly accelerate COVID-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk.

A small detail can show the vaccine's convenience for storage and use. The vaccines carry a vial monitor, a small sticker on the vaccine vials that can change its color when the vaccine has been exposed to heat, which can directly tell whether the vaccine can be safely used.

A WHO press release also noted that the Sinopharm vaccine is easy to store, making it highly suitable for low-resource settings.

According to the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), the Sinopharm vaccine is recommended for use in adults 18 years and older in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of three to four weeks.

Though few adults over 60 years were enrolled in clinical trials and efficacy could not be estimated in this age group, the WHO is not recommending an upper age limit for the Sinopharm vaccine, because reviewed data have suggested that the vaccine is likely to have a protective effect in older persons, according to the WHO press release.

Assessment by SAGE has shown that the Sinopharm vaccine had been authorized by 45 countries or jurisdictions for use in adults 18 years or older, where more than 65 million doses had been administered through emergency use programs. No safety concerns have been identified from pre-clinical or repro/tox (reproductive toxicity) studies, while most adverse events were mild to moderate, such as injection pain, headache and fatigue.

The jab is produced by a subsidiary of the Sinopharm's bioscience subsidiary the China National Biotec Group (CNBG).

As the world is racing against time to beat COVID-19, the Sinopharm vaccine offers countries more choices with its accessibility and affordability, helping the world overcome the vaccine divide.

As of Wednesday, more than 1.1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered globally, but over 80 percent of those had been administered in high and upper-middle income countries, while just 0.3 percent in low-income countries, said the WHO.

With the WHO's validation for emergency use, the Sinopharm vaccine, as the first COVID-19 vaccine developed by a non-western country, is expected to accelerate vaccine rollout in many low and middle-income countries through purchase and delivery by the WHO-led COVAX initiative.

COVAX is a global coalition that works to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

In addition to the Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine, the WHO had previously listed the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, the Janssen vaccine and the Moderna vaccine for emergency use.

According to Yu Qingming, chairman of the Sinopharm Group, this year's output of the Sinopharm vaccine is targeted at more than one billion doses, and is expected to reach three billion doses in the future.

The WHO has repeatedly urged some developed countries to stop over-purchasing vaccines or imposing vaccine export restrictions. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly criticized some developed countries for hoarding vaccines and striking private deals with vaccine suppliers, as some developing countries are struggling to get access to vaccines.

China has, so far, provided vaccine assistance to more than 80 developing countries, helping them solve their urgent needs and saving many lives. Once on the WHO list of emergency use, the Chinese vaccine can help accelerate the promotion of global vaccine coverage, which is crucial to international cooperation on controlling the pandemic as soon as possible.

Last but not least, the validation of the Sinopharm vaccine by the WHO has also greatly boosted the confidence of developing countries to strengthen their research and development capabilities to seek solutions for major domestic and global health problems.

As the WHO chief noted, "this expands the list of vaccines that COVAX can buy, and gives countries confidence to expedite their own regulatory approval, and to import and administer a vaccine."

Sinopharm, established in January 2003 and listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in September 2009, is the largest wholesaler and retailer of pharmaceutical, medical devices and healthcare products, and a leading supply-chain service provider in China.

Besides, the Group is also engaged in the production and sale of pharmaceutical products, chemical reagents and laboratory supplies, and actively engaged in the innovation of pharmaceutical, medical services and other health-related industries.

China has decided to provide ten million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the COVAX initiative to meet the urgent needs of developing countries, a concrete step to deliver on the promise to make vaccines a global public good.

This is also an important achievement in the field of epidemic prevention and control. China was the first to have put the pandemic under control, and successfully developed one of the earliest vaccines in the world.

Adhering to the concept of a community with a shared future for health, China has so far provided vaccine assistance selflessly to more than 80 countries and three international organizations, exported vaccines to more than 40 countries, and collaborated with over ten countries in vaccine research and development (R and D) and production.

The validation of the Chinese vaccine, which is the result of high technology content and high R and D investment, has also strengthened the international recognition of the "Made in China" and "R and D in China labels."
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Student journalists across 23 campuses of California State University have played a crucial role in keeping other students informed during the COVID pandemic. Student newsrooms are now linked through an online newswire, pooling resources and sharing information across the expansive state.
Photo: Getty Images

Scarlett Johansson has spoken out against the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, joining a chorus of condemnation from actors, advocacy groups, and studios, including Netflix and Amazon, over the organizations lack of diversity and transparency. As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows, Johansson said in a statement. In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences. Johansson continues, The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition, and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole.

Johanssons statement follows widespread criticism of the HFPA, including from her Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo, who said on Friday, Honestly, as a recent winner of a Golden Globe, I cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of this award. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos also announced on Friday that Netflix will not work with the HFPA until it tackles its systemic diversity and inclusion challenges. Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke followed suit, stating that Amazon Studios is awaiting a sincere and significant resolution before moving forward with the HFPA.

On Thursday, the HFPA responded to the growing backlash with reform proposals focusing on increasing membership to the organization, which currently has zero Black members. Response to the proposed reforms has been largely negative, with Times Up president Tina Tchen calling the proposals window-dressing platitudes and GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis saying the reforms do not go far enough to ensure the organization as a place where historically marginalized communities  including the LGBTQ community  feel welcomed. Ellis continued, Its not enough for the HFPA to just say that they are working towards having a certain number of Black members. Its time for the HFPA and the Golden Globes to truly reflect the full intersectional diversity of Hollywood.
The Entrepreneurship Training Centre (ETC); an initiative led by the Bahrain Small and Medium Enterprises Society (BSMEs) in partnership with Tamkeen has announced its new edition of the Business Plan Competition 2021.

The competition is open to all students part of the ETC programme accepting applications until Monday, May 10.

The Entrepreneurship Training Programme Business Plan Competition aims to stimulate global entrepreneurship among young individuals in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Participants are challenged to conceive of a viable new product or service, and then prepare a business plan and video aimed at convincing potential investors to invest in the business.

Post registering for the Business Plan Competition, students will go through a qualifying round which consist of submitting a written business plan. Entries with a weighted score of 60/100 or higher will progress to the second round where they will submit a 5-8 minute pitch video describing the market opportunity and proposed product / service. Finalists will be selected for the final round and will present their business plan to a panel of judges.

By participating in the competition, students will gain experience in several areas such as Identifying business opportunities, developing a business model, and writing a formal business plan, performing market research and feasibility studies using primary and/or secondary data, pitching their idea to an international panel of business professionals and academics developing communication and organisational skills and working as part of a team. Additionally, students will get access to mentorship workshops that will support them in developing their business plans, perfecting their pitches and presentations and much more in partnership with various organisations.

President of the Bahrain Society for Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Ahmed Sabah Al Saloom commented: The Entrepreneurship Training Centre serves as a stepping stone for future entrepreneurs, especially in a critical time, where initiatives such as this are needed for the kingdom. The Business Plan Competition allows students to be part of a vigorous practical experience where they will get to experience the entrepreneurial journey firsthand learning all the necessary elements to creating successful and sustainable ideas. We look forward to the new ideas and plans being presented to us this year, and hope they can inspire others to take the same path, and create alternative sources of income and potentially a business they can run that will contribute to the economy and its various sectors.

The Entrepreneurship Training Centre is in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour where a total of 50 Bahraini jobseekers registered with the Labour and Social Development Ministry are trained to become owners of entrepreneurial projects as an alternative option to employment. The Training programme is held in cooperation with Tamkeen which focuses on the basics of entrepreneurship, including operational, marketing and developmental skills. -- TradeArabia News Service
The UAEs Ramadan campaign has secured 216 million meals, more than double its target, for vulnerable groups in 30 countries across four continents, announced HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

100 Million Meals campaign, the regions biggest food distribution drive, concluded on Saturday after drawing massive donations from 385,000 individuals, companies, businessmen and philanthropists across 51 countries through various donation channels and two charity auctions.

Funds raised will help distribute food parcels, equivalent to 216 million meals, to people in need across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

Low-income families, orphans, widows and parents of refugee children in several countries have already started preparing their own nutritious meals during the holy month of Ramadan as distribution of food parcels began in cooperation with local and international partners.

Distribution of food parcels, carrying essential easy-to-store food items, will continue over the next three months to reach beneficiaries in the 30 targeted countries. Every AED1 donated helped provide one meal in beneficiary countries.

Sheikh Mohammed said the overwhelming community engagement and record turnout of individuals and companies who donated to the campaign confirms, once again, that the UAE will always remain a global capital of philanthropy.

The record donations and support to 100 Million Meals campaign is a testament that strategic and sustainable humanitarian work has become an established culture in the UAE.

He added: The objectives of 100 Million Meals were ambitious to match the magnitude of hardship that Covid-19 has brought to vulnerable populations across the world.

Sheikh Mohammed concluded: the campaigns biggest success is proving that humanitarian work in the UAE has no limit.

The campaigns organiser Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) is teaming up with 12 food banks and nine humanitarian and charitable organisations to deliver food aid to the doorstep of underserved homes in targeted countries.

FULL SOLIDARITY

The campaign, which ran for 28 days, brought together all segments of the society from the art community and car enthusiasts to prominent businessmen, government and private entities, and members of the public from inside and outside the UAE.

Website and SMS donations secured 20 million meals, while contributions of the private sector alone helped provide 70 million meals.

Massive donations continued to pour in even after the campaign achieved its 100 million meals target within the first 10 days of its launch.

The Ramadan campaign was launched to create a food safety net for disadvantaged communities and provide a chance of a dignified life, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated unemployment and poverty in developing nations. The campaign is part of UAEs contribution to global efforts to combat world hunger and malnutrition.

PHILANTHROPY MOMENTUM

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary-General of MBRGI, said the overwhelming success of the 100 Million Meals campaign reflects the deep connection of the UAE community and institutions with the humanitarian and relief initiatives launched by Sheikh Mohammed.

In the UAE, there is an innate desire to help people in need, Al Gergawi said. It was clear to see, from the number and range of donors, that the entire UAE community is galvanised by Sheikh Mohammeds forward-looking vision to institutionalise humanitarian work across the nation.

Praising the combined efforts of charitable and humanitarian organisations, Al Gergawi said: the harmonious teamwork between all partners  from international stakeholders to local entities and individuals  was key to exceeding the campaigns goals.

He noted that the collective donations from individuals and companies, besides the distribution carried out by partnering entities, has helped provide a food safety net to disadvantaged communities across four continents.

Thanks to the deeply embedded sense of empathy and charity that runs rich among the UAEs citizens and residents, our countrys work to eradicate malnutrition and hunger across the world will only continue to accelerate.

Al Gergawi added that the widespread and swift response to the campaign reflects the UAEs core values of solidarity with people around the world, cementing the status of humanitarian work as part of the lifestyle of citizens and residents.

CHARITY AUCTIONS

Held in parallel to the influx of donations pouring into the campaigns channels, the exclusive international Charity Art Auction gave philanthropists and art enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own rare artworks by world-renowned artists and items from the personal collections of world leaders, while contributing to providing food aid to vulnerable groups in 30 countries.

Headlining the auction, organised by MBRGI in collaboration with Maupy Auction, was a piece of Kaaba cover, embroidered in gold and silver, donated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and drawings by the late South African President Nelson Mandela, alongside valuable masterpieces by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro.

A week later, the Most Noble Numbers charity auction achieved a world record by selling the prestigious single-digit car plate, AA9, for AED38 million to become the worlds second most expensive number plate. The auction, held in collaboration with Emirates Auction, Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA) and Etisalat, raised donations for the 100 Million Meals campaign by selling off three double-digit plate numbers U31, T38 and E51 and five exclusive Etisalat mobile numbers from Etisalat: 0569999999, 0569999993, 0549999993, 0565555556 and 0545555558.

PARTNERS FOR GOOD

Led by MBRGI, easy-to-store parcels are delivered to the doorstep of people in need through a collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, the Food Banking Regional Network, and local charitable organisations in the 30 beneficiary countries.

The WFP will help distribute 20% of the campaigns food parcels in Palestine and refugee camps in Jordan and Bangladesh, while the Food Banking Regional Network is securing food parcels to target groups in 13 of the targeted 30 countries.

Food aid will reach beneficiaries in countries including Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Sierra Leone, Angola, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi, Benin, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kosovo, Nepal and Nepal.

ZAKAT

Dr Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, Grand Mufti and Director of the Ifta Department of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD), issued a fatwa permitting the payment of cash forms of zakat to purchase food parcels for the 100 Million Meals campaign.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Media coverage of the 100 Million Meals campaign reached 136.1 million views, while the campaigns videos garnered 350 million views. More than 4,000 news articles and features in local, regional and international media outlets highlighted the incoming donations from different parts of the society and detailed food distribution operations in several countries.

HUMANITARIAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The MBRGI, organiser of the 100 Million Meals campaign, was established in 2015, combining under its umbrella over 30 humanitarian and developmental initiatives and entities.

The 100 Million Meals campaign is the latest addition to the foundations humanitarian, social and development initiatives that are primarily devoted to supporting and empowering vulnerable and disadvantaged communities around the world, regardless of race, religion, or geographical region.

It falls under MBRGIs Humanitarian Aid and Relief, one of the five pillars of the foundations operations that cover Healthcare and Disease Control, Spreading Education and Knowledge, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Empowering Communities.

The campaign is an expansion of the locally-held 10 Million Meals campaign that was launched in Ramadan 2020 to provide food support to empower Covid-19-hit groups across the UAE. -- TradeArabia News Service
North African low-cost carrier flyEgypt has announced the launch of its commercial passenger operations from the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah to Cairo International Airport in Egypt.

The airline is operating three fights a week - Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays - from the RAK Airport.

The new schedule, which enhances Ras Al Khaimahs connections with Menas most populous country, marks an acceleration in the airports current expansion strategy that is seeing it as the fastest-growing aviation hub in the UAE.

Commencing the launch from its hub Cairo on May 6, flyEgypt landed its debut flight FEG501 at the RAK Airport.

In addition to this, the budget carrier is also starting twice-a-week direct flights from the Egyptian city of Suhag to Ras Al Khaimah, thus opening up the emirate to Egypts 100 million people.

The new partnership comes at an important time, with travel restrictions being progressively lifted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, said a top official.

"Egypt is a strong brotherly nation for the UAE, and this is reflected in the growing, economic and cultural ties between us. Increasing connectivity between Ras Al Khaimah and Egypt at this critical time will facilitate these and other mutual activities," remarked Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation and RAK Airport.

From a localised viewpoint, this service will support Ras Al Khaimahs diversification strategy and further enhance RAK Airports strategic position as a logistics and transport hub for the region, he added.

"The tourism sectors in both countries will benefit significantly from the new flyEgypt service. It provides a direct connection for Ras Al Khaimah residents to take in the wonders of the pyramids and ancient Egypt, while travellers coming the other way can experience the many delights of Ras Al Khaimah and its unique outdoor environment that is establishing it as an adventure tourism hub," remarked Sheikh Salem.

"This is particularly significant for the emirates economy, with the widening of the emirates tourism sector and the attraction of greater numbers of visitors a major strand in its economic diversification strategy," he added.

RAK Airport CEO Sanjay Khanna, expressing delight at the launch of a strategic partnership with flyEgypt, said: "This is one that reconnects Ras Al Khaimah with North Africa in the post-pandemic phase and, in the process, creates a vital link to fuel growth and development between two important Arab entities."

"RAK Airport is determined to play an instrumental role in repositioning the aviation sector as a major driver for economic activities in the new normal and this new partnership is just one of many that the airport is establishing in pursuit of this goal," he noted.

He said the emirate was committed to opening up even more routes, with further partnership announcements to be made over the next two months.

"This new service provides an attractive alternative for Egyptian citizens wishing to visit the UAEs established tourist hot spots as travel restrictions ease. It also helps cement the northern emirate as a prime destination in its own right," noted Khanna.

"The partnership will go a long way in helping the emirates authorities with their aim of bringing in more visitors and opening up its array of attractions to a wider segment of travellers," he added.

Karim Baky, Chief Commercial Officer of flyEgypt, said: "It is with great pleasure and very high hopes we announce Ras Al Khaimah as the latest valuable addition to our existing list of destinations - an addition that will help strengthen our equity as a brand and solidify our presence within the Middle East region."

"We strongly believe that Ras Al Khaimah will eventually become the perfect gateway to the UAE for all our passengers," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A senior executive at the countrys largest business bank has called for governments to build more quarantine facilities and relax border closures to enable skilled migration to restart in order to provide a lifeline to businesses under pressure.

The National Australia Banks head of business banking Andrew Irvine said overall businesses are managing to motor forward following the pandemic lockdowns, with the lender seeing record demand for credit and new business accounts.

NABs banking boss Andrew Irvine has called for immigration rules to be relaxed. Credit: Supplied

Mr Irvine said the financial cliff predicted once JobKeeper and bank loan deferral periods ended had not occurred, adding there had been strong growth across the economy particularly in health, manufacturing and construction. He said a big problem for businesses was finding employees to fill vacant roles. Im doing a little bit of work on my house having just bought in Melbourne and it is not easy finding tradespeople, Mr Irvine said.

NABs total loan book is worth about $109.9 billion, with $2 billion of loans deferred during the pandemic now being managed by the banks financial difficulty team. Mr Irvine said NAB had not yet had to close down any businesses due to loan defaults and he predicted this would be minimal.
Ive been to a lot of fab parties in this gig, but Im not sure Id want to be on the guest list for the next Byron Bay White Party with Chris Hemsworth and Co (not that I have an ice cubes chance in hell of being invited).

Apart from the fact that the whole White Party theme thing seems so, I dunno, 2005, I know for certain that my white outfit - if I were to ever actually wear such a confection - would be splattered with canapes and cocktails within minutes of arriving, looking more Pro Hart than minimalist post-modern masterpiece.

Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon on the far right at the white party in Byron Bay. Credit:Instagram

Nor could I be certain that during such a party I would refrain from regurgitating any of those canapes or cocktails all over my crisp white shirt, especially after observing so many of the guests clamouring to get as many selfies with as many famous people as possible.

And Id be at risk of further involuntary gag reflux when those same bragging selfies flood Instagram, only to then cause the mother of all hangovers for days on end as they are recycled over and over on breakfast television for us mere mortals to admire how the rich and fabulously good looking celebrities are handling the great pandemic of the 21st century.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Few things matter more to actor Angelina Jolie than role models. They play a vital role in shaping the next generation. They are what she hopes to be for her own children. And they are also the kinds of roles she wants to bring to the screen, as a director, producer and actor. As we sit down to talk about life, motherhood and her latest movie, Those Who Wish Me Dead, we begin with the subject of role models. That includes the very obvious cinematic trailblazers, such as Sigourney Weavers Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979)and Linda Hamiltons Sarah Connor in Terminator (1984), both of whom paved the way for one of Jolies most-loved roles, that of Lara Croft in the 2001 hit Tomb Raider. But it also includes the many women the 45-year-old actor, filmmaker and humanitarian has encountered in her work as a special envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Its a role that has taken her to some of the worlds darkest corners, where she has witnessed first-hand the frontline workers whose courage serves to ignite a flicker of light. There are times when its the first time somebody takes a step and shows that  whether it be a woman, a man, somebody  they can do something different, Angelina tells Sunday Life. Somebody pushes the boundary, then says this can also be done this way, or this gender can also do this. Then you push those boundaries and tell those stories, and you look for other stories to tell  you dont want to just repeat the same message, she adds. Theres a lot of trauma behind the strong women in a lot of these roles, and it will be nice to get to a place where were also in our maternity, in our femininity, strong and intelligent and not fighting to survive. Its an interesting question. Its a deep question. Particularly for women: what is the representation thats not yet been shown on screen? Who is a woman and what is a woman capable of?

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Theres a lot to discover, theres a lot thats yet to be represented, and theres a space being created right now that is not yet there, Angelina says. Theres a lot of trauma behind the strong women in a lot of these roles, and it will be nice to get to a place where were also in our maternity, in our femininity, strong and intelligent and not fighting to survive. Loading In Angelinas own life, there has always been one very powerful role model: her mother, the actor and humanitarian Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007 at the age of 56. The subject is respectfully broached, as Angelina rarely talks about her personal life in interviews. My mother was very gentle, says Angelina. I can be many things in my work and in life, but I am very warm and gentle with my children. That kindness and warmth is a foundation thats unbelievably important. She gave me many other things and taught me many lessons. But if you dont have that base, to feel valued and safe, then its hard for any of the other messages or lessons to land. I hope that Ive been able to be that [for my own children], that Im that warm, safe place. Because  and its maybe a funny thing to say  but considering what my different jobs are, or what people think they know of you, or what you feel you have to be in the world, in truth none of those things are what you really are. Who you are to the children is everything. Perhaps without even consciously realising it, that may have brought Angelina to her latest role, frontline firefighter Hannah Faber, a veteran smoke jumper who comes to the aid of a young boy, Connor (Finn Little), who witnesses the murder of his father at the hands of two paid assassins (Aidan Gillen and Nicholas Hoult).

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When we meet her, Hannah is grappling with a version of survivors remorse, racked with guilt over her failure to rescue a party from a recent fire. Shes intentionally reckless and clearly is not functioning well, Angelina says. If the path this film takes her on didnt happen, Im not sure she would have recovered from what shes carrying. And that is a lot. Not to get heavy, but Ive been to places where there are different groups of people being treated  those who had physical injuries or were harmed, and this other group, those who had to participate in harming others as part of their torture, Angelina says. The damage was so clear, but the mental-health trauma, you cant see it. Those who do those types of jobs, anybody on the front line, you just never know what theyre going through when you look at them, she adds. So in this story, which is not as heavy and depressing as Im making it sound, these people, you throw them together and you light a fire and you see who makes it through. Theres a lot to discover, theres a lot thats yet to be represented, and theres a space being created right now that is not yet there, Credit:Alexi Lubomirski/Trunk Archive/Snapper Images Enter 14-year-old Brisbane-based actor Finn Little, who plays Connor in the film. Its quite obvious within a few minutes of Finn reading anything that hes an extremely talented person, says Angelina. In part thats because hes still young and open and emotional and grounded, while another side of him clearly has a handle on his profession and his professionalism and his craft. Wed both be very serious actors on set, but also have play dates on the weekends with my kids and go hang out all the time, Angelina says. So part of our work, if you will, was just playing paintball or swimming. So our professional bonding was just a lot of fun, being friends.

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Finn describes those encounters with Angelina and her family as important ice-breakers. We just hung out and it made me feel very comfortable around her and her family, he says. And it did make me feel accepted just to be around them. I felt very accepted and well looked after. As you might expect, Finn was a fan before he was a co-star, particularly enjoying Angelinas performance in Maleficent. I was very nervous meeting her for the audition, he adds. But when I got the part and started working with her, I realised that shes just a normal person with normal feelings, and shes great. Angelina Jolie and Finn Little in a scene from Those Who Wish Me Dead. Credit:Courtesy of Warner Bros There is little doubt Angelina took the role because she has a unique understanding of frontline workers. The film also comes at a time when communities are focused on honouring the work of frontline COVID-19 workers, particularly nurses and doctors, but also firefighters. Loading When there are fires, we seem to honour the firemen, and during the pandemic weve been very supportive and focused on those in the hospitals and on that front line, Angelina says. Youd hope these things continue regardless of what is happening in the world. It shouldnt have to take a large fire to respect a fireman, or a pandemic to respect a nurse. But it is also true that she took the role because it contrasts with films she produces and directs, which command a large slice of her time. Taking a gig in which she only acts means she can remain focused on the six children she shares with her ex-husband, actor Brad Pitt: Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 12. Ive stopped directing for a few years, to be home with my kids, Angelina says.

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Those Who Wish Me Dead is equal parts crime thriller and action movie, and the footage seen so far speaks to extraordinary production values, particularly when the fires are lit. In one of those feats of cinematic legerdemain, while the fire is real, the trees, apparently, are not. To translate that into a public service announcement, it appears no trees were harmed in the making of this movie.

Im a bad person to ask, Angelina says, laughing, when asked about the shoots hazards. Maybe its something thats off about me, but I tend to walk into slightly dangerous situations and be the last to panic. Maybe its something thats off about me, but I tend to walk into slightly dangerous situations and be the last to panic. So I didnt feel like I was in danger during filming. I didnt feel like it was too much. There were certainly times when it got really hot, very fast, and we had to all move to the other side. Again, being with Finn, it did something different, because when youre next to a child, youre so hyper-focused, she says. So when the bullets and shrapnel were flying, all I could think about was his eyes and keeping them covered. When were in situations near the fire, or in the river surrounded by fire, I had my eye on him. But I will say that hes an Aussie, and tough, so there was no real need for me to be concerned for him. He wasnt afraid of anything. Those Who Wish Me Dead opens in cinemas on May 13.

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That doesnt prove co-education is better, says Fitzsimmons, but rather suggests that stereotypes are too ingrained at co-ed schools. Confidence is related to self-efficacy, and our belief in our ability to succeed at something. That can be influenced by a world view we pick up well before high school - that boys are better at maths than girls, for example - which is unwittingly reinforced by subject offerings and subtle social pressures in co-ed schools. There are still schools where girls will do one thing and boys another, Fitzsimmons says. The research we did showed clearly that those stereotypes are established prior to high school. While it sounds well and good to say everyone has a choice [of subjects], if stereotypes are so rife, its really no choice at all. Girls are self-selecting out of STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths]. There are intervention programs in primary school to redirect girls to subjects such as engineering. Year 5 or 6 students might be interested for a while, but theyll often lose heart because their friends are not. Girls often drop out of sport at around this age, for a similar reason. You could call it peer pressure, but its more subtle than that, says Fitzsimmons. You see broadly your gender doing one thing, and you go, OK, maybe thats what I should be doing. He found that both boys and girls at the elite schools which participated in his research considered leadership to be a male domain. The principals of girls schools are highly aware of such stereotypes, and how they play out in the workplace, so actively promote STEM subjects and leadership, Fitzsimmons says. I dont know if some of the elite boys schools are [addressing] that. Theyre prime minister factories - its your god-given right to be a leader. When schools go co-ed, is it to work on their culture or is it because they need gods police? Paulina Skerman, Santa Sabina principal

Paulina Skerman, the principal of Santa Sabina in Strathfield, has taught in boys, girls and co-ed schools, and is a firm proponent of a single-sex secondary education for young women. What it offers young women is hugely advantageous for life, she says. Theres no limitations, no stereotypes, so girls excel. They can start to take chances in an environment where they dont need to be judged, they dont feel like theyre competing, and theres the whole non-distraction without the boyfriend-girlfriend thing. I dont know if its the same for boys. I think the research suggests girls are a good influence on the boys. When schools go co-ed, is it to work on their culture or is it because they need gods police? Christine Del Gallo, the principal of Mackellar Girls High School and acting head of the Secondary Principals Council, is also a staunch advocate of single-sex education for girls. Theres a fair bit of research that shows many boys and girls learn best in different ways, she says. Boys tend to be more physically active and are more competitive in their learning, whereas girls often function best with co-operative learning, group work, discussion, and they can focus longer on a particular thing. There are advantages to co-education too, Del Gallo she says, such as reflecting the outside community. It does give you more opportunity to engage with the opposite sex, but to be honest I think thats about all, she says. Girls can just be who they are in a single-sex school without having boys put them down. Ross Tarlinton, the headmaster of boys St Josephs College in Hunters Hill, says single-sex education gives boys the same ability as girls to step outside gender stereotypes without fear of censure from their peers. The exceptional engagement we have here in the performing arts is amazing, he says. So much of this is about what families want and what they see is of value to their child, which is not necessarily the same with every kid.

Ross Tarlinton, the headmaster of boys St Josephs College in Hunters Hill, says single-sex education gives boys the same ability as girls to step outside gender stereotypes without fear of censure from their peers. Credit:James Brickwood Like other boys schools, St Josephs is also conscious of fighting against so-called toxic masculinity, or a stereotype of masculinity as strength, lack of emotion and dominance that can entrap boys and be diminishing and sometimes dangerous for the women with whom they interact. If you have a singular view that theres only one way to manliness - or femininity - then you have a problem, says Tarlinton. Our view here is that there are different ways of and to manliness. However, Iris Nastasi, principal of co-ed Rosebank College in Five Dock, believes boys and girls should learn about each other, with each other. I think schools have a unique opportunity to be very proactive in a very safe environment and educate both boys and girls together, Nastasi says. If they do not, the boys can become these mythical creatures they meet on the bus or who show up for two hours on a Friday night, no one really understands them, they are heroes; and girls end up as mystical creatures. In a co-ed school, they dont get on with each other all the time; theyre pains to each other for a period of time but by the time they get into years 11 and 12 they have good, solid relationships. They work with each other  its very normal, she says.

Nastasi acknowledges a problem with girls confidence in maths, but they have that before they come here. [In enrolment interviews] the majority of girls tell me theyre not good at maths, and their parents say, yes, shes not good at maths. Loading Its the job of the principal and teachers to watch out for stereotype traps and address them. If you value communication, then you need boys and girls to be able to communicate in all sorts of settings, says Nastasi, who has also taught at a girls school. Often single-sex schools will address these issues, but have to be more creative in how they do this. Despite all his research on gender equality and confidence, Fitzsimmons doesnt know if sex segregation in schooling offers an answer to helping students, especially girls, escape the subtle tyranny of stereotypes. Maybe its somewhere in between [single-sex and co-ed], he says. Single-sex classes in co-ed schools? When you look at what causes that confidence differential, you could do it in a co-ed environment and segregate the classroom. Thats known as parallel education, a model used by Pittwater House in Sydney.
More 16 and 17 year-olds believe the media has exaggerated the issue of climate change than recent school leavers and scepticism in this age group has grown in the past two years.

However, four out of five 16- and 17-year-olds in a recent survey do not believe the issue is exaggerated, while most polls show young people generally are overwhelmingly concerned about climate change.

The findings are from a wide-ranging report on Generation Z by research organisation Millennial Future, based on a nationally representative survey of 1018 Australians aged 16-20 conducted in April.

Maria Tynan, 17, says the media just make it seem so bad that it seems completely unbelievable. Credit:Nikola Kinder

In one question survey respondents were asked to agree or disagree with the statement: I believe the science of environmental issues such as climate change has been exaggerated and is less of an issue than what we are led to believe in the media.
Hundreds of Australians who made it on the last flights out of India have left hotel quarantine just in time for Mothers Day.

But for many the celebrations are bittersweet because the joy of being reunited with their children is tempered by guilt or grief over their own parents.

Nusrat Aga with her three children (from left) Daanya, 15, Zainah, 10, and Sabeeka, 23. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Nusrat Aga, who has three daughters, age 23, 15 and 10, arrived home last week, after six weeks in Mumbai and two weeks in quarantine.

The little one just cant stop telling me, Im so glad youre back, I cant believe youre back and she cant stop hugging me, Mrs Aga said.
Guwahati, May 9 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma to be the next Chief Minister of Assam.

The decision was taken after the newly elected legislators met today at Guwahati under three central observers of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the sitting Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal resigned from his on May 9. He met with the governor of Assam, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi at the Raj Bhawan in Guwahati and tendered his resignation.

The name of incumbent CM Sarbananda Sonowal and incumbent health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had been doing the rounds ever since the Assam Elections 2021 concluded and the BJP-led alliance came to power.

The confusion prevailed as the BJP didn't announce its chief ministerial candidate even days after sweeping the Assam Assembly polls.

Himanta Biswa Sarma has won from the Jalukbari constituency and was holding the portfolio of finance and health in the outgoing BJP government.

Sarma's political career started in 1996 when he joined the Indian National Congress. He was first elected as MLA from the Jalukbari Assembly constituency in 2001 on a Congress ticket.

He had defeated Assam Gana Parishad leader Bhrigu Phukan. Since then he has been winning the Jalukbari seat. He won the seat four times  2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, 2021. He contested from the Jalukbari seat for the sixth time in this election.

Sarma has served as the Assam Education, Health & Family Welfare, Agriculture, Planning and Development, PWD and Finance portfolios.

He is Assam's current Finance, Health, Planning & Development, Education and PWD minister.

It was in May 2015 that Himanta Biswa Sarma a frontrunner of the Congress in Assam, jumped ship and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Instantly he became an integral part of the saffron party in Assam and within months he became the lead face of BJP not just in Assam but in the whole of Northeast.

He was made the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Convenor and since 2015, Sarma has played a key role in making Northeast 'Congress Mukt' slogan of BJP.

UNI ABI RN
Mothers of preterm babies have higher out-of-pocket health costs, spend longer out of the workforce and earn less money for up to five years.

Those are the findings of research published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health based on figures from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and administrative data.

The research found mothers whose babies were born full term went back to work after an average of 1.9 years, while mothers of preterm babies delayed their return to work by almost a year longer, after adjusting for age, education attainment and marital status.

Rachel Verity with her twins Grace and Harrison at their Clareville home. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Mothers of preterm babies returned to work after an average of 2.8 years, regardless of whether the baby was born before 32 weeks or between 32 and 36 weeks.
I overheard a conversation this morning in a cafe, So nice to be able to meet in these post-COVID times. Then she checked herself, if we can say we are post-COVID.

It turns out we cant. A Sydney couple who tested positive for COVID-19 despite no known links to travel, quarantine, or hospitals, highlight Australias vulnerability. It remains to be seen how long the chain between the patient and the source is, and whether other clusters will emerge.

Doctors have been reporting cancellation of vaccination appointments. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Vaccination is necessary to reach the post-COVID-19 era. The federal government reports 2.4 million doses have been given so far. But confidence is falling. One in six Australians say they will never be vaccinated. (Up from 1 in 12 in August last year.) Another 42 per cent say they will  but not just yet. This is what we call vaccine hesitancy. People who dont believe that the vaccine contains 5G or that COVID is a plandemic nonetheless have concerns. Blood clots associated with AstraZeneca have led to a rise in hesitancy. Only 37 per cent are happy to take whichever vaccine they are offered.

This is already having an impact. There are reports of cancellations and unused doses. Many Australians over 50 are saying they want to delay the vaccine and wait possibly six months for Pfizer  this has huge implications for vaccine coverage/community protection.
Loading A recent outbreak in Perth that sparked a snap lockdown and was the catalyst for the India flight ban is suspected to have been caused by the virus travelling between guests rooms in a hotel with ventilation so poor it was recommended to be taken out of the quarantine program. Investigations into leaks in Victoria have revealed that a returned traveller staying in the Park Royal Hotel in Melbourne this year probably got the virus when their door opened at the same time as the door of a room opposite where five people were COVID-19 positive. The escapes have led to growing calls to establish cabin-style facilities to improve ventilation in quarantine. The federal government is considering plans for a facility in Melbournes north proposed by the Victorian government. The new global advice says current evidence suggests that coronavirus mainly spreads through close contact via aerosols or droplets and it can also spread within poorly ventilated and crowded indoor spaces because aerosols can remain suspended in the air and travel more than a metre.

The CDC advice, updated on Friday, lists breathing in air when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the virus as the first of one of three ways COVID-19 spreads. Its say the most common way to get infected is to breathe in small droplets or particles from an infected person who is standing within two metres, or having small droplets and particles land on the eyes, nose or mouth, especially from cough and sneezes. Ms Cole said previously that advice had focussed on larger droplets that fell to the ground and contaminated surfaces. The biggest shift is theyve recognised aerosol spread, which is essentially airborne transmission, she said.

So its great that the WHO have finally recognised what many scientists have been saying for a significant amount of time, but many would argue a little bit too little too late. Robyn Schofield, director of the environmental science hub at the University of Melbourne, is hopeful the acknowledgement of airborne transmission will result in some clear public health messaging. Associate Professor Schofield said building ventilation could be improved though simple measures such as cracking open a door or window, or turning on the kitchen or bathroom extraction fan. She said even heading into winter, people should consider hosting friends and family outside. We are quite lucky in Australia, its not that cold, and its nice that we can be outside and rug up a bit, she said.

Associate Professor Schofield also recommended using carbon dioxide monitors to check for poor areas of ventilation, particularly in risky settings such as classrooms, gyms and lifts. Above 800 parts per million, its too high. And at that point you have to start looking to ventilate, she said. And if you cant ventilate, you need to consider a portable [air] filter. Current advice on the federal Health Department website about how coronavirus spreads does not mention aerosol spread. It says it spreads via droplets from an infected persons cough or sneeze or touching infected surfaces or objects. A controversial recommendation from the governments Infection Control Expert Group still allows surgical masks and protective eyewear to be used in the routine care of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, despite criticism from infection diseases experts and the Australian Medical Association who say surgical masks cannot protect against airborne spread. Two people on the ICEG  which advises the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on COVID-19  rejected the need to change their advice, which accepts aerosols spread in limited circumstances, but says COVID-19 is mainly transmitted by respiratory droplets which are spread from an infected person to others, during talking, shouting, singing, coughing or sneezing.

Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician and professor at the Australian National University, said the evidence showed aerosols played a role but were not responsible for the majority of transmission. If aerosols were a big part of the transmission, the only masks that would be effective are these N95 ones [and] youd see people infected all over the building, he said. Thats not what were seeing. That is not what the evidence shows. Professor Peter Collignon. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Malcolm Sim, director of the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at Monash University and another ICEG member, said the groups advice had always recognised that aerosol transmission occurred and states had already adjusted hotel quarantine to ensure greater ventilation. It can never be perfect  its a matter of trying to make it as suitable as it can be, he said. I didnt think that upgraded WHO advice was all that much of a change.

Loading Infectious diseases expert Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah and co-founder of advocacy group Health Care Workers Australia, who has been raising concerns about the inadequacy of protections for frontline workers since early in pandemic , said the changed in language from WHO was very significant and the Australian infection control expert group must now revise its advice. They have been incredibly resistant in acknowledging the importance of airborne transmission, she said. Asked if there were plans to change the guideline allowing surgical masks to be used during the care of patients COVID-19, the Federal Health Department issued the same statement it has previously in response to questioning on the issue. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG) has consistently recognised the potential for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols in specific circumstances, it said.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Native bees attempting to fly across patches of cleared land in Western Australias Kimberley region would overheat and drop dead before ever reaching the other side, unable to find food or an area to rest. Such is the scope of the clearing, scientists and local Indigenous people fear some areas could become open killing fields, where predators like feral cats and birds of prey feast on fragile native fauna, like the bilbies, which no longer have scrub to shelter in. From ground level, the Kimberley landscape appears pristine, covered by a blanket of lush woodland savannah. But from above the damage is clear: bold lines crisscross the land as far as the eye can see in a perfect grid pattern. The lines are the result of seismic surveys by companies looking for oil and gas to extract and a testament to the regions growing industry, which extends west to Broome and east to the doorstep of the Gibb River Road. Since 2009 one company alone, Buru Energy, has cleared more than 14,000 kilometres in a straight line of native Kimberley bush without needing a permit  thats the equivalent of the distance between Perth and London. This data was sourced and analysed from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety by the Lock the Gate Alliance, then independently verified and analysed by WAtoday. Resource companies like Buru Energy have used an exemption under WAs environmental regulations to carry out the clearing, leaving traditional owners with little ability to have a say.

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The way our native title has been handed to us it granted the Yawuru people exclusive rights over this country. They forgot to tell us its got lines in it, Yawuru traditional owner Micklo Corpus said. The lines are getting bigger and bigger and longer and longer. So on our country now we can go to Tasmania and back to Darwin on those lines. Buru Energy was approached for comment but did not provide a response. A bulldozer clears native vegetation in Kurrajong. Credit:Lock the Gate The Environmental Protection Regulations 2004 allow petroleum titleholders to clear vegetation without a permit for oil and gas exploration as long as it isnt within an environmentally sensitive area. Companies still have to submit an environment plan outlining the impact of their operations but it is up to the mines regulator to forward the plans to the Environmental Protection Authority  the body tasked with providing environmental insight  if they consider the impact to be significant. The Lock the Gate Alliance is not aware of any of the clearing by Buru being referred to the EPA. Traditional owners and environmental groups say the lack of oversight could push threatened species to the brink of extinction and plans to frack the Canning Basin pollute the water sources of Aboriginal communities.

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They want regulations to change to increase accountability for companies and enable locals to have a say about projects before bulldozers move in. Loading Fracking refers to the practice of drilling into the earth to extract unconventional gas using chemically treated water to fracture the rock. Seismic surveys are carried out to find pockets of gas to frack. They use trucks to lower a plate onto the ground which generates an acoustic signal that provides information about an areas geographical make-up. Death by a thousand cuts Located almost 3000 kilometres north-east of Perth, the Kimberley is one of Australias largest biodiversity hotspots and home to more than 65 species that are found nowhere else on Earth. However, the region remains largely undocumented by Western science, with new species added to the record every year.

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Loading Curtin University fellow Adam Cross, who has spent most of the past decade working in the regions tropical savannah and who gave the example regarding native bees in the opening paragraph of this report, recorded more than 30 new species of ants during a trip to its northern end. On another occasion, he recorded the largest population of extremely rare carnivorous plants recorded in Australia. Theres this massive potential, untapped biodiversity, that is potentially being lost before we can even describe it, he said. Dr Cross said the flow-on effects of removing native vegetation extended within hectares of the actual cleared site and species found only in tiny pockets of territory could potentially become extinct before they were studied. Organisms have to move further and across more dangerous lands to search for food or a mate or somewhere safe to rest; plants have less success with pollination because its a greater distance to the nearest plant, he said. Yawuru traditional owner Micklo Corpus protesting during a premier and cabinet meeting in Broome. Credit:Damian Kelly Its a concept thats known as a death by thousand cuts.

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Even after exploration activities end, Dr Cross said it could take decades for the landscape to be recolonised, and even then, there were few examples of successful, high-quality restoration. Mr Corpus, whose country is within Buru Energys exploration area, said the surveys had destroyed medicine trees and anthills and changed the way water flowed across his land. Wildlife had also been disturbed by the vibrations, coming to the surface only to find there were no food sources. These mining companies are coming in and flashing money in front of us to work for them to destroy our country, only for them to get paid handsomely, Mr Corpus said. They are not going to think about us when they go home and have a T-bone steak. He said Indigenous people should be given the resources to study their country before resource companies swoop in. An ant nest and boab trees near Logue River, east of Broome. The area is within Buru Energys exploration permit areas. Credit:Damien Kelly Greater protections

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Federal Labor is working on a major social housing package worth up to $10 billion and a renewable energy jobs plan that would form the centrepiece of Anthony Albaneses budget reply speech next Thursday.

But a push from Labor MPs who are new parents to super-size the current Paid Parental Leave Scheme looks to have stalled, for now.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese with Labor MPs Alicia Payne, Amanda Rishworth, Matt Keogh, Anika Wells and Kate Thwaites and their new babies. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A final decision on whether to offer a scheme that runs for 26 weeks at minimum wage for mothers, and up to eight for weeks for fathers and partners - and which would allow Labor to potentially outflank the government with a more women-friendly policy offering - wont be taken until Wednesday.

The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age spoke to 13 members of the Labor caucus, including members of the shadow cabinet, to learn how the federal opposition plans to respond to the federal budget, which will be handed down on Tuesday.
The federal government will more than double funding for domestic violence prevention to at least $680 million, while also unveiling $354 million in new money for womens health programs in Tuesdays budget.

The womens healthcare package will increase funding for cervical and breast cancer screening, mental health and eating disorder programs and genetic screening of embryos.

Greg Hunt has put together a womens health package worth $354 million for Tuesdays federal budget. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Details of the domestic violence package are being tightly held until budget night on Tuesday but The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age have confirmed the current funding package of $340 million over three years will receive a massive boost.

Some of the funding for domestic violence programs will be allocated over two years and other measures will be allocated for up to four years but the overall spending, each year, will be more than double the current spending.
West Australians are in the dark on the prevalence of amphetamines being prescribed by doctors in the state after the publishing of a key report was quietly discontinued by the McGowan government.

Medical professionals and researchers support the continued publication of the report  which they say provided important data on trends  despite polarising views on whether the reports revealed over or under-prescribing of ADHD medications in WA.

WA Health Minister pledged to keep in place a transparency regime for ADHD prescribing rates. Credit:Nine

Months after becoming Health Minister in 2017, Roger Cook promised to continue publishing an important report that kept track of the number of stimulants, such as amphetamines, being prescribed by WA doctors for conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He said the community must be constantly vigilant and aware of [the stimulants] use and ensure that it does not become too prolific.
Israel faced international criticism after clashes between police and worshippers at al-Aqsa mosque following protests over the potential eviction of Palestinians from a neighbourhood in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem. The clashes continued on Saturday night, the holiest night of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel earlier on Saturday. And envoys from the so-called Middle East Quartet said theyre closely monitoring the situation and had serious concern about the possible evictions inflaming an already tense environment.

Palestinians stand next to a burning barricade during clashes with Israeli police officers on May 8. Credit:Getty Images

We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation, the envoys said in a joint statement. The Quartet is made up of nations and international entities involved in mediating the Israel-Palestinian peace process, including the European Union, Russia, the US and the United Nations.

Separately, the US, a strong ally of Israel, said late on Friday it was extremely concerned about the ongoing confrontations in Jerusalem, noting that theyve resulted scores of injured people.
New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) India on Sunday 'strongly' condemned the terrorist attack on girls school in Kabul which claimed at least 50 lives.

"We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on Sayed al-Shuhada Girls school in Kabul yesterday, which killed more than 50 innocent girl students during the holy month of Ramadan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the young girls who lost their lives in this barbarous attack," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

On Saturday, serial attacks were carried out near a secondary school for girls in Kabul, killing at least 50 and injuring over 100, most of which were students attending the school.

MEA said that targeting young girl students, makes this an attack on the future of Afghanistan. "The perpetrators clearly seek to destroy the painstaking and hard-won achievements that the Afghans have put in place over the last two decades," the statement read.

The Ministry called out for an urgent need to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries and need for a comprehensive nation-wide ceasefire to make the peace process meaningful and sustainable.

"India has always supported the education of Afghan youth and remains committed to the progress and development of Afghanistan," the MEA added.

The capital city Kabul with a population of nearly 5 million has been several times hit by a series of terror attacks by Taliban insurgents and militants of the Islamic State (IS), even as the peace talks continue between negotiation teams of the insurgent Taliban and the government in the Qatar capital of Doha.

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Stamford Police Department / Contributed photo

STAMFORD  A Norwalk man was arrested this week after police say an investigation revealed he has been selling drugs in Stamford and throughout Fairfield County.

Jeffrey Polanco-Genao, 23, of Neptune Avenue in Norwalk, has been accused of selling large amounts of powder cocaine out of his 2013 Honda Accord, Stamford police announced Saturday.
Hyderabad, May 9 (UNI) The US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron has now confirmed that the Chinese long march rocket CZ-5B-Y2 reentered over the Indian Ocean.

Sharing this to UNI, Planetary Society of India (PSI) Director N Sri Raghunandan Kumar said the exact pinpointed location was not mentioned but they say 'north of the Maldives' at 50E 22.2N which is in the Rub al Khali desert of Saudi Arabia.

He said while going around one of its circled journey around the earth this morning this "Rocket Body" flew above Mumbai and Hyderabad in India, before it finally hit the earth.

As this is China Mission. updates from Authentic Sources are slowly coming in 15 mins-60Mins gaps, Mr Kumar said, adding, however, misleading images, videos of previous mission or unrelated re-entry/ movie clips are is being circulated.

Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement with regard to debris splashes down in the Indian Ocean from the Chinese Long March 5B rocket said Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations.

It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

It is critical that China and all spacefaring nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently in space to ensure the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of outer space activities, he added.

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CODY, Wyo. (AP)  The owner of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of guns, cash and other valuables stolen from a rural Wyoming home is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

It was by far the biggest theft in the area in the last 30 years, Park County Sheriff Scott Seward said.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  Wyoming's governor is barring state officials from requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they may access state property or services.

Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, announced the directive against vaccine passports Friday, The Cheyenne Post reports.

Vaccine passport programs have the potential to politicize a decision that should not be politicized, Gordon said in a statement. They would divide our citizens at a time when unity in fighting the virus is essential, and harm those who are medically unable to receive the vaccine."

He encouraged Wyoming residents over 16 to get vaccinated but called it a personal choice based upon personal circumstances.

Gordon's directive encouraged Wyoming's cities, towns, counties and private businesses to provide full access to places and services regardless of a person's vaccine status.

While some U.S. businesses look at ways to require customers to be vaccinated, officials in President Joe Biden's administration have said there are no plans for a general federal vaccine passport. Several GOP-led states besides Wyoming have prohibited vaccine passports.

Over 180,000 people in Wyoming, or almost one-third of the state's population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
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New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) India on Saturday will launch a Connectivity Partnership with the EU, aiming at furthering the cooperation on transport, energy, digital and people-to-people contacts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will collectively interact virtually with all leaders of EU member nations in the India-EU Leaders meeting in Porto, Portugal, as the meeting is first such gathering in the EU+27 format.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to give a new impetus to trade and investment negotiations between India and the EU.

The EU is India's biggest trading partner and the second largest destination for Indian exports. Trade between the EU and India has increased 72 per cent in the last decade.

The EU is also the leading foreign investor in India. Its share in foreign investment inflows has more than doubled in the last decade. Some 6,000 European companies are present in India, generating 1.7 million direct and 5 million indirect jobs.

Growing investments from India in recent years have also meant active presence of Indian companies in the EU as well.

It is the right time, both side say, to resume negotiations toward an ambitious and balanced trade agreement capable of acting as a key driver for sustainable growth and jobs creation, both for India and Europe.

"The negotiation of an EU wide investment protection framework would provide greater stability and certainty to companies from India and EU to expand their presence in each other's markets," said prime minister Modi and his Portugal counterpart Antonio Costa in an oped article on Politico.eu, which External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called "forward- looking."

India and the EU have supported each other and the rest of the world during the coronavirus pandemic,

India extended medical supplies to Europe earlier and now the EU has extended assistance to India as it experiences a second wave of COVID-19.

Portugal and India have always played a unique role in bringing the two continents together.. Portugal hosted the first ever EU-India Summit in Lisbon, during the 2000 Portuguese EU Presidency and India hosted the eighth EU-India Summit in New Delhi, in 2007, also during a Portuguese Presidency.

"The journey together between the EU & India will be continued and advanced in search of new routes of political, economic and technological cooperation, with enormous potential for mutual benefit," said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

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Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, will discuss additional COVID-19 measures for schools at a Sunday afternoon press conference.

Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, will discuss additional COVID-19 measures for schools at a Sunday afternoon press conference.

On Friday evening, Roussin announced new public health restrictions which are in effect as of today. At the time, Roussin said the province was monitoring the situation in schools and expected to make an announcement in the near future.

This afternoon's press conference will be held a 1:30 p.m. at the Manitoba legislature.

The announcement will also be streamed live at http://news.gov.mb.ca and http://youtube.com/ManitobaGovernment.

A technical briefing call for reporters is scheduled for later Sunday afternoon with Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's deputy chief provincial public health officer. That update will not be live streamed.
Since opening The Hive climbing gym in southwest Winnipeg last August, Kori Cuthbert has been forced to keep his brand new business shuttered for much of the past nine months.

Since opening The Hive climbing gym in southwest Winnipeg last August, Kori Cuthbert has been forced to keep his brand new business shuttered for much of the past nine months.

Cuthbert celebrated the grand opening of the gym two months before a swell of COVID-19 cases put Manitoba into its first code-red lockdown. And since Jan. 23, when the provincial government slowly peeled back pandemic restrictions, Cuthbert was able to operate for another nine weeks.

On Saturday, as clients came in for one last indoor climbing session, that streak came to an end.

"By negligence, or not taking COVID restrictions seriously, its definitely hurting small businesses," said Cuthbert, the managing partner of the fitness centre on Lorimer Boulevard.

"And ultimately were paying the bill for the shortcomings of people not following the restrictions and the pandemic getting out of hand. This definitely hits a lot harder on us. We lose our source of income and also the ability to keep the business sustainable throughout all of that."

Manitobas top doctor Brent Roussin ordered on Friday a three-week closure of public-facing businesses  including gyms, museums, recreation centres, in-person dining and more  to curb escalating COVID-19 cases as critical-care units face increasing pressure.

The wide-ranging orders come into effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and also close churches, limit outdoor public gathering sizes to five, restrict retail to 10 per cent capacity, and shutter salons and barbers. The orders expire May 30.

Maria Anne Rawluk, founder of Drop In Dance Winnipeg, offered virtual dance classes during the last round of restrictions. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files)

The chief public health officer said his team is also reviewing whether schools should move to remote learning, with more information to be shared this week.

"To be honest, this is kind of what I was hoping for last week," said Maria Anne Rawluk, founder of Drop In Dance Winnipeg. "As much as it sucks to not have my business open and be able to provide this outlet for people, I just want the province to do whats right and keep everyone safe.

"This should have been done as soon as we saw the numbers ramping up."

On Saturday, another 488 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Manitoba, including 389 in Winnipeg bringing the provinces total active case count to 3,237, nearly half of which were a more infectious variant.

Three more Manitobans died after coming down with the disease, including a Winnipeg woman in her 20s, a Winnipeg man in his 70s and a man in his 80s from the Prairie Mountain Health region.

After learning Friday that new public health orders were imminent, Rawluk decided to cancel classes on Saturday. She said the next three weeks will be a challenge for her and the studios instructors without additional support to cover expenses while the business is closed.

"Being open while watching the numbers soar was quite the moral dilemma for me," Rawluk said. "I think the most important thing right now is that we just focus on culling this virus."

In Winnipegs Exchange District, customers were taking advantage of the Kings Head patio for what would likely be their last opportunity this month.

King's Head Pub owner Chris Graves is doubtful the latest round of restrictions will only last three weeks. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Owner Chris Graves said there were tears Friday evening as he and his staff watched Roussins press conference inside the pub.

"Weve done so many things right as a pub, yet we continue to suffer, and thats the part that hurts me the most," he said.

The pub owner  who has been a vocal critic of the provinces efforts to enforce self-isolation requirements for travellers  had to turn away a potential patron from California on Saturday.

"(The government) had zero control over the travel aspect. Its unbelievable. Every day I turn away people that shouldnt be in Manitoba," Graves said. "We suffer because the government just did not have a handle on the travel side of it."

Given the experience of the fall lockdown  which was billed to last four weeks but lasted 10 as the virus continued to spread unchecked  Graves said he is leery the latest restrictions will be able to be reversed in three weeks, though he remains optimistic about the summer.

The provinces COVID-19 vaccine task force has said all adult Manitobans will have their first dose of the vaccine, assuming 70 per cent uptake, by June 8.

"The government reacts very slowly, and they also dont act in the right sectors, and thats the problem," Graves said. "Do I think its going to be just a three week shutdown? No, I think its going to be longer, and just thinking about it makes me sad because my first phone call was to my bank and theyre always the toughest conversations.

"I truly hope this is the last time were shut down."

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
After months of educators sounding the alarm over COVID-19 safety within schools, the Manitoba government admitted at long last Sunday that a growing number of coronavirus cases are coming from school-aged children.

After months of educators sounding the alarm over COVID-19 safety within schools, the Manitoba government admitted at long last Sunday that a growing number of coronavirus cases are coming from school-aged children.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba Education Minister Cliff Cullen speaks at a COVID-19 press conference at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg Sunday, May 9, 2021. Additional COVID-19 measures for schools including closures were announced.

However, while the province is moving all kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms in the cities of Winnipeg and Brandon to remote learning as of Wednesday, neither government nor public-health officials have provided emergency support to the staff who work at those sites.

On top of that, child-care workers  who will bear the brunt of still keeping their doors open to children  will not receive any additional help or rapid testing protocols, nor will they be prioritized to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Still, they will be given additional personal protective equipment, officials said.

"Were in a different world over the last week from where we were prior to that, and obviously these are very tough decisions," said Education Minister Cliff Cullen, joining Manitoba's chief provincial public-health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, at a rare news conference on Mother's Day. "These decisions are not made lightly."

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba chief public health officer: "Things have changed."

Around 20 per cent of overall COVID-19 cases are now coming from school-aged children, Dr. Roussin said. While some of these individuals may not have caught the virus in school or spread it to others because they were self-isolating at home, as of May 6, there have been 574 cases linked to schools within last couple weeks alone.

"Weve always said wed monitor the situation and may have to impose restrictions," said Roussin, noting "there can always be questions about why (announce on) this day and why not another day" but that "things have changed because weve seen increasing cases in these childhood cohorts."

Dr. Jazz Atwal, deputy chief provincial public health officer, when asked why parents can send children to school today and Tuesday but not Wednesday, told reporters late Sunday that "the act of going to school is still safe."

"Public health isn't worried about the idea of going to school, it's worried about everything around that," said Atwal.

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/JOHN WOODS Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba deputy chief provincial public health officer.

However, Atwal refused repeatedly to provide the modelling data that led to the government's conclusions about such relative safety of schools.

Remote learning in both Winnipeg and Brandon will continue until May 30. This also includes cancelled indoor singing, banned wind instruments and nixed extracurricular activities  such as organized sports and activities out of school  except for physically-distanced walks or runs.

At the same time, schools in full remote learning will still accommodate kindergarten to Grade 6 children of critical services workers who cannot make alternative care arrangements. Kids with special needs will also be accommodated at schools.

Schools in other parts of Manitoba will stay open for now but will make the shift to remote learning if they have more than one COVID-19 case, Cullen said. "We'll be looking at (closing) schools in other regions, but right now, we're focusing on where the cases are most coming out of," said Roussin.

Child-care facilities will continue to be open, save for some students who are on remote learning. Yet, on Sunday, neither Roussin nor Cullen would answer directly when asked about plans to prioritize teachers and early childhood educators for vaccinations  despite the fact that centres in Winnipeg and Brandon are asked to remain open.

"Were certainly doing everything we can to make sure that we have safe schools, safe workplaces... We have a lot of front-line workers across our province that are also looking for vaccination, and weve highlighted these areas," said Cullen, without providing any concrete details about future provincial plans but calling Sunday's decision "proactive."

Sunday's announcement came amidst calls from parents and teachers' unions to move public schools to remote learning. The Manitoba Teachers' Society urged the province last week to make such changes during the third wave so as to allow staff to get vaccinated and pandemic restrictions to have an effect.

"It's embarrassing that this had to happen on Mother's Day when the premier could've done this on Friday before he shuttered businesses without even giving them any monetary support."  NDP Leader Wab Kinew

Reaction from political opposition leaders was swift. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew did not mince words, calling the Tories' decision Sunday "last-minute and completely chaotic."

"It's embarrassing that this had to happen on Mother's Day when the premier could've done this on Friday before he shuttered businesses without even giving them any monetary support," Kinew told reporters at the Manitoba Legislative Building. "But this is what it is living in the Progressive Conservatives' Manitoba."

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont said people in the province have been "kept under a veil" with all decisions from the Tories until "they feel like going ahead with them."

"Ask yourself, why did it take this long?" he said. "And knowing the Pallister government, you'll know exactly why this disruption occurred."

temur.durrani@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @temurdur
OTTAWA  Winnipeg MPs say the federal government isnt living up to its feminist credentials because its short-changing pregnant women who have lost work.

OTTAWA  Winnipeg MPs say the federal government isnt living up to its feminist credentials because its short-changing pregnant women who have lost work.

"These mothers are going to spend their Mothers Day stressing about not being able to afford their babies," said Conservative MP Raquel Dancho.

CP Women have been laid off and have lost work at a higher rate than men, says Conservative MP Raquel Dancho (Kildonan-St. Paul). (Justin Tang / The Canadian Press files)

To qualify for 50 weeks of paid maternity leave, a woman must have worked 600 hours in the previous year. That rules out moms-to-be who are collecting Employment Insurance because of the pandemic, or substantially reduces the weeks theyre covered.

It's a glaring oversight because women have been laid off and have lost work at a higher rate than men, Dancho said.

"Theyre not prioritizing, for some reason, pregnant women," said Dancho, who represents Kildonan-St. Paul.

"Thats pretty disappointing from whats apparently the first feminist prime minister in Canadas history, as hes self-proclaimed."

Dancho recently held a virtual roundtable with pregnant women who said theyd shown up to work sick, or are planning to re-enter the workforce within weeks of giving birth.

"Thats just unacceptable. That 50-weeks maternity leave is a coveted, sacred Canadian right for women," said Dancho, who questioned Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about the issue in Parliament.

"We know that there is more to be done," Qualtrough responded, framing it as part of a long-term revamp of employment insurance.

"We are committed to modernizing our EI system to be even more there for them."

NDP MP Daniel Blaikie has asked Qualtrough to come up with a solution, even if its a short-term fix.

"Theres more than one way to solve this problem; what you need is that will, and the volition on the part of government to make it a priority," said Blaikie, who represents Elmwood-Transcona.

The minister declined to be interviewed by the Free Press.

Instead, her department, Employment and Social Development Canada, noted that it had reduced the criteria for maternity leave to 120 working hours.

That doesnt solve the issue for moms who currently receive EI, who cant double-dip for mat leave.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Premier Brian Pallister introduced both a carrot and a stick as COVID-19 rages in Manitoba, offering coronavirus-related sick pay for workers and doubling fines for repeat pandemic restrictions offenders.

Premier Brian Pallister introduced both a carrot and a stick as COVID-19 rages in Manitoba, offering coronavirus-related sick pay for workers and doubling fines for repeat pandemic restrictions offenders.

"In a general sense, its to reward good behaviour and encourage it and to address some of the less respectful behaviour that weve seen," he said at a news conference Friday.

The province will double fines for individuals who repeatedly break public health orders, and announced a doubling of the default payment for failing to pay such a fine on time.

"Its such an insult to people doing the right things  to see people consistently disobey these rules."

Pallister blamed pandemic scofflaws for helping to cause the third wave of the coronavirus now crashing down on the province.

"My regret was that we didnt step up earlier with more deterrence and fines. We have now," he said.

People who dont pay the fines wont be able to renew a drivers licence.

"You can put your car up on blocks, because youre not going to be driving if you dont pay these fines. If you dont drive, we will garnish your wages," said the premier.

"Your behaviour is a danger to you, but more importantly it is a danger to other people."

The reward for good behaviour is the Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave program.

It will provide employers with up to $600 per employee, for up to five full days of COVID-19 related sick leave  days that do not have to be taken consecutively.

Eligible sick leave related to COVID-19 includes testing, vaccinations and side-effects, self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, or care for a loved one. It took effect immediately, and runs to Sept. 25.

Private-sector, non-profit and charitable employers with eligible employees living and working in Manitoba part- or full-time are able to qualify to receive the assistance. Employers already providing paid sick leave are not eligible.

"The purpose is to take the worry out of being sick," Pallister said.

When asked if implementing such a plan sooner might have prevented the spread of COVID-19 in Manitoba, the premier said he shouldnt have trusted the federal government when it offered assurances it would develop a comprehensive and straightforward sick leave program.

The Manitoba program is simple for employers to administer, so workers dont have to wait to get paid when they need to miss work because of COVID-19, he said.

"Pay them, and send the bill to me."

The problem, however, is not all employers will use the program, said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

Manitobas program is voluntary, not legislated like Ontarios paid sick days program, so it will only apply to workplaces that decide to provide it, Rebeck said Friday in an email.

"We fear that, like many other employer support programs announced by this government, the intent here is to pay out as little as possible... There is an urgent need for government to put paid sick days in place for all workers to remove barriers to protecting public health," Rebeck said.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the province needs to be providing small business with more support as COVID-19 restrictions tighten.

"On Monday morning, the government needs to be ready to bring in a bill to help people cover their revenue," he said Friday.

"We cannot have a situation where people are forced to make the decision between having COVID or going broke."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
BEIJING - China's space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

FILE - In this April 29, 2021, file photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, a Long March 5B rocket carrying a module for a Chinese space station lifts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang in southern China's Hainan Province. The central rocket segment that launched the 22.5-ton core of China's newest space station into orbit is due to plunge back to Earth as early as Saturday in an unknown location. (Ju Zhenhua/Xinhua via AP, File)

BEIJING - China's space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.

People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media, with scores of users posting footage of the debris piercing the early dawn skies over the Middle East.

Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency later clarified that reentry occurred Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process," the report said.

Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

The roughly 30-meter (100-foot) long rocket stage is among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth. China's space program, with its close military links, hasnt said why it put the main component of the rocket into space rather than allowing it to fall back to earth soon after discharging its payload, as is usual in such operations.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Chinas first permanent space station  Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony  into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

An 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first-ever space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere. Both had been briefly occupied by Chinese astronauts as precursors to China's permanent station, now under construction.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroy a defunct weather satellite in January 2007, creating a large field of hazardous debris imperiling satellites and other spacecraft.

This story corrects the time the rocket fell on Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time, not 7:24 p.m. Saturday.
RTHK: Scots leader demands fresh referendum after poll win

Pro-independence parties won a majority in Scotland's parliament on Saturday, paving the way to a high-stakes political, legal and constitutional battle with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the future of the United Kingdom.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the result meant she would push ahead with plans for a second independence referendum once the Covid-19 pandemic was over, adding that it would be absurd and outrageous if Johnson were to try to ignore the democratic will of the people.

"There is simply no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson, or indeed for anyone else, seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our own future," Sturgeon said.

"It is the will of the country," she added after her Scottish National Party (SNP) was returned for a fourth consecutive term in office.

The British government argues Johnson must give approval for any referendum and he has repeatedly made clear he would refuse. He has said it would be irresponsible to hold one now, pointing out that Scots had backed staying in the United Kingdom in a "once in a generation" poll in 2014.

The election outcome is likely to be a bitter clash between the Scottish government in Edinburgh and Johnson's United Kingdom-wide administration in London, with Scotland's 314-year union with England and Wales at stake.

The nationalists argue that they have democratic authority on their side; the British government say the law is with them.

"I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless," Johnson told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The SNP had been hopeful of winning an outright majority which would have strengthened their call for a secession vote but they fell one seat short of the 65 required in the 129-seat Scottish parliament, partly because the proportional representation electoral system.

Pro-union supporters argue that the SNP's failure to get a majority has made it easier for Johnson to rebut their argument that they have a mandate for a referendum.

However, the Scottish Greens, who have promised to support a referendum, picked up eight seats, meaning overall there will be a comfortable pro-independence majority in the Scottish assembly. (Reuters)

______________________________

Last updated: 2021-05-09 HKT 09:11

This story has been published on: 2021-05-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Kabul, May 8 (UNI) At least 30 people were killed and over 50 people wounded in an explosion outside a school here on Saturday afternoon.

Local media said three consecutive explosions happened close to the Sayeed-ul-Shuhada School in the Dasht-e-Barchi area in the afternoon.

The attack started with a car bomb explosion and was followed by two rocket attacks. The incident happened when students were leaving the school, said Tolo news in a report.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for the dastardly attack.

Over the past years, the capital city with a population of nearly 5 million has been hit by a series of terror attacks by Taliban insurgents and militants of the Islamic State (IS), despite peace talks being underway between negotiation teams of the insurgent Taliban and the government in the Qatari capital of Doha.

UNI JAL PS2239
A Delaware County man is facing charges after authorities say he was pulled over by deputies in Oneonta, then locked himself in his car.

Otsego County Sheriff's Officials say deputies pulled over 46-year-old Joseph Amato of Treadwell on I-88 in Oneonta after they say they witnessed him commit multiple traffic violations. After stopping the vehicle, sheriff's officials say Amato was asked to exit the vehicle and complete a sobriety test at which point he refused and locked himself in his vehicle. Sheriffs officials say Amato was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest.

Sheriffs officials say Amato was found to be in possession of an illegal 'expandable baton and stun gun billy club'. Besides DWI, Amato is also charged with obstruction of governmental administration and criminal possession of a weapon. He was also cited for numerous traffic violations.
LOGANSPORT, Ind. (WLFI) - Former Senator Joe Donnelly held a meet and greet on May 8 with Logansport residents to talk about President Biden's American Jobs Plan. Following speeches from Cass County Democrats Chair Lita Rouser and Donnelly, the former Senator answered questions the audience had about the jobs plan.

Rouser says Saturday's event is an important attempt to rally Hoosiers behind the plan.

"It's going directly to the people so they can come in a relaxed setting and hear... directly from Joe Donnelly who's worked hard for many years," Rouser said.

The American Jobs Plan has been struggling to gain support among Republicans, with a price tag of $2.7 trillion over ten years. Donnelly remains optimistic however that support can be gained from conservatives.

"The message is really simple," Donnelly said. "To rural communities that you'll have better healthcare, that you'll have better broadband. To urban communities that you'll have a better electrical grid in the community, so what's being done is real meat and potatoes."

Donnelly thinks when people see the result of the money spent, they won't be upset with the cost.

"That money is being invested in Logansport, It's being invested in Lafayette, It's being invested in Battleground, so it's being invested... i's our money being invested here to make our communities better," Donnelly said.
INDIANA (WTHI) - The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is currently looking to hire new Conservation Officers. Officers spend most of their time enforcing hunting and fishing regulations as well as patrol area waterways and DNR properties.

A change to the process this year will allow anyone above the age of 21 to apply without a college degree. News 10 Spoke with Captain Jet Quillen and he mentions why they are dropping the education requirements.

We want to see what kind of applicants we can get from the people who have been out there working in the workforce for years and maybe didn't have the opportunity to go to college and this has always been a job they wanted and that's been a hurdle for them. So we are going to open that up and see.

The pre-screening test needs to be submitted by Midnight of June 3.

You can go to the Indiana DNR website for more information at www.in.gov/dnr/law-enforcement/
Charleston, WV (25301)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Cairo Road will be closed at 8 a.m. about a mile west of the I-24/KY 305 Paducah Exit 3 Interchange to allow deck repairs to the P&L Railroad Overpass. It is expected to remain closed until sometime late in the day on Thursday.

PHOTO:KYTC
WKCTC Awarded Grant for Summer Bridge Program

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - West Kentucky Community and Technical College has been awarded a nearly $35,000 grant from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education in support of a Summer Bridge Program.The two-week program beginning in July will focus on improving college preparation and retention for area high school students who graduated in Spring 2020 or are graduating in Spring 2021.The project will provide 60 participants with college orientation, academic support, and success strategies to ease the transition from high school to college, while simultaneously improving foundational mathematics skills and developing a sense of belonging to the campus environment.Participants will also earn college credit by completing FYE 1051 Orientation to College.The two-week program will take place from July 26 through August 6. The program will be held at two different locations, one on the WKCTC main campus in Paducah and the second at the college's Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory.Participants will be recruited from McCracken County, Paducah Tilghman, Graves County, and Mayfield High Schools.For more information on the WKCTC Summer Bridge Program, contact Sanci Teague, Quality Enhancement Plan director at sanci.teague@kctcs.edu or 270-534-3149.
40% of US Adults Now Fully Vaccinated

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WASHINGTON DC - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that 166 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including more than 62 percent of the nation's adults.About 133 million people have been fully vaccinated by Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine or the two-dose series made by Pfizer and Moderna.However, the daily average of national doses continues to fall steadily. As of Friday, an average of 1.5 million doses are being administered daily, compared with 1.8 million a week ago and 3.4 million in April.This spring, President Biden set a goal of July 4 to reach the 70 percent "herd immunity" level, but at the current rate the CDC estimates that level won't be reached before August 27.Kentucky has given at least one dose to 46 percent of its residents, ranking it 29th in the nation. More than 38 percent of Kentucky residents are now fully vaccinated.Illinois ranks 18th at 54 percent. Tennessee ranks 45th in the nation with 38.9 percent getting at least one dose.Vermont continues to have the highest percentage of its population getting vaccinations at 70 percent. Hawaii and Massachusetts are next at 66 percent.Eight states are now over 60 percent with at least one shot administered, and 21 are over 50 percent.On the Net:
Clwyd South MP celebrates local butchers for its work in the local community

The Member of Parliament for Clwyd South has praised a local butchers for its work in the local community.

Last week Member of Parliament for Clwyd South, Simon Baynes MP, made a socially distanced visit to Craig Roberts Traditional Butchers in Cefn Mawr to meet the owners, Craig Roberts and Sarah Williams, their son, Tomas, and Tanya Buchanan, and to hear about their business and the history of the shop itself.

The shop has been a butchers for over 125 years  and the tiles on the wall inside date from 1896. In that time, there have been 5 different butchers businesses in the shop.

During his visit, Mr Baynes praised Craig and Sarah for helping the community by doing home deliveries and supporting community activities like their donation of meat for the Ceiriog Valley Lockdown Lunches for the vulnerable.





Craig Roberts said: Im so proud of the service we provide. We source most of our meat locally and work with local farms to provide the best product possible.

Weve also been offering home delivery to the large area we serve which covers right down to customers in Chirk and the Glyn Valley.

I want to take the opportunity to thank our customers and the community in Cefn Mawr and the wider area we serve for supporting us as we start slowly to return to normality.

Simon Baynes MP said: I was delighted to meet Craig, Sarah and their team and to learn more about the great contribution they make to their local community in Cefn Mawr and the wider area.

Theyre a shining example of a Clwyd South business and Im so grateful to them for playing their part in keeping our communities going through Covid-19.

It was also very interesting hearing about the history of the shop itself, and its wonderful to think that Craig Roberts Traditional Butchers is continuing a tradition in the village which dates back over 125 years.
Returning to the pulpit after a COVID-19 outbreak infected him, his wife and 72 members of their congregation, the senior pastor of an Oregon church said Sunday that he will not kowtow to pressure to close the doors to the house of worship.

Pastor Scott Erickson of the Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon, began his Mother's Day sermon by addressing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in his church and throughout the state.

In the last several days, it is apparent that voices in our community and region want the church of Jesus Christ to be quiet and to be closed," Erickson told those in attendance at the church and others watching a livestream online broadcast. Not us, not here, not now. Thats not what were doing."

Peoples Church was among 10 churches in Oregon that joined together to file a lawsuit in May 2020 asking the Baker County Circuit Court to issue a temporary restraining order blocking Oregon Gov. Kate Brown from enforcing stay-at-home executive regulations against churches. The lawsuit argued that Brown's restrictions on churches violated constitutional protections for religious freedom.

PHOTO: Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon. (Google Map Street View)

In December, Brown lifted restrictions on religious gatherings, changing them to "guidelines." Brown's decision came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court barred New York from enforcing strict attendance limits on churches in areas that were designated as COVID-19 hot spots.

Erickson, 70, who has been pastor of Peoples Church for 21 years, said his decision to keep the church open was, in his opinion, not an act of defiance.

MORE: COVID-19 Map: Tracking Cases and Vaccinations in the U.S.

"We'll press on and honor what Jesus said in his word. He said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I believe his word is true," Erickson said.

The pastor's Sunday sermon came after the Oregon Health Authority announced Wednesday that it launched an investigation on April 6 into the coronavirus outbreak at the church that left 74 members infected.

Story continues

Erickson tied the church's outbreak to one that has spread across state in the past month, including in Marion County, where Salem is located.

On Saturday, the Oregon Health Authority reported 833 new COVID-19 cases and seven more deaths related to the virus over the past seven days.

Since the pandemic began, Oregon has reported a total of 190,804 cases statewide, including 2,528 deaths.

Thousands in our region were afflicted with symptoms of the virus," Erickson said. "Some on our staff and some that worship among us were those that experienced challenges that accompanied the virus."

MORE: 'Sorrowful': Black clergy members and churches reeling from COVID-19 losses

Erickson spoke little about the bouts with COVID-19 that he and his wife endured.

"First time in 48 years of ministry that I had to call in sick," he said. "So, its kind of a very strange feeling to have missed three Sundays in a row."

On April 18, an assistant pastor at the church announced that Erickson and his wife, Bonnie, were hospitalized after COVID-19 diagnoses and that the pastor had developed pneumonia in his left lung.

Sunday marked Erickson's return to in-person services since the diagnosis.

"The church of Jesus Christ is the only hope for our community and for our region and our state," Erickson said. And so we continue to magnify Jesus here as a church, and were not in defiance. We are here just to tell people the good news that Jesus loves our city and he loves the people of Oregon."

Erickson added, So we remain cautious here at Peoples Church and continue to provide a safe and anointed environment where people can experience Gods presence and draw on his power.

What to know about COVID-19:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map

Oregon church won't close after COVID-19 outbreak infected 74 members, pastor says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Fair Start for Kids becomes law

The most significant funding and investment in child care in Washingtons history was signed into law Friday by. Gov. Jay Inslee.

The Fair Start for Kids Act attempts to remedy the struggling child care sector by expanding the child care industry and provider supports and increasing access to subsidies and reducing copayments, among other things. Its supported financially by a new excise tax. The law become official during a virtual celebration of child care providers throughout the state. The governor declared May 7 Child Care Provider Awareness Day in the state.

The Yakima Herald-Republic will dive more into this new law and other legislative developments in the next edition of The Growth Gap.
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News

Phoenix, Arizona - In honor of World Password Day on Thursday, May 6, 2021, the FBI is encouraging the public to strengthen their passwords/phrases and account protection.

Passwords are used for everything; we use them for our phones, computers, email, even financial information. Unfortunately, many use the same simple passwords, like 1234 or Password1, for multiple accounts. Simple passwords, even those with special characters, are easier for someone to crack.

Recent guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) advises that password length is much more important than password complexity. Instead of using short complex passwords, use passphrases that combine multiple words and are longer than 15 characters. For example TechTuesday2021Strengthen!

Strong passphrases can also help protect against personal data breaches.

The Phoenix FBI is encouraging users to strengthen passwords in favor of passphrases.

According to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a personal data breach is defined as a leak/spill of personal data which is released from a secure location to an untrusted environment. Also, a security incident in which an individuals sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized individual.

Arizona reported over a thousand victims of personal data breaches with losses of more than $2 million in 2020, according to IC3. Its important to note that scammers obtain people's information in many ways. Sometimes a victim will unintentionally give the scammer their passwords, other times, the criminal is able to crack the code.

The following tips may help protect you and your information from a breach:

Make sure, at the very least, that your email, financial, and health accounts all have different unique passwords and/or passphrases.

Make sure your password is as long as the system will allow.

Set up multi-factor authentication for your accounts.

Dont allow password hints

If you believe your email or other smart device has been comprised, please contact FBI Phoenix at (623)466-1999. Victims are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI at ic3.gov.

For more information on how to protect your voice and your devices, visit, https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/foreign-influence/protected-voices.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 22:25:15|Editor: huaxia

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An e-commerce livestreaming anchor is introducing products to viewers at the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Ruiqing)

HAIKOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping and created a surge in cross-border e-commerce imports in China, e-commerce platforms are bringing global brands closer to the world's most promising consumer market.

On the first day of the China International Consumer Products Expo, Tmall Global, an online marketplace of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, held four livestreaming sessions to promote products, each garnering more than 1 million viewers.

At the four-day expo, which opened on Thursday in south China's island province of Hainan, Tmall Global has showcased products of over 100 foreign brands, ranging from cosmetics, beauty devices, to smart devices for pets and imported wine.

Amid the pandemic, cross-border e-commerce has become an important platform for brands from home and abroad to release their new products. Over 100 brands signed strategic agreements with Tmall Global on Friday, with the aim to sell their new products displayed at the expo via Tmall in the coming year to meet the booming demand of Chinese customers.

"The consumer products expo not only serves as an important window to display the progress of the Hainan free trade port construction, but also helps foreign businesses to better understand the Chinese market," said Marcella Li, head of Global Business Development and Operations at Tmall Global.

Last year, an average of approximately 400 overseas brands opened stores on Tmall Global each month, according to the company. To date, more than 29,000 overseas brands from 87 countries and regions have established storefronts on Tmall Global.

At the expo, JD Worldwide, the platform for imported products of China's leading retailer JD.com, displayed a number of smart products of domestic and foreign brands.

People queue up to taste Swiss cheese in the Fashion Life Exhibition Hall of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"With the pandemic keeping Chinese customers from shopping overseas, the demand for international brands in China has increased, and cross-border e-commerce platforms have become their preferred choice," said Frank Yu, general manager of marketing and operations for JD Worldwide.

Since its launch in 2015, JD Worldwide has attracted nearly 20,000 overseas brands, offering a vast range of product categories including maternal and childcare, nutrition and healthcare, household and kitchenware, food and car accessories.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, consumer goods imports into China grew 8.2 percent in 2020, reaching 1.57 trillion yuan (about 242 billion U.S. dollars).

Such growth was echoed on JD Worldwide during the 2020 Singles' Day shopping festival, with total sales during the period increased by 50 percent year on year.

In 2020, the e-commerce platform opened its first brick-and-mortar duty-free store in Sanya City, Hainan, and plans to open an online duty-free shop soon.

JD Worldwide will seize the opportunities brought by the Hainan free trade port to promote the upgrading of consumption of Chinese consumers, said Han Rui, vice president of JD.com.

With a total population of over 1.4 billion and more than 400 million middle-income residents, China has become the world's most promising consumer market.

Foreign brands are attaching great importance to the Chinese market, especially amid the pandemic, said Viya, one of the most well-known e-commerce livestreaming anchors in China, at the expo.

"Some tailored products are designed exclusively for our customers and the products are not only sold in China but also abroad, as design philosophies featuring Chinese characteristics are gaining momentum worldwide," she said.

E-commerce platforms are a channel for Chinese consumers to purchase quality products of foreign brands without going abroad, and are also conducive to promoting China's products to the world, she added.

Kazunori Tokura, executive vice president of Japanese company Omron Healthcare (China), said Omron expects to accelerate its entry into the Chinese market. Via the expo, the company is willing to cooperate with local firms such as e-commerce platforms to help more customers become familiar with their products and services, he said. 
News

Billings, Montana - "Native American women and children suffer disproportionally high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault and too often go missing or are murdered. In recent years, Montana has had several tragic cases, and the Montana U. S. Attorneys Office is committed to doing its part to address this crisis, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.

In the last year we have continued to work closely with the Montana MMIP State Task Force to identify the root causes of this problem and to develop solutions. In April, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes announced the completion of their tribal community response plan (TCRP), which identifies how tribal law enforcement, working with local, state and federal law enforcement and community partners, will respond when someone goes missing. This work was done in partnership with my office, the FBI, local and state law enforcement agencies and community organizations as part of the Department of Justices MMIP Initiative. It was the first such plan completed in the United States. Currently, several other tribes have begun developing similar response plans to address missing persons in their communities.

Although we have made marked progress in the last year, we recognize that there is still much work to do. Today, we remember all those who have been murdered or have disappeared. We remain committed to finding the missing and seeking justice for the murdered. By all of us working together, I believe we can end this crisis."
News

Phoenix, Arizona - The FBIs Phoenix Field Office is proud to announce that 13 members of the Central Arizona Safe Trails Task Force (CASTTF) received the 2020 FBI Directors Annual Award for Excellence on Thursday, April 29, 2021. The Directors Award is considered the most prestigious within the FBI.

These awards offer the Director and other FBI officials the opportunity to recognize Bureau employees and others who make extraordinary contributions to their communities and to the successful accomplishment of the FBI mission.

The award for Distinguished Service to the Law Enforcement Community was given to members of the Central Arizona Safe Trails Task Force for their work in combating violent crime in Indian Country. In 2019, the Salt River Police Department reported that their violent crime rate dropped 56% which was directly attributable to the CASTTFs proactive work in partnership with the Salt River Police Department.

Members of the Central Arizona Safe Trails Task Force who received the award include eight FBI employees, two Mesa Police detectives, a Mesa Police sergeant, a Salt River Police detective, and a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations.

We are particularly proud of these individuals who have demonstrated remarkable leadership in helping protect our communities, said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. Through sustained effort, innovation, and collaboration, the Central Arizona Safe Trails Task Force stands as a model of interagency partnership on behalf of their community.

Since 2019, members of the Chandler Police Department and Gila River Police Department have joined the Central Arizona Safe Trails Task Force to further address violent crime in Indian Country.
News

Washington, DC - A Minnesota man pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to provide material support and resources, namely property, services and weapons, to what he believed was Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, for use against Israeli and U.S. military personnel overseas.

According to court documents, Michael Solomon, 31, of New Brighton, Minn., was a member of the Boogaloo Bois, a group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. In late May 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Solomon and co-defendant Benjamin Ryan Teeter, both members of the Boogaloo Bois, and a sub-group called the Boojahideen.

According to court documents, on June 10, 2020, Solomon and Teeter met with a confidential human source (CHS), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Solomon and Teeter proposed assisting Hamas as a means of furthering the goals of the Boogaloo Bois. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Solomon used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with Teeter and the CHS about various aspects of the conspiracy.

On June 28, 2020, Solomon, Teeter and the CHS met an undercover employee of the FBI (UCE) that Solomon believed was a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Solomon and Teeter proposed manufacturing suppressors, untraceable firearms and fully automatic firearms for Hamas.

On July 6, 2020, Solomon and Teeter purchased a drill press for the purpose of manufacturing suppressors for Hamas. Solomon admitted that he and Teeter had planned to use the drill press to also manufacture suppressors for members of the Boogaloo Bois. Solomon and Teeter brought the drill press to Solomons home and later used the drill press to manufacture five suppressors.

On July 30, 2020, Solomon and Teeter delivered the suppressors to the CHS and UCE believing those devices would be used by the militant wing of Hamas. During that meeting, the defendants agreed to manufacture additional suppressors for Hamas believing that the next batch of suppressors would be used against Israeli and U.S. military personnel overseas.

Solomon admitted that he and Teeter again met the UCE on Aug. 29, 2020. During this meeting, the defendants gave the UCE a 3-D printed auto sear believing that the auto sear would be used by Hamas to convert semi-automatic rifles into fully automatic rifles. At this time, Solomon and Teeter agreed to obtain, and did obtain, another order of auto sears for the CHS and the UCE.

Solomon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Solomon faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota; Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Departments National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul of the FBIs Minneapolis Field Office made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis accepted the plea.

The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Felice John Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter of the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case.
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New Delhi: As India tries to tide over the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has got pledges of support from 42 countries of which assistance from 21 countries has already arrived.

India requires assistance in two areas - oxygen and essential medicines. Hospitals and other medical centres are in dire need of medical oxygen supplies and equipment that can generate oxygen, and antiviral drugs like Remdesivir.

Currently, in the country, the production of medical oxygen supply has increased from 5700 MT to 9480 MT but it needs to be supplemented.

From international assistance, India has got 20,000 oxygen cylinders, 11000 oxygen concentrators, 30 oxygen tankers and 75 oxygen generator plants. Out of the 30 Oxygen tankers, only 9 have reached and the remaining 21 tankers are yet to be delivered.

The Ministry of External Affairs can assist to get global players to set up 50,000MT plants. A total of 1172 oxygen tankers are being put in place, 102,400 oxygen cylinders are being procured, 1 lakh oxygen concentrators are being procured.

Many tankers have also come as part of deals between private companies.

When it comes to Remdesivir, the aim is to produce 1 crore in the country or around 3 lakh per day. American biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences on Saturday sent 1.5 lakh vials of Remdesivir.

From Egypt-based Eva Pharma, India will be getting 4 lakh doses of Remdesivir. India has got quotations from Bangladesh, Germany, Uzbekistan, and UAE.

All in all, India will get 16 lakh vials of Remdesivir from these sources. Focus also on the alternate antiviral drug tocilizumab, with Switzerland-based Roche increasing its supply by 60 times.

India is getting 11,000 vials, and 21,000 more vials are expected of tocilizumab, usually given in the initial stages of covid. India is getting favipiravir from Russia, RoActemra from other sources.

India's missions and posts are coordinating efforts of procuring as well as making sure that the assistance by foreign countries reaches the country as it battles the covid pandemic.

As the 2nd wave hit the country, the ministry of external affairs's COVID cell was reactivated. The COVID cell formed last year, has around 15-20 IFS officers, mostly young officers, and is headed by Dammu Ravi who is the Additional Secretary coordinating all issues under it.

Naveen Srivastava and Vinay Kumar are the other 2 MEA officials, who are part of the entire coordination effort against covid. While Naveen represents MEA at the empowered panels on coordinating against COVID, Vinay deals with vaccine efforts like Vaccine Maitri and others.

While a lot of support has come in from across the globe, many leaders have recalled how India had reached out to the world community when they needed medicines and other essentials.

US President Joe Biden recently said, "when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us."

In 2020, India had sent HCQ to the US when it was battling the covid pandemic. Charles, Prince of Wales, the heir apparent to the British throne in a message for India said, "As India has helped others, so now must we help India".

Even as International assistance helps to bridge the short-term capacity constraints, the Centre aims to ramp up capacity.
Patna: The Bihar Chief Secretary and the state DGP on Sunday (May 9, 2021) held a crucial meeting with the SP of all districts ro ensure better compliance of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The meeting last almost half-an-hour during which the police was asked to folow the lockdown orders strictly. \

Besides it was discussed to give a 4-hour window  from 7 am to 11 am  to the public for emergency related purchases.

The police has been asked to take special action against those violating the lockdown rules i.e. people who at out of their homes for no purpose.

Also, a crackdown was ordered on the black marketeers, and it was demanded that strong action be taken against such people who sell life saving medicine and oxygen at black markets.

The Nitish Kumar-led government had imposed a lockdown in the state on March 4 till May 15.

The decision of the Chief Minister came after Patna High Court asked the state government to control the COVID-19 situation and declare a lockdown or it will have to pass an appropriate order.

Earlier, the Bihar government has imposed a night curfew in the state till March 15.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 22:56:32|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that some U.S. actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based world order.

"I know that some of our actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based order and led others to question whether we are still committed to it," Blinken made the remarks at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Multilateralism.

During the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States announced its exit from some international agreements, such as its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015 between Iran and six major countries.

The United States decided to quit the Paris Agreement in June 2017 and formally withdrew from the climate change deal on Nov. 4, 2020, making it the only nation among nearly 200 signatories that has abandoned this global agenda on combating climate change. Enditem
New Delhi: The Parliamentary Board of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (May 8) has appointed Union Minister G Kishan Reddy as the central observer for the election of the leader of the party MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

This was announced after the BJP`s Parliamentary Board meeting that took place at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday. "G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs has been appointed as a central observer for the election of the leader of the BJP MLAs in Tamil Nadu assembly," the BJP said in a statement.

Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party general secretary Arun Singh have been appointed as the central observers for the election of the leader of the party MLAs in the Assam Assembly.

"Parliamentary Board of the Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed central observers for the election of the leader of the party MLAs in the Assam and Tamil Nadu Assembly. Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh have been appointed as the central observers for the election of the leader of the party MLAs in Assam," the statement added.

In Tamil Nadu, BJP had fought the Assembly polls by forming an alliance with AlADMK. The NDA alliance got 70 seats in the 234-member Assembly, in which AIADMK won 66 seats and BJP managed to get only four seats.

On the other hand, BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a comfortable majority in Assam winning 75 seats of the total 126 constituencies. While BJP secured 60 seats, about 33 percent, its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People`s Party, Liberal (UPPL) bagged nine and six seats respectively.

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New Delhi: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (May 8) alleged that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is suppressing COVID-19 death count and "manipulating" the infection rate in Mumbai.

Fadnavis in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Shiv Sena-controlled civic body is classifying deaths of some COVID-19 patients to other reasons, thus underreporting the real toll caused by the deadly infection.

The 'death due to other reasons' category has to be used only in exceptional cases, like when a COVID-19 patient commits suicide, dies in an accident, is murdered, is brain-dead or a fourth-stage cancer patient," PTI quoted the former CM as saying.

BMC reported deaths of 683 COVID-19 patients under this "suspicious category" of death due to other reasons between February to April, he added.

Fadnavis said, This accounted for 39.4 per cent of total 1,773 deaths reported in the city during the period. In the same period, at least 15,958 people died in the rest of the state and of these, 119 were shown as `death due to other reasons', which is 0.7 per cent.

Further attacking the BMC, he claimed that the civic body was manipulating the infection rate by preferring Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) which are only 50 per cent effective.

"The city has the capacity to conduct one lakh RT-PCR tests per day, but the average of last 10 days is 34,191. Out of it, 30 per cent are Rapid Antigen Tests. On May 7, 45,726 tests were conducted, of which 14,480 (31.67 per cent) were RAT, due to which the infection rate was 7.6 per cent in Mumbai," Fadnavis said.

"However, on May 3 the BMC had conducted 26,586 tests of which 4,453 (17 per cent) were RAT which resulted in infection rate of 11.3 per cent, he claimed.

Earlier, the Supreme court had praised the Mumbai civic body for managing the second wave of the coronavirus efficiently.

The total tally in Mumbai as of Friday was 6,71,394 while the death toll stood at 13,687, as per BMC data.

On Saturday, the caseload in Maharashtra breached the 50 lakh-mark (50,53,336) with 53,605 new cases. The death toll climbed to 75,277 as 864 people succumbed to the infection, the state health department official said.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: India has been facing a heavy wave of COVID-19 infections with the number of cases surging across the nation on a daily basis.

This sudden surge in cases due to the various new infectious strains of COVID-19 clubbed with complacency in regard to following the pandemic rules and guidelines has forced many states and UTs in the nation to impose lockdown-like restrictions.

The Indian government is also battling criticism for allowing huge gatherings at a religious festival and holding large election rallies over the past two months even as COVID-19 cases were surging.

India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll of 4,187. The health ministry reported 4,092 deaths over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 242,362.

New cases rose by 403,738, just shy of the record and increasing the total since the start of the pandemic to 22.3 million.

With an acute shortage of oxygen and beds in many hospitals and with morgues and crematoriums overflowing, experts have said the actual numbers for COVID-19 cases and fatalities could be far higher than reported.

India, being the world's largest vaccine producing nation, has fully vaccinated just over 34.3 million, or only 2.5%, of its 1.35 billion population as of Sunday, according to data from the governments Co-WIN portal.

Support has been pouring in from around the world in the form of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment.

Meanwhile, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (May 9) extended till May 17 their ongoing lockdown as a large part of the country remained under strict curbs due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are among 10 states that account for 71.75 per cent of the 4,03,738 new COVID-19 cases registered in a day, according to Union Health Ministry data recorded on May 9.

The other states in the list of 10 are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Haryana.

Maharashtra reported daily new cases at 56,578. It is followed by Karnataka with 47,563 while Kerala reported 41,971 new cases

India's total active caseload has reached 37,36,648 and now comprises 16.76 per cent of the country's total infections.

Here is a look at COVID-induced restrictions imposed by states and union territories according to the latest news:

Delhi: The national capital has been under lockdown since April 19 and it has now been extended till May 17.

Uttar Pradesh has extended the duration of corona curfew with strict lockdown-like curbs till May 17.

Haryana, which was under a seven-day long lockdown from May 3, has extended it till May 17.

Bihar on May 4 imposed a lockdown till May 15.

Odisha is under a 14-day lockdown from May 5 till May 19.

Rajasthan has decided to implement a strict lockdown in the state from May 10 to 24, though curbs continue to be in place since last month.

Jharkhand had extended the lockdown-like restrictions till May 13. The restrictions were first imposed on April 22 as "Health Safety Week".

Chhattisgarh has announced weekend lockdown while earlier allowing district collectors to extend local lockdowns till May 15.

Punjab has imposed extensive curbs, in addition to measures like a weekend lockdown and night curfew till May 15.

Chandigarh administration has also imposed weekend lockdowns.

Madhya Pradesh has imposed 'Janta curfew' till May 15 with only essential services allowed.

Gujarat has imposed night curfew (from 8 PM to 6 AM) and other day-time restrictions in 36 cities till May 12.

Maharashtra had imposed lockdown-like curbs on April 5 coupled with prohibitory orders and restrictions on the movement of people. The curbs were later extended till May 15. Local lockdowns in district like Latur and Solapur have been imposed, and curbs tightened in Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal.

Goa government has imposed a curfew from May 9 to May 24. It lifted a four-day lockdown on Monday, except in tourist hotspots like Calangute and Candolim in North Goa, though restrictions were continuing.

West Bengal has since last week imposed extensive curbs including ban on all kinds of gatherings.

Assam advanced the night curfew to 6 PM from the current 8 PM with restrictions imposed on the movement of people at public places from Wednesday. Night curfew was imposed on April 27 till May seven.

Nagaland has imposed partial lockdown with stricter rules from April 30 to May 14.

Mizoram government has announced seven-day complete lockdown from 4 AM of May 10 to 4 AM of May 17.

Arunachal Pradesh has imposed night curfew -- from 6.30 pm to 5 am -- for the entire month starting Saturday.

Manipur government has imposed curfew in seven districts from May 8 till May 17.

Sikkim imposed lockdown-like restrictions till May 16.

Jammu and Kashmir administration has imposed lockdown-like restrictions till May 10.

Uttarakhand has decided to impose a strict COVID curfew from May 11 to May 18.

Himachal Pradesh has imposed lockdown or "corona curfew" in the state from May 7 to May 16.

Kerala has lockdown from May 8 to May 16.

Tamil Nadu is under lockdown from May 10 to May 24.

Puducherry has extended lockdown from May 10 to May 24.

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New Delhi: India will approximately get 361 million doses of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V's by the end of March 2022 which can be innocualte an estimated 36 crore Indians, officials coordinating the entire vaccine measure in the country claimed.

On May 1, India received the first consignment of 1.5 million doses of the vaccine, and the second consignment of the same number of doses will reach India soon.

India will get 18 million ready-made Sputnik V doses -- 3 million in May, 5 million in June, 10 million in July. Russian direct investment fund (RDIF) which is the Russian sovereign wealth fund that has funded the vaccine has signed pacts with 5 Indian companies to produced 850 million doses.

The doses will not only be produced in India but also, exported to third country. Between June 2020 to March 2021, around 238 million doses will be produced in the country. India also expected to get 11 million doses in form of fill and finish.

Sputnik V vaccine is the 3rd covid vaccine after covishield and covaxin that Indian regulatory authorities have given approval to. More than 60 Countries have given approval to Sputnik V and as of May 5, more than 20 million people globally have received the first injection of the Sputnik V vaccine. Interestingly, a combination of vaccines like Sputnik and Astrazeneca for use is being talked about.

With the announcement of Russia's single-dose covid vaccine Sputnik light, the volume of the vaccines which is a variant of Sputnik V is expected to increase. Sputnik Light will also be produced in India."It will be produced in exactly the same countries where sputnik V will be produced. So it's India, Korea, and China," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian direct investment Fund (RDIF) told reporters last week in a virtual presser.

And it is just not that Sputnik V in the focus, India is looking at Moderna and the Quad Vaccine initiative under which vaccines will be produced in the country. When it comes to constraints for raw material for vaccines from the US, the issue has been resolved with Washington making an announcement on it days ago.

But perhaps the biggest breakthrough has been the US extending support to the proposal for waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines. Being termed as something that will make a "huge difference" on the ground, it will help in the production of covid vaccines at a huge scale as removes legal impediments.

For example, India's serum institute can make vaccines under the license by AstraZeneca, and these vaccines cant be exported to some geographic areas. The matter was raised by PM Modi with US President during their talks on 26th April. According to officials, the Indian PM had told President Biden that it an opportunity to make a difference.
New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a press conference on Sunday (May 9, 2021) announced that the lockdown in the national capital is being extended for seven more days to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The lockdown in Delhi will now remain in place till 5 AM on May 17. Earlier, CM Arvind Kejriwal had first imposed a complete lockdown in the national capital on April 19 which was later extended on April 25 and May 1 respectively.

CM Arvind Kejriwal also revealed that in the last 2-3 days, Delhi's positivity rate has come down to 23% from 35%.

"We used the lockdown period to boost our medical infrastructure and to increase oxygen beds at various locations," Kejriwal added.

Heres complete list of what is allowed, what's not as per DDMA guidelines:

1. In addition to all the curbs which were in place during the earlier lockdowns, Delhi CM announced that the metro services will remain shut in this extension period of the lockdown.

2. Now marriages in the national capital can only be held at home or court with not more than 20 people. There will be a complete prohibition on marriage ceremonies at public places, banquet halls, hotels and similar places during the period, notification read.

3. Essential services such as groceries, milk booths, pharmacy shops, etc will remain open in the city.

4. CNG, LPG and petrol pumps will remain operational.

5. Central and state government offices will remain open.

6. Private offices, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain shut.

7. Public places like gyms, malls, beauty salons, cinema halls will remain shut.

8. Weekly markets and onsite construction will remain suspended as well.

9. Banks, ATMs and other financial services providers will remain operational.

10. Patients, pregnant women, media professionals will be allowed to travel in the city.

See complete notification here:

Lockdown in Delhi extended till May 17 with strict restrictions; Metro rail services to remain temporarily suspended, marriage ceremonies at public places/ banquet halls/hotels prohibited, marriage ceremonies allowed to be organized at home or in Court pic.twitter.com/wmGE0KYGh8  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2021

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) added that the district magistrates, deputy commissioners of police, authorities concerned will be responsible for ensuring COVID-appropriate behaviour at inter-state bus terminals, railway stations, mandis and shops providing essential goods.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Delhi reported 17,364 new cases, pushing the total caseload to 13,10,231. The national capital also witnessed 332 fatalities on Saturday, taking the death toll to 19,071.

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New Delhi: Even as India reels under the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over about a possible third wave, experts claimed that if people keep following COVID-appropriate behaviour and more people get vaccinated the next wave could be less severe.

Many experts opined that the complacency in approach towards the virus after the dip in cases during the first wave could be a possible reason for the pandemic rearing its ugly head again, though others are blaming the new virulent, mutated variants of the coronavirus.

"Early this year, as the new cases receded, people started interacting as if there was no virus. The immunity had already started declining. They organised mass gatherings, they stopped wearing masks, giving the opportunity to the virus to strike again," Dr Anurag Agarwal, director, Institute of Genomics and Integral Biology was quoted by PTI.

While some experts belives that every mutation cannot be a cause of concern and genome sequencing of a virus is done to keep a track of any mutation that can make a virus more dangerous.

Dr Saumitra Das, Director, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG ), Kalyani, and professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore said, "What concerns us is whether a mutation is making it more transmissible, or virulent; whether a mutation has the potential to make the existing medicines or vaccines ineffective against the virus. If so, the mutant is classified as a variant of concern (VoC)."

Last week, K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, had said that the third wave was inevitable and it was necessary to be prepared for new waves, but clarified two days later that the "insidious asymptomatic transmission" can be stopped if prescribed guidelines about precautions, surveillance, containment, treatment and testing are followed.

"If we take strong measures, the third wave may not happen in all places or indeed anywhere at all. It depends on much how effectively guidance is implemented at the local level in the states, districts and cities everywhere," he said.

Experts have warned that in a few months people would have developed immunity naturally or with the help of vaccination and when that fades the virus will strike again and the only thing that can stop the virus from bouncing back is how people are guarding themselves.

Meanwhile, India recorded 4,03,738 fresh COVID-19 cases pushing the country's cumulative tally to 2,22,96,414, while the death toll climbed to 2,42,362 with 4,092 daily deaths, on Sunday morning as per data released by the Union Health Ministry.
Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Sunday announced extending the COVID-induced lockdown in the state by a week till May 17.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said that stringent measures will be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus infections in the state.

"Detailed order to be issued soon, the Health Minister said in a tweet.

Mahamari Alert / Surkshit Haryana announced from 10 May to 17 May Stringent measures will be taken to contain spread of Corona in Haryana. Detailed order to be issued soon.  ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) May 9, 2021

Minister Vij later told PTI that the restrictions which are currently in force will continue till May 17.

In the past few weeks, Haryana has registered a surge in COVID-19 infections as well as fatalities.

Haryana on Sunday reported 151 COVID-19-related deaths taking the cumulative toll to 5,605 and another big surge of 13,548 infections pushed the total case count to 6,15,897.

Last week, the state government had imposed a lockdown in the state from May 3 to May 10 (5 am).

Meanwhile, India recorded over 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day, data by the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

There were 4,03,738 new infections and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 2.22 crore, while the death toll has climbed to 2.42 lakh.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)

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New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday (May 8, 2021) urged the central government to impose a complete nationwide lockdown in India to break the COVID-19 transmission chain.

The medical body also added that this decision will give some breathing time to the nations healthcare infrastructure to recover and replenish for what lies beyond.

Indian Medical Association in a statement said it has been urging the Centre to impose a well-planned pre-announced national lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the nation.

The statement also added that the collective consciousness, proactive cognizance, and requests made by the IMA and other professional learned colleagues are put into the "dustbin" by the decision makers, "without realizing the ground realities".

Lockdown will break the chain of devastating spread, said the IMA, a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine in India.

#PMOIndia #NITIAayog #LargestVaccineDrive #IMAIndiaOrg IMA demands the health ministry wake up from its slumber and responds to mitigate the growing challenges of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/7OxKgLhi9Q  Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) May 8, 2021

"However, the central government had refused to head to implement lockdown resulting in the mounting of new patients beyond 4 lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 percent," the statement said.

The statement put emphasis on the fact that the "sporadic night curfews have not done any good" and the "life is precious than the economy."

IMA in its statement also targeted the Centre over the acute shortage of medical oxygen in the nation. "IMA is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the Ministry of health in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," read an official statement by the IMA.

Adding that the crisis of medical oxygen is deepening every day and is creating panic both among patients and fraternity across the nation.

"Wake up from slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges in covid pandemic," the IMA said.

The statement also added that though various mutants are identified yet the real hazard is not explained in actual terms. IMA insisted that dedicated experts shall be designated to study this and propose mitigation measures at the earliest.

Indian Medical Association also asked the authorities to revamp the entire health care administration with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets, who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care, adding that, a new integrated Ministry shall be set up to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front.

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New Delhi: Even as international assistance pours into India, authorities have been been to deliver it to various end-users-- hospitals spread across the country. The top recipient of the assistance has been to AIIMS spread across the country, Safdarjung Delhi, Lady Harding, RML Hospital in Delhi, ITBP, DRDO. The ministry of external affair's covid cell is working 24x7 and contacting Indian missions and a mechanism or standard operating procedure has been set up to smoothen the early delivery of assistance.

So far, 11,000 items of over 3000 tons have been dispatched all over the country with the Indian Air force and Indian navy playing an important part in transporting material. The first flight of assistance came on 27th April from the UK. 80 oxygen concentrators from the UK went to DRDO Patna, 100 to DRDO Delhi, 100 to DRDO Ahmedabad, 120 to Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi with RML and Safdarjung getting 50 ventilators each. UK's assistance of Oxygen concentrators has been sent to states like Goa, Bihar, UP, Jharkhand. Australia had sent 43 Oxygen concentrators which have been delivered to West Bengal while 1056 ventilators sent by the country have been delivered to Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, and Bihar. 2 Liquid Oxygen container that arrived from Bahrain has been given to DRDO.

France had sent 200 syringe pumps, 500 machine filters, 500 anti-bacterial filters, 28 Ventilators all of which have been delivered to Lady Hardinge Medical College. Germany had sent 120 ventilators of which 40 were given to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, 45 to RML in Delhi, and 35 to AIIMS, Jhajjar.

Assistance from Ireland went to AIIMS Patna, AIIMS Rai Barelli, AIIMS Chandigarh, AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Bhopal, AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Jhajjar, Safdarjung Delhi, and several northeastern states. One Oxygen Generation Plant and 20 ventilators sent by Italy went to ITBP hospital, Noida. The plant that was installed within 48 hours was "switched on" by the Italian Ambassador to India Vincenzo de Luca himself. The plant will supply oxygen to more than 100 beds at a time to the Covid19 patients admitted at the centre. Romania had sent 80 Oxygen concentrators, of which 40 went to AIIMS, Jhajhhar, 40 to Lady Harding and of the 75 Oxygen Cylinders, 40 went to Safdarjung, 35 to lady Harding. 150-bed side monitors, 75 ventilators, 20 Oxygen concentrators from Russia went to Lady Harding.

200 Oxygen concentrators sent by Mauritius went to AIIMS Mangakagiri (20), AIIMS Nagpur (60), AIIMS Raipur (50), JIPMER Puducherry (70). New Zealand sent 72 oxygen concentrators, all of which went to army Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt.

US supplies went across the country--from Remdesivir to Assam, Goa, MP, Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi, PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Kalyani, AIIMS Bhopal to Rapid detection kits to Delhi, Punjab, One Oxygen generation plant to ESIC Faridabad, Oxygen concentrators to Punjab, Kerala, Maharashtra. 256 Oxygen cylinders sent by Singapore were distributed to AIIMS Ranchi, Raipur, Patna, Lady Harding, with each getting 64 cylinders. Thailand had sent 30 Oxygen concentrators, with 15 going to Safdarjung, Delhi, 15 to CGHS, Delhi.

Taiwan's assistance of Oxygen concentrators (150) went to Mizoram(15), Punjab(50), Haryana(35), National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Delhi (50), and Oxygen Cylinders (500) to Mizoram(15), Himachal Pradesh (185) and Uttrakhand(300). UAE's mega assistance went across the length and breadth of the country--the 1707600 masks were distributed to Aims Kalyani, Manglagiri, Rai Barelli, Jodhpur, Patna, Deogarh, Rishikesh, Delhi, 157 ventilators to DRDO Dehradun, Ventilators to various AIIMS, DRDO, ITBP.

The West Asian country, with which New Delhi's partnership has grown in the past few years also sent 72000 goggles which went to Safdarjung(11000), Lady Harding(11000), RML(10000), AIIMS Rishikesh(10000), Jhajjar(20000) and Jodhpur(11000).

The ministry of external affair's covid cell's chief Dammu Ravi has assured that the international assistance sent to India by various countries is being distributed to various locations in real-time to bring immediate relief as the covid crisis wreaks the country.

Dammu Ravi, Additional Secretary of MEA's COVID Cell at a presser said, "not even one consignment has remained at the airport or the seaport. They have been directly loaded at the airport to distribution location in real-time, it goes and gets distributed and given to that location for the right use, immediate use" He explained, "most of the consignments have reached the destination. some may be in transit, for a logistical reason and every consignment is tracked and ensured that it is properly used in those locations."

10000 doses of Remdesivir that was given by Bangladesh will be given to North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS). They were formally handed over at the Petrapole border checkpoint between India and Bangladesh on the 5th of May. Belgium had also sent 9000 vials of Remdesivir which have been delivered to the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, UP, Rajasthan. 20,000 doses of Favipiravir sent by Russia was went to sent to Lady Harding, Safdarjung, RLM, and AIIMS--Jodhpur, Rishikesh, Rai Barely, Delhi, Jhajjar.

So far, 4468 Oxygen concentrators, 13 Oxygen plants, 3417 oxygen cylinders, 3921 Ventilators, and 3 lakh Remdesivir have been dispatched or delivered as of 5th May. According to govt data, 235 items were dispatched on 27th April, 456 items from 28th April, 355 items, and 2 lakh strips of medicines on 29th April, 3595 items on 30th April, 30 items on 1st May 2926 items, and 1.3 lakh vials of Remdesivir on 2nd May, 225 items on 3rd May 1233 items and 1.6 vials of Remdesivir on 4th May 1782 items on 5th May.

The distribution of allocation that has been made is shared by foreign governments, both by Indian envoys abroad and MEA in Delhi so that they are fully aware of how their donation is used by India. Ravi highlighted that "we are deeply appreciative of the generous offer coming from abroad, both by foreign governments, individuals, private entities, NGOs who have expressed solidarity and support with India" and "Internationally recognition of the fact, that this crisis is not that of India alone, and it is a global crisis requiring collective actions and collective strategies"

The international assistance is coordinated with a cell at the health ministry, in which MEA plays an important role since all the goods come via them. The group meets every morning at around 9.30 am to coordinate the entire process. It comprises 2 senior officials from MEA, 2 joint secretaries from the health ministry, chief commissioner of customs, an economic advisor from the ministry of civil aviation, a technical advisor from the directorate general of health services, secretary-general of Indian red cross, and a representative from HLL Lifecare Limited which is an Indian govt owned healthcare manufacturing company.

The cell was set up on 26th April and on 28th April the process of delineation started.

India is receiving assistance from countries, NRI bodies, and the international private sector with the Indian red cross society being the single consignee for all the consignments coming from abroad. HLL is a customs clearing agent and the transported, which is assisted by the national disaster response force. The assistance is allocated on basis of accessibility and immediate use of resources to hospitals and states are given on basis of current active cases. In fact, a priority list of state and union territory is prepared.

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New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir administration extended the corona curfew for a week in all 20 districts of the UT in view of the worrisome surge in COVID-19 cases.

The curfew will now last till 7 am on May 17. Corona Curfew imposed in all 20 districts of J&K till 7 am on Monday, 10/5/21 is extended further by 7 days till 7 am on Monday, 17/5/21. The curfew will be strict except for a few essential services, the administration said in a tweet on DIPR handle.

Further, the number of people allowed in marriages has been reduced to 25 with immediate effect. While essential and emergency services have been exempted from the restrictions.

Police and paramilitary forces have put checkpoints on roads in all districts of the UT to curb the unnecessary movement of people.

Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing around 5 thousand new COVID-19 cases for the last three days while 60 more people succumbed to the deadly infection.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 22:57:34|Editor: huaxia

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New Delhi: India recorded over 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day, data by the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

There were 4,03,738 new infections and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 2.22 crore, while the death toll has climbed to 2.42 lakh.

The country, going through the second wave of coronavirus, now has 37,36,648 active cases. India has also witnessed over 1.83 crore recoveries so far.

Between Friday and Saturday morning, the Centre had recorded 4,01,078 new cases and 4,187 coronavirus-related fatalities, while the country saw over 4.14 lakh infections and 3,915 deaths between Thursday and Friday morning.

Twelve states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan account for over 80 per cent of India's total active cases.

On a good note, 180 districts have shown no fresh cases in the last 7 days, 18 districts in 14 days, 54 districts in 21 days and 32 districts in the last 28 days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stated on Saturday.

He also informed that the number of critical cases thus far includes 4,88,861 patients who required ICU beds, 1,70,841 patients who required ventilator support and 9,02,291 patients who were given oxygen support.

As of Saturday, 1.34% of the active caseload is in ICU, 0.39% of them are on ventilators and 3.70% of them are on oxygen support.

Earlier on Saturday, the Centre revised the national policy guidelines pertaining to admission of COVID-19 patients at COVID facilities.

As per the Union Government directive to all States and UTs, hospitals under the Central Government, State governments and Union Territory administration including private hospitals (in states and UTs) managing COVID patients shall ensure the following:

1. Requirement of a positive test for the COVID-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a COVID health facility. A suspect case shall be admitted to the suspect ward of CCC, DCHC or DHC as the case may be.



2. No patient will be refused services on any count. This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city.



3. No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located.



4. Admissions to the hospital must be based on need. It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalization. Further, the discharge should be strictly in accordance with the revised discharge policy available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/ReviseddischargePolicyforCOVID19.pdf

Meanwhile, the IIT Kanpur scientists have predicted that after a peak in cases in the first week of May, the number of positive cases will begin to decrease by July. However, they also said that the country may face the third wave of COVID-19 infections in October. It was concluded after they conducted a mathematical study in different parts of the country on the COVID-19 situation.

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New Delhi: The Shiv Sena on Saturday (May 8) fired a fresh salvo at the Narendra Modi-led Centre for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and said it is clear that India is surviving on the system created by Nehru-Gandhi.

In its mouthpiece 'Saamana', Shiv Sena said that earlier countries like Pakistan, Rwanda and Congo used to get aid from others, but due to the wrong policies of todays rulers, India has to seek help from the rest of the world.

In clear terms, India is surviving on the system created by Nehru-Gandhi. Many poor countries are offering help to India. Earlier, countries like Pakistan, Rwanda and Congo used to get help from others. But due to the wrong policies of today's rulers, India is going through that situation now," PTI quoted Shiv Sena as saying.

"The UNICEF has expressed fear that there is a threat to the world from India due to the pace at which coronavirus is spreading in the country. It has also made an appeal that maximum number of countries should help India in the fight against COVID-19. Bangladesh has sent 10,000 Remdesivir vials, while Bhutan has sent medical oxygen. Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have also offered help to 'aatmanirbhar' India," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party added.

Further, hitting at PM Modi, Sena wrote in its editorial, The country is presently surviving thanks to the development works, projects set up by and the confidence given by the previous governments of Pandit Nehru, (Lal Bahadur) Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh," it said.

The prime minister will have to do a lot of hard work and think of non-political nationalism to help the country come out of the pandemic, the piece read.

The Shiv Sena also took potshots at the Central government for the construction of the multi-crore Central Vista project, which includes a new Parliament building and the house of the prime minister, amid the raging pandemic, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, PM Modi on Saturday called up Maharashtra CM Thackeray to take an overview of the COVID-19 situation there. He lauded the CMs efforts and observed that the state has put up a good fight during the ongoing second wave.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi: The suspense over the new Assam Chief Minister ended as Himanta Biswa Sarma has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

The announcement was made by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar during the BJP Legislative Party meeting at the Assam Legislative Assembly.

Himanta Biswa Sarma will serve as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam.

The Jalukbari MLA retained his seat in the Assam assembly election 2021 by defeating his former party Indian National Congress' Romen Chanda Borthakur by 1,01,911 seats.

The development came hours after Sarbananda Sonowal tendered his resignation to Governor Jagdish Chandra Mukhi.

"With the blessings of the people, tendered my resignation as the Chief Minister of Assam to the Hon`ble Governor Shri @jagdishmukhi ji in Raj Bhavan, Guwahati," Sonowal tweeted.

With the blessings of the people, tendered my resignation as the Chief Minister of Assam to the Hon'ble Governor Shri @jagdishmukhi ji in Raj Bhavan, Guwahati. pic.twitter.com/t4cu5jsfjQ  Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) May 9, 2021

Party National Organising Secretary BL Santosh, Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda were also present in the meeting with the newly-elected BJP MLAs of the state.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a comfortable majority in Assam and won 75 seats of the total 126 constituencies. While the saffron party took 60 seats, about 33 per cent, its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People`s Party, Liberal (UPPL) bagged nine and six seats respectively.

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Hyderabad: To reduce the burden on medical and health department staff, who are working as the frontline warriors in the midst of the second wave of COVID-19 surge in the state, the Telangana government is inviting applications from the 50,000-odd medical students who have completed the MBBS and are qualified.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao held a high-level review meeting on Sunday at Pragathi Bhavan on the prevailing Covid situation in the state.

The chief minister, who holds the Health portfolio, has also instructed the medical and health officers to appoint for the period of two to three months, doctors, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists and other para-medical staff immediately and utilise their services in Covid19 treatment. He said these temporary employees should be paid respectable salaries and since there are extending their valuable services for the state their services should be suitably recognised. In future they should be given weightage marks when they are appointed for government jobs, he added.

Those interested could apply online by logging into: https://odls.telangana.gov.in/medicalrecruitment/Home.aspx

The state government has also decided to start super speciality hospitals at Warangal and Adilabad immediately and appoint medical and health staff there. The 250-bed super-speciality hospital of the MGM at Kakatiya Medical College premises, Warangal, and the 250-Bed Super speciality hospital at RIMS, Adilabad, will be soon operational.



The state finance department has been instructed to release immediately ums of Rs 28 Crore under PMSSY to super speciality hospital at the MGM, Warangal, and Rs 20 Crore to super speciality hospitals at RIMS in Adilabad. The concerned officials are also instructed to immediately take measures to appoint 363 staff at the super speciality hospital in Warangal and 366 staff at the super speciality hospital at RIMS, Adilabad.

During the review meeting, availability of Oxygen, beds, Remdesivir injections and other facilities were also discussed. The Medical and health officials informed that there is no shortage of Oxygen supply and there is the availability of Remdesivir injections and other required medicines in the state.

As of now, the officials informed that 7393 beds are available in the government hospitals along with 2470 Oxygen beds and 600 ventilators beds. Also, the chief minister directed the concerned officials to ensure a good supply of Remdesivir injections at the private hospitals also.

The CM also spoke with Union medical and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and briefed him about the measures taken by the state government.

The CM also suggested that the fast spreaders of the virus should be identified and they be administered the vaccine first. He said vaccine guidelines should be relaxed for cab drivers, auto drivers, conductors, personnel supplying the LPG gas cylinders, and those workers who go to places to do their daily jobs should be brought under a special category and be vaccinated. The centre should extend this facility to the states to help curtail the major spread of the virus.

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Lucknow: In the view of rising COVID-19 infections in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday (May 9, 2021) decided to extend the partial corona curfew in the state till May 17.

Earlier, the UP authorities had imposed a partial curfew in the state on April 29, which was later extended till 7 am on May 10.

Partial 'corona curfew' imposed in Uttar Pradesh extended till May 17: ACS Information Navneet Sehgal (file pic) pic.twitter.com/secgULoiUL  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 9, 2021

The authorities also revealed that this phase of 'corona curfew' will witness the same set of guideline, which were in place during the earlier phases. Under the previous guideline essential and emergency services including medicine shops, vegetable and grocery shops will be allowed to function as usual.

All the other commercial shops and establishments will remain closed till UP till further notice.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (May 8, 2021) had said that a massive COVID-19 vaccination drive will be initiated in the state for 18-44 years age group from May 10. UP CM also added that over 45 lakh vaccines have been administered to people.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court, on 27 April, had urged the Yogi-led government to consider imposing a lockdown for two weeks to contain the surge in coronavirus infections.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh recorded over 26,847 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the states infection count to 14,80,315. The state also recorded 298 deaths, taking the total death toll to 15,170.

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Kolkata: 43 MLAs of Trinamool Congress (TMC) will take the oath as ministers in Mamata Banerjee's Cabinet in West Bengal on Monday (May 10).

The swearing-in ceremony of ministers in West Bengal will be held tomorrow and the list of the Cabinet of Ministers has already been released.

A host of party leaders like Aroop Biswas, Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee and Arup Roy have been added to the list. Out of the 43, 24 will be Cabinet ministers and 19 will be Ministers of state.

The West Bengal Cabinet has 44 berths which means each minister will have a single portfolio allocated to him/her, including CM Mamata Banerjee.

TMC leader Biman Banerjee was elected as Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly for the third consecutive time today (May 9).

West Bengal witnessed a fierce contest between the ruling TMC and BJP across eight phases of the Assembly elections.

The TMC won 213 seats in the just concluded state assembly elections. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, garnered 77 seats in the 294-seat state assembly.

Meanwhile, before the new Mamata Banerjee cabinet takes oath, the Bengal Governor claimed that CBI had sought sanction from him to prosecute four former Bengal ministers & TMC leaders - Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra & Sovan Chatterjee which has been duly accorded.

The Bengal Governor in his statement mentions that premise of the sanction as indicated is that these persons at the relevant point of time of commission of crime were holding the position of ministers in Bengal govt.

Sources in CBI said that the sanction was sought from Governor in January, but he accorded the same three days back.

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New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) Digital lender Fincare Small Finance Bank has filed preliminary papers with capital market regulator Sebi to raise Rs 1,330 crore through an initial share-sale.

The initial public offer (IPO) comprises fresh issue of equity share of the bank worth Rs 330 crore and an offer for sale aggregating up to Rs 1,000 crore by promoter Fincare Business Services Limited, according to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP).

This offer includes a reservation for subscription by employees.

The bank would utilise net proceeds from the fresh issue towards augmenting its Tier-1 capital base to meet future capital requirements. Further, a small portion of the proceeds will be used towards meeting the expenses in relation to the offer.

Under the terms of the RBI final approval and the small finance bank (SFB) licensing guidelines, the lender is required to list its equity shares on the stock exchanges within a period of three years from reaching a net worth of Rs 500 crore.

The Bengaluru-based MFI-turned small finance bank started operations in July 2017. Before converting into a small finance bank, Fincare Small Finance Bank largely conducted business from two entities - Disha Microfin focused on the western region and the south-focused Future Financial Services.

On May 3, Motilal Oswal Private Equity (PE) announced that it has picked up a minority stake in Fincare Small Finance Bank through a secondary acquisition worth around Rs 185 crore (USD 25 million).

The investment was through India Business Excellence Fund-III, a fund managed and advised by Motilal PE.

ICICI Securities, Axis Capital, IIFL Securities, SBI Capital Markets and Ambit Private Limited have been appointed as merchant bankers to advise the SFB on the IPO.

The equity shares of the lender will be listed on BSE and NSE.
New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) Continuing their buying spree for the second straight month, mutual funds invested Rs 5,526 crore in stocks in April with fund managers sensing opportunities after some consolidation in the market.

Investment by mutual funds (MFs) in equities will continue in coming months seeing the increase in user growths as multiple fintech players are entering into this space, Kaushlendra Singh Sengar, founder and CEO at INVEST19, said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, is also of the view that this bullish stance to continue as valuations moderate somewhat post FY21 earnings and the consolidation provides investors with an opportunity to accumulate equities.

Another factor driving this stance is the softening of bond yields from March onwards, forcing investors to flock to equities in search of higher returns, he added.

According to Sebi data, MFs put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March.

This was the first such fund infusion by MFs in 10 months.

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed.

"We have witnessed 15.8 per cent monthly investment growth by mutual funds into equities last month as volatile stock market pushed investors to invest via equity mutual funds to reduce risk," Sengar said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, said mutual fund flows are generally a reflection of investor flows in the respective mutual fund schemes.

Domestic investors had been taking out money from equity mutual fund schemes since July 2020 and March 2021 was the first month when the trend changed.

In addition, spike in SIP flows was witnessed in March rising to Rs 9,182 crore from Rs 7,528 crore in the preceding month. Hence, the positive flow by mutual funds in equities was witnessed in March, he said.

Though the data is not yet out, but this trend of net inflow in equity mutual fund schemes seems to have continued in April 2021 too, leading to positive flows by mutual fund, he added.

"The month of April witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases that lead to some minor corrections in the markets, however this was followed by quick recoveries as well. Mutual funds used this fall in the market to buy new stocks resulting in increased inflow in the equities even in the month of April-2021," Gautam Kalia, Head - Investment Solutions, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, said.

Furthermore, there have been positive flows in mutual funds schemes in March and April that provided fund managers with additional liquidity to manage, he added.

Month-wise, MFs withdrew Rs 16,306 crore from equities in February, 13,032 crore in January, Rs 26,428 crore in December, Rs 30,760 crore in November, Rs 14,492 crore in October, Rs 4,134 crore in September, Rs 9,213 crore in August, Rs 9,195 crore in July and Rs 612 crore in June.

These outflows were mainly due to profit-booking by investors amid rally in stock markets.

However, MFs had invested over Rs 40,200 crore in the first five months (January-May) of 2020. Of this, Rs 30,285 crore was invested in March 2020.

The latest investment by mutual funds could be attributed to positive flows in previous month and some consolidation in markets continues to give opportunities to fund managers to invest, Harshad Chetanwala, co-founder of Mywealthgrowth.Com, said.

"If the fears of Covid increases among global investors, one could see more outflows on FPIs side, this can result in some more volatility. Investors may like to use this volatility or consolidation as an opportunity to invest in future as well," he added.

According to Rahul Shah, co-head of research at EquityMaster, the key job for any fund manager, at least in the medium term, is to strike the right balance between aggression and conservatism.

There are times when he should be more aggressive and there are times when more conservatism is called for.

"The behaviour of the funds in the last one year has baffled me somewhat. They were withdrawing money from equities when it was time to turn aggressive. And now when the situation calls for conservatism, they are directing funds into equities," Shah said

"I just hope there isn't more withdrawal if and when there is a correction in the market," he added.

On the other hand, mutual funds put in nearly Rs 21,600 crore in debt markets in the month under review.

However, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out net sum of Rs 9,659 crore from the Indian equity markets in April after investing Rs 10,482 crore in the preceding month.

They had invested Rs 25,787 crore in February and Rs 19,472 crore in January.

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New Delhi: The controversial actress Kangana Ranaut has once again taken the spotlight after she made headlines for having her Twitter account suspended on May 4. This time she took to Instagram to inform her fans that one of her recent Instagram post was deleted by the photo-sharing app and she suspects that if this continues, she probably won't last more than a week on the social media platform.

In her Instagram story, she wrote, "Instagram has deleted my post where I threatened to demolish COVID because some were hurt. Matlab terrorists and communists sympathisers suna tha twitter pe lekin COVID fan club. Awesome...It's been two days here on insta but don't think will last here more than a week."

Check out her post:

On May 8, Kangana had announced in an Instagram post that she had contracted COVID-19 and called it 'nothing but small-time flu'. However, the post is unavailable now.

Earlier, on Tuesday (May 4), Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's Twitter account was suspended by the social media platform over the actress violating its rules.

The action from Twitter came after the actress posted some tweets on the Bengal election and its subsequent violence.

In her tweets, the Manikarnika actress claimed that a genocide is happening in Bengal and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tame West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee using his "Virat Roop" from "early 2000s" in Bengal.

On the work front, Kangana Ranaut will be seen in Thalaivi - a biopic on the life of legendary actress turned politician J Jayalalithaa.
New Delhi: Bigg Boss 13 contestant Vikas Fhatak, who is commonly known as Hindustani bhau was arrested by police on Saturday (May 8).

The social media influencer had on Friday announced on his Twitter account that he would be protesting at Shivaji Park on Saturday noon, demanding the government to cancel all exams for students.

Hindustani bhau, to avoid getting checked and stopped amidst lockdown, used an ambulance, which falls under the category of emergency service and is not stopped by the police to reach Shivaji Park for his solo protest.

The media recorded Vikas' antics before the police came in to arrest him.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Pranaya Ashok, DCP zone 5 said, Yes. Its a gross publicity stunt with misuse of a vital medical facility.

He further added, He has been arrested and an FIR registered.

Controversial Hindustani bhau has been charged under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) of the IPC and 51 (B) (refuses to comply with directions government) of Disaster Management Act read with section 11 (violating provisions of the regulations) of Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations, 2020.

Earlier, Hindustani bhau YouTube account was suspended for its hateful and defamatory content.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 23:03:24|Editor: huaxia

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Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds arrive to vote for the local elections at a polling station in London, Britain, May 6, 2021. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

"COVID paused elections in the UK, but it clearly did not alter recent electoral trends that have been apparent since Brexit," said Dr. Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool. "As elsewhere, voters have largely remained loyal to those who have governed during the pandemic. As a result, Johnson's Conservatives have done very well in England, making further inroads into traditional Labour territory."

LONDON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As counting of votes in city halls and town halls across Britain continued into this weekend, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party was given plenty of reasons to celebrate while the local elections led to a string of crucial losses for Britain's main opposition Labour Party.

The Conservatives won a parliamentary by-election in the north England constituency of Hartlepool, taking the seat from Labour for the first time since 1974 when the constituency was created.

Adding pains to Keir Starmer's Labour Party, its losses in local elections continued to mount as vote results were announced one after another.

Dr. Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that Britain's governing Conservatives have an obvious path to tightening their grip on power.

"The government's highly successful vaccination program, alongside the Conservatives' pragmatic acceptance of the need for large-scale state intervention in the economy, make Labour's current task all the more difficult," he said.

"COVID paused elections in the UK, but it clearly did not alter recent electoral trends that have been apparent since Brexit," he said. "As elsewhere, voters have largely remained loyal to those who have governed during the pandemic. As a result, Johnson's Conservatives have done very well in England, making further inroads into traditional Labour territory."

Britain's Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer walk to a polling station to vote in local elections in London, Britain, May 6, 2021. (Photo by David Cliff/Xinhua)

"The big role of devolved governments in managing COVID has helped Labour to retain its dominance in Wales. The same is true of the SNP (Scottish National Party) in Scotland," he added, referring to the largest political party in Scotland.

Johnson responded to the party's successes, saying he would embark on a massive project of leveling up the country.

Meanwhile, Labour's shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said there will be a review of the party's policies in a bid to reconnect with voters.

He said in places like Hartlepool and its traditional heartlands people do not now see Labour as answering their concerns.

Thomas-Symonds added: "That's now what we have to reflect on and why we have to change."

Wilks-Heeg told Xinhua: "The Labour Party is not short of internal debate about what it should do now to win back its former heartlands."

"But those debates are backward-looking. If Labour wants to defeat the Conservatives at the next general election, it needs to be clear about whether it can realistically win back its former northern strongholds or whether it needs to build new electoral support elsewhere, such as in the London commuter-belt."

"What should perhaps worry Starmer more about the results in England is the loss of large numbers of council seats across traditionally Labour-voting areas in the East and West Midlands as well as parts of the North East and North West," he said. "Labour continues to dominate in the big cities and given plenty of reasons to celebrate, where its supporters are concentrated, but success in these areas alone provides no route to a future parliamentary majority."

"And Labour losses to the Greens, notably in Sheffield, show that it cannot take its metropolitan supporters for granted either," he said.

People leave a polling station at Chelsea Town Hall in London, Britain, on May 6, 2021. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

During Thursday's elections, more than 5,000 seats were up for grabs in city hall and town hall elections, with the mayor of London and 12 provincial mayors along with police and crime commissioners also being elected.

Meanwhile, people in Scotland and Wales will also decide the shape of their devolved parliaments.

The blot on the electoral horizon for Johnson came in Scotland where Nicola Sturgeon's pro-independence SNP made three gains on the first day of vote counting, with both the Conservatives and Labour losing seats in the Scottish Parliament.

With counting continuing over the weekend, the results indicate the SNP will stay in power at Holyrood for a fourth term, with Saturday determining whether it will be with a sought-after overall majority.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper in London cited Johnson as saying he has made it clear he would reject calls for a second Scottish independence referendum.

Johnson said: "I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless."

The newspaper said Johnson's comments set up a political battle over the future of Britain that will loom large for the rest of the year.

Professor Jon Tonge from the Department of Politics at the University of Liverpool told Xinhua: "Boris Johnson had a wonderful election result in England, where he dominates much of what he surveys."

"Yet this was a vaccine rollout election so it would be premature to draw too many conclusions," he said. "Johnson appears again -- as he often does -- a vote winner, but his Scottish problem remains as acute as ever, given that the SNP and Greens provide a solid pro-independence bloc in the Scottish Parliament."

A woman walks dogs past a polling station at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, Britain, May 6, 2021. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)
New Delhi: Bigg Boss 14 fame Nikki Tamboli, who lost her 29-year-old brother Jatin on May 4, took to Instagram to slam trolls who shamed her for enjoying life just days after her brothers demise.

Taking to her Instagram stories on Saturday (May 8), the actress wrote she too deserves happiness in her life and her family also wants that for her.

Some stupid people are msging me and commenting on my pictures that my brother has just passed away few days back don't you feel shame you are enjoying so let me tell you idiots that I also have my life, I also deserve to be happy if not for myself for my brother as he loves when I stay happy and these people who have no work but only have time to comment and spread negativity I would request you to go and achieve your dreams it will make you and your parents and your loved ones happy too, read Nikkis note.

Nikki is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, shooting for adventure reality show Khatron ke Khiladi. The actress has been posting Instagram stories from South Africa.

Earlier, the actress also posted a long note on how her family is most important to her and that despite her personal loss, she will be participating in Khatron ke khiladi as it is something that her brother really wanted for her.

Nikki wrote in her post, my family comes always first but my family my parents my dad always told me to go live your dreams go achieve it because trust me your brother will be the most happiest watching you fulfill your dreams. I remember before my brother was admitted in hospital we had discussed khatron Ke khiladi & he was very excited and happy about it. I am choosing khatron ke khiladi because of my work commitment and I have always been loyal to my work because it has given me everything.

The actress ended her note with, I am fighting my pain to see my brother happy and he will be my shield forever.

Nikkis brother Jatin was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was also infected by tuberculosis and pneumonia.
New Delhi: A day after popular TV star Shweta Tewari left for Cape Town to participate in 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 11', her estranged husband Abhinav Kohli has accused her over Instagram of 'abandoning' their son, Reyansh. The actor has also claimed that she did not inform him about their sons whereabouts. Kohli had posted two videos sharing that he did not give his consent to Shweta to travel abroad in the second wave of COVID-19.

Now, Shweta has rubbished all the claims made by her husband and shared to an online portal that she had informed Kohli before jetting off for Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 that Reyansh is safe with her family.

In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, Shweta lambasted at Abhinav Kohli and shared, I had informed Abhinav Kohli over a phone call that I am going to Cape Town and that Reyansh is safe with my family. My mother, my relatives, and Palak are there to take care of him. Plus, I will always be on video calls with Reyansh in between my shoot. I had informed Abhinav Kohli of everything and I was surprised yet again to see the video he posted. I really dont understand the agenda behind it, given that he speaks to Reyansh in the evening over call for about one hour, every day, without fail as per the High Courts order."

She also cleared the air for not sharing the address with him as she believed that Kohli might create problems for her family in Shwetas absence.

Shweta also shared that she wanted to take their son along with her to Cape Town so that she can ensure his maximum safety and the channel has also agreed to bear all the expenses of her son and nanny and she had to only pay for her mother but Abhinav did not give his consent to it.

"I was ready to make them all travel with me to ensure maximum safety. However, Abhinav Kohli did not give me the consent which is required. He did not want Reyansh to be with me, whereas all I wanted was to keep my son close so he could be safer in my proximity," she stated.

Shweta has also accused Abhinav of not contributing a single penny to the growth of the kids. She added, "I fail to understand his claims of me abandoning my child when he is very well aware of the safety measures taken. I am a single parent, I need to do the work to run my family. My kids well-being is my priority, and I have to fend for them and my family. For someone who is not contributing a single penny to the growth of kids, how easy is it to pull down someone who is trying to balance all their duties."

Shweta and Abhinav tied the knot in 2013 but are separated.


Technology giant Apple has recently unveiled iPad Pro tablets at its Spring Event in India and now speculations are being made that iPad Mini is scheduled to launch later this year.

According to a South Korean blog Naver, the new iPad Mini will come up with a similar design as that of other iPad Pro models which basically boils down to squared-off sides instead of rounded corners, and a slimmer bezel.

The blog further revealed that Apple has been eyeing 5G for quite some time and the upcoming iPad Mini will have 5G and is expected to come in two colors - Silver and Gray.

Even analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also predicted that Apple will unveil a new iPad Mini which is scheduled to launch later this year.

Earlier, he revealed that Apple is going to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2023.

Kuo had said that the new iPad Minis launch will coincide with that of the highly-rumored iPhone 13 series, which is also expected to launch later this year.

In terms of specifications, iPad Mini may come with a 9-inch display and it will have a 120 Hz display which will also be a part of the iPhone 13 series and foldable iPhone.

There are very few chances of the iPad mini getting a mini-LED screen as it will be a smaller and inexpensive Apple tablet.

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The days of free cloud storage on Google Photos are going to end from June 1, as the tech giant has already announced its plans to charge users for its storage service.

Google Photos is currently offering unlimited storage to all its users, so that they can save all their memories on the cloud. However, from June 1, users will only get 15GB of cloud storage for free, meaning that theyll now have to pay for using Google Photos beyond the cap.

Google Photos charges

Google will charge $1.99 (Rs 146 at current rates) per month to store new photos in cloud storage if you exhaust the 15GB free limit, as part of its Google one subscription. You can also buy the annual subscription at $19.99 per year (Rs 1464 at current rates).

The charges are applicable to only new photos and videos, which means that all your old photos and videos stored in your account are safe. The 15GB cap will be on all the media content that youll store from June 1 onwards.

Google announced in November 2020 that the company is no longer going to provide unlimited free storage for "high quality" photos on Google Photos from June 1, 2021.

My Pixel, my rules

Google Pixel 2 or later owners are likely to continue to enjoy the unlimited free "high quality" photo backups on Google Photos. Pixel 2, 3, 4 and 5 owners are likely to get the benefits of the free photo storage offering.
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Top US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has shut its entire network, the source of nearly half of the U.S. East Coast`s fuel supply, after a cyber attack that the company said was caused by ransomware.

The incident is one of the most disruptive digital ransom operations ever reported and has drawn attention to how critical U.S. energy infrastructure is vulnerable to hackers. The shutdown has raised fears of a price spike at gasoline pumps ahead of peak summer driving season if it persists.

Colonial transports 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products through 5,500 miles (8,850 km) of pipelines linking refiners on the Gulf Coast to the eastern and southern United States.

Colonial said it shut down systems to contain the threat after learning of the attack on Friday. That action also temporarily halted operations and affected some of its IT systems, the company said.

While the U.S. government investigation is in early stages, one former official and two industry sources said the hackers are likely a professional cybercriminal group. The former official said investigators are looking at a group dubbed "DarkSide," known for deploying ransomware and extorting victims while avoiding targets in post-Soviet states.

Colonial said the incident involved the use of ransomware, a type of malware designed to lock down systems by encrypting data and demanding payment to regain access.

Colonial has engaged a cybersecurity firm to launch an investigation and contacted law enforcement and federal agencies, it said.

Cybersecurity company FireEye has been brought in to respond to the attack, the cybersecurity industry sources said. FireEye declined to comment.

U.S. government bodies said they were aware of the situation. The Department of Energy said it was monitoring potential impacts to the nation`s energy supply, while both the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Transportation Security Administration told Reuters they were working on the situation.

"We are engaged with the company and our interagency partners regarding the situation. This underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector," said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director of the cybersecurity division at CISA.

Colonial did not give further details or say how long its pipelines would be shut. The privately held, Georgia-based company is owned by CDPQ Colonial Partners L.P., IFM (US) Colonial Pipeline 2 LLC, KKR-Keats Pipeline Investors L.P., Koch Capital Investments Company LLC and Shell Midstream Operating LLC.

"Cybersecurity vulnerabilities have become a systemic issue," said Algirde Pipikaite, cyber strategy lead at the World Economic Forum`s Centre for Cybersecurity.

"Unless cybersecurity measures are embedded in a technology`s development phase, we are likely to see more frequent attacks on industrial systems like oil and gas pipelines or water treatment plants," Pipikaite added.

After the shutdown was first reported on Friday, gasoline futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 0.6% while diesel futures rose 1.1%, both outpacing gains in crude oil. Gulf Coast cash prices for gasoline and diesel edged lower on prospects that supplies could accumulate in the region.

"As every day goes by, it becomes a greater and greater impact on Gulf Coast oil refining," said Andrew Lipow, president of consultancy Lipow Oil Associates. "Refiners would have to react by reducing crude processing because they`ve lost part of the distribution system."

If the system is shut for four or five days, the market could see sporadic outages at fuel terminals that depend on the pipeline for deliveries, he said.

Gulf Coast prices could weaken further, while prices in New York Harbor could rise, one market participant said - gains that could portend increases at the Northeast pumps.

"This is a big deal, and if manual overrides or backups aren`t available, the mitigation of this incident may take more time than we`d like," said Chris Bronk, an associate professor of computer information systems at the University of Houston and a former senior advisor to the U.S. State Department.

The American Petroleum Institute, a top oil industry trade group, and the American Automobile Association both said they were monitoring the situation.

Oil company Exxon Mobil Corp said its Gulf Coast plants were operating normally, and a Royal Dutch Shell PLC spokesman declined to comment. Phillips 66, which operates refineries on the Gulf Coast, said it was monitoring developments.

Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska and a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the cyberattack was a warning of things to come.

"This is a play that will be run again, and we`re not adequately prepared," he said, adding lawmakers should pass an infrastructure plan that hardens sectors against these attacks.

Colonial had previously shut down its gasoline and distillate lines during Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast in 2017. That contributed to tight supplies and gasoline price rises in the United States after the hurricane forced many Gulf refineries to shut down.

East Coast gasoline cash prices rose to the highest since 2012 during Hurricane Harvey and have not gone higher since, while diesel prices rose to a more than two-year high, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited his home constituency, Gorakhpur on Sunday (May 9). He recently recovered from coronavirus infection and held a review meeting with the district administration and also inspected the Integrated Command and Control Centre. These Control centres instructed the officers to inspect the arrangements being made for the patients affected by the COVID crisis in the district.

In a recent development, international aviation giant Boeing will build a 250-bed ICU hospital in the state. It is also important that the Boeing company got inspired by the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and is going to build a 250-bed ICU hospital in Gorakhpur. CM Yogi Adityanath inspected the construction site of the ICU hospital proposed by the Boeing Company on Sunday.

This is a big step towards the expansion of medical facilities in the state by the state government in collaboration with various corporate and multi-national companies along with government resources.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit AIIMS on Monday (May 10). He will hold a review meeting during his visit and simultaneously, conduct a physical inspection of the AIIMS, Gorakhpur. He will leave for Ayodhya after inspections in the wake of the COVID surge. CM Yogi Adityantah will inspect medical facilities in Ayodhya.

Apart from this, under the strategy of the campaign 'track, test and treat in the villages' will also be inspected on occasion.

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New Delhi: The Uttarakhand government on Sunday decided to impose a week-long 'COVID Curfew' which will remain in force between 6 am on May 11 and 6 am on May 18.

State Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal made the announcement and said that only essential services will be allowed during this period, as reported by news agency ANI.

Further, Uniyal said interstate travelers will now have to produce negative RT-PCR result not older than 72 hours and will have to register themselves on the Dehradun administration's portal. "People of Uttarakhand coming from outside will have to undergo seven-day isolation," he said.

During this 'COVID curfew', only essential services will be allowed while all non-essential establishments, including shopping malls, markets, gyms, hair salons, spas, restaurants and bars will remain closed.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions, along with religious places of worship, will also remain closed during this week-long 'COVID curfew' in the state.

Uttarakhand had earlier extended the curfew in three districts which had reported the most cases that is  Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar till May 10. The curfew was imposed in the last week of April.

The order asked the DMs of the remaining 10 districts to assess the situation in their areas and impose a curfew till 5 am on 10 May, if required.

Meanwhile, the state reported 5,890 new COVID-19 cases and 180 deaths on Sunday.
New Delhi: Amid the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, India has been receiving help in the form of medical aids from countries across the globe.

Numerous countries including US, Germany, UK, Taiwan and others have sent numerous medical aid to help India combat COVID-19.

Israel has sent over a couple of consignment of medical aid, including three large oxygen generator plants, to India to deal with the recent surge in coronavirus cases.

In an unique development, the citizens of Israel showed their solidarity with India by chanting 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra in the centre of the city.

Hundreds of people in Israel gathered and chanted the 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra and prayed to God Shiva to help India in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The motive behind people chanting the 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra was to spread positivity in the atmosphere. The music along with the mantra is giving a boost to the positive vibe in the surrounding.

People of Israel organised the event to pray for patients' speedy recovery and extended their emotional support to the worst COVID-19 hit country.

See the video of people using spiritualism to support India in this challenging situation:

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Kolkata: The Governor of West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday sanctioned the prosecution of four leaders of the Trinamool Congress  all of them ministers during the time of the alleged commission of a crime that came to light in the purported Narada sting tapes.

As per a Raj Bhavan official the decision to accord the sanctions against of Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee was taken after a request was filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"Honourable governor is the competent authority to accord sanction in terms of law as he happens to be the appointing authority for such ministers in terms of Article 164 of the Constitution," a statement issued by the officer of Raj Bhavan read.

The statement said that the sanction for prosecution of the four leaders was accorded by Dhankhar "after the CBI had made a request and made available entire documentation relevant to the case to the honourable governor and he invoked his powers under Article 163 and 164 of the Constitution, being the competent authority to accord such sanction".

The Narada sting tapes which was made public before the West Bengal 2016 assembly elections claimed to have been shot in 2014. In the video ministers, MPs and MLAs were allegedly seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of promised favours.

The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the sting operation in March, 2017.

The four ministers were a part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cabinet when the tapes were allegedly made in 2014.

Notably, 43 MLAs of TMC will take oath as ministers in Mamata's Cabinet in West Bengal on Monday. The swearing-in ceremony of ministers in West Bengal will be held tomorrow and the list of the Cabinet of Ministers has already been released.
Kabul: The death toll from an explosion outside a school in Afghanistan`s capital Kabul has risen to 58, Afghan officials said on Sunday, with doctors struggling to provide medical care to at least 150 injured.

The bombing on Saturday evening shook the city`s Shi`ite Muslim neighbourhood of Dasht-e-Barchi. The community, a religious minority in Afghanistan, has been targeted in the past by Islamic State militants, a Sunni militant group.

An eyewitness told Reuters all but seven or eight of the victims were schoolgirls going home after finishing studies.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday blamed the attack on Taliban insurgents but a spokesman for the Taliban denied involvement, saying the group condemns any attacks on Afghan civilians.

Families of the victims blamed the Afghan government and Western powers for failing to put an end to violence and the ongoing war.

Bodies were still being collected from morgues as the first burials were conducted in the west of the city. Some families were still searching for missing relatives on Sunday, gathering outside hospitals to read names posted on the walls, and checking morgues.

"The entire night we carried bodies of young girls and boys to a graveyard and prayed for everyone wounded in the attack," said Mohammed Reza Ali, who has been helping families of the victims at a private hospital.

"Why not just kill all of us to put an end to this war?" he said.

The violence comes a week after remaining U.S. and NATO troops began exiting Afghanistan, with a mission to complete the drawdown by September 11, which will mark the end of America`s longest war.

But the foreign troop withdrawal has led a surge in fighting between Afghan security forces and Taliban insurgents with both sides trying to retain control over strategic centres.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 00:13:32|Editor: huaxia

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A young Guqin maker in Lankao County in Henan, China met his love thanks to the traditional Chinese instrument. The couple are now embracing better lives, also due to the plucked string instrument.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Dhaka: Bangladesh has detected its first case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, the country`s health directorate said on Saturday (May 8), prompting the government to keep its border sealed for another two weeks.

Six cases of the Indian variant had been detected in Bangladesh, Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the health directorate, told reporters.

Two cases are confirmed to be of the Indian variant, and the others are quite close to it," Sultana said, adding that they all recently returned from neighbouring India and were in isolation.

The Indian variant is highly contagious and people must be cautious and strictly follow health guidelines such as wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing and washing hands," she said.

The variant, named B.1.617, has reached at least 17 countries, from Britain and Iran to Switzerland, sparking global concern.

The World Health Organization has described it as a "variant of interest", suggesting it may have mutations that would make the virus more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity.

India, battling a devastating second wave of the coronavirus that has overwhelmed hospitals, morgues and crematoriums, on Saturday (May 8) reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll.

Late in April, Bangladesh sealed its border with India for 14 days, though trade continues.

The government on Saturday decided to extend the border closure for another 14 days after the variant was detected, a foreign ministry official said.

Air travel has been suspended since April 14, when Bangladesh imposed a strict lockdown for a week. Since then, a loose lockdown has been in place to May 16.

Bangladesh`s second wave peaked around a month ago. Since then, daily infections have been declining, with 1,285 new cases reported on Saturday (May 8) as well as 45 fatalities. Total cases stand at 772,127, with 11,878 deaths.

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Jerusalem: Israel "firmly rejects" pressure not to build in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (May 9) following days of unrest and spreading international condemnation of planned evictions of Palestinians from homes in the city claimed by Jewish settlers.

Tensions over Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem have stoked daily confrontations. Washington said Saturday it was "deeply concerned" and wanted "authorities to approach the residents ... with compassion and respect".

East Jerusalem is among territories that Palestinians seek for a future state. US-sponsored statehood negotiations with Israel stalled in 2014. Israel deems of all Jerusalem it's capital - a status not recognised abroad.

"We firmly reject the pressure not to build in Jerusalem. To my regret, this pressure has been increasing of late," Netanyahu said during a televised address ahead of national commemorations of the Israeli capture of East Jerusalem in a 1967 war.

"I say also to the best of our friends: Jerusalem is Israel`s capital and just as every nation builds in its capital and builds up its capital, we also have the right to build in Jerusalem and to build up Jerusalem. That is what we have done and that is what we will continue to do," Netanyahu said.

East Jerusalem tensions have spilled over into clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians around Al-Aqsa, Islam`s third-holiest mosque, at the height of the Ramadan fast month.

On Saturday night, Islam`s holy night of Laylat al-Qadr, Palestinian youth threw stones, lit fires and tore down police barricades in the streets leading to the walled Old City gates as officers on horseback and in riot gear used stun grenades and water cannons to repel them.

Netanyahu said Israel allows freedom of worship but "we will not allow any extremist element to disturb the peace in Jerusalem ... We will not allow violent unrest."

Pope Francis called for an end to violence in Jerusalem, saying he was following events there with concern and inviting parties to seek solutions in order to respect the multicultural identity of the Holy City.

"Violence breeds violence, stop clashes," the pope told pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter`s Square in Rome on Sunday.

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Washington: Several experts have opined that China`s increasingly aggressive behaviour and US support during India's COVID-19 crisis will make the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) - a security alliance between India, the US, Japan and Australia - more robust.

Terry Wu for The Epoch Times writes that the growing threat from China would bind the geopolitical factor strongly in the long run and political factors drive the long-term regional outlook.

"Our (US-India) relationship is still very strong. If anything, the US support to India has made the partnership even stronger," said Major Randy Ready at the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), adding that the COVID-19 outbreak had no impact on security operations between the two nations.

Srikanth Kondapalli, professor in Chinese studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said that the second wave of the crisis will play a part in strengthening the Quad cooperation by highlighting the importance of the vaccine partnership that is the centrepiece of the dialogue, The Epoch Times reported.

"The future for the Quad is pretty bright," said Rahul Mishra, a senior lecturer at the University of Malaya, adding that the four countries are keen in strengthening and institutionalising the initiative, while European powers are also showing interest."

The Quad should be about how to maintain liberal democracy and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region," said Tosh Minohara, professor of US-Japan Relations and Diplomatic History at Kobe University.

The professor further said that the US will defend Taiwan as America`s world leadership is at stake and expressed hope of seeing a new US administration in 2025 that is more aggressive on China.

"The Indo-Pacific is the most consequential region for America`s future. It hosts our greatest security challenge, and it remains the priority theatre for the United States," said commander Admiral John C Aquilino at the new USINDOPACOM."

Although everybody calls it COVID-19, everybody knows that the virus originated from Wuhan," said Kondapalli.

Under the former President Donald Trump`s administration, ties between Washington and Beijing had deteriorated over issues such as human rights violations in Xinjiang, encroachment on the special status of Hong Kong, accusations of unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency concerning the pandemic and China`s military aggression around the world.

China`s actions in the East and South China Seas, its treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, overhauling of the Hong Kong political system are some of the factors that have infuriated many nations.

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Beijing: Remnants of China`s biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on Sunday (May 9, 2021), with the bulk of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the Earth`s atmosphere, according to Chinese state media, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit.

The coordinates given by state media, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office, put the point of impact in the ocean, west of the Maldives archipelago.

Debris from the Long March 5B has had some people looking warily skyward since shortly after it blasted off from China`s Hainan island on April 29, but the China Manned Space Engineering Office said most of the debris was burnt up in the atmosphere.

State media reported parts of the rocket re-entered the atmosphere at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time (0224 GMT) and landed at a location with the coordinates of longitude 72.47 degrees east and latitude 2.65 degrees north.

The U.S. Space command confirmed the re-entry of the rocket over the Arabian Peninsula, but said it was unknown if the debris impacted land or water.

"The exact location of the impact and the span of debris, both of which are unknown at this time, will not be released by U.S. Space Command," it said in a statement on its website.

The Long March was the second deployment of the 5B variant since its maiden flight in May 2020. Last year, pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings. No injuries were reported.

With most of the Earth`s surface covered by water, the odds of populated area on land being hit had been low, and the likelihood of injuries even lower, according to experts.

But uncertainty over the rocket`s orbital decay and China`s failure to issue stronger reassurances in the run-up to the re-entry fuelled anxiety.

During the rocket`s flight, Harvard-based astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told Reuters that the potential debris zone could have been as far north as New York, Madrid or Beijing, and as far south as southern Chile and Wellington, New Zealand.

Ever since large chunks of the NASA space station Skylab fell from orbit in July 1979 and landed in Australia, most countries have sought to avoid such uncontrolled re-entries through their spacecraft design, McDowell said.

"It makes the Chinese rocket designers look lazy that they didn`t address this," said McDowell, a member of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid published by the official People`s Daily, dismissed as "Western hype" concerns that the rocket is "out of control" and could cause damage.

"It is common practice across the world for upper stages of rockets to burn up while reentering the atmosphere," said Wang Wenbin, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry, at a regular media briefing on May 7.

"To my knowledge, the upper stage of this rocket has been deactivated, which means that most of its parts will burn up upon re-entry, making the likelihood of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities extremely low," Wang said at the time.

The rocket, which put into orbit an unmanned Tianhe module containing what will become living quarters for three crew on a permanent Chinese space station, is set to be followed by 10 more missions to complete the station by 2022.

Heavy-lift Long March 5 rockets have been key to China`s near-term space ambitions - from the delivery of modules and crew of the planned space station to launches of exploratory probes to the Moon and even Mars.

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Kabul: Explosions caused by a car bomb and mortars outside a school in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday (May 8) killed at least 55 people and wounded over 150, mostly female students, officials said, in an attack, President Ashraf Ghani blamed on Taliban insurgents.

A senior security official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that most of the casualties were students coming out of the Sayed ul Shuhada school, and many were badly wounded in hospital.

Footage on TV channel ToloNews showed chaotic scenes, with books and school bags strewn across a bloodstained road, and residents rushing to help victims.

"It was a car bomb blast that occurred in front of the school entrance," an eyewitness told Reuters, asking not to be named. He said all but seven or eight of the victims were schoolgirls going home after finishing their studies.

At the Sayed ul Shuhada high school, girls and boys study in three shifts, the second of which is for female students, Najiba Arian, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education, told Reuters. The wounded were mostly female students, she said.

A spokesman for the interior ministry, Tariq Arian, said the death toll was at least 30 with 52 injured.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS

At a nearby hospital, staff wheeled in injured students while dozens of distressed relatives searched for their sons and daughters, according to a Reuters witness.

"I do not know what country we are in ... We want peace and security," a grieving relative of one of the victims told Reuters.

Kabul has been on high alert since Washington announced plans last month to pull out all U.S. troops by Sept. 11, with Afghan officials saying the Taliban have stepped up attacks across the country following the announcement.

No group has claimed responsibility for Saturday`s (May 8) attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the group was involved and condemned the incident.

Although Ghani blamed the Taliban, Saturday`s (May 8) explosions were in a heavily Shiite Muslim neighbourhood that has faced brutal attacks by Islamic State militants over the years, including one on a maternity ward almost exactly a year ago.

Ghani said: "The Taliban, by escalating their illegitimate war and violence, have once again shown that they are not only reluctant to resolve the current crisis peacefully and fundamentally, but are complicating the situation."

`UNFORGIVABLE ATTACK`

Washington`s top diplomat in Afghanistan, Ross Wilson, condemned the attack in a post on Twitter: "With scores murdered, this unforgivable attack on children is an assault on Afghanistans future, which cannot stand."

The United States has also condemned the attack and called for an immediate end to the violence.

"The United States condemns the barbarous attack near a girls` school in Kabul, Afghanistan. We offer our condolences to the victims, many of whom were children, and their families. We call for an immediate end to violence and the senseless targeting of innocent civilians," said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price."We will continue to support and partner with the people of Afghanistan, who are determined to see to it that the gains of the past two decades are not erased," he added.

The Taliban and United States last year signed an agreement to end the 20-year war, which started with U.S. and allied forces invading Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States by al Qaeda, whose leader, Osama bin Laden, was being given shelter by the Taliban government.

Under the agreement, Washington was to pull out troops in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and for the group to start peace talks with the Afghan government. Talks began last year but have since stalled.

Taliban attacks on foreign forces have largely ceased, but they continue to target government forces. A number of journalists, activists and academics have also been killed in attacks blamed on the Taliban, who deny involvement.

Along with the US, UNICEF also condemned the horrific attack and Henrietta Fore, the Executive Director of the UN Children`s Fund, UNICEF said that children must never be the target of violence and that the UN agency continues to call on all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan to adhere to international human rights and humanitarian law.

Volkan Bozkir, the President of the General Assembly described the blast as "an abhorrent and cowardly attack".

Neighbouring Pakistan, which has considerable influence over the Taliban and is pushing them to restart peace talks and agree to a ceasefire, also condemned the attack.

Last month, Washington said it was pushing back the troop withdrawal deadline from May 1 to Sept. 11, which the Taliban warned could have consequences for the agreement.

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President Zurabishvili to discuss proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences with opposition bloc members

By Veronika Malinboym

Earlier yesterday, it was announced that President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili will be meeting members of the countrys opposition bloc in order to discuss the proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences. The president has already met several opposition politicians including one of the co-founders of the opposition Girchi party Iago Kvichia and representatives of the Citizens party, and she is going to hear the opinion of the other opposition parties on the matter, including Strategy Agmashenebelis leader Giorgi Vashadze and Salome Samadashvili.The proposed amendments aim at introducing stricter punishments for administrative offences, specifically petty hooliganism and disobedience to the law enforcement agents. Under the new bill, the fine for a repeated case of petty hooliganism will be increased from GEL500 to GEL1,500, and the maximum fine threshold will be increased from 1,000 to 2,000 GEL. Similarly, those, charged with failure to comply with the legal requirement of a police officer in the line of duty, will now be facing a fine of up to GEL4,500 (as opposed to the GEL4,000 maximum thresholds that were in place before), and the minimum fine for such an offence will be increased from GEL1000 to GEL2000.The proposed bill will be passed if the president signs it. Meanwhile, a number of opposition parties have urged the president to veto the bill. The criticism of the proposed amendments was also expressed in the official statement issued by the US Embassy in Georgia:We are deeply disappointed by the ruling partys rushed passage of amendments to Georgias Administrative Violations Code today. Expedited passage of these amendments was unnecessary and unhelpful. The lack of meaningful consultation with opposition parties, civil society, and other stakeholders raises questions about the purpose of the amendments.[ ] Georgia now has a broad-based multiparty Parliament, which is what voters chose. It is time for all parties, especially Georgian Dream, to work together in Parliament to address the priority issues of importance to the people of Georgia, the statement reads.In turn, some members of the Parliamentary majority stated that there is no reason to veto the proposed bill:There is no reason to veto the law in any way. Let's wait for further developments, but we think that the justification behind the proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences is enough to convince everyone that this law is based on the existing data, is a constitutional decision and serves no other purpose, member of the Parliamentary majority, MP Davit Matikashvili told journalists.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 00:48:04|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Arif Alvi Saturday promulgated an ordinance to allow the use of electronic voting machines in general elections as well as permission to Pakistani expatriates to cast their votes in the country's elections, a statement from the president's office said.

According to the statement, the president made an amendment in the Election Act of the country, making the Election Commission of Pakistan responsible for procurement of the electronic voting machines for use in the general elections.

In the ordinance, the president also allowed overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes in the general as well as by-elections of the country in the future.

"The commission shall with the technical assistance of the National Database and Registration Authority or any other authority and agency shall enable overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote during general elections in their country of residence," said the amended Election Act.

The cabinet approved the amendments in the ordinance for the voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and the use of electronic voting machines earlier this month.

Earlier, the law allowed extending voting rights, the use of electronic voting and biometric verification machines as a pilot project in by-elections, which would now be used for general elections in 2023. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 04:35:47|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Latvian President Egils Levits and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday signed a joint declaration on Ukraine's further integration with the European Union (EU), the Latvian president's spokeswoman Justine Deicmane informed.

In the declaration, Latvia pledged support to Ukraine on its path to EU membership as soon as it meets the qualification requirements for starting accession talks with the bloc. The two countries also commit to work together to help Ukraine integrate with the EU and carry out the planned reforms, which will enable Ukraine to apply for EU membership.

In the online meeting with Zelensky, Levits affirmed Latvia's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and said that Latvia is ready to share its reform management experience with Ukraine.

Levits voiced hope that Ukraine will complete all the necessary reforms and become a fully-fledged EU member in this decade.

The Latvian president also expressed understanding of Ukraine's aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well to strengthen European security.

Zelensky thanked Levits for Latvia's consistent support to Ukraine and for the commitment to help Ukraine's EU accession. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 04:47:09|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held talks on Saturday with President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi, also the current chairperson of the African Union, on the latest developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue.

During the meeting, Sisi noted "Egypt's appreciation of the Congolese president's relevant efforts and confidence in his ability to deal with the GERD issue," said the Egyptian presidency in a statement.

Egypt and its downstream neighbor Sudan raised concerns about Ethiopia's decision to unilaterally carry out a second filling of the GERD later this year, as it did last year, without reaching a prior tripartite legally binding agreement on the rules of filling and operating the dam.

Both downstream countries seek the formation of an international quartet of the African Union, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations to maximize chances of reaching the desired agreement, a proposal not welcomed by upstream Ethiopia.

"Egypt will not accept the undermining of its water security and thus it is necessary to reach the desired binding legal agreement that preserves Egypt's water rights and spares the region further tension and instability," the Egyptian president said during his talks with Tshisekedi.

For his part, the Congolese president affirmed his keenness to intensify coordination on this "sensitive issue" to help all parties achieve progress in the tripartite negotiations.

Tshisekedi praised the efforts by Egypt to reach a fair and balanced agreement that achieves the interests of the three states.

Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011. Egypt is concerned that it might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile water, while Sudan raises similar concerns over the 4-billion-U.S.-dollar dam.

Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating the giant hydropower dam, with a total capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, have been fruitless, including those hosted earlier by Washington and the recent ones sponsored by the African Union. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 05:24:18|Editor: huaxia

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Scotland's First Minister and the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon gives a speech at the SNP annual conference 2019 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain on Oct. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

LONDON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon on Saturday pledged to push for a second independence referendum as her party secured "historic and extraordinary" fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish parliamentary election.

As the final results have been declared, the SNP will form the next Holyrood government with 64 seats, just one short of an overall majority.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives have secured 31 seats; Scottish Labour 22, Scottish Greens eight and Scottish Liberal Democrats four.

In an earlier televised speech, Sturgeon said the SNP had won the most constituency seats and secured the highest share of the constituency vote in the history of devolution.

According to the BBC, the turnout of 66 percent during Thursday's election was the highest since the Scottish parliament was established in 1999.

"It is then to kick-start and drive our recovery with an ambitious and transformative programme for government," Sturgeon said.

"And, yes, when the crisis has passed, it is to give people in Scotland the right to choose their future. All of that is what I promised and all of that is what I intend to deliver."

Sturgeon said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

Photo taken on Jan. 22, 2019 shows the EU flags, UK flag (Union Jack flag), flag of Scotland and flag of Wales in central London, Britain. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Earlier Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that it would be "reckless and irresponsible" for Scotland to hold a referendum right now.

"I don't think this is anything like the time to have more constitutional wrangling, to be talking about ripping our country apart, when actually people want to heal our economy and bounce forward together. That's what people want," he said.

David Phinnemore, professor of European Politics at the Queen's University Belfast, has said the result of Scotland's election could impact the future of Britain.

"I suppose if the SNP doesn't get the majority, fall short of that majority, then it takes some of the pressure off in terms of Scottish independence," Phinnemore told Xinhua.

"The SNP is not going to go away. The whole question of Scottish independence isn't going to go away. But I think some of the momentum will have been taken out of this move towards a second referendum or the question of independence," he said.

Meanwhile, Phinnemore said there is a mix of concerns among Scottish voters.

"Obviously, a number of them are wanting to see an independent Scotland because they don't feel as though Scotland's actually been listened to during the Brexit process, or indeed, the COVID process. Equally, you obviously got people who want to see this very much opportunity to say, we don't want independence," he noted.

In the 2016 Brexit referendum, a majority of Scots voted for Britain to stay in the EU.

Phinnemore added that a Scottish independence in the context of Brexit would bring huge uncertainties both to Scotland and to Britain as well.

"And obviously, independence in the context of Brexit is different to independence in the context of membership in the European Union. And I think one of the concerns, if we look at the Brexit dimension is, if Scotland were to rejoin the European Union, you'd have to have border checks and withdrawals on North South across the English Scottish border," he said.

"And we know those are problematic, they are disruptive. And so from that dimension, there'll be costs, involved costs, which wouldn't have been there last time round," he added. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 06:57:17|Editor: huaxia

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Israeli police are seen during clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on May 7, 2021. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

"We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days. We call on all sides to uphold and respect the status quo at the holy sites," said a joint press statement.



UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The envoys of the Middle East Quartet from the European Union, Russia, the United States, and the United Nations on Saturday expressed "deep concern" over the daily clashes and violence in East Jerusalem, in particular Friday's confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.

The envoys, through a joint press statement, said they are "closely monitoring" the situation in East Jerusalem, including in the Old City and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

"We are alarmed by the provocative statements made by some political groups, as well as the launching of rockets and the resumption of incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel, and attacks on Palestinian farmland in the West Bank," said the statement.

The envoys noted with serious concern the possible evictions of Palestinian families from homes they have lived in for generations in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods in East Jerusalem and voiced opposition to unilateral actions, which would only escalate the already tense environment.

Palestinians clash with Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, May 7, 2021. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua)

"We call upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days. We call on all sides to uphold and respect the status quo at the holy sites. All leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists and to speak out against all acts of violence and incitement," said the statement.

In this context, the Quartet envoys reiterated their commitment to a negotiated two state solution, according to the statement. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 07:12:02|Editor: huaxia

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Policemen stand guard near a shooting scene in Times Square in New York, the United States, May 8, 2021. Two people, including a child, were shot in Times Square on Saturday afternoon, local media reported, citing police sources. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Two people, including a child, were shot in Times Square in New York City on Saturday afternoon, local media reported, citing police sources.

The shooting happened around 5 p.m. local time at 44th Street and 7th Avenue in New York City, authorities said.

The victims were sent to a nearby hospital and both are expected to survive, according to police.

There are currently no arrests and an investigation is underway.

"Due to a police investigation avoid 44 Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan. Expect a police presence in Times Square and residual traffic delays in the surrounding area," the New York City Police Department said in a tweet. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 09:06:26|Editor: huaxia

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A freight train bound for Hamburg, Germany is ready to depart at the Shijiazhuang international land port in north China's Hebei Province, on April 17, 2021. (Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/Xinhua)

Merkel remained convinced that the China-EU investment deal was a "very important undertaking" despite "all the difficulties that will surely arise with the ratification," the AFP said.



BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the China-European Union (EU) investment deal laid the foundations for "mutually beneficial" trade, citing such advantages as more reciprocity on market access, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Merkel made this remark in a speech to her conservative CDU (Christian Democrats Union)/CSU (Christian Social Union) alliance on Wednesday, the AFP reported.

Merkel remained convinced that the China-EU investment deal was a "very important undertaking" despite "all the difficulties that will surely arise with the ratification," the AFP said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 09:56:35|Editor: huaxia

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Israeli police arrest a Palestinian amid tension outside the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City on May 8, 2021. At least 64 Palestinians were injured in demonstrations and violent clashes near Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem on Saturday night, local media reported. (Xinhua/Shang Hao)

JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 64 Palestinians were injured in demonstrations and violent clashes near Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem on Saturday night, local media reported.

According to Israel's state-owned Kan News, the Israeli police dispersed the demonstrators with stun grenades, water cannon vehicles, mounted officers, and other means.

Clashes erupted after praying of Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night in the Muslim month of Ramadan. The praying took place at Al-Aqsa Mosque and was attended by about 80,000 worshipers.

Israeli police said it was forced to operate after Palestinians who gathered near the Old City's Damascus Gate began throwing stones, bottles, fireworks, and explosives at police officers.

On Friday night, 205 Palestinians and 17 Israeli police officers were injured in clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound.

The violent clashes in East Jerusalem came as a result of a ruling that forced Palestinians to leave their homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers.

Earlier this year, an Israeli district court gave the ruling that several Palestinian homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood legally belonged to Jewish families, triggering protests and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 10:39:25|Editor: huaxia

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Members of a Chinese medical expert team inspect a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

During their inspection tours to the Lao hospitals, when encountering infected Chinese patients, the Chinese experts would check the situation and cheer up them.

The Chinese experts might also gift some traditional herbal medicines to the Chinese patients, bringing them their familiar taste and smell, hopes of recovery, and cares from the motherland.

VIENTIANE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- After arriving in Laos on Tuesday, the medical expert team sent by the Chinese government has coordinated with the Lao side to fully carry out its job to join the fight against COVID-19 here, and has also helped build an "anti-epidemic shield" for cooperation projects and for the Chinese people in Laos.

The Chinese medical expert team has been to the Lao Ministry of Health to participate in the regular epidemic prevention and control meetings and on-site working conferences since the second day after its arrival, and has been going to the designated hospitals and temporary hospitals for treating COVID-19 infected cases, quarantine centers, virus sampling sites, labs, and border check points in Laos, to exchange views and experience with the Lao colleagues and provide suggestions and training courses to the Lao side, as well as directing the Chinese people and enterprises engaged in cooperation projects to handle the epidemic prevention and control, and reassure the infected Chinese compatriots.

A team of Chinese medical experts inspect a COVID-19 quarantine hotel in Vientiane, Laos, May 6, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

Wang Jiankun, the Chinese expert team leader has been leading his team to inspect the China-Laos railway construction sites and the Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone where lots of Chinese companies gather.

Wang's team has presented guidance on epidemic prevention and control, looked into the epidemic precaution work in the canteens, staff dormitories, construction sites, etc., exchanged with the development zone and the Chinese railway engineering companies' epidemic prevention and control personnel and conducted on-site training, introduced the professional knowledge and working methods on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, answered questions about the daily work of epidemic prevention, and even conducted detailed on-site demonstrations of proper ways to put on or take off the masks and to wash the hands.

Huang Hong, the general representative of the China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) in the construction of China-Laos railway, told Xinhua on Saturday that "the scientific guidance from the Chinese government's anti-epidemic medical expert team to Laos has strengthened our 'shield' against the virus, which brings us, the Chinese participating engineering companies on the China-Laos railway, fewer worries about the virus, but more confidence in overcoming the epidemic and completing the construction task on schedule."

Members of a Chinese medical expert team visit a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

During their inspection tours to the hospitals, when encountering infected Chinese patients, the Chinese experts would check the situation and encourage them.

The Chinese experts might also gift some traditional herbal medicines to the Chinese patients, bringing them their familiar taste and smell, hopes of recovery and cares from the motherland.

A Chinese patient told the Chinese doctors that their arrival has increased his confidence in overcoming the disease, while "feeling at ease when seeing you."

On Friday evening, the Chinese expert team received a piece of urgent message from the hospital: A Chinese citizen who was hospitalized and diagnosed as COVID-19 infected case on Wednesday had not eaten for two days, and was suffering from aches, fever, and blurred vision.

"Our medical staff rushed to the hospital on the evening of May 7 to join the Lao colleagues to treat the Chinese compatriot," Yang Xiaohua, a member of the expert team from the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, participating in the treatment that day, told Xinhua on Saturday, "I am feeling more sense of responsibility, mission and achievement when treating compatriots in a foreign country, and it is more gratifying to be able to do the job well here."

Members of a Chinese medical expert team visit a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

The team of Chinese medical experts, along with medical materials, arrived in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday to assist Laos in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The medical team includes experts in infection prevention and control, intensive care, epidemics, and laboratory testing, along with medical supplies, including COVID-19 testing kits, protective clothing, and face masks among others.

Laos has been seeing a surge of COVID-19 infections recently. The Chinese medical team will help the Lao side in upgrading the precaution and treatment scheme, improving the technical level and response capabilities, studying the trend of the COVID-19 epidemic and making corresponding recommendations. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 11:23:17|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Madeleine Gonzalez, a resident in Havana's Playa district, turned her living room into a dance floor to get rid of social stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of people watched a concert by local musicians through TV and live streaming on May 1, which marked the first time that the island country had celebrated the national day of Cuban Son.

The 42-year-old engineer in red jogging pants, loose T-shirt and black sneakers often hang out with friends before the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, a new way which allows them to continue enjoying the music and at the same time avoid spread of the disease has come out -- dancing at home.

"I support this initiative because I enjoy dancing to son music," she said while taking a five-minute break on her couch, "musicians are doing their best to keep interacting with us. Son music is the life."

Gonzalez's husband Yuris Perez, a 36-year-old taxi driver, joined her in their private dancing room after getting home.

"I love the energy of music and the way it makes me relaxed. We will continue dancing despite lockdowns," he told Xinhua.

The Caribbean country is holding a campaign to include son music in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the coming years.

Indira Fajardo, president of Cuban Music Institute, said that son music was one of the most relevant expressions of the local culture.

"This is part of our identity, and it is the result of the contributions of many musicians who have put son music on the map," she said. "Cuba places its music at the highest level of its culture."

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, local musicians have given live-streaming performances to better interact with their fans and recorded albums until live events could be open again.

Emilio Frias, leader of "El Nino y La Verdad" salsa music band, recalled his last live performance in a small club in Havana on the night of March 13, 2020, just one day before cultural venues on the island were closed.

"I miss the face-to-face contact with the public. I need that," he told Xinhua, "though making music under confinement is very difficult, there is no other choice at the moment."

Nightclubs, bars, and music halls in Cuba remain closed at present as the country is fighting the third wave of COVID-19.

"Although the disease brought music performances to a standstill, musicians and people have found innovative ways to stay connected," said Adalberto Alvarez, winner of the Cuban National Prize of Music in 2008.

"This is a country of dancers," said Alvarez. Enditem
India "squandered" its early successes in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi could preside over "a self-inflicted national catastrophe" if the projections of 1 million fatalities from COVID-19 by August turn out to be true, medical journal The Lancet said in an editorial piece highly critical of the Modi government.

The widely respected publication stated that the success of the country in overcoming the COVID crisis will hinge upon PM Modi's administration "owning up to its mistakes".

Alluding to Twitter removing over 50 posts after orders from the Centre, the Lancet said, "PM Narendra Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable."

Also Read: PM Modi holds review meeting on COVID-19 situation in country

The medical journal added that success in overcoming the COVID-19 second wave would reckon on the government "owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart."

"The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that India will see a staggering 1 million deaths from COVID-19 by Aug 1. If that outcome were to happen, Modi's government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe," it said.

The Lancet further critiqued the Modi government, stating that until April, "the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us".

Also Read: COVID-19 crisis: Mamata Banerjee requests PM Modi to lift taxes, duties on medical equipment, drugs

"At times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has seemed more intent on removing criticism on Twitter than trying to control the pandemic," it said.

The medical journal noted that despite persistent warnings of the second wave dangers and the advent of variants, the government maintained that India was in the "endgame" of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities," it stated.

Calling out the Modi government for creating an impression that India had beaten the COVID-19 pandemic, The Lancet said, "...yet before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, Indian Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the "endgame" of the epidemic."

"The impression from the government was that India had beaten COVID-19 after several months of low case counts, despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains," the journal noted.

"Despite warnings about the risks of superspreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies-conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures," it said.

Calling India's vaccination programme as "botched", The Lancet stated it must be rationalised and enforced with all due speed.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 16:51:44|Editor: huaxia

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HAIKOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In recent days, thousands of consumers and business persons in Haikou, capital of China's southernmost Hainan province, have witnessed the economic vitality at the first China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE).

The expo running from May 7 to May 10 has attracted 648 foreign enterprises showcasing over 1,300 brands in Haikou, and is expected to be the largest consumer goods expo in the Asia-Pacific region.

Striving for post-pandemic recovery, multinational giants came to the expo to debut their new products and showcase their top-notch goods, and overseas small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also flocked here to observe the booming Chinese market.

Fabrice Megarbane, L'Oreal's president for North Asia Zone and chief executive officer (CEO) of L'Oreal China, told Xinhua that with the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 pandemic entering a regular basis, China continues to open up to the world with a positive and enterprising attitude, setting an example for other countries.

Expressing his belief that China's business environment will be more friendly as the opening up measures will continue to deepen, Megarbane said by connecting China's domestic and international markets, multinational enterprises have the opportunity to obtain a wider range of resources.

U.S. luxury fashion company Tapestry thinks alike. Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia Pacific, said at the scene, "the expo is not only an innovative platform bringing together high-quality products and services from all over the world, but also an important opportunity to showcase our brand concepts, expand market channels and innovate consumer trends."

"The constant upgrading of Chinese consumer demand and rising standards has brought new trends and opportunities to the market, becoming a powerful driving force for the growth of the global market," Bozec said.

As the pandemic continues to batter world economy, the first trade fair in China's biggest free trade port has not only attracted global giants, but also groups of foreign SMEs.

Showing Xinhua reporters around the Irish pavilion, Gareth Hargadon, head of Economic Section with the Irish Embassy in China, proudly introduced products ranging from food and beverage to animal nutrition, luxury home wares and babycare products, calling them unique offerings of Ireland.

Though Ireland is a small country, its brands are active participants of physical expos in China, such as last year's China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing and China International Import Expo in Shanghai, he noted.

"I think the more these trade fairs happen, the more opportunities for Irish companies to promote their products, because China is a massive market ... There is a big opportunity for us here," Hargadon said.

Lee Junhyung, CEO of Sunwah-Fonwin Korea Inc, said Korean companies came here with "high expectations" and many of them had achieved results beyond expectations on the first day of the expo.

"The (South) Korean companies need this kind of expo to enter the Chinese market and to find buyers," he said.

Suppara Seakacharn, commercial consul with Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou, told Xinhua that many Thai companies interested in joining the CICPE failed to come to China due to the pandemic, so the commercial section offered those companies online channels to tap into the Chinese market.

In the opinion of Paolo Bazzoni, chairman of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), the expo is a very important message from China, which is significant for Italy.

Noting that China is unlike many places of the world that forbid travels, Bazzoni said the CICC "will facilitate all the exhibitions in China, in order to attract our company to follow."

"I think China has a role to demonstrate to the world that is possible to recover, it's possible to continue and grow," he said.

He said the open free trade and offshore duty-free policy and new development paradigm of "dual circulation" have given Hainan unprecedented advantages, pushing the province to a leading place in the world in terms of business growth.

A report jointly released recently by KPMG China and The Moodie Davitt found that the Hainan free trade port will likely become the world's biggest duty-free market in the near term if it continues on its current growth curve.

By the end of 2020, offshore duty-free business in Hainan was worth approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars, boosted by an enhanced shopping policy, said the report.

Promoting trade and connecting world markets not only benefit China, but also bring recovery hope and inject impetus to the world economy.

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

Jack Chan, chairman of services company EY China, said the CICPE provides a vast stage for quality goods from across the world, which will definitely promote the global supply of high-end consumer goods and services.

Besides driving forward consumption, the expo can also accelerate the development of modern service industry in sectors like finance, exhibition, freight and logistics, Chan said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Sun Xiaoling in London and Song Yu in Bangkok also contributed to the story.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:04:01|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel's army said it struck a post of Gaza Strip rulers Hamas early on Sunday following a rocket fire from the coastal Palestinian enclave.

"An IDF (Israel Defense Forces) aircraft struck a Hamas military post in the southern Gaza Strip," an Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement.

The strike was "a response" to a rocket fired earlier towards southern Israel, the spokesperson said. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

The fire came amid renewed tensions between Israel and the Palestinians sparked by the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalem.

On Saturday, protestors in Gaza sent into southern Israel balloons attached with incendiary materials that caused dozens of fires.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military boosted its forces in the West Bank with additional combat troops and added anti-rocket Iron Dome batteries in the area near Gaza. The move was made "in accordance with the ongoing situational assessment," the military said in a statement.

Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war.

The issue of East Jerusalem is one of the most sensitive issues for the Palestinians, who wanted it to be the capital of their future independent Palestinian state. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:24:48|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 100 Palestinians were injured in a series of clashes with Israel's police overnight and early on Sunday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement.

Overnight between Saturday and Sunday, at least 90 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli police near the Old City's Damascus Gate and the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, both located in East Jerusalem, according to a Red Crescent statement.

The police said in a statement that they twice briefly evicted Jewish worshipers from the Western Wall, a Jewish holy place in East Jerusalem, after Palestinians hurled firecrackers at the site. No injuries were reported.

Fresh clashes erupted at East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound after the end of the morning prayer early on Sunday. At least 10 Palestinians were injured, including five that were injured by a rubber-coated bullet in their head, the Red Crescent said.

The clashes were sparked by the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah and restrictions imposed by Israel during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

On Friday, about 200 Palestinians and 17 Israeli police officers were injured in clashes in East Jerusalem. Elsewhere in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians and injured a third after the three opened fire on a military base in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military boosted its forces in the West Bank with additional combat troops and added anti-rocket Iron Dome batteries in the area near Gaza. The move was made "in accordance with the ongoing situational assessment," according to a military statement.

Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of the Israeli capital. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:32:58|Editor: huaxia

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Four wind energy parks with Chinese technologies began operating in Argentina recently, contributing to the transformation of the energy matrix of the South American country.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:48:18|Editor: huaxia

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Staff do preparation work at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

HAIKOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In recent days, thousands of consumers and business persons in Haikou, capital of China's southernmost Hainan province, have witnessed the economic vitality at the first China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE).

The expo running from May 7 to May 10 has attracted 648 foreign enterprises showcasing over 1,300 brands in Haikou, and is expected to be the largest consumer goods expo in the Asia-Pacific region.

Striving for post-pandemic recovery, multinational giants came to the expo to debut their new products and showcase their top-notch goods, and overseas small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also flocked here to observe the booming Chinese market.

A visitor smells a bottle of perfume during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhou Jiayi)

Fabrice Megarbane, L'Oreal's president for North Asia Zone and chief executive officer (CEO) of L'Oreal China, told Xinhua that with the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 pandemic entering a regular basis, China continues to open up to the world with a positive and enterprising attitude, setting an example for other countries.

Expressing his belief that China's business environment will be more friendly as the opening up measures will continue to deepen, Megarbane said by connecting China's domestic and international markets, multinational enterprises have the opportunity to obtain a wider range of resources.

U.S. luxury fashion company Tapestry thinks alike. Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia Pacific, said at the scene, "the expo is not only an innovative platform bringing together high-quality products and services from all over the world, but also an important opportunity to showcase our brand concepts, expand market channels and innovate consumer trends."

"The constant upgrading of Chinese consumer demand and rising standards has brought new trends and opportunities to the market, becoming a powerful driving force for the growth of the global market," Bozec said.

Photo taken on May 8, 2021 shows different kinds of alcoholic drinks on display during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

As the pandemic continues to batter world economy, the first trade fair in China's biggest free trade port has not only attracted global giants, but also groups of foreign SMEs.

Showing Xinhua reporters around the Irish pavilion, Gareth Hargadon, head of Economic Section with the Irish Embassy in China, proudly introduced products ranging from food and beverage to animal nutrition, luxury home wares and babycare products, calling them unique offerings of Ireland.

Though Ireland is a small country, its brands are active participants of physical expos in China, such as last year's China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing and China International Import Expo in Shanghai, he noted.

"I think the more these trade fairs happen, the more opportunities for Irish companies to promote their products, because China is a massive market ... There is a big opportunity for us here," Hargadon said.

Lee Junhyung, CEO of Sunwah-Fonwin Korea Inc, said Korean companies came here with "high expectations" and many of them had achieved results beyond expectations on the first day of the expo.

"The (South) Korean companies need this kind of expo to enter the Chinese market and to find buyers," he said.

Suppara Seakacharn, commercial consul with Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou, told Xinhua that many Thai companies interested in joining the CICPE failed to come to China due to the pandemic, so the commercial section offered those companies online channels to tap into the Chinese market.

Photo taken on May 8, 2021 shows a fashion booth during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Jiayi)

In the opinion of Paolo Bazzoni, chairman of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), the expo is a very important message from China, which is significant for Italy.

Noting that China is unlike many places of the world that forbid travels, Bazzoni said the CICC "will facilitate all the exhibitions in China, in order to attract our company to follow."

"I think China has a role to demonstrate to the world that is possible to recover, it's possible to continue and grow," he said.

He said the open free trade and offshore duty-free policy and new development paradigm of "dual circulation" have given Hainan unprecedented advantages, pushing the province to a leading place in the world in terms of business growth.

A report jointly released recently by KPMG China and The Moodie Davitt found that the Hainan free trade port will likely become the world's biggest duty-free market in the near term if it continues on its current growth curve.

By the end of 2020, offshore duty-free business in Hainan was worth approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars, boosted by an enhanced shopping policy, said the report.

Promoting trade and connecting world markets not only benefit China, but also bring recovery hope and inject impetus to the world economy.

People walk into the venue of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa)

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

Jack Chan, chairman of services company EY China, said the CICPE provides a vast stage for quality goods from across the world, which will definitely promote the global supply of high-end consumer goods and services.

Besides driving forward consumption, the expo can also accelerate the development of modern service industry in sectors like finance, exhibition, freight and logistics, Chan said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Sun Xiaoling in London and Song Yu in Bangkok also contributed to the story.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 18:33:11|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will sign a free trade agreement this week, Israeli officials said Sunday.

The deal, the first of its kind Israel will have with an Asian country, is expected to be signed in ROK's capital Seoul during a two-day visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Economy and Industry Minister Amir Peretz, according to a joint statement by their offices.

Under the deal, imported product from Israel and ROK will be exempt from duty in both countries.

The deal "is expected to significantly increase mutual trade between Israel and Korea," said the statement.

Israel hopes that the arrangement will give the Israeli industry "a competitive advantage and facilitate the activity of businessmen in the Korean market."

Ashkenazi said the deal is expected to help reduce Israel's high living cost by lowering import costs from ROK to Israel.

Peretz said Israel is in negotiations on new free trade agreements with China, Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union which includes Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on March 30, 2021 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

A report published recently on British journal Nature noted that such certification by the WHO could help "address the current shortfall in vaccines available through COVAX," and potentially opens the door to "wide distribution in lower-income nations through the COVAX initiative."

GENEVA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday validated the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm for emergency use, a move widely welcomed by officials and experts worldwide and set to benefit the global fight against the pandemic.

This is a "great success and benefit for the world" because the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine validated by the WHO is proving very effective in countries including Pakistan where it is being administered, said Musarrat Amin, a Pakistani strategic security analyst.

The world right now is suffering due to COVID-19 and the Sinopharm vaccine is a blessing because of its easy storage requirements, which will make it a desirable vaccine for the low-income economies of the third world countries, Amin said.

"The Sinopharm vaccine being added into the WHO's COVAX program is a huge relief for the third world countries," she added.

A medical worker receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital on the outskirts of Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Feb. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

COVAX is an initiative led by international partnerships and agencies, including the WHO, to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are distributed equitably.

The WHO's emergency approval of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is "a step in the right direction" and is "a great attempt to help beat coronavirus in developing countries," Abbas Zaki, a member of the Fatah Central Committee and Fatah's Commissioner General for the Arab and Chinese Affairs, told Xinhua.

Prior to the WHO's decision, the Chinese vaccine has already been used in dozens of developing countries, including Palestine, and "offers reassurance and comfort to developing countries as it is safe and effective," Zaki said.

A staff member checks the packaging quality of COVID-19 inactivated vaccine products at a packaging plant of the Beijing Biological Products Institute Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Bangladesh is very pleased to learn about the WHO decision to include the Chinese-made vaccine in the Emergency Use Listing, which surely comes as "a big blessing for the whole world in the fight against the deadly disease," said Mushtuq Hossain, an advisor to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research under Bangladesh's Health Ministry, in an interview with Xinhua.

He said Bangladesh's drug regulator has already approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use in the country, and the decision of the WHO will further facilitate the vaccination of more Bangladeshis.

A frontliner receives her first shot of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)

Brunei's health ministry on Saturday shared the information of the WHO's emergency use approval for Sinopharm vaccine with local media, asking for publication on respective platforms to let the public know that all vaccines used in the country have WHO endorsement and to encourage wider vaccination.

A report published recently on British journal Nature noted that such certification by the WHO could help "address the current shortfall in vaccines available through COVAX," and potentially opens the door to "wide distribution in lower-income nations through the COVAX initiative."

"For many countries, Chinese vaccines were the only accessible ones," it wrote, adding that researchers in other countries such as Brazil, Turkey and Chile are "beginning to see evidence of their effect in controlling the pandemic."

China has been fulfilling its commitment to making its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good "at a time when the vaccine shots are not available in many places or being nationalized," Amin said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:34:33|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Standing at a new historical starting point, China is ready to work with Suriname to carry forward traditional friendship, enhance policy alignment and political mutual trust, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

In a phone conversation with his Surinamese counterpart, Albert Ramdin, Wang noted that Suriname was one of the first Caribbean countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, and the upcoming May 28 will mark the 45th anniversary of the China-Suriname diplomatic ties.

Over the past 45 years, the two countries have always understood and supported each other, setting an example of equal treatment and friendly relations between big and small countries, Wang said.

China appreciates Suriname for abiding by the one-China principle and always standing firmly with China on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, he said.

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi have exchanged letters and messages, Wang said China is ready to maintain exchanges with Suriname at all levels and launch inter-foreign ministry consultations at an early date.

The two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding and a cooperation plan on jointly building the Belt and Road, Wang said, adding that both sides should deepen cooperation in infrastructure construction, communications and other fields, and actively explore energy development, so as to help promote Suriname's economic recovery and transformation.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Suriname to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said, adding that the two countries should strengthen unity and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and safeguard multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries.

Wang also expressed hope that the Surinamese side will make good use of the Consultative Mechanism between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean Countries Having Diplomatic Relations with China, the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and other mechanisms, so as to promote the overall cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries.

For his part, Ramdin expressed warm congratulations on China's achievements in economic and social development, and stressed that the one-China principle will never be shaken as the cornerstone of Suriname-China relations.

Ramdin also extended gratitude to the Chinese side for its sincere help in fighting COVID-19, expressing hope to take the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties as an opportunity to push for new progress in bilateral relations. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:52:38|Editor: huaxia

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Employees of a shopping mall receive COVID-19 vaccine in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, May 9, 2021. Kuwait launched on Sunday the second phase of the COVID-19 field vaccination campaign that provides vaccines for workers of shopping malls in the country. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

KUWAIT CITY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait launched on Sunday the second phase of the COVID-19 field vaccination campaign that provides vaccines for workers of shopping malls in the country.

Abdullah Al-Sanad, spokesman of the Kuwaiti Health Ministry, said in a press statement that this campaign comes within the efforts of the ministry to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country.

According to him, the field vaccination campaign will start on Sunday at Farwaniya Governorate's Avenues Mall, the largest shopping mall in Kuwait, where the first dose will be offered to about 10,000 workers of the mall.

During the upcoming days, the vaccine will be provided for workers in other commercial complexes of the country, Al-Sanad said.

In the first phase of the field vaccination campaign, more than 34,758 employees who have direct contact with the public have received vaccine through this service, he explained, noting they are from several bodies such as cooperative societies, mosques, banking sector, food factories, cinemas and others. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 20:24:02|Editor: huaxia

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Palestinian protesters gather around burning tires during an anti-Israel protest against the violence in Jerusalem, on the Gaza-Israel border in Khuza'a, east of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on May 9, 2021. About 290 Palestinians were injured over the weekend in clashes with Israel's police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and other parts of East Jerusalem. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police said on Sunday that the annual Jerusalem Day parade will take place in East Jerusalem despite soaring tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the city.

"Currently, the annual Jerusalem Day's flag-waving parade will be held as planned," the police said in a statement sent to Xinhua.

In Monday's parade, thousands of Israelis are expected to march through East Jerusalem's Old City, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed shortly afterwards.

There were calls to cancel or to change the route of the parade in the wake of escalating clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the Old City during the past weeks.

Former police chief Arieh Amit told Army Radio that the flag parade should be rerouted away from the Old City's Damascus Gate. "Allowing the parade to pass through the Damascus Gate will be a folly," he said.

Early on Sunday, fresh clashes erupted at East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound after the end of the morning prayer. At least 10 Palestinians were injured.

About 290 Palestinians were injured over the weekend in clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and other parts of East Jerusalem.

The clashes triggered international condemnations and calls from Arab states, the United States, Europe and the United Nations on Israel to stop the violence.

On Sunday's cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will "continue to keep freedom of worship" but "will not allow violent disturbances."

The clashes were sparked by the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem and the restrictions imposed by Israel during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. It annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of the Israeli capital. The Palestinians wish to build their future state on these lands, with its capital in East Jerusalem. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 21:44:08|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The exports of Israel's rough diamonds increased by 116.7 percent year on year in the first third of 2021, bouncing back from a sharp drop in 2020 caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Economy and Industry said in a statement on Sunday.

From January to April in 2021, Israel's rough diamonds exports totalled 522.3 million U.S. dollars, compared with 241 million dollars during the same period in 2020.

In April alone, there was a jump of about 1,887 percent in Israeli rough diamond exports, from 6.67 million dollars in April last year to 132.5 million dollars.

More than 13.5 percent of the total exports of Israeli rough diamonds, or about 18 million dollars, were to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which Israel signed a historic normalization agreement in September 2020.

Israeli exports of polished diamonds rose in the first four months of the year by 30.5 percent, and in April by 735.2 percent, compared to the same periods in 2020. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 23:11:59|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government on Sunday approved an aid plan to support the country's coronavirus-hit aviation industry, the Israeli Finance Ministry said.

The government approved agreements signed between the ministry and Israel's two largest airlines, El Al and Israir. Under the agreements, the aid to El Al and Israir is structured as an advance payment for flight tickets for governmental security guards for a period of 20 years.

According to the agreements, El Al will be supported by 685 million shekels (210 million U.S. dollars) for 20 years, and Israir by 52 million shekels.

The ministry conditioned the payments in that the shareholders would also contribute to strengthening the financial stability of the companies.

The aid plan replaced an outline previously proposed to El Al to provide a state guarantee for a bank loan.

Israel's Minister of Finance Israel Katz said "the support is provided due to the difficult and abnormal situation that the Israeli aviation is facing, and to ensure the resilience of Israeli civil aviation." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-10 01:30:18|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on April 2, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

A researcher said that support for former U.S. President Donald Trump is the most powerful motivation for private citizens and politicians to stick with the Republican Party.



by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Republicans are moving to replace House Republican Conference Chair Congresswoman Liz Cheney -- one of the few in her party who refuses to march in lockstep with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The development underscores Trump's massive and continuing importance in the GOP, experts said.

The GOP's move to oust Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, from her No. 3 leadership post was recently precipitated when she greeted U.S. President Joe Biden at the Capitol and tweeted that Biden won the election fair and square, countering Trump's narrative of a stolen election.

That began the backlash against Cheney, one of a tiny number of Republicans who view Biden as the nation's legitimate president and underscores the massive influence Trump still holds over the GOP.

"I don't know if it means (Trump) is an active player, but he's still a massive presence in the party," Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua.

Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the center for international and security studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua that support for Trump is the most powerful motivation for private citizens to stick with the Republican Party.

"Even when Trump personally is less active, he has functional control," Ramsay said.

Indeed, a CNBC poll in February found that 74 percent of Republicans want Trump to stay active in the party, and nearly half want him to remain head of the GOP.

Former presidential contender Senator Mitt Romney recently said Trump is "by far the largest voice" in the Republican Party.

"I expect he will continue playing a role. I don't know if he'll run in 2024 or not. But if he does, I'm pretty sure he will win the nomination," Romney said.

Perhaps more telling is the fact that a number of high-level GOP lawmakers, who blasted Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, have backpedaled on their statements.

Moreover, Republicans who voted to impeach the former president have been censured by their own state parties, not to mention booed at rallies and criticized by their own base.

"The devotion of the GOP base to Trump right now is so strong, so complete, that even the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 hasn't materially impacted his influence on the party," noted Peter Wehner, who worked in the administrations of former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, in a recent article in the Deseret Magazine, a U.S. publication.

"While Trump may no longer be president, what defines the GOP today is Trump," Wehner argued.

Rather than causing a movement, experts said Trump is simply the reflection of the pent-up frustration and grievances of millions of Americans, many of them rural, working class and living in the nation's heartland.

Over the past 25 years, tens of millions of Americans have seen their jobs shipped abroad while corporate CEOs have transitioned from millionaires to billionaires. Many believe that for decades both Democratic and Republican leaders were on the side of the global elitist class.

At the same time, they believe the U.S. corporate media -- and most recently Big Tech -- are trying to silence them by kicking them off platforms such as Twitter. Many note with disgust that Trump has been banned on the platform.

The question remains how Trump's popularity in the GOP will impact the midterm Congressional elections.

Historically, midterms favor the party that does not hold the White House, noted Galdieri, and experts said the Democratic majority is tight enough that Republicans should have a good chance of winning a House majority.

Ramsay said politicians who are not personally loyal to Trump are likely to face a pro-Trump opponent in their party primary, while extremely pro-Trump politicians are unlikely to face any real primary competition.

Ramsay added that Cheney herself appears to have little interest in staying in the House leadership. The job involves a lot of work to help others get re-elected, and she will have a hot race of her own to win in 2022, Ramsay argued.

But Cheney does not want to resign, Ramsay said. "She seems to want to become the undisputed leader of the conservative fragment that rejects Trump," Ramsay said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 10:30:24|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Libya on Saturday condemned Israeli forces' storming of the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem that injured hundreds of Palestinians.

"The State of Libya condemns the occupation forces' incursion into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and attack on the safe, unarmed worshipers of the Palestinian people while they perform their religious rituals in the holy month of Ramadan, as well as the practices of the occupation authorities related to the forced eviction of Palestinian families from the holy city of Jerusalem," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"It threatens to escalate the situation and to cause dangerous repercussions that threaten the lives of Palestinian citizens and undermine the possibility of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region," the statement said.

Clashes erupted on Friday when Israeli police forces stormed the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to disperse demonstrators, leaving at least 205 Palestinians injured, according to Palestinian sources.

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have mounted recently as Israel has decided to resettle forcefully Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 21:03:02|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police confirmed on Sunday a gunmen attack on a police station on Saturday in the southern state of Akwa Ibom, killing six persons, including five police officers and a civilian.

Odiko Macdon, the state police spokesperson, told media that a group of gunmen invaded on Saturday a divisional police headquarters in Odoro Ikpe in Ini local government area of the state, killing five police officers and the wife of a police officer.

Macdon, while carrying out an on-the-spot assessment of the attacked police station, said the police station was set ablaze and operational vehicles and other valuables were destroyed in the attack.

Isreal Idaisin, chairman of the local government area, who confirmed in a statement the attack on the police station, assured that necessary steps had been taken to restore normalcy.

There have been a series of gunmen attacks across the most populous African country in recent months, including attacks on security formations like police stations and prisons. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 21:43:57|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police have confirmed seven policemen were shot dead following gunmen attacks on police stations and checkpoints in the country's southern state of Rivers.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Saturday night, Nnamdi Omoni, a spokesman for the police in Rivers, described the attacks as "unprovoked and mindless" as a group of gunmen attacked a security checkpoint and two police stations in the state on Friday evening.

The gunmen in two Hilux vans launched a surprise attack on a police check point at a bridge in Port Harcourt, killing two policemen, and later they attacked a police station in Emohua local government area, killed two policemen on duty, said Omoni.

"A stiff resistance by other police officers prevented the hoodlums from gaining access into the police station," said the police spokesperson.

According to Omoni, the police also lost three officers during the third attack of the same gunmen at a police station on Igwuruta road in Port Harcourt.

"The attack was resisted by our officers during a serious fire engagement that resulted in the gunmen abandoning their bullet-riddled Hilux van," he said.

He said the gunmen fled in a snatched Sienna bus and with various gunshot wounds, and two of the assailants were killed during the exchange of gunfire with policemen.

He said none of the police posts was burnt by the gunmen and five assault rifles were lost during the three attacks.

The spokesperson added operatives had launched a manhunt for the perpetrators with a view to apprehending the culprits and bringing them to justice. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 19:36:02|Editor: huaxia

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Few vehicles are seen on a road in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on May 8, 2021. In its efforts to curb the third wave of COVID-19, the Pakistani government has ramped up restriction across the country for the upcoming holidays of Eid al-Fitr festival, urging the public to stay at home to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Xinhua) -- In its efforts to curb the third wave of COVID-19, the Pakistani government has ramped up restriction across the country for the upcoming holidays of Eid al-Fitr festival, urging the public to stay at home to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) which oversees the country's response to the pandemic, all businesses, hotels, parks, recreational spots and shopping malls will remain closed from May 8 to 16, covering the Eid al-Fitr holidays from May 10 to 15 in Pakistan.

Besides, there will also be a complete ban on inter-provincial and inter-city public transport during May 8 and May 16. Monitoring teams at federal, provincial, and district levels will make sure the implementation of the restrictions.

However, essential services including petrol stations, bakeries and pharmacies will be exempted from the restrictions, said the NCOC.

Pakistan has seen record deaths and the highest number of critical cases in recent days. The country reported 4,109 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 854,240, the NCOC said on Saturday.

A total of 120 people died during the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 18,797, according to the NCOC.

Considering the grim situation in the country, the Pakistani government has announced extended Eid al-Fitr holidays and guidelines to curb the rising COVID-19 cases, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said.

"We have seen the destruction of coronavirus in our neighboring country. In Pakistan, we have recently been witnessing a sharp rise in the number of cases ... and by following standard operating procedures, we will be able to protect ourselves from the virus," Hussain said in his special message to public recently.

"In the past, we used to meet our families, relatives and friends to share the happiness of the festival, but on this Eid, we will be staying at home to save ourselves and families," he said, adding that "Stay Home, Stay Safe" will be the motto on the Eid al-Fitr holidays this time.

In order to control a mass mobility of travelers, Pakistan has suspended inbound pedestrian movement through land border crossings with neighboring Iran and Afghanistan from May 5 to 20. Normally, during Eid al-Fitr, massive return of migrant workers and overseas Pakistanis for celebrations are witnessed.

The country also slashed inbound international flights by 80 percent from May 5 to 20 amid high disease prevalence in various parts of the world and the current disease situation in Pakistan with corresponding extreme stress on the critical care system.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has also been expedited recently. On Tuesday, Pakistan's single-day administered COVID-19 vaccine doses surpassed 200,000 for the first time, said Asad Umar, the NCOC chairman, adding that over 5 million people have been registered for vaccination so far.

Calling the government's extended measures timely and effective, health and economic experts in the country believe that the government must go an extra mile to save lives and the national economy from the adverse impact of the pandemic.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Talha Hashmi, a physician at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, said that the next few weeks will be crucial in the battle against COVID-19 as the third wave has been gaining strength in the country, resulting in an increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths.

"Although the government has been taking all-out necessary measures in its capacity, but without public support, all efforts to stop the spread of the disease would prove futile," Hashmi said, adding that strictly following the government-set health guidelines will be in public interest and for their own benefit.

Besides mounting overwhelming pressure on the country's healthcare system, the new upward trend in cases could also pose serious challenges to the national economy, Humayun Iqbal Shami, chairman of the Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Economic Forum, said.

"If the situation gets out of control, the authorities would have no choice but to impose a complete lockdown in the country, which would directly affect ... lower strata of the society," the economist told Xinhua.

Shami said Pakistan had managed to get out of the economic crisis during the first and second waves of the coronavirus owing to timely and prudent policies adopted by the government, and the public has largely helped it by following COVID-19 related instructions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 13:22:19|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on May 9, 2021 shows the site of a car bomb attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. The death toll has risen to 50, while over 100 others were wounded in three successive explosions outside a girls' high school in Kabul, the police confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in front of Sayyed-ul-Shuhada High School in Etifaq Township, Police District 13, roughly at 4:30 p.m. local time on Saturday. The attack occurred when students were leaving the building. Most of the victims were school girls while many passers-by were also affected. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua)

KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to 50, while over 100 others were wounded in three successive explosions outside a girls' high school in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, the Afghan police confirmed on Sunday.

"The nature of one of the blasts was a car bomb explosion. Two other blasts were caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) placed at the same location," Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told reporters via a text message.

The incident occurred in front of Sayyed-ul-Shuhada High School in Etifaq Township, Police District 13, roughly at 4:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.

The attack occurred when students were leaving the building. Most of the victims were school girls while many passers-by were also affected.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. The Taliban militant group has denied the involvement of their insurgents in the incident and accused the Islamic State (IS) militants of the deadly attack.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the attack and instructed the health officials to provide the best possible medical treatment for the wounded. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 13:37:58|Editor: huaxia

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A man works at a talc stone processing factory in Sorkh Road district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, on May 9, 2021. Afghanistan has resumed the export of talc stone from a key mine in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan has resumed the export of talc stone from a key mine in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Sunday.

"The process of exporting talc stone has resumed recently. In the last two months, thousands of tons of talc stone have been exported from Nangarhar province, collecting nearly 100 million afghanis (about 1.3 million U.S. dollars)," the ministry said in a statement.

The export of the talc stone, which is used in many industries, including paper making, plastic, paint and coating, rubber, electric cable, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, dusting powder for babies and ceramics, stopped late last year.

Nangarhar has been the scene of clashes between security forces and Taliban militants in recent years.

According to the statement, 37 talc stone processing factories have been operating in Nangarhar, providing employment for 5,000 locals.

Most of the processed talc stone is exported to India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Germany, the statement said.

The talc stone mines also exist in Kandahar, Kabul, Wardak, Logar, Kunar, Khost, Kapisa, and Parwan provinces. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 15:44:00|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Lao Ministry of Health on Sunday reported the first COVID-19 death.

The victim was a 53-year-old woman, who received treatment for COVID-19 at designated hospital in Lao capital Vientiane since April 30, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control under the Lao Ministry of Health Latsamy Vongkhamsao told a press conference in Vientiane on Sunday.

Latsamy added that Laos recorded 69 new COVID-19 cases over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,302.

A total of 232 COVID-19 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

Laos confirmed its first two COVID-19 cases on March 24 last year. Enditem
[Text of letter by Jawhar Sircar that has been doing the rounds of e-mail in India since May 7, 2021]

by Jawhar Sircar *

I had the unique opportunity to observe from within the functioning of the Narendra Modi administration for over two years, as head of the national public broadcaster. I resigned before my term, when I could take it no more. I witnessed at close quarters the collapse of the apparatus of governance, which invariably invites catastrophes of the type we are suffering now.

At a conceptual level, the problem arose when the square peg of an American Presidential system that legitimised a highly personalised style of functioning was hammered into the round hole of the existing British-inspired Cabinet system. It does not require a very high IQ to realise that a vast and impossibly diverse country like India can function only through a federal equilibrium and other impositions destroy a carefully crafted power/responsibility-sharing model, without a better alternative.

The initial euphoria over the arrival of a decisive leadership after years of listless governance, however, gave way to another grim reality. Senior officials had hoped that Modi would deactivate his suspicious nature and curb his urge to centralise powers and demand unquestioned obediencenow that he had reached the pinnacle. They were soon disappointed, though he did slash through the proverbial inter-ministerial turf battles. But the frequency and intensity with which he started summoning secretaries directly for briefings and presentations were quite unusual, as no PM had tried such micro-management.

It revealed his control freak nature, his deliberate bypassing of his ministers. Modi soon sized up his secretaries, not necessarily correctly, and his permanent scowl started sending cold shivers. He then resorted to his unabashed mode of operating through favourites, which demoralised other equally or more talented officers. The latter had not crawled to ingratiate themselves. Lightning transfers became commonplace, and the PMO controlled every appointment to senior posts, as well as to boards and committees. Though inputs were taken from the RSS, the Intelligence Bureau and the spy chief, the NSA, mattered more. Stalinist shadows grew longer and head-less organisations suffered when appointments took years. Babus and businessmen, however, learnt to fake everlasting loyalty and started wooing Sanghis.

But no government could function with just handpicked cheerleaders, and experienced bureaucrats stopped sharing their lifelong experience, out of fear, and the political savvy of ministers was treated with contempt. As the Cabinet system crashed and responsibility became opaque, Indias performance ranking in all internationally comparable indices started tumbling, every year. And the inviolability of statistics disappeared, as fudging began. Officers realised that only style and spectacle mattered, not substance.

All existing welfare schemes were revamped, taking care to rename them as Pradhan Mantri yojanas. Catchy tag-lines and acronyms were produced by highly paid professional advertising agencies and the PM loved playing around with alphabets. It is not as if no work was done, but that it was suicidal to report adverse feedback. But no one was prepared when earth-shaking policies, like demonetisation, were decided in secret, without proper discussions. The leader was thrilled to stun the nation with dramatic announcements.

Thus, when Covid-19 broke out last year, showmanship and event management were top priority. Essential tasks like factoring in expert advice, learning from others experience, and planning/arranging for critical requirements were considered less glamorous. Over-centralisation meant that producing, procuring, and distributing even low-skill items like masks and PPE kits were decided by Raisina Hill. The knee-jerk and theatrical declaration of nationwide lockdown in March 2020, when the curve of infections had barely risen, was quite unwarranted but it demonstrated raw power.

It broke the spine of an already badly slip-disced economy. Just because the home minister was/is Modis most trusted factotum, all decisions, even those well beyond its competence, were decided by the lathi-wielding home ministry, not the health ministry. Regular imperious edicts flowed, without consultation. Relief work has always been an integral part of Indian administration, but since the two leaders maintained an eerie silence on the plight of migrant workers, no relief camps came up to alleviate such an enormous human tragedy.

While every sensible nation planned the production, import and distribution of vaccines and oxygen several months ago, India woke up to issues like pricing, supplies and international obligations only a couple of months ago. Even simple arithmetic of supply versus demand was hardly understood, advice from specialists received lower priority and the regime let its defences down. Modi announced Indias total victory over Covid and declared that we were the pharmacy of the world.

Precious vaccines and oxygen were exported but it was ultimately the Kumbh Melas millions that invited the wrath of the gods. The second wave was provoked to hit us, and when it did, Modi-Shah were busy with election rallies to respond seriously. Their unequivocally centralised government collapsed, and those most responsible absconded, as unprecedented chaos reigns. Modi was soon roasted over the coals by the international media that carpet-bombed all with tragic visuals of death and disaster, indicting him mercilessly for letting the world down.

The invincible spell is finally breaking, but what we need immediately is fire-fighting and imaginative response, not vengeance.

(Author: Jawhar Sircar is a retired, civil servant in India. The Former Culture Secretary and ex-CEO, Prasar Bharati (Tweets @jawharsircar) )
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:37:04|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Jagat Bahadur Karki, 35, a COVID-19 patient who has to isolate himself at home in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley due to an acute shortage of oxygen at hospitals, struggled for breath on Saturday night as his oxygen level came down as low as 82 percent.

"I struggled for breath, continued vomiting and had diarrhea," Karki, who lives with his wife and son in a rented house in Bhaktapur district in the valley, told Xinhua over the phone.

"My family and friends made several inquiries from several sources for oxygen but they could not find any," he said.

According to the doctors, a person's normal blood oxygen level should be above 90 percent of the saturation point (100 percent).

As he spoke, Karki sounded struggling for breath, and very little was asked about his health. His oxygen level still was only 84 percent on Sunday morning.

"One needs to be hospitalized immediately if the oxygen level goes below 90 percent," said Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, director at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

Despite his effort, Karki failed to get himself admitted to a hospital, as all hospitals approached by his family cited the lack of beds and oxygen.

One hour after the conversation with Karki, his wife Manju was pleading for help to take him to hospital, saying her husband's condition was deteriorating.

As Karki was struggling at home, hospitals are scrambling to get enough oxygen for admitted patients. With hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, oxygen is in short supply in the country.

Nepal has been ravaged by a deadly second wave of coronavirus over the past weeks, which has resulted in record numbers of new infections and deaths and laid bare the country's poor health infrastructure.

On Saturday, the Himalayan country recorded 8,287 new cases through polymerase chain reaction tests and 131 through antigen tests. It is the fourth consecutive day the nation reported over 8,000 cases in a single day.

In face of a swelling number of patients, several hospitals have issued public notices saying they are no longer capable of taking new COVID-19 patients due to the lack of oxygen.

On Saturday, Medicare Hospital, Nepal Bharat Maitri Hospital, Dirghayu Guru Hospital and Helping Hands Community Hospital, all based in the Kathmandu Valley, issued a joint statement saying they had stopped taking more COVID-19 patients due to a shortage of medical oxygen.

"Until oxygen is made available adequately, the service will be provided for the limited COVID-19 patients only," they said.

Likewise, Karuna Hospital and Ganeshman Singh Memorial Hospital and Research Centre issued similar statements about their inability to take more patients over an inadequate supply of oxygen.

Most hospitals do not have their own oxygen plants but depend on supply from the outside.

The Green City Hospital, a private hospital based in Kathmandu, has turned away some 50 COVID-19 patients per day in the past three days.

"If we take more COVID-19 patients, we cannot provide oxygen to the patients already admitted at the hospital. So we have no other alternative but to turn away new patients," said Lok Bahadur Tandan, chairman of Green City Hospital.

Still, the hospital let in 35 patients and sent 13 of them into the intensive care units before rejecting new applications.

"We need over 250 cylinders of oxygen per day but we have been able to manage only around 180 cylinders per day," Tandan said.

Oxygen manufacturers are overwhelmed as well by the growing demand for oxygen from hospitals.

"Our capacity is to produce around 800 cylinders a day but we have been facing demand for over 2,500 cylinders in a day," said Narayan Timilsina, chairman of the Sagarmatha Oxygen Nepal Private Limited.

"During normal times, we used to supply oxygen to hospitals with our vehicles, but now vehicles sent by hospitals are overwhelming our factory," he added.

On top of insufficient oxygen, COVID-19 patients are also facing a shortage of ICU beds at hospitals, and calls for oxygen and ICU beds are growing on social media.

Isha Joshi searched for ICU beds overnight for her 42-year-old mother, a COVID-19 patient, from Saturday evening after a doctor advised her to try her luck in another hospital.

Her mother Saraswati was treated at the Kathmandu-based National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre for the last week. But as her condition worsened, the doctor advised her to find an ICU bed in another hospital, citing the lack of ICU beds in the center.

"Despite overnight search for an ICU bed in many hospitals in Kathmandu, I could not find one for my mother," Joshi said.

Government officials acknowledged that the situation is getting worse and more desperate.

"The situation is pathetic. We are helpless. Hospitals are seeking help but we have not been able to provide any support to them," Sameer Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesman at the Ministry of Health and Population, told Xinhua.

"There is an increasing need for oxygen for COVID-19 patients staying in home isolation too," he said. "Now, people are dying on their way to the hospital. We fear many people may die at home starting next week if we fail to manage adequate oxygen supply." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:39:31|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has banned the entry of passengers from Nepal on Sunday as its neighbouring countries including India are reeling from a deadly second coronavirus wave.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) made the announcement in a circular, saying no passenger from Nepal will be allowed to enter Bangladesh from Monday to limit the spread of the COVID-19.

Bangladesh on Saturday detected its first cases of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, weeks after it imposed a ban on the entry of travellers from India via land ports on April 25.

The air travel between the two countries was suspended from April 14 following a steep rise in COVID-19 infections in India.

After weeks of suspension due to COVID-19 pandemic, international flight operations to and from Bangladesh resumed in a limited scale on May 1. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:56:03|Editor: huaxia

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People wearing face masks walk on a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 9, 2021. Malaysia recorded its highest single day death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday since the outbreak after the virus claimed 26 more lives, bringing the total deaths to 1,683, according to the Health Ministry. Another 3,733 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which six are imported and 3,727 more are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 440,677. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded its highest single-day death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday after the virus claimed 26 more lives, bringing the total deaths to 1,683, according to the Health Ministry.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that the victims ranged from 36 to 90-years-old, with the majority of them suffering from existing health complications.

Another 3,733 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which six are imported and 3,727 more are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 440,677.

Some 3,211 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 401,934 or 91.2 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 37,060 active cases, 416 are being held in intensive care and 216 of those are in need of assisted breathing. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 15:52:20|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia is holding a solemn military parade and a series of other events on Sunday to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War, Russia's term for World War II.

In the devastating anti-fascist war some 70 years ago, people from the Soviet Union and China, as well as many other countries across the world, have made tremendous sacrifice and forged strong friendships in their decisive battle against evil fascist aggressors.

At a time when world peace and stability are facing great challenges, the national remembrance of fallen soldiers and heroes that have devoted themselves to defending justice and safeguarding global peace is carrying specific and significant importance.

Russia celebrates the Victory Day every year on May 9, which is also one of the country's biggest national holidays. During the day, there are unceasing flows of people in many cities laying flowers at the monuments to memorialize all the lost lives, while medal-bedecked veterans are telling war stories to younger generations.

"Every Russian family will always be sincerely proud of the feat of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, who saved the world from Nazism, (and) gave life to future generations," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telegram to the country's veterans.

The commemoration of the victory of the anti-fascist war is a good reminder of the cruelty of war, the true history and the value of the hard-earned peace and stability, especially at the time when the world is witnessing intensified unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonic practices from certain countries, which have seriously undermined the foundation of world peace and disrupted the global efforts in pursuing development.

Under such circumstances, commemorating the Victory Day not only serves to honor heroes and celebrate the great victory of the war, in which the Soviet Union lost more than 27 million lives and China suffered over 35 million casualties, but also demonstrates the strong will of all peace-loving countries and people to defend the post-war world order and justice, and avoid wars, either hot or cold, for the sake of all.

Seventy-six years after the end of the war, peace and development have become the prevailing trend nowadays, but the world is far from tranquil. People around the world have to learn the lessons of history and dedicate themselves to maintaining peace.

The world is wrestling with the once-in-a-century global health crisis and a dark economy recession, while some countries, instead of joining the rest of the world to address global challenges, chose to provoke conflicts and confrontations in order to satisfy their own selfish interests.

To overcome difficulties and obstacles to world peace and development, the international community should continue to carry forward the spirit of the world anti-fascist war, keep close communication and cooperation with mutual understanding and respect, and jointly advance the noble cause of global peace and development.

In today's world, people and countries are very closely interconnected both economically and technologically. Every individual on the planet bears the responsibility to remember the history and cherish peace, and make sure that the historical tragedy will never repeat itself. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 22:20:09|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited the leaders of the devolved nations to a summit on how "Team UK" can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported Sunday.

The latest development came after Scotland's First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon on Saturday pledged to push for a second independence referendum as her party secured "historic and extraordinary" fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish parliamentary election.

Johnson's invitation came also after the main opposition Labour Party's win in the Welsh Parliament during Thursday's election.

After his reelection, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford called on Johnson to "reset relationships" with the devolved nations.

The prime minister congratulated Sturgeon and Drakeford on their re-elections and invited them to a meeting to discuss such shared challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and how to overcome them, according to the BBC.

Johnson has telephoned Drakeford on Saturday and will later speak to Sturgeon, who has already confirmed she will attend the summit, said the BBC.

Johnson will be sending a similar letter to Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers, according to Sky News.

"I believe passionately that the interests of people across the UK... are best served when we work together," Johnson said.

Sturgeon has said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

Johnson has told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that it would be "reckless and irresponsible" for Scotland to hold a referendum right now.

"I don't think this is anything like the time to have more constitutional wrangling, to be talking about ripping our country apart, when actually people want to heal our economy and bounce forward together. That's what people want," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 15:31:25|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A rented residential balcony collapsed near California's city of Los Angeles on Saturday, leaving at least 11 injured, according to local officials and media reports.

The collapse took place on a rocky beach in Malibu, a city west of Los Angeles, at about 5:30 p.m. local time (0030 GMT on Sunday), and a group of people fell over jagged rocks and large boulders three to 4.5 meters below the colony, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Among the injured, two in critical conditions were immediately sent to trauma centers, four with moderate injuries were also hospitalized, and five more were treated at the scene, the department said.

Media reports said that around 15 people were standing on the balcony deck when the incident occurred, who were reportedly attending a large social gathering.

According to local NBC news channel, the homeowner said she rented the home for the weekend with a limit of six people inside, but neighbors called to tell her around 30 people were there. She said she was on the phone ordering the tenants to leave when the collapse occurred. Enditem
Jennifer Ouellette in Ars Technica:

It is a truth universally acknowledgedat least by those of the feline persuasionthat an empty box on the floor must be in want of a cat. Ditto for laundry baskets, suitcases, sinks, and even cat carriers (when not used as transport to the vet). This behavior is generally attributed to the fact that cats feel safer when squeezed into small spaces, but it might also be able to tell us something about feline visual perception. Thats the rationale behind a new study in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science with a colorful title: If I fits I sits: A citizen science investigation into illusory contour susceptibility in domestic cats (Felis silvers catus).

The paper was inspired in part by a 2017 viral Twitter hashtag, #CatSquares, in which users posted pictures of their cats sitting inside squares marked out on the floor with tapekind of a virtual box. The following year, lead author Gabriella Smith, a graduate student at Hunter College (CUNY) in New York City, attended a lecture by co-author Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere, who heads the Thinking Dog Center at Hunter. Byosiere studies canine behavior and cognition, and she spoke about dogs susceptibility to visual illusions. While playing with her roommates cat later that evening, Smith recalled the Twitter hashtag and wondered if she could find a visual illusion that looked like a square to test on cats.

Smith found it in the work of the late Italian psychologist and artist Gaetano Kanizsa, who was interested in illusory (subjective) contours that visually evoke the sense of an edge in the brain even if there isnt really a line or edge there.

More here.
Nigerian creative industry and social media influencers have resolved to increase their engagement with governance, politics and public policy in order to create a better future for the country's large youth population.

At the first Elevating Youth Voices Virtual Summit held last weekend and hosted by the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET), a think tank headed by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deputy governor Professor Kingsley Moghalu, musical and movie stars Jude ("MI") Abaga, Kate Henshaw, Regina Askia Williams and Joseph Benjamin, as well as social media opinion leaders and #EndSARS activists Sandra Ezekwesili, Rinu Oduola, Catherine Obianuju ( "DJ Switch") Udeh, and technology lawyer Timi Olagunju set out an agenda for greater youth engagement to improve governance. The event was moderated by Andrew Mwavua, an American community organiser in the United States, and Matilda Duncan, a radio journalist.

"We can't afford not to use our platforms for change", Jude Abaga stressed. "Just because someone knows how to manipulate the elections game doesn't mean they will be good for us. Today, I can see how the ignorance of our young people about how elections are won affects the quality of our lives".

In his opening remarks at the event, Prof Moghalu urged young Nigerians to take control of the present in order to shape the future. "With unemployment at 33% and 40 million youth unemployed or underemployed, 100 million living in extreme poverty, and United Nations demographics projecting a population of 400 million by 2050, what does the future hold for our young people who make up nearly 70% of Nigeria's population? That future is now, and you must colonize it and shape it for the better", he said.

There were differences of emphasis and nuance between the youthful panelists. For Joseph Benjamin, an actor, "we have a duty to engage with public policy and we have a duty to sensitize the people, but we as influencers must be careful about what we lend our voices to, because it also affects our brand."

But DJ Switch, a disc jockey and music producer who played a prominent role in the #EndSARS protests and is now in hiding for her safety, criticised creative industry influencers who hobnob with corrupt politicians while criticising bad governance.

"If you are not good for me, then your money is not good either. Influencers need to take a stand! We cannot criticise a government that steals from us everyday and turn around and collect their money", she emphasised.

The #EndSARS youth uprising highlighted the impact and power of social media, noted Regina Askia, a former Nigeria beauty queen and Nollywood actress who is now a United States based nurse practitioner and public health advocate. "#EndSARS hashtags yielded over 28 million tweets over one weekend", she recalled.

Askia noted that the challenge remained that of how the youth can be steered to more active participation in the political process, in particular voting in elections.

Sandra Ezekwesili, an influential radio talk show host, opined that "Nigerian youth are realistic about the reality of the electoral process and the political space", but when it came to the #EndSARS protest, she said, "We have not been disobedient enough, more #EndSARS need to happen" for real change to come to Nigeria.

Moghalu reminded the summit participants that while peaceful protest remained an essential right in a democracy, it cannot replace the importance of voting in elections as a way to create lasting change by electing more competent leaders. The former presidential candidate in Nigeria's general elections in 2019 recalled the Arab Spring protests that were driven by social media. "A decade later, the social and economic conditions of the Arab youth are worse now than at the time the protests swept through the Arab world", Moghalu said. "That's because the Arab youth failed to take the energy of the Arab Spring into structural politics by joining political parties, voting in large numbers for candidates of their choice, and standing as candidates. This left the old guard in these countries still effectively in charge".

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Kate Henshaw, a leading Nollywood actress who has been a candidate for elective political office, stressed: "It's time to move from complaining on social media to action at the grassroots. The people who vote, half of them are not on social media". She added that "social media has its good side, but we just have to give it more meat".

The Elevating Youth Voices Summit had 1,000 participants from Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, France, United Kingdom, United States and other countries. The IGET will host the summit on a quarterly basis, focusing on topics affecting Nigerian youth and the country's development.
They communicate in sign language, at times, they produce sounds in short bursts. To some, the sounds may be incorrigible, but in their community, they are well understood. They go to special schools too.

But now, the hearing-impaired believe it is time they are integrated into mainstream learning institutions.

With some of the pupils performing well in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations, their parents now want them to be taught in regular schools. With proper training and speech therapy, the hearing-impaired children can improve their speech and hearing capabilities and can learn just like their peers, the parents have said.

Norlyn Awuor, a former special needs candidate at Jabali Elementary School, scored 408 marks, and she is an icon amongst the other 18 hearing-impaired pupils who sat the same examination at the school. Coming from a humble background, the girl had been enrolled in the school's scholarship programme.

Though her condition was not as advanced as some of her classmates', she is proof that special needs learners can outdo their peers in normal schools.

"Despite hardships, I am a happy person today. God answered my prayers. My dream is to become a neurosurgeon," said Awuor.

Crucial role

According to the chairperson of the Parents-Teachers Council of Jabali Elementary School, Mr Elijah Odundo, integration of the special needs pupils has played a crucial role in their performance. The constant interaction with their abled counterparts, and support from staff at the school, has seen tremendous improvement in their academics. He asked the government to formulate policies that will see integration rolled out across the country.

While celebrating the school's performance in the 2020 KCPE exams, the parents blamed the government for leaving behind the integration aspect of education, even as it pumped more funds into the sector.

With increased awareness, hearing-impaired children can regain some portion of their hearing, and in some cases, full hearing capacity is regained, Mr Odundo said.

Advanced technology has in the recent past come to bridge the hearing-impairment challenge, especially through proper amplification devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. Early intervention and speech therapy have also proven to be major contributors to the regaining of hearing.

Take the case of Tacey Awino -- she was born without any hearing capacity, and when she was enrolled in primary school, she still could not hear a word. However, hearing aids and speech therapy have seen her develop speech and she can communicate with her peers with relative ease.

"I have big dreams for my life. I came here with a hearing impairment but I am happy today that I can speak with my friends," Tacey said.

Her father, Mr Joel Ombewa, could not contain his joy. He never thought his daughter would one day speak and interact with her peers as she now can.

"I am a happy father. I call her even when she is in her bedroom and we are able to communicate well," he said.

Hidden joke

However, Mr Ombewa was apprehensive that his daughter would likely go to a special needs secondary school, should the government not act swiftly and provide her with an integrated option of study.

"My daughter excelled. She has marks that will take her to a secondary school, but I am worried that I may be forced to take her to a sign language school," he said.

Seated with her friends Nicole, Norlyn, Valerie, Billan, and Season, one could not tell who among them was hearing-impaired. They chatted animatedly, gesticulating sharply and giggled every now and then at some hidden joke.

Their non-hearing-impaired friends have accepted them totally. One of Tacey's and Norlyn's friends is Nicole Masheti, who scored 396 marks and has been classmates with Tacey since lower primary.

"She has been my friend and will always remain my friend. Studying with her has made me appreciate people who are abled differently. My worry is that we may not be able to go to the same secondary school," she said.

"It is my prayer that our government will come up with policies of how we will have more integrated schools for continuity," she added.

Hearing-impaired

Nicole's father, Mr Anthony Masheti, together with Ms Lizy Mutuma, were the class eight representatives at the school. Both were happy with the integrated approach adopted by the school and said they did not mind having their children learn together with their hearing-impaired classmates. The 2020 KCPE exam was the school's pioneer national examination and the school had a mean score of 350 marks.

"If we had more such schools, we would be very far as a country. These children are abled differently. As a matter of fact, most of them are blessed in the field of arts," said Mr Masheti.

Head teacher Kennedy Odhiambo recounted how his daughter, also hearing-impaired and now an adult, greatly benefited from the integrated system of learning. Before the programme, his daughter struggled with studying and interacting with her peers, he said.

"It is high time the government accommodated the hearing-impaired students who have developed speech through auditory verbal therapy to continue being integrated in high school," said Mr Odhiambo.

But he is still a troubled man. The reason is the fact that the pupils will be admitted to special needs secondary schools despite having studied in an integrated school at primary level.

The school is swamped with requests of admission from desperate parents, but it cannot accommodate them all due to limited resources.

Ms Leah Muthoni, the teacher in charge of integration at the school, explained that when the children are enrolled at an early age, they are easily integrated and develop speech.

"It is not an easy journey but if you are passionate, you will definitely enjoy it and celebrate all of their milestones. I am happy that we trained Tacey and now she has developed some speech. Let her know she will have support to reach her highest potential," she said.

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Hearing problem

Ms Muthoni urged parents to ensure that their children are screened as early as possible so that if they are diagnosed with a hearing problem, they are immediately supported to get integral skills such as speech and language.

"We should also create awareness among our children that it is normal to learn among children who have special needs as well," she said.

Among the top-performers in the school was Season Mwaki, who lost his elder sister in the Precious Talent School tragedy in 2019, when several pupils died and others were injured after a building at the school collapsed. Mwaki, who was admitted to the school on bursary, scored 386 marks.

"We celebrate Mwaki and the many others who were on the bursary and scored highly. Having children on bursary mixed with children from able families went a long way to teach life skills to all of our students... to teach them to treat all with respect and accept them," said the school's director, Ms Jackie Oduor.

She expressed her desire to see all children, regardless of their abilities, impairments, and social backgrounds, treated without any discrimination.

"We believe as Jabali School, we send out our pupils to the world well-equipped with life skills, more so in accepting that others are born abled differently but deserve to be accepted and given a fair chance in society as we advocate for them to reach their highest potential," she concluded.
From a life of "blistering loneliness", photographer Polly Irungu was one of many evolving artists and photographers struggling to find their place in a fast-moving world.

Information was not readily available and for years Ms. Irungu did not know where to turn to for mentorship while trying to make a living out of photography, which is also her passion.

She would have welcomed advice from her peers, or been grateful for apprenticeship, or just being be part of a community of photographers who wouldn't mind sharing their experience of navigating the challenges of a fast-moving media industry. Yet, Ms. Irungu couldn't find such support. As a young photographer, the journalism graduate longed to connect with people she could culturally and professionally identify with.

Reflecting on her formative years, Ms. Irungu says: "I was acutely aware that I needed perspective... More than that, I needed community."

Building a network

This is what led the young photographer to her current objective - building a network of Black women photographers sharing insights and resources that would propel them to recognition in the creative industry.

"There have been moments where I thought to myself, if only I had a community, if only I had a mentor, if only I knew other Black photographers, specifically Black woman photographers' and photojournalists that I could turn to," Ms. Irungu told Africa Renewal.

"I finally realized that I needed to do something other than just sit on the sidelines," she said. "Photography remains a white-dominated field."

Born in Nairobi, Ms. Irungu grew up in the United States where she fell into photography almost by chance. She bought her first camera and computer at the end of her senior year in high school year with money earned working at a fast-food restaurant.

She photographed family, friends and almost everyone and everything she came across. She taught herself the techniques and searched the internet for photography tips.

"I finally realized that I needed to do something other than just sit on the sidelines," she said. "Photography remains a white-dominated field."

At the onset was a list of black women photographers Ms. Irungu had compiled a few years back. She dusted up the list and tweeted to it. After the tweet garnered a couple of hundred retweets, she decided to reach out to the responders, introduce herself and ask them about their experience.

"What was your last assignment? Was it paid? How often do you get getting hired? Did you ever feel moments that you wanted to leave this industry?" were some of the questions, she asked, observing that the experience was similar across the board.

Fast forward barely five months later, and Ms. Irungu's "doing something" has resulted in a diverse community of black women photographers -- an initiative with the aim, it proclaims, "to disrupt the notion that it is difficult to discover and commission black creatives."

Over time, the envisioned network of Black Women Photographers would become a diverse community of Black women who would disrupt the notion that it is difficult to discover and commission black creatives.

Dusting up old list

When COVID-19 hit, finding a job became harder. The protests against police brutality erupted across the US and elsewhere in the world following the death of George Floyd.

For journalists, the historic events unfolding in cities across the world would have presented the perfect opportunities to get to work. Yet, these opportunities remained scarce for someone like Ms. Irungu.

Today, BWP maintains a digital database of 600 members since its first launch in July of 2020 with support from a COVID-19 relief fund (#BWPReliefFund) that raised over $14,000 to provide financial support to Black women and non-binary photographers during the pandemic.

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"When I set out to do this," she remarked, "I really didn't use (the unfolding events) to inform my approach. What I used was just my own personal experiences and those that I was hearing from other women to inform my approach."

Still, it can't be overlooked that the initiative received a great deal of interest across the world, because conversations around race and justice resonated with many people.

Members of the community come from countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Japan and Australia.

And to hear Ms. Irungu tell it; this is just the beginning: "What really keeps me going, is being able to shine light on different stories that have been overlooked for so long."
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Remarks on Deadly Serial Attacks in Afghanistan

2021/05/09

Q: According to the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Afghanistan, on the afternoon of May 8 local time, serial attacks were carried out near a secondary school for girls in the capital Kabul, killing at least 50 and injuring over 100, most of which were students attending the school. No organization has claimed responsibility so far. Does China have any comment? Are there Chinese citizens among the casualties?

A: We are shocked by the attacks and strongly condemn such violent acts. We are deeply saddened by the passing of the victims and extend sincere condolences to the bereaved families. It has been verified that there is no Chinese citizen among the casualties.

China opposes violent extremism in all its manifestations. We will continue our firm support for the Afghan government and people in their efforts to combat terrorism and safeguard national security and stability. We also stand ready to work with the international community to help Afghanistan realize peace at an early date.

It needs to be pointed out that the recent abrupt US announcement of complete withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan has led to a succession of explosive attacks throughout the country, worsening the security situation and threatening peace and stability as well as peoples life and safety. China calls on foreign troops in Afghanistan to take into full account the security of people in the country and the region, pull out in a responsible manner and avoid inflicting more turmoil and suffering on the Afghan people.
The call five United States Senators made to the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman for the postponement of Ethiopia's forthcoming General Elections displayed a 'shallow understanding and ignorance' about the conflict in Ethiopia, a renowned political analyst said.

In his recent social media post, Political- Economic Analyst for Africa Lawrence Freeman stated that the suggestions that Senators Ben Cardin, Tim Kaine, Jacky Rosen, Cory Booker and Ed Markey forwarded to the special envoy that Ethiopia's General Elections should not go forward, is downright dangerous. In their letter, the senators have made an attempt to de-legitimize the June's elections and their efforts could be considered as interference against a sovereign nation.

"Putting Western arrogance aside, which believes it has supreme right to tell Ethiopia, a sovereign nation, when it should allow it citizens to vote, the letter displays no knowledge of the unique dynamics of Ethiopian society." Freeman questioned the senator's knowledge of the last 125-year history of Ethiopia from the victory at Adwa to the present efforts by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) to unify the nation through the newly created, non-ethnic based, Prosperity Party. The senators appeared to have based their opinions about Ethiopia almost exclusively on news reports or from Amnesty International.

"It is outrageous for members of the U.S. Senate to suggest that a sovereign nation should cancel their elections," the analyst said, adding that only one party, not several, has chosen to abstain. "The U.S. Senators' accusations are foolishly giving cover for more parties to withdraw." Despite the best efforts by the Ethiopian government to conduct its most open and transparent election in the last 26 years, no doubt difficulties will occur in the voting process.

As to him, opposition political parties will now be able to opportunistically claim the election is illegitimate, and contest the results, citing allegations from the U.S. Senator's letter. This could fuel additional ethnic violence, thus making it more challenging for the government to unify the nation following the election.

The Ethiopian government, with a view to discharging its sovereign obligation, and the Ethiopian people are in full preparation for the critical election, which has already been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "It would be irresponsible for the government of Ethiopia to deprive its citizens and all the parties participating, the right to vote. Ethiopia, a sovereign nation, believes it is paramount that its citizens determine the future of their nation by electing its leaders at the ballot box," Freeman remarked.

BY BILAL DERSO
Four days with no food and contact. That is the time three students and their two dogs spent in a forest in Mathira before being rescued.

Police officers mounted an aerial and ground search for 17-year-old Anthony Muhoro, Jackson Karuri, 17, and David Mukoma Kinyua, 20 who went missing on May 4.

The three students from Mathira East sub-county were on an adventure in Mt Kenya forest when they got lost.

Muhoro is a Form Three student at Gitunduti Secondary School, Karuri is also a Form Three but at Ihwagi Secondary School while Kinyua is a student at Nyeri National Polytechnic.

After four days of futile search, police deployed a helicopter yesterday. They teamed up with Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service rangers to comb the forest in search of the students.

Also found were the two dogs which were with the students.

Survived without food

Muhoro, who narrated their ordeal by phone from the forest, attributed their survival to God's mercy

"It was by the grace of God that we survived for four days without food and other necessities. We thought we were going to die and kept praying," Muhoro told the Sunday Nation.

"We literally groped in the dark after losing our way back home. We survived on water and wild fruits since we had not carried any food."

He said they were hiking when they lost their way back home.

"We entered the forest through Ragati gate. Hours later, we found ourselves deep into the dense woods. I don't know how far it was from the edges of the forest but we were exhausted," he said.

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"We could not even tell the time since it was constantly dark. That is when panic set in."

Realising they were lost, the students "meditated" and prayed to save energy and avoid thinking about food.

Phones lost signals

It became difficult to communicate with the outside world as their mobile phones lost signals.

"We started moving in the forest, literary going in circles in a desperate attempt to find our way out," Muhoro said.

Days later as they trekked towards the edge of the forest, they met some police officers and forest rangers who summoned the rest of the search party.

According to Mathira East Police Commander James Baraza, who led the operation, the students went to the forest around noon.

Their disappearance was reported at Karatina Police Station the same day and a search by locals and police was mounted.

The operation yesterday caused a stir in Karatina as the helicopter made several trips to and from the stadium, the main command centre of the search.
The young environmentalists are looking for a seat at the table when decisions are being made about their futures as climate impacts worsen across the continent

LONDON, May 8 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Young African environmental activists said Saturday it is crucial those most impacted by climate change have a bigger say in decision-making to find solutions, including at upcoming COP26 U.N. climate talks set for November in Glasgow.

In an online discussion joined by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nigerian environmentalist Olumide Idowu said African youth could "no longer afford to be spectators of our future".

"Most of these negotiators negotiate on behalf of us, without us ... we should be looking at how we can be a part of these negotiations," Idowu said.

From stronger heatwaves and storms to droughts and flooding, climate impacts are hitting Africa increasingly hard, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Droughts have killed crops, worsening existing food insecurity across the continent, while excessive rains and flooding have contributed to unprecedented plagues of locusts and the spread of diseases.

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate said despite the growing threats, "we are not seeing the action we hope to see. We're not seeing leaders do what we are asking them to do".

Little of the limited money available to combat those threats is making its way to frontline communities, as funders have often tended to focus instead on larger, well-established organisations.

When Amazon founder Jeff Bezos last year donated a first round of promised billions to fight climate change, for example, most of the money went to big environmental groups rather than affected countries and communities.

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And with key interim U.N. climate negotiations, ahead of the November talks, now set to happen online, low-income countries, including those in Africa, could be disadvantaged by poor internet access.

The young environmentalists said African grassroots activists can be particularly effective at tailoring climate messages to local people in order to lower climate risks and build support for climate action.

That includes engaging communities on social media or translating climate science into useable information on risks to food production and security, they said.

But while young Africans had found local solutions to problems, educated their peers on climate change and worked to build more resilient communities, these solutions were not being heard at higher levels, they said.

Thunberg urged world leaders to give greater prominence to on-the-ground expertise as they try to accelerate action on climate change and cut risks.

"I cannot stress how important it is that we listen to the African voices and tell the African stories," she said.

"It's about time we pass over the mic."
analysis

Ride-hailing apps in Nigeria have provided technical fixes and education to stop male drivers harassing female passengers, but will it change anything?

On a visit to Nigeria in 2019, Rebecca*, 26, forgot her phone in an Uber. A few days later, she noticed a strange pattern. The driver in whose car she had left her phone would show up every time she ordered a ride. Sometimes he would show up at her destination after a journey with another driver.

Rebecca suspected that he had managed to access her email and was able to track her ride requests and destinations. She changed her name and other contact information on the Uber app.

"I felt violated, I felt very afraid, I felt unsafe," she told African Arguments.

Similar allegations have dogged ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt since they launched in Nigeria. Both are dominated by male drivers, and many women feel the need to constantly change their identities to use them safely.

CNN host Arit Okpo has described how an Uber driver had texted her after a ride, discovered her identity, and followed her on Instagram. "I can't even describe the sense of violation I felt, the blind panic. This man knew my address, phone number, and details of my identity - he could hurt me or my friends," she tweeted.

Lawyer Modupe Odele has explained how she never lets drivers drop her off in front of her hotel or Airbnb when she's travelling. Rather, she asks to be dropped off at a nearby restaurant and pretends to enter until the driver leaves. "Just heartbreaking what women have to do to feel safe," she tweeted.

Sometimes harassment happens in real-time. In 2019, Temidayo Adetola, 24, ordered a Bolt ride to Ikorodu, a border town in Lagos, to visit her mother-in-law. Along the way, the driver stopped suddenly.

"He said he liked my body shape and I would be good in bed, that merely seeing my picture from the app, nobody would know I am this sexy," she recalled. She left the car and sought alternative transportation.

"When Bolt asked why I was ending the ride prematurely, I clicked on the app that I was not comfortable with the rider," she said. Although Adetola was yet to be married, she added a "Mrs" to her name on the app. "It worked, there is the respect they accord you when they know you are married," she said.

App fixes

Both ride-hailing apps say they have been tackling problems around driver misconduct, safety, and privacy. Bolt now enables users to shield their numbers and see more information about their drivers, including a photo. Uber rolled out Safety Toolkit in 2019 that includes a "24/7 Incident Response Team, Share My Trip, GPS tracking and insurance cover".

The companies also stress that they also have disciplinary measures for erring drivers and that they inform the authorities when necessary. "When a driver is reported for any kind of misconduct, our High Priority Team is activated to investigate the incident," says Nthabiseng Mokoena, Bolt's PR manager in Africa. "During the process of investigation, the driver is suspended from operating on the Bolt platform, and in the event that the driver is found guilty they are permanently blocked from our platform."

Last year, Uber rolled out a mandatory sexual misconduct and assault education for drivers in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

"Expanding driver education is another step in our efforts to put safety at the heart of everything we do," said a spokesperson from Uber. "Uber is committed to doing its part to help drive awareness, education, and prevention among driver-partners and riders."

"Getting into the cars with strangers"

These initiatives may offer some protection, but users point out that drivers typically have access to riders' phone numbers and chosen addresses by default. Moreover, the real problem arguably runs much deeper and is located in Nigeria's widespread patriarchal attitudes.

Indeed, drivers often disagree on what constitutes a privacy violation or harassment in the first place. According to Oluwasegun Amos, a driver in Lagos, many of his counterparts see their actions as acts of friendliness or ways to establish personal relationships to bring more customers.

"We are dealing with human beings," he said. "You are going to pick some riders and you are going to have a very good relationship with them. You can keep their numbers and become friends."

Amos also explains that some drivers feel unjustly vilified. When the story of a fight between a female passenger and a male driver went viral, for instance, he says that members of a private group chat questioned why no one was asking what led the driver to hit the woman. "Although we strongly condemned the beating, we have a Facebook page where we discuss these things," he said.

For victims of harassment, the issue is much clearer. Esther is an Abuja resident who has received unsolicited messages on Whataspp from a Bolt driver. "Unfortunately, we are still from a country that is so patriarchal and it is the same patriarchal beliefs that the drivers will have," she said. "They don't really see women as people to be respected to start with... The companies can do as much training for their drivers but if they are not willing to learn, at this point, I don't know [what can be done]."

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For women like Rebecca, the only solution is to take extensive precautions oneself. During her last few days in Lagos, she kept to a drill. She tried to use the same driver for each journey, made sure to always share her location with her colleagues and family, and would secretly take a picture of the license plate. She is now back in the US, where she thinks the system is safe but still does not use her real name on Uber.

"It is exhausting definitely to have to do that just for taking a ride," she said. "I feel the companies need to put a lot of administrative measures and engineering control in place to protect women more and mitigate these kinds of safety risks, because, really, we are getting into the cars with strangers."

* name changed to protect her identity

Ope Adetayo is a Nigerian writer and journalist based in Lagos.
opinion

Recently, both Republics of Benin and Chad held their 2021 national elections. These countries are among thirteen countries on the continent billed to elect new political leaders in 2021 alone. This is a good opportunity to improve conditions on the continent. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified other issues on the continent like youth unemployment that better leadership could help improve.

These are three ways West African leaders can better help their nations at this time of COVID-19 and beyond.

First, the rate of youth unemployment must be effectively tackled.

Younger nationals must be encouraged and supported to enter politics at all levels, vying for not only executive office, but also parliamentary seats in local, state and national elections

According to the United Nations, about 64% of the population in West and Central Africa are aged below 24. Although these young people are a huge resource for the region, unemployment, and a failure to invest and develop such as agriculture, education, health, and industry have led to an under-utilisation of this vital resource.

Sadly, the World Bank reports youths account for 60% of all of Africa's jobless. For a continent with more than 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, the continent is home to the world's youngest population whose level of unemployment is twice that of older adults.

Most electioneering and campaign messaging encourage violence, and with an astonishing number of unemployed and "working poor" amongst youth in the sub-region, these young people are ready tools to be used for violence, election fraud and social unrest, not to mention communal conflict and gang violence.

With informal employment being the default at up to 89% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, social safety nets and workers' rights are inaccessible to most youths. Last year, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo announced that his country would cease to export cocoa to Switzerland, its largest trade partner, to increase cocoa processing and chocolate manufacturing for export.

This bold move which speaks to a focus on innovation could however change the status quo for Ghana and the West African sub-region. Harnessing the country's youthful population into innovation-led agricultural and value-adding industrial processes medical equipment and vaccines will attract new and improved business ventures, which would lead to the creation of more jobs and economic growth.

Secondly, we must involve youths in elective offices.

United Nations projections reveal that over the next twenty-five years, the population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double (in what constitutes a 99% increase). For the youngest continent in the world, there is a vast disconnect between its people and its leaders - age, as the region plays host to some of the "oldest and longest-serving political leaders".

Changing the political narrative will require Africa's youth to throw their hats in the ring and defy entrenched systems of elder deference to bring about political change. Younger nationals must be encouraged and supported to enter politics at all levels, vying for not only executive office, but also parliamentary seats in local, state and national elections.

Lastly, there must be gender balance in elective offices.

There is no current female West African leader. Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female leader in Africa, while Nigeria's Patricia Etteh and Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo of Ghana were two female Speakers of Parliament in a list of elected female West African leaders that is still too short.

Experience from the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated that nations that were successful in containing the virus were mostly women-led. There have been suggestions that women leaders are more diverse and inclusive in the perspectives brought to bear in their exercise of leadership, and prioritise the protection of their citizens over risk.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's leadership in the eye of the storm of the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 is a case in point. Madam Sirleaf herself has stated that the success of women leaders in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has been borne out of their readiness to "draw on informal networks, ingenious partnerships, community support and alternative resources to solve problems."

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of governance - economy, businesses, healthcare, education etc. Consequently, it will take a long time for economies to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

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To quote Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: "Now is the time to recognize that developmental transformation and true peace cannot come without fundamental change in who is leading and the ways of leading."

Dr. Ifeanyi McWilliams Nsofor is a graduate of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He is a Senior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at George Washington University. Ifeanyi is the Director Policy and Advocacy at Nigeria Health Watch. You can follow him on Twitter @ekemma.

Dr Adaeze Oreh is a Consultant Family Physician and Country Head of Planning, Research and Statistics for Nigeria's National Blood Transfusion Service. She is also an Amujae Leader and Senior Fellow for Global Health with the Aspen Institute in Washington D.C. You can follow her on Twitter at @Adaeze_Oreh

John Lazame Tindanbil is a public health practitioner working to provide quality reproductive healthcare, including safe abortion services. He leads MABIA-Ghana and is a Senior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute. You can follow him on Twitter @JLazame_5090

Follow @ekemma
analysis

South African politics is certainly more intriguing than fiction. Behind the drama, though, is the reality that twenty-seven years into our fragile democracy we are at a critical juncture. Critical junctures are major events that disrupt existing political and economic equilibria. Two recent and highly disruptive events have occurred in rapid succession that require examination.

First, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has taken long leave from his preeminent position at the head of South Africa's Constitutional Court. His term is due to end in September this year. The Presidency has not provided reasons for his departure, which comes at a moment of unprecedented political attack on the judiciary and raises questions about the timing of Mogoeng's decision, though he is indeed entitled to take long leave.

Former president Jacob Zuma, who has had a fractious relationship with a judiciary that has largely ruled against him without fear or favour, recently refused to appear before the Zondo Commission. He then ignored a Constitutional Court order to do so, for which an arrest warrant was subsequently issued. Zuma questioned South Africa's constitutional foundation and defied Mogeong's directive that Zuma submit a 15-page affidavit outlining a suitable sanction for being in contempt of court (for which the commission had asked for a two-year prison sentence). Instead of complying, Zuma wrote a lengthy letter complaining of judicial dictatorship.

Mogoeng has been silent since, and it's unclear what his game is. Speculation, however, that this - and his leave decision - has to do with Mogoeng not wanting to get caught up in questions around Zuma's arrest appear unfounded. Mogoeng was not on the court panel involved in the decision to issue the warrant.

Of concern, though, is that Mogoeng recently used hearings of the Judicial Service Commission to suggest that during 2016, while Pravin Gordhan was the finance minister, Gordhan had sought to influence him in favour of appointing a friend to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Gordhan has denied the allegations but they do not help South Africa's reputation for increasingly blurry lines where there should be a clear separation. Nonetheless, Zuma's attack on the judiciary appears to be baseless; the only public evidence for impropriety on behalf of judges is that Western Cape judge president John Hlophe had tried to persuade Constitutional Court justices to rule in favour of Zuma.

The story is of course far more nuanced than the picture of state capture and lawlessness (Zuma and his rent-hungry acolytes) against the judiciary. Jessie Duarte, the ANC's deputy secretary-general, in a leaked recording, is alleged to have accused Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo (of Zondo Commission fame) of having a prosecutorial, antagonistic attitude towards Zuma.

Second, and connected, is the peculiar tit-for-tat between Ace Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa. The ANC, at the highest level, has suspended Magashule because he is facing criminal charges for corruption. Never one for obeying orders - and closely connected to Zuma, who apparently advised Ace to defy the suspension - Ace responded by stating that he had in fact suspended the president. He also noted that Jessie Duarte (mentioned above) did not have the requisite authority, as his deputy within the party, to issue him with the suspension letter. But only the National Executive Committee or the National Working Committee of the ANC could take a decision of this nature, so it appears that Magashule is simply playing silly politics.

Either way, the fact that Duarte issued the letter, in the wake of her own comments allegedly attacking the judiciary, is significant. It suggests that in the interminable internal political machinations of the ruling party, even those aligned with the former president and Magashule, are now jumping ship. They appear to be hinging their lifeboats to Ramaphosa, including the rest of the 'top six', a number of whom do indeed possess their own 'smallanyana skeletons' and may soon face criminal charges.

These two events coalesce to potentially disrupt our political economy equilibrium. Political attacks on the judiciary are, as recently indicated by former president Thabo Mbeki, tantamount to abandoning 'the principle that the constitution is the supreme law of the republic.' He goes further, rightly, to point out that 'the argument that a constitutional democracy is a threat to democracy itself and a subversion of the will of the people makes no sense and is not supported by any evidence.'

South Africa's constitution acts as a source of constraining, independent external authority. Far from subverting the will of the governed, it prevents governance itself from becoming arbitrary and relativised. It is the foundation on which the formative principles of the rule of law and the separation of powers rests. In what has essentially become a relatively choiceless democracy with a dominant party, it is critical that a non-politicised bulwark - the constitutional court - should stand firm against an executive that - for ten years under former president Zuma - systematically looted the country. Without such a bulwark, the rule of law becomes a nonsense concept. Constraints against executive abuse have to be credible if South Africa is to escape the economic malaise that its politics have landed us in.

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This is not mere opinion. The empirical evidence is compelling that countries with strong institutions - the social systems that motivate regular human behaviour - do far better in the long run than their unhinged, autocratic peers. In a 2019 article in the Journal of Political Economy, which requires far more global attention, scholars Acemoglu, Naidu, Restrepo and Robinson demonstrated with robust econometric modelling that "democracy does cause growth". It is not - as some would have it - that growth creates the space for democracy to flourish. On the contrary, democracy - defined by a constitutional order that upholds the rule of law - creates the space for growth. These are mutually reinforcing structural dynamics.

The good news, of course, is that judge Sisi Khampepe has been appointed to take Mogoeng's place. She brings fearless independence and forty years' worth of experience to the role. That we can draw on this kind of talent is something we should be proud of as a nation. It is nonetheless critical that civil society band together to prevent a constitutional crisis and uphold the rule of law, preferably with high-profile elite lawbreakers in prison soon. Without it, the disruption to our already-fragile political economy equilibrium may prove irreversible.
Experts are joining forces to figure out law and policy answers to deal with rising climate-driven migration in Africa

It's been 10 years since the United Nations-declared famine and drought in the Horn of Africa forced hundreds of thousands of Somalis from their homes, in search of safety, food and livelihoods.

Yet, the legal rights and status of those who move in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation remain unclear.

The term 'climate refugee', which some have floated, has been widely rejected as refugee law does not readily apply to most people who move for environmental reasons.

A lack of lawful migration opportunities forces many of those moving for climate-related reasons to do so without authorisation and at risk of exploitation and abuse. But solutions are within our grasp.

NEED FOR SOLUTIONS

Now academics, policy experts, judges and government representatives across Africa and beyond are joining forces to focus on effective law and policy responses and, together, determine a research agenda that can help to develop those solutions.

It is a challenge that cannot wait. The World Bank predicts up to 86 million internal climate migrants in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2050.

Precarious legal status and limited livelihoods make it difficult for people to re-establish and support themselves when they move, and to lead fulfilling lives.

Discussions about law and policy responses to displacement and migration in the context of disasters and climate change often focus on what we do not have - we do not have an international treaty for protecting those who move for environmental or climate-related reasons.

But through a new workshop series, researchers and others are taking a different starting point, and looking more closely at what we do have.

A better understanding of existing law and policy frameworks in Africa - including climate change, migration, free movement and human rights frameworks - could mean better opportunities for people who migrate or are displaced due to disasters and climate change.

This is a broad collaboration, involving more than 200 researchers, practitioners and government officials. The aim is to promote solutions to climate change-related displacement and migration that better utilise existing legal frameworks, are evidence-based, and respond to the particular challenges faced by African countries.

'Let us focus on the opportunities to address these challenges, because solutions exist,' said Fathia Alwan, Director of Health and Social Development, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) during the opening session of the series .

'A STEP AHEAD'

In fact, Africa is already one step ahead when it comes to law and policy responses to human movement resulting from disasters and climate change, incorporating environmental consideration into many key migration and displacement frameworks.

The continent's Kampala Convention for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is the world's first, and to date only, binding agreement for protecting people displaced within their own countries by natural disasters.

It obliges governments to prevent displacement - for example, by adopting disaster risk reduction and climate mitigation measures for vulnerable communities - and to protect those forced to flee their homes to elsewhere within their countries.

In East Africa, in 2020, Member States of the IGAD region adopted a pioneering new free movement protocol, which specifically allows those at risk of disasters and climate change to enter neighbouring states following, or in order to avoid, the impacts of a disaster.

In West Africa, a dedicated framework for nomadic groups authorizes cross-border movements of pastoralists and their livestock in need of water and pasture.

At the continental level, addressing the adverse effects of climate change is one of the priority areas of the African Union.

Yet limited awareness of the laws and policies that apply to climate change-related human mobility, and a lack of coordination between relevant stakeholders, mean that opportunities to address disaster and climate change-related human mobility are not being realised in practice.

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At the opening session, Justice John M. Mativo of the High Court of Kenya emphasised the role that courts can play in ensuring the validity and implementation of relevant laws in practice.

'Litigation pushes legislators and policymakers to be more ambitious and thorough in their approaches to climate change. We need more academic research and collaboration to support climate change and disaster displacement litigation in Africa,' Justice Mativo said.

The window for African countries to prepare for future displacement in a changing climate is closing. Action now could help more people to stay safely at home - and ensure safety and protection for those who move.

Tamara Wood is a visiting fellow at the University of New South Wales' Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law and Edwin Abuya is a professor of law at the University of Nairobi.
Bill has drawn praise for protecting victims and outlawing sexual harassment, but it also criminalises gay sex and sex work and stipulates harsher sentences for HIV-positive defendants

NAIROBI - A new Ugandan law that seeks to better protect victims of sexual violence has been criticised by rights campaigners who say it discriminates against vulnerable groups including LGBT+ people, sex workers and those living with HIV.

The Sexual Offences Bill has drawn praise for provisions such as protecting victims during trials and outlawing sexual harassment, but it also criminalises gay sex and sex work, and sets out harsher sentences for HIV-positive rape defendants.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said she was "deeply troubled" by parts of the legislation, which consolidates existing laws and rulings and was passed by parliament earlier this week.

"Targeting people living with HIV, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and sex workers increases stigma and discrimination," Byanyima said in a statement, saying that could set back Uganda's progress to combat HIV/AIDS.

"(This) undermines the HIV response by preventing people from receiving the HIV treatment, prevention and care services that they so urgently need," she added.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

In addition to the tougher sentences, the law also requires mandatory HIV testing for rape suspects.

President Yoweri Museveni must still sign the bill before it can become law, and UNAIDS and other human rights groups are urging Ugandan parliamentarians to reconsider the contentious provisions.

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Gay sex is already punishable by life imprisonment in the East African country, but the new law reiterates the ban and also defines anal sex as "an unnatural offence".

The legislation also criminalises engaging in sex work, operating a brothel and buying services from a sex worker.

Groups such as Human Rights Watch noted that while the bill criminalises consensual sexual acts, it allows non-consensual acts such as marital rape to go unpunished.

Ugandan legal rights group the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum said the legislation was a regression in the movement for the protection and promotion of sexual and reproductive rights.

"The spirit of the law in certain provisions is one of intolerance, a factor that should not exist in a free and democratic society," the organisation said in a statement.

Uganda has made good progress in recent years in reducing the impact of HIV, UNAIDS said, with AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections falling by 60% and 43% respectively since 2010. Most Ugandans living with HIV take antiretroviral medication.

However, many vulnerable groups of people, such as gay men and other men who have sex with men and sex workers, continue to be less likely than the general population to receive the HIV treatment, prevention and care services they need, it adds.
analysis

Zimasile 'Zim' Ngqawana, died unexpectedly and too soon - on 10 May 2011 at the age of 51 - leaving bereft a family and a musical community that spanned the globe.

A flautist and saxophonist, composer and teacher, Ngqawana was born in New Brighton township in then Port Elizabeth, South Africa. After a university music education he became known on the jazz and dance theatre scenes. It was Ngqawana who was chosen to present music - a 100-piece ensemble - at the inauguration of president Nelson Mandela in 1994. He released his debut studio album, San Song, in 1996. He would tour the world with his band Ingoma and work with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela, in turn mentoring a new generation of South African musicians. He later established a school, the Zimology Institute.

Ngqawana's biography and his achievements are well known.

Recalling him on the 10th anniversary of his death is to remember how a South African jazz musician's life and death, in a country that generally treats the arts - and especially jazz - as an inconvenience outside of Heritage Day, could resonate so widely.

Ngqawana's sound - indebted to Xhosa traditional musical, western art music and jazz - fills the silence that destruction leaves. Committed to creativity as healing, Ngqawana's legacy continues long after his death.

A long line of saxophonists

In the mid-1800s, Belgium's Adolphe Saxe invented a strange instrument made of brass but which, because of how it produces sound, is classified as a woodwind instrument: the saxophone.

The hybrid instrument was adopted by jazz, a genre that has always embraced hybridity. For jazz scholar Chris Merz, the saxophone in South African jazz became prominent from the 1930s, part of the American Swing craze.

The 1950s saw the global decline of big bands and rise of smaller jazz combos. So began the reign of the alto saxophone in South African jazz, despite some growling intrusions from tenor saxophonists like Winston Mankunku. This is why South African jazz can speak of Ntemi Piliso, Kippie Moeketsi, Gwigwi Mrwebi, Barney Rachabane, Duke Makasi, Robbie Jansen and Dudu Pukwana to name but a few.

It is also why it can speak of Zim Ngqawana.

A self-made brand

We may consider Ngqawana as a 'self-made' brand. Through his creations like Zimphonic Suites, Vadzimu, Zimology, Aphorizims, Zimphony Orchestra and the Zimology Institute, he crafted his own public persona in such a way that the culture industry had to follow rather than shape it for him.

Ngqawana's making of the self was playful, but not superficial. He also resisted the label "jazz", which he considered at once "too limiting and too all-encompassing". Confronting the controversial view that there is no word for "music" in African languages, he correctly grasped that this is because, historically, music in Africa was part of life's sacred and profane rituals. It was ingoma (the drums). In his sleeve notes for the 1999 album Ingoma he wrote:

Ingoma is a tour de force of committed conscious kultur warriors, blowing a national clarion to draw the concerned listener's attention to the fire that is engulfing our house as a nation in a state of emergency.

Antiquity and modernity

The call for commitment of the artist as cultural worker and warrior, and for the recognition that people's lives could and must improve, suggests why Ngqawana is important for those who insist on the transformation of our society and refuse to relegate African cultural knowledge systems to the dustbin of the past.

He wrote in 2001's Zimphonic Suites, that it's all about "harmony between antiquity and modernity".

For Ngqawana, this clarion should be heard and acknowledged by all. This explains his visibility on South African TV in the 1990s (especially with the hit Qula Kwedini) and his ubiquity on the airwaves and the live scene and, most importantly, as a teacher.

Meeting Zim

I (Lindelwa Dalamba) first met Ngqawana when was invited to Rhodes University, where he had studied. As a student I was privy to a jazz workshop he held. It was an odd, discomforting jam session.

Ngqawana made us play endless rounds of the standard Stella by Starlight, pushing us to the limits of our tolerance of its melody, chord changes and prior interpretations. That's the point: to push through the given script until you find yourself on the other side. That used to be the point of jazz.

But my most important encounter was when I ran into him at the University of KwaZulu-Natal as a postgraduate student. Avuncular as ever, he declared his pleasure that those he had known as youngsters were continuing to blow the clarion.

When I said I was no longer blowing the saxophone, now determined to be a jazz musicologist, he promptly went to his office and returned with a copy of every single one of his albums, along with a copy of Amiri Baraka's Blues People: Negro Music in White America. This generosity was an assertion of community, possibly the only impulse that has assured jazz's endurance in this country. The gift is my memento mori: Ngqawana's mortality, beyond death and vandalism, continues to inspire and to teach.

The moment of annihilation

Indeed, in 2010 Ngqawana's studio was vandalised by scrap metal thieves. To gouge the metal from the grand piano's legs, it was turned on its side. Windows, the toilet and light fittings were broken. A saxophone was smashed.

At the moment of annihilation, perhaps, our true voice is heard - we scream, sing, respond. In improvising its hesitant future, the artist's voice is born; informed by all it has ever been and seen. The sound bears witness, exhaled into the impassive air.

"This vandalism," says Ngqawana in The Exhibition of Vandalizim, a documentary created by African Noise Foundation, "shows the extent of what has happened to them ... A vandalism of the soul, vandalism of the heart, vandalism of the mind."

Committed to creativity as healing, Ngqawana left an extensive archive of published and unpublished music. It is important, therefore, that 10 May 2021 also marks the resurrection of the Zimology Institute, the project he initiated as a holding space for his philosophy and music.

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Principles of poetics

His legacy is also one of poetics, the principles - conscious or intuitive and understood in retrospect - by which the artist articulates their style. In the film, a stubbornly resilient Ngqawana sits in the rubble left by the vandals and plays a percussive solo on the broken cistern. "We are condemned ... to move into the unknown," he says. Moving beyond the palpable pain in seeing his instruments and studio destroyed, he insists that the vandals are victims of the barbarism of colonisation. He makes art of the carnage. In filmmaker and writer Aryan Kaganof's film Legacy he stresses Ngqawana's interest in the conscience.

Conscience and consciousness formed themselves through artistic discourse in the 1970s and 1980s, where culture was an inextricable aspect of, and outlet for, the political in music. Ngqawana always went beyond the political postures and personalities of the day, cutting through to the meaning of human events and their impact on the experience of freedom.

For us, Ngqawana's enduring lesson is how art is able to contain, in its creation, its negation:

The true purpose of great music should lead us to silence ... from sound to silence.

Qula Kwedini.

Lindelwa Dalamba, Music lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Poet and lecturer in Creative Writing, University of the Witwatersrand
analysis

The US has announced its limited support for the "TRIPS waiver", a proposal to suspend intellectual property protections for products and technologies needed for the fight against COVID-19, including vaccines, for the duration of the pandemic.

This would involve a temporary suspension of certain rules set out in the TRIPS Agreement, the intellectual property treaty of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa - two countries with robust generic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity - in October 2020 as one important tool to address availability of COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostic tools and therapeutic treatments.

For seven months, the proposal has made little progress due to opposition from the US, the EU, Switzerland, the UK, Japan and others.

The surprise announcement garnered a positive response in many quarters, and was soon echoed worldwide, with the EU, New Zealand and France expressing more willingness to negotiate.

Yet the US is the centre of attention because its statement is such a big departure from its previous antagonism towards other countries' public health measures that affect intellectual property rights. For example in 1996, it threatened to impose sanctions on Brazil for reforming patent laws to improve access to AIDS medication.

Given this history, and intense lobbying from the pharmaceutical sector, the US support for the TRIPS waiver was for many a welcome surprise.

Narrow scope

Support for the waiver, and the latest US Trade Representative report indicating that the US will respect the right to grant compulsory licenses consistent with the the TRIPS Agreement, may give all trading partners, not just developing countries, the confidence to boldly use those powers to improve the supply of COVID-19 vaccines without fear of trade retaliation.

But aspects of the US announcement are more narrow in scope than the original proposal.

The initial proposal would cover all technologies for the detection, prevention, treatment and response to COVID-19, while the US statement limits its support for waiving intellectual property rights in vaccines only. While vaccines are the centre of attention right now, the broader proposal would address the limited supply of therapeutics, like Baricitinib or Redemsivir, or diagnostics, like reagents for COVID test kits.

Nevertheless, the US support could help bring the TRIPS waiver to the next stage of "text-based negotiations". There is now hope that formal negotiations can start addressing outstanding issues, such as how long the waiver would last, and whether anything more than vaccines may be covered.

Beyond patents

As the TRIPS waiver gained public attention, many have referred to the measure as a "patent waiver".

This has obscured other intellectual property rights which are included in the original proposed TRIPS waiver: copyright, trade secrets, and designs - not just patents.

Patents certainly deserve a lot of attention: the manufacturing and supply of one product, especially complex biologics like COVID-19 vaccines, is often governed by multiple patents, which may be owned by different entities.

But trade secrets, which protect different kinds of exclusive information, including data gathered during the regulatory approval process, and tacit know-how are also essential for manufacturing and producing vaccines.

Providing incentives to share or reveal trade secrets, information covered by non-disclosure agreements, as well as regulatory submissions, such as clinical trial data, would not only spur competition. It would also provide the basis for further innovation.

This was seen in the case of Shantha Biotechnic's development of a Hepatitis B vaccine for Indian domestic supply, which used yeast instead of the traditional bacterial system, allowing production of a low-cost Indian vaccine which went on to become the mainstay of a global vaccination drive led by UNICEF.

Some of the COVID-19 vaccines on offer - those developed by BioNTech and Moderna - use mRNA, a relatively novel technology that has only recently been produced in large numbers. Many countries may not yet have the means or know-how to produce them domestically. The WHO has set up a mRNA technology transfer hub to provide a mechanism to share the technology globally, but none of the current vaccine manufacturers have yet offered their help or expertise to this initiative.

Sharing knowledge

By covering multiple types of intellectual property in a global measure, the TRIPS waiver as originally proposed would provide more freedom to operate for manufacturers and suppliers and to do so in a speedy manner.

Companies in many different countries could use the shared knowledge without the need to negotiate country-by-country and product-by-product licence agreements. This would diversify locations of production. It is hoped and expected that the prospect of a waiver will spur efforts to persuade pharmaceutical companies to enter into more voluntary arrangements and non-exclusive licensing to enable the transfer of technology in a controlled and transparent way.

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To end the pandemic, we need a number of different strategies to share around the benefits of existing COVID vaccines, treatments and tests, as well as enable further innovation from multiple sites.

Wealthy countries need to reverse their over-ordering of doses, export restrictions should be lifted to increase production, and data from regulatory approval processes should be made accessible. Governments should oblige companies, paying them where necessary, to enter into voluntary transfers of their know-how, share trade secrets and other undisclosed information.

The TRIPS waiver is a masthead for all of these things to happen simultaneously and urgently now.

Jocelyn Bosse, Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law, University of Reading; Hyo Yoon Kang, Reader in Intellectual Property Law, University of Kent, and Siva Thambisetty, Associate Professor of Intellectual Property Law, London School of Economics and Political Science
analysis

South Africa's Health Ministry has officially confirmed the presence of the B.1.617.2 variant of Covid-19, which was discovered in India, and another variant first detected in the UK. Minister Zweli Mkhize says new variant threats are a concern and the government is discussing potential travel regulations, following 'appropriate consultations'.

On the evening of Saturday 8 May, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced South Africa had four confirmed cases of the B.1.617.2 variant, first identified in India, where cases of Covid-19 have reached record daily highs.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed two cases were reported in Gauteng and another two in KwaZulu-Natal.

"The B.1.617.2 variant is currently highlighted as a variant of interest by the World Health Organisation and is one of multiple variants circulating in India," read an institute statement.

All the cases had been isolated according to Covid-19 case management practices and contact tracing has been performed, said the NICD.

The WHO describes a "variant of concern" as a variant that has been identified as causing "community transmission, multiple Covid-19 cases/clusters, or has been detected in multiple countries".

Dr Michelle Groome, Head of the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response at the NICD, said provincial...
The army stated that the suspects were arrested by troops of the 3 brigade in Kano.

The Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of 13 Boko Haram suspects in Hotoro area of Kano State, North-west Nigeria.

The army spokesperson, Mohammed Yerima, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday evening.

In the statement, the army stated that the suspects were arrested by troops of the 3 brigade in Kano.

The arrest comes in a midst the call by Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru, urging residents of the state to be vigilant, following reports of suspicious movement of Boko Haram insurgents in neighbouring Bauchi State.

Kano shares boundaries with Jigawa and Bauchi states.

President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly said the Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded and confined to the North-east. But recent revelations by some governors in the North-central and North-west indicate that stance may not accurate.

In the statement on Sunday, the army urged residents of the area to go about their normal businesses as its officials are on top of the situation.

Read the full statement by the army below.

TROOPS ARREST SUSPECTED BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS IN KANO

In an ongoing effort to flush out all forms of criminality within its Area of Responsibility, troops of 3 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested 13 suspected Boko Haram terrorists around Filin Lazio, Hotoro axis of Kano State on Saturday 8 May 2021.

The ongoing operations is predicated on the need to apprehend criminals who may want to hibernate in any part of Kano State.

The general public especially residents of Filin Lazio Hotoro, are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses as security forces are on top of the situation.

The Nigerian Army wishes to use this medium to appeal to the peace loving people of Kano State to maintain high level of vigilance and continue to report suspected movement of strange individuals or groups in their environment to the relevant security agencies for prompt action.
No one could have predicted with certainty that the sheer act of a handshake between two political rivals more than three years ago would re-draw the country's political architecture. And like the former US president George Bush announced at the start of the military campaign against terrorism in 2001 following coordinated bombings in the US by Al-Qaeda: Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.

While Bush's statement was a rallying call to foreign heads of states to join in the war against terror, the rapprochement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga has seen the drawing of a similar imaginary red line. You are either with them or with "those opposed to progress and common good of the republic, and must be dealt with as an enemy".

And, because both the President and Mr Odinga are, in their own rights, veritable political heavyweights, none of those who have stood in their way has survived. Theirs is a classic example of what happens when two become one -- only that in this case their political marriage is not taking any prisoners.

"The opposition was weakened when Raila crossed over to Uhuru's side," says Prof Amukowa Anangwe, a university lecturer and former Cabinet minister. "Almost all the critics took cover."

Those who didn't, says Prof Anangwe, opted to either toe the line, or bury their heads in sand. And nothing illustrates that better than Thursday's voting patterns in the National Assembly on the Building Bridges Initiative Bill, where a number of MPs who were previously opposed to changes to the Constitution voted for them.

Rejection of the Bill

Among them were vocal Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, Malava's Malulu Injendi and his counterpart from Lunga Lunga Khatib Mwashetani, who had on numerous occasions professed rejection of the Bill. On the floor of the House, they found excuses in the political dynamics of their constituencies, like the promise of additional blocs or higher budgetary allocations.

During the vote, political parties supporting the Handshake kept a record of how members were voting. Insiders told the Sunday Nation that the plan was to ensure that those who went against the grain would not be cleared to run in the next elections. As is the tradition in parliamentary business, officials of Mr Kenyatta's Jubilee Party and Mr Odinga's ODM are expected to furnish the respective party organs with details of how each of their members voted.

While the vote is largely inconsequential, the duo still pushed for -- and got -- overwhelming support. Some say it was all for the sake of optics, others say it was a way of showing the opposition that Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga can marshal the numbers when required. In the end, they stamped their authority on the local political scene once more; this was not just a BBI vote, but also a major display of credibility as a loss would have denied them the steam to bring the public on board at the referendum.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga attempted to build even more bridges, saying that "this is not the time for political adversity or personal aggrandisement, but the time to listen to the people and to remember that it is their sovereignty we exercise as their servants" .

For Mr Odinga and the President, their aim has been to have a non-contested referendum, but the isolation of Deputy President William Ruto, another centre of power away from the two, has created a muted but still powerful opposition to the push.

Betrayal

Driven by what they consider betrayal of DP Ruto by the President after embracing Mr Odinga, Tangatanga MPs are now moving to occupy the opposition slot. But, without a centrally coordinated approach, or the power of declared opposition, their grumbles are nothing but farts in the wind for the Handshake duo. The result? A messy, smelly display of power and authority that has consigned many to oblivion.

Former Senate Deputy Speaker and Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki was one of the initial casualties, followed by former Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and Majority Whip Susan Kihika. The positions were taken up by Senators Margaret Kamar, Samuel Poghisio and Kimani Wamatangi. Before the appointment of Mr Wamatangi, Murang'a's Irungu Kang'ata had a brief stint on the seat before he was kicked out on accusations of advancing Dr Ruto's agenda in the House. In the National Assembly, Mr Benjamin Washiali (Majority Whip) suffered the same fate and was replaced by Navakholo's Emmanuel Wangwe.

When Garissa Township MP Aden Duale was being stripped of his Majority Leader position in the National Assembly last year, Suna East MP and Minority Whip Junet Mohamed warned that loyalty to the party and its leadership is not negotiable.

"We hold these positions in trust," said Mr Mohamed, addressing Mr Duale. "They belong to the public. When you see us following Baba (Mr Odinga) like cows, we are fearing consequences like the one you are facing now. If you go against the wishes of people who own parties, you must be ready to face the consequences."

Ensure regional balancing.

And with that, Mr Duale was shown the door and Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya handed the seat. Were it not for the Handshake, Mr Mohamed would not have been part of those agitating for fidelity to Jubilee and Mr Kenyatta. After all, only months earlier Jubilee had been a pain in the neck of ODM at the General Elections.

Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire was also dropped from the Deputy Majority Whip of the National Assembly and Igembe North MP Maoka Maore appointed in her place to ensure regional balancing.

Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe, now getting even more firepower from across the fence in ODM, said the same of the "rebels". "They can't have their cake and eat it. If they are popular enough, let them agree so that we go and seek a fresh mandate from the people."

Mr Odinga seems to have been keenly taking notes as last week he recalled Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo from the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), where he was the vice chairman. He has since been replaced with Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang from the same party, ODM.

The Handshake has helped Mr Kenyatta run the country with minimal opposition, and in a way also delayed the setting in of the lame duck syndrome normally associated with leaders doing their final terms in office.

"It has given Uhuru some respite," says Prof Anangwe. "Remember he was under siege after the contested 2017 vote. It has also changed the tide for Ruto, who had assumed he would be the natural heir to the throne, and changed his status in government, from what looked like a co-president between 2013 and 2017 to a bystander."

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In the last few days, and worried that the BBI has been getting a beating from those who should be its first line of defence, Mr Odinga has come under immense pressure from President Kenyatta to put his house in order.

Mr Kenyatta is understood to have called the former premier after he met Senator Orengo at State House two Tuesdays ago. With the senator rooting for the opening up of the BBI Bill, Mr Kenyatta was said to have been concerned that such a hardline stance from the lawmaker, who is a leading figure in ODM, had the potential of denying the document the much needed credibility, even if it is adopted by voters at the referendum.

Mr Orengo remains defiant. "I can never be intimidated in my political life. I have seen many people come and go, I've seen many powerful people come and go. I have seen presidents come and go. I have seen people who, on the strength of their word, you'd leave this House and be locked in the same day. They have come and gone. Imagine next time you are called upon to determine the fate of a president, will you be intimidated? If my day comes, I'll accept it, but I will never sell my conscience. However much I disagree with you and you are being violated, I will defend your right to say it. I also expect you as a patriot to defend me," he told the Senate on Thursday.

With Mr Odinga saying that the Handshake is meant to run until the day the BBI Bill gets the people's nod at the referendum, it is not known what becomes of his partnership with the President, given there are glaring divisions in the President's court on whom to back for the top seat in the next elections.
?? Feliz dia, mama!

?? La entrega incondicional de las madres nos motiva a seguir adelante y demostrar siempre nuestra solidaridad.

???????? Cuidemos su salud y bienestar; sigamos cumpliendo las medidas de bioseguridad para su tranquilidad. pic.twitter.com/ACN9lFhE03
YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, accompanied by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Artak Davtyan visit N regiment in Gegharkunik Province, ARMENPRESS reports Mane Gevorgyan, spokesperson of Nikol Pashinyan, informed.

It is our duty in front of our marthyrs to build a strong, just, legitimate, proud and happy country before our martyrs. And we have no right to allow the blood of our martyrs to be shed in vain.

Our Motherland, its prosperity, its development, its pride should be our greatest respect for our martyrs. And the Armenian heroic army is at the forefront of that pride, Pashinyan said.

The caretaker Prime Minister presented state awards to a number of servicemen for their service to the Homeland.
China should consider long-range strikes if war with the West eventuates, according to an editorial in the countrys pro-government newspaper which threatened potential Chinese bombing of "Australian soil".

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of Chinese Communist Partys mouthpiece, The Global Times, wrote in an editorial Friday he believes China should prepare "to impose retaliatory punishment against Australia" if it interferes with the county's actions in the Taiwan Strait.

"Given that Australian hawks keep hyping or hinting that Australia will assist the US military and participate in war once a military conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Straits, and the Australian media outlets have been actively promoting the sentiment, I suggest China make a plan to impose retaliatory punishment against Australia," he wrote.

Chinese soldiers sit atop mobile rocket launchers in 2019 during a parade to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China. Source: Getty

"The plan should include long-range strikes on the military facilities and relevant key facilities on Australian soil if it really sends its troops to China's offshore areas and combats against the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army).

"China should also reveal this plan through non-official channels to deter the extreme forces of Australia and prevent them from taking the risk and committing irresponsible actions," the English-version article said.

Australias relations with China remain tense and noticeably began to sour after the Morrison government called for an investigation into the origins of coronavirus pandemic last year.

Concerns of potential conflict have been exacerbated by the repeated insistence of Chinese leader Xi Jinping that his nation will reclaim Taiwan by force if necessary.

Beijing believes Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949 after a civil war, has no right to conduct foreign relations or participate in global bodies as a sovereign government.

Story continues

The US has already signalled its intentions to step in if China attacks Taiwan and experts believe Australia could be called in to help.

Xijin added China will not take the initiative to pick a fight with faraway Australia but should it coordinate with the US they must know what disasters they would cause to their country.

Australia wont be able to escape China conflict

Australian Strategic Policy Institute Executive Director Peter Jennings fears Australia will have nowhere to hide if China and the US go to war over Taiwan.

Speaking on Sky News last month, he said the US would be drawn into any military escalation "and you better believe the United States will be expecting the help of its two key allies in the region  Japan and Australia  to play a role in the defence of Taiwan".

"This is something we won't be able to escape it seems to me," he said.

"China has certainly been ramping up its military activities around Taiwan and it doesnt look like its going to slow that down."

Warnings of nuclear war

Hugh White, an emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University, wrote in The Saturday Paper if Australia doesnt address its problems with China it faces possible nuclear war.

"Now our government has begun, with disconcerting nonchalance, to talk of war," he wrote Saturday.

"And yet our government seems to have no idea how serious, and dangerous, our situation has become, and has no viable plan to fix it. This must count as one of the biggest failures of statecraft in Australias history."

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would be willing to take Taiwan by force. Source: Getty Images (file pic)

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian branded some politicians in Canberra as "extremely irresponsible" and keen to incite confrontation.

"These people are the real troublemakers. I have noticed that many people in Australia have expressed disapproval on social media, saying that such inflammatory language are outrageous and extremely crazy, he said.

with Wires

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International travel is off the table for Australians with the Prime Minister saying borders will remain closed to other countries indefinitely.

Scott Morrison told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, he doesnt believe Australians want to see international borders reopening and the PM wants to maintain a cautious approach.

We sit here as an island thats living like few countries in the world are at the moment, he told the paper.

We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has.

The PM added that he is concerned should Covid-19 spread throughout the community, it would prove difficult to remove.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks after a National Cabinet meeting last week. Source: AAP

After his comments were widely reported, Mr Morrison later clarified via a statement on Facebook, saying Australias Covid-suppression strategy has not changed to an elimination strategy.

There will always be cases as we return Australians home from overseas, he wrote.

International borders will only open when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead.

Australians are living like in few countries around the world today. We will continue to do everything we can to work together [to] prevent a third wave and roll out our vaccination programme. And, as always, we will continue to listen to the medical advice and make decisions in the best health and economic interests of all Australians.

Australia remains open to New Zealand despite the land of of the long white cloud suspending its travel bubble with NSW on Thursday. That bubble has since recommenced.

The PM said Australians don't want international borders to re-open. Source: AAP (file pic)

Mr Morrison said he also doesnt believe there is enough evidence Covid-19 vaccines prevent transmission to remove or ease quarantine.

When asked when immigrants will be able to return, Mr Morrison replied: I dont know and called it a medium-term challenge.

Story continues

Non-infectious Aussies in India set to return

Australia will resume flights with India on May 15 with 9000 Aussies trapped in the Covid-ravaged nation.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly warned some could die as a result of the flight pause, which he recommended was necessary to stop quarantine from being overwhelmed and give the federal government time to bolster facilities.

There will be three flights this month to bring back the most urgent cases, provided they test negative twice before boarding the plane.

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All arrivals will be quarantined at the Northern Territory's Howard Springs mining camp where capacity is set to increase to 2000 beds.

People found to have coronavirus in a pre-flight test will be denied the right to board planes.

"That is a clear port of entry requirement. We will be holding the line on that," Mr Morrison said. As a result, some of the most vulnerable Australians will be left in India.

After repeatedly condemning state leaders for opting to close borders, Mr Morrison has opted for a harsher national border approach after seeing state premiers rewarded by voters for their caution. But the threat of jail time and heavy fines for returning Aussies prompted widespread criticism.

People arrive in Sydney from Melbourne. Source: AAP

Four possible overseas destinations for Australians

While the PM said borders wont be reopening anytime soon, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce suggested four countries which Australia could share a bubble with not including New Zealand.

Theres clearly a lot of countries in the region, especially in the Asia-Pacific, and have had a tight control on Covid, but they give us market opportunities for Singapore, markets like Japan, markets like Taiwan for us to potentially open up, he told reporters at Sydneys First Class International Lounge last month.

But also actively looking at the Pacific Islands, because there are real good opportunities in places like Fiji and the Pacific Islands to open up.

Qantas is still planning on an October 31 date to relaunch its international travel network, with the airline selling tickets to many overseas destinations from the end of October.

with AAP

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SpaceCast Weekly is a NASA Television broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston featuring stories about NASA's work in human spaceflight.

They include the International Space Station and its crews and scientific research activities, and the development of Orion and the Space Launch System, the next generation American spacecraft being built to take humans farther into space than they've ever gone before.

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When Col. John Hardenbergh arrived in the forest north of Owasco Lake in the summer of 1793 to build his new home, he was not alone. He was accompanied by Harry and Kate, two enslaved Africans brought to North America against their will and given European names. When Harry and Kate arrived, their roles were clear. Kate would cook, and Harry would perform the manual labor. The earliest history of Auburn, written in 1860 by Henry Hall, tells the story of Col. Hardenbergh, Harry, and Kate traveling into the wilderness, sleeping on the ground, and Harry engaged in the erection of Hardenberghs log cabin. According to Hall, Hardenbergh did little of the handiwork; it was Harry that felled the first tree and cleared the land.

Harry and Kate dont have the benefit of a healthy written historical record like Col. Hardenbergh. What we know is pieced together by reading between the lines of early histories. There is no record of Harrys original identity at birth, but we know from later census records that he was born in Africa in about 1755. By the time he arrived on the north bank of the Owasco River, Harry was already 38 years old. At some point in his early life Harry was taken prisoner, put on a ship, subjected to horrific conditions on the Middle Passage, and sold to Col. Hardenbergh. English was not Harrys first language, Christianity was not his religion, and Harry was not his name. Yet under the threat of violence, he adapted. Harry was manumitted at the age of 51 upon the death of Col. Hardenbergh and took the last name Freeman. It is sadly ironic that Harry was violently subjugated to a man known by history as a freedom fighter, a so-called patriot who evidently could not release his tyrannical grip over another human being until his dying breath.
Ten of the county's zip codes are below 50%. The worst is the 13024 zip code, which is specifically for Auburn Correctional Facility. The inmates at the prison are considered the population within this zip code. According to the state dashboard, 23 of the prison's 1,709 inmates have been vaccinated  a 1.3% vaccination rate.

Similar numbers aren't available for Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia. Unlike Auburn prison, Cayuga doesn't have its own zip code. Kathleen Cuddy, the county's public health director, believes that the vaccination numbers for the prison could be included in the data for the 13118 zip code, which includes Moravia.

Cuddy said the zip code data, which was recently provided to county health departments, could help them with reaching certain communities in need of the vaccine. But they would like to see more demographic data, specifically age breakdowns, to determine who they need to target.

One highlight for the county is its vaccination rate among older people. More than 70% of the county's residents age 65 and older have been vaccinated. In the 13021 zip code, which includes Auburn, the vaccination rate is 83.2% among the 65-plus population.
Stefanik, whose voting record is much less conservative than Cheney's, has been unabashed Trump supporter ever since his first impeachment. She promoted the dangerous lies about the election results that Trump pushed and that led to the Jan. 6 attack. And hours after the Capitol was secured, she was right back there continuing the lies with her votes against certifying the results.

It would be easy to say that this is just a party matter, and that Republicans are free to destroy themselves with their choice to stay all-in with Donald Trump.

But the damage Trump has done to America is too great to gloss over. We said it in this space on Jan. 7, and it still applies today: "If this attempt to destroy the most fundamental element of American government  our free and fair elections  is not met with complete repudiation and consequences, the scary reality is that it will likely be attempted again. And it very well could someday succeed."

It seems inevitable that Cheney will be out as a House leader, and Stefanik will be in, by the time this week is over.
India's biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has decided to keep its production facilities suspended for another week. The shutdown, which was announced as the country battled against the rising number of cases during the second wave of Covid-19, was to end on Monday (May 9), according to Maruti's original plan.

Maruti Suzuki has not given any reason behind the decision to extend the shutdown at its facilities. However, given that Haryana remains one of the worst-affected states due to the virus, Maruti would put priority to safety of it own workers before resuming operations. Maruti has termed this shutdown as 'planned maintenance' like some of the other carmakers in the last few days.
India has turned to OPEC nations particularly Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait for sourcing medical oxygen in its battle against the world's worst outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan turned to India's traditional oil suppliers, consulting his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain to bridge the huge deficit of medical oxygen the country is facing for treating Covid patients.

"Had close consultations during the last week with my counterparts from Saudi Arabia, UAE & Qatar on ways to increase import of LMO into India. Deeply appreciate the initial gesture of goodwill with complimentary LMO supplies particularly from UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain & Saudi Arabia," Pradhan tweeted.

Record coronavirus infections of 4,14,188 have taken the total new cases for the week to 15.7 crore. Deaths from Covid-19 rose by 3,915 to 2,34,083.

He said state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and gas utility GAIL will be arranging for logistics to transport the oxygen.

Commercial supplies of oxygen into the country are being secured.

"In my discussions with HRH Prince Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, HE Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and CEO of @AdnocGroup, and H.E Mr Saad Sherida al- Kaabi, Minister of Energy and President of @qatarpetroleum, I received their wholesome support for ensuring commercial supply of LMO to India, especially at a time when India is battling the second wave of the #Covid19 pandemic," he said.

He went on to state that commercial supplies of oxygen will come in the coming weeks.

"My deep appreciation to HRH Abdulaziz, HE Dr Sultan Jaber, HE Sherida al-Kaabi for their extended support & special gesture of solidarity with India through the offer of ISO Containers for the next 6 months. Assurance of steady commercial supply of LMO to India is also welcomed," he said.

Pradhan turned to OPEC nations weeks after a spat with OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia over rising oil prices.

In March, OPEC and its allies left oil output unchanged despite a near doubling of oil prices since the start of November, sparking a spat. Pradhan expressed disappointment at the decision and said the government has asked oil companies to look for diversification of supplies.

In response, Saudi Arabia's energy minister said India should first use the stocks of crude it bought cheaply during the price slump in 2020.

India buys 85 per cent of its oil needs, two-third of which come from OPEC countries. Iraq is its largest supplier, followed by Saudi Arabia and UAE.
This is part of 40 million Sinovav doses scheduled to be produced in the first year according to the agreements, Zayed told a press conference at the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA).

The minister said Egypt will receive the first shipment of the Sinovac material required for producing the final product on 18 May.

The local end-product will then undergo assessment by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) for few weeks before they become available.

VACSERA and the Sinovac biopharmaceutical company signed two agreements on 21 April to manufacture the vaccine so as to cover the countrys vaccination needs and also allow Egypt to export excess doses to Africa.

As per the first agreement, Sinovac will provide VACSERA the know-how and technical assistance for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.

The second agreement stipulates that Sinovac gives VACSERA the license to manufacture, re-pack and pack the COVID-19 vaccine in VACSERA facilities.

The vaccine will be produced in the VACSERA factories.

Zayed said the locally produced Sinovac vaccine will be dubbed Sinovac-Vacsera and will have the Made in Egypt label.

She noted that it will later be fully manufactured in Egypt after implementing the agreement on transferring the manufacturing technology.

Like the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Sinovac is an inactivated virus vaccine, Zayed said.

Egypt received its first Sinopharm shipment late last year consisting of 50,000 doses. This was the first vaccine Egypt could obtain before it received the AstraZeneca late in January.

Egypt has so far received hundreds of thousands of both vaccines and is scheduled to receive millions of doses through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and Sinopharm over the coming weeks.

Zayed said Egypt expects a large shipment of doses on Monday but did not reveal the vaccine name.

This comes few days after Zayed said Egypt will receive a total of 4.9 million doses this month, including 500,000 Sinopharm doses.

The minister said the ministry will allocate vehicles and vaccination facilities to expand the vaccination campaign nationwide.

She also noted that vaccination teams will station around pension service offices so as to administer the vaccine to the elderly.

Zayed said she will inspect the new Fair Zone vaccination centre after the Muslims Eid Al-Fitr, which is designed to vaccine 10,000-15,000 citizens per day.

Zayed added the ministry called on the governors to allocate similar big centres in their governorates, noting that a similar centre will soon be inaugurated in Giza.

The minister reassured citizens that the coronavirus situation in Egypt is stable despite the slightly increasing cases, reiterating that there are enough places in hospitals for coronavirus patients.

Zayed said a slight increase in the coronavirus cases is expected during the coming period due to some citizens non-adherence to the precautionary measures during Ramadan and before the Eid.

She also noted that the coronavirus situation in Upper Egypt, which had reportedly worsened over the past month, is significantly improving.

She also affirmed that the country has not recognized other coronavirus variants as relevant examinations are being carried out.
Amazon Payment Services (APS), a payment processing services provider in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, has partnered with Zurich International Life Limited (Zurich) to offer digital payments.

The payments will be on Zurichs digital customer onboarding platform ZurichPro.

Zurich International Life Limited (a part of Zurich Insurance Group) is a leading multi-line insurer providing a wide range of life, savings and investment solutions for multinational corporations, mid-sized and large companies, small businesses, and individuals in the Middle East.

Commenting on the new partnership, Omar Soudodi, Managing Director of Amazon Payment Services, said: It is a privilege to be part of the digital transformation journey of Zurich International Life Limited, enabling them to become one of the first life insurance companies in the Middle East to launch an end-to-end digital payment and customer onboarding experience.

Through the services provided by Amazon Payment Services, Zurichs customers can now digitally pay insurance premiums across all products in local currencies without incurring conversion fees with the highest levels of customer data security.

Walter Jopp, CEO of Zurich in the Middle East, added: Partnering with Amazon Payment Services has enabled us to provide a seamless digital payment experience for our customers that offers more payment flexibility while optimizing operating costs, ultimately benefitting the end customer. Zurichs instant life and critical illness insurance solutions, YourLife and YourCare, can now be purchased online in a matter of minutes with absolute peace of mind.

The digital payment integration delivers a safe and secure environment for receiving and processing customer data. APS acts as the single point of contact for managing Zurichs digital payment needs, providing end-to-end support by interacting with various parties in a card payment ecosystem. -- TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Arkan Building Materials Company has received an offer from Abu Dhabi's Senaat, a part of state-owned holding company ADQ, proposing a merger with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Emirates Steel.

Confirming this, Arkan said its board of directors is studying the proposal received last week for merger of the two firms in exchange for the issuance of an instrument that would automatically convert into approximately 5.1 billion ordinary shares (at a fixed price of AED 0.798 per share) in Arkans capital.

When applied to Senaats valuation of Emirates Steel, the offer implies an equity value for Arkan of AED1.4 billion ($381 million), said Arkan in its filing to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).

Post completion, Senaat would own 87.5 per cent of the entire issued share capital of the combined group, it stated.

The board of Arkan will consider the transaction proposed by Senaat before making any recommendation to shareholders, said Arkan in its ADX filing.

Should an agreement be reached between the two parties, an Arkan general assembly meeting would consider approving the transaction during the second half.

The offer is subject to receipt of all relevant governmental approvals including regulatory approvals by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), as well as shareholder approvals.-TradeArabia News Service
Representative Image

New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): As many as 6,738 oxygen concentrators, 3,856 oxygen cylinders, 16 oxygen generation Plants, 4,668 ventilators/Bi-PAP and about 3 lakh Remdesivir vials have been delivered/ dispatched as international donations and aid since April 27 to May 8, the Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Government of India has been receiving international donations and aid of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries and organisations.

"Cumulatively, 6738 Oxygen Concentrators, 3856 Oxygen Cylinders, 16 Oxygen Generation Plants, 4668 ventilators/Bi-PAP and about 3L Remdesivir vials have been delivered/ dispatched, from April 27 to May 8," the ministry said.

As on May 8, major items received from Canada, Thailand, Netherland, Austria, Czech Republic, Israel, USA, Japan, Malaysia, US (GILEAD), US (Salesforce) and Indian community in Thailand include 2, 404 Oxygen Concentrators, 25,000 Remdesivir vials, 218 ventilators and 6,92,208 testing kits.

The Health Ministry also said that effective immediate allocation and streamlined delivery to the recipient States, Union Territories and institutions is an ongoing exercise and this is being comprehensively monitored by the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis.

"A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations. This Cell started functioning from April 26. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2," it added. (ANI)
Prince Michael of Kent has been accused of being willing to use his royal status for personal profit, and to seek favours from Russian President Vladimir Putin, following an undercover investigation.

Undercover reporters, posing as investors from a South Korean business, were told the Queen's cousin could be hired for 10,000 a day to make "confidential" representations to Mr Putin's regime.

Channel 4's Dispatches programme, in collaboration with The Sunday Times, set up a fake South Korean gold firm called House of Haedong and approached five members of the Royal Family with an offer of work.

Dispatches and The Sunday Times said Prince Michael of Kent responded, expressing an interest in working with the business, telling undercover reporters that he would give House of Haedong his royal endorsement in a recorded speech for a $200,000 fee and would allow the use of his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop.

Prince Michael takes no income from the civil list and earns a living as chairman of his own private company, which offers advice on a consultancy basis.

In addition, he was asked whether he would be willing to help the fake gold company in Russia.

Dispatches said, in 2013 the prince's business partner Lord Simon Reading had tried to sell access to Mr Putin at an event at Kensington Palace, at which Prince Michael was a guest.

The event, promoting the Russian wrestling sport of Sambo, also offered the chance to meet the Russian president in person at a later date, according to Dispatches.

In a recorded meeting with the undercover reporters, Lord Reading said: "If he (Prince Michael) is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold.

"It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful."

He also told the reporters: "I think, if I can say this, this is kind of slightly discreet, we're talking relatively discreetly here.

Story continues

"Because we wouldn't want the world to know that he is seeing Putin purely for business reasons, if you follow me."

He went on to say Prince Michael could be described as "Her Majesty's unofficial ambassador to Russia", and added that UK-Russia tensions had not affected his relationship with Mr Putin.

Responding to the claims, Prince Michael's office told the Press Association: "Prince Michael receives no public funding and earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years.

"Prince Michael has no special relationship with President Putin.

"They last met in June 2003 and Prince Michael has had no contact with him or his office since then.

"Lord Reading is a good friend, who in trying to help, made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been able, to fulfil."

Lord Reading told PA: "I thought the approach from the House of Haedong was genuine and I was only trying to facilitate an introduction to my friend Prince Michael.

"I made a mistake and over-promised and for that, I am truly regretful.

"I wasn't at my peak as I was recovering from a kidney transplant.

"For the record, the Sambo event which was eight years ago was my event and Prince Michael was simply my guest along with many other people."

Sky News has contacted Prince Michael's household.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said: "Prince Michael of Kent is not a working member of the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace do not act on his behalf."
A vigil in Indianapolis, Indiana, to remember the victims of a shooting at a FedEx Ground facility. JEFF DEAN/AFP via Getty Images

Brandon Hole was identified as the gunman in last week's shooting at an Indianapolis FedEx facility.

Police said Monday that they detained Hole a year ago, after he threatened to kill himself.

While securing his room, an officer noticed white supremacist websites on Hole's computer.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The 19-year-old man who killed eight in a shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis last week, before taking his own life, was caught visiting white supremacist websites a year before the attack, police said.

Brandon Hole. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department via AP

In a Monday update, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provided more information on a previous encounter its officers had with shooter Brandon Hole.

Police said Hole's mother contacted them on March 3, 2020, telling officers that her son had bought a shotgun the previous day and threatened to attempt "suicide by cop."

"Suicide by cop" is used to provoke law-enforcement officers to shoot in defense of civilians or themselves.

Officers went to the family's home where they detained Hole, who became "immediately anxious" and asked that someone turn the power strip off on his computer, according to an incident report released by the IMPD.

"I don't want anyone to see what's on it," Hole said at the time, according to the report.

One of the officers went upstairs to clear Hole's bedroom and retrieve the shotgun and "observed what through his training and experience indicated was white supremacist websites," the report said.

A sergeant in criminal intelligence "was contacted and made aware of the content observed on Brandon Hole's computer," according to the report.

Four of the eight victims killed in the April 15 FedEx facility shooting were Sikhs, a religious group that started in India in the 15th century.

About 90% of the workers at the facility were members of the local Sikh community, Indianapolis Police Chief Randal Taylor said Friday, according to the Associated Press.

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Hole had previously worked at the facility, but was fired in October 2020 for not showing up to work, a police press release said.

After the March 2020 incident, Hole was taken to the hospital for further assessment. He later told officers that he didn't want his shotgun back, and it remains in storage pending destruction, the police said.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms found that Hole had legally obtained the two weapons used in the FedEx facility shooting from authorized dealers in July and September 2020 respectively, the police said.

According to the Sikh Coalition, Sikhs first started immigrating to Indiana about 50 years ago, and started their first gurdwara, or house of worship, in 1999. Today, there are 10 gurdwaras across the state and an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Sikhs in Indiana, the group said.

Sikhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world and there are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs living in the US, the Sikh Coalition said.

Read the original article on Insider
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 8)  National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab will hold a virtual concert next month to fund support for two farm schools in Batangas.

Featuring an Original Pilipino Music repertoire, Cayabyab said "Musika Para sa Kinabukasan" aims to raise money for the Dagatan and Balete Family Farm Schools - two institutions that cater to farmers' children.

Bernie Villegas, one of the organizers of the event and an advocate of farm schools, said the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to take food security seriously amid the rising prices of agricultural products such as pork and pepper.

"Gusto natin i-increase 'yung [We want to increase the] number of skilled agribusiness technicians through the farm schools," Villegas said.

The concert will be held on June 5. Tickets are at P500 each at KTX.PH.
First Vietnamese COVID-19 patient dies in Laos

The Embassy of Vietnam in Laos Vientiane confirmed that a Vietnamese person with COVID-19 had died after a week of treatment.













A medical worker of Laos takes sample for COVID-19 testing from a Vietnamese student at a dormitory in Vientiane, Laos (Photo: VNA)

The patient, who is a 52-year-old woman, is the first Vietnamese COVID-19 patient in Laos and also the first COVID-19 patient in the country to die of the disease, according to the embassy.



The patient moved to Laos early last year and worked at a karaoke bar in Vientiane, one of the locations connected to Patient 59, who was believed to have caused this outbreak of COVID-19 in Laos.



The patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus on April 28 and had other medical conditions. On April 30, the patient was admitted for treatment at Setthathirath Hospital in Vientiane.



On May 8, when the patient had a bad prognosis, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos asked the Ministry of Health of Vietnam to support Setthathirath Hospital through a remote medical examination and treatment system.



However, the patient died at around 1am on May 9.



Currently, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos is cooperating with the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane and the local authorities to support the patient's family.
DP World, a leading global provider of logistics solutions, is set to start the development of the deep sea port at Banana, following agreement on amendments to the initial contract with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).



DP World, a leading global provider of end-to-end logistics solutions, is set to start the development of the deep sea port at Banana, following agreement on amendments to the initial contract with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).



A term sheet summarizing the amendments to the contract, which was signed in Kinshasa by Guylain Nyembo Mbwizya, Chief of Staff to the Head of State, and Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, Middle East and Africa region, follows part of a review by the parties of some of the existing contractual document clauses signed in March 2018, when DP World was awarded the 30-year concession to develop and manage the Banana Port.



The objective of the amendments was to readjust the different obligations of the two parties under the project, to better support the vision of President Felix Tshisekedi, to develop the country's trade and logistic sector. The port will be the DRC's first deep sea port along its 37km coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.



The development of the Banana Port, which is expected to take two years, will bring significant cost and time savings for the country's trade, as it will attract more direct calls from larger vessels from Asia and Europe, and will boost not only the growth the country's economy, but also the region.



Andre Wameso, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Head of State in charge of economic and financial matters, said: "This signature materializes the promise of His Excellency the President of the Republic to make the construction of the deep-water port of Banana one of the priorities of his mandate. And, he wished for a contract that takes into account the interests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is now the case."



Suhail AlBanna, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, Middle East and Africa region said: "The signing of the term sheet is a key milestone in the partnership between DP World and the Government of the DRC, in moving forward with the project and the firm desire of DP World to be part of the President's vision that will give the country strong, efficient and affordable access to international markets that will enhance its export capabilities."  TradeArabia News Service


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9)  The Caloocan City local government ordered on Sunday the closure of a resort operating amid the implementation of the modified enhanced community quarantine in the city.

Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan said they are bent on suing the owner of the Gubat sa Ciudad resort and those who were seen swimming and enjoying its facilities.

The Caloocan City mayor ordered the immediate cancellation of the resorts business permit. He also requested for a thorough investigation regarding its continued operation despite the ban on leisure activities in MECQ areas.

Malapitan added that officials of Barangay 171, where the resort is located, will also be included in the probe.

A throng of people were seen swimming in the resort on Sunday, which became viral on social media.

Malapitan also ordered that contact tracing, swab testing, and close monitoring be conducted on people who visited the resort on Sunday.

The Gubat sa Ciudad resort management has yet to comment on the closure order and the allegations.

Caloocan City is part of the National Capital Region, which is under MECQ until May 14.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) -- Following the recent order of President Rodrigo Duterte to detain health protocol violators, newly appointed Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar reminded cops to only arrest violators and not hurt them.

Huhulihin natin sila and then bibigyan natin ng face mask, and we will bring them doon sa ating mga holding areas [] So ang bilin natin pati, hindi tayo magbibigay ng parusa. Arrest them, but do not hurt or punish them, said Eleazar in an interview with CNN Philippines.

[Translation: We will arrest them and give them face masks, and we will bring them to our holding areas [] So, we always remind them that we will not give out any punishment. Arrest them, but do not hurt or punish them.]

Duterte earlier ordered the police to arrest and question individuals not wearing face masks properly, stressing that the wearing of face masks is a critical need amid the pandemic.

Eleazar added that ordinances by local government units can be applied on the arrested persons.

With the corresponding provisions of the existing ordinance in your locality, yun ang i-apply natin. Kung community service, so be it. Kung kailangan magmulta, so be it, he said. Then after not more than 12 hours, i-release na natin sila.

[Translation: With the corresponding provisions of the existing ordinance in your locality, thats what we will apply. If they need to render community service, so be it. If they need to pay a fine, so be it. Then after not more than 12 hours, we will release them.]

To avoid overcrowding in police stations, Eleazar also ordered cops to coordinate with LGUs to prepare holding areas for arrested violators.

I gave instruction to our unit commanders, kung masikip na sa mga police station, hindi na dun dadalhin. Coordinate with concerned LGUs and barangay officials so we can look for holding area na kung saan dadalhin sila dun for booking procedure, he said.

[Translation: I gave an instruction to our unit commanders not to bring violators in police stations if its already crowded there. Coordinate with concerned LGUs and barangay officials so we can look for a holding area, where they can be brought there for booking procedure.]

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano earlier said health protocol violators will be given a warning first and will not be immediately arrested.
(CNN)  In the southwestern Indian state of Goa, one in every two people tested is positive for Covid-19.

That makes it the state with the highest positivity rate nationwide, as the virus rips through the country. And that's just among the people getting tested -- meaning the rate of infection among the untested population may be higher.

On Friday, the state hit a new record high positivity rate of 51.4%, said Goa Health Minister Vishwajit P. Rane -- suggesting a total lockdown may be needed to contain the spread of the virus. About 690,360 tests had been done in the state as of Friday, according to the state's Press Information Bureau.

"That is the need of the hour," he said, adding the state's chief minister was "seriously considering" a lockdown. "We have had issues of oxygen supply and other issues. We need to bring the positivity rate down. That's the only way forward."

India's second wave hit its major cities and populous states hard. Cases in the capital, New Delhi, began climbing in late March, accelerating rapidly in April -- and as the virus spread from state to state, other parts of the country began to see their own surge in cases, sometimes weeks after the central hotspots.

A tourist destination known for its beaches, Goa is home to about 1.5 million people -- a figure which is likely to have increased since the last census in 2011. The state saw its uptick begin in early April, as Delhi was already struggling -- but infections rose exponentially over the past two weeks. Goa recorded more than 3,800 cases on Thursday, its highest daily figure so far.

The spike has raised alarm among authorities as they prepared for the type of calamity unfolding in other states. Schools, bars, gyms, cinemas, and other public spaces are closed, and political and social gatherings are banned. The government has encouraged people to work from home, and imposed restrictions on capacity and opening hours on restaurants and shops.

The state's health system "is already overloaded," Rane said.

"We're doing everything possible," he added. "We've enhanced our testing facilities so that we don't have to wait for someone to show symptoms to test."

The state is also in the process of procuring equipment to conduct genome sequencing, to determine which strain of the virus was traveling in the community, and whether variants might be spreading.

"We also find that the infection rate of this strain is very high and this is creating a lot of problems," he said.

Second wave complacency

The surge in Goa, and the second wave generally, is linked to loose Covid rules during the winter, experts say.

India's first wave peaked in September, and cases began falling toward the end of the year. By the start of this year, many states had relaxed their measures, inter-state travel had resumed, and people were largely going about their daily lives.

The country's complacency -- and a sense the worst of the pandemic was over -- meant the second wave hit much harder because authorities and public health systems were completely unprepared. But the problem may have been even more pronounced in popular travel spots like Goa.

"There were no restrictions of any kind (from December to February), and that is something we should have looked into at that point of time," said Rane. "Goa was one of the most favored destinations and people used to come. And at that point of time, we found that people were not following the (guidelines) and protocols."

The looser rules and winter downswing in cases coincided with Diwali -- the Hindu festival of lights and one of the country's biggest annual celebrations -- as people traveled to Goa from across India.

"Everybody was taking things for granted," Rane said. "No one was following social distancing. Masks are something that you cannot do away with." The rise in tourism, especially during the festival period, gave rise to potential "super spreader events," he said.

Now the state is paying the price, he said, as authorities rush to respond to the rise in cases.

State and federal authorities have constructed new Covid treatment centers and ICU facilities, including one with a 20,000-liter oxygen tank. They are looking to bring in interns from the state's medical college to help in health care facilities. The examination hall at the college, located in the town of Bambolim, has been converted into a Covid ward holding 150 beds and medical oxygen.

Aid from other states and countries has begun trickling in. On Friday, the Goa Customs agency released images of the "first consignment of oxygen concentrators" arriving in the state, as well as boxes of Covid vaccines and testing kits.

Dozens of countries began sending medical supplies to India in late April -- but the government offered little transparency as to the supplies' whereabouts or distribution plan until this week, as local media and foreign donors began questioning where the aid was going.

Authorities responded to the criticism this week, denying any delay in distribution. The government "continues to effectively allocate Covid-19 supplies received from the global community to states and (union territories)," said the Ministry of Health in a statement on Thursday.

It's not clear which day distribution began. However, the ministry acknowledged it had taken seven days -- from April 26 to May 2 -- to draw up guidelines on how to allocate and deliver the aid.

This story was first published on CNN.com In this Indian state, one in every two people tested is positive for Covid
(CNN) -- The Indian government has been blasted for ignoring warnings of a second wave, encouraging complacency, and failing to be transparent on Covid-19 data, in a scathing editorial in prestigious medical journal The Lancet.

The publication branded the response by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government "inexcusable."

India is currently in the midst of the world's worst Covid-19 outbreak. It reported 403,738 additional cases Sunday, marking the fourth consecutive day it has recorded more than 400,000 cases and bringing the country's total reported infections to more than 22 million.

More than 900,000 Covid-19 patients in India are on oxygen support -- about a quarter of all active cases -- and a further 170,000 are on ventilators, the country's health minister, Harsh Vardhan, said Saturday. India has a test positivity rate of about 22%, according to Johns Hopkins University, meaning it is likely not capturing all Covid-19 cases.

The health ministry also reported an additional 4,092 deaths Sunday, the second time in a row the country has recorded more than 4,000 deaths in a single day.

India has now recorded 242,362 Covid-19 deaths -- the third-highest death toll in the world. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington estimates that by August, India may have reached 1 million deaths.

"If that outcome were to happen, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's Government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe," the Lancet editorial warned.

'Inexcusable' actions

According to the Lancet editorial, India "squandered its early successes" in controlling Covid-19.

The government failed by giving the public the impression the country had beaten the virus, which encouraged complacency and insufficient preparation, and slowed the start of the country's "botched" vaccination campaign, according to the editorial. Despite warning about "the risks of superspreader events," religious festivals and political rallies were allowed to go ahead.

And on top of that, the government tried to control critical discussion online, by asking Twitter to remove tweets about Covid-19, including some that were critical of Modi.

"Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable," the editorial said.

The editorial urged India to increase vaccine supply and work to create an equitable distribution system of the vaccine. As of Saturday evening local time, 35 million people in India had received their second dose, meaning about 2.7% of India's 1.3 billion population are fully vaccinated, according to a press release issued by the health ministry.

It also urged India to publish accurate data, expand genomic testing and explain to the public the necessity of wearing masks, social distancing, halting mass gatherings, voluntary quarantine and testing.

The editorial noted that until April, the government's Covid-19 taskforce had not met in months.

"The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages," the editorial said. "The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart."

CNN has previously contacted the chairman of the Covid-19 taskforce, V. K. Paul, for comment.

Oxygen availability

With hospitals battling desperate shortages of oxygen, India's top court has set up a 12-member National Task Force to assess the availability and distribution of medical oxygen, according to a court order released Saturday.

Hospitals across India have been reporting desperate shortages of oxygen despite dozens of countries pledging critical aid. Last week the Indian government said it had installed a "streamlined mechanism" for allocating aid, but state and local authorities said they had been kept in the dark.

The task force has been set up to give central government input and strategies for meeting the challenges of the pandemic, according to a court order released Saturday.

"The rationale for constituting a Task Force at a national level is to facilitate a public health response to the pandemic based on scientific and specialized domain knowledge," the order said, adding that it expected leading experts. "This will facilitate a meeting of minds and the formulation of scientific strategies to deal with an unprecedented human crisis."

Members include senior health professionals, academics and government officials.

Based on the order, the terms of reference are to "assess and make recommendations for the entire country based on the need for, availability and distribution of medical oxygen" as well as to determine the amount of medical oxygen to be allocated to states and union territories on a "scientific, rational and equitable basis."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Medical journal slams Indian government for 'squandering' early success on Covid-19"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9)  The country's new top cop says quickly addressing concerns brought by the public to the police is a way to win their trust and is proof of effective policing.

"I always subscribe to the idea that effective and quick response is equivalent to effective policing... Maganda talaga na ang sumbong ng ating mga kababayan ay agad nating aksyunan," said Philippine National Police Chief PLtGen Guillermo Eleazar in an exclusive interview with CNN Philippines Sunday.

[Translation: I always subscribe to the idea that effective and quick response is equivalent to effective policing... It would be good if police addressed the public's complaints immediately and take action.]

President Rodrigo Duterte chose Eleazar to be the 26th chief of the organization and the sixth since he took office. He succeeds PGen Debold Sinas who reached mandatory retirement age on May 8.

Eleazar said the PNP would immediately take action on valid concerns with the help of an improved referral and complaint system.

"We will be introducing this improved referral and complaint system so that madali naming mamonitor ito, maipadala sa ating mga concerned police stations and immediately makapagfeedback tayo sa ating mga kababayan," he said.

[Translation: We will be introducing this improved referral and complaint system so that we can easily monitor these, send it to our concerned police stations and immediately giove feedback to the public.]

Eleazar said trained representatives would take the calls and complaints filed via their social media pages and verify these before alerting authorities. He added all commanders, including himself, could keep an eye on how these cases develop.

Watch the one-on-one interview of PNP Chief LtGen Guillermo Eleazar at 7 p.m. on CNN Philippines and live on Facebook.
(CNN) -- A cyberattack forced the temporary shut down of one of the US' largest pipelines Friday, highlighting already heightened concerns over the vulnerabilities in the nation's critical infrastructure.

The operator, Colonial Pipeline, said Saturday that the incident involves ransomware.

The attack comes amid rising concerns over the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in America's critical infrastructure following recent incidents, and after the Biden administration last month launched an effort to beef up cybersecurity in the nation's power grid, calling for industry leaders to install technologies that could thwart attacks on the electricity supply.

Colonial, which transports more than 100 million gallons of gasoline and other fuel daily from Houston to the New York Harbor, according to its website, said it learned of the cyberattack on Friday, causing them to pause operations.

"In response, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems," the company said in a statement.

Colonial said it engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm to launch an investigation into the "nature and scope of this incident" and also contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies. A spokeswoman for FireEye confirmed to CNN on Saturday evening that FireEye Mandiant had been hired to manage the investigation.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is "engaged with the company and our interagency partners regarding the situation," Eric Goldstein, the executive assistant director of CISA's cybersecurity division, said in a statement Saturday.

"This underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector," he said. "We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats."

President Joe Biden was briefed about the shutdown on Saturday morning, a White House spokesperson said.

"The federal government is working actively to assess the implications of this incident, avoid disruption to supply, and help the company restore pipeline operations as quickly as possible," the White House spokesperson said.

A White House official said analysis is ongoing to determine whether supply might become an issue following the event. The White House is planning for a number of scenarios, the official said, and is working with state and local authorities to determine what possible steps may need to be taken to help mitigate any potential impact on supply, if needed.

Cybersecurity has been a major focus following two alarming incidents -- the SolarWinds intrusion campaign by alleged Russian hackers that compromised nine US agencies and dozens of private organizations, and the Chinese-linked hack of Microsoft Exchange server vulnerabilities that exposed tens of thousands of systems worldwide -- as well as a high-profile, though unsuccessful, cyberattack in Florida earlier this year that sought to compromise a water treatment plant.

Ransomware attacks have worsened over the years, with recent targets as varied as state and local governments, hospitals and police departments. The cyber attacks involve a type of malicious software that locks up a victim's computer and renders it unusable until the victim pays off the attacker, frequently in Bitcoin.

A spokesperson for the Department of Energy said the department "is coordinating with Colonial Pipeline Company, the energy industry, states, and interagency partners to provide situational awareness and support response efforts to this incident."

"DOE is also working closely with the energy sector coordinating councils and the energy information sharing and analysis centers, and is monitoring any potential impacts to energy supply," the spokesperson said a statement to CNN.

Colonial said Friday that it's "taking steps to understand and resolve this issue."

"At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation. This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline," the company said.

Colonial, founded in 1962, says it transports about 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast. The pipeline system that spans more than 5,500 miles has two main lines: one for gasoline and another for things like diesel and jet fuel.

The company also had to suspend its pipeline in 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast. The pipeline shut down for 11 days in September 2016 due to an underground leak and in November 2016 due to a deadly fire breaking out along a section of the pipeline in Alabama.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Cyberattack forces major US fuel pipeline to shut down"
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), one of the worlds fastest-growing global mining companies, is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030.

As a key industry player in the kingdom, Maaden has implemented significant incentive programmes and announced major reforms in the last five years to accelerate the development of the mining industry as a strategic pillar of the Saudi economy.

This includes the recently launched mining investment law aimed at attracting investors and paving the way for the full utilisation of Saudi Arabias mineral resources, which are estimated to be worth more than $1.3 trillion.

This goes in line with the objectives of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), one of the most important programs for achieving Vision 2030.

The kingdoms mining champion highlights key achievements since the Vision 2030 launch and plans that reflect its commitment to the kingdoms social and economic development.

Maaden has kept its projects across a range of commodities moving on a strong growth trajectory since 2016.

The company has expanded its investment portfolio, refinanced key projects, and made its first international acquisition, laying the foundation for future growth and new investment opportunities in the Saudi mining industry.

Despite some challenges in 2020 due to Covid-19, Maaden managed to maintain its agility and remained focused on its goal to become a global Saudi mining giant, while adhering to the highest standards of health, safety, and environment.

Located on the east coast of Saudi Arabia, Ras Al Khair Industrial City jumpstarted the mining industry development in Saudi Arabia, leveraging the countrys strategic location in connecting three continents.

In November 2016, Ras Al-Khair Industrial City was further expanded and connected via railway to Maadens bauxite mine in Qassim and phosphate mine in Al Jalamid, making it a cornerstone of the Kingdoms mineral and metal production and export industries.
ST25 rice developer to trademark new brand in the US

The logo of Gao Ong Cua is displayed on the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Photo by VnExpress/Dat Nguyen.

The Vietnamese developer of ST25, a rice variety that was adjudged the worlds best in 2019, has registered to trademark a new brand in the U.S.

He has done so even as he tries to establish his claim to the original brand that six foreign companies are trying to trademark.

A company in southern Vietnam has registered to trademark "Gao Ong Cua" (Mr. Cuas Rice) in the U.S. The new brand name refers to rice developed by farmer-scientist Ho Quang Cua.

Ho Quang Tri Ltd., based in southern Soc Trang Province where the ST25 rice is grown., is run by Cuas son.

The logo for the new trademark has the smiling face of Cua with rice paddies underneath and the brand name on the left.

A law firm representing Cua and his sons company in trademarking matters told VnExpress that the new registration is part of the companys strategy and no further details can be revealed at present.

Even as it registers the new brand, the company is still opposing the trademarking of ST25 rice in the U.S. by a California company, I&T Enterprise, Inc, said Ken D. Duong, CEO of the law firm TDL.

"There is still a chance to reclaim the ST25 brand," said Duong.

Cua had earlier this month proposed to give the copyright of the ST25 rice to the Vietnamese government. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is seeking permission from the government on this issue because such a request is unprecedented.

The ST25 rice is the result of 25 years of work by Cua and his colleagues. It is described as having a sweet taste with a hint of pineapple flavor.

It won the World's Best Rice title in the Philippines in 2019, marking the first time a Vietnamese rice variety had claimed top spot in the contests 11-year history.

At least six companies have applied to trademark the ST25 brand overseas, including five in the U.S. and one in Australia.
A sharp rise in steel and sand prices due to lack of supply is sending construction costs skyrocketing.

Duc Chien in Hanois downtown Ba Dinh District recently completed the construction of a new house, but the cost ended up 30 percent higher than his original estimate.

"The contractor asked to hike prices several times during the course of four months, and I have no choice but to accept so that the construction could finish in time," he said.

The contractor had cited rising construction material prices, including 50 percent for sand and 35 percent for steel.

"Several other contractors in my neighborhood complained about the same issue, and so I guess it is the norm."

A group 40 construction companies in the southern province of Ca Mau have recently petitioned provincial authorities to review and make adjustments to prices of materials such as steel, stone and sand, which have been rising sharply.

They said sand prices have tripled in recent months and steel prices doubled amid shortages, which have also led to construction delays.

"Contractors are at risk of going bankrupt," one company in the group said.

In the southern province of Bac Lieu, Nguyen Van Duc, the chief of a construction company, said sand prices in the province have nearly doubled to VND210,000 ($9) per cubic meter from earlier this year.

Lu Gia Mechanical Electric, a manufacturer of lamp posts and lights in HCMC, had to increase prices after the prices of steel plates rose by 70 percent.

Nguyen Tuan Em, the CEO of a small construction firm in Ho Chi Minh City, said the companys four projects currently underway are set to lose since the contracts were signed in February with fixed prices.

"My only hope is that the customers will agree to change the contract to flexible pricing."

The surge in the construction material prices comes amid increased demand for construction and manufacturing as countries recover from Covid-19.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade said recently that prices of intermediate goods have risen because of long shipping times as the supply chain is hindered by the ongoing pandemic.

Local steel prices depend on the prices of intermediate goods needed for production, most of which are imported, it added.

Steel prices have risen by 40-50 percent since the end of 2020, according to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), which forecast prices to continue rising until the end of the third quarter.

The international media has reported that strong demand in China, Europe and the U.S., thanks to their recovery after Covid-19, has pushed up prices of materials such as iron ore, copper and timber.

In the case of sand, construction companies said prices have been rising because of increased demand for public infrastructure works such as the Trung Luong  My Thuan Expressway and My Thuan Bridge 2.

Nguyen Thanh Hai, CEO of a construction firm in the southern province of Tien Giang where many sand mines are located, said output is dwindling in mines in the Mekong Delta, and contractors are struggling to source sand.

For now contractors and their customers have little option but to pay higher prices.

Nguyen Tai Anh, deputy director in charge of investment at Vietnam Electricity, said his company is having trouble awarding contracts for its projects since raw material prices have risen by 30-40 percent.

Anh hopes prices to start falling as late as next year otherwise many projects wont meet their deadlines.
An aircraft takes off at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on May 7, 2021 when construction of new taxiways are underway. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Aviation authorities have rejected the proposal of five localities to build their own airports and suggested that only one be added to the current master plan.

Airport proposals by the northern provinces of Ha Giang, Bac Giang and Ninh Binh as well as the central provinces of Binh Phuoc and Ha Tinh have been rejected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

The CAAV has proposed to the Ministry of Transport that the number of airports in the country stays at 28 by 2030, and just one more airport in the northern province of Cao Bang be built by 2050, bringing the total nationwide to 29.

Vietnam has 22 airports operating at present and six more approved for construction by 2030, including the Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai and Sa Pa Airport in the northern province of Lao Cai.

Officials and experts have expressed concern over an airport glut in the country.

Nguyen Anh Dung, deputy head of the Department of Planning and Investment under the Transport Ministry, said that all airports with an annual traffic of under two million passengers a year are recording losses.

Airports built within 100 kilometers of each other are likely to result in low efficiency, according to case studies done in other countries, he added.

Aviation expert Nguyen Bach Tung said that some of the proposals have been rejected because of unsuitable topography, like the mountainous terrain in Ha Giang and the vast rice fields in Ninh Binh that are the main source of livelihood for the locals.

Other proposals have been rejected because the airports would be too close to existing ones. For instance, residents of Ha Tinh and Ninh Binh can use the Vinh International Airport or the Tho Xuan Airport, respectively, because these two are within 100 kilometers of the localities.

Pham Van Toi, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Association on Aviation Science and Technology, said that many proposals have been made without thorough examination of their merits and demerits.

Ha Giang, for example, proposed an airport for both military and civilian purposes, even though it has limited land and airspace, he said.

The CAAV has also identified a possible land area for a second international airport in the northern city of Hai Phong, which had been planned by the government in 2011.

The airport is set to be located in Tien Lang District, around 120 kilometers to the southeast of Noi Bai International Airport, and will serve to absorb overflow at the Hanoi's airport and the existing Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong.

Tung said that Tien Lang has a land fund of 4,000-6,000 hectares available for building an airport with a capacity of up to 100 million passengers a year, which is four times that of the Noi Bai airport in Hanoi.

This location is also within 100 kilometers from four other northern provinces  Ha Nam, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh and Hai Duong, he said.

Toi also said that Tien Lang was a suitable location because it has good road connectivity with Hanoi, while the existing Cat Bi airport cannot be expanded as it is located near a river.

A spokesperson for construction company Tedi, which is advising authorities on the construction of the Tien Lang airport, said existing airports in the north can still meet demand from now until 2040, and authorities should take a call on whether the airport is needed later.
Major Japanese brands have all but disappeared from Vietnams television market, unable to compete with South Korean and Chinese brands in terms of technology and price.

Duc Minh, a Hanoi resident, wants to buy a Japanese brand TV for his relatives, but finds no choice apart from Sony.

"I found an electronics store that sells Toshiba TVs, but it was an old model with thick bezel and unable to run on an Android operating system," he said.

He said his elderly relatives prefer Japanese brand TVs, while youngsters like his friends and himself have shifted to South Korean, Thai or Chinese brands as they are cheaper and more models and choices.

On the websites of large electronic retailers, Panasonic, Toshiba and Sharp television sets are absent. The common TV brands are Japans Sony, South Koreas Samsung and LG, Chinas TCL and FFalcon and Thailands Casper.

Toshiba and Panasonic TVs still can be found in some small electric stores, but most of the units are only for display.

Toshiba Vietnam said that it has stopped selling TVs in Vietnam and was focusing on manufacturing other electronic appliances. The Toshiba TVs still seen in electronic stores are for display or those left in the stores inventory. Toshiba closed its TV manufacturing plants in Vietnam in 2014.

Another Japan electronic giant, Panasonic, announced recently that it will stop its low-end TV production in Vietnam by the end of fiscal 2021 to cut costs because it was offering low margins.

Panasonic used to have a 10 percent share of the global TV market but has lost its appeal to low-cost competitors from China.

It had earlier withdrawn from the plasma TV segment, and discontinued production in the U.S. and China.

According to British research firm Omdia, by 2020, Panasonic ranked 12th worldwide in TV shipments with a 1.8 percent market share.

Sales and production of TVs accounted for less than 10 percent of Panasonic's total revenues in the 2020-2021 fiscal year ending March 2021. However, the segment was profitable during the period thanks to a strong domestic market.

Sharp TVs sold in Vietnam are imported from Thailand and Malaysia, mostly in the low-priced segment, using old technology and lacking new features compared to its competitors. An electronic store representative said that Sharp TVs were available, but in small quantities because they are hard to sell. He explained that the company does not have a customer support policy for the TV segment.

Dao Tuan, an electronic store manager in Hanoi, said sales of Japanese TV brands like Toshiba, Panasonic and Sharp have been dull for many years now.

"Aside from Sony, Japanese brands leaving the TV segment is not surprising because they have not caught up with the latest technologies and have only a few models for customers to choose from. Besides, their prices are 30 percent higher than TVs of South Korean and China brands with the same size and features," he said.

According to the German market research company GfK, South Korean electronics giant Samsung and LG, and Japans Sony accounted for 90 percent of Vietnams TV market share in 2020. Samsung led the market with over 44 percent.

According to GfK, the highest growth last year was in the large-sized TV segment (55 inch or bigger), with around one million units sold.
Three arrested for smuggling Chinese nationals into Vietnam

Police arrest four illegal Chinese entrants in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on May 6, 2021. Photo courtesy of Vinh Phuc Police.

Police have arrested three people in the northern province of Vinh Phuc for smuggling Chinese nationals into Vietnam from China.

Two men, Dang Xuan Tuan, 42, and Pham Trung Tan, 39, and one woman, Tran Thi Huong, 44, are believed to have assisted four Chinese citizens enter Vietnam illegally to find jobs.

Residents of Phuc Yen Town spotted the four Chinese waiting for a ride on May 6 and called the police. When the police arrived, they tried to flee but failed.

At the police station, they produced no ID. They said they were waiting for someone to take them to a workplace after having taken a taxi from Lao Cai Province, which borders China.

Police found that Tuan, Tan and Huong had brought the Chinese into the country. The case is being investigated further.

On Friday, two men in Ho Chi Minh City were arrested for smuggling illegal entrants from China.

Vietnam has ramped up border control measures recently after detecting a rising influx of illegal entrants from surrounding countries amid the pandemic.

The nation's fourth Covid-19 outbreak has seen 256 community transmissions in 24 localities since late April.
A medical staff disinfects an area in Ho Chi Minh City to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa.

Vietnam confirmed 15 new local Covid-19 cases Sunday morning, bringing the total such cases in the last 12 days to 256.

The new cases are numbered from 3231 to 3245, with six in Hanois National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, five in Bac Giang Province, two in Lang Son Province, and one each in Dak Lak Province and Ha Nam Province.

Patient 3231 is a 61-year-old woman in the northern province of Ha Nam who had come into contact with a confirmed Covid-19 patient.

Six patients, 3232-3236 and 3244, are three patients and and three family members at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanois Dong Anh District which is now the biggest cluster in the capital city and is under lockdown.

Patient 3237 is a 23-year-old woman in the central highlands province of Dak Lak who had returned from Da Nang City and had come into contact with a confirmed Covid-19 patient.

Details of the next seven cases are being updated by the Ministry of Health.

Patients 3238 and 3239 are a 46-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman in the northern province of Lang Son.

Patients 3240-3243, and 3245, are five people aged 5 to 43 with three females and two males.

There have been 256 local cases since April 27 in 23 localities, led by Hanoi with 100 cases, Vinh Phuc 33, Bac Ninh 43 and Da Nang City 18.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long had said that the latest outbreaks are complicated with many clusters, sources of contagion and Covid-19 variants. This means higher contagion speed than previous outbreaks, he added.

The national tally is now at 3,245 with 2,602 recoveries. Over 42,000 people are being isolated at quarantine facilities, hospitals and at home.

Over 832,600 people have been vaccinated, including an addition of 30,678 on Saturday.
Help India!



Despite TMC winning a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021, the Muslim representation in the Bengal Assembly has fallen to exactly where it was 15 years ago. There were 44 elected Muslim candidates during the Left Front regime in 2006. TCN spoke to experts, political observers and locals to understand the reasons behind the decline in the number of Muslim legislators.

Yumna Mobin, TwoCircles.net

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Kolkata: Although the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has won a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections 2021, the Muslim candidates have fared poorly compared to the previous assembly elections.

The outgoing assembly had 59 Muslim legislators whereas, the new assembly has 44 elected Muslim legislators only, out of which 43 are from TMC and 1 from Indian Secular Front (ISF).

The main reason behind the decline in the number of Muslim legislators, which is also the most visible one, is the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the electoral scene of West Bengal and the decline of the Congress and the Left Front.

In all previous assembly elections, as well as general elections, Muslim MLAs or MPs had belonged to different parties, and representation of Muslims was more or less distributed equitably throughout.

Comparing with 2016, the total number of seats won by the Muslim candidates including the opposition has fallen drastically.

The previous assembly had 59 Muslim legislators out of which 32 were from TMC, 18 from the Congress and 9 from the Left.

Though the number of elected Muslim candidates belonging to TMC has increased, yet the total number of Muslim candidates nominated by the party was less. As opposed to 2016, when 53 Muslim candidates had been nominated by the TMC, this time only 47 were nominated by the party. This is one of the reasons for the fewer number of elected Muslim candidates this year.

What is telling is that Muslim representation in the Bengal Assembly has fallen to exactly where it was 15 years ago. There were 44 elected Muslim candidates during the Left Front regime in 2006.

This time Muslims had the fear of their votes getting divided which would help BJP. The Muslim votes, therefore, got consolidated, and unitedly all of them voted for the TMC. Also, the Muslims voted without looking at the candidates of the other parties, or whether the candidate is Muslim or not, Mohammed Reyaz, Assistant Professor at the Aliah University, Kolkata told TwoCircles.net.

Another major factor that has contributed to the TMCs victory is that traditional voters of the Congress or the Left have switched sides and voted for the TMC.

I have many Left-minded friends, and this time when I had asked them before the elections who they would vote for, all of them were in a dilemma. Most of them said that the Left and the Congress would not be able to come to power because of a lack of organization, especially, in the rural areas. So, why should we waste our vote on the Congress and the Left? said Arghya Chatterjee, a professional lawyer practising at the Calcutta High Court.

According to Chatterjee, the main aim of the election was to prevent BJP from coming to power. Therefore, the Congress and Left votes shifted to the TMC.

The ideologies of the Left/Congress and the BJP are starkly different. As a result I and my friends ideologically find TMC closer to the Left, than the BJP, says Chatterjee.

According to Sayeed Rahmatullah, the BJPs campaign consisted of excessive polarization of the Hindu voters, trying to convince them that Muslims are only going to harm them and that the BJP will be their saviour. Mass disinformation campaigns had been launched and run few months before the elections to infuse the public space with anti-Muslim and anti-TMC propaganda.

A 28-year-old MBA graduate, Rahmatullah said, Most of the seats that the BJP has won is in the northern districts like Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Darjeeling and Nadia. In these districts and only a few rural areas, the religious factor does have a pull to some extent. But, in Kolkata people are not divided by religion. It is essentially a cosmopolitan area, that has a mixed population and people vote mostly based on governance and development provided by the incumbent government.

Therefore, it is not only the decline of the Congress and the Left front or the consolidation of Muslim votes. There are several other fallacies and discrepancies as well that number of Muslims in the assembly this time has fallen.

An interesting point raised by Prof. Reyaz is that the strategies in the fielding of Muslim and non-Muslim candidates by the Congress and CPI(M) may have contributed to people switching to TMC.

For example, in 2016, from the Jamuria constituency of Asansol, a Muslim candidate from CPI(M), Jahanara Khan was elected. But this time the party gave the ticket for this seat to Aishe Ghosh, the JNUSU President, which she lost to Hareram Singh of the TMC.

A similar pattern can be seen in the seat of Nalhati (Birbhum). Rajendra Prasad Singh of TMC won against an independent Muslim candidate, Moinuddin Shams, who was a former TMC candidate as well, even though this particular constituency has nearly 47% Muslim population.

Thus, despite the fall in the number of Muslim MLAs, the consolidation of Muslim, non-Muslim and Left voters, the assembly election in West Bengal was fought more on party lines and much lesser on religious or caste lines like most of the other states in India.

Although TMC can be questioned about the fall in the number of Muslim legislators nominated from the party, what it did, however, was that it shrugged off the image of a minority appeasing party. Since Muslims had only one party to turn to, religion was not the key driving point they could vote on. Consolidation happened by default, not by choice.
All those 16 and older in the US are eligible to receive a covid-19 vaccine. All available vaccines have side effects and in most cases, they are completely normal; these side effects can even indicate that the vaccine is working.

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has listed the possible side effects on their website and include:

 Tiredness

 Headache

 Muscle pain

 Chills

 Fever

 Nausea

One other common symptom includes soreness or redness at the injection site. If these symptoms arise the CDC recommends that you speak with your primary care provider to talk about taking over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or antihistamines, for any pain and discomfort you may experience after getting vaccinated.

To avoid these issues, the CDC recommends drinking plenty of fluids and dressing lightly. These issues should resolve themselves within one to days after the vaccination.

What can I do when I am fully vaccinated?

As of 9 May, the US has administered nearly 266 million vaccine doses, leaving around thirty-forty percent fully vaccinated. For this growing portion of the population, the CDC has released new guidance. This new information includes changes for mask-wearing, and can make traveling easier as self-isolation before or after a trip is not required.

How is the national vaccine campaign going?

Since 3 May, the US has administered over 10 million vaccine doses. Leading the vaccination charge were Nevada, Georgia, and Mississippi who vaccinated the greatest percent of residents since 3 May. Georgia has vaccinated over four percent of its population since 3 May, while Nevada and Mississippi increased their percent of residents who are fully vaccinated by three percent.

Nationally, the percent of fully vaccinated residents stands at thirty-four percent. States with the lowest vaccination rates are Wyoming, Alaska, Alabama, and Tennessee. In Wyoming, only fifteen percent of the population is fully vaccinated and the rate of vaccination is relatively slow compared to other states.

Many scientists and public health experts are warning that we should bank on ending the pandemic in the US through vaccination. With nearly a quarter of those in the US saying that they are opposed to getting a vaccination, the prospects of reaching herd immunity are dim.
KUNMING - Police in Southwest China's Yunnan province busted a drug-trafficking case, seizing nearly 17 kg of drugs.

Police in the city of Pu'er had recently noticed a vehicle with suspicious movements and established a task force to investigate the car, local authorities said.

On the evening of April 30, the task force stopped the vehicle and seized 30 bags of methamphetamine weighing 16.97 kg in a suitcase.

Further investigation of the case is underway.

[ Editor: GSY ]
Medical staff help a patient with breathing problems towards an ambulance as he is being shifted to a hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021. [Photo/Agencies]

With coronavirus infections surging deeper into record territory, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing growing pressure to impose a harsh nationwide lockdown amid criticism that restrictions imposed by individual states are not enough.

Many medical experts, opposition leaders and some Supreme Court judges have suggested that a lockdown seems to be the only option with the virus raging in cities and towns, where hospitals are forced to turn patients away while relatives scramble to find oxygen. Crematoriums and burial grounds are struggling to handle the dead.

On Friday, India recorded a record 414,188 confirmed cases in the latest 24-hour period. Its tally has risen to more than 21.4 million since the pandemic began, with faint hopes of the curve going down quickly. The Health Ministry also reported 3,915 additional deaths, bringing the total to 234,083. Experts believe both figures are an undercount, according to media reports. The official daily death count has stayed above 3,000 for the past 10 days.

Over the past month, nearly a dozen of India's 28 federal states have announced less-stringent restrictions than the nationwide lockdown imposed for two months in March last year.

Modi, who held consultations with top elected leaders and officials of the worst-hit states on Thursday, has so far left the responsibility for fighting the virus to poorly equipped state governments, The Associated Press said.

Randeep Guleria, a government health expert, said a complete, aggressive lockdown is needed in India just like last year, especially in areas where more than 10 percent of those tested have contracted COVID-19.

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, wrote to Modi reiterating his demand for a total lockdown, warning "the human cost will result in many more tragic consequences for our people".

He said the government should not worry about the economic cost of a shutdown and provide financial and food support to the poor.

Anthony Fauci, US President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, also suggested that a complete shutdown in India may be needed for two to four weeks to help ease the outbreak.

Modi imposed the two-month stringent lockdown last year on four hours' notice. It stranded tens of millions of migrant workers who were left jobless and fled to villages with many dying along the way. But experts said the decision had helped contain the virus and bought time for the government.

Australia to end ban

On Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians stranded in India will be able to return home from May 15, following widespread public outrage over a travel ban.

Morrison this past week barred all travel from India, fearing a large number of COVID-positive arrivals would overwhelm Australia's strained quarantine facilities.

The move stranded an estimated 9,000 Australian citizens and threatened them with large fines and jail time if they tried to dodge the ban and return on non-direct flights.

Morrison's ban caused widespread outrage, with even supporters describing it as racist and an abandonment of vulnerable Australians overseas.

Meanwhile, according to a recent analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused nearly 6.9 million deaths across the world, more than double the number officially recorded.

Deaths go unreported as most countries only record those that occur in hospitals or of patients with a confirmed infection, the report by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation showed.

In the United States, the death toll might have passed 905,000, which is 62 percent more than the 561,594 deaths currently reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The institute forecasts 949,000 COVID-related deaths in the US by September. By the end of the pandemic, total deaths will rival the number of people who died in the 1918 flu outbreak, it predicts.

Agencies and Minglu Zhangin New York contributed to this story.

[ Editor: GSY ]
New Delhi:

Scientists have discovered fossil fragments of at least 260 million-year-old trees in Antarctica, a finding which proves that the frozen continent once had a thriving forest even before the first dinosaurs roamed on Earth.

During Antarticas summer, scientists from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee climbed remote region of the Mclyntre Promontorys frozen slopes in the Transantarctic Mountains from where they discovered the tree fossils.

According to the scientists part of the expedition, forest would have existed before the Great Dying Mass Extinction Event some 252 million years ago.

They believe the mass extinction occurred due to prolonged volcanic eruptions in Siberia, which caused global temperatures to skyrocket. To understand the mass extinction event, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee headed to the mountain range from where the vegetation fossil was found.

The scientists during the expedition recovered 13 pieces of fossilized tree. The carbon-dating showed that the fossil were over 260-million years old. Geologist Erik Gulbranson, who was part of the expedition team said, This forest is a glimpse of life before the extinction. It can help us understand what caused the extinction.

According to researchers, Antarctica during the end of the Permian period, some 250 million years ago, joined onto the supercontinent Gondwana, which also included Africa, Australia, India and South America. The scientists also said that Antarctica during that time would had been far warmer, humid, with plants likes mosses and ferns covering the landscape.

Gulbranson further in his statement said that the fossils show that the plants must have had a fairly low diversity of species compared to todays forest. The Antarcticas plant must have been capable of surviving in variety of environments, added the Geologist.

He adds that the plant did not survive the Great Dying mass extinction and people knew about the fossils in Antarctica since 1910-12 after Robert Falcon Scotts expedition. Most of the continent is yet unexplored. You might be the first person to climb a particular mountain, he added.

Gulbranson will return to the site later this month and stay through January 2018. He hopes to learn more about the extinction event.



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New Delhi:

Battling allegations of playing the soft Hindutva card by visiting temples during his election campaign in Gujarat, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he is a devotee of Lord Shiva.

Gandhi, who has visited a number of temples since he kicked off his campaign by offering prayer at Dwarkadhish temple Dwarka in September, on Monday had darshan of Veer Meghmaya in Patan, Khodiyar Maa in Varana and Maa Bahuchar at Becharaji in Mehsana district.

I am a devotee of Lord Shiva. Let them say whatever they want to say. My truth is with me, Gandhi told reporters here when asked about the BJPs criticism of his visits to various temples.

The BJP, which has often accused the Congress of Muslim appeasement, termed Gandhis frequent temple visits an attempt to attract Hindu voters. However, the Congress countered the charge, saying the saffron party does not have the patent on devotion.

Gandhi started his campaign today with a visit to the Veer Meghmaya temple, sacred to the members of the Dalit vankar community. Later, he visited Khodiyar Maa temple and Maa Bahuchar temple.

Gandhi had kicked off his tour of north Gujarat last Saturday after offering prayers at the Akshardham temple. He also offered prayer at the famous Ambaji temple. He visited two temples on Sunday as well.

The Congress leader had climbed around 1,000 steps to seeks the blessings of Maa Chamunda in Chotila a few weeks ago.

We are not against his temple visits. We wish that everybody goes to temples and follows our tradition. But I want to ask....he (Gandhi) lives in Delhi and there are many temples there. Has he ever gone to any temple in Delhi? Has he visited Delhi Akshardham (Delhi) temple? state BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav said.

Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Nitin Patel had earlier said people can see through Gandhis visits to temples, which he termed a gimmick for votes.

Patel had also asked the Congress to shed its pseudo secularism and respect mainstream Hindutva.

The Congress had countered the charge, saying the BJP does not have the sole patent on devotion and visiting temples.

Rahul Gandhiji visited Jain temple and Gurudwaras apart from Hindu temples. We believe in secularism, Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said.

The Congress is trying to form a bloc comprising Patidars, Dalits and OBCs to thwart the BJPs attempts to retain power in the state which it has ruled for close to two decades without a break.

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New Delhi:

As winter months are setting in, the cold wave is intensifying across the northern part of the country.



According to officials, Leh and Kargil were the coldest on Monday, especially at night as the temperature at the two places plunged several degrees below the freezing point.



The temperature in the Kashmir Valley was above the freezing point owing to a cloud cover.



A MeT department official said, Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius last night and was the coldest place in the state. It was the coldest night recorded in the Ladakh region this winter.



Kargil too recorded freezing temperature at minus 5.2 degrees Celsius on Monday night, he said.



Srinagar recorded a low of 2.9 degrees which is a bit warm due to the cloud cover over most parts of the valley, which is predicted to bring in the rain in the next 24 to 48 hours.



Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of 5.0 degrees Celsius while in nearby Qazigund it was 1.6 degrees Celsius.



Pahalgam registered a low of 0.8 degrees Celsius, while the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded minimum of 0.0 degree Celsius.



The MeT Office has forecast scattered to fairly widespread rainfall from Tuesday till November 18.

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New Delhi:

India on Monday asked Pakistan to end its illegal and forceful occupation in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) at its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the United Nations.

India, in a statement, insisted Pakistan to provide freedom to people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) by ending its illegal and forceful occupation and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing.

India requested Pakistan to end forced conversions and marriages of minorities, including Hindu, Sikh and Christian women, and prosecute all cases.

New Delhi also pressed Pakistan to stop providing terrorists safe heaven on its soil.

Pakistan was also asked to fulfil international obligations under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Vienna Convention on Consular Relation (VCCR).

The UPR was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006 which involves the assessment of human rights records of each member country in Geneva.

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New Delhi:

AIMM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday has asked the Rajasthan government to conduct impartial inquiry into the brutal killing of a Muslim man allegedly by cow vigilantes in Alwar.

Owaisi said, The BJP-led Rajasthan government is required to carry an impartial inquiry and should be done immediately. If cow vigilantes are involved, the Rajasthan government should take stern action against them.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement on incidents involving cow vigilantes were not having desired impacts.

Owaisi further said, From day one I am saying that whatever the prime minister is saying is not having desired impact.

The AIMM chief on being questioned on Rajasthan Home Ministers comment that state does not have enough manpower he said, It is governments responisbilty to stop such incidents.

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New Delhi:

A post on the social networking site Facebook allegedly by a gangster claims that he killed the Hindu Sangharsh Sena district president Vipan Sharma.



The gangster is also the prime accused of the murder which took place in Amritsar last month.



"I want to tell my friends that the murder of Vipan Sharma which took place on October 30 on Amritsar-Batala road was committed by me... His killing should not be linked to any religion," the post reads.



Vipan Sharma was shot dead from point-blank range in full public view at Bharat Nagar locality on Batala-Amritsar road.



He was shot dead by two unidentified bike-borne men at Bharatnagar in Amritsar and according to doctors, there were around 15 injury marks on Sharmas body, including eight bullet marks.



The Amritsar Police has taken note of the post and written to the cyber-crime cell to verify the authenticity of the claim.



In the post, Saraj Singh Mintoo, prime accused in the murder, admitted that he killed Sharma on October 30.



The motive for the murder according to the post is that Mintoo held Sharma responsible for murdering a cop who was the father of his friend.



"We have taken notice of the Facebook post," Charanjit Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (City-1), Amritsar, said.



"We have written to the cyber crime cell to verify the authenticity of the claim. We want to know whether the (Facebook) account actually belongs to the accused or somebody else is updating the posts," said the ADCP who is part of the SIT.

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New Delhi:

In reply to Bhartiya Janata Partys Sankalp Patra, the Congress party is likely to release vision document for the upcoming local body elections in Uttar Pradesh.

As per sources, Congress is not going to give any facility free of cost. On Monday, the state Congress units leaders had an extended discussion on releasing the vision document.

If party sources are to be believed then the vision documents is almost ready and is likely to be released on Tuesday. It is likely to promise development in local bodies.

Congress is not going to promise anything free of cost and the reason for that is they are not having government in either state or Centre.

Congress vision document will be more centred towards better cleanliness, better installation of street lights and construction of good roads.

The vision document is also expected to carry promise of not levying any new tax in the local bodies. The Congress party is expected to knock the door of voters with a promise to ensure transparent use of Budget in local bodies.

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PRESS RELEASE  Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia is dedicating World War II Heritage Days 2021 in honor of all Rosie the Riveters, American women who worked in the military equipment factories during WWII. The new one-day event on Oct. 9, 2021, is the Airbases 17th annual open house and fundraising event at Atlanta Regional Airport  Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Ga.

Activities for the day include warbird rides, military vehicles on display, food trucks, a PX and living history displays and presentations. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the CAF Airbase Georgia headquarters, 1200 Echo Ct., Peachtree City, Ga. As a special feature, CAF Airbase Georgia (formerly Dixie Wing) is inviting owners of Stearman vintage aircraft to participate in a fly-in for the day. The Airbase is currently restoring a Stearman biplane in honor of the Rosie the Riveters. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 11-17. Children 10 and under are free.

Thanks to the encouragement of our partners and local community, we have been inspired to bring back WWII Heritage Days so we can salute the Greatest Generation of the 1940s, said CAF Airbase Georgia Leader Jim Buckley, especially since we were designated a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society last May.

WWII Heritage Days is the oldest and largest WWII and 1940s-themed event in Georgia. This year CAF Airbase Georgia museum joined the WWII Heritage Trail in Georgia  one of nine stops throughout the state. This is the first year for the units new designation as a CAF airbase, which involves more community interaction and education programs. In recent years, the Airbase programs have been intently focused on education with a mission to inspire the next generation of pilots, aviation mechanics and citizens.

In late 2019, we began working with local schools and aerospace employers to help solve the pilot and aviation mechanic shortage and also help teach World War II history at all grade levels. Buckley said. We also partnered with the tourism sector and a foundation is being established to assist in our growth efforts.

CAF Airbase Georgia operates World War II aircraft to honor the Greatest Generation, the heroes at home and in battle whose unprecedented efforts won WWII, Buckley said. We have seven operational aircraft and a new restoration project underway. We have created a strong reputation in our local community and throughout the aviation industry because of our commitment to our mission, Keep em Flying. Our goal is to be embraced as Georgias World War II Flying Museum. We do this through events and programs locally, regionally, and nationally. For more information visit www.wwiidays.org
New Delhi:

An encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out at Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowbug Kund village in Qazigund area of Kulgam this morning.

The security forces acted after receiving inputs about presence of terrorists in the area.

As the security forces started the operation, they encountered counter-attack from the militants. One terrorist has been killed in the operation.

As per latest reports, the encounter is presently on at the site.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowbug Kund village in Qazigund area of Kulgam this morning after receiving specific information about the presence of militants in the area, a police spokesman said.

He said another encounter broke out in Laam village of Tral in Awantipora area of Pulwama after the militants fired upon a search party of security forces.

Gunfight was going on, the spokesman said, adding, further details are awaited.

With PTI inputs

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Kolkata:

Whenever we talk about Kolkata, the first thing which comes to our mind is Rosogolla (a traditional Bengali sweet) but food lover Bengalis are changing with time.

Every morning, hundreds of Kolkata residents assemble in Victoria, Read Road, Eco Park, and Salt Lake areas and run together.

Its relatively a new and healthy way of life where Kolkatans are participating in several physical activities. People have become more conscious towards their health.

Being the city of sweet lovers, Diabetes poses a major threat to Kolkatans and the deadly disease is one of the reasons they are changing their lifestyle habits.

More cases of people being diagnosed with diabetes are surfacing and doctors suggest patients to opt for running or other light exercises in order to keep their blood sugar in control.

In Kolkata, there are several running groups that motivate people to become a member and start leading a healthy life.

45-year-old Niraj Bansal, a resident of Salt Lake was diagnosed with diabetes. His blood sugar had reached to 160. Doctors suggested him to start going for morning walk as it helps in keeping the blood sugar in control.

Bansal joined a Kolkata based running group called Saltlake Runners and the high blood sugar level started decreasing and came down to 120 after few days. For him, running was a life changing experience.

Running has changed my life completely. Initially, I started to run to control my diabetes but later it became my passion, Bansal says I am happy because I can eat sweets once again which I had to stop because of my high blood sugar level.

According to latest report, India stands second in the world with around 7 crore people suffering from diabetes.

Diabetes is a life style related disease, there was a time when we used to get cases only from urban areas but now we are getting several cases from rural areas as well which is alarming, says Dr. Sujay Chanda, a Kolkata based Diabetologist.

In another case, 45-year-old Ashok Kundu had gone through a brain surgery in 2005. After the surgery, he was advised to keep his blood sugar and blood pressure level in control.

I had to lose some weight, I was told by the doctors that if I dont lose weight, I can get affected with diabetes any time. So, started running. I now feel more energetic, I feel young, says Kundu.

Running has not only controlled my sugar level but it has also given me another chance to live life in a healthier and better way, he added.

Not only in India, people across the world are fighting against diabetes and physical exercise is helping them more than medicines.

41-year-old, Dr Nabanita Bose, an Oncologist by profession shifted from Kolkata to UK in 2005. After few days, she was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Psoriatic Arthritis and Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

She was supposed to shed some extra kgs of weight. And she did that. From 78 Kg in 2013 to 52.5 kg in 2016, she lost 26 kg weight in four years by controlling her eating habits and running off course.

Overall, it has changed my life as I was on loads of medication for Diabetes and Hypertension, but now Im on none. Totally reversed with weight loss. Feel fitter, healthier, and leaner than ever in life.



Some run for fun but some definitely run to live a better life, life which is free from diseases. On this World Diabetes Day, lets pledge to start running and doing other physical exercise to lead a better, healthy and sweet like Rosogolla life.
New Delhi:

Congress on Tuesday blamed Modi government, saying that the latter has compromised national interest and security over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. The grand old party alleged that the deal has caused a loss to the public exchequer.

Rubbishing the acquisitions, the BJP claimed that Congress has attempted to divert the attention as the Congress leaders are facing the prospect of being questioned in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scandal.

Randeep Surjewala, communications department head, alleged the government neglected the interests of public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as Dassault Aviation, the french manufacturer of Rafale aircraft refused to transfer technology to it and instead entered into an agreement with Reliance Defence.

He also alleged that the aircraft was being purchased at much higher rates than what was decided after the completion of the tender process under the previous UPA government.

The BJP hit right back, with its spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao claiming that the Congress party was engaging in a stunt by raising the Rafale issue as it was scared at the prospect of its top leadership, including the Gandhis, being questioned in the VVIP chopper scam.

He said after the arrest of middleman Carlos Gerosa in Italy last month and his likely extradition to India soon, the Congress has made baseless allegations over Rafale deal to divert public attention and to cry political vendetta.

None of these stunts will work and the Congress must be ready to answer who took bribes in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal as the money trail is going to become known after the extradition of Carlos Gerosa, he told.

Modi government is known for integrity and all its actions are above board, while the Congress party is synonymous with sleaze, corruption and crony capitalism, he said.

Surjewala said the UPA government floated a tender on August 20, 2007 for purchase of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Air Force and, post negotiations, two of themRafale and Eurofighter Typhoon remained in the reckoning.

On December 12, 2012, Rafale was declared L1 vendor, the bidder whose quotation is the lowest, with base price of USD 10.20 billion (Rs 54,000 crore according to the conversion rate prevalent then).

It was decided that of the 126 aircraft, 18 would come in fly away condition and the remaining 108 will be manufactured in India by HAL with transfer of techonology, he said.

After the Modi government was formed in May 2014, Surjewala said, the earlier Request for Proposal (RFP) for purchase of 126 aircraft was cancelled on July 30, 2015, and signed a deal on September 26 the next year for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets for USD 8.7 billion.

Later, he said, Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence Limited tied up with Dassault Aviation for a joint venture for defence production in India on October 3, 2016.

There is complete non-transparency, flagrant violation of mandatory provision of Defence Procurement Procedure, sacrificing national interest on transfer of technology to PSU HAL and blatant promotion of financial interests of crony capitalist friends of the prime minister have marred the purchase of the aircraft, Surjewala alleged.

The Congress leader claimed that each aircraft would have cost Rs 526.10 crore in accordance with the negotiations under the UPA dispensation. Each aircraft would now cost Rs 1570.80 crore, he said, adding huge loss was being caused to the exchequer.

The Modi government is indulging in an unforgivable game of compromising national Interest and national security. A huge scam is brewing in the procurement of fighter aircraft. Grave apprehensions and claims of insurmountable loss being caused to public exchequer are in public domain with the government maintaining a conspiratorial silence, he said.

Surjewala also alleged that the deal between Dassault Aviation and Reliance Defence Limited did not have the approval of the Union Cabinet, Cabinet Committee on Security and Foreign Investment Promotion Board.

It is time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government to answer to people of India as to why government is buying 36 Rafale aircraft at a highly inflated price compared to originally negotiated base price by UPA-Congress, he said. (With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

A day after an alleged sex video of Patidar leader Hardik Patel went viral on the social media, a new video has emerged on different online platforms that claims he was drinking with his friends after shaving off their head to demand justice for Patels. The authenticity and sources of the video is not verified.

According to the video that went viral on Tuesday and was telecaste in local televisions in Gujarati TV channels, a man resembling Hardik Patel can be seen drinking with others. The video is being claimed to be recorded on May 2017, the day when Patel along with others from his community in support of Patidar reservation shaved of their heads and marched about 155 kilometers to put pressure on the government to press in their demands.

The 24-year-old PASS chief on his defend tweeted and told the media that news channel broadcast saying it features him is not authentic and is evidence of dirty politics being played by BJP.

The Patidar leader claimed that the viral CD has been uploaded from a foreign country and was doctored. "It is a morphed video. BJP is trying to malign me in the society."

Also read: Hardik Patel says viral video is morphed, BJP is playing dirty games

Jignesh Mevani, a Gujarat leader backing Hardik Patel in the sex cd row said, Right to sex is a fundamental right.

BJP has rubbished Hardik Patels allegation and dared him to file a police complaint. If the video is fake, Hardik Patel should lodge a complaint with the police, said Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

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New Delhi:

India and Philippines on Monday signed four MOUs for cooperation in the areas of defence and agriculture, after Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.

PM Modi had a productive meeting with President Duterte and discussed various aspects on enhancing India-Philippines bilateral cooperation especially in trade, business and culture.

The leaders of both countries identified terrorism as a major threat and resolved to expand bilateral cooperation in defence to deal with growing menace.

Had a productive meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte. We had extensive discussions on enhancing India-Philippines bilateral cooperation especially in trade, business and culture. pic.twitter.com/hkWHWyGTH6  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 13, 2017

Both the leaders said scourge of terrorism has to be dealt with effectively. It is a very important outcome, Secretary (East) in the Exernal Affairs Ministry Preeti Saran told reporters.

Saran said the pact on defence cooperation was a significant outcome as it will boost cooperation in various spheres including in the areas of logistics.

Apart from Defence industry, MoUs on in the areas of Agriculture and related fields, MSMEs were also signed.

A pact between ICWA and FSI along with establishment of ICCR chair in the University of Philippines were also inked.

India and Philippines sign four MOUs and establishment of ICCR chair in Univeristy of Philippines pic.twitter.com/H5xDXsjK6h  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 13, 2017

Modis bilateral visit to the Philippines is first by an Indian Prime Minister in 36 years, though Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister had come here for a multilateral meeting.

Earlier in the day, Modi interacted with Indian community in a program in Manila and thanked the diaspora for their warmth.

Modi will also have bilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, New Zealand Prime minister Jacinda Ardern and several other leaders.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition seeking SIT probe into an alleged case of bribery in the name of judges, saying such a plea has raised unnecessary doubts over the integrity of judges.



The apex court rejected the petition filed by lawyer Kamini Jaiswal, making it clear that the CBI's FIR was not against any judge and neither was it possible to lodge such a complaint against a judge. However, it did not issue contempt notice against Jaiswal.

A bench of Justices R K Agrawal, Arun Mishra and A M Khanwilkar also deprecated attempts made for recusal of one of the judges in the matter saying it was not proper and tantamounted to "forum shopping."

Jaiswal, through senior advocate Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, had sought recusal of Justice Khanwilkar from hearing the matter. Khanwilkar had refused to recuse himself.

The bench observed that "the damage has been done to the institution by filing of such a plea and unnecessary doubts were raised on its integrity."

The petition had claimed that allegations of bribery were levelled for securing settlement of cases relating to medical colleges in which a retired Orissa High Court judge, Ishrat Masroor Quddusi, is also an accused.

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New Delhi :

The Indian women have carved out a niche for themselves by reaching the zenith of their chosen career paths. Despite their rising stature in the ever-evolving Indian social set up, they still are subject to heinous crimes on account be being considered as soft targets in a male chauvinist society.

In recent times, there have been growing cases where modesty of women has been abused during police arrest. Taking a note of these incidents, the Honorable Supreme Court and several High Courts have prescribed various guidelines to check on incidents of police atrocities on women.

After several instances of women being harassed by policemen got reported, the Supreme Court came out with a ruling stating that women cannot be arrested after sunset and before sunrise.

So let us have a closer look at this law and how does it safeguard the rights of women in IndiaWomen enjoy the right of being present in the police station only during the daytime.

Even if there is a woman constable accompanying the officers, the police cant arrest a woman at night. If a case arises where a woman has committed a serious crime, the police have to get it in writing from the magistrate explaining why the arrest is necessary during the night.

According to Section 46(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 which governs the arrest of women, It is specifically mentioned that Save in exceptional circumstances, no woman can be arrested after sunset and before sunrise, and where such exceptional circumstances exist, the woman police officer shall, by making a written report, obtain the prior permission of the Judicial Magistrate of the first class within whose local jurisdiction the offence is committed or the arrest is to be made.

Reference Case - The ruling on 'A woman cant be arrested after sunset and before sunrise' was awarded by the Bombay High Court in the Mrs. Bharati S. Khandhar vs Shri. Maruti Govind Jadhav case on 21 December, 2012.

Going by the laws in place, it becomes imperative for women in India to know about these rights so that they can exercise the same if a situation arises.
Mathura:

A 49-year-old man allegedly raped his friends five-year-old daughter in a residential colony in Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, police said on Tuesday.

Mathura superintendent of police Sharavan Kumar Singh told the media that the accused after consuming alcoholic drinks at his friends residence raped the minor.

The SP further added that the accused has been identified as one Rajendra. He escaped the incident site after the minor cried for help. We have arrested the accused. He is father of three grown up children and was well known to the victims father, said Singh.

The Mathura police have registered a case under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections including 307 - rape and POSCO Act.

The Mathura Police told the media, that the complaint was lodged by her mother. She informed the police that her husband was heavily drunk and not in his senses when Rajendra raped the minor.

Also read| Delhi Shame: One-and-a-half-year-old girl raped in Hauz Khas's Shahpur Jat area, neighbour arrested



The SP added that the victim has undergone medical examination, while the accused has denied the charges framed against him.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Courts constitutional bench will now hear the matter of reservation of SC/STs in promotion in jobs.

The bench headed by Justice Kurien Joseph has requested Chief Justice of India to constitute a constitutional bench.

The Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Bihar government have challenged the High Courts decision to abolish SC/STs reservation in promotions.

After taking the arguments of state governments and findings of M Nagraj case in 2006 into consideration, the decision to transfer the case to the constitutional bench was taken.

In the M Nagraj order, the five judges had said that before giving reservations in promotions, the government will have to gather data pertaining to whether the category getting reservations is backward and their representations are not enough in the jobs.

However, the Supreme Court had earlier already questioned about absence of creamy layer in SC/ST reservations.

The state governments had argued that idea of backwardness does not include in SC/ST. Only parliament can oust any category in SC/ST by forming a law and SC/STs are not given reservation for their backwardness but for social discriminations against them.

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New Delhi :

Xiaomis Redmi Y1 Lite and Redmi Y1 to go on sale on November 15 at 12 P.M. exclusively on Amazon India website and Mis official website.

Y1 series is the newest series of Redmi smartphones in India and some even says that it is rebranded version of Redmi Note 5A which was launched in China.

Redmi Y1 Lite comes with a 2GB RAM and 16GB storage space while Redmi Y1 has two variants; one has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of space for usage and other one has 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB storage space.

Talking about the price of the smartphone, Redmi Y1 Lite is priced at Rs. 6,999 and Redmi Y1 is available at Rs. 8,999 and Rs. 10,999 respectively.

In terms of specifications, Redmi Y1 Lite has a 5.5-inch HD display powered with a battery of 3080 mAh. It has a 13MP of rear camera and a 5MP of front camera and runs of MIUI 8, which will be upgradable to MIUI 9 later on. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor.

On the other hand Redmi Y1 is powered with Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor. The main attraction of this variant is its front camera which has 16MP lens with LED flash to capture sharper and more vibrant self-portraits. It also has 5.5-inch HD display and 3080 mAh of battery.

Both the smartphones run on Android Nougat and supports two nano-SIM.

The customers of these smartphone will also enjoy one year subscription of Hungama Music and 280 GB of data with Idea Network.
Washington:

The battle for a seat in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) between India and Britain has run into a stalemate, even as Congress leader Shashi Tharoor accused the UK of trying to stall the will of the majority of the UN General Assembly.

Dalveer Bhandari from India and Christopher Greenwood from the UK are seeking re-election at the Hague-based International Court of Justice.

One-third of its 15-member bench are elected every three years for a nine-year term, elections for which are held separately but simultaneously in the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council in New York.

Last Thursday, four of the six candidates in the fray were elected as per the UN laws, got an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Ronny Abraham of France, Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf of Somalia, Antonio Augusto Cancado Trindade of Brazil and Nawaf Salam of Lebanon were elected after four rounds of elections on Thursday.

Yesterday, the UN General Assembly and the Security Council met separately to elect the remaining one candidate for the ICJ.

In each of the five rounds of elections, Greenwood of Britain received nine votes and Bhandari got five in the UN Security Council.

Given that Britain is a Permanent member of the Security Council, Greenwood has an advantage over Bhandari.

Bhandari received absolute majority in the General Assembly elections in all the five rounds. In fact, he increased his vote tally from Thursdays 115 to 121 votes in the General Assembly elections yesterday against the absolute majority number of 97.

The vote tally of Greenwood dropped from 76 to 68 on Monday.

With the two countries in a deadlock over the one remaining ICJ seat, both the General Assembly and Security Council announced to adjourn the meeting for the election to be convened at a later date.

Ahead of the yesterdays voting, Congress leader and former top UN official Tharoor said that the voice of the General Assembly has been ignored for too long.

As the UN Security Council (SC) & General Assembly (GA) vote to choose a judge for the International Court Of Justice (#ICJ) between Indian & UK candidates, the legitimacy & effectiveness of the UN are at stake. The voice of the GA has been ignored too long, he said in a tweet.

This time a nominee of a Permanent member of the SC has failed to get an absolute majority of the GA, for the first time in a direct contest to a major @UN organ. GA vote has turned into a protest against an unwarranted extension of privilege for 70+ years. P5 lost by 40votes! he said.

Tharoor said the election is no longer about the judge or the country he hails from, but about the General Assembly standing up against a member of a privileged club who has lost comprehensively among the Members at large but still leads 9-6 in the Security Council UK trying to stall the will of the majority of the GA, he charged.

Deeply entrenched interests of a tiny select group cannot be allowed to prevail in areas where such privileges are not based in law. Judges to the World Court must represent the majority of the UN membership. The cosy Permanent Members club at the SC cannot keep getting its way, he charged.

Decisions at the UN, he said, must reflect the voice of? the majority of Members and cannot continue to be decided by a few states with long-held privileges.

Only that kind of multilateralism will inspire confidence among the international community, especially the younger generation, he said.

Noting that this is not about India or any single country, he said this is about the idea of justice, of equality and fairness.

It is about the future we envisage for the United Nations and the conduct of multilateralism. The time for reform is now. I call on SC members to vote for Indias candidate, he said.

Aside from these points of principle, India has always shouldered collective responsibilities with our partners in our quest for a more just global order, Our ethos also leads us towards genuine and constructive rule-based multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes. Vote4 India! Tharoor said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Tejashwi Yadav, son of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, was grilled for over nine hours for the second time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with a money-laundering probe in the railway hotels allotment corruption case, official sources said.

They said the statement of the former Bihar deputy chief minister was recorded by the investigating officer of the case at the ED office after he arrived there around 11 AM. Tejashwi Yadav left the ED office around 8:45 PM.

This is the second time Tejashwi was questioned by the central probe agency in this case.

Sources said Tejashwi Yadav was asked about three dozen questions in connection with the case.

He was last questioned by the agency on October 10 and was grilled for over nine hours.

Since then, Tejashwi has skipped four appearances and appeared today on a fresh summon, they said.

The agency has registered a case against Lalu Prasad, his family members and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Tejashwis mother and former Bihar chief minister Rabri has skipped the ED summonses at least six times till now.

In July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR and conducted multiple searches on the properties of Lalu Prasad, who is also a former Bihar chief minister, and others.

The CBI FIR has alleged that Lalu Prasad, during his tenure as the railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a company in 2004 after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, a former Union minister.

The ED had registered a criminal case against his family members and others under the PMLA, based on the CBI FIR.

The CBI recently recorded the statements of Tejashwi and Lalu Prasad in this case.

The ED is investigating the alleged proceeds of crime generated by the accused, purportedly through shell companies, according to officials.

Others named in the CBI FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar (both directors of Sujata Hotels), Delight Marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P K Goel.

The CBI FIR was registered on July 5 in connection with favours allegedly extended to Sujata Hotels in awarding a contract for the upkeep of the hotels in Ranchi and Puri and receiving premium land as quid pro quo.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
On Saturday, South Africa's health ministry made shocking disclose about corona virus variants in India. He said that four cases of a coronavirus variant fuelling a devastating surge of Covid-19 in India had been recorded in the country. Let us tell you that Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement late Saturday that "The four cases of B.1.617.2 have been detected in (the provinces of) Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India,".

For your information let us share that While India has reported fast infection cases spreading attributed to the variant, which has now been found in more than a dozen countries worldwide. In that South Africa is at least the fourth country on the continent to pick up the B.1.617.2 variant, alongside Kenya, Uganda and Morocco.

Talking about the South Africa effect from this corona virus infection so it is to be noted that South Africa is the continent's worst virus-hit country, accounting for more than 34 percent of all cases in the region. The country's second coronavirus wave, which peaked earlier this year, was driven by a local, more infectious coronavirus variant known as B.1.351. Country also warned of a looming third wave of infections likely to coincide with the upcoming southern hemisphere winter.

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New Delhi: Malaysia has banned travel on several other Asian countries, including Pakistan, in the wake of rising cases of corona virus infection in the past few weeks. Quoting a notification by the Malaysian Immigration Administration, media reports said that citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal will not be allowed to enter Malaysia from Saturday.

Briefing about the conditions of the ban, Senior Malaysian Minister Ismail Jacob has said that all citizens of these countries will be restricted from long social visits to business trips and all other reasons. He said only diplomatic passport holders and officials will be allowed to travel.

These will be officers who have been given concessions under Diplomatic Relations, 1961 at the Vienna Conference. S category people will get entry in Malaysia under their current Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). According to Geo News, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft have stopped flying there after Malaysia imposed sanctions.

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TV journalist Vipin Chand dies from corona , CM Vijayan expressed grief over his demise
In a rare exchange, scientists and water resources engineers from Iran and Utah are collaborating on a bold scientific study to restore one of the world's largest saline lakes.

Lake Urmia -- a massive salt lake in Iran's northwest and a sister to Utah's Great Salt Lake -- has lost nearly 95 percent of its volume over the last two decades. As water levels drop, salinity spikes, threatening the lake's brine shrimp population and the flamingos and other bird species that depend on the shrimp for food. Lake levels are so low that at some coastal resorts, tourism boats must be pulled a kilometer (0.6 mile) or more from shore by tractor before reaching suitable depths. In addition, new land bridges are forming in the drying lake bed which allows mainland predators to threaten endangered mammals living in the southern islands. The vast, dry lakebed imposes a growing dust problem for the five million residents who live in the Lake Urmia basin. What's more, the area's ecotourism industry has collapsed, and now experts fear an environmental disaster awaits if drastic changes are not made.

"We're at the tipping point," said assistant professor and lead author Somayeh Sima of Tarbiat Modares University in Iran. "Every single step matters. We have to take action now." Sima's work will be used to update Iran's $1 billion Lake Urmia Restoration Program. In 2018, she traveled to Utah on a visiting scholarship from the Semnani Family Foundation to collaborate with Utah State University water resources professor David Rosenberg who studies integrated water management and water conservation in Western U.S. river basins, including rivers that feed the Great Salt Lake. Prof. Wayne Wurtsbaugh, Sarah Null, and Karin Kettenring from the USU Quinney College of Natural Resources also collaborated in the limnology and ecology parts of this multidisciplinary research.

The team synthesized 40 years of data to define eight metrics that define the health of Lake Urmia and its many ecosystems. Their findings were published in the latest edition of the Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. One key finding shows that setting a target water level will not necessarily solve Lake Urmia's problems.

"We can't say that restoring the lake to some magic number will improve the overall situation," said Rosenberg. "Instead, we need to consider how the lake's ecosystem services are interconnected and how a varying lake level will impact those systems over time."

"We have to embrace lake level variability and focus our restoration efforts where it makes sense," Sima added. "Restoration is not an easy task. It is everyone's responsibility, and we'll need public support to make meaningful change."

The problems facing Lake Urmia are not unique to Iran. Water levels at the Great Salt Lake are also at their lowest in recent years, and similar problems of land bridges, dust, changes in salinity, and ecological damage have experts concerned.

To promote transparency and reproducibility in science and encourage further collaborations, the researchers published their article open access (free to readers) and shared their data and code on the HydroShare.org repository.

"This partnership between U.S. and Iranian researchers is valuable because we have so much in common on this topic, said Sima. "Only together can we begin to understand how to solve these problems."

###
Which wound cuts deeper: the loss of an only child or loss of a spouse? A new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and Fudan University suggests that Chinese parents find the loss of an only child to be approximately 1.3 times as psychologically distressing than the loss of a spouse. The findings are published in the journal Aging & Mental Health.

Older adults in China rely heavily on family support, particularly from their adult children. Filial piety--the Confucian idea describing a respect for one's parents and responsibility for adult children to care for their parents as they age--is a central value in traditional Chinese culture.

In the 1970s, China introduced a one-child policy to slow the population growth, resulting in hundreds of millions of families with only children. While the policy ended in 2016, its consequences will be felt for decades, particularly for families who experience the loss of a child.

"The death of a child has been recognized as one of the most challenging and traumatic events for a parent," said Bei Wu, PhD, Dean's Professor in Global Health at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and co-director of the NYU Aging Incubator, as well as the study's senior author. "Within the cultural context of China, the death of an only child is devastating not only due to the emotional loss, but also the loss of financial and instrumental support that is critical to older adults."

The death of a spouse is also recognized as a distressing life event, forcing older adults to navigate both the emotional loss and the shattering of a married couple's social and economic circumstances. In this study, Wu and her colleagues wanted to examine whether the loss of a spouse had a similar impact on psychological well-being as the loss of an only child, and whether the presence of one mitigated the absence of the other.

The researchers analyzed data from a 2013 survey conducted in Shanghai involving more than 1,100 adults, including 128 parents who lost their only child. The survey evaluated the impact of the loss of a spouse or child on participants' psychological well-being, including depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction.

They found that adults who lost their only child but have a living spouse had more psychological distress than those who lost their spouse but have a living child. This effect appeared to be stronger in women than in men.

Losing an only child resulted in 1.37 times the level of loneliness and 1.51 times the level depression as losing a spouse, and life satisfaction was 1.14 times worse for those who lost an only child vs. their spouse. Adults whose children and spouse were both alive had better psychological well-being than those who experienced loss.

"Our findings demonstrate that the loss of an only child carries more psychological weight than the loss of a spouse in Chinese culture," said Wu.

Wu and her colleagues recommend increasing access to professional mental health services for adults who experience loss, as well as developing culturally relevant interventions to address social isolation and loneliness among older Chinese adults.

###

Wu collaborated on this study with Yan Liang and Hong Liang of Fudan University, Hanzhang Xu of Duke University, and Feinian Chen of the University of Maryland.

About NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (@NYUNursing)

NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing and health. Founded in 1932, the College offers B.S., M.S., DNP and Ph.D. degree programs providing the educational foundation to prepare the next generation of nursing leaders and researchers. NYU Meyers has several programs that are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is among the top 10 nursing schools receiving NIH funding, thanks to its research mission and commitment to innovative approaches to health care worldwide.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will sign a free trade agreement with South Korea this week, marking the first such arrangement with an Asian market, Israel's economy ministry said on Sunday.

The deal is meant to bolster bilateral trade by cutting out customs duties and offering safety nets on investments. Bilateral trade reached about $2.4 billion in 2020, about two thirds of it goods and services imported into Israel, the ministry said.

The deal will be signed this week in Seoul during a visit by Israel's foreign affairs and economy ministers.

More than 95% of Israeli exports to South Korea will be customs-free, the ministry said. Israel is working on similar deals with China, Vietnam and India, it added.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Wondering why you can multitask during a Zoom video call on your iPad when you can't with other apps? Zoom isn't being sneaky  it's just taking advantage of a good relationship. As 9to5Mac reports, developer Jeremy Provost has learned that Zoom has special permission from Apple to use the iPad's camera during Split View multitasking. The company told Provost it received a private "entitlement" letting it use a multitasking-friendly programming interface that's normally off-limits outside of FaceTime.

Entitlements aren't new, but they're typically public and just require that developers walk through a process to enable them. You can ask for CarPlay integration for a navigation app, for example. The iPad camera entitlement, however, is undocumented and only available to those Apple considers "worthy," according to Provost.

We've asked Apple for comment.

It's not surprising that Zoom would get this access. The video chat app has become a mainstay of pandemic life  video chats while multitasking could be essential for remote school and work. The concern, of course, is that competing apps might not get the same access. You might be out of luck if you need to use a common alternative like Facebook Messenger, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.

This isn't to say Apple reserves every special feature for itself. 9to5 noted that the M1 iPad Pro's Center Stage camera panning will be available to third-party apps. Still, this latest discovery likely won't be thrilling if you want third-party apps to have the same privileges as Apple's own.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Kale and Quilliam are the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's two porcupines. Kale was born at the zoo, and Quilliam was introduced to the exhibit in 2018, with the hopes of producing some porcupettes, or baby porcupines.
No one was injured after shots were fired Saturday afternoon at a park on the citys north side, but at least one vehicle was hit, police said.
Reporter

Stephanie Earls is a news reporter and columnist at The Gazette. Before moving to Colorado Springs in 2012, she worked for newspapers in upstate NY, WA, OR and at her hometown weekly in Berkeley Springs, WV, where she got her start in journalism.
Carlyle Currier is a fifth-generation rancher from Molina and the current president of the Colorado Farm Bureau. He has held many leadership positions within the water and agriculture community in Colorado and nationally. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, represents House District 58  Dolores, Montezuma, Montrose and San Miguel counties  in Colorados General Assembly. He was born and raised on a row crop farm in Montrose and is still actively involved with farming today.
Alan Gottlieb is editor of public education watchdog boardhawk.org, where this commentary originally appeared and is available online. Gottlieb covered Denver Public Schools for the Denver Post in the mid-1990s, worked as an education program officer for The Piton Foundation, and co-founded Education News Colorado and Chalkbeat.
The Alzheimers Association of Colorado is the premier source of information and support for the more than 76,000 Coloradans with Alzheimers disease, their families and caregivers. The Alzheimers Association offers education, counseling, support groups and a 24-hour Helpline at no charge to families. For information call the Alzheimers Association free 24/7 bilingual Helpline at 800-272-3900, or visit www.alz.org.
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, is shown in this photo from the National Archives.
On a recent sunny day in the Florida Panhandle, an explosion launched a miniature aircraft into the skies over the Gulf of Mexico to maneuver without remote piloting, a successful test of the Air Forces Skyborg system that could enable war jets to fly without remote piloting one day.
77 more locally-transmitted Covid-19 infections confirmed on Sunday evening

87 more people have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam, including 77 locally-transmitted cases, raising the total number of Covid-19 patients in the country to 3,332, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday evening.













Health workers take samples for Covid-19 testing at the K Hospital in Hanoi





According to the ministry's report, 26 out of the 77 locally-transmitted cases were detected in the northern province of Bac Giang. They had all come into close contact with a previously announced Covid-19 patient in the area.



51 other patients who have also been infected in the community include 17 in Danang City, 15 in Bac Ninh Province, 11 in Hanoi, two in Hung Yen Province, two in Hue City, two in Hoa Binh Province, and one each in Quang Nam and Quang Tri provinces.



As of May 9, 333 new locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27. The outbreak has so far spread to 22 cities and provinces nation-wide.



10 imported patients are all Vietnamese people aged between 26-63 who recently returned from Malaysia, Laos, and the UAE. They were sent to quarantine areas for Covid-19 prevention upon arrival and are now being treated at local hospitals.



With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 3,332, including 1,903 locally-transmitted cases.



As of 6 pm on May 9, a total of 2,602 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, over 51, 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.
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani.

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 10 (ANI): Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the terrorist attack on a school in Kabul and called for a national day of mourning in wake of the incident.

At least three explosions took place near Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School in the west of Kabul on Saturday afternoon.

As many as 63 people, all students, were killed in a Kabul school bombing and 150 more were wounded, TOLO News reported citing sources and relatives of victims.

Taking to Twitter, Deputy Interior Minister Sediq Sediqqi said that Ghani has asked the Taliban to abandon the killings of innocent Afghans.

"President Ghani condemns the Kabul terrorist attack with the strongest words, termed a despicable crime against humanity. Calls for a national day of mourning, and asks the Taliban to abandon the killings of innocent Afghans," he said.

However, Taliban has denied any involvement in the attack. "We condemn in strongest terms the killing of civilians in Dashti Barchi, Kabul, as a result of incessant explosions and call for a neutral and transparent investigation," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a tweet.

The attack started with a car bomb explosion and was followed by two rocket attacks.

Earlier, India condemned the "barbarous" terrorist attack on a school in Kabul and said the incident demonstrates the urgent need for dismantling terrorist sanctuaries and for a comprehensive nation-wide ceasefire.

"We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on Sayed al-Shuhada Girls school in Kabul yesterday, which killed more than 50 innocent girl students during the holy month of Ramadan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the young girls who lost their lives in this barbarous attack," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

Leading UN officials also condemned the deadly bombing in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, including UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore and Volkan Bozkir, the President of the General Assembly.

The Sayed Ul-Shuhada high school is located in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood in west Kabul, home to many members of the Hazari minority, who are mainly Shia Muslims. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI)
Bigg Boss 14 contestant Nikki Tamboli recently flew to Cape Town, South Africa to participate in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11. The stunt reality show will also see Rahul Vaidya, Divyanka Tripathi, Shweta Tiwari, Abhinav Shukla, Vishal Aditya Singh and others as challengers.

Nikki, who has lost her young brother recently, had shared that she will be participating in Khatron Ke Khiladi for her brother.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

When her happy pictures with co-contestants surfaced on social media, tolls shamed her for enjoying after her brothers death. Nikki clapped back at the social media trolls.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

She wrote, Some stupid people are msging me and commenting on my pictures that my brother has just passed away few days back. Dont you feel shame you are enjoying. So let me tell you idiots that I also have my life, I also deserve to be happy if not for myself for my brother. He loves when I stay happy. And these people who have no work but only have time to comment and spread negativity I would request you to go and achieve your dreams. It will make you and your parents and you loved ones happy too (sic).

Nikkis brother passed away on May 4 due to Covid-19 complications. He was admitted to the hospital for 20 days before he breathed his last.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
1. Yes. Its important to keep my child as safe as possible. We plan to take advantage.

2. Yes. With the school district dropping its mask mandate, its a necessary step.

3. No. Local COVID cases are dropping. There is no good reason to vaccinate my child.

4. No. There hasnt been enough data on vaccinated children. I think Ill hold off.

5. Unsure. I havent decided yet whether to take part in the vaccine clinics.

Vote

View Results
Sanctions Are Part of Americas Forever WarsEnd Them Now, Demands Indian-American Academic

May 8, 2021 (EIRNS)Krishen Mehta, a Senior Global Justice Fellow at Yale University, issued a powerful call May 4 for ending U.S. sanctions against developing nations, especially those in Southwest Asia as well as Russia and China and nations of Ibero-America. Sanctions are acts of war, Mehta warnedtheyre a way to have foreign policy on the cheap without domestic consequence, replacing diplomacy. In his article, Sanctions and Forever Wars, published on the website of the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord, Mehta argues that In some ways, sanctions are WORSE than war, because at least in war there are certain protocols or conventions on harming civilian populations (emphasis in the original). Under the current sanctions regime, civilian populations are harmed constantly and many measures are in fact directly targeted against civilians. In the end, these sanctions become part of our Forever Wars, and the American public accepts the policy because they are packaged under the guise of human rights, representing the superiority of our morality over others. Describing the insanity of waging financial war against Russia, Mehta also warns that the sanctions risk alienating young people in these affected countries, because their lives and their future are compromised as a result of the sanctions.

Mehta is a native of India but is an American citizen. He points out that he, like many Indian professionals, was educated in India thanks to the financial generosity of the U.S. after India won its independence in 1947. Many of the Indian professionals educated thanks to that policy then went to other countries, including the U.S., but also to developing countries, where they helped build basic health and sanitation infrastructure, schools, hospitals and highways, only to see everything destroyed by U.S. wars and criminal sanctions, such as in Iraq and Syria. Humanitarian crises occurred because sanctions prevented imports of medical supplies; deprived of medicine, children died of treatable diseases. Pointing out that 30 countries now suffer under U.S. sanctions, Mehta documents the human cost of denying Iran respirator masks or thermal imaging equipment needed to combat COVID; the U.S. vetoed a $5 billion emergency loan Iran requested from the IMF to buy equipment and vaccines abroad. He points to U.S. disruption of Venezuelas CLAP food distribution program and the Caesar sanctions against Syria which are causing a huge humanitarian crisis there, made worse by U.S. occupation of oil fields, and fertile agricultural regions, which is causing people to starve. Is this America at its best? he asks.

It used to be the case, Mehta concludes, that the U.S. built schools and universities abroad, and sent its young people to other countries with the Peace Corps. But today, the U.S. has 800 military bases in 70 countries and sanctions a third of the worlds population. Sanctions do not represent the best that the American people have to offer, and they do not represent the inherent generosity and compassion of the American people. For these reasons, the sanction regime needs to end and the time for it is now.


A Catholic priest is winning new fans in Costa Rica with a COVID-19 song set to the music of salsa.

Sergio Valverde is best known for his aid to the poor in the Central American country. For the last few Sundays, Valverde has performed his song with a dance in front of Cristo Rey church in San Jose. His aim is to get people to wear protective face coverings, or masks, and continue being careful during the pandemic.

Without the mask, theres COVID for you, COVID for me, he sang. The words are set to the music of the song Sopa de Caracol, or Snail Soup in English. The song performed by Honduran group Banda Blanca was very popular in 1991.

Valverde said he had not even written down the lyrics, or words, of his version of the song. He said he was putting the words together as he sang. He was surprised to see how popular it became on social media.

The Catholic priest said, the issue of COVID is affecting the entire world, theres pain, theres suffering. He continued, I, as a priest, see so many people suffering, sick, in pain, people without work and who are dying of hunger and I wanted to help a little.

Valverde could not have timed it any better. Costa Rica had a record of more than 2,700 new infections in one day recently. The intensive care area of its public hospitals are 95 percent full. The country has recorded more than 3,200 COVID-19 deaths in total.

Valverde is known for his work with children left on the streets and giving food to the poor. He said he is seeing more in need than ever before during the economic crisis which was worsened by the pandemic.

Valverde admitted that he has enjoyed the experience. He said, the whole world is so crazy that they looked for another nut.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Javier Cordoba reported this story for the Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

___________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

church  n. a building for public and especially Christian worship

priest n. clergy or a person who has the authority to lead or perform ceremonies in some religions and especially in some Christian religions

salsa  n. a type of popular Latin-American music

snail n. a small animal that lives in a shell that it carries on its back, that moves very slowly, and that can live in water or on land

nut n. a crazy or strange person


And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

Mothers have been celebrated around the world since the days of ancient Greeks and Romans.

In the United States, Mothers Day became a national holiday after an effort by Anna Jarvis as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure in 1914 to officially set Mothers Day on the second Sunday of May.

Americans celebrate mothers by buying them gifts, taking them out for a meal, or surprising them with their favorite treat. Mothers Day cards, either bought or made, are a big part of this special day.

Mothers are important in so many ways, too many to count. In some families, the mother is the leader. She is called the matriarch.

The importance of mothers can be seen in words like mother tongue. This is the language you speak at home. And your mother country is the country where you were born. Sometimes, we also call this the motherland.

Then there is Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and Earth Mother. We use these words to describe the beginning and the guiding force of the whole world  humans included.

There is even a saying necessity is the mother of invention. It means that new ways to do things are found or created when there is a strong need for them.

In any culture, the worst thing you could do would be to insult someones mother, especially calling her ugly. That could get you into a fight very quickly.

In the U.S. a childrens rhyme goes this way: Step on a crack, break your mothers back. It means if you step on a crack, for example on the sidewalk, it will cause your mother's back to break. Nobody would want that. So, children turn this rhyme into a game and jump over cracks on the sidewalk.

For this Mothers Day, we will learn another saying that uses the word mother: Diligence is the mother of good luck.

First, what does diligence mean? Diligence is careful and continued hard work. So, this saying means that hard work produces chances for success  not luck.

Lets hear it used in this example:

Did you hear the great news! Sams book is going to be published this summer!

That is wonderful. He is SO lucky.

In his case, diligence is the mother of good luck. He spent two years non-stop writing that book.

Oh. I guess, luck had little to do with it.

So, if someone you know has had success after working diligently, you can use this saying. Its like telling them that their hard work has paid off.

For example, if you got a great job using your wonderful English and a friend says to you, Wow, youre really lucky. You can say, Diligence is the mother of good luck.

After all, your speaking English has nothing to do with good luck, but rather your hard work.

And thats all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.

Until next time  Im Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

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Words in This Story

matriarch  n. a woman who controls a family, group, or government

rhyme  n. one of two or more words or phrases that end in the same sounds

crack  n. a thin line in the surface of something that is broken but not separated into pieces

diligence  n. careful and continued hard work




Sotero Cirilo sleeps in a small plastic shelter under a train bridge in Elmhurst, Queens, in New York City.

The 55-year-old immigrant from Mexico once made $800 per week at two New York restaurants. But they closed when the COVID-19 pandemic started. A few months later, he could not pay the rent for his room.

"I never thought I would end up like this, like I am today," he said in Spanish.

Cirilo mainly speaks a Central American language called Tlapanec. He is part of a growing number of undocumented immigrants who are losing the necessary resources to survive because of the coronavirus pandemic. They worked in hard-hit industries such as restaurants, hotels and construction. The lack of income has made it harder for them to pay for food and housing, pushing some into homelessness.

Doubling unemployment

The Migration Policy Institute compared jobless rates for Hispanic immigrants between January 2020 and February 2021. In one year, the number of immigrants without jobs doubled. Activists and social workers in states like New York or California say the undocumented immigrants who cannot receive government aid are finding themselves without a home.

Yessenia Benitez is a 30-year-old social worker who helps immigrants in Queens, NY. She says she has seen more and more groups of immigrants living on the street. They earn small payments from returning empty bottles, but they would rather be working.

"They want to contribute to society. And before the pandemic, they were contributing to society, some of them were paying taxes," Benitez said.

Jorge-Mario Cabrera is the spokesman for The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, which operates a phone-in service to help immigrants in Los Angeles.

"We have seen an increase in calls from individuals living in the street, living in cars, living in garages or often living with friends in already overcrowded conditions," Cabrera said.

Losing a safety net

"They don't even have money to pay for their phone bills. This is why we are saying that one of the side effects of the COVID-19 (pandemic) is in fact a complete unraveling of the safety net for undocumented immigrants," he added. "While other communities are receiving (financial) assistance, immigrants are receiving nothing, most of the time."

Cabrera said many of the immigrants contacting the organization are still working, but their income has sharply decreased.

Alfredo Martinez is a 38-year-old Mexican immigrant who currently lives on the street in New York. He used to work in construction but his hours were cut when the pandemic started. Without regular income, he has been living on the street for four months.

Martinez now works some days as a laborer and is hoping to save enough to pay for a room. He wants to take a training course to have more dependable construction employment.

"The pandemic started and my world came crashing down," Martinez said. "This is the first time something like this happens to me. But I think it is temporary. I hope it is temporary."

A recent New York City report estimated there are about 476,000 undocumented immigrants in the city. The report by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs found that 60 percent of undocumented workers have already lost their job or are at risk of losing it during the pandemic. That compares to about 36 percent of all workers.

The report said the poverty rate for undocumented immigrants in the city is 29.2 percent, while the rate for documented immigrants is 27 percent. The poverty rate for U.S. citizens in New York is 20 percent.

Help from cities and states

Some cities and states have begun to help immigrants who cannot receive federal assistance.

California gave some money to undocumented immigrants last year and New York lawmakers recently set aside $2.1 billion to aid undocumented workers who lost jobs or income during the pandemic. New Yorks program is the largest of its kind in the U.S.

Women cannot leave home to work

In Arizona, activist groups say immigrant women who clean hotel rooms are suffering. Their children are attending school at home, so the mothers cannot leave home for work.

Petra Falcon is executive director of Promise Arizona, a non-profit in Phoenix. She told the story of a woman who started a little shop to sell sweets and soft drinks to earn money. "This one lady  was selling whatever she could to the people that live in the apartment complex so she could make enough money to pay rent," Falcon said.

Cirilo, the 55-year-old Mexican experiencing homelessness in Elhmurst, said he hopes to move back to his native country one day. "My children have asked me to go back," he said. "But I can't go back like this."

Im Jill Robbins.

Claudia Torrens wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rent  n. the amount of money a person pays to live in a building that some else owns

contribute  v. to give something (such as time or money) as a part or share

garage  n. a building or part of a building where people can keep a car, truck, or other vehicle

unravel  v. to fail or begin to fail

safety net  expression. something that helps someone who is in a difficult situation

What is the situation of undocumented workers where you live?
Premier Li stresses importance of structure, layout of state-owned economy

Xinhua) 09:24, May 09, 2021

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday stressed the importance of the structure and layout of state-owned economy following the merger of Sinochem Group and ChemChina Group, two state-owned chemical giants.

Li made the remarks in a written instruction on the establishment of a new holding company occurring on the same day as a result of the joint reorganization. He added that the move would boost agricultural modernization and competitiveness in the chemical industry.

The new company should shore up international cooperation and maximize its role as an industry leader, the premier said, calling for major technological breakthroughs in germplasm and chemical engineering.

Li also urged the new company to explore innovative models of management and operation and make contributions to stabilizing the industrial and supply chains.

Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong attended the establishment ceremony, underscoring research and utilization of green, low-carbon technologies to help achieve carbon neutrality target.

China's State Council approved the joint restructuring of the two chemical giants in late March. The new company covers fields including life sciences, material sciences, the basic chemical industry, rubber tires, and urban operations.

Headquartered in Beijing, Sinochem Group was founded in 1950 and is a leading integrated operator in the oil and chemical industry. It provides agricultural inputs (seeds, agrochemicals, and fertilizers) and modern agricultural services. The company also exerts a strong influence on city operations and the non-banking financial services sector.

ChemChina Group is the largest chemical enterprise in China. Based in Beijing, it has production and research and development bases in 150 countries and regions worldwide. It also boasts a full-fledged marketing network.

Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong speaks at the establishment ceremony of a new holding company as a result of the merger of Sinochem Group and ChemChina Group, two state-owned chemical giants, in Beijing, capital of China, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Family members pay last respect to their relative Rajendra Prasad Mishra, a 62-year-old man who has lost his life from coronavirus infection before cremation at River Ganges at Phaphamau in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Since India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping across the country, the pace of administering the shots has dropped with states saying they only have limited stock to give out.

Cases meanwhile are still rising at record pace in the world's second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccination, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are undercounts.

India's Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an "oxygen audit" to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which stepped in earlier this week to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in capital New Delhi.

The country's massive vaccination drive kicked off sluggishly in January when cases were low and exports of vaccines were high, with 64 million doses going overseas. But as infections started to rise in March and April, India's exports drastically slowed down so doses went to its own population, reaching daily record highs. So far, around 10% of India's population have received one shot while just under 2.5% have got both.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

At its peak in early April, India was administering a record high of 3.5 million shots a day on average. But this number has consistently shrunk since, reaching an average of 1.3 million shots a day over the past week. Between April 6 and May 6, daily doses have dropped by 38%, even as cases have tripled and deaths have jumped sixfold, according to Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistician at the University of Michigan who has been tracking India's epidemic.

One reason for the drop in shots is that there are just not enough available, experts say. Currently, India's two vaccine makers produce an estimated 70 million doses each month of the two approved shotsAstraZeneca, made by the Serum Institute of India, and another by Bharat Biotech.

Vaccine supply has remained nearly the same throughout, but the target population eligible has increased by threefold, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a health policy expert. "In the beginning, India had far more assured supply available than the demand, but now the situation has reversed," he added.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

In Kerala state, the drive to inoculate all adults is crawling along because "our single biggest problem is the very slow arrival of supplies," said the state's COVID-19 officer, Amar Fetle.

In New Delhi, many are waiting for hours outside vaccination centers - but only after they've been able to book a slot.

For Gurmukh Singh, a marketing professional in the city, this has been impossible. "It gets really frustrating, having so many hospitals and vaccine centers around but not being able to get access because they are all pre-booked," he said.

Experts also point to a new policy change by the government, which has upended how doses are being distributed.

Previously, all of the stock was bought by the federal government and then administered to the population through both public and private health facilities.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

But from May 1, all available stock has been divided into two, with 50% purchased by the government going to public health centers to inoculate those above 45. The remaining half is being purchased by states and the private sector directly from manufacturers at set prices to give adults below 45.

This has led to lags as states and private hospitals, still adjusting to new rules, struggle to procure supplies on their own.

"You have now taken it out of a fairly efficient system where every dose was still centrally-controlled," said Jacob John, a professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. "But with market forces at play and unprepared states burdened with such a daunting task, the efficiency of the system has fallen."

Things could change in the coming months as the government last month gave an advance to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, which could help boost manufacturing. And last week, India received its first batch of Sputnik V vaccines. Russia has signed a deal with an Indian pharmaceutical company to distribute 125 million doses.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Relatives perform the last rites for the cremation of a man who died after contracting COVID-19 on the banks of the Gange at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A health worker takes a mouth swab sample of a Kashmiri boy to test for COVID-19 in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin)

Family member of a COVID-19 patient reacts as he waits to refill an oxygen cylinder at a gas supplier facility in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/Ishant Chauhan)

Indians wait to refill oxygen cylinders for COVID-19 patients at a gas supplier facility in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/Ishant Chauhan)

But with vaccines currently in short supply, there are worries that those most in need are missing out. The goal should be to prioritize preventing deaths, which means fully vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, a microbiologist at Christian Medical College, Vellore.

"You need to give it (earlier) to people who are more likely to die first," Kang said.

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
In this March 1, 2021, file photo, Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine arrives at Kosice Airport, Slovakia. Russia's boast in August that it was the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine led to skepticism because of its insufficient testing on only a few dozen people. Slovakia's government is still set to discuss possible use of Sputnik V with Russia after the coronavirus vaccine was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab. Slovakia's Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his country's experts and "the Russian side about the further development on this issue." (Frantisek Ivan/TASR via AP, File)

Slovakia's government is set to discuss possible use of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine with Moscow after it was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab.

Slovakian Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his country's experts and "the Russian side about further developments on this issue."

Hungary offered Slovakia assistance in inspecting the Russian-made vaccine after the Slovak State Institute for Drug Control said it had not received enough information about the Russian jab from its producer to be able to assess its benefits and risks.

The regulator also said the doses it received from Russia differed from those under review by the European Union's medicines authority.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets Sputnik V abroad, called the findings "fake news." It said Slovakia's drug regulator had tested the vaccine in a laboratory that is not part of the EU's official network of approved labs.

The RDIF welcomed the results of the Hungarian tests and said it asked the Slovak drug regulator to apologize "for spreading incorrect information about Sputnik V."

In the meantime, Russian experts have also been also testing doses of the Sputnik V vaccine it delivered to Slovakia. Lengvarsky said he was waiting for the results of those tests and Russian approval for its use before he makes any further decisions.

Slovakia would be only the second EU nation after Hungary to use Sputnik V, which has not been authorized by the European Medicines Agency.

A secret deal for Slovakia to purchase 2 million Sputnik V shots orchestrated by then-Prime Minister Igor Matovic triggered a political crisis in March that resulted in the Slovak government's collapse.

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

South Africa's health ministry on Saturday said four cases of a coronavirus variant fuelling a devastating surge of COVID-19 in India had been recorded in the country.

"The four cases of B.1.617.2 have been detected in (the provinces of) Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement late Saturday.

Eleven cases of another variant first detected in the United Kingdom and known as B.1.1.7 have also been found, the statement added, noting that community transmission of that variant had "already set in".

South Africa is at least the fourth country on the continent to pick up the B.1.617.2 variant, alongside Kenya, Uganda and Morocco.

India is grappling with an explosive coronavirus outbreak widely attributed to the variant, which has now been found in more than a dozen countries worldwide.

South Africa has not yet joined the growing number of countries worldwide that have banned flights from India to limit the spread of its variant.

Mkhize said travel restrictions would "need to be balanced against scientific realities" to protect the economy of Africa's most industrialised nation.

An announcement will be made once the cabinet has consulted on the matter, he added.

South Africa is the continent's worst virus-hit country, accounting for more than 34 percent of all cases in the region.

The country's second coronavirus wave, which peaked earlier this year, was driven by a local, more infectious coronavirus variant known as B.1.351.

Mkhize earlier this week raised the alarm over "a worrying trend of increasing numbers of detected cases" in certain provinces.

He warned of a looming third wave of infections likely to coincide with the upcoming southern hemisphere winter.

To date, the country has recorded more than 1.59 million coronavirus cases, of which more than 54,700 have been fatal.

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 2021 AFP
Doctors caring with COVID-19 patients ferry medical equipment, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

At the small hospital where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works in Chad's capital, there are no debates over which coronavirus vaccine is the best.

There are simply no vaccines at all.

Not even for the doctors and nurses like her, who care for COVID-19 patients in Chad, one of the least-developed nations in the world where about one third of the country is engulfed by the Sahara desert.

"I find it unfair and unjust, and it is something that saddens me," the 33-year-old infectious diseases doctor says. "I don't even have that choice. The first vaccine that comes along that has authorization, I will take it."

While wealthier nations have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are still scrambling to secure doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any.

The World Health Organization says nearly a dozen countriesmany of them in Africaare still waiting to get vaccines. Those last in line on the continent along with Chad are Burkina Faso, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania.

"Delays and shortages of vaccine supplies are driving African countries to slip further behind the rest of the world in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the continent now accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide," WHO warned Thursday.

Dr. Oumaima Djarma, left, walks with other doctors dealing with COVID-19 patients, inside the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

And in places where there are no vaccines, there's also the chance that new and concerning variants could emerge, said Gian Gandhi, UNICEF's COVAX coordinator for Supply Division.

"So we should all be concerned about any lack of coverage anywhere in the world," Gandhi said, urging higher-income countries to donate doses to the nations that are still waiting.

While the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases among them is relatively low compared with the world's hot spots, health officials say that figure is likely a vast undercount: The countries in Africa still waiting for vaccines are among those least equipped to track infections because of their fragile health care systems.

Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive. Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally.

A COVID-19 patient has his temperature taken, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood, where camels nibble from acacia trees nearby. Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for COVID-19 patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer. Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible.

That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors all around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

"When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me," Djarma said. "I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

A COVID-19 patient speaks to medical staff, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

"Everyone dies from this disease, rich or poor," she says. "Everyone must have the opportunity, the chance to be vaccinated, especially those who are most exposed."

COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, is aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries get access. A few of the countries, though, including Chad, have expressed concerns about receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX for fear it might not protect as well against a variant first seen in South Africa.

Chad is expected to get some Pfizer doses next month if it can put in place the cold storage facilities needed to keep that vaccine safe in a country where temperatures soar each day to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Some of the last countries also took more time to meet the requirements for receiving doses, including signing indemnity waivers with manufacturers and having distribution plans in place.

A COVID-19 patient is treated, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Those delays, though, now mean an even longer wait for places like Burkina Faso, since a key vaccine manufacturer in India scaled back its global supply because of the catastrophic virus surge there.

"Now with global vaccine supply shortages, stemming in particular from the surge of cases in India and subsequently the Indian government's sequestration of doses from manufacturers there, Burkina Faso risks even longer delays in receiving the doses it was slated to get," said Donald Brooks, CEO of a U.S. aid group engaged in the COVID-19 response there known as Initiative: Eau.

Front-line health workers in Burkina Faso say they're not sure why the government hasn't secured vaccines.

"We would have liked to have had it like other colleagues around the world," says Chivanot Afavi, a supervising nurse who worked on the front lines of the response until recently. "No one really knows what this disease will do to us in the future."

Medical personnel spray disinfectant outside the ward where COVID-19 patients are receiving treatment, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Security personnel guard the entrance of the Farcha provincial hospital where COVID-19 patients are being treated, in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

In Haiti, not a single vaccine has been administered to the more than 11 million people who live in the most impoverished country of the Western hemisphere.

Haiti was slated to receive 756,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via COVAX, but government officials said they didn't have the infrastructure needed to conserve them and worried about having to throw them away. Haitian officials also expressed concerns over potential side effects and said they preferred a single-dose vaccine.

Several small island nations in the Pacific also have yet to receive any vaccine, although the lack of outbreaks in some of those places has meant there is less urgency with inoculation campaigns. Vanuatu, with a population of 300,000, is waiting to receive its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine later this month, but it has recorded only three cases of coronavirus, all of them in quarantine.

At the Farcha hospital in Chad, nine health care workers have gotten the virus, including Dr. Mahamat Yaya Kichine, a cardiologist. The hospital now has set up pods of health care worker teams to minimize the risk of exposure for the entire staff.

"It took almost 14 days for me to be cured," Kichine says. "There were a lot of caregivers that were infected, so I think that if there is a possibility to make a vaccine available, it will really ease us in our work."

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Calls to cancel pandemic-era unemployment benefits intensified this week as worries over a labor shortage gained steam, culminating in a crescendo on Friday after a wildly disappointing jobs report for April.

South Carolina and Montana announced plans before the report to end the jobless programs at the end of July, after weeks of local reports across the country recounted how restaurants couldnt fill positions.

After the jobs report on Friday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its support of stopping the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits, citing worker shortages, while Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced a bill to repeal the pandemic unemployment programs.

While there are certainly people that needed access to increased unemployment benefits during the heart of this pandemic, we should not be in the business of creating lucrative government dependency that makes it more beneficial to stay unemployed rather than return to work, Marshall said in a statement on Friday.

A man wearing a mask walks past a "now hiring" sign on Melrose Avenue amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

What's to blame for the disheartening job performance in April, though, has no consensus among economists. After payroll gains missed by over 700,000  266,000 jobs were added last month versus estimates of 1 million  a firestorm on Twitter ignited among economists and analysts, who largely agreed that tightness in the labor market existed, but argued over the culprit.

Complicating matters is that the jobs recovery is not occurring in a vacuum, but amid a public health crisis that introduces multiple variables.

A real sign of labor market tightening or even shortages

While there is no single measure for workforce shortage, increased work hours and wages are considered some of the signs that indicate employers are struggling to fill jobs and the labor market is tightening, according to Heidi Shierholz, senior economist and director of policy at the Economic Policy Institute. Both occurred in April.

Average weekly hours for workers in leisure in hospitality significantly increased in April, reaching 26.7 hours, up from its pre-pandemic levels of 25.8 hours in February 2020, according to data from the Labor Department.

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"If employers really can't find the workers that they need, they'll respond by ramping up the hours of the workers, Shierholz told Yahoo Money.

Average hourly earnings for workers in labor and hospitality also increased to $17.88 in April, up from their pandemic low of $16.92 in July and are higher than their pre-pandemic level of $16.90 in February 2020, according to data from the Labor Department.

Some economists pointed to the increase as a sign that employers are competing with the enhanced unemployment benefits, specifically the extra $300 a week that the Chamber of Commerce said results in approximately one in four recipients taking home more in unemployment than they earned working."

Shierholz noted that the wage increases in some sectors may not be robust enough. For instance, nonsupervisory workers in leisure and hospitality still make less than $21,000 a year after wage increases, according to Shierholz, or about $10 an hour.

While there's definitely signs of isolated and temporary tightness in the labor market, Shierholz said, a lot of the huge complaints that we're seeing really are about businesses being frustrated that they can't find workers at extremely low wages.

Entirely among men

A customer walks by a now hiring sign at a BevMo store on April 02, 2021 in Larkspur, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Making it more difficult to pin blame is the pandemic itself that has disrupted American life in ways unlike a typical downturn. Factors like remote schooling and limited child care options ripple through the economy, especially affecting female workers. The details of Aprils job report back this up.

There was a big increase in the labor force in April, [but] it was entirely among men, Shierholz said. That doesn't scream that it's an unemployment benefits issue, it really does scream that it's something like care-giving responsibilities in the time of COVID.

The number of women in the labor force fell by 64,000 in April, while the number of men increased by 493,000, Michael Madowitz, an economist at American Progress, pointed out to Yahoo Money.

If there is a labor shortage, it's all about women, Madowitz tweeted on Friday after the jobs report.

Where hiring fell also provides another clue. Leisure and hospitality actually added 331,000 jobs in April, but manufacturing saw payrolls drop by 18,000, specifically a 27,000 decline in auto production, which could be related to the national chip shortage.

Additionally, fears over the public health situation may be holding some workers back, Shierholz said. Covid vaccines were not available to all adults until April in 33 states  the others didnt open until mid- to late March  meaning those who received the Pfizer or Moderna shots had to wait five to six weeks before becoming fully vaccinated.

'We need to have a reasonable phase out'

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Several papers found that the extra $600 in benefits distributed earlier in the pandemic had limited labor supply effects and likely didnt disincentivize work, including one by the National Bureau of Economic Research and another by Yale University. The researcher of the NBER study noted that his original findings held when applied to January to the end of March when workers again got extra unemployment benefits.

Today's jobs report has led to most people just re-stating their priors about [unemployment insurance], and we have learnt very little, Arindrajit Dube tweeted on Friday. Through end of March, changes in [unemployment insurance] replacement rates across states due to Jan boost had little impact on jobs.

Greater clarity on whats holding back workers may come with next months jobs report. Until then, around 16.5 million workers still depend on unemployment benefits that run through September 5, while the economy is 8.2 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic levels.

We need to have a reasonable phase out of those things because even though the economy is improving, we still will have a lot of unemployed workers at this time, Shierholz said. More importantly, we won't have enough job openings for all unemployed workers.

Denitsa is a writer for Yahoo Finance and Cashay, a new personal finance website. Follow her on Twitter @denitsa_tsekova

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A "We're Hiring" sign advertising jobs is seen at the entrance of a restaurant, as Miami-Dade County eases some of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Miami, Florida, May 18, 2020.

REUTERS
Adapt IT CEO Sbu Shabalala is accused of ordering heavily armed men to beat up his estranged wife, Neo Shabalalas partner who is now in critical condition in hospital.

The Sunday Times reported that Neo was granted an urgent restraining order against Sbu from entering the Zimbali property where she lives.

In her affidavit, Neo claims Sbu and five men armed with automatic rifles, handguns, and batons entered her home on Saturday 1 May.

She was allegedly shoved into an adjoining bedroom with a gun to her head, after which Sbu instructed the gunmen to go into the master bedroom.

Neo said the armed men then brutally assaulted her partner Sipho Nzuza, an eThekwini city manager.

Following the assault, Neo said Sbu told her I have given you seven months to sign [an agreement in their legal dispute] and you havent. You have 30 days to sign.

Neo and Sbu Shabalala are currently engaged in a legal battle over money where Neo is claiming part of Sbus assets which she says is over R133 million.

One of the gunmen allegedly told Neo she was granted a reprieve from being assaulted on the basis she would sign the agreement.

Three of Neos friends, who were at her home at the time of the incident, submitted affidavits which support Neos version of events.

Neo further said Sbu and the gunmen posted photographs of the assault on social media and WhatsApp groups.

As a result of the attack, Nzuza had his spleen and part of a kidney removed and remained in critical condition in a Durban hospital.

Sbu Shabalalas spokesperson told MyBroadband given the divorce court proceedings and the inherently private nature of the matter, he has been advised by his legal representatives to decline to make any statements at this stage.

He will, however, be available to make a statement at some future time or on some future occasion when it is deemed fit.

MyBroadband asked Adapt IT for comment regarding the allegations, but the company could not immediately comment.

Instead, a company representative only said, Ill get back to you with a statement.

These allegations come at a sensitive time for Adapt IT. The company has received acquisition offers from Huge Group and Canadian-based Volaris.

Adapt IT and Volaris recently said shareholders holding 44.4% of Adapt IT shares support the offer from Volaris to acquire control of Adapt IT.

Huge Group is, however, sticking to its guns and believe their offer is better for Adapt IT shareholders in the long run.

Huge Group CEO James Herbst told MyBroadband Huge Group and Adapt IT were better off together and remaining listed.

Huge Group has also launched an explosive video attacking the motives of Adapt ITs top management, including CEO Sbu Shabalala.

Herbst said Adapt IT executives appeared to have signed irrevocable undertakings to support the Volaris offer, which he described as questionable behaviour.

He also raised questions about Shabalala owning the building his company uses for its head office as the tenants interests are secondary to the landlords interests.

Having a CEO of a company which owns, or partly owns, the property which the company uses as its campus raises questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Adapt IT dismissed these concerns, saying there is nothing untoward regarding the deal.

Shabalala fully disclosed and completed the notice of directors personal financial interest along with recusing himself from all of the companys decisions pertaining to the lease, Adapt IT said.

At the time of entering into the lease agreement, the board of the company was comfortable with the term of the lease which is in line with the companys facilities strategy.
Plans to procure emergency power from three Karpowership vessels are at risk because the Department of Public Enterprises has not established an independent ports authority, reports the City Press.

Karpowership SA is meant to gain permission from the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), but this entity reportedly does not have the appropriate status to provide this permission.

This is because the Ports Regulator of South Africa found in 2016 that any agreements entered into by Transnet on the behalf of the TNPA are disputable.

Siyakhuphuka Investment Holdings director Jan Scheepers noted that it has been 15 years since the National Ports Act came into effect, yet there is still no official ports authority.

He argues that this could also result in a planned investment of R100 billion in the Durban port over the next ten years to transform it into a cargo hub for Africa, coming to nothing.

Scheepers explains that TNPA, being part of Transnet, is an issue because Transnet has a transport and cargo handling arm, which makes it both a player and the referee.

Siyakhuphuka is in the middle of court proceedings following the TNPAs rejection of one of its proposals in 2008 after it instead granted permission to a different division of Transnet  Transnet Port Terminals.

Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan said in 2020 that he would appoint consultants regarding the situation, but it is unclear if any progress has been made.

Controversial powerships

The Karpowership SA vessels have been the topic of a lot of controversy since their procurement was first announced.

Energy experts are critical of the decision due to the expected high costs and negative impact on the environment.

The CSIR has estimated that Karpowership SA may be paid up to R218 billion from the 20-year deal, while energy expert Chris Yelland has noted that the liquid gas powerships will need to be imported and paid for in US Dollars.

This makes future project costs liable to skyrocket depending on how the Rand performs against the US Dollar.

Yelland has also noted that South Africa will never own the powerships, as they are only rented.

It is not a South African asset, and all the money goes abroad to the Turkish Karadeniz Energy Group, Yelland said.

Energy experts are not the only skeptical parties, however.

Bloomberg reported last week that Eskom does not want to buy electricity from Karpowership SA as it is concerned about the cost and length of the contract.

The Karpowership SA deal must be financially closed by the end of July and requires agreement from Eskom as well as the appropriate approvals from environmental and port authorities.

In response to Bloombergs questions, Eskom said it would look at options around the Karpowership SA deal, including the possibility of recovering costs through tariffs.

A clean and affordable alternative

Director at Virtual Energy and Power Clyde Mallinson agrees that the Karpowership SA deal locks South Africa into dirty and expensive energy for the next 20 years.

He claims that a better plan is to make full use of available system assets locally by overbuilding on wind and solar power plants, and backing this power up with large battery energy storage facilities.

He claims that this will allow for power to be procured at an estimated tariff of R0.61 per kWh, as opposed to the R1.58 per kWh the winning bids currently project.

This alternative way of procuring emergency power could deliver electricity at less than half the price and meet fully the requirement of dispatchable power, Yelland agreed.

There is no question that wind, solar, and battery power can meet the delivery requirements, he said.

We should take Mallinsons analysis very seriously. It is a sound analysis, backed up by facts using scientific data.
If you want to buy an iPhone, you are typically faced with three choices:

What size screen do you want?

How much built-in storage do you need?

Which colour option is your favourite?

And thats all thats needed.

iPhone owners often take flak for this from non-Apple users, and they are portrayed as attention seekers or posers who use the smartphone as a fashion accessory.

This was undoubtedly the case last week when Apple launched its Purple iPhone 12 in South Africa, with the only new feature being the colour of its body.

The fact that choosing which colour iPhone you would like is one of the more difficult decisions when buying the device is not a negative, however.

It speaks to the fact that Apple has done something many tech companies cannot achieve  get users to trust them.

iOS vs Android

Apple has built trust among its iPhone user base by providing them with high-quality devices that work well.

No matter which iPhone you buy, there is never any worry about it not being powerful enough to run apps or whether it will or wont receive software updates after a year or two of ownership.

Granted, even an entry-level iPhone is more expensive than competing smartphones running Android, but that price difference buys you peace of mind.

Apple has a huge advantage because they have full control. Apple builds both the iPhone hardware and controls the iOS operating system. This allows the company to provide an incredibly smooth user experience and excellent user support.

A great example of this is when you look at device compatibility at an operating system level.

Apple iOS 14, the latest version of the software, supports devices all the way back to the iPhone 6s  a smartphone which was launched in September 2015.

Full software support for a smartphone which is almost six years old is almost unheard of  especially when you consider Apples competitors Samsung and Huawei, and their relationship with Android.

Android smartphone users are often left hanging when a new version of Android is released, thanks to their device manufacturer.

The issue is so prevalent that Google, the primary developer of Android, launched the Android One programme.

The aim of Android One is to ensure that smartphones which take part in the programme receive at least two years of operating system upgrades.

Apple also pushes out its iOS updates to iPhones around the world in large waves  and when the update is released, you receive it.

It is not the same for Android smartphones, particularly in South Africa, as both the phone manufacturer and your mobile network  Vodacom, MTN, etc  have to coordinate to deliver the latest version of the operating system.

This has resulted in delays for Samsung devices in the past.

With Huawei, the situation is much worse.

Following political wrangling between the US and China, Huawei was blocked from using Google Mobile Services.

While Huawei smartphones can still use Android  as Android is based on Linux, which is open source  the Android everyone knows and uses on their phones contains Google Mobile Services.

Google Mobile Services is a set of applications and APIs that gives you access to Google services like Google Maps and Gmail, and your third-party apps are built to work in this ecosystem.

Without access to Google Mobile Services, Huawei has been forced to develop its own app store and Huawei Mobile Services. Huawei is also developing its own mobile operating system for new smartphones.

It just works

The iPhone delivers a smooth user experience regardless of which model you purchase, for two reasons.

One, Apple builds both the hardware and software for the iPhone. This means it can create the hardware and software to work exceptionally well with the other at all times.

Two, is that Apple uses powerful components and high-quality materials throughout the device.

This means you know you are getting a premium smartphone every time and it results in iPhone users not worrying about the technical specifications of their smartphone.

An example of this is that Apple often does not detail how much RAM its iPhones pack, or how big  in mAh  its batteries are.

This information is only available after the latest iPhone goes on sale and it is torn apart by tech reviewers.

Conversely, Samsung and Huawei go to great lengths to detail the hardware installed in their phones.

Huawei and Samsung both sell a wide range of smartphones, from entry-level to premium flagship, which means the listing of specifications is necessary to ensure users know which phones in a range are the best  and whether Samsungs phones are better than Huaweis, and vice versa.

Ultimately, this results in iPhone customers only having to decide which colour they want their new phone in and how big a screen they need.

This may appear to show a lack of technical knowledge, but it is in fact the opposite.

The technical fundamentals from both a hardware and software point of view have been covered by Apple, and users trust them to deliver on this.

For Android users, colour is low down on the list of importance  as they first have to check whether their phone has powerful-enough components, find out what software it is running, and research whether they will receive operating system updates in the future.

This is an opinion piece.
A third wave of COVID-19 is expected to hit South Africa soon, and governments vaccination programme is unlikely to beat it in time.

This is according to Stellenbosch University virologist Professor Wolfgang Preiser, who was speaking to the Sunday Times.

It is basically too slow to make an impact if the third wave strikes during the next few months, as some people fear, said Preiser.

On a population-wide basis, not enough people will have been vaccinated to make a dent into the next wave.

Preiser said there may be some hope that since so many South Africans were infected in the first two waves, they may have a degree of immunity that lessens the severity of the third wave.

However, he added that since it is unclear how long any immunity actually lasts, South Africans should not rely on this to protect them.

Wits University expert Professor Shabir Madhi agrees that the vaccination programme is probably going to be too late to stop a third wave.

As signs of a third wave are already emerging, it is unlikely we will get sufficient numbers of high-risk individuals vaccinated before the wave is fully established, said Madhi.

He also noted that the first generation of vaccines is unlikely to be impactful against infectiousness and mild infection.

However, he believes that the fast rollout of vaccines could at least affect the number of hospitalisations and deaths in the third wave.

Government concerned about third wave

Health minister Zweli Mkhize expressed his concern regarding the increase in COVID-19 cases in South Africa over the past two weeks.

We have noticed a worrying trend of increasing numbers of detected cases in a number of districts, said Mkhize.

The Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West are of particular concern but every province, with the notable exception of Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern.

He said it is as crucial than ever that South Africans follow non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The government can facilitate and intervene but ultimately, we would rather concentrate on economic recovery rather than imposing more restrictions, said Mkhize.

Therefore, every citizen must adhere to the non-pharmaceutical interventions if we are to avoid further restrictions.

On Saturday, Mkhize noted that the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA) has detected 2 COVID-19 variants of concern:

B.1.1.7 (first detected in the UK)  11 cases.

B.1.617.2 (first detected in India)  4 cases.

All cases of the B.1.617.2 variant have been isolated and managed according to the relevant guidelines, and contact tracing has been performed to limit its spread.

B.1.1.7, however, has already been detected in three different provinces, and it has also been detected in community samples  suggesting that community transmission has already set in.

NGS-SA remains vigilant as it continues to support the Department of Health, said Mkhize.

There are a number of other samples from cases with a history of recent travel into South Africa that are currently being sequenced and results are expected over the next few days.

South Africa to procure Russian and Chinese vaccines

Mkhize has also confirmed plans to buy the Sputnik V and Sinopharm vaccines developed in Russia and China respectively.

Mkhize said on Wednesday 28 April that government would order 10 million doses of each vaccine.

We are doing this now because we do expect the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to approve those vaccines, he said.

South Africa has also resumed the use of Johnson and Johnson vaccines after putting them on hold for two weeks because of fears that the vaccines are linked to blood clots.

South Africa has also secured vaccine shots from Pfizer and BioNTech.
Riley came to Voices after some personal struggles, and began volunteering her time, Posadas said.

We helped get her (a place to stay) in Napa, and she was volunteering with us, and asked why there was no LGBTQ programs  where was the community in Napa County? he said. And she kept pushing because the youth needed it. We supported her to lead it, and we started the first group of its kind for LGBTQ youth in Napa County history.

They didnt know how it would be received at first, Posadas said.

We didnt know if anyone would actually come. But we had 50 youth in our first year come and create community with us, he said. So we started thinking beyond youth. We gathered community together and started dreaming bigger and the program we started for youth has become a model for California.

LGBTQ Connection is expanding into American Canyon with help from the Upswing Fund whose officials have recognized the extra stress and need caused by (the pandemic) and the harm being caused especially for youth, so it seeks to support youths of LGBTQ and of color."
I dont know where she got the bough of pine needles she put up in our window for our Christmas tree, but I do recall how nice it made the cabin smell. My Moms father, a talented, but itinerant sign painter, made us a bean bag throw hewn out of scrap lumber. I watched in awe as he hand painted the face of a colorful clown with a wide, smiling mouth-hole for the target. He even stitched four small bags filled with real beans for us to throw. I thought it was the most marvelous gift imaginable. Mom and I were tossing the bags at the clown when the woman knocked on the door.

She was nicely dressed and had on a long coat with some type of fur at the collar. On her head was a black hat. Her hands were in matching gloves. She held a large brown paper bag. Smiling, she spoke with Mom for a minute and held out the bag. I saw my Mom shake her head, give a sad smile and slowly close the door. Then she began to cry. When I asked her why, she said the woman was from a local church group bringing food to poor families in the area during the holidays. Mom said she told the lady to give the food to those that truly needed it. With that, she picked up the bean bags and resumed tossing them at the smiling clown.
After retiring from Napa Valley College twice, Jenny Sercu is still not ready to give up the travel bug.

Sercu spent more than 40 years leading the Napa Valley College Trips and Tours program. She gave up that position in December 2021 because of the tremendous impact COVID-19 had on the travel industry. She thought her travel days were behind her.

Now that the world is beginning to open up again for travel, several friends asked Sercu to arrange a trip to Egypt and Jordan. She and 15 of her friends are set to depart for Egypt in January 2022. More spaces on the trip are still available for the 12-day trip that has options to extend it to visit Jordan.

Sercu is also planning a small ship trip to Croatia in May 2022.

She said she had been wondering "how will travelers return to water travel? Will they book huge mega-ships because theres plenty of room for distancing? Or are smaller ships to more remote locations more attractive? Several companies are betting on the smaller ships. Time will tell what choices people will feel comfortable with as they return to water travel."

She added, "I tend to favor small ships. and one destination in particular that fascinates me is Croatia. I plan to investigate Croatia on the small ship MS Invictus next May."
Armenia Ombudsman: Trials against Armenian POWs continue in Azerbaijan with gross violations of international law

Armenia President receives Masdar's representatives

Ankara hopes Erdogan and Biden find common ground

Acting US Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker arrives in Yerevan

Candidate for Armenia PM: Heads of headquarters of Democratic Party are apprehended

More on COVID-19 and tense election campaign in Armenia, June 9 digest

Members of European Parliament call on Yerevan and Baku to start exchanging information for demining

Members of Armenian opposition Adekvad Union post posters reading "Antinikol" near government building

France says it will do everything it can to ensure Amazon is subject to minimum global tax

UN warns of likelihood of mass deaths from hunger and disease in Myanmar

Beijing accuses Washington of paranoid mania

Stanislav Zas: There are still risks of escalation of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Trump supports Nigerian government decision to block Twitter access

Erdogan announces visit to Shushi with his family

Armenia ruling party MP Hamazasp Danielyan drops mandate

Armenia ex-president shares promised record about acting PM

Armenia acting PM ends campaign meeting in Gyumri with march, accompanied by many security officers

"Armenia" bloc holding rally in Yerevan

Opposition Bright Armenia Party leader inviting Nikol Pashinyan to a debate

Nagorno-Karabakh issue discussed within the scope of Russian-Turkish consultations in Moscow

168.am: Armenia acting PM in Gyumri, snipers on roof of city council

Armenian authorities forcing employees of educational institutions and nuclear power plant to attend campaign meetings

Putin-Biden meeting in Geneva to take place in 18th-century villa

Armenia opposition party leader: There are 1,837 Armenians who lost their extremities after war in Artsakh

Bright Armenia Party leader slams discourse over transferring acting PM's son in exchange of POWs

Leader of opposition Liberty Party says Armenia acting PM steals over $2,500 from budget every month

Headquarters of political party running in elections applies to Prosecutor General's Office and Police of Armenia

Armenia Ombudsman's Office, Central Electoral Commission hold discussion to guarantee citizens' suffrage

Armenia acting premier, "support group" employees visit Shirak Province

Tech Week Artsakh 2021 to be held in Stepanakert

Armenia Elections Oversight Committee: Such development of events might lead to clashes

2 citizens apprehended for electoral bribery in Armenia's Gavar

Republican Party of Armenia vice-president: Serzh Sargsyan disclosed an audio recording a little while ago

Dollar continues dropping in Armenia

Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Ukraine deputy FM express willingness for cooperation

Turkeys Erdogan to visit Artsakhs Shushi

Armenia health ministry: 5 of 11 children with acute gastroenteritis are discharged from hospital

Azerbaijan MOD publicly admits that it is not well-established

Armenia independent MP: Acting premier is leading country to events similar to those of March 1, 2008

Russia resumes air communication with Armenia

Armenian man says Nikol Pashinyan 'liberated' Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Shooting in Russia, casualties and shooter are Armenian

Goris town deputy mayor on captured Armenia soldiers return: Negotiator was the Russian side

"I have the honor" bloc member: We must achieve Azeri forces withdrawal from Artsakh territories by talks

Vanetsyan: It was assumed that Armenia would recognize Karabakh in case of war

Lavrov: Turkey, Iran interests are considered when discussing unblocking of regional communications

Armenia PM contender: 2 of 3 principles of Karabakh conflict have been violated

Vanetsyan: Possibility of deeper Armenia-Russia integration should be considered after our coming to power

Russia FM: Nagorno-Karabakh status issue has yet to be agreed upon

Tuesdays fire at Yerevan landfill not put out yet

Armenia Ombudsman: Manipulating issues of return of captives during election campaign increases tension

Woman, 84, dies at Yerevan hospital after being attacked by stray dogs

99 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Blinken to Menendez: US will continue to take a look at possible suspension of aid to Azerbaijan

Security Council chief meets with head of Red Cross mission to Artsakh

Armenia MOD: Disoriented, captured soldier is in Stepanakert

World oil prices on the rise

Newspaper: Armenia ruling party is "singing its swan song

Newspaper: Armenia state institutions employees are warned not to attend ex-President Kocharyan's rallies

Researchers record highest level of CO2 emissions in history

Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Russians have mainly fulfilled their obligations as ally

Armenia ombudsman considers election campaign climate "extremely worrying"

Palestinian leaders arrive in Cairo for talks on reinforcing ceasefire with Israel

Blinken: 'Hundreds' of US sanctions against Iran to remain in effect

Armenia MOD: Official investigation launched against 2 military unit commanders who were dismissed today

Armenian serviceman who was captured today has been returned

UN Security Council endorses Antonio Guterres who is running for Secretary-General for the second time

Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case on Armenian serviceman beaten by Azerbaijani soldiers

US is ready to provide technical support for delimitation of border between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia 3rd President to Nikol Pashinyan: I'm giving that depraved 24 hours

"Armenia" bloc calls on Central Electoral Commission to respond to Nikol Pashinyan's calls for violence

Armenian National Congress Party member: People who talk about peace achieve the greatest victories

"Armenia" bloc member: Pashinyan dismissed regiment commanders because they refused to advocate for him

Armenia MOD: Incident between Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers took place a week ago

Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party holding campaign meeting in Ashtarak, led by Nikol Pashinyan (LIVE)

Soldier ends up on Azerbaijan territory, Baku starts trial against Armenia POW, Jun 8 digest

Head of Armenia's Geghamasar village endorses Robert Kocharyan, to manage bloc's territorial headquarters

"Armenia" bloc representative: I call on law-enforcement authorities to get ready to perform their duties

Armenia President receives acting high-tech and economy ministers and CEO of FAST

Armenia 2nd President says his bloc is against vendettas, supports justice

Armenia opposition party's candidate for PM Samvel Babayan makes call to citizens

Armenia ex-officials registration on "I have the honor" bloc electoral list is declared invalid

Karabakh President grants high state awards to relatives of policemen who fell in the war

Karabakh President meets in Yerevan with heads of communities of Kashatagh region

Armenia Central Electoral Commission: Advertisement of Robert Kocharyan's book is associated with campaign posters

Edmon Marukyan: Bright Armenia Party is only one that can become axis of government of national accord

Armenia former President Kocharyan on incumbent authorities: Psychology of flawed people

Armenia applies to ECHR to ensure respect of rights of Armenian POW captured today

Armenia opposition party's candidate for PM and citizen get into dispute

One dollar drops below AMD 520 in Armenia

Armenia 2nd President on the reason for country's defeat in the war and return of Armenian POWs

Armenia 2nd President: People will give evaluation during the elections

Three more remains retrieved during search in Artsakh

Homeland of Armenians political party members meet with Netherlands Ambassador

Armenia acting PM to voters: Prepare for civil revenge

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Authorities clumsiness, unprofessionalism, treachery brought current situation

Official: 3 deputy FMs of Armenia dismissed

Armenia MOD: Soldier ended up in area under Azerbaijan army control due to fog

Russia's Putin, Armenia 2nd President hold phone talks

Azerbaijan state prosecutor demands sentencing Lebanese Armenian Euljekjian to 20 years in prison
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has congratulated nation on Victory and Peace Day.

"Dear compatriots,

Today is the Victory and Peace Day.

Let us remember all those who fought with the confidence to win and determination not to lose.

Let us remember all those who fell for victory and peace.

Let us bow before to memory and heroism.

They won, liberating Shushi about thirty years ago.

They won, capturing Berlin more than seventy-five years ago.

They were all convinced that freedom and victory were never given as a gift, but were obtained through will and efforts, often at the cost of life and health.

During the Second World and Great Patriotic Wars, the Armenian people, along with other peoples of the Soviet Union and Europe, heroically participated in the struggle against fascism.

At the end of the 20th century, our people again faced the fact of planned hatred of Armenians; this time, they had to fight against the Azerbaijani aggression.

In the 21st century, we have once again faced the threat of hatred and ethnic cleansing in the form of a joint Azerbaijani-Turkish war against Artsakh.

These days, when it is another anniversary of the worlds victory over fascism, the world is facing new challenges. We need to rethink the ideas of victory and peace, realizing their high value and importance.

Our grandfathers died for these ideas in the Second World and Great Patriotic Wars. I bow to their memory and send my best wishes to our veterans, who are a living textbook of life and work.

Their present-day generations sacrificed themselves for those ideas in the first Artsakh war. Let light come down to their graves.

Our todays heroes in Artsakh sacrificed their lives for those ideas. I pray for the peace of their souls, bow to their memory, and address my words of gratitude and consolation to their families and relatives.

I pray for the recovery of our injured soldiers, for the speedy return of the captives, for the quick finding of the missing, serving my efforts and opportunities to that cause.

I wish good health and trouble-free service to the servicemen and volunteers who guard our borders, protect our peace and security.

Dear compatriots,

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Armenia's declaration of independence. To attain independence was also the victory of freedom and will. Today, at a distance of years, it reminds us that any attainment, especially a victory, must develop and transform into a strong state and organized society, dignified peace, and sustainable progress. We must win. The guarantee of that is our unity and will, our determination and organization, our purposefulness and discipline.

Let's live, and work so that to be worthy of victory.

Glory to the heroes of Victory!

Long live Armenia and Artsakh!

Long live our people!"
Chief of Staff of the second President of Armenia Viktor Soghomonyan presented the declaration of the 'Armenia' alliance created between Robert Kocharian, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and the Reviving Armenia party.

The alliance is a union of political parties, organizations, and individuals. It was created in the name of Armenia, Artsakh, in the name of the security and prosperity of the Armenian people.

The formation of the alliance is dictated by the catastrophic consequences of the 44-day war of 2020, the need to overcome the threats facing the state. The alliance is guided by the realization that only through joint efforts and unity can the most serious problems facing the country be solved.

"We attach great importance to open and honest dialogue about the contradictory stages of the country's development over the past 30 years. We are determined to talk about shortcomings, learn from the past, and turn a new page in the future. At the most difficult stages, we managed to preserve independent Armenia as a nation-state for Armenians from all over the world, to fix common goals and successes, to keep pace with the world, to be an active player in the region, maintaining a balance in difficult geopolitical situations," the declaration said.

"All governments have had successes and failures, achievements and mistakes. Nevertheless, our state continued its course, being solid support of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity. In 2018, the course of the country was violated, the political force that came to power with the promise of radical changes, building a just country, demonstrating criminal irresponsibility and serving the program of dismantling the public administration system, poisoning the socio-political atmosphere, not only did not fulfill its promises to society but also dragged the country into war, as a result of which thousands of young people were sacrificed, most of Artsakh was lost, which weakened the foundations of our statehood, threatened our common future."

"What happened to Artsakh and what continues to happen to inflict a painful blow on our national statehood, undermine the security and defense capability of the country, call into question our dignity and right to life. An unfair status quo could lead to a new war. Therefore, we support the resumption of the negotiation process through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, aimed at restoring the territory of Artsakh on the basis of the right to self-determination and ensuring effective ground communication between Artsakh and Armenia."

"Having received the mandate of trust of our citizens, our Alliance will seek international recognition and condemnation of the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression and war crimes and will work to mitigate the consequences of the post-war humanitarian catastrophe. This means ensuring the return of prisoners of war, clarification of data on the dead and missing, social assistance to the disabled and homeless people, rehabilitation work, and other important issues."

"We are convinced that the war could have been avoided if the negotiations had not reached an impasse due to short-sighted and irresponsible steps. War, as well as the processes preceding it and following it, must be studied and should be awarded a criminal-legal and political assessment."

"We pledge to stop this process of destruction of the nation, learn from the past, free Armenia from the grouping, guided by the agenda of external forces and serving the interests of the enemy, make every effort for the sustainable healthy development of the state and society and build the future of our country.

We rule out the continuation of the policy of concentrating the levers of power in the hands of one person, dismantling state institutions, the arrogance of power, dictatorship, obstruction of justice, creation of internal dividing lines, national division, and social polarization.

We guarantee effective governance of the state system, a safe country, secure borders, revitalization of the economy, agricultural development, the inflow of investments, a noticeable improvement in the quality of life, a sharp reduction in poverty, and the formation of power through legitimate elections."
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Several thousand Armenians rallied in the capital Yerevan on Sunday to show their support for a new political alliance created by former president Robert Kocharyan ahead of an early election next month.

The alliance, called Reviving Armenia, will run in early parliamentary elections set to take place on June 20.

In a speech to thousands of supporters chanting "Armenia" and waving flags, Kocharyan pledged his alliance would help revive the economy and recover from ethnic Armenians' loss of swathes of territory in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region in a six-week conflict with Azerbaijan last year, local news outlets reported.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan triggered an early vote last month by announcing his resignation.

Pashinyan, who emerged as the leader of a wave of anti-government street protests in 2018, had been under pressure to resign since he agreed to a ceasefire with Azeri forces.

Pashinyan said he had been compelled to agree to the Russian-brokered deal to prevent greater human and territorial losses.

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; editing by David Evans)
By Ryan Woo

BEIJING (Reuters) -Remnants of China's biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, with most of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit but drawing U.S. criticism over lack of transparency.

The coordinates given by Chinese state media, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office, put the point of impact in the ocean, west of the Maldives archipelago.

Debris from the Long March 5B has had some people looking warily skyward since it blasted off from China's Hainan island on April 29, but the China Manned Space Engineering Office said most of the debris was burnt up in the atmosphere.

State media reported parts of the rocket re-entered the atmosphere at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time (0224 GMT) and landed at a location with the coordinates of longitude 72.47 degrees east and latitude 2.65 degrees north.

The U.S. Space command confirmed the re-entry of the rocket over the Arabian Peninsula, but said it was unknown if the debris impacted land or water.

"The exact location of the impact and the span of debris, both of which are unknown at this time, will not be released by U.S. Space Command," it said in a statement on its website.

The Long March was the second deployment of the 5B variant since its maiden flight in May 2020. Last year, pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings. No injuries were reported.

"Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, a former senator and astronaut who was picked for the role in March, said in a statement after the re-entry.

"It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

ANXIETY OVER POTENTIAL DEBRIS ZONE

With most of the Earth's surface covered by water, the odds of populated area on land being hit had been low, and the likelihood of injuries even lower, according to experts.

Story continues

But uncertainty over the rocket's orbital decay and China's failure to issue stronger reassurances in the run-up to the re-entry fuelled anxiety.

"It is critical that China and all spacefaring nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently in space to ensure the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of outer space activities," Nelson said.

Harvard-based astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told Reuters that the potential debris zone could have been as far north as New York, Madrid or Beijing, and as far south as southern Chile and Wellington, New Zealand.

Since large chunks of the NASA space station Skylab fell from orbit in July 1979 and landed in Australia, most countries have sought to avoid such uncontrolled re-entries through their spacecraft design, McDowell said.

"It makes the Chinese rocket designers look lazy that they didn't address this," said McDowell.

The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid, dismissed as "Western hype" concerns the rocket was "out of control" and could cause damage.

"It is common practice across the world for upper stages of rockets to burn up while reentering the atmosphere," Wang Wenbin, a spokesman at China's foreign ministry, said at a regular media briefing on May 7.

"To my knowledge, the upper stage of this rocket has been deactivated, which means most of its parts will burn up upon re-entry, making the likelihood of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities extremely low," Wang said at the time.

The rocket, which put into orbit an unmanned Tianhe module containing what will become living quarters for three crew on a permanent Chinese space station, will be followed by 10 more missions to complete the station by 2022.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo, Hallie Gu and Xiao Han in Beijing and Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Himani Sarkar & Simon Cameron-Moore)
After days of tantalizing speculation about where it would fall, China's biggest rocket is back down to Earth.

Chinas space agency said a core segment of the rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

The official Xinhua News Agency said reentry occurred Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process, the report said.

The U.S. Space Command said it could confirm that the rocket reentered over the Arabian Peninsula at about 10:15 p.m. EDT Saturday, but that "it is unknown if the debris impacted land or water."

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People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble.  But it was still reckless.

NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

Experts said the rocket's size and speed made it nearly impossible to pinpoint what might happen as it fell to Earth. The section was roughly 100 feet long and and is among the biggest pieces of space debris to fall to Earth.

The debris came from the largest section of the rocket, which launched the main module of Chinas first permanent space station into orbit. Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

On Saturday, models and visualizations from various space research organizations showed the debris could land along numerous flight paths crossing the globe.

Australia, Africa, parts of Europe, South America, Central America and the U.S. were all under possible reentry zones, according to Aerospace Corporation, a California-based nonprofit group that operates a space research and development center.

Story continues

China on Friday tried to ease global fears by saying the rocket was expected to mostly burn up on reentry and posed little threat to people and property on the ground.

Previously: Chinese rocket hurtling back to Earth

The Long March 5B rocket carrying China's Tianhe space station core module lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan province April 29. Known as the Heavenly Harmony, the space station will be China's first to host astronauts long-term.

China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

It's not the first rocket to fall to the earth in recent memory. Last year, part of a Chinese rocket, one of the largest pieces of uncontrolled space debris ever, passed directly over Los Angeles and New York City's Central Parkbefore landing in the Atlantic Ocean, CNN reported.

The 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Debris from Chinese Long March 5B rocket reenters over Indian Ocean
PORTO, Portugal (AP)  The European Union and India agreed Saturday to restart negotiations on a bilateral free trade deal, eight years after their first attempt failed and as both sides seek alternatives to China.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke via videoconference to EU leaders attending a summit in Portugal. The two sides announced what they called a pivotal moment" in their relations by agreeing to resume talks they gave up on in 2013 and to collaborate on a wide range of other issues.

Speaking at a press conference after the closed-door talks, senior EU officials were thrilled by the prospect of closer ties with India.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it outstanding and a landmark moment. European Council President Charles Michel said Saturday's agreement marked a new, important chapter in bilateral relations.

Modi was scheduled to be at the online press conference after the meeting but didnt appear.

Plans for a face-to-face EU-India summit in Porto, in northern Portugal, fell through after Modi canceled his trip due to the devastating pandemic surge in his country. His remote appearance was the first time an Indian leader participated in a meeting with all of the EUs leaders.

Von der Leyen said 17 EU countries have provided more than 100 million euros ($122 million) worth of pandemic aid to India, including oxygen generators, medicines and ventilators, and were ready to send more.

While trade talks proceed, parallel negotiations will be held on investment protection and geographic indicators - a key interest for the EU, which places importance on protecting its distinctive products - in order to speed up the process, von der Leyen said.

The two sides said in a six-page joint statement that they also agreed to cooperate more in areas such as supercomputing for pandemic and climate change modelling, artificial intelligence and digital and transport connectivity.

Warm relations with India have an added attraction for the EU, which is eager to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Story continues

The EUs ties with China have soured over Beijings treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority, leading to the suspension of the blocs ratification of a bilateral investment agreement.

India, meanwhile, fell out with China in a border dispute last year.

Clinching a free trade deal wont be an easy task for EU and Indian negotiators. Six years of talks produced no agreement the last time they tried, with issues such as vehicle parts and duties on wine and spirits thwarting an agreement.
The claim: Virginia schools are eliminating advanced math classes for students under 11th grade, citing "equity"

The Virginia Department of Education has announced a proposal that would "modernize and update Virginias mathematics curriculum" in order to prepare students for post-secondary pursuits.

A formal proposal is still under discussion, but an April 24 post made by Freedom Fights claimed the state was going to drop all advanced math classes below 11th grade "due to unequal minority representation."

The Instagram post drew nearly 9,000 likes. USA TODAY reached out to the user for comment.

Fact check: First-time homebuyer incentives proposed in Congress but not yet passed

The initiative will update the high school pathway, but it won't eliminate advanced math classes for eligible students.

Pathways initiative to update math programs

The Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative is a joint initiative of the state education department , the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Virginia Community College System, according to the VDOE website.

Its goal is to create updated math instruction for students in grades K-12 to prepare them for their post-secondary education and careers.

"VMPI will increase rigor by integrating mathematical content and concepts, emphasizing reasoning and problem solving, and providing a highly-relevant experience for all students," states Virginia's education department website. "It will also include a new focus on statistical literacy, essential for success in a data-rich world."

The initiative allows students to take advanced mathematics classes according to ability and achievement, but it doesn't dictate how and when students should take these courses. That decision will come from students and school divisions based on individual learning needs.

Fact check: Parents in Vail, Arizona, did not remove school district's mask mandate

Story continues

The pathway initiative was presented to the State Board of Education in January 2020 and is in the development stage. The changes being proposed are still under discussion and no final decisions have been made at this time.

Acceleration is not going away

"Absolutely, acceleration is NOT going away in mathematics courses in Virginia, Virginia state schools superintendent Dr. James Lane told local news station WWBT. "If a student needs an accelerated pathway they will absolutely get it."

Lane said current discussions are focusing on including data analytics in curriculums and courseloads.

"The state Board of Education is required to review, and if necessary, revise its standards in all subject areas every seven years," Virginia Department of Education spokesperson Charles Pyle told USA TODAY via email. The pathways initiative is the beginning of the mandated process.

Pyle said the traditional high school mathematics pathway, which ends with Calculus or other advanced courses, is not being eliminated.

"Additional course pathways will include engaging semester courses in statistics, data science, modeling, design, and logic, among others," he said.

Fact check: Image of Saturn is an artist's rendering, not an up-close photo

A formal proposal wont be presented to the state board for two years, and changes would not occur until the 2025-26 academic year, said Pyle.

Our rating: False

The claim that Virginia schools are eliminating advanced math classes prior to 11th grade citing unequal minority representation is FALSE, based on our research. The Virginia Department of Education proposed an initiative to modernize and update the mathematics curriculum, but officials say acceleration in math courses will not be going away.

Our fact-checking sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Virginia not eliminating advanced math classes
The National Republican Congressional Committee did not share internal polling data that showed former President Donald Trump has weak numbers in key battleground districts at a retreat for House Republicans in April, two people familiar with the presentation told The Washington Post. The NRCC staffers reportedly held back the information even when a member of Congress asked them directly about Trump's support.

The Post later obtained the full polling results, reporting that Trump's unfavorable ratings were 15 points higher than his favorable ones, and nearly twice as many voters had a strongly unfavorable view of him than those who had a strongly favorable one. In those same districts, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were both more popular than Trump, the Post notes.

It reportedly wasn't the first time this has happened  Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) told colleagues that Republican campaign officials had also glossed over poor Trump polling during a retreat for ranking committee chairs in March, per the Post.

Cheney, you may have heard in recent weeks, is determined to move the GOP away from Trump and she'd likely point to the polling as a reason why, but she's faced a lot of criticism from her colleagues, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who think the party's short-term electoral chances are doomed without the former president leading the charge, and there's no indication their minds will change anytime soon. Read more about Cheney's efforts at The Washington Post.

More stories from theweek.com

5 scathingly funny cartoons about anti-vaxxers jeopardizing herd immunity

Newsmax guest calls out network for 'lying to its own viewers' live on Newsmax

Doomsday for bad bosses


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Here, in the wrenching 13th  or perhaps 14th, depending on how you mark the tragedies  month of the pandemic, so many American families are frayed. Even with vaccines bringing us nearer to something like its end , the strains of the long lockdown are weighing on pretty much every parent, caregiver and kid.

And while data are scarce, it appears that English learners are being particularly excluded from COVID-era educational opportunities. In many communities, there have been worrying gaps in access to distance learning, examples of these students pandemic struggles have surfaced in national news coverage, and some early data on academic achievement suggest that the pandemic is hitting ELs especially hard.

But these challenges are layered atop generations of pre-pandemic inequities that have defined ELss educational opportunities across the country. What can schools learn from the pandemic to confront and close these gaps in the future?

Addressing the digital divide

Even before schools closed last year, English learners and their families were significantly less likely to have access to technological devices, internet connectivity, and sufficient data and/or bandwidth for downloading information that impacted their ability to do homework and engage fully in school. The pandemic converted this challenge into a crisis.

Related: 12 Months After Pandemic Closed Schools, 12 Million Students Still Lack Reliable Internet

As schools suddenly moved to virtual learning in the spring, surveys and polls from the Parent Institute for Quality Education and Latino Decisions showed that large shares of ELs were unable to access their schools learning offerings.

When we did close schools, we knew there was going to be a digital divide, says Alicia Passante, ESL program manager at Center City Public Charter Schools, a Washington, D.C.-based network of schools where roughly one-third of students are current or former ELs. [We] spent all summer making sure that every family, every kid, had a device. We surveyed our families and made sure that if they didnt have internet, we knew, we invested in hotspots, and got those to families.

Story continues

While schools like Center City spent the spring in emergency mode, targeting basic infrastructure elements  like getting devices to ELs families and connecting them to the internet  many realized handing out resources only solved part of the problem. As pandemic learning has continued, some schools have pivoted from purchasing and distributing tablets or laptops to holding trainings to building the necessary digital literacy skills to use them.

Center City language access coordinator Hannah Groff says that the networks outreach efforts have boosted up the technological skills of their school community  particularly parents. School leaders also prioritized training teachers to support ELs through online instruction, including paying for some to get Google Classroom certifications.

Similarly, at Mount Diablo High School in Concord, California, where nearly one-third of students are ELs, veteran teacher and EL coordinator Lorie Johnson scrambled to learn tech tools on the go, playing catch up and a lot of trial and error in terms of finding whats gonna work.

Now, as Johnson and her students have grown more comfortable with different virtual learning tools, she says that theyre completing work faster and turning it in more efficiently, which has forc[ed] them to be independent learners. Shes also finding she is able to monitor their progress on assignments more comprehensively when they work online.

Perhaps even more valuable, the digital environment is also helping her students improve other so-called soft skills, like taking turns in group conversations or presenting their work to their classmates.

Engaging families

English learner advocates have long pushed schools to improve how they connect and engage with ELs families. This can be difficult, given U.S. schools are predominantly monolingual, English-only settings. Indeed, around the turn of the 21st century, voters in Massachusetts, Arizona, and California even went so far as to pass statewide referenda that largely prohibited schools from teaching ELs in languages other than English.

Research suggests that this approach is not particularly effective. Indeed, in 2016, the federal government released guidance indicating that, for young ELs, known as dual language learners, approaches that do not provide home language support do not optimally promote the language and cognitive development of children who are DLLs.

This structural problem often creates real divisions between schools and ELs linguistically and culturally diverse families. Will the pandemic catalyze a change after decades of stigmatizing these children and marginalizing their communities?

So far, data suggest that many schools have a long way to go.

Until schools reopen, ELs family members are the only adults who can reliably be in the rooms where these students are learning. In many cases, this means that they have had to take on new responsibilities for their childrens learning.

Parents have to be more engaged than they were before, said Groff, emphasizing the need to communicate with families from her D.C. charter school network, about distance learning assignments and expectations, as well as EL students progress.

To ensure that information about ELs distance learning is accessible to their caregivers, schools like Groffs are working harder than ever to translate communications and share them with families through multiple mediums. Some are using apps like Talking Points or ClassDojo, which use machine translation to allow teachers to communicate directly with ELs linguistically diverse families.

Groff says that its become much easier to schedule meetings and connect with families over Zoom now that the school has helped most open and navigate the use of email accounts. The network has also grown its efforts to hire multilingual members from their schools community to translate documents and other school communications and interpret meetings into Spanish and Amharic, which is the native language of many of Center Citys Ethiopian immigrant families.

Centering language development in distance learning

Teachers across the country are struggling to engage ELs and get them to speak up during distance learning.

In response, some educators are holding classes outdoors or launching bilingual learning pods. Others are leveraging technology like Flipgrid, Kami, or Nearpod to spark ELs interest. Still others are setting up non-academic online meetings for small groups of their EL students to connect and talk with classmates.

And yet, many teachers, including Johnson, of Californias Mount Diablo High, report that their EL students are often reticent to turn on their cameras during live instructional time, highlighting an ongoing debate among educators. To break the ice, Johnson has turned to fun activities, like sending students on scavenger hunts  go find something red and bring it back, she says  that require the cameras. She also meets with students in smaller groups during intervention periods to work on specific areas for growth.

Related: Nearly a Year Into Remote Learning, How 3 NYC Teachers Are Digging Deep to Connect With Their Students Through a Screen

Passante and Groff say that, by shuffling class schedules, the pandemic prompted more collaboration among Center City teachers and students. In the networks distance learning models, teachers are more likely to share students across classes, so they have had to learn to plan and work together, sharing newfound best practices.

When theyre in small groups with kids, says Passante, they design activities that align to the language goals[and] really give kids access to content.

While the pandemic has forced schools to make some encouraging, if incomplete, changes in how they interact with ELs, its not yet clear whether these will stick when campuses reopen. Ideally, since the pandemic forced schools to rapidly close digital divides, in-person educators will be able to rely upon these new devices and digital literacy skills to extend learning in creative ways.

Similarly, schools necessary improvements in reaching out to linguistically diverse families could provide a foundation of stronger relationships and communication to support ELs learning when schools reopen. And finally, educators creative pandemic thinking about how to get ELs to use language  speaking, listening, reading, and writing  could remain at the center of more ambitious pandemic recovery efforts when students come back to classrooms.

Or, as Johnson puts it, the pandemic has taught her that weve been underestimating these kids for years.

Dr. Conor P. Williams is the founder of the EL Virtual Learning Forum, a free discussion community where educators working with ELs can share questions, ideas, and resources for supporting these students during the pandemic. Teachers can join here.

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Beck Bennett and Mikey Day appeared on stage together with their mothers, which resulted in a gag in which Days mother said she couldnt wait to be able to hug, but she was talking about Bennett. Meanwhile Chris Redds mother joked that she hadnt seen him since Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and our spring break vacation, and Kenan Thompson said his mother, Elizabeth Ann Thompson, taught me everything I know, including reaction shots, which lead to them showing off a classic one. Heidi Gardner appeared with her mother, as well, although she said, They didnt write me a joke, and then later pulled her mother back on stage while Cecily Strong didnt want to say her punchline because she was just too happy her mother was there.
The debate over coronavirus precautions and school reopening has fueled a surge of new candidates for school boards across the country.

Why it matters: What was traditionally a nonpartisan, hyper-local role is now at center of a swirling national political debate. Conservative and progressive parents have clashed over when and how to reopen classrooms  and it's pushed some of them to run for office themselves.

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"Historically, we've actually seen where some school board seats have gone uncontested  sometimes for years  and now we're seeing multiple candidates for seats," National School Boards Association CEO Anna Maria Chavez told Axios.

"This is something that we've seen during the pandemic because, again, every kitchen table has become a public school classroom."

More people are "looking to express their political fervor in all different avenues," Troy Flint, Chief Information Officer for the California School Boards Association, told Axios.

"And school boards, as the most approachable elected body, is a natural first step"  both for activists and those wanting to run for office.

What's happening: Grassroots conservative groups are getting involved in school board races all across the country.

"Patriots for Delaware" endorsed five pro-school-reopening candidates for the state's May 11th elections.

Parents in Pennsylvania formed their own political action committee to support school board candidates running to keep kids in school in person.

In El Paso, Texas, the Facebook group "Let Schools Ring" supported Leslie Hoard, who reportedly questioned the use of masks in school and supported school reopening. Hoard lost to incumbent Josh Acevedo, who told Axios running against Hoard, who he described as science denier, was "really, really intense."

A group called "Moms for Liberty" has been pressuring school board members in Brevard County, Florida to drop its mask mandate for students.

Between the lines: Despite the polarized national debate that's driving some of this partisan involvement, school board elections can scramble traditional ideological alignments.

Story continues

Miranda Turner is seeking the Democratic endorsement for a seat in Arlington, Virginia. She hadn't planned on running, Turner told Axios, until she saw that other candidates weren't making returning to school a priority.

While she insists she is a Democrat, Turner acknowledged her campaign has appealed to more conservative voters. Returning to schools is often "characterized and sometimes disparaged as being Republican, Trumpian, conservative... which I think is really unfortunate," she said.

Anger over the slow reopening of schools among other issues in the Democratic city of San Francisco drove a parent-led effort to recall three of the seven school board members.

Siva Raj, one of the leaders of the recall effort, told Axios that the school board has "completely failed" to fight for the children. "So parents need to have more of a voice. We need to have a seat at the table." Organizers have collected more than 10,000 out of 51,000 signatures needed by September to unseat at least two of the members.

What were watching: The next flashpoint for local school boards is the debate over critical race theory, an academic movement focusing on systemic racism in U.S. laws.

There is growing concern, mostly among conservatives, about it being taught in public schools.

The issue has already become divisive in Texas, Utah and Oregon, and it could drive even more interest  and politics  in school board elections.

The bottom line: "The goal of providing a quality education for all students is nonpartisan, but I think it would be naive at this point to say that your average person views it through that lens," Flint said.

"Schools have become another outlet where the culture wars are being waged."

Editors note: This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Josh Acevedo's name.

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The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the core module of China's space station Tianhe, takes off from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, China April 29, 2021. China Daily via Reuters

An uncontrolled Chinese rocket reentered Earth's atmosphere and landed in the Indian Ocean Saturday.

The rocket had been hurtling towards Earth for a week, with no one knowing when or where it would land.

The landing quelled fears that debris from the rocket might have fallen on people or property.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A Chinese rocket falling toward Earth at around 18,000 miles an hour reentered the atmosphere late Saturday, landing in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives, China's space agency reported, according to the South China Morning Post.

It was the 22.5-ton core stage of China's Long March 5B rocket, which launched the first module of the country's new space station on April 28. For the last week, the 10-story-tall cylinder was hurtling around Earth uncontrolled, losing altitude with each lap. No space agency was certain when it would fall or where it would land.

Although the rocket stage ultimately landed in the ocean, there was a small chance it could have rained more than 5 tons of debris onto unsuspecting people or property.

As the rocket stage fell through Earth's atmosphere, friction likely heated the surrounding air to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The rocket stage likely fell apart in this heat and most likely burned up. But experts stressed that some parts could come through the heat intact.

The general rule of thumb is that 20% to 40% of a large object's mass will survive its fall through the atmosphere. In this case, that would be 5 to 9 metric tons of debris.

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A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbing, said at a briefing on Friday that the rocket stage posed little threat, the Associated Press reported.

"As far as I understand, this type of rocket adopts a special technical design, and the vast majority of the devices will be burnt up and destructed during the re-entry process, which has a very low probability of causing harm to aviation activities and the ground," Wang said.

Story continues

Space debris experts agreed that any surviving pieces of the Long March 5B rocket stage were unlikely to hit inhabited areas, much less planes or boats. Most of the Earth consists of water and much of its land is uninhabited by people.

Still, the object's orbit took it as far north as New York and Beijing and as far south as New Zealand and southern Chile.

The possible reentry points of the Long March 5b rocket's core stage. The blue and white lines capture the uncertainty in the model - the range of places where the rocket could fall. The Aerospace Corporation

"Its trajectory covers much of the populated world. So if you can't control where it reenters [the atmosphere], then there's a real danger it will reenter someplace with people underneath it," John Logsdon, the founder of George Washington University's Space Policy Institute and a former member of the NASA Advisory Council, told Insider last week.

It's not clear whether this uncontrolled fall was an accident

The US Space Force and Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, both tracked the rocket stage as it lost altitude.

"For those of us who operate in the space domain, there's a requirement, or should be a requirement, to operate in a safe and thoughtful mode," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on Thursday, according to The Guardian.

Normally, after a launch, rockets push themselves into the atmosphere and fall back to Earth over remote ocean areas like the South Pacific - a process called "controlled reentry." China's older rockets follow this practice. But two days after the Long March 5B launched, observers on Earth realized that its upper stage had fallen into orbit.

Experts aren't sure whether this was an accident or simply how the rocket was designed.

"Rockets get launched all the time, and very seldom is there concern about reentry," Logsdon said. "So yeah, I'm a little confused as to why this is happening. Is it just willful disregard of the international guidelines? Or because it's a new vehicle it wasn't properly designed so it could do a controlled reentry? Whatever. It's unfortunate that it puts a lot of people at risk."

Either way, Logsdon said, "I think at a minimum, China owes the international community an explanation."

China launched a Long March 5b once before, in May 2020, with the same outcome. That launch was a test that put a spaceship prototype into orbit, and the rocket's core stage also fell to Earth uncontrolled, six days after launch. It reentered Earth's atmosphere over the Atlantic Ocean, according to the US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron. Some local reports indicated that bits of the rocket fell in Cote d'Ivoire.

China plans to launch 2 more of these rockets to build its space station

A Long March-5B Y2 rocket carrying the core module of China's space station, Tianhe, stands at the launching area of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on April 23, 2021. Visual China Group/Getty Images

China's plans to build its space station involve 11 launches by the end of 2022, two more of which would use Long March 5B rockets. The vehicle is designed to put space-station modules into orbit, according to Andrew Jones, a journalist covering Chinese space programs.

It's not clear how China's space agencies will dispose of the next two Long March 5B rocket bodies. Designing a rocket stage to ensure it makes a controlled reentry after launch can be more expensive and may reduce how much cargo the rocket can carry.

Still, Logsdon is hopeful that China will change its future launch plans based on the international response to this one.

"China in 2007 did an anti-satellite test that created a lot of debris and created a lot of international criticism. And they have not repeated that kind of test since then," Logsdon said. "So it's conceivable that international pressure could influence the next couple of launches."

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Reuters

After repeated warnings about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure following a wave of ransomware attacks in recent weeks, a mysterious new criminal group took matters to an extreme this weekend and forced the shutdown of one of the largest gas pipelines in the U.S.

The hackers had started their blitz on Thursday, nabbing more than 100 gigabytes of data in just two hours and threatening to leak it before before Colonial Pipeline shut the system down on Friday, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing sources involved in the investigation.

The FBI, the Energy Department, and the White House are all on the case and assessing the damage after Colonial Pipeline announced Friday it had shut down 5,500 miles of pipeline along the East Coast, potentially disrupting supplies of gasoline and jet fuel in a huge swath of the country. The company, which is responsible for transporting 45 percent of fuel used on the East Coast, said its corporate computer networks had been breached, with ransomware attackers holding data hostage.

As of late Saturday, it was not clear if the company had paid the ransom, or if it had any plans to do so to secure the stolen data. Colonial has reportedly hired the private cybersecurity firm FireEye to investigate the attack, but it has offered no time frame for when normal operations will resume. Nor has it disclosed any details on what the attackers have access to, and whether they can control the pipelines.

Colonial Pipeline is taking steps to understand and resolve the issue, the company said in a statement. Our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation.

Huge Cyber Attack Hits Ukraine, Then Ransomware Goes Global

In addition to raising concerns about gas supplies for millions on the East Coast, the attack was also particularly biting in light of the Biden administrations recent promises to crack down on ransomware groups.

The Justice Department launched its own ransomware task force just last month, declaring war on the cyber extortion practice that jeopardizes the safety and health of Americans. Likewise, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas labeled ransomware one of our most significant priorities earlier this month.

Story continues

The matter has taken on a new urgency in light of the devastating SolarWinds attack by Kremlin-backed hackers that left numerous U.S. government agencies exposed and infiltrated by foreign intelligence.

While an investigation into the attack on Colonial Pipeline is ongoing, some cybersecurity experts have attributed it to a ransomware group called DarkSide, which emerged late last summer and has been known to go against targets in English-speaking countries while avoiding targets in countries associated with former Soviet Bloc Nations, according to Boston-based cybersecurity firm Cybereason. An unnamed former U.S. official also told Reuters that investigators were eyeing DarkSide for the latest breach.

While U.S. officials have attributed the attack to a criminal group, some were quick to point to the intrusion as a wake-up call about the vulnerabilities that allow such criminal groups to pounce.

The Transportation Security Administration had only six full-time staff on pipeline security as recently as 2019. We cannot ignore the longstanding inadequacies that allowed for, and enabled, cyber intrusions into our critical infrastructure, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) tweeted late Saturday.

An understaffed, underprepared TSA cannot successfully ensure the security of dangerous and susceptible natural gas pipeline infrastructure. The federal inability to prevent cyberattacks turns our pipeline system into a risk for communities, Markey wrote.

The TSA has said its investigating the situation, along with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Department of Energy.

By Saturday night, the impact of the shutdown on fuel prices was minor, but experts said things could spiral out of control if it continues for more than a few days.

Its a serious issue, Tom Kloza, the global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service, told The New York Times. It could snarl things up because it is the countrys jugular aorta for moving fuel from the Gulf Coast up to New York.

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The Taliban has been blamed for a horrific attack on a school full of children in Kabul Saturday. The bombing is the latest in a string of violent terrorist attacks by the group as U.S. troops continue their withdrawal. Charlie D'Agata has more.

Video Transcript

ADRIANA DIAZ: Today in Afghanistan, militants killed at least 30 people in bomb attacks targeting girls outside of school. CBS's Charlie D'Agata is in Kabul. Charlie, good evening.

CHARLIE D'AGATA: Well, good evening, Adriana. Even in a country that is no stranger to violence, just an horrific attack intentionally targeting that school just as the bell rang at the end of the school day and children came rushing out of the building. Images of the scene showed bloodied textbooks, school shoes, and backpacks amid the burning wreckage of the car bomb. The interior ministry told us, most of the victims are schoolgirls. With more than 50 injured, it's feared that death toll could climb overnight.

The ministry blames the Taliban for the attack, which comes amid a surge in violence since the official US drawdown began. A Taliban spokesman has denied any involvement. It took place in a predominantly Shia Muslim part of the city, which has been targeted by ISIS in the past. Tonight, the US Embassy here in Kabul expressed condolences to students and families, saying in part, this unforgivable attack on children is an assault on Afghanistan's future that cannot stand. Adriana.

ADRIANA DIAZ: Charlie D'Agata in Kabul. Thank you and stay safe.
The U.S. was hit by shootings in New York City's Times Square, a shopping mall in Florida and at a townhome near Baltimore that left four people dead, including the suspected gunman.

The big picture: Since President Biden took office in January, over 700 people have been injured or killed in 139 mass shootings as of late last month.

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Biden has called gun violence in the U.S. an "epidemic" and "international embarrassment."

What's happening: In the shooting in Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland, police said in a statement that officers were called to a shooting and fire in which two men and a woman died.

Baltimore County Police spokesperson Joy Stewart confirmed the suspect had been killed by police and the threat to the community "was neutralized," per the Baltimore Sun.

In Times Square, a fight among a group of men resulted in two women and a 4-year-old girl being wounded after "at least" one of the men drew a gun, the New York Times reports.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, "Thankfully these innocent bystanders are in stable condition.

"The perpetrators of this senseless violence are being tracked down and the NYPD will bring them to justice. The flood of illegal guns into our city must stop."

In Florida, several people were shot and "at least three" were being treated in hospitals with non-life threatening injuries after being wounded in a shooting at the Aventura Mall near Miami, according to Wesh 2.

Guns were drawn after a fight between two groups of people escalated, sending "panicked shoppers fleeing," AP notes.

Go deeper: It's set to be a hot, violent summer

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The U.S. Navy announced Saturday that it seized a cargo of illegal weapons from a stateless ship in the North Arabian Sea a few days earlier.

Why it matters: The press release noted that the source and destination of the weapons is being investigated. The weapons were apparently bound for Yemen to support the country's Houthi rebels, AP reported.

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The big picture: The weapons were discovered during a routine "flag verification boarding conducted in international water in accordance with customary international law," per the statement.

Details: Per the press release the seized weapons included several dozen anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of type 56 assault rifles, several hundred PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers.

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While police said there were no incidents of looting as of 9 p.m. Saturday, a staffer who picked up the phone at the Walgreens, 2 N. State St., said there was a group inside the store who were shoplifting about 8 p.m.
Tata Memorial Centre Strengthens Rapid Pan-India Response to the Second Wave

MUMBAI, Mon, 10 May 2021 NI Wire

MUMBAI, India - May 9, 2021: A FedEx 777 cargo plane landed in Mumbai this morning with 81,000 kgs of medical equipment for Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) and its associated hospitals for distribution across India. The chartered flight carried in 3,400 portable oxygen concentrators along with 300,000 N95 masks. A few hours later, an Air India passenger plane landed in Delhi with an additional 400 concentrators. These are the third and fourth shipments that Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has brought in over the past two weeks.

TMC, besides providing life-saving services, is also sourcing and allocating medical equipment for over 200 hospitals across India that are part of the National Cancer Grid (NCG). Dr. Rajendra Badwe, Director of TMC, says, We have the singular focus of getting these units to the hospitals throughout India so that many can breathe well.

This expedient and organized response to the pandemic is fitting with TMCs role as an 80-year-old institution focused on delivering quality care to all, including the most vulnerable and underserved in the country.

Tata Memorial Centre Strengthens Rapid Pan-India Response to the Second Wave

With the soaring need for oxygen therapy for Covid-19 patients, an Indian American network of donors and doers facilitates supply and distribution of oxygen concentrators

TMC has been responsible for protecting cancer patients who are far more susceptible to an adverse event from Covid-19

TMC is a tertiary cancer center under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. It sees up to 100,000 new cancer cases each year. Two thirds of its patients are treated at a highly subsidized rate or completely free of charge.

Consolidating efforts at TMC along with Dr. Badwe are Dr. CS Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, and Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, the Deputy Director of Epidemiology. Dr. Pramesh, also the Coordinator of the National Cancer Grid, says, We are collecting requests for equipment and consumables from hospitals across the NCG, and mapping the current incidence of Covid-19 infections to determine where the greatest needs are and prioritizing government and charitable organizations to finalize the allocation [of oxygen concentrators].

Throughout the pandemic, TMC has been responsible for protecting cancer patients who are far more susceptible to an adverse event from Covid-19 than others. Adding to the risks that Covid-19 presents, the risk of untreated cancer looms large as it can be more fatal than the virus. All seven TMC centres across IndiaMumbai, Navi Mumbai, Sangrur, Varanasi, Guwahati, Vishakhapatnam and Muzaffarpurhave continued cancer care throughout the pandemic. Together, they have managed to treat over 80,000 patients with cancer in spite of a raging pandemic. In addition, over 2,000 patients with cancer and COVID-19 have been treated for COVID in the various TMC centres.

Since the first wave of the pandemic, TMC has been a leader in Indias Covid-19 response. In June 2020, TMC partnered with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government and helped set up an ad-hoc, 518 bed and 10 ICU bed Covid-19 facility at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai. As soon as the second wave hit, TMCs team of experts drew on this experience to identify lightweight, portable, high-flow oxygen concentrators that would have the maximum impact in saving lives, especially in hospitals that dont have oxygen pipelines.,. Dr. Chaturvedi , who was looking after the NSCI centre, explains that the second wave of the pandemic seems to be related to a new variant that is affecting the lungs of young people, leading to a sharp rise in death among that population. One of the important factors leading to mortality is the lack of ICU beds, lifesaving drugs, and oxygen. Portable oxygen concentrators help decongest ICUs and oxygen beds for truly needy patients by offering home support for patients with mild illness, allowing recovering patients to continue care at home, and supporting patients that are waiting hours or days for a hospital bed.

When asked how TMC has been able to respond so effectively to the recent shortage in oxygen supply, Dr. Badwe states,  Besides local industry stepping up production of medical grade oxygen , philanthropists like Tata Trusts and other NGOs in India helping procure large oxygenators, we have had an overwhelming response globally, with Indian diaspora and medical community joining hands to support,

Air India, our national carrier, has been superlative in their services and has been instrumental in the speedy delivery of the consignment without any added cost of transit 

Speaking of the support rendered, Dr. Badwe says, It is indeed a very valuable service to the nation. I am much heartened by the way Indians abroad responded to the carrion call and extended hands in support.

Deshpande attributes the success of this initiative to TMC, saying, Im impressed with how so many moving parts came together quickly. Donors trust the TMC name for its medical and ethical leadership. We know that TMC will reach and distribute these units to even the most remote areas. TMC's ability to manage the logistics, clear the customs and dispatch the units played a key role in starting to save lives right away."

Dr Badwe concludes,  We are facing difficult times, but with our preparedness and global support we should be able to overcome it. Hopefully with access to vaccination across the globe we should be able to offer protection to the entire humanity against the deadly virus.

For more information, visit: https://o2.tmc.navya.care/

Who are the beneficiaries of the National Cancer Grid?

Maharashtra: B.K.L. Walawalkar Hospital, Diagnostic And Research Centre, Ratnagiri ; Samarth Cancer, laparoscopy and maternity Hospital. Dhule; Sahyadri Hospitals ltd, Pune

Mumbai and Navi Mumbai: Tata Memorial Hospital, ACTREC, KEM Hospital, BARC Hospital, Sion Hospital, Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, CIDCO Covid facility, Sub District Hospital Panvel, Panvel, Covid Hospital, Kalamboli , Pramod Mahajan Covid hospital , Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation , INHS Asvini, Kailash Kher Foundation, Giving Back

Punjab: Government of Punjab, Administration of Chandigarh, Christian Medical College Ludhiana, HBCH, Sangrur

Uttar Pradesh: HBCH & MPMMCC Varanasi; District Hospital Varanasi, SPHEEHA, Agra; Kamla Nehru Hospital Allahabad

Bihar: Government of Bihar, Patna; Savera Hospital, Patna; HBCHRC Muzaffrpur

New Delhi: Can Support, Odisha Positive,

Madhya Pradesh: Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Gwalior; Padhar Hospital; Shri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Science Indore, Vidya Cancer Hospital

Assam: Govt of Assam, BBCI Guwahati, Cachar Cancer Centre, Silchar

Mizoram: State Cancer Institute, Aizawl

West Bengal: Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre, Kolkata

Andhra Pradesh  Vishakhapatnam Municipal Commission, HBCHRC, Vizag

Karnataka: Sir Devaraj Urs Medical College ; Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Center; Narayana Cancer Centre: R B Patil Hospital, Hubli; Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru; AarogyaSeva, Bangalore; Taluk Health Office and Hospital (Hanur and Ramapura) ; Victoria Hospital ; Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Yenepoya Medical College

Gujarat: The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, Ahmedabad; Kothari Onco Surgical Hospital; HCG Cancer Center Ahmedabad

Rajasthan: S.M.S. Hospital, Jaipur; Shalby Hospitals Jaipur ; Sri Ram Cancer Center, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital, Jaipur

Kerala: Malabar Cancer Center; St. Gregorios Medical Mission Multi specialty Hospital; Believers Church Medical College Hospital

Tamil Nadu: CMC Vellore ; GKNM Hospital

--Source: PIB Mumbai
The 28-year-old woman reported that she was walking on the 400 block of North Morgan Street at about 12:05 a.m. when she spotted a white Buick trailing her, according to a community news alert.
The debris was from this Long March 5B rocket, seen here being launched by Chinas space agency on April 29. Photo: China OUT/STR/AFP via Getty Images

This weekends most exciting global guessing game  when and where will debris from a Chinese space rocket land and possibly crush people to death after it reenters Earths atmosphere  has ended. Just after midnight Saturday, the U.S. Space Force 18th Space Control Squadron confirmed that the very large Chinese Long March 5B rocket in question, which had been used by China to launch a space-station module into orbit late last month, came back to earth and fell into the Indian Ocean north of the Maldives  though its not yet clear if any parts landed on any land.

@18SPCS confirms that CZ-5B (#LongMarch5B) (48275 / 2021-035B) reentered atmosphere 9 May at 0214Z and fell into the Indian ocean north of the Maldives at lat 22.2, long 50.0. That's all we have on this re-entry; thanks for the wild ride and 30K more followers. Good night!  Space-Track (@SpaceTrackOrg) May 9, 2021

China now reporting https://t.co/dHSJVoItCY that the rocket reentered at 0224 UTC at 72.47E 2.65N which is right over the Maldives. If correct will be interesting to see if we get reports from there pic.twitter.com/NQovz33pqg  Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 9, 2021

For days, scientists and the curious and/or death-wary public had been trying to determine where the rocket might land, including a shrinking range of possibilities as reentry approached. As it turned out, the rocket  which, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, was the fourth-largest manmade object to have an uncontrolled reentry in history  reentered over the Arabian Peninsula, and people in Israel and Oman were apparently able to see the debris rocket across the sky:

#CZ5B Confirmed sighting from Haifa Israel opprox 2:11 UTC. It was a little bit early and northern than predicted. Bright object on the left is Jupiter.@planet4589 pic.twitter.com/aJYbs0qoXy  CYA (@CYA90930064) May 9, 2021

This news means that, if you are reading this post, you were not unlucky enough to be randomly killed by haphazard space debris this weekend (or, for that matter, haphazard planning by a major world powers space agency regarding what would happen to their space debris).

On the other hand, it seems likely, as the New York Times notes, that everyone will have more opportunities to be unlucky in the near future, thanks to Chinas widely criticized practice of allowing uncontrolled re-entry of its space rockets:

Last year, the first launch of a Long March 5B rocket lifted a prototype of Chinas crewed space capsule. The booster from that rocket also made an uncontrolled re-entry, with some debris raining down on a village in Ivory Coast.

With more large pieces of Chinas space station scheduled to go to orbit, more launches of the Long March 5B are expected through 2022. Unless there is a change to how China operates it, the odds that someone will be hurt by a piece of a falling booster will grow.

So unidentified flying objects arent the only thing the people of the world need to be concerned about  unidentified object landings are, too.
President Biden. Photo: Tasos Katopidis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

When the Biden administration announced last Wednesday that it would support waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, it sounded like a big deal. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed it as a monumental moment in the fight against COVID-19. Thats the kind of reaction the administration was hoping for, but this change in the U.S. position may ultimately make little difference on the ground.

The mechanics of this waiver involve a somewhat byzantine process at the World Trade Organization to ease rules under the organizations Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) agreement. South Africa and India first proposed a TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines last October, which won the support of dozens of developing nations but has been stalled amid a lack of support from the U.S. and other rich Western countries. Ghebreyesuss hope is that President Joe Bidens thumb will be heavy enough to tip the scale of those talks in the other direction. However, the WTO makes these decisions by consensus, so all 164 members need to agree to enact the waiver. The U.K., Switzerland, Germany, and other E.U. states remain opposed.

The argument for waiving patent protections on the vaccines is that doing so would make it faster, easier, and cheaper for developing countries to roll them out by enabling them to produce the vaccines locally rather than waiting for shipments from abroad or negotiating more complicated licensing deals with drugmakers.

The pharmaceutical companies obviously oppose the move, as it would make the vaccines less profitable for them. They and their allies (including supposed global-health champion Bill Gates) argue perennially that without strong IP protections, they would have no incentive to undertake the extremely expensive and risky work of developing new vaccines or other drugs. In this case, however, the vaccines are already developed, and their risk was significantly mitigated by government financial support from Operation Warp Speed and other public-private partnerships. Will Pfizer and Moderna halt development of COVID booster shots just because they might not be able to sell them globally at a price of their choosing?

A more reasonable objection to the TRIPS waiver is that making vaccines is a complicated and delicate process that is difficult for non-specialist manufacturers. Recall the problems at the Emergent BioSolutions plant in Maryland that forced it to discard millions of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March; its not hard to imagine something similar happening at a plant in the developing world, with potentially disastrous consequences (then again, that story also puts paid to the condescending notion that these problems only happen in developing countries). The pharma companies also note that they already have hundreds of partnership agreements in place with plants around the world and that TRIPS rules already allow governments to issue compulsory licenses to local producers to make a patented product without the consent of the patent owner.

The upshot is that a TRIPS waiver will take many months to negotiate, if it ever comes to fruition at all, and might not have much impact on the race to distribute vaccines globally and prevent outbreaks like the one now infecting hundreds of thousands daily in India. But this outcome may suit the Biden administration just fine.

Biden had pledged during his campaign last year to force the drug companies to relinquish their IP rights with regard to the vaccines, but neither the industry nor many U.S. officials thought he would follow through. Major players in the administration were vocally against a waiver, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and David Kessler, the chief science officer of the COVID-response team. Even Anthony Fauci was worried that attempting to expand the global vaccine supply through a TRIPS waiver would bog the administration down in litigation with drug companies.

The shift in the administrations thinking came amid the crisis in India and the reality that other countries, including Russia and China, were eating Americas lunch in the vaccine-diplomacy game. The shift may also have come just in time to be too late. In other words, Biden wins a PR and diplomatic victory by standing up to Big Pharma on behalf of the developing world  but in the end, the drug companies never lose their patent protections as other countries block the waiver, the process gets gummed up, and the global vaccine shortage is eventually solved by other means.

This is not to say that Wednesdays announcement wont do anything. It sends a message that Biden isnt too afraid of the pharma lobby to take actions it opposes. It also puts pressure on the drug companies to prove that they can adequately supply the world with vaccines without having to lose their patent protections. Perhaps most importantly, it signals that the administration is confident that it has shored up domestic supply to the point that it can start looking outward and leading the global vaccination drive.

But again, the U.S. is very late to this party. The Trump administration, of course, had no plan for vaccinating Americans, much less the rest of the world. Bidens first few months in office were consumed with solving that first problem, managing the supply and distribution of vaccines domestically. The president cant snap his fingers and make vaccine exports appear out of thin air; a project like this requires planning, none of which took place before January 22. Biden was also reluctant to divert any vaccines to the global market, at least until he kept his promises regarding the pace of vaccination at home. Its easy to criticize this as a continuation of Trumps vaccine nationalism, but prioritizing American lives is pretty fundamental to the presidents job description. One can imagine the fit congressional Republicans would be throwing if Biden had started exporting vaccines without first ensuring an adequate domestic supply.

Meanwhile, other countries have been engaged in far more robust vaccine diplomacy for months. Russia and China have used their Sputnik V and Sinopharm vaccines as currency in their diplomatic overtures to the global south, implicitly trading vaccines for influence. Though both countries deny it, when Chinese vaccine donations are met with pledges to oppose international intervention in Chinas internal affairs or support its Belt and Road Initiative of global transportation infrastructure, its not hard to see whats going on. Poor countries are often willing to parrot a superpowers talking points in exchange for life-saving medicines, and this kind of transactional soft-power initiative is consistent with Moscows and Beijings ambitions to expand their spheres of influence, including in the Western hemisphere. Even India had supplied vaccines to over 90 countries, until its latest wave of cases forced it to suspend exports.

Unfortunately, the need to play catch-up on building a domestic vaccination strategy means Biden is now playing catch-up on vaccine diplomacy. The administration didnt really get these efforts off the ground until last month. In late April, as the virus was already spreading uncontrollably through India, he announced that the U.S. would ship its entire supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine, some 60 million doses, to countries in need over the coming months. These doses, however, represent a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed and wont arrive in time to help alleviate the current crisis. The following week, the administration expressed its support for Pfizers plan to start exporting U.S.-made doses, and followed that up with the announcement about the TRIPS waiver.

The U.S. and the rest of the world would be much better off had these efforts begun earlier, but there is still an opportunity for the U.S. to reclaim its leadership role in global health. The mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are exceptionally effective, and the evaluation process for U.S.-made vaccines is more trustworthy than those from Russia and China. The WHO has authorized the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use, but the Chinese-made vaccines are believed to be much less effective, and the countries that rely on them are facing higher vaccine refusal rates (as in Hungary) and even some resurgent outbreaks (as in the Seychelles). Chinas two vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac, are also struggling to produce enough doses to meet Chinas domestic needs. Russia has also had trouble producing Sputnik V at a sufficient rate to meet its international commitments. And Indias sudden de facto ban on vaccine exports has left much of the developing world in a lurch. Despite a late start, the U.S. could still outpace and outdo its rivals by shipping more reliable vaccines around the world more consistently.

The stakes are obviously high, considering the lives that hang in the balance, but vaccine diplomacy also has a darker, uglier side. Russian and Chinese state media have spread disinformation about Western vaccines and promoted conspiracy theories, while Russia is also accused of taking advantage of the chaotic vaccine rollout in Europe to sow division within the European Union. These propaganda operations make it even more important for the Biden administration to assert global leadership, support our allies, and push back against attempts to undermine trust in American- and European-made vaccines.

The potential rewards of vaccine diplomacy are considerable, but the risks of not engaging in it are even greater.
Elon Musk said in January of this year that he was "highly confident [a Tesla] will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year."

To many of us, we knew it was nonsense. Musk has been crowing about Full Self Driving in Tesla vehicles - a feature that neither exists, per what its name claims, nor has been proven to be reliably safe - for years. On top of that, Tesla has sold billions of dollars in vehicles and taken deposits for years based on the idea that Full Self Driving technology would come to fruition at some point in the future.

Now, an admission from Tesla seems to confess what anyone paying attention already knew: there will be no Full Self Driving by the end of 2021. And if we were betting people, we'd bet we're not going to see it anytime shortly after that, either.

The company "told a California regulator that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by the end of this year," according to Reuters on Friday. The memo was originally unearthed by legal website PlainSite.

"Tesla indicated that Elon is extrapolating on the rates of improvement when speaking about L5 capabilities. Tesla couldnt say if the rate of improvement would make it to L5 by end of calendar year," the memo said.

It continued: "Tesla indicated that they are still firmly in L2. As Tesla is aware, the publics misunderstanding about the limits of the technology and its misuse can have tragic consequences."

The California DMV said in a memo about its March 9 conference call with Tesla representatives: "Elon's tweet does not match engineering reality per CJ. Tesla is at Level 2 currently." Level 2 means a semi-automated driving system, but one that requires human supervision.

Despite this, it hasn't stopped Tesla from rolling out (and then hurriedly recalling) "beta" versions of its FSD, which it has been doing since October of last year. The company's Autopilot and FSD "features" have been under increased scrutiny since a fatal April accident involving a Tesla near Houston.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Texas lawmakers are circling the wagons. Politicians from the Lone Star state are preparing for an escalating war on oil and gas, the lifeblood of the Texan economy, and theyre determined not to go down without a fight. The Permian Basin has been in a bad way for years now. Even before the spread of the novel coronavirus dealt a devastating blow to global oil demand in general and the West Texas Intermediate crude benchmark in particular, the United States shale revolution had been in decline for years as wells aged, glut swelled, and growth finally slowed. This is all to say that oil and gas was in a particularly tough spot after the double whammy of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the already-faltering sector. And then Joe Biden, with his climate and clean energy intensive platform, stepped onto the scene, immediately putting Big Oil and all of its advocates on the defense.

Unfortunately, our economic bedrock of oil and gas is under attack by an administration that is bent on eliminating millions of jobs, Republican Congressman Brian Babin told the public back in February at a press event along with six other Texan lawmakers, as he meaningfully stood in front of the refineries and petrochemical plants of the Houston Ship Channel. And indeed, on Bidens very first day in office, he pulled the plug on the massive Keystone XL pipeline project, confirming all of Big Oils worst fears...until it turned out that the Biden presidency really hasnt been that bad for oil and gas at all.

Since taking office two months ago, Bidens been more boon than bane for a fossil-fuel industry that was wary of the ascendance of a politician bent on accelerating the energy transition, Bloomberg reported and the end of March, based on Goldman Sachs own assertion that overall, the Biden administration has actually been bullish for oil.

Related: Three Things That Will Drive Oil Prices In May Despite this surprising development, Texan lawmakers clearly feel that oil and gas remains firmly under threat. Public sector notwithstanding, Big Oil is clearly falling out of favor with large swaths of the private sector, which are increasingly divesting from emissions-heavy industries. Many a think piece has been written on whether Big Oil is the new Big Tobacco, soon to become anathema to all who touch it.

It is in response to exactly this phenomenon that Texas lawmakers are now trying to push through two pieces of legislature that aim to protect big oil from divestment and other initiatives to curb greenhouse gas emissions. On Tuesday, the Texas State House of Representatives granted final approval to Senate Bill 13, which, if enacted, would require state entities to divest from fossil fuel.

Related: Russia Boosted Oil Production In April

Entities such as state pension funds and the states enormous K-12 school endowment would be legally required to divest from companies that cut ties with or boycott fossil fuel companies, as summed up by reporting this week from the Texas Tribune. Oil and gas is the lifeblood of the Texas economy, state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, stated on Monday on the House floor. In the world of capital, theres a movement to deny funds to businesses that will not sign on to extreme anti-fossil fuel policy. While the Senate Bill 13 has been granted final approval by the house, however, it still has to be re-reviewed by the senate before moving onto Governor Greg Abbotts desk for the final decision.

The other piece of petro-protectionist legislature currently on the Texas docket is House Bill 17, which would prohibit Texas municipalities from barring natural gas as a fuel source in newly constructed residences, subdivisions, and other developments. This is a preventative measure in response to such bans which have already been enacted in states like California, which have required new homes to be powered with more climate-friendly energy sources. Texas is far from the only state to file such a bill; about a dozen similar bills have already been filed in states including Kansas, Minnesota and Ohio.

While Texan lawmakers rush to protect and cement the energy supremacy of the oil and gas sector, many industry leaders and energy specialists think that the state should actually be headed in the opposite direction. With peak oil hovering over our heads, in the long term Texas may be better off positioning itself not as the last of the old guard for fossil fuels, but at the forefront of the renewable movement, establishing its place at the helm of wind, solar, and energy storage in the U.S.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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Russia, China, and the European signatories to the so-called Iran nuclear deal agreed on Friday to intensify talks on bringing the United States and Iran back into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the diplomat leading the Russian delegation at the talks said.

The Joint Commission of #JCPOA at its meeting today opened a new round of the talks on full restoration of the nuclear deal. The participants agreed on the need to intensify the process. The delegations seem to be ready to stay in Vienna as long as necessary to achieve the goal, Mikhail Ulyanov, Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna, who leads the Russian delegation at the talks, tweeted on Friday. The U.S. and Iran have been holding indirect talks in Vienna since last month on possible ways for both countries to return to the deal. U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled a willingness to return to the nuclear deal, but only if Iran returns to full compliance in its nuclear activities.

Iran, for its part, has said it would start complying with the deal only after the U.S. lifts the sanctions, including the oil sanctions, on Tehran.

Iran will be able to raise its crude oil exports to 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) after the U.S. sanctions on its oil industry are lifted, a top Iranian official said this weekend.

The indirect talks between the United States and Iran have made some progress but not major breakthroughs in recent weeks. However, diplomatic shuttles of U.S. officials and senators in the Middle East in recent days have intensified reports that there could be a breakthrough soon.

Related: Oil Markets Optimistic As Brent Flirts With $70



A deal is in the works that will only collapse if Iran decides not to play ball, officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and from the U.S. say, The Dispatch reports.

Russias Ulyanov has said, as carried by news agency TASS, that the participants in the talks are determined to do their utmost to complete the talks by the end of May.

On Thursday, Ulyanov tweeted:

The Head of the Iranian delegation is cautious in his assessment of the current state of affairs at the Vienna talks (very similar to assessments of the US colleagues). But both #Iran and #US refrain from pessimistic conclusions. This seems to be not a bad sign as of the moment.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
I am getting a lot of pushback on this, Thomas said. Its contradictory from my perspective. We are going to be fighting to try to get (Hudson Crossing) rented where we have a big investment and try to develop your property.
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated government's commitment to continue its capacity building programme for the Ghana Prisons Service.



Speaking at the graduation and commissioning of officers from the junior corps of the Prisons Service in Accra on Friday, Vice President Bawumia underscored the crucial role of the Prisons Service in the administration of justice in the country, and government's continuous efforts to improve the capacity and welfare of the Service.



Dr. Bawumia highlighted interventions the Akufo-Addo government has been making in the past four years towards improving the capacity of the Service, especially in expansion of personnel, infrastructure, as well as welfare.



"Governments commitment to improve adequately the human resource of the Prison Service has led to the expansion of its manpower base, with the recruitment of some two thousand, nine hundred and fifty (2,950) recruits, and enlistment of three hundred (300) cadets, over the course of the last four years," Dr. Bawumia revealed.



Dr. Bawumia stressed that government is mindful of challenges confronting the Ghana Prisons Service, and that it has been taking necessary steps since 2017 to address some of these challenges.



"For instance, in November last year, the Service took delivery of ten (10) brand new Nissan Hardbody pickups to augment its fleet. I know the Service needs more vehicles, and I assure you that you will receive more vehicles in our second term."



"With respect to accommodation for officers, I am happy to inform you that contractors working on residential facilities at the Ankaful, Nsawam and Roman Ridge Prisons Complexes, have resumed work in earnest, after the brief break due to COVID-19."



"Government is also upgrading all health facilities in the prisons, to make them more responsive to the health needs of officers and inmates. Currently, the infirmary at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison has been elevated to the status of a District Hospital, whilst those at the Ankaful Maximum Security, Kumasi Central and the Koforidua prisons, have also been elevated to clinics."



"Government will continue to work closely with the Service to develop the capacity of prison officers, and to enable them perform their duties in accordance with international standards, which are of great concern to the Ghanaian people," Dr. Bawumia assured.



One hundred and ninety-eight (198) men and women of the Officer Cadet Course Intake 28 were commissioned into the Senior Officer Corps of the Ghana Prisons Service and the Vice President urged them to continually justify the confidence reposed in them in the discharge of their duties.



"It should not be lost on you that your call is one of trust reposed in you. Contemporary correctional management does not focus on punishing the prisoner, condemning and stigmatizing them with painful treatment methods, but rather on repairing their humanity, and helping to restore their God-given talents, in line with international standards."



"I urge you to embrace this new emerging order of restoration. Let it be your duty to treat prisoners with care, respect and decency, without compromising your professional ethics. I am confident you will make our nation proud in this regard," Dr. Bawumia told the commissioned officers and the Prisons Service in general.

Source: Office of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia









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
First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo has admonished all mothers and mother figures, to take up their motherhood role with all seriousness.



She said mothers should bear in mind that the outcome of their fruits would be heavily dependent on how their children were nurtured.



The nations future rests on our shoulders, she said.



"Motherhood is not just about shaping the lives of individuals, but shaping a nation, and the world as a whole; that is our role."



In a message to mark International Mothers day in Accra on Sunday, Mrs Akufo-Addo saluted all mothers, describing motherhood as the most difficult and important job on earth.



As we celebrate mothers day today, I wish to salute all mothers and mother figures in the country.



The role of mothers in shaping our character, nurturing our talents and inspiring us to achieve greater heights cannot be over-emphasised, the First Lady said.



"As a mother, I am appreciative of the struggles mothers go through, tirelessly moving heaven and earth to secure the possible best for their children, while striving to keep them on the path of righteousness."



She, however, urged society, especially those who could afford it, as well as gender-based civil society organisations and corporate institutions not to limit the celebration of the day to making merry in their homes or in small groups.



"Rather I urge you also to identify creative ways by which we can assist less fortunate mothers.



"Assist single mothers, widows, teenage mothers and all who need your assistance to help build a nation of knowledge-filled, respectful, patriotic, hardworking, ambitious and God-fearing people."



She said even though her Rebecca Foundation had been working hard to support mothers in various fields of endeavour to lighten their burden, but additional assistance from individuals and corporate organisations, would definitely inure to the benefit of the nation.



She, therefore, urged all people to appreciate all the mothers in their lives, "whether this woman is your mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, foster or adoptive mother, please remember to say thank you today" .



"These women deserve your appreciation. Happy Mothers Day to all our phenomenal women".

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
Radio host Blessed Godsbrain Smart alias Captain Smart has been suspended by Angel FM for repeatedly slandering government officials including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



This was disclosed by the General Manager of Angel FM, Kwadwo Dickson in a radio broadcast today. Videos of the broadcast (below) have since gone viral on social media.



Responding to speculation on social media that Captain Smart had been yanked off the air by the management of Angel FM for criticising the government, Mr Dickson said the presenter had rather been sanctioned by the Chairman of the Angel Group of Companies Chairman, Dr Kwaku Oteng for speaking against government officials including President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and the Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen.



He further disclosed that despite advice from Dr Oteng to desist from making such comments about government officials, the presenter had still persisted.



Captain Smart joined the parent company of Angel FM, Angel Broadcasting Network (ABN) in May last year after seven years at the Multimedia Group where he hosted Adom FMs Dwaso Nsem morning show.



He hosts Angel FM's flagship Anopa Bfo Morning Show but was not on air today as a result of his suspension.



Watch the video below;



Angel FM General Manager confirms suspension of Captain Smart. pic.twitter.com/FimgtDrLx4



 Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) May 6, 2021

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
A large segment of the Chinese Long March-5B rocketseen here during launch on April 29, 2021has re-entered Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean

A large segment of a Chinese rocket re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean on Sunday, China's space agency said, following fevered speculation over where the 18-tonne object would come down.

Officials in Beijing had said there was little risk from the freefalling segment of the Long March-5B rocket, which had launched the first module of China's new space station into Earth orbit on April 29.

But the US space agency NASA and some experts said China had behaved irresponsibly, as an uncontrolled re-entry of such a large object risked damage and casualties.

"After monitoring and analysis, at 10:24 (0224 GMT) on May 9, 2021, the last-stage wreckage of the Long March 5B Yao-2 launch vehicle has re-entered the atmosphere," the China Manned Space Engineering Office said in a statement, providing coordinates for a point in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.

It added that most of the segment disintegrated and was destroyed during descent.

The US military's Space Command said the rocket "re-entered over the Arabian Peninsula at approximately 10:15 pm EDT on May 8 (0215 GMT Sunday)".

"It is unknown if the debris impacted land or water."

Monitoring service Space-Track, which uses US military data, said that the location in Saudi Arabia was where American systems last recorded it.

China has poured billions into its ambitious space programme

"Operators confirm that the rocket actually went into the Indian Ocean north of the Maldives," it tweeted.

The segment's descent matched expert predictions that any debris would have splashed down into the ocean, given that 70 percent of the planet is covered by water.

Because it was an uncontrolled descent, there was widespread public interest and speculation about where the debris would land.

American and European space authorities were among those tracking the rocket and trying to predict its re-entry.

Accusations of negligence

Objects generate immense amounts of heat and friction when they enter the atmosphere, which can cause them to burn up and disintegrate. But larger ones such as the Long March-5B may not be destroyed entirely.

Their wreckage can land on the surface of the planet and may cause damage and casualties, though that risk is low.

Last year, debris from another Chinese Long March rocket fell on villages in the Ivory Coast, causing structural damage but no injuries or deaths.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson said China had failed to 'meet responsible standards regarding their space debris'

That, and the one that came down Sunday, are tied for the fourth-biggest objects in history to undergo an uncontrolled re-entry, according to data from Harvard-based astronomer Jonathan McDowell.

The uncertainty and risks of such a re-entry sparked accusations that Beijing had behaved irresponsibly.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin suggested last week that China had been negligent, and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson echoed that after the re-entry on Sunday.

"Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations," Nelson said in a statement.

"It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

Chinese state tabloid Global Times slammed US concerns as "shameless hype" in a Sunday editorial.

"It is seriously anti-intellectual to claim that China's rocket debris is especially risky," read the article.

"Washington will keep nitpicking and discrediting Beijing over the construction of (the) space station."

Fact file on China's propective space station, scheduled to be operational by 2022

China's space ambitions

To avoid such scenarios, some experts have recommended a redesign of the Long March-5B rocketwhich is not equipped for a controlled descent.

"An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely," McDowell tweeted.

"It appears China won its gamble (unless we get news of debris in the Maldives). But it was still reckless."

Chinese authorities had downplayed the risk, however.

"The probability of causing harm to aviation activities or (on people and activities) on the ground is extremely low," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Friday.

Beijing has poured billions of dollars into space exploration to boost its global stature and technological might.

The launch of the first module of its space stationby the Long March rocket that came down Sundaywas a milestone in its ambitious plan to establish a permanent human presence in space.

Explore further Chinese rocket to tumble back to Earth in uncontrolled re-entry

 2021 AFP
Panthera pardus and snow leopard appear at same location in SW China's Tibet

People's Daily Online) 17:03, May 08, 2021

Photo shows a snow leopard. (Photo courtesy of the Shanshui Conservation Center)

A common leopard (Panthera pardus) and its close cousin, a snow leopard, were recently photographed living in the same area in the Nujiang River valley in Tengchen county, Qamdo city in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The two animals were recorded passing by a fir tree near a giant rock. The leopard stopped upon approaching the rock and the tree, sniffing around while trying to identify the scent of other animals who may have also frequented the site.

Felidae species always mark the boundaries of their territory with urine and feces left at places easy to come across, such as rocks and trees. These places act like social networking platforms for animals, said Zhao Xiang, head of the Shanshui Conservation Center, a Chinese NGO dedicated to the conservation of species and ecosystems.

The co-existence of the two apex carnivores indicates that the region has enough food to sustain them, and points to a well-rounded and healthy ecosystem, Zhao explained.

Over the past year, a wide range of species have been sighted in the region, an area that boasts a rich level of biodiversity. The range of species found in the region include at least five species of large carnivore, such as the snow leopard, panthera pardus, brown bear, wolf and jackal, and medium and small carnivores such as the manul (or Pallas cat), leopard cat, red fox, and Tibetan fox, as well as herbivores like the white-lipped deer.

So far, 21 animal species have been discovered in the upstream region of the Nujiang River, after carrying out a survey project on biodiversity in the Nujiang River valley, a project which began in 2018.

Nearly 100 infrared cameras have been installed throughout the Nujiang River valley, covering an area of around 1,000 square kilometers.

In the course of implementing the project, which was jointly launched by the Shanshui Conservation Center and Tengchen county, and further supported by the China Green Foundation, local herdsmen were trained to take up the extra tasks of wildlife inspectors.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
The alarming debt owed to the city of Chicago has placed a dark cloud over our community, Henyard told the crowd. The efforts of our now previous administrations have created bottlenecks and roadblocks in resolving the issue. We cannot be alone in negotiating with the city of Chicago. I am publicly requesting our federal, state and county leaders to join me in speaking with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to find a common ground in reducing this enormous debt.
Those in the room that day included two other girls, according to family, and Robison was supposed to be getting her hair braided. Morens said the male relative to whom police alluded  who has not been publicly identified by police or formally charged  was there, though he did not live at the residence. They both said they believe the gun that was used was his, but they cannot say for certain what transpired.
Mr. Thomas Hung Tran, a Forensic and Financial Crime expert, believes that laundered crime money is already circulating in society and used under cover of investors in our developing economy. In Vietnam, such activity can easily lie untraced. For instance, in one southwestern region, officials discovered a conspiracy to launder and legitimize almost USD 200 million.

The strategy of most emerging countries is to strengthen and develop their financial markets. This is the right economic development strategy, because only when the financial market reaches a certain level of development, then capital sources from business owners and investors can be effectively circulated to subjects wishing to use capital, which then creates favorable conditions for technology transfer, and more brainpower. However, this strategy also attracts financial criminals who understand the capital needs in emerging markets, as well as the measures to identify and defend against financial crime. This is a problem in many emerging countries.

The nature of the financial market is to benefit the national economy and its people. However, if investors are professional money launderers, it can be very dangerous for the economy, because money laundering criminals are not interested in the development of the economy, but only interested in their own gains. Their operations can hamper the development of financial markets, through creating erosion in transparency and market integrity. Therefore, if Vietnam does not have a solution to prevent money laundering right now, it will soon be easy for money laundering groups to flourish and grow.

According to Mr. Thomas Hung Tran, Vietnamese banks are almost incapable of identifying and defending financial crimes. Assuming Vietnam's financial markets and the economy have developed to a large scale by 2030, then the US and the EU will no longer consider Vietnam as a small country. They will take measures to impose sanctions on individuals, businesses, financial institutions and governments, if Vietnam is known as a haven for money laundering. Sanctions are implemented by restricting or prohibiting financial business transactions, creating many constraints for governments and businesses to decide on policies and strategies. This will seriously affect Vietnam's strategy to become a financial hub, where capital and transactions have to flow two-ways from outside into the economy and vice versa.

The solution to this problem is to set up a specialized agency in charge of financial conduct and monitor and manage functions that create premises for financial crimes. Laws must be amended or supplemented for the prevention of financial crimes and related corruption. At the same time, Vietnam must work closely with assessment organizations and international financial crime prevention organizations to curtail further crimes and form effective policies.

Yen Lam
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" " Artist's concept of the asteroid 16 Psyche, which is thought to be a stripped planetary core. Maxar/ASU/P. Rubin/NASA/JPL-Caltech

The asteroid 16 Psyche, which a NASA space probe is scheduled to visit in 2026, is a massive object about 140 miles (226 kilometers) in diameter. It orbits about 235 million to 309 million miles (378 million to 497 million kilometers) from the sun. Unlike most asteroids, which are made of rock or ice, 16 Psyche is believed to be made mostly of iron and nickel, just like Earth's core.

The asteroid's composition also makes it, at least in theory, almost unfathomably valuable. Its estimated worth is $10,000 quadrillion, or $10,000,000,000,000,000,000. That's vastly more than the estimated $86 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) of all the nations on Earth combined (that number comes from the World Economic Forum).

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But how do you actually value an asteroid? Linda Elkins-Tanton, the Psyche mission's principal investigator, says in an email that she developed the $10,000 quadrillion estimate back in 2017, using the price of the materials in the asteroid on the metals market. But that price is really a way of understanding the asteroid's unusual nature, rather than incentive for future space mining entrepreneurs.

"The critical thing, of course, is that the estimate is meaningless in every way," explains Elkins-Tanton, who is a foundation professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, where she's managing director and co-chair of the ASU Interplanetary Initiative.

"First, we have absolutely no available technology for bringing Psyche back to Earth. And even if we did, the abundance of its metal would immediately render metals valueless on the markets. But, nonetheless, it was a fun exercise!"

Additionally, Elkins-Tanton says that the best current measurements of the asteroid's density indicate that it isn't pure metal, but instead has cracks and pore space, and more rock in the mix.

"We assume the metal in Psyche is iron and nickel, since that is the composition of all the metal meteorites that have fallen to Earth, and that is what we think the Earth's core is made of, " she says.

" " The Psyche mission is a journey to a unique metal asteroid, most likely the exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet, orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. NASA/JPL-Caltech

She provided a chart, showing that iron accounts for 94 percent of the mass of an average metal meteorite, which also typically contains about 5 percent nickel, plus smaller amounts of gallium, iridium, tungsten, cobalt, gold, copper, rhenium, platinum and other trace elements.

But she says it's important to stress that scientists don't yet know for sure what Psyche 16 is made of.

"We will find out what it really is when we get there," she says.

Now That's Interesting Scientists speculate that Psyche 16 could be the core of an early planet that lost its exterior layers in violent collisions with other space objects billions of year ago, according to NASA.
 "Enjoined and Incarcerated: Complications with Incarcerated People Seeking Economic Relief under the CARES Act" | Main | Split Eleventh Circuit panel creates circuit split over compassionate relief criteria after FIRST STEP Act 

May 9, 2021

How about Prez Biden and lots of Governors starting a tradition of granting lots of clemencies around Mother's Day?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by my persistent eagerness to see a lot more clemency activity from chief executives and also by this new story out of Illinois headlined "Protesters deliver Mothers Day card to Pritzkers house, demand release of incarcerated loved ones." Here are excerpts:

Against a backdrop of bright pink tulips, protesters stood outside Gov. J.B. Pritzkers Gold Coast home on Friday with flowers, signs and a painted piece of cardboard that read, Dear J.B., on this Mothers Day, set our loved ones free. That oversized Mothers Day card included demands that Pritzker sign clemency petitions to for prisoners they say have been wrongfully incarcerated and that he stop construction of a new youth prison at the Lincoln Developmental Center. Denice Bronis, an Elgin resident and member of Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity, said her son Matthew Echevarria, in prison for 22 years after being convicted of murder, contracted COVID-19 at Menard Correctional Center and still exhibits long-term symptoms. Mothers Day is just as much a day of love as it is a day of pain, especially for those who have experienced forced separation from our children, our loved ones, by the state, Bronis said.... Kiah Sandler, a Bronzeville resident with the End IL Prison Lockdown Coalition, said although the groups demands have shifted since Pritzker signed a sweeping criminal justice reform bill, there is still work to be done by the governor. Sandler said the coalition is asking Pritzker to lift that ban on personal contact during in-person visits, and also to grant more clemency requests to set loved ones free with the stroke of a pen.... A Pritzker spokesperson later sent an email stating Pritzker has granted clemency requests throughout the pandemic and the state prison population is at its lowest level in years  down 28% since 2019, including a 43% drop in female inmates. Holly Krig, a member of Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration, said it is horrific and cruelly unnecessary, that visitors and incarcerated people are not allowed to touch and also that visitors must be vaccinated; that means children under 16  who cant be vaccinated yet  cant visit. She said for younger children and newborns to maintain a relationship with incarcerated mothers, contact is essential. People can be released, people should be released and they should be released immediately, Krig said. We need to bring our people home.

As highlighted by recent polling discussed here, granting clemency to various groups of persons has considerable public support across the political spectrum. Focusing particularly on reuniting families though commutations and restoring rights through pardons on Mother's Day could be a big political winner.

A few prior recent related posts:

May 9, 2021 at 09:48 AM | Permalink

Comments

While I am dubious that it will ever happen, I could see a tradition of granting female inmates commutations in early May and male inmates commutations in early June so that they could, respectively, spend Mother's Day and Father's Day with their children.

Posted by: tmm | May 10, 2021 10:50:29 AM

Im not interested in political winners. Im interested in policy winners. Clemency should be used for gross injustice, not some punk who killed a man 22 years ago. Attaching it to Mothers is kind of sickening. Im tired of misplaced blame. The state did not separate the guy from his mom. The inmate did.

Regarding COVID: The same people complaining about non contact visits would be suing the state if the rates went up and an incarcerated family member died from COVID. Even worse, if a visitor contracted COVID from the incarcerated love one and died.

Its the typical kobayashi maru set up by the Inmates are the good guys, crowd.

Posted by: TarlsQtr | May 11, 2021 4:01:56 PM

Post a comment
Mr. Thomas Hung Tran, a Forensic and Financial Crime expert, believes that laundered crime money is already circulating in society and used under cover of investors in our developing economy. In Vietnam, such activity can easily lie untraced. For instance, in one southwestern region, officials discovered a conspiracy to launder and legitimize almost US$ 200 million.

The strategy of most emerging countries is to strengthen and develop their financial markets. This is the right economic development strategy, because only when the financial market reaches a certain level of development, then capital sources from business owners and investors can be effectively circulated to subjects wishing to use capital, which then creates favorable conditions for technology transfer, and more brainpower. However, this strategy also attracts financial criminals who understand the capital needs in emerging markets, as well as the measures to identify and defend against financial crime. This is a problem in many emerging countries.

The nature of the financial market is to benefit the national economy and its people. However, if investors are professional money launderers, it can be very dangerous for the economy, because money laundering criminals are not interested in the development of the economy, but only interested in their own gains. Their operations can hamper the development of financial markets, through creating erosion in transparency and market integrity. Therefore, if Vietnam does not have a solution to prevent money laundering right now, it will soon be easy for money laundering groups to flourish and grow.

According to Mr. Thomas Hung Tran, Vietnamese banks are almost incapable of identifying and defending financial crimes. Assuming Vietnam's financial markets and the economy have developed to a large scale by 2030, then the US and the EU will no longer consider Vietnam as a small country. They will take measures to impose sanctions on individuals, businesses, financial institutions and governments, if Vietnam is known as a haven for money laundering. Sanctions are implemented by restricting or prohibiting financial business transactions, creating many constraints for governments and businesses to decide on policies and strategies. This will seriously affect Vietnam's strategy to become a financial hub, where capital and transactions have to flow two-ways from outside into the economy and vice versa.

The solution to this problem is to set up a specialized agency in charge of financial conduct and monitor and manage functions that create premises for financial crimes. Laws must be amended or supplemented for the prevention of financial crimes and related corruption. At the same time, Vietnam must work closely with assessment organizations and international financial crime prevention organizations to curtail further crimes and form effective policies.

Saigon Investment
 Flash

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has signed deals with three Chinese biopharmaceutical companies for the production of over 260 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in the past weeks, according to statements published on the website of the RDIF.

The first contract was signed with China's Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co., Ltd. on March 29 for the production of over 60 million doses of the Sputnik V jab that is scheduled to start this month.

Another agreement was reached on April 1 with a subsidiary of a key leader in the pharmaceutical field, the Tibet Rhodiola Pharmaceutical Holding, namely TopRidge Pharma, for the production of over 100 million doses per year.

The most recent agreement was reached on April 19 with a subsidiary of a major Chinese biopharmaceutical producer Hualan Biological Engineering Inc. for the production of over 100 million doses.

The three deals together amount to a production of over 260 million doses of the jab, which will facilitate supply and could be sufficient to fully vaccinate over 130 million people worldwide, according to the RDIF.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the RDIF, said cooperation with China would significantly "help increase production capacities," adding that the country is one of Russia's key partners in this field.

"China is one of the major production hubs for Sputnik V and we are ready for increasing the scope of partnership with local producers to meet the rising demand for the Russian vaccine," he added.
Three powerful blasts outside a high school for girls in the Afghan capital of Kabul killed at least 68 people and wounded 165, many of them teenage girls leaving class. An eyewitness tells Reuters that all but seven or eight of the victims were schoolgirls. The explosions that targeted the students at the Sayed Ul-Shuhada high school come at a time when many had been warning that the withdrawal of U.S. troops could leave women particularly vulnerable to violence. In this case, the blasts targeted ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly Shiite and dominate the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood, the western district of the capital where the attack took place. Officials said the death toll could keep rising as many of the wounded remain in critical condition.

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The explosions began with a car bomb that went off outside the school on Saturday afternoon. And then when students went outside to see what was going on there were two IED explosions, Afghanistans Interior Ministry said. The school has classes for boys in the morning and girls in the afternoon and the explosions began at around 4 p.m., when girls were leaving and the streets were full of people. I rushed to the scene [after the blasts] and found myself in the middle of bodies, their hands and heads cut off and bones smashed, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi tells AFP. All of them were girls. Their bodies piled on top of each other.

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No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. The government has blamed the Taliban but Taliban officially denied responsibility and condemned the attack.

Although this attack was particularly deadly, it comes as Afghanistan has suffered a series of car bombings over the past few months. The increased violence has led to criticism from citizens about a lack of security amid fear of what will happen when the U.S. and NATO finish their military withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S. troops should be out by Sept. 11 at the latest. The Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood has been a particular target for attacks. Hazara leaders now say they will set up their own protection force in the neighborhood. So many places in Afghanistan have endured so much pain, but the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood in Kabul has suffered horrendously, notes Secunder Kermani, an Afghanistan correspondent for the BBC.

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As dozens of victims were buried, Pope Francis mentioned the bombing in his traditional Sunday remarks. Let us pray for the victims of the terrorist attack in Kabul, an inhumane action that struck so many girls as they were coming out of school, he said. May God give Afghanistan peace.

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In Kabul, terrorists committed a horrendous attack on school children, most of them girls. The escalation of terrorism is alarming for peace and democracy in Afghanistan. World leaders must unite to safeguard school-children. My heart is with the #Kabul school victims families.  Malala (@Malala) May 9, 2021
UPDATE: The speculation is over and the most likely outcome became a reality. Most of the core segment from Chinas biggest rocket burned up during re-entry into Earths atmosphere and debris landed in the Indian Ocean west of the Maldives archipelago early Sunday morning, Chinas space administration said.

The coordinates of the impact were published by Chinese state media and brought a sigh of relief to all those around the world who were worried about the small possibility that the debris would rain on a populated area. The U.S. Space Command confirmed the rocket re-entered Earths atmosphere over the Arabian Peninsula. The exact location of the impact and the span of debris, both of which are unknown at this time, will not be released by U.S. Space Command, it said in a statement on its website.

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#USSPACECOM can confirm Chinese #LongMarch5B re-entered over the Arabian Peninsula at approximately 10:15 pm EDT on May 8. It is unknown if the debris impacted land or water. https://t.co/4Ol9Sa2iJo  U.S. Space Command (@US_SpaceCom) May 9, 2021

All the uncertainty over where the debris would fall led to rare criticism from the administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson. Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations, Nelson said in a statement released after the re-entry. It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

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Many around the world were following the rockets trajectory on social media and people in Israel, Oman, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia reported seeing debris. Experts said that just because the most likely outcome of an ocean impact came to pass, that doesnt change the fact that there was still a possibility populated areas would be affected. An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble, astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell wrote on Twitter. But it was still reckless.

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Original post on May 8 at 5:43 p.m.: Debris from Chinas rocket launched last week are likely to hurtle back through the atmosphere late Saturday or early Sunday and where it will crash remain unclear. Chinas space agency has said that most of the booster rocket of the Long March 5B rocket it launched in April to carry the first module of Chinas future space station into orbit is likely to be burned up in the Earths atmosphere. While the debris is unlikely to fall in a populated area, there is still a chance it may happen. The EU Space Surveillance and Tracking said that while there is a low probability of a ground impact in populated areas, all predictions were uncertain due to the uncontrolled nature of the reentry. For now, reentry is expected sometime between 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday and 1:30 a.m. ET Sunday morning, according to the latest projections from the U.S. Space Force.

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The rocket part is currently circling the earth and is moving at 18,000 mph, making it difficult for experts to estimate the reentry location of the booster rocket that weighs 23 tons and is 10 stories tall. The slim chance that the debris could fall into a populated area is raising questions about why China continues to carry out what is known as uncontrolled re-entries into the atmosphere. And their frequency could very well increase as China launches more missions to its new space station. This isnt the first time that debris from a Chinese rocket poses a risk. A previous Long March 5B launch last year led to debris raining down on the Ivory Coast, which damaged several buildings but no injuries were reported. Its my judgment that the Chinese are negligent. China says it will probably fall in the ocean. But probably is doing a lot of work here. The last one would probably fall in the ocean, except it didnt. It fell on the Ivory Coast, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, tells the Guardian.

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NEW Our latest prediction for #LongMarch5B CZ-5B rocket body reentry is  09 MAY 2021 03:26  2 hours along the ground track shown here. 1/ pic.twitter.com/Jn4A4IJQAD  The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) May 8, 2021

Despite the theoretical risk, experts insist no one should panic. The risk that there will be some damage or that it would hit someone is pretty smallnot negligible, it could happenbut the risk that it will hit you is incredibly tiny. And so I would not lose one second of sleep over this on a personal threat basis, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Astrophysics Center at Harvard University, told CNN.

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Beyond this specific rocket, the uncertainty over where the debris will fall is once again bringing to the forefront the issue of space debris at a time when not just countries but also corporations are increasingly targeting activities in space, notes the Guardian. Space debris has been known for a while, but now you have more competition in space. You dont just have two space-faring nations the Chinese are very significant, as is the European Space Agency, among others. When you have more actors and more stuff, it gets more complicated, said Joanne Gabrynowicz a professor at the National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law at the Mississippi Law Center.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan wishes all the infighting in the Republican Party would just stop so its members can get back to winning votes. Weve got to get back to winning elections again. And we have to be able to have a Republican Party that appeals to a broader group of people, Hogan, a Republican, said on NBC News Meet the Press. Successful politics is about addition and multiplication, not subtraction and division. Right now though there is a battle for the soul of the Republican Party going on, he added.

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Hogan, one of the harshest critics of Donald Trump within the GOP, said he is surprised more Republicans havent criticized the role the former president played in the Jan. 6 riots. But he said he recognized many Republicans are afraid of criticizing the former president out of fear that theyll face retaliation, like House Conference Chair Liz Cheney has experienced. It just bothers me that you have to swear fealty to the dear leader or you get kicked out of the party. It just doesnt make any sense, Hogan said. Its sort of a circular firing squad where were just attacking members of our own party instead of focusing on solving problems, or standing up and having an argument, that we can debate the Democrats on some of the things the Biden administration is pushing through.

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Hogan spoke up about his desire for the party to break with Trump a few days after Sen. Lindsey Graham said the Republican Party cant grow without the former president. The events of the past week showed how even though Trump has lost his social media platform, he still has a strong hold on the GOP. The former president has not only managed to squelch any dissent within his party but has persuaded most of the G.O.P. to make a gigantic bet: that the surest way to regain power is to embrace his pugilistic style, racial divisiveness and beyond-the-pale conspiracy theories rather than to court the suburban swing voters who cost the party the White House and who might be looking for substantive policies on the pandemic, the economy and other issues, notes the New York Times.
The top Republican in the House of Representatives, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, is done throwing hints and suggestions. On Sunday, he made it official and publicly stated that hes endorsing Rep. Elise Stefanik to replace Rep. Liz Cheney as the Republican conference chair. Yes I do, McCarthy answered on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures when host Maria Bartiromo asked whether he supported Stefanik, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, to become the GOPs next No. 3 leader in the House.

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Maria: Do you support Elise Stefanik for that job?

McCarthy: Yes I do pic.twitter.com/FI308JN1zY  Acyn (@Acyn) May 9, 2021

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The endorsement isnt exactly surprising. Last week, McCarthy had been caught on a hot mic saying he had it with her in reference to the lawmaker from Wyoming during an off-air conversation with Fox News host Steve Doocy. On air, McCarthy said Republican lawmakers had concerns over Cheneys ability to carry out the message. But until Sunday, McCarthy had publicly avoided staking out a clear decision on Cheneys future.

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During the Sunday interview, McCarthy avoided mentioning Cheney by name even as he spoke about the campaign to oust her from the leadership position amid her criticism of former President Donald Trump. McCarthy took pains to emphasize that replacing Cheney had nothing to do with her views on Trump but was really about party unity. We need a conference thats united, he said. Thats why we need a conference chair that is delivering that message, day in and day out, and uniting the nation, to make sure that we are on the right footing going forward.

Stefanik, who represents New Yorks 21st congressional district since 2015, quickly seized on McCarthys endorsement and sent a tweet thanking him. Together, as one team, we will stand up for the American people and #FIREPelosi in 2022, she tweeted. The second-ranking Republican in the House, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, had already publicly backed Stefanik. House Republicans could vote as early as Wednesday to remove Cheney from the leadership position.

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Thank you @GOPLeader for your endorsement for House GOP Conference Chair.



Together, as one team, we will stand up for the American people and #FIREPelosi in 2022. pic.twitter.com/zUhv1h4K71  Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 9, 2021
Saudi Arabia has a growing problem with Iranian UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) used as cruise missiles. For several years Iran has been smuggling in UAV components to northern Yemen where Shia rebels have been trying to take over the entire country since 2014. That offensive was thwarted in 2015 by the intervention of an Arab Coalition that halted and pushed back the rebels. Unfortunately for the Saudis the home province of the Shia rebels is in northwest Yemen along the Saudi border. That border is 1,800 kilometers long although only about a hundred kilometers is controlled by the Shia rebels. Even before the civil war the Saudis suffered cross-border raids by the Yemeni Shia. Those attacks increased after 2015, with the addition of Iranian rockets and missiles. By 2017s Iranian UAVs and cruise missiles were used against Saudi economic and military targets farther from the border. The Saudis were prepared for the ballistic missiles and long-range rockets and used their Patriot AMD (anti-missile defense) systems to stop the rockets and missiles headed for a populated area or an economic or military target. The Iranian UAVs and small cruise missiles were harder to detect and shoot down. The Saudis adopted older Israeli tactics against the UAVs, which were carrying explosives on a one-way mission using GPS to guide them along a programmed course to a specific target. These improvised cruise missiles were smaller, slower and flying lower than the original American cruise missiles that used a small jet engine and, before GPS became available in the 1990s, less accurate but effective guidance systems. The Iranian UAV/cruise missiles cost a tenth of what conventional cruise missile do and are easier to smuggle into Yemen and assemble locally for a single one-way mission. These UAVs were more prone to failure and some were found on both sides of the border after they crashed. But most of them worked and the Saudis turned to their American advisors for ideas. Radars that could detect the low/slow UAVs were easier and cheaper to obtain that methods for destroying them. The Saudis have apparently been using air-to-air missiles fired by their F-15 jet fighters. This was what the Israelis used early on. There is video circulating showing a Saudi F-15 zooming past after a missile has destroyed a UAV. The missile was apparently a radar-guided AMRAMM. These cost a million dollars each and the Israelis quickly discovered that their jets could use cheaper (less than half the cost of AMRAAM) heat seeking missiles as well as autocannon fire. Using the automatic cannon carried on modern jets meant getting close (a few kilometers) to the target and risking most of the 20mm explosive shells (than dont hit the target) injuring someone on the ground. Modern fire control systems make the use of aircraft cannon practical for situations, as long as you are firing in the direction of enemy territory.

There are other cheaper and safer, for civilians on the ground, systems available but all these have some limitations. For one thing, the most effective and battle tested systems are Israeli. While Saudi Arabia has improved its relations with Israel, the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and other Arab states have established diplomatic relations. Saudis are reluctant to purchase and use Israeli military systems. In reality the Saudis already used Israeli military technology because many American air-defense and weapons systems were developed jointly between the U.S. and Israel. Thats easier to conceal than importing air defense systems only Israel produces. Another problem the Saudis have is the long borders and coast lines they need to defend. Based on previous Iranian operations, the pre-programmed UAVs can be sent around an AUD defended stretch of border or even out into the Red Sea to attack Saudi targets from the sea or an unexpected direction. The Israelis have already handled this problem but the Saudis may be reluctant to adopt such obviously Israeli techniques. The Israeli firm Rafael developed the Iron Dome system in 2005. This system could effectively and economically destroy rockets and mortar or artillery shells. By 2017 Iron Dome was able to detect and shoot down small UAVs.

Drone Dome is a lot cheaper ($3.4 million per system) because it does not use $90,000 Tamir guided missiles to intercept rockets or shells headed for residential areas or military targets. Drone Dome uses a radar that can detect most small UAVs at ranges of up to 30 kilometers at altitudes of 10 meters (30 feet) to 10,000 meters. The smallest UAVs can be detected 3.500 meters away and jammed. Drone Dome has an optional laser gun that can be aimed by Drone Dome to destroy the drone at ranges up to 2,000 meters. In a combat zone, you can also employ machine-guns or snipers to bring down the drone.

Drone Dome is not a radical development but part of a trend. Since 2010 Israeli firms have developed a growing number of AUD systems largely because Israel is a nation that is most threatened by hostile use of UAVs, particularly small commercial ones increasingly used by Islamic terrorists and criminal gangs.

What makes Drone Dome different is its heavy use of electronic sensors to detect and jam the control signals used by UAVs, leaving the laser as a last resort. Several AUD systems are already in service and effective because they are good at detecting UAVs electronically and either jamming those control signals or taking over the control signals and capturing (by making it land) the UAV. Troops in Iraq and Syria were asking for AUD systems that used lasers and better UAV detection systems as well those with jammers to disable UAVs. There is a need for AUDs that can detect and destroy UAVs that do not use control signals and basically go on pre-programmed missions guided by GPS. This can be to take photos or deliver a small explosive. Usually, it is to take photos and return. Drone Dome is one of several AUD systems equipped to detect and locate UAVs operating in pre-programmed mode and destroy or disable them quietly with a vehicle-mounted laser.

AUDs similar to Drone Dome also use one or more radar systems and one or more sensor systems for detecting UAV control signals and/or visual images. These can use pattern recognition software to quickly identify what it is. While commercial UAVs are more common, the basic design principles have not changed. AUDs are constantly evolving to better detect and disable or destroy unwanted UAVs. The best ones are recent models that tend to be very expensive and used only for extreme situations, like UAV defense in combat zones.

The U.S. Air Force has been developing two AUD systems that use strong microwave electronic transmissions to disrupt the electronics in UAVs and cause them to crash. The air force has tested two such weapons which differ mainly in terms of range and price. The system already sent to a combat zone is THOR (Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder), which is a $10 million system that is shipped in and used from a standard 40-foot shipping container. The container can be hauled around on a flatbed truck or placed on the ground. Inside the container is a microwave transmitter that looks like a large satellite dish mounted on a base that can quickly rotate the dish to face the threat and transmit a short burst of microwave energy. Range of THOR has not been revealed but based on work already done on directed energy systems and the fact that THOR is powered by a generator that is also in the shipping container, the effective range is probably not more than a few hundred meters. The microwave energy is sufficient to damage the electronics on commercial UAVs used by Islamic terrorists to carry swarm attacks on military bases in Syria. Such attacks have frequently been used against a Russian airbase in western Syria, near the Mediterranean coast. The U.S. Air Force fears its bases, especially temporary or permanent ones overseas, could be subject to similar attacks by commercial UAVs carrying small payloads of explosives and using GPS to guide the UAVs to a base where the explosives detonate and cause damage. Such attacks have been used successfully in Yemen by Shia rebels and in one case attacked a large military ceremony and caused a lot of casualties. In late 2020 a TOR system was shipped to an unidentified African location to provide base defense against UAV.

Still in development is a longer-range system called CHIMERA (Counter-Electronic High-Power Microwave Extended-Range Air Base Air Defense) that began realistic testing in 2020. THOR has already downed groups of UAVs in tests and the air force wants to buy many systems for base defense in areas threatened by swarm attacks.

The microwave energy systems used by THOR and CHIMERA are similar to the EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) weapons developed since the 1990s to destroy electronics in general. Since the 1950s it was known that the powerful EMP put out by nuclear weapon detonations could damage or destroy solid-state (transistors and microelectronics) devices over a wide area. Since the 1990s, devices using high-powered microwave (HPM) devices have been developed to create focused EMP on demand without all the nuclear blast and radioactivity. The most commonly mentioned device to generate HPM is the AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars that are becoming standard equipment in modern warplanes. AESA is more reliable and, increasingly, no more expensive than the older mechanical (a small dish that moves around inside a dome) radar. AESA is also easier and cheaper to maintain, which makes a more expensive AESA cheaper, over its lifetime, than a cheaper (to buy) mechanically scanned radar. More and more nations (including China and Russia) are manufacturing AESA radars and equipping their ships and aircraft with this stuff. All these nations are also manufacturing or developing EMP bombs that could be used to sabotage military bases or civilian facilities. For a long time, EMP was believed to be an unlikely threat because you needed a nuclear war to create EMP. Naturally, the blast and radiation damage from the nukes was seen as more of a threat than EMP. But now that has changed.

Airports, especially the large ones, will be driven by legal liability concerns to join the military in buying the latest AUDs, which at least lowers the AUD price and inspires even faster innovation and development. Commercial airports are increasingly having flight operations disrupted by the presence of commercial UAVs (usually cheap quadcopters). These UAVs are not terrorist weapons but used by someone making videos and unaware (or not caring) of the illegality of using a UAV close to an airport. AUDs for these situations must meet certain reliability, range and effectiveness goals in order to sell profitably. That is where military users will find another source for effective base defense systems.
One of the best things about Apples device ecosystem is the tight software integration among the companys offerings - from services like iMessage for cross-device messaging, to locating your device with Find My. Samsung is one of the most popular Android OEMs that offers a similar service via its SmartThings app, and users will now be able to locate access and control their smart devices with the new SmartThings Windows 10 app.

Read more: Samsung's SmartThings Find can now find hidden Galaxy SmartTags moving with you

While this isnt the first time that Samsung has supported controlling smart devices on Windows computers using a native application, the previous version was abandoned and users had to rely on their smartphones for the past couple of years. However, Aggiornamenti Lumia spotted a new entry on the Windows Store under Samsungs developer account, which is compatible with both Samsungs new Galaxy Book Pro laptops as well as regular Windows 10 computers.

The SmartThings app will list all your favourite smart home devices on one pane. (Aggiornamenti Lumia)

Users can also track their devices using the SmartThings Find section on the Windows app. (Aggiornamenti Lumia)

Once downloaded, users will be able to see all their devices on a map using the SmartThings Find page on the app, which is tied to their Samsung account. Users should also be able to quickly control devices, place devices in groups and automate several devices together using the Scenes feature. The app is also compatible with Samsungs recently launched SmartTag smart object tracker, so you can quickly track your belongings without reaching for your smartphone.

Also read: Apple may merge iPad, Apple TV with HomePod to create a new smart home product line

The new SmartThings Find app is available on the Microsoft Store for all laptop and desktop computers running Windows 10. As one might expect, the SmartThings app has a dashboard with all of your existing devices listed in a neat grid, but XDA reports that you will need to download the SmartThings app on your phone if you want to add new devices, at the moment. However, considering this is an early app listing, support for adding new devices should arrive in a later update.
Ahead of the upcoming 21H1 May update for Windows 10 scheduled for release in the coming weeks, Microsoft has announced that it has finally removed the last roadblocks to updating to the Windows 10 October release - also known as the 20H2 update.

The company regularly places blocks on upgrades to the latest release of Windows for certain device models depending on the hardware inside. This is usually because of some incompatible driver or other software issues which could prevent users from successfully upgrading. Until Microsoft or the device manufacturer fixes the issues, the user is unable to update to that version of Windows.

Read more: Microsoft wants you to update your Windows 10 PC before it stops supporting these outdated versions next month

Microsoft has now updated its documentation for Windows 10 20H2 and Windows Server 20H2 to inform users that they can now update their Windows 10 installation to the current latest version, from an older release such as the 2004 release and the 1909 release from two years ago. Microsoft will soon drop support for some older versions, which make the removal of these update blocks a welcome move.

Some of these the problems resolved by Microsoft include issues with Conexant audio drivers, lower gaming performance, Microsoft Edge missing on some installations, and issues with printing and missing colours from printers, issues with Microsoft Office, Thunderbolt NVMe SSD problems, as well as issues with Japanese and Chinese languages using the keyboard.

Also read: Windows 10 21H1 update focuses on improving remote working condition

We have previously reported that users who are running older versions of Windows 10 should upgrade to the latest 20H2 version eat the earliest as Microsoft will drop support for Windows 10 versions released on November 2019, October 2018, and April 2018. Users will soon have the option of two usable Windows builds  May 2020 and October 2020, while the upcoming May 2021 update should arrive later this month.
Top US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has shut its entire network, the source of nearly half of the US East Coast's fuel supply, after a cyber attack that industry sources said was caused by ransomware.

The company transports 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products through 5,500 miles (8,850 km) of pipelines linking refiners on the Gulf Coast to the eastern and southern United States.

Colonial shut down systems to contain the threat after learning of the attack on Friday, it said in a statement. That action has temporarily halted operations and affected some of its IT systems, the company said.

While the US government investigation is in its early stages, one former US government official and two industry sources said the hackers are most likely a highly professional cybercriminal group. Investigators are looking into whether a group dubbed "DarkSide" by the cybersecurity research community is responsible, the former government official said.

DarkSide is known for deploying ransomware and extorting victims, while selectively avoiding targets in post-Soviet states.

The malicious software used in the attack was ransomware, two cybersecurity industry sources familiar with the matter said. Ransomware is a type of malware that is designed to lock down systems by encrypting data and demanding payment to regain access. The malware has grown in popularity over the last five years.

Colonial has engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm to launch an investigation and contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies, it said.

Cybersecurity company FireEye has been brought in to respond to the attack, the cybersecurity industry sources said. FireEye declined to comment when asked if it was working on the incident.

The US Transportation Security Administration told Reuters it is working with other agencies on the situation.

Colonial did not give further details or say for how long its pipelines would be shut. The privately-held, Georgia-based company is owned by CDPQ Colonial Partners L.P., IFM (US) Colonial Pipeline 2 LLC, KKR-Keats Pipeline Investors L.P., Koch Capital Investments Company LLC and Shell Midstream Operating LLC.

"Cybersecurity vulnerabilities have become a systemic issue," said Algirde Pipikaite, cyber strategy lead at the World Economic Forum's Centre for Cybersecurity.

"Unless cybersecurity measures are embedded in a technology's development phase, we are likely to see more frequent attacks on industrial systems like oil and gas pipelines or water treatment plants," Pipikaite added.

Reuters reported earlier on Friday that Colonial had shut its main gasoline and distillate lines.

During the trading session on Friday, gasoline futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 0.6% to settle at $2.1269 a gallon, while diesel futures rose 1.1% to settle at $2.0106 a gallon - both outpacing gains in crude oil. Gulf Coast cash prices for gasoline and diesel, meanwhile, edged lower on prospects that supplies could accumulate in the region.

"As every day goes by, it becomes a greater and greater impact on Gulf Coast oil refining," said Andrew Lipow, president of consultancy Lipow Oil Associates. "Refiners would have to react by reducing crude processing because they've lost part of the distribution system."

If the system is shut for four or five days, the market could see sporadic outages at fuel terminals that depend on the pipeline for deliveries, he said.

Gulf Coast prices could weaken further, while prices in New York Harbor could rise, one market participant said - gains that could portend increases at the Northeast pumps.

The American Petroleum Institute, a top oil industry trade group, said it was monitoring the situation.

Oil company Exxon Mobil Corp said its Gulf Coast plants were operating normally, and a Royal Dutch Shell PLC spokesman declined to comment.

Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska and a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that the cyberattack was a warning of things to come.

"This is a play that will be run again, and we're not adequately prepared," he said, adding lawmakers should pass an infrastructure plan that hardens sectors against these attacks.

Colonial had previously shut down its gasoline and distillate lines during Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast in 2017. That contributed to tight supplies and gasoline price rises in the United States after the hurricane forced many Gulf refineries to shut down.

East Coast gasoline cash prices rose to the highest since 2012 during Hurricane Harvey and have not gone higher since, while diesel prices rose to a more than two-year high, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.
A company that operates a major U.S. energy pipeline says it was forced to temporarily halt all pipeline operations following a cybersecurity attack.

The operator of a major pipeline system that transports fuel across the East Coast said Saturday it had been victimized by a ransomware attack and had halted all pipeline operations to deal with the threat. The attack is unlikely to affect gasoline supply and prices unless it leads to a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, experts said.

Colonial Pipeline did not say what was demanded or who made the demand. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data, paralyzing victim networks, and demand a large payment to decrypt it.

The attack on the company, which says it delivers roughly 45% of fuel consumed on the East Coast, underscores again the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to damaging cyberattacks that threaten to impede operations. It presents a new challenge for an administration still dealing with its response to major hacks from months ago, including a massive breach of government agencies and corporations for which the U.S. sanctioned Russia last month.

In this case, Colonial Pipeline said the ransomware attack Friday affected some of its information technology systems and that the company moved "proactively" to take certain systems offline, halting pipeline operations. In an earlier statement, it said it was "taking steps to understand and resolve this issue" with an eye toward returning to normal operations.

The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey. Its pipeline system spans more than 5,500 miles, transporting more than 100 million gallon a day.

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Saturday morning and the federal government was working with the company to assess the implications of the attack, restore operations and avoid disruptions to the supply. The government is planning for various scenarios and working with state and local authorities on measures to mitigate any potential supply issues.

The private cybersecurity firm FireEye said it's been hired to manage the incident response investigation.

Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the impact of the attack on fuel supplies and prices depends on how long the pipeline is down. An outage of one day or two would be minimal, he said, but an outage of five or six days could cause shortages and price hikes, particularly in an area stretching from central Alabama to the Washington, D.C., region.

In this Sept. 8, 2008 file photo traffic on I-95 passes oil storage tanks owned by the Colonial Pipeline Company in Linden, N.J. A major pipeline that transports fuels along the East Coast says it had to stop operations because it was the victim of a cyberattack. Colonial Pipeline said in a statement late Friday that it "took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems." (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Lipow said a key concern about a lengthy delay would be the supply of jet fuel needed to keep major airports operating, like those in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

A leading expert in industrial control systems, Dragos CEO Robert Lee, said systems such as those that directly manage the pipeline's operation have been increasingly connected to computer networks in the past decade.

But critical infrastructure companies in the energy and electricity industries also tend to have invested more in cybersecurity than other sectors. If Colonial's shutdown was mostly precautionaryand it detected the ransomware attack early and was well-preparedthe impact may not be great, Lee said.

While there have long been fears about U.S. adversaries disrupting American energy suppliers, ransomware attacks by criminal syndicates are much more common and have been soaring lately. The Justice Department has a new task force dedicated to countering ransomware attacks.

The attack "underscores the threat that ransomware poses to organizations regardless of size or sector," said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director of the cybersecurity division at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency.

"We encourage every organization to take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to reduce their exposure to these types of threats," Goldstein said in a statement.

Ransomware scrambles a victim organization's data with encryption. The criminals leave instructions on infected computers for how to negotiate ransom payments and, once paid, provide software decryption keys.

The attacks, mostly by criminal syndicates operating out of Russia and other safe havens, reached epidemic proportions last year, costing hospitals, medical researchers private businesses, state and local governments and schools tens of billions of dollars. Biden administration officials are warning of a national security threat, especially after criminals began stealing data before scrambling victim networks and saying they will expose it online unless a ransom is paid.

In this Sept. 20, 2016 file photo vehicles are seen near Colonial Pipeline in Helena, Ala. A major pipeline that transports fuels along the East Coast says it had to stop operations because it was the victim of a cyberattack. Colonial Pipeline said in a statement late Friday that it "took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems." (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Average ransoms paid in the United States jumped nearly threefold to more than $310,000 last year. The average downtime for victims of ransomware attacks is 21 days, according to the firm Coveware, which helps victims respond.

U.S. law enforcement officials say some of these criminals have worked with Russia's security services and that the Kremlin benefits by damaging adversaries' economies. These operations also potentially provide cover for intelligence-gathering.

"Ransomware is the most common disruptive event that organizations are seeing right now that would cause them to shut down to prevent the spread," said Dave White, president of cybersecurity firm Axio.

Mike Chapple, teaching professor of IT, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business and a former computer scientist with the National Security Agency, said systems that control pipelines should not be connected to the internet and vulnerable to cyber intrusions.

"The attacks were extremely sophisticated and they were able to defeat some pretty sophisticated security controls, or the right degree of security controls weren't in place," Chapple said.

Brian Bethune, a professor of applied economics at Boston College, also said the impact on consumer prices should be short-lived as long as the shutdown does not last for more than a week or two. "But it is an indication of how vulnerable our infrastructure is to these kinds of cyberattacks," he said.

Bethune noted the shutdown is occurring at a time when energy prices have already been rising as the economy reopens further as pandemic restrictions are lifted. According to the AAA auto club, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 4 cents since Monday to $2.94.

Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration's deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, said in an interview with The Associated Press in April that the government was undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks. She said the goal was to ensure that control systems serving 50,000 or more Americans have the core technology to detect and block malicious cyber activity.

Since then, the White House has announced a 100-day initiative aimed at protecting the country's electricity system from cyberattacks by encouraging owners and operators of power plants and electric utilities to improve their capabilities for identifying cyber threats to their networks. It includes concrete milestones for them to put technologies into use so they can spot and respond to intrusions in real time.

Explore further US moves closer to retaliation over hacking as cyber woes grow

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The Texas Legislature wrapped up this years lawmaking session on Sunday. Although members of the House and Senate touted wins for both Republicans and Democrats, tensions are rising between the legislative bodies amid criticism from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. What would you grade this years legislative session?

You voted:
Genuine multilateralism, int'l cooperation championed worldwide

Xinhua) 09:02, May 09, 2021

-- The world needs genuine multilateralism, and all countries should refrain from pursuing unilateralism and hegemonism, and should not use multilateralism as a pretext to form small circles or stir up ideological confrontation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.

-- China has shown its "great willingness to guide efforts towards a new paradigm in the international arena, where cooperative work is the only path towards a prosperous global future," said Gonzalo Tordini, director of International Relations at the Arturo Jauretche National University in Greater Buenos Aires.

-- "In an effort to revive the multilateral and cooperative spirit of the world, President Xi is trying to push the world to come together, and major countries help each other especially in the midst of this challenging pandemic," said Mueen Batlay, director of the Institute of Management Sciences at Hamdard University in Pakistan.

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The world needs genuine multilateralism, and all countries should refrain from pursuing unilateralism and hegemonism, and should not use multilateralism as a pretext to form small circles or stir up ideological confrontation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.

The vision resonated with the wider public with scholars and experts worldwide holding that true multilateralism should prevail over unilateral interests and narrow regional groupings, and play a due role in promoting global cooperation and solidarity, especially in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

GENUINE MULTILATERALISM

During a phone conversation with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday, Xi noted that pursuing multilateralism is inseparable from the UN's mission, international law and cooperation among countries, and multilateralism has received an increasing amount of support.

"I think the Chinese president is telling the world how China perceives and practices true multilateralism," said Islam Ayadi, assistant professor of political science at the Arab American University in Palestine.

"China believes that true multilateralism means abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, and promoting the democratization of international relations," she told Xinhua.

"Building small circles in the name of multilateralism is in fact fake multilateralism," she said, adding that such a move is actually returning to unilateralism in nature.

President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir stressed on Friday that "strong and effective multilateralism, based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and justice are the foundations for security, stability, peace and prosperity."

"Multilateralism plays a crucial role in fostering dialogue and trust, managing security challenges, such as terrorism and weapons proliferation. And it provides a framework for states to resolve disputes peacefully and without coercion," he said, adding that the multilateral system benefits all, from small states to the largest ones.

Similarly, Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the UN Office at Geneva, pointed out that to make multilateralism trustworthy, all the members within the multilateral system should be given an equal voice.

"We need (to) give a voice to all the members of the multilateral system. All member states should have an equal voice, and we have to listen to everybody," he said.

"It's very important to strengthen multilateralism for this point of view, to make it inclusive, to make it integrated, to make it networking, and working with member states exactly in strengthening this multilateral approach," the official added.

"It is necessary to avoid isolationism and unilateralism. Global solidarity and South-South cooperation are key, not only to confront current challenges that require a multilateral response, but also to prevent future global problems," said Gonzalo Tordini, director of International Relations at the Arturo Jauretche National University in Greater Buenos Aires.

China has shown its "great willingness to guide efforts towards a new paradigm in the international arena, where cooperative work is the only path towards a prosperous global future," he added.

COOPERATION ON FIGHTING COVID-19

"In an effort to revive the multilateral and cooperative spirit of the world, President Xi is trying to push the world to come together, and major countries help each other especially in the midst of this challenging pandemic," said Mueen Batlay, director of the Institute of Management Sciences at Hamdard University in Pakistan.

A worker transports Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 28, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

"President Xi wants a world of cooperation and mutual respect which can fight against any global challenge together," he said, adding that Xi has forged a path towards this through China's efforts to promote international cooperation by helping others against COVID-19.

"I firmly believe that the world of cooperation will surely prevail over petty efforts of adversarial politics and narrow regional groupings," he said. "The time has come for the multilateral, cooperative and supportive spirit that President Xi calls for in international relations."

"The world is wounded, exhausted and economically impoverished. It needs the healing hand of cooperation, not confrontation and political manipulation," the scholar said.

A health worker prepares a dose of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination campaign in Palestine's West Bank city of Nablus, April 4, 2021. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

"If we are to have a chance of dealing with challenges such as the pandemic, climate change and poverty, President Xi's offer of friendship and partnership must be accepted. The future belongs to the unifiers, not the dividers," he added.

The global health and economic crisis generated by COVID-19 has highlighted the need for greater international cooperation and multilateralism, Tordini said.

"China has been one of the main promoters of international cooperation in recent years, and its willingness to work collaboratively with other countries has been especially clear during the pandemic," he said, adding that the pandemic did not interrupt collaboration, but intensified it.

CLIMATE CHANGE

As humankind has abused its environment and seen the consequences brought by climate change and COVID-19, multilateralism must prevail over unilateral interests, said Jose Ignacio Martinez Cortes, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

"Today we see that if we follow a unilateral path of not tackling climate change over the next two generations, then we will have lands devastated by the phenomenon of droughts or floods," he said. "Therefore, multilateralism must prevail beyond unilateral interest."

He added that countries are now faced with two major challenges: climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the United States always wants to "put its interests above multilateralism," and that could lead to "confrontation and wasting time in" addressing these two issues.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 24, 2021 shows a molten-salt solar thermal power plant in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

"If we continue to follow Washington's path, we will be moving through unilateralism and nationalism, and of course the hegemony of Washington. If we go along with what China proposes around the UN proposal, we can multilaterally confront these two (challenging) situations that we are undergoing," he said.

In this regard, the United States has shown an unfortunate willingness at times to deal with global challenges using small, closed groupings and small cliques, said Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies.

"It did so in the area of global public health by prioritizing the Quad framework -- and not the UN or the World Health Organization -- as the primary means for vaccine dissemination in the Indo-Pacific and other developing nations," he added.

"Global challenges require global solutions and global stewardship. Hopefully, it will bear this principle in mind in the context of exercising a co-leadership role to tackle the global climate challenge, going forward," Gupta said.

Photo taken on Dec. 3, 2020 shows a production line of new-energy vehicles in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

As the largest developing country in the world, China has increased its contributions to achieving the highest reduction in CO2 emissions in the world and will achieve carbon neutrality from carbon peaking in the shortest time in the world's history, said Ayadi.

China has already pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which is a much shorter time span than those proposed by many developed countries.

"This demonstrates China's commitment to making more contributions to tackling global climate change and building up its image as a responsible major country," she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
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MOTHERS have been some of the hardest hit by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Globally, mothers have lost their jobs, largely as a result of care-giving demands as many were forced to leave their careers to be at home for their families.
THE Government expects to spend $107 million on Covid-19 vaccines to allow vaccination of 85 per cent of the population, or about 1.2 million people.

So said Minister of Finance Colm Imbert yesterday, at the Red House, Port of Spain.
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My son, in his ever-increasing efforts to make sure Im relatively safe during this pandemic, sent me two packets of masks from the USA. His concern is especially so since I am over 80 and live alone.
There is a very bright light shimmering at the end of the vaccine tunnel. Now that we appear to be approaching that wonderful day when everyone can be vaccinated, the people who are our sitting Opposition, the United National Congress, want to know the cost. This cost they query regarding vaccine purchase, be it Sinopharm/Johnson and Johnson, or otherwise, could negatively affect their political image. Always remember, political image is everything.
Here are todays leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health documented 15 local COVID-19 infections in Hanoi, Dak Lak, Lang Son, Ha Nam, and Bac Giang on Sunday morning, raising the countrys tally to 3,245, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths.

-- Nearly 330 people having direct and indirect contact with patient No. 3,141, who went to Da Lat during the holiday last weekend, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once as of Sunday morning.

-- Authorities in Lam Dong Province, home to touristic Da Lat, have told local students to stay home from Sunday until further notice, as well as advised visitors to cancel unnecessary trips to the province during this period in order to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- The Hanoi Center for Disease Control on Sunday morning recorded five cases that tested positive for COVID-19, including four twelfth-grade students.

Society

-- Police in the northern province of Vinh Phuc have launched an investigation after several video clips showing naked female employees at a venue believed to be a local club named Sunny have been shared on social media.

-- A heatwave will affect northern Vietnam next week, with temperatures reaching 35-37 degrees Celsius, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting reported, adding that it will remain sunny during the day and rainy in the evening across southern localities.

-- One person was killed and three other injured after a tipper truck crashed into a roadwork on National Highway No.1 in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning.

-- Police in the northern province of Cao Bang confirmed on Sunday they had arrested a 24-year-old man for murdering his 26-year-old girlfriend, who was four months pregnant.

Business

-- Vietnam posted a trade surplus of over US$1.29 billion in the first four months of this year, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the Ministry of Planning and Investment as saying.

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Authorities in Vietnam have revealed that a COVID-19 patient had got infected with the disease in Laos before crossing the border illegally and transmitted the virus to two other people.

The patient, coded 3,051, is a 32-year-old man named D.D.T., according to the steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control in Hai Duong Province.

With the help of his cousin, who lives in Laos, T. migrated from Vietnam to Laos unlawfully in late March.

He came into contact with many Vietnamese and Laotian residents while the COVID-19 pandemic was escalating in the neighboring country.

T. illicitly crossed the border again to return to Vietnam between April 20 and 22.

He then headed to many places in northern and north-central Vietnam, including Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ha Nam, and Quang Tri.

The man traveled by bus, taxi, and motorbike taxi on multiple occasions but could not remember the names of the transport companies or drivers.

T.s cousin later informed him that he and at least three other people who had come into contact with T. in Laos had tested positive for COVID-19.

They were being quarantined and treated at the time, the cousin added.

T. began having such symptoms as coughing and a sore throat on April 29 but he still went to several locations.

He only signed up for a COVID-19 test when his condition worsened on May 5.

His result came back positive for the novel coronavirus on May 6.

As of Saturday evening, two of his contacts had been diagnosed with COVID-19, including his girlfriend and her co-worker.

Authorities are carrying out necessary procedures to charge T. for violating regulations on pandemic prevention and causing the spread of a contagious disease in the community.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27, including four cases in Hai Duong.

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Nearly 330 people having direct and indirect contact with a Vietnamese COVID-19 patient who went to touristic Da Lat City during the holiday last weekend have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once.

The Department of Health in Lam Dong Province, of which Da Lat is the capital, confirmed on Sunday morning that all 179 direct contacts and 150 indirect contacts of patient No. 3,141 have tested negative for COVID-19 in their first round of testing.

Fifty-two others who came into direct contact with the patient in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa have also tested negative, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control.

His direct contacts are still required to complete their 21-day quarantine and undergo additional tests in accordance with regulations.

Patient No. 3,141, a 27-year-old man from the northern province of Bac Ninh, boarded flight VN1595 from Hanoi to Cam Ranh City, Khanh Hoa Province on May 1.

On May 2, the patient caught a long-haul bus from Cam Ranh to Da Lat, where he stayed at a local hotel and visited multiple tourist spots, eateries, and coffee shops.

He headed to Lien Khuong Airport in Lam Dong Province on the morning of May 5 and flew back to Hanoi on board flight VN1572.

Vietnamese celebrated a public holiday from April 30 to May 3 inclusive, as tens of thousands of people came to touristic destinations like Da Lat, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, and Da Nang.

After patient No. 3,141 was confirmed on Saturday, authorities in Lam Dong Province have tracked his contacts and fumigated all locations where he had been to.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC) has committed itself to supplying uninterrupted electricity in May, when Vietnam's five-yearly legislative elections take place.

EVNHCMC vice-general director Luan Quoc Hung said the corporation has increased manpower for operation, monitoring, and repair should any issue arise during the critical period.

The company will also station engineers at town hall meeting venues and polling places to swiftly respond to power emergencies, Hung said.

Close to 400 backup generators have been prepared to ensure an uninterrupted power supply across the city for the elections.

On May 23, eligible Vietnamese citizens will vote to elect their representatives in the 500-seat lawmaking National Assembly.

Elected legislators will serve a five-year term ending 2026, meeting at least twice yearly in Hanoi to debate and vote on bills and other national matters.

On the Election Day, Vietnamese voters will also pick members of their local Peoples Councils, who will then elect the executive body, or Peoples Committee, of that constituency.

According to the EVNHCMC vice-chief, the average customer in Ho Chi Minh City has only experienced 0.16 power outages in the year to date.

The average duration of outages has also dropped by three minutes year on year, Hung said.

The companys commitment to zero blackouts in May meets citizens peak power demands during the hot summer month, he added.

Electricity consumption in March and April was 140 percent and 142 percent higher respectively than in February, according to the citys Load Dispatch Center.

The first week of May saw peak power consumption in the southern metropolis.

Between May 4 and 8, the city consumed more than 88 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day on average as mercury was in the region of 35-37 degrees Celsius.

On Wednesday, energy consumption in Ho Chi Minh City topped 90 million kWh, the highest daily number since the start of this year and coming close to the record high of 90.038 million kWh reported on April 24, 2019.

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The number of local COVID-19 cases has climbed steeply in Vietnam after a recent public holiday during which people rushed to popular destinations despite coronavirus warnings from authorities.

The Ministry of Health announced 15 domestic infections on Sunday morning, including six at a hospital in Hanoi.

A total of 221 cases have been logged since May 4, according to the health ministrys data.

On April 27, the ministry recorded a local case, the first after Vietnam had spent about a month detecting zero infections in the community.

Authorities recorded only 35 local infections between April 27 and May 3.

But contagion has escalated ever since, with 80 cases confirmed on Saturday alone.

Vietnamese had taken a four-day holiday, from April 30 to May 3, meant to celebrate Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1).

Tens of thousands of vacationers flocked to favorite touristic destinations like Da Lat, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and Da Nang during the holiday even though authorities kept urging caution as the virus could make a comeback anytime, local media reported then.

The pathogen has spread to 24 provinces and cities in this latest round, which health experts said is much more serious than previous waves because patients have been found catching the highly contagious double-mutant Indian variant.

The mutated strain has been taking a toll on India, where hundreds of thousands of cases are announced daily and deaths are at alarming rates.

At least nine hospitals in Vietnam, including one dedicated to cancer patients in Hanoi, have been isolated over their links to a lot of COVID-19 cases.

Vietnam has reported 3,245 local and imported coronavirus cases as of Sunday morning, according the health ministry.

Recoveries have hit 2,602, including 42 announced on Saturday, while virus-related deaths have remained at 35 for months.

The government has inoculated more than 832,000 people against COVID-19 with AstraZeneca shots as yet.

Those vaccinated were medical staff and other frontline workers.

A medical worker died on Friday of anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely post-vaccination, after being injected with an AstraZeneca dose one day earlier, the Ministry of Health announced the same day.

The country is now using only AstraZeneca shots to inoculate its population after having received almost one million doses via purchase and the COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme to date.

More vaccine doses are expected to arrive in Vietnam on Monday.

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Police in the northern Vietnamese province of Cao Bang have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his girlfriend, who was four months pregnant, and buried her body near a local stream.

Officers under the provincial Department of Public Security confirmed on Sunday they had apprehended and initiated legal proceedings against Dang Tuan Truong, 24, for murder.

Their investigation was initiated after police in Nguyen Binh District received a report from Ly Ton Lai on May 4.

Lai stated that his niece  26-year-old D.M.C.  had not returned home since February 12.

After verifying the case, officers arrested Truong to facilitate their investigation.

At the police station, Truong claimed he and C. had been in a romantic relationship since August 2020.

On February 13, Truong murdered his girlfriend following an argument at his house in Hung Dao Commune, Nguyen Binh District.

He then buried the victims body near a stream, about 500 meters from his home.

C. was four months pregnant when she was killed.

According to the Penal Code, murdering a pregnant woman is punishable by a 12-to-20-year jail term, lifetime imprisonment, or capital punishment.

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The isolation of an alley in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 3 due to COVID-19 was lifted on Sunday morning after 342 contacts of a man who had received a positive retest already tested negative for the novel coronavirus, health authorities said the same day.

The number includes 59 direct contacts of T.H.T., a 22-year-old man from An Giang Province, who retested positive for the virus earlier this week.

The remainder were T.s indirect contacts.

Following the results, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) decided to remove the lockdown of Alley 359 on Le Van Sy Street, Ward 13, District 3, where T. had stayed.

T. first tested positive for the virus in quarantine on February 27, two days after he entered Vietnam through the Ha Tien border gate in southern Kien Giang Province.

After treatment, T. was discharged from hospital and was isolated in Ha Tien City for another 14 days.

After getting two negative tests on April 3 and 9, the young man ended his isolation period on April 10.

Nearly a month later, T. was found positive again when he received a coronavirus test on Thursday as a procedure for his exit from the country.

He has been sent to centralized quarantine in Ho Chi Minh City since the positive retest.

This is just a positive retest, Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the municipal Department of Health, said this week.

The risk of T. spreading the pathogen to others is low, the HCDC said on its verified Facebook page on Friday.

Patients retesting positive after having recovered from COVID-19 are not contagious as restests simply pick up the remains and fragments of the virus in the body, Nguyen Van Kinh, former director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, once said.

"Epidemic investigations in China, Vietnam, and Japan have shown that patients declared recovered and later testing positive did not pass the pathogen to others, even when they had contact with their kin, Kinh elaborated.

Vietnam has documented 3,230 local and imported COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities, including one case on Ho Chi Minh City, since April 27 after having spent about a month logging no transmission in the community.

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In light of the re-emergence of COVID-19 in Vietnam, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has called on pagodas to step up measures against the coronavirus on their premises.

The sangha requires lower-level monasteries to pay close attention to the latest developments of the pandemic, adhering strictly to guidance from the prime minister, the Ministry of Health, as well as orientations from provincial- and city-level authorities regarding COVID-19 prevention.

The VBS requires monasteries to cease all religious gatherings and comply with local authorities' directives if they are located in those provinces and cities that have already recorded COVID-19 cases in the community, or are seeing a high risk of transmission.

The sangha also advises against organizing big gatherings for pagodas in other areas.

Crowded events should only be held if utterly necessary and should secure approval from local authorities, the sangha said.

Organizers are required to uphold COVID-19 prevention guidelines, limit the number of attendees, demand health declaration from visitors, and strictly comply with the 5K recommendations, 'Khau trang" (face mask donning) - 'Khu khuan' (disinfection) - 'Khoang cach' (distancing) - 'Khong tu tap' (no gathering) - 'Khai bao y te' (health declaration).

Regarding the upcoming Vesak ceremony, slated for May 26, as well as the provincial-level Buddhist congress, scheduled for May in several locales, the VBS stated that each monastery and local authority should work out their own plans considering the epidemic developments.

Vesak is the most important holiday in the Buddhist calendar that celebrates three important events, namely the birth, full awakening, and passing away of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. The event falls on the full moon day of May.

Head monks of the pagodas would be held accountable in front of the law as well as the sangha if negligence of COVID-19 prevention measures is spotted on their premises.

In the meantime, clergies should file health declaration, raise awareness of the pandemic for monks and local communities, and send themselves to self-isolation after they have been to outbreak sites.

The VBS statement repeatedly called on monasteries to diligently monitor and report on cases of border jumpering in order to prevent outbreaks in their communities.

On Friday, a staffer working at Tam Chuc Pagoda, Vietnam's largest Buddhist compound in northern Ha Nam Province, was diagnosed with COVID-19, which gave rise to fear of COVID-19 contagion as the pagoda welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every weekend.

The pagoda was closed on April 29, when a cluster of coronavirus infections was found in Ly Nhan District, Ha Nam Province.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27.

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(China News Service (CNS)/AFP via)

The Long March 5B rocket is falling back to Earth after launching part of Chinas next space station.

The 30-meter long rocket entered orbital velocity, meaning it is now traveling around the world every 90 minutes  too fast for space agencies to tell where it is going to land.

Last year, a similar prototype craft came within 13 minutes of hitting New York City. The craft was eventually confirmed by the US Space Forces 18th Space Control Squadron to have landed in the Atlantic Ocean.

If the rocket re-enters the atmosphere above a populated area, the result will be akin to a small plane crash scattered over 100 miles, Jonathan McDowell, Astrophysicist at the Astrophysics Centre at Harvard University, has said.

Fortunately, the likelihood is that people will remain safe and there will be little damage to buildings or the environment. This is not due to preventative or defensive measures, however, but rather a question of statistics.

For an uncontrolled re-entry event like this, it is not possible to accurately predict where the object or parts of the object will fall, the European Space Agency (ESA) says.

This is mainly because atmospheric density, which is what will push the rockets altitude to eventual re-entry, is not known below 300 kilometres because spacecraft do not fly at such low heights.

The Long March 5B rocket is currently fluctuating at an altitude of between 170 and 372 kilometres, but has been seen dropping to 160 kilometres today.

It is also likely that the object will simply burn up on re-entry, but parts of the rocket with a high melting point could make it to the ground. Experts struggle to know exactly how the rocket will make it through its re-entry, because the Chinese space agency only gives limited information about its spacecraft.

Yet because the Earth is 75 per cent water, and because large areas of land are uninhabited, the risk of any single individual is quite small  with people at more risk driving a car than from this rocket.

Story continues

Worst case [scenario] is one of the structural rods hits someone, potentially a fatality but unlikely to see multiple casualties, McDowell told The Independent. He added that the debris will be travelling at approximately 100 miles-per-hour, so there could be expensive property damage, but because it will be spread over 100 miles, only one or two pieces are likely to hit a populated area.

In the past decade, about 100 satellites and rocket bodies have re-entered the atmosphere each year, with a total annual mass of about 150 tonnes, and the issue of space debris is one that is only going to be exacerbated with time due to a lack of legislation around cleaning up the space around our planet.

Nasa scientist Donald Kessler warned that the domino effect of a crash between two pieces of space detritus could create an impenetrable layer of debris that would make terrestrial space launches impossible  essentially trapping us on Earth.

This potential problem is much greater than the small probability of debris hitting buildings, or even people. In such an event, planned missions to the moon or even terraforming Mars could be irrevocably scuppered.

Read More

Chinese rocket news - live: Tracker says falling spacecraft will crash to Earth within hours
The chances of the sanctions war around Nord Stream 2 to rage on after the construction of the pipeline is finally over seem to be high. As Modern Diplomacy writes, that said, we have to admit, with regret or with joy, that it will be completed, and for the following reasons:

Germany, like any other European country, has set itself the task of abandoning coal and nuclear energy within the next few decades. In reality, however, there is no alternative to coal and nuclear energy. Simultaneously forsaking gasoline and diesel cars, which is something Europe dreams about, will inevitably increase the EUs demand for electricity. However, green energy is unlikely to satisfy Europes energy needs any time soon. Hopes for cheap thermonuclear energy are unlikely to come true until 2050 at best. Therefore, in the coming decades, natural gas, Russian and other, will obviously remain the most convenient and cheapest fuel. At the same time, regardless of where the pipelines run, Russian natural gas will account for a significant share of the European and world markets. This is not politics  just a simple economic reality.

Despite the attributed environmental benefits of Nord Stream 2 and the Russian natural gas, the positive impact of replacing coal with natural gas remains largely unclear as it depends on the volume of methane leaking from the processes of gas extraction and transportation. Nonetheless, Nord Stream 2 presents itself as an attractive alternative for the EU as it would help decrease gas prices because Russia will be able to supply the EU with higher amounts of gas, thus, decreasing demand for expensive imported liquified natural gas (LNG).

Nord Stream 2, although a privately-financed commercial project, has political implications. Politics and economics are too closely intertwined, and in the short term at that. The abandonment of Nord Stream 2 will hardly weaken Russia. This will only result in Europe losing a good opportunity to effectively ensure its energy independence, as well as that of its Baltic and Eastern European allies, many of whom, unable to fully integrate themselves into European energy systems, continue to buy electricity from Russia.

At the same time, Nord Stream 2 will help make Germany a guarantor of the EUs energy security. More and more people now feel that the sanctions against the Russian-German project are essentially meant to undermine Germanys growing influence. However, even this abnormally cold winter has shown that political problems and competition for influence in the EU are taking a back seat to energy security issues. The disruption in LNG supplies from the United States has only underscored Europes need for the Nord Stream. Besides, when completed and controlled by Germany, Nord Stream 2 could be used as a means of pressure against Russia and Russian supplies which is exactly what Brussels and Washington want.

Yet, the United States continues to oppose the Nord Stream 2 project and, thus, trans-Atlantic tensions between Germany and the United States are on the rise. Like the Obama and Trump Administrations which opposed Nord Stream 2 and introduced tangible steps to halt its progress, the Biden Administration is too faced with a lot of pressure by American lobbyists and members of the Congress in order to push back and halt Nord Stream 2 progress and efforts. However, until this very day, US President Biden and his administration did not sanction the project, which could be understood in lights of Bidens struggling efforts to repair relations with Germany after the Trump Administrations accusations towards and troop withdrawals from Germany. Thus, although the current administration under Biden still opposes Nord Stream 2, it is reluctant to impose any sanctions because its priorities lie with repairing US-German ties in the Post-Trump era.

The United States is not the only opposing International player to Nord Stream 2, but even many Eastern European countries, including Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland are against the pipeline project in fear of geo-economic insecurity. For instance, it is believed that Nord Stream 2 would cost Ukraine approximately $2 to $3 billion in losses as the transit volumes shift from Ukraine to Nord Stream 2. Another argument put forth by European opposition to Nord Stream 2 is that it would undermine the EUs energy solidarity or even a potential Energy Union; however, Germany and supporters of Nord Stream 2 often highlight that the imported Russian gas would not only benefit Germany, but rather all of Europe. The pipeline is expected upon completion to be able to transport 55 billion cubic meters of Russian Natural Gas to Germany and other clients in Europe!

Despite oppositions, threats of sanctioning and the earlier construction halt in December 2019, it seems that the Gazprom-Pipeline Nord Stream 2 will be completed and will go online soon as the Biden Administration continues to refrain from imposing sanctions.
May 9 marks the 76th anniversary of historic victory over fascism, Trend reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the grave of twice Hero of the Soviet Union Hazi Aslanov, put flowers at his statue and paid tribute to all Azerbaijanis killed during the World War Two.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili, together with members of the Cabinet of Ministers, paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the Second World War ll in the Veterans Park, InterPressNews reports.

According to Irakli Gharibashvili, it is everyone's duty to appreciate the merits of the heroic veterans, to remember their heroic deeds and to honor those who sacrificed themselves in this great war.

"Today is the 76th anniversary of the victory over fascism. First of all, I would like to congratulate our heroic veterans on this glorious day, this is the day of the greatest victory in which our heroic Georgians, veterans, took part. As you know, the Georgians made a great contribution to this great victory over fascism," Gharibashvili said.
Under the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the interest in new payment technologies is growing in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to a survey conducted recently in 18 countries by MasterCard, 94% of respondents said they would consider using at least one new payment method such as QR codes, e-wallets and cryptocurrencies next year. Notably, up to 74% of respondents said they would shop regularly at small businesses if there were more payment options.

In 2020, 84% of consumers in Asia Pacific said they used more emerging forms of payment. Notably, up to 64% of respondents (75% of them belong to Generation Y - millennials) said they tried using new payment methods because of the pandemic impact.

Cashless payments are becoming more popular in Vietnam and other Asian countries.

Along with this is a change in consumption habits. Consumers are expecting to be served both directly and online. In fact, 60% of the respondents said they would avoid stores that do not accept any form of electronic payment.

In the future, the use of payment technologies will increase, while the use of cash will gradually decrease.

In fact, 69% of Asian consumers plan to use cash less next year. Meanwhile, e-wallets have become quite popular among consumers in this region. At least 68% of respondents plan to use this type of payment next year. This is higher than the global average (about 62%).

Payment methods have changed in 2021, according to a survey by MasterCard.

In Vietnam, according to the State Bank of Vietnam's statistics, more than 255,000 transactions made via e-wallets were conducted in the third quarter of 2020, with a total value of over VND100 trillion. In general, e-wallet transactions in the third quarter of 2020 increased by 123.1% in the number of transactions and 141.5% in value over the same period in 2019.

This shows that like people in most other countries in the region, Vietnamese are gradually changing. Instead of using cash, Vietnamese consumers are using digital payment utilities.

Asians especially like QR codes and cryptocurrencies.

Among emerging payment methods, QR code payments are particularly popular in the Asia-Pacific region. This type of payment has a particularly great attraction in the Asia-Pacific region compared to the rest of the world.

Among those using QR codes for payment, 63% said in 2020 they used this method more often than in the past.

The rate was 64% in both Thailand and India, higher than the global average of 56%. The survey by MasterCard shows that convenience and hygiene were the main reasons for users to make touchless payments through their mobile devices.

In Vietnam, according to the State Bank of Vietnam's statistics, although the QR code payment has been implemented for a short time, 30 banks and about 90,000 transaction points have accepted payment via QR Code.

Besides QR Code, cryptocurrencies are asserting their positions. In the Asia-Pacific region, 45% of the respondents said they might consider using cryptocurrencies next year. This figure is well above last year's 12%, and 40% higher than the global average.

The popularity of cryptocurrencies in different countries. Data: Statista

Geographically, more consumers are more comfortable with using cryptocurrencies in Thailand (46%) and India (44%) compared to Australia (17%). However, with their volatile prices, cryptocurrencies are more of an investment item than a currency to spend.

In Vietnam, cryptocurrencies are considered an illegal means of payment. The issuance and use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment will be handled according to the provisions of law.

However, many statistics show that Vietnam currently ranks second in the world for the popularity of cryptocurrencies. According to Statista's survey, of every five Vietnamese, one said they used to use or own cryptocurrencies.

Trong Dat
The city will control foreign investment in the real estate area as well as their transfer of collected money abroad to prevent money laundering, transfer pricing and tax evasion.







Hanoi will continue reviewing housing projects and new urban areas where have sold houses and apartments to foreign individuals and organizations in order to ensure the compliance with the housing regulations of Vietnam.

This is a key instruction in the implementation of housing and real estate market policy in the capital city recently given by Duong Duc Tuan, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee.



We will strictly control foreign investment in the real estate area as well as their transfer of collected money abroad to prevent money laundering, transfer pricing and tax evasion," Tuan noted.

According to Hanoi Department of Construction, in 2019-20, there were 60 housing projects allowing foreign ownership of houses or apartments in the citys districts of Hoang Mai, Ha Dong, Nam Tu Liem, Bac Tu Liem, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Ba Dinh and the outlying districts of Hoai Duc and Gia Lam.

Local insiders have commented that many foreigners are interested in premium projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where are not affordable to the majority of Vietnamese people.

Le Hoang Chau, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, estimated that 17 leading real estate developers have sold a total of 12,335 houses to foreigners in the 2015-20 period, of which more than 10,000 units were sold in HCM City.

The number of houses owned by foreigners accounted for less than 1% of the total houses of the commercial housing projects. Under current regulations, foreigners can own less than 30% of the dwelling houses of a housing project, Chau added.

The real figures sold to foreigners in the 2015-20 period was relatively modest, Chau said.

Under Document No. 1203 of the Central Steering Committee on housing policy and real estate market, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will continue to focus on the improvement of institutions governing the housing and real estate market, overcoming the overlaps between current laws.

hanoitimes
Vietnamese enterprises need to be proactive in terms of gaining knowledge of incentives, whilst simultaneously managing themselves in order to deal with gaps and weaknesses occurring in the implementation of FTAs, according to economic experts.

The negotiation, signing, and implementation of a series of FTAs in recent years has offered positive conditions for local firms to promote their exports and connections, whilst enjoying deeper participation in the global value chain and production network.

In the context of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic both last year and in the early months of this year, FTAs have increasingly emerged as a bright spot in the overall picture of the nations economic growth.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reports that as of April, authorised agencies and organisations have issued more than 127,296 sets of C/O form EUR.1 (Certificate of Origin), with a turnover of more than US$4.78 billion to 27 EU countries. In addition, enterprises exporting goods to the EU market also self-certify the origin for roughly 3,585 consignments worth over US$10.88 million in order to enjoy tariff preferences in line with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Import and Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), says that goods with C/O form EUR.1 mainly consist of footwear, seafood, garments and textiles, agricultural products, and products such as cereals and electronics. Import markets are mostly based in countries that have seaports, distribution hubs, and transshipment centres within the EU, such as Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.

Alongside the EVFTA, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will cover a vast market with 2.2 billion consumers, thereby accounting for approximately 30% of global GDP and being the largest free trade area in the world.

Furthermore, the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) also appears to have shown many positive signs in recent times, with Vietnamese exports to the UK during the first half of the year increasing by 22.1% over the same period from last year.

In terms of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in just two years since the implementation of the deal, trade turnover between the nation and the other 10 CPTPP countries has reached US$77.4 and US$78.2 billion, up by 3.9% and 5%, respectively compared to 2018.

Nguyen Thi Cam Trang, deputy director of the Import and Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, says that in the context of almost all CPTPP partners reducing imports, the country has still achieved growth which indicates that the CPTPP has been creating a range of positive effects.

Enterprises need to swiftly fix "holes" and weaknesses

There is no denying that participating in new generation FTAs is benefiting the nation in terms of tariff reduction. However, the implementation of these trade deals also poses numerous challenges to many industries, especially in relation to quality and standards.

Nguyen Khanh Ngoc, deputy director of the Europe - America Market Department under the MoIT, commented that FTAs are also contributing to increasing competition pressure for the national economy and local enterprises. This thereby requires local businesses to comply with high standards of rules as a means of taking full advantage of opportunities and limit commercial disputes.

Non-tariff barriers to imported goods in the markets of FTA participating countries with Vietnam will tend to increase with the high trend of protection and application of technical, labor and protection standards. This is seen as a big challenge for businesses, affecting the ability to capitalize on tariffs," Ngoc states.

Various economic experts believe that in order to make the most of opportunities from FTAs and to minimise the challenges faced, domestic businesses need to be proactive in grasping the advantages that FTAs bring, whilst also dealing with their "holes" and weakness.

To increase opportunities enjoyed by Vietnamese businesses to expand their export markets through the CPTPP, Do Thi Thu Huong, Vietnam Trade Counselor in Canada, notes that local firms must be more proactive in terms of grasping the advantages in the framework of the trade deal. In particular, import tax incentives can have a direct impact on the price mechanism between both buyers and sellers, therefore it can be considered as a basis for negotiation with partners.

The rules of origin in the CPTPP are new and very complicated, so local businesses need to invest human resources to learn the rules and procedures to prove the origin to be able to enjoy tax incentives. Besides, management agencies should promote more online tools, organise seminars and instructions in each field and industry so that businesses can learn and seek useful information," Huong adds.

VOV
A special variety which produces gourds weighing up to 15 kilograms has been handed down by generations of Hai Phong families, while an ornamental tree variety in Dong Thap province has leaves with four colors.

Gourds that weigh 15 kilograms

These are some of the unusual phenomena that can be seen in Vietnam.

Giant gourds

Cat Hai district in Hai Phong City is considered the metropolis of these round giant gourds. The gourd has an original shape, and thick pulp and strong flavor.

People can fry the gourd with garlic and dip it in hot pot broth. However, it is tastiest if cooked with fresh shrimp. Cat Hai people like to make the soup with rau den com (Amaranthus viridis).

According to Doan Quang Chiem, who has one of the largest gourd growing areas in Nghia Lo commune, the round gourd first appeared many years ago. Previously, people grew it to make dippers used in saltwater and fish sauce production. Since saltmaking careers in Cat Hai have fallen into oblivion, the gourd is used to make daily dishes.

4-color ornamental tree

New ornamental plants have appeared in Sa Dec Flower Village. When buds come out, the leaves have a pink color. Later, the leaves turn white and then have a marble color. Finally, the leaves turn green. The flowers are white.

If the trees are grown in sunny places, they will have more beautiful colors.

Two-year old trees are sold for VND1 million. The trees shaped like pine trees are sold for VND15 million per pair. Larger trees have higher prices. Old-style trees are worth up to VND100 million.

Since the trees are odd looking, easy to grow, and believed to bring good luck, they sell very well despite the high prices.

The tree is believed to be sourced from Thailand. It attracts few pests. As the branches are flexible, they are easily bent to create bonsai style trees.

Tuna eye specialty in Phu Yen

Tuna eye is considered an "exclusive" dish of Phu Yen province. In 2014, this dish was voted by the Association of Records as one the 10 most famous seafood specialties of Vietnam.

With its high nutritional value, the ocean tuna is used to create a large variety of seafood dishes. Tuna meat is for export, while tuna eyes are used to make stewed tuna with Chinese medicinal herbs.

However, some people may be afraid of the dish, because tuna eyes are large. They may be as big as a small bowl or even larger . Many people dare not eat the eyes, but after they try, they get addicted.

Fish gather for food at people's homes

With its high nutritional value, the ocean tuna is used to create a large variety of seafood dishes. Tuna meat is for export, while tuna eyes are used to make stewed tuna with Chinese medicinal herbs.

An odd thing has occurred in Dong Thap province: thousands of wild fish have flocked to local peoples river wharves or fish ponds to seek accommodations.

Recently, thousands of pangasius fish flocked to the river wharf owned by Nguyen Thi Nhan and her family in Doc Binh Kieu commune in Thap Muoi district of Dong Thap Province.

The total number of fish that Nhan is keeping and feeding is up to 2,000. Each of the fish weighs 1-3 kilograms. Not only catfish but other kinds of fish also come in the morning or afternoon for food.

With the presence of the fish, Nhans home has become noisier with visitors. People come to see the fish and bring food to them.

According to Nhan, the fish are very friendly. People can touch them and feed them, and the fish do not bite.

Nhan calls the fish her children. When she is away, she tells the fish to stay near the house and not to go far, or they may be caught by people.

U Minh bee sauce

U Minh area if well known for its cajuput forests and famous for its bee honey. Bee nests, including honey, beeswax and bee pupae (young bees) are some of the products.

Bee honey is used as medicine and precious gifts for friends, while beeswax is used in medicine and cosmetics production, while young bees are used to make special dishes to treat guests.

The most special dish is bee sauce. Tran Thi Van, the owner of Hai Ngo bee sauce workshop in U Minh Town, said that as she did not want to throw young bees away, she tried to make bee sauce. The bee sauce turned out to be very delicious, so she decided to sell this kind of sauce, forming the U Minh bee sauce brand.

Man in Da Nang has collected 10,000 old banknotes

Tran Van Nam, born in 1992, has collected ancient banknotes since his childhood. After obtaining a masters degree in Japan, he returned to Vietnam, skipping a job opportunity as a university lecturer to pursue his passion of collecting old banknotes.

His collection now includes 10,000 Vietnams banknotes and banknotes of other countries.

Bao Anh

Fish sauce enjoys a taste of success Sixty-year-old Nguyen Thi Tam has been making fish sauce for nearly half a century and has developed her own brand - Tam Tuoi - within the line of fish sauce made by the Cua Khe cooperative.
Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that if the Industrial Revolution 4.0 is considered an institutional revolution, with changes in management and business models, Vietnam has many opportunities.

VietNamNet would like to introduce the full text of the speech by Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung on the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is simply the revolution of new technologies in physics, biology, artificial intelligence, big data, IoT, 3D printing ... which can create landmark changes in the way people live, work and communicate with each other.

The three previous Industrial Revolutions were to replace manual labor. The 4th Industrial Revolution is to replace intellectual labor.

The three previous Industrial Revolutions were called mechanization, electrification and automation. The 4th Industrial Revolution should be called the revolution of intelligence.

If we consider the 4th Industrial Revolution to be the revolution of technology, then Vietnam has few opportunities because we are unable to master the underlying technologies. But if we consider the 4th Industrial Revolution as an institutional revolution, the change of the management and business model for the applications of new technology, Vietnam will have more opportunities. For example, the technology of telemedicine has been available; the question is whether the authorities decide to use it or not. Likewise, the technology of online learning is ready, but the question is whether or not the authorities decide to apply it and recognize the results of online studies as direct studies.

We are a latecomer, so we shoulder less burdens of the past, less physical burden of the previous industrial revolutions, so we can accept the new, the new model, the new infrastructure more quickly. Then this is the chance of the latecomer. Going later, you can go first.

With technologies of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, the more problems a country has, the more opportunities for its technological development. African countries have few banks, local people do not have bank cards, and so Mobile Money thrives there, instead of bank cards, and in a very short time, cashless payments became popular among all people, because everyone has mobile phones. Meanwhile, it took developed countries hundreds of years to universalize cashless payment.

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is really about helping the poor. Small businesses don't have many opportunities, but Alibaba has changed this, creating a commerce platform to bring them to people, to the world, something only big businesses could do before.

Mobile money can help farmers sell oranges and bananas at high prices, because urban dwellers are willing to pay high prices for safe food. Children in border areas and islands can also learn from the best teachers in the country. Vietnam is a low-middle-income country, which has many problems that need breakthrough solutions, and the Industrial Revolution 4.0 is very suitable.

It is an advantage for Vietnam that it has many digital technology companies (currently nearly 60,000, and the goal is 100,000 digital technology firms by 2025). Vietnam has some large digital technology enterprises and companies that are successful in trade and commerce and now turn to technology. These corporates can develop technology products, bring technology to every province, every commune, can penetrate every corner of the social life. Not many countries have this advantage.

Vietnamese people are very suited to digital technology. Vietnamese are very diverse, intelligent, can adapt quickly and flexibly, can tailor technology and products suitable for all subjects, all circumstances, which is very suitable for Industrial Revolution 4.0 - a revolution in personalization that can produce a single shirt for one person. If we succeed in Vietnam, we can go global.

The Politburo issued Resolution 52, defining eight groups of policies for Vietnam to actively participate in the Industrial Revolution 4.0:

1 - Renewing thinking, unifying awareness, strengthening the Party's leadership, State management over the Industrial Revolution 4.0

2 - Perfecting institutions to facilitate the 4th Industrial Revolution and digital transformation

3 - Developing essential infrastructure, especially digital infrastructure

4 - Developing national innovation capacity

5 - Human resource development

6 - Developing priority industries and technologies

7 - International integration

8 - Promoting digital transformation

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung

National Strategy on Fourth Industrial Revolution issued The Prime Minister has issued the National Strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution by 2030 to fulfil goals set in the Politburos Resolution 52-NQ/TW that outlines policies guiding Vietnams active involvement in the revolution.
Ho Trong Minh, one of the artists who had the honor of drawing the pattern on Vietnamese banknotes, said that President Ho Chi Minh and Queen Elizabeth II are the only people who have have appeared on banknotes while they were still alive.

Artists Nguyen Sang and Mai Van Hien drew the image of the President without seeing him face to face. By that time, he had been the President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam for four months.

On May 6, the State Bank of Vietnam celebrated the 70th anniversary of its establishment.

Special image

For the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the past and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam today, President Ho Chi Minh is seen with a beautiful smile shown on every banknote.

In the first period of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with the peoples immense love towards President Ho Chi Minh, banknote standards were secured partially thanks to the prestige of the President, though the administration was then very young, the national treasury was worth nearly nothing, and the quality of the banknotes was very low.

The form of banknotes and their quality reflected the "face" of State Bank.

Regarding the security factor of the set of banknotes released in 1946, it is undeniable that they were too sketchy. Such banknotes did not inspire peoples confidence.

Surprisingly, there is no document saying that the banknotes were counterfeited in that period, though Vietnam then had to struggle with internal opposing forces and foreign enemies.

Experts believe that the banknotes were not counterfeited, partially because of the boundless love towards President Ho Chi Minh. Vietnamese people always trusted in Uncle Hos banknotes and did their best to supervise and protect the banknotes.

Later, when releasing other sets of banknotes for the next periods, the State Bank of Vietnam attached much importance to security insurance with an aim to prevent counterfeiting from anywhere.

Prior to 1990, Vietnam made the decision to build a national banknote printing factory, but it still had to ask other socialist countries to help print the banknotes with a high nominal value. Only banknotes with low value were printed in Vietnam.

Peoples confidence

The portrait of President Ho Chi Minh was drawn when he was alive. There have been only two cases of showing frontal images of the person on banknotes. In other cases, only profiles were shown.

Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Dao Minh Tu, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the national banknote printing factory, spoke about difficulties in the periods of construction and development of the factory.

In 2006 and 2007, banknotes were sometimes carried away before the printing ink was dry to ensure there were enough notes in circulation. Printing machines ran all the time and workers worked tirelessly.

Despite the lack of facilities, techniques and funding, and limited wages, the factory always fulfilled its tasks of providing enough cash to the economy and the banking sector.

The State Bank plans the amounts of money to be put into circulation, and the national banknote printing factory is in charge of providing that amount of money.

Tu praised the creativity of artists in designing the banknotes. Technical officers and workers have invented new methods. The design, printing and technical decoration are also very good. The image of President Ho Chi Minh appeals to peoples hearts.

Since 1945, more than 70 denominations of banknotes have President Ho Chi Minhs images on the front. This is a special characteristic of Vietnams banknotes and the State Bank of Vietnam over the last 70 years.

Pham Minh Quoc, a banknote collector, said that Vietnamese banknotes have been issued in the periods of 1946-1951, 1951-1959, 1959-1978, 1978 -1987, and from 1987 to now, including the polymer banknotes launched in 2003.

The portrait of President Ho Chi Minh was drawn when he was alive. There have been only two cases of showing frontal images of the person on banknotes. In other cases, only profiles were shown.

Vietnamese artists drew the President's pictures when he was in danger as he was being tracked by spies in 1945 and after 1946.

The portraits of President Ho Chi Minh in different periods all have special characteristics.

When the country entered the long and arduous resistance war, the images showed a President with concern for the nation's destiny, but they were also imbued with the spirit of freedom, self-reliance and kindness.

Over the last 70 years of development of the banking sector, Vietnamese have had the feeling that Uncle Ho keeps watch over the banking sector thanks to the banknotes with his portrait.

Quoc Phong

Strategies to suit bankings challenges The overall picture of the banking industry in 2020 and into 2021 has revealed both strengths and weaknesses.
Nong Ngoc Duy, PhD, honored as one of five leading young scientists in social sciences in Australia, said he had to work no less than 80 hours a week for a long time, and sometimes 14 hours a day, to survive the global competition.

Nong Ngoc Duy, PhD, is honored as one of five leading young scientists in social sciences in Australia

Duy works for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). He is implementing Government and multinational projects on global issues of energy security, food security and climate change. He recently was given the title of Associate Professor of Griffith University.

His task is building a center for energy economics and policy research, helping improve energy economics and public policy research for the university and students.

Working in three countries in five years

Ten years ago, when setting foot in Australia, Duy could not imagine what his path in the future would be. He went abroad just to "see how the learning, working and research environment in the world operates".

At first, Duy studied for a masters degree in econometrics at New England University. After two years, he finished the program with high marks and obtained a scholarship to study for doctoral degree on building an overall economic model and studying the impact of climate change mitigation policies in countries.

Thanks to his excellent achievements during the study for a masters degree, Duy got support from his teacher, Prof Mahinda Siriwardana, to participate in some Australian Government funded projects related to the mitigation of CO2 emissions.

After that, Duy left Australia for Colorado State University in the US and Bonn University in Germany where he studied and lectured for three years.

After working in Australia, the US and Germany, he realized that these countries all attached much importance to research but did it in different ways.

In the US, for example, in-depth research with large-scale multi-disciplinary research teams from different universities and research institutes is preferable. In Germany, scientists focus on new research directions.

By the time Duy had been in Germany for one year, when hearing that the Australian Government was seeking candidates for the post of senior researcher at the national research institute, Duy decided to return to the country to take the job.

Nong Ngoc Duy, PhD, honored as one of five leading young scientists in social sciences in Australia, said he had to work no less than 80 hours a week for a long time, and sometimes 14 hours a day, to survive the global competition.

Now Duy participates in multinational projects and works with scientists from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the US, Austria and Canada. His studies are mostly in the field of energy security and food security.

Living abroad

To be able to live in foreign countries, Dong says that he needs to try a lot more than native people.

The first land I set foot in was Armidale, with 22,000 people and an area of 80 square kilometers. My wife and I once had to carry a 10-15 kilogram bag of newspapers on our shoulders to deliver to half of the local population, he recalled.

In summer, I had to get up at 5 am and leave for the office. At 5 pm, I had to work at a Thai restaurant. At 9 pm, I had to deliver newspapers until 2 am the next morning, he said.

After 10 years of making great efforts, he said his research results got recognition. In 2020, he was honored as one of five leading young scientific researchers in Australia in the social sciences.

The award recognises young scientists working in Australia who have excellent scientific articles published in prestigious journals. Their research not only helps solve problems in Australia, but also shows solutions to global problems, especially in underdeveloped countries.

Duys research creates progressive models and methods that assess the impact of climate change policies on the Australian economy and other countries such as Vietnam, China and the US.

The award also recognizes his contribution to the settlement of the melting ice problems at the Arctic Pole, plastic waste, and the social security of ethnic minorities amid natural disasters and floods caused by climate change.

To date, Duy has published more than 30 scientific articles in prestigious journals such as Energy Economics, Applied Energy, Energy Policy, Energy, Journal of Environmental Management, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Environmental Science and Policy.

One third of his research works have relations to problems existing in Vietnam.

The latest research project that Duy and 17 Vietnamese scientists in Vietnam and overseas are implementing relates to electricity transmission and generation from fossil materials and renewable energy sources in all regions in Vietnam.

Academic research

Duy also spends time to support young researchers by recommending scientific research methods and how to write scientific articles.

Duy stressed that even if research results are good, they will be inaccessible and not understandable to the public and policymakers if they cannot be shown in a transparent and logical way.

Duy also pointed out that 70-80 percent of research works remain on paper as they are difficult to be applied to reality or used for scientific reference.

Thuy Nga - Huu Duc - Phuong Thu

Five Vietnamese among top 100 scientists in Asia Singapore-based Asian Scientist magazine has included five Vietnamese scientists on the list of 100 Asian scientists who have had outstanding achievements in scientific research.
At an interview for the post of lecturer at Flinders University, Ngo Tuyet Mai, when asked why the university should choose her, said in addition to her knowledge and experience, she also has empathy and understands international students.

Mai is now working as a senior lecturer at Flinders University, the only Asian lecturer in the Faculty of Society, Arts and Humanities' program in English Language Teaching Education.

To be admitted to an Australian school to work as a lecturer, first of all, your CV needs to outperform other candidates. At the interview, you need to show that you deserve the position, she said.



Mai said she spent many years equipping herself with knowledge, skills and experience, while also learning from excellent lecturers and professors.

She attended lectures given by experienced lecturers at Sydney and New South Wales universities, where she studied for a masters degree and doctorate.

Attending the lectures helped me grasp different approaches and learn a lot from experienced lecturers. Only when understanding the environment and work of a lecturer in Australia well could I find my roadmap to learn, strive and thrive, she said.

Her deep knowledge helped her perform well at the interview for the lecturer post.

Mai considers her being Asian an advantage that allows her to be closer to students, understand them and inspire them.

I always try to learn and constantly renew my lectures. And I regularly ask for feedback from students and I do this throughout the course, not only at the end. This allows me to make adjustments when necessary, she said.

Before I begin my lectures, I tell my students that if there is something they cannot understand, they can blame me. I ask them to tell me immediately so that I can explain once again in a clearer way, she added.

Her students dont hesitate to share their thoughts with her, which makes her lessons more open and effective. The interactions between them are extremely useful, she said.

Her academic journey

After years of postgraduate study in Australia, Mai returned several times to Vietnam to work at Hanoi University, where she had studied in the past.

At an interview for the post of lecturer at Flinders University, Ngo Tuyet Mai, when asked why the university should choose her, said in addition to her knowledge and experience, she also has empathy and understands international students.

She applied for an Australian Government scholarship in 1999-2000 and obtained a scholarship for a masters degree program in English teaching at University of Sydney.

Soon after obtaining a masters degree, she returned to Vietnam and devoted herself to Hanoi University for 10 years, ignoring job opportunities in Australia.

During the five years of working as General Faculty Dean, she realized that she still lacked management skills. She decided to go to Australia to study for a doctorate in university administration for four years. When returning to Vietnam, she took the post of Director of the International Education Center at Hanoi University.

Two years later, she returned to Australia for postdoc study and became a lecturer at Flinders University.

Vietnamese can make contributions to the countrys building and development, no matter where they live, Mai said, explaining why she decided to stay in Australia.

Mais research projects all have relations with Vietnam.

Concerned about the quality of English teaching and learning in Vietnam, the Vietnamese lecturer, who is in her late 40s, organizes free seminars for teachers of English every time she returns to Vietnam. She has done this since early 2019.

As Covid-19 broke out which forced Australia and many countries to close their doors, Mai and her co-workers organized online seminars with topics of public concern, such as helping teachers ease the workload thanks to smart solutions and improving the teaching of English thanks to attractive teaching methods.

English is key for progress

Mai, a former English major student at the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, said the biggest problem in Vietnam is that both teachers and students are under pressure from tests and examinations, so they have to spend too much time on review to prepare for grammar and vocabulary exams and international certificates (IELTS and TOEFL).

Learning how to use English as a daily communication tool has not been given much attention.

She also pointed out that many teachers want their students to have English skills as high as native speakers. They tend to correct minor mistakes in pronunciation.

This puts pressure on English learners and makes them lose interest in learning English. As they fear that their pronunciation is wrong, they are afraid of speaking and communicating. This way of teaching English is ineffective, she said.

Thuy Nga - Phuong Thu
PM Pham Minh Chinh on May 9 held an urgent video conference with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, relevant ministries and agencies, and six provinces along the southwestern border,

focusing on how to respond to the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs an urgent video conference on May 9 on how to respond to the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the country. (Photo: VNA)

The conference was organised after the PM inspected pandemic prevention and control work in the southwestern border provinces. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, joined the meeting from Hanoi, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh from Tay Ninh province, and Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh accompanied Chinh from An Giang.

At the event, PM Chinh underlined the growing complexity of the current COVID-19 outbreak, with a very high risk of the coronavirus spreading nationwide.



There were localities lowering guards against the virus and not prepared themselves with suitable response scenarios, he said, emphasising that local leaders will be held accountable for leaving the pandemic out of control or stagnant economy in their localities.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)

The PM also noted the threat from illegal entry across the border while the pandemic is ravaging neighbouring countries, and demanded strict control of entry and residency.

Voicing his concern over the spread of misinformation on COVID-19 response efforts and vaccination on social media which has created public concern, Chinh urged the mass media, the Party Central Committees Commission of Mass Mobilisation and Commission of Education and Communication to intervene to end the issue.

He stressed that if the pandemic spreads across the country, it would affect the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021  2026 tenure and this academic year, therefore, all local administrations, organisations and units must strictly and drastically comply with instructions of the Party and the Government regarding COVID-19 control and ensure social security and order.

The PM also pointed to the need to prepare accommodations and treatment facilities for a 30,000-case scenario.

He asked all cities and provinces to come up with plans to ensure safety for the upcoming elections, and the completion of the 2020-21 school year while ministries must collaborate more closely to combat the virus.

The Ministries of National Defence, Public Security and Health were also asked to send more personnel and supplies to support border provinces, particularly those in the southwest.



According to the Health Ministry's statistics, 257 new infections had been detected in 26 cities and provinces from April 29 to 12:00 May 9. Meanwhile, during only the past week, a total of 515 people entered Vietnam illegally from Laos, Cambodia and China. The actual number is likely to be even higher./.VNA
PM Chinh and other candidates running for seats in the 15th National Assembly met voters in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thos constituency No. 1 on May 8.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has pledged that he and the Government will work hard, together with the whole political system, army and people, to promote the countrys achievements and overcome difficulties and challenges so as to further boost its development and successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

PM Chinh and other candidates running for seats in the 15th National Assembly met voters in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thos constituency No. 1 on May 8.

The PM said that over 35 years of Doi Moi (renewal), Vietnam has gained great achievements. However, the country is facing big challenges, including the aging population, exhausted natural resources, climate change and non-traditional security issues, he noted.

The Government leader pointed out three key pillars for the countrys development  people, including their brainpower and values, value of nature and natural resources, and national historical and cultural values. He also stressed the need to promote the national great solidarity bloc for national development.

Regarding the action plan designed by the Government to realise the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, PM Chinh said that the plan was made to suit the reality and will be implemented in a comprehensive and synchronous manner with a proper roadmap and certain priorities.

On the development of the Mekong Delta region, including Can Tho city, he said that the 20-million-strong region has yet to fully tap its potential, advantages and competitiveness edge.

Regarding transport infrastructure, the PM said it is necessary to focus on studying and re-planning the transportation system of the Mekong Delta region, and outline solutions and mechanisms for developing inland waterways, seaports, roads, expressways and airports in the region.

He suggested local authorities uphold the spirit of self-reliance, join hands with the Government to further promote socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta, effectively perform the Government's Resolution on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta to adapt to climate change, and the Politburos Resolution on building and developing Can Tho city to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

For Can Tho city, he underlined the need to build the city into a political, economic and culture centre and a hub of transport, logistics services and agriculture of the whole region.

The Government leader also discussed COVID-19 prevention and control efforts with local voters, noting that it is essential to oppose tendencies of being distracted, panic, and extreme in the fight against the pandemic.

The PM urged the entire people, including voters in the Mekong Delta region, Can Tho city in particular, to voluntarily and strictly follow regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Voters in Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang and Phong Dien districts of Can Tho city highly valued action programmes of the candidates, expressing their opinions and recommendations on issues of the country and people.

They hoped that if the candidates are elected, they will effectively implement their action propgrammes, and solving well issues that voters care about.

VNA
As many as 144 excellent students who were members of Vietnams national teams participating in international Olympiads will be exempted from the high school graduation exam and directly admitted to universities and colleges in 2021.

The list has just been released by the Ministry of Education and Training.

This list includes 29 students who represented Vietnam at the International Mathematical Olympiad, 38 members of the national team at the International Olympiad in Physics, 30 members of the national team for the International Olympiad in Chemistry, 26 members of the national team for the International Olympiad in Biology, and 21 members of the national team for the International Olympics in Informatics.

The Ministry of Education and Training recommended that local Departments of Education and Training, universities, institutes, and colleges consider recruiting these students in 2021 according to current regulations.

Thuy Nga

Cerebral palsy student to represent Vietnam at 2021 Asian Informatics Olympiad Nguyen Duc Thuan, a disabled student at the Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted in the northern province of Bac Ninh, will be one of 15 Vietnamese contestants at the Asian Informatics Olympics, which will take place in late May 2021.
The Health Ministry confirmed 87 additional COVID-19 cases on the evening of May 9, including 77 locally-infected ones detected in 9 provinces and cities.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs an urgent online meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control (Photo: VGP)

The latest domestic cases included Bac Giang (26), Bac Ninh (15), Hanoi (11), Hung Yen (2), Hoa Binh (2), Da Nang (17), Hue (2), and one each in Quang Nam and Quang Tri.

All imported cases were immediately placed into isolation upon arrival to prevent the virus spread. The new cases have brought the national count to 3,322, including 1,963 community infections.

In the face of the increasingly complicated developments of COVID-19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 9 chaired an urgent online meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, relevant ministries and agencies, and six provinces along the southwestern border, with a particular focus on coping with the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the nation.

The government leader stressed that some localities have lowered guards against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that local leaders will be responsible for leaving the pandemic out of control that will result in economic slowdown in their localities.

Chinh underlined the strict control of cross-border illegal entry as the pandemic is rapidly spreading and ravaging many neighbouring countries.

He asked all cities and provinces to work out plans to ensure safety for the forthcoming elections, and the completion of the 2020-21 school year while ministries need to boost closer collaboration in the COVID-19 fight.

The same day, eight positive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Hanoi capital, and the northern provinces of Hung Yen and Thai Binh were confirmed to be carrying the B1.617.2 strain of the virus from India.

The results were released following the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology sampled COVID-19 patients for genetic sequencing in order to identify the specific variant of the virus.

According to the Health Ministry, as many as 334 fresh local infections have been detected across 26 cities and provinces from April 29 to May 9.

VOV
Scotland's first minister vows to push for independence as SNP wins parliamentary election

Xinhua) 09:10, May 09, 2021

Scotland's First Minister and the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon gives a speech at the SNP annual conference 2019 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain on Oct. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

LONDON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon on Saturday pledged to push for a second independence referendum as her party secured "historic and extraordinary" fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish parliamentary election.

As the final results have been declared, the SNP will form the next Holyrood government with 64 seats, just one short of an overall majority.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives have secured 31 seats; Scottish Labour 22, Scottish Greens eight and Scottish Liberal Democrats four.

In an earlier televised speech, Sturgeon said the SNP had won the most constituency seats and secured the highest share of the constituency vote in the history of devolution.

According to the BBC, the turnout of 66 percent during Thursday's election was the highest since the Scottish parliament was established in 1999.

"It is then to kick-start and drive our recovery with an ambitious and transformative programme for government," Sturgeon said.

"And, yes, when the crisis has passed, it is to give people in Scotland the right to choose their future. All of that is what I promised and all of that is what I intend to deliver."

Sturgeon said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

Photo taken on Jan. 22, 2019 shows the EU flags, UK flag (Union Jack flag), flag of Scotland and flag of Wales in central London, Britain. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Earlier Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that it would be "reckless and irresponsible" for Scotland to hold a referendum right now.

"I don't think this is anything like the time to have more constitutional wrangling, to be talking about ripping our country apart, when actually people want to heal our economy and bounce forward together. That's what people want," he said.

David Phinnemore, professor of European Politics at the Queen's University Belfast, has said the result of Scotland's election could impact the future of Britain.

"I suppose if the SNP doesn't get the majority, fall short of that majority, then it takes some of the pressure off in terms of Scottish independence," Phinnemore told Xinhua.

"The SNP is not going to go away. The whole question of Scottish independence isn't going to go away. But I think some of the momentum will have been taken out of this move towards a second referendum or the question of independence," he said.

Meanwhile, Phinnemore said there is a mix of concerns among Scottish voters.

"Obviously, a number of them are wanting to see an independent Scotland because they don't feel as though Scotland's actually been listened to during the Brexit process, or indeed, the COVID process. Equally, you obviously got people who want to see this very much opportunity to say, we don't want independence," he noted.

In the 2016 Brexit referendum, a majority of Scots voted for Britain to stay in the EU.

Phinnemore added that a Scottish independence in the context of Brexit would bring huge uncertainties both to Scotland and to Britain as well.

"And obviously, independence in the context of Brexit is different to independence in the context of membership in the European Union. And I think one of the concerns, if we look at the Brexit dimension is, if Scotland were to rejoin the European Union, you'd have to have border checks and withdrawals on North South across the English Scottish border," he said.

"And we know those are problematic, they are disruptive. And so from that dimension, there'll be costs, involved costs, which wouldn't have been there last time round," he added.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 09.05.2021 - The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is very concerned about the escalation of violence in Jerusalem, particularly on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and in Sheikh Jarrah. On 3 May, the FDFA called for calm in these fragile times, and today calls again on all parties to take immediate action to defuse the tension.

The escalation of violence in the Middle East is a matter of great concern, including clashes on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount in Jerusalem which have left many people injured in recent days. The FDFA calls on all parties to act immediately to defuse the tension and to refrain from inflammatory actions or statements. Evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and other parts of East Jerusalem  which are in contravention of international humanitarian law  are further fuelling tensions.

The FDFA has stated that the preservation of the historical status quo on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and the peaceful coexistence of all residents of Jerusalem must be guaranteed in accordance with international law.

The search for a negotiated two-state solution in accordance with international law and internationally agreed parameters is one of the priorities of the Federal Council's MENA Strategy 202124. Switzerland remains at the disposal of the parties to facilitate the resumption of dialogue.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Life, as interrupted and upside down as it is, must go on. My kids cant do everything they used to with some places still closed, but they can pursue living outside of other peoples comfort zones. So they do.

Being thankful for happy celebrations is easy. Being thankful to be living in a world where the new normal is anything but normal takes effort. When I look at whats going on in the news and hear how others are living in fear, I see a world that I dont recognize anymore. Society seems to have lost its mind with a novel virus thats got a pretty high recovery rate. Terrified of humans and interacting with them, Ive never seen anything like it in my life!

No matter their ages, though, lifes always been busy for us. Some of the busy is good  it keeps us out of the house and active in our community. Some of the busy can sometimes be overwhelming, for both the kids and for me. For each of us, this year has had more stressors thanks to COVID19. Despite those stressors, well, and because of those, its been one of the most trying years ever. When lifes been flipped upside down, especially by someone or something else, it makes it hard to move in a forward direction. Getting to celebrate a happy birthday in the middle of one of our busiest weeks put the biggest smile of my face. That time to pause, to focus on life, and to celebrate it (with cake!) put things into perspective for me.

In the beginning, we all felt a little rebellious going against the hive mind. Television doctors told us to stay home. Politicians told us to stay home. Neighbors told us to stay home. We did that. Until we didnt. Now, and for several months, weve gone into stores, into Church, and into restaurants because those places, too, believe that life must go on. Sure, online shopping, curbside pick-up and virtual Mass on Sundays could save us some time and energy, but humans need other humans. My children need their friends. I need my friends, too! It isnt the old normal, but tiptoeing back into places we knew were healthy places and hanging out again with people we love was exhilarating.

Were, of course, cautious when we need to be, and were honest at all times about how things are going in case we encounter someone who is fearful of catching an illness we dont have. None of us like the extra talk of mandates and or losing more freedom when those conversations start. Those are tough moments all around. Nevertheless, we understand that not everyone thinks like us. Some people prefer restrictions and lockdowns, and they blindly trust television doctors who push experimental vaccines. We do not. Several restrictions are still part of some of day-to-day activities and do hamper some of the things we want or need to do. But that hasnt stopped us from living completely. If anything, its made our family more creative in how we get things done. The kids have morphed when theyve needed to, and weve been flexible in how we parent also. Both of us, the kids and myself, have gotten compliments when we do go out to the stores, restaurants and to Church. People tell my children how well behaved and happy they look. They tell me what a good job Im doing despite all the stressors that exist. My favorite moments are when someone, many times a complete stranger, tells my kids what a great mom they have. They smile shyly, and I beam. I tell them thank you and that I appreciate them noticing how hard I work for my kids and their health. Nodding toward me, they tell me to keep at it. I promise them that I will.

I know that what works one day certainly may not work the next, but thats true no matter whats going on in the world. The world can be nutty, these days more so than ever before. But not all of it is on the brink of despair. Even though COVID19 changed a lot of things, and potentially still will in the future, I cant let that get to me. I cant let that grip my kids lives right now either. Like always, I will look for people who are positive and who can help us. I will look for places that are welcoming and that treat their customers  masked or unmasked, vaccinated or unvaccinated  with respect. I will make sure my children, all five of my teenagers, know to look for that as well.

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
https://www.aish.com/tp/b/ancient-modern/Unified-Diversity.html

Muzafer Sherif was a Turkish born psychologist who moved to the United States for graduate school and moved back to Turkey in the 1930s to teach in Ankara University. He was imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement for criticizing the Nazi party and the Turkish government. He subsequently moved back to America, becoming a pioneering social psychologist.

He is known for one of the most famous experiments related to intergroup conflicts and resolutions. Sherif gathered 22 boys in Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma and divided them into two groups  the Eagles and the Rattlers. At first, the two groups did not interact with each other and naturally built their own group cohesion. In the second stage of the experiment, the two groups were placed in situations where they would have to compete for various rewards and resources. Consequently, hostility between the groups increased, engendering hatred and creating conflicts.

Finally, the groups were made to interact without competition, but this itself did not decrease the conflict. Tensions decreased and intergroup cohesion was created only after the two groups were made to work together towards a mutual goal that required them to cooperate (termed a superordinate goal).

The beginning of this week's Torah portion delineates the details of a census that God commanded Moses to take of the Jewish males over the age of twenty. The numbers presented are divided by the different tribes and the specific formation that the tribes took in the desert is described as well. The first verse communicates the exact date that God spoke to Moses, namely, the first day of the second month of the second year after they were taken out of Egypt. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky asks, why is that they waited until the second year to take this census and create the tribal formations? Wouldnt it have made more sense to do this in the first year?

Rabbi Kamenetsky explains that there is a danger inherent in the tribalism that is presented in this week's Torah portion. Separating by groups and standing behind flags creates an us-versus-them mentality. When people stand in groups behind their own flags, they will favor their own group and be hostile to the other groups. One way to overcome this natural human tendency is to create a unifying, superordinate goal. In our case, that is the function of the Torah. Only with the Torah in the center can we attempt to create a healthy, cooperative group dynamic. Only with the mishkan, the tabernacle, in the center of the formation could the tribes march around in their own group.

This is why God waited until the second year, after the Torah was given and after the mishkan became the epicenter. Only then was the danger of having different tribes mitigated.

This tension between the in-group and the out-group is highlighted by Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch as well. Introducing the census (Numbers, 1:1-2), God tells Moses to count the heads of the entire congregation of Israel (adat Bnei Yisrael) according to their families (lemishpechotam) and the house of their fathers (le-beit avotam). Rabbi Hirsch argues that adat Bnei Yisrael represents the unified whole of the people in the desert. However, there is a second aspect, focusing on the families and the households. This second part represents the individual differences between families and tribes. This diversity and uniqueness is important, but can be dangerous if not expressed within the context of a unified whole.

As we prepare for Shavuot, may we merit finding our own unique voices and contributions to the Jewish people, while not allowing these differences to create divisiveness. This can be accomplished if our focal point is serving God, not ourselves or our groups, and then we can stand unified in heart and mind as we accept the Torah.
An Alabama man is free on bond after his arrest for his alleged involvement in the killing of a farm animal during what authorities said was a ritual sacrifice during training in Georgia for a white supremacist group, authorities said.

Brandon Gregory Ashley, 27, of Hayden, Alabama, was extradited Thursday to Rome, Georgia, from the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Alabama, and subsequently released on a $10,000 bond from the Floyd County Jail, The Rome News-Tribune reported.

Ashley, Patrik Mathews, William Garfield Bilbrough IV, Brian Mark Lemley Jr., and Duncan Christopher Trimmell were charged last month with aggravated animal cruelty and all but Trimmell were also charged with livestock theft by a Floyd County grand jury, according to an indictment first reported by the Rome News-Tribune. It was not immediately clear whether any of them had a lawyer who could comment on the charges.

Floyd County prosecutors identified the animal, which they say was killed during a meeting of the group in October 2019, as a ram. Federal prosecutors have said it was a goat. They have said the men stole the animal and ended up shooting it to death.

Georgia prosecutors said the animals killing occurred at a north Georgia training camp organized by The Base, a white supremacist group that espoused using violence to accelerate overthrowing the U.S. government. The group has largely dissolved after a series of arrests in 2019.
Alabama lawmakers return to Montgomery on May 17 for the final day of the 2021 session.

Legislators could decide a number of controversial issues on the last day including a gambling bill, a proposal to ban gender-affirming treatment for minors and a bill to forbid local police officers from enforcing any new federal gun restrictions.

A number of bills have already fallen by the wayside this session. Those include a bill to allow no-excuse absentee voting and another to change the state law protecting Confederate and other longstanding monuments.

Here is a look at some of the measures that are pending on the final day of the legislative session and some that are already dead for the session.

WHATS PENDING:

GAMBLING

The Senate-passed proposal would allow a state lottery and nine casino locations in the state. However, negotiations in the House of Representatives fell apart leading to finger-pointing over who was responsible and an unsuccessful effort by Republicans to switch the bill for a GOP-backed lottery proposal. Lawmakers could try again on the final day of the Alabama legislative session. However, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said he believes the outlook for the bill is doubtful.

TRANSGENDER TREATMENT

The bill would make it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a doctor to prescribe puberty-blockers or hormones or perform surgery to aid in the gender transition of people 18 or younger. Arkansas earlier this year became the first state to enact such a measure. The Alabama bill cleared the state Senate in early March and awaits a vote in the House of Representatives. Opponents, including parents and trans youth, say such measures interfere with medical decisions and target trans individuals for the sake of politics. Sponsors counter that they are trying to protect children from decisions that should wait until adulthood. If approved, it would almost certainly face a legal challenge.

OPPOSING FEDERAL GUN LAWS

The Alabama Senate approved legislation to make it a crime for local police officers to enforce any new federal gun restrictions, part of a wave of GOP nullification proposals to try to resist any new gun control measures. Senators voted 21-5 for the bill by Republican Sen. Gerald Allen of Tuscaloosa. The bill is awaiting a vote in the Alabama House of Representatives. Republicans in several states are pushing such measures. Opponents of the bill argued that the U.S. Constitution already protects gun rights and that Republican lawmakers are going to get the state embroiled in a costly lawsuit that they will ultimately lose.

THIRD-GRADE READING PROMOTION REQUIREMENT

After COVID-19 disrupted two school years, Alabama lawmakers are weighing a pause in an upcoming state requirement for third-graders to pass a reading test before moving up to the fourth grade. The Senate-passed bill by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, that would delay the promotion requirement, now set to take effect next year, by two years. Smitherman and others said it would be unfair to force the requirement on students who were out of the traditional classroom for long stretches during the pandemic. Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the original law creating the requirement, said she would prefer to wait until after spring test scores are in before deciding if a delay is needed.

WHATS DEAD

NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING

Legislation by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, would have done away with requirement to have an excuse, such as being ill or out of town, in order to vote by absentee ballot. The bill did not get out of committee. Hall said allowing people to vote early by absentee ballot would be a convenience to busy voters who may have difficulty getting to the polls during the 12-hour window on election day. Hall said people were happy with the expanded opportunity to vote by absentee in November, and it is something the state should continue.

CHANGES TO CONFEDERATE MONUMENT PROTECTIONS

The House Judiciary Committee rejected legislation by Democratic Rep. Juandalynn Givan of Birmingham that would repeal the state law protecting Confederate monuments and instead allow cities and counties to move unwanted monuments and give them to state archivists for preservation. Another bill to up protections for the monuments did not get a vote. The bill by Republican Rep. Mike Holmes of Wetumpk would have boosted the fine for removing monuments from a flat $25,000 to $10,000 a day. During discussions on the bill, Holmes drew criticism by maintaining the Civil War was not about slavery, a view contrary to most historians.

PROTEST BILL

A Senate committee did not act on a House-passed bill to stiffen penalties for participating in riots and traffic-blocking demonstrations. The bills sponsor said the legislation is needed to crack down on violent behavior, but advocacy groups and Black lawmakers said they feared it would be used to jail and intimidate peaceful demonstrators. The GOP-dominated House of Representatives voted 74-25 for the bill.
Arkansas is ending its participation in the federal unemployment program that gives workers an additional $300 a week, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Friday, citing a shortage of workers.

The Republican governor directed the Division of Workforce Services to end the states participation in the program after June 26. The federally funded additional benefits had been scheduled to run through early September.

Hutchinson said businesses in retail, restaurant and other sectors are trying to return to employment levels before the coronavirus pandemic, but employees are as scarce today as jobs were a year ago.

The $300 federal supplement helped thousands of Arkansans make it through this tough time, so it served a good purpose, he said in a statement released by his office. Now we need Arkansans back on the job so that we can get our economy back to full speed.

Hutchinsons move follows Montana and South Carolina, which earlier this week announced they were leaving the supplemental program.

Arkansas unemployment rate was 4.4% in March, the most recent figure available, significantly lower than the national rate at 6%.

Hutchinson announced the decision the same day the U.S. Labor Department said, nationally, employers added just 266,000 jobs in April, sharply lower than in March and far fewer than economists had expected.

In a memo to the head of the state Division of Workforce Services, Hutchinson said continuing the states participation in the program would hamper employers ability to fill more than 40,000 job vacancies in the state.

But Arkansas AFL-CIO President Alan Hughes said fear of returning to unsafe conditions during the pandemic is whats keeping workers away, not the additional payments.

Hutchinson has lifted the states restrictions because of the virus, including a statewide mask mandate and capacity limits for bars and restaurants. Hutchinson last week signed into law legislation that, starting in late July, will prevent any state or local mask requirements.

Theyre still concerned about their safety, Hughes said. Why put them in that danger again now?
A five-car crash in Tuscaloosa on Sunday morning left one person dead and injured an off-duty Alabama State Trooper, Tuscaloosa police said.

The accident happened at the intersection of McFarland Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Parkway at about 9:35 a.m.

A state trooper was one of the drivers involved and is being treated for a minor injury, police said.

Tuscaloosas Accident Reconstruction Unit was on the scene Sunday afternoon and police asked travelers to avoid the area.

At 4:30 p.m., Tuscaloosa Police announced that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has taken over the investigation.

Update:

Jose Angel Guerrero Ortiz, 47, of Tuscaloosa, died in the Sunday morning wreck on McFarland Boulevard at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The troopers 2017 Ford Explorer stuck a 1995 Jeep Cherokee being driven by Ortiz around 9:35 a.m. Sunday. Ortiz was pronounced dead at the scene, while the trooper was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center.
If you have been keeping an eye on the election audit taking place right now in Maricopa County, Arizona, then you also know that Democrats, news propagandists, and "concerned" NeverTrump Republicans are beginning to sound more and more like trapped rats squeaking in fear. An army of lawyers  many of the same political operatives who manipulated the November election by contravening existing election laws and flooding battleground states with uncontrolled and unverified mail-in ballots  are begging state and federal courts to stop the audit midcourse and petitioning Arizona's Democrat secretary of state and Merrick Garland's Department of Justice to intervene under the absurd pretense that ensuring election integrity somehow deprives voters of their civil rights. Arizonan and Biden-supporter Cindy McCain has publicly called the vote recount "ludicrous" because "the election is over." And MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is so terrified of what the auditors might find that she insists that the whole exercise is not only "dangerous," but also the "end of democracy."

Even though the entire audit is being conducted with unprecedented transparency and live video feeds that invite viewers anywhere in the world to watch the process, reporters and adverse political agents have been repeatedly caught attempting to infiltrate the well run operation or laboring to expose the identities of workers. If there is a reason for inserting spies into an already open process other than to later cast doubt upon the integrity of the auditing process itself, I don't know of it. And if there is a reason to expose workers' identities to the public other than to make them targets for campaigns of harassment and intimidation, reporters have made no attempt to provide it.

Compare the highly professional audit taking place in Arizona to the orchestrated chaos of the presidential election. It took five days last November for vote-counters to find enough mail-in ballots for Joe Biden for the Democrat press corps to declare him the winner, and in the voting precincts where Trump leads disappeared over those days, transparency was nowhere to be seen. Vote-counters covered windows with cardboard to block outside observation of any kind; counting paused and restarted in secret; and ad hoc procedures were established on the fly and without consistency from one precinct to the next when determining whether to include ballots lacking legally required voter identification metrics, including even the rudimentary safety protocol of a loosely matching voter signature. If "free and fair" elections require basic security, verification of ballot authenticity, and consistently applied standards at least across the precincts and counties of any one state, then there was obviously nothing free or fair about the 2020 election.

The remarkable thing is that most Americans have actually come to this correct conclusion. After six months of some of the worst gaslighting in America's history, during which corporate news propagandists and tech behemoths have colluded with federal and state authorities to paint the presidential election as aboveboard and all those who question its legitimacy as kooks, "extremists," "violent insurrectionists," and "terrorists," the nearly universal narrative drumbeat from the press and the psychological warfare deployed against regular Americans have failed miserably in their desired effect. Whether spray-painted on highway overpasses, discussed in uncensored online forums, or spoken aloud, more and more Americans have concluded that the election was stolen from President Trump.

State legislatures were useless in ensuring election integrity. Election lawsuits in Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin failed to provide any timely mechanism for remedying violations of states' own election laws, let alone for redressing the likelihood of outright fraud. The Supreme Court shirked its own constitutional duty to safeguard American enfranchisement by declining to hear on appeal the merits of lawsuits alleging electoral misconduct, consenting to review controversies only after Biden's inauguration and then largely booting them as moot, and outright refusing to exercise its original jurisdiction over Texas's suit against other states for their failure to ensure equal application of their own voting laws as required by the Constitution.

At every step of the way, America's institutions utterly failed to safeguard the security of the 2020 election beforehand, to protect Americans' votes once the predictable catastrophe of mail-in balloting unfolded on November 3, or to provide any semblance of the rule of law afterward that could have remedied the election's obvious and multifaceted failures and halted America's downward decline toward a banana republic farce whose elections look less reliable than those in Venezuela.

Yet the common sense of the American people has largely prevailed over the "Big Lie," an astonishing accomplishment during a time when Americans have never been more controlled by government authorities micromanaging everything, from what they wear across their faces to which pronouns they use to refer to others.

I have always been of the opinion that whether the full scale of the 2020 election's fraud and manipulation ever comes to light, the historical record will never be able to account for three facts that betray most Americans' common sense: (1) no president for a century and a half has won more votes during re-election than he did for his first election yet lost re-election, and President Trump gained over ten million new votes over his 2016 victory; (2) Joe Biden, a man evincing obvious signs of mental decline and dementia who generated historically low levels of excitement among his own Democrat voters, somehow won over fifteen million more votes than Barack Obama, the political rock star who energized Democrats like no other politician in recent memory, managed in 2012; and (3) President Trump won almost every traditional bellwether county in the country from coast to coast by double-digits.

After a year when Facebook and Twitter did everything they could to minimize Trump's reach to his voters and his voters' reach to each other, and after years of outright Pravda corporate news that pushed the Deep State's "Russia collusion" and Ukraine "quid pro quo" lies to take down a sitting president, President Trump's vote totals in 2020 were still so remarkable that they would have normally indicated a resounding mandate from the American people.

It is revealing that, unlike other past election losses, there was no great Republican "autopsy" done in order to pinpoint what went wrong, as there was after Mitt Romney's 2012 failure. Other than an occasional assertion that Republicans "must do better with suburban women," there is no serious analysis about how Republicans should improve upon President Trump's 2016 totals. The reason why is obvious: he did better with voters, in general, than any other sitting president in history, and with minority voters in particular than any Republican in sixty years.

When George Bush recently remarked that Republicans would lose future elections if they appealed only to a "white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant" base, his out-of-touch assessment of the 2020 election was apparent to anyone paying attention. However WASP-y George Bush's Republican Party may have been, it is Donald Trump who expanded the party's reach to Americans of every background, and Trump's direct engagement with black voters has been so successful that even Obama was forced to minimize the accomplishment as merely due to Trump's "macho style."

Trump built that. Most Americans seem to have figured that out.

The problem with using the organs of the State to advance outright lies is that the State becomes less and less credible as more lies are revealed for what they are. The audit in Maricopa County, Arizona involves the votes of one county out of roughly 3,100 in the United States, but after six months when Americans' collective common sense has been at odds with the collective narrative of the powers that be, one county's truth could expose a whole nation's lies.

No wonder Democrats find it so "dangerous."

Image: John via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped).

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Yes, I am a white woman, and yes, I have white privilege  too many privileges to count and many of which I do not consciously know, wrote Christina Wyman in Detroit Free Press last year.

Ms. Wyman  who is an adjunct professor at Michigan State University  is one of many white Americans whom we have watched in the course of the last twelve months lamenting, kneeling and beating their chest in public acts of contrition over the allegedly inherent racism of American society.

One cannot but be startled by this behavior, not least because the charges of racism against America are plainly untrue. Whatever faults the Unites States may have, it is certainly not a racist society, which is something that should be obvious to anyone with the eyes to see (see here).

Rather than being racist, the American system actually favors black people at the expense of the rest. Black people in this country enjoy special rights, protections and privileges that are unavailable to their white counterparts. For a quick reality check, we need to go no further than the admission departments of American universities. Most of them engage in gross forms of discriminatory practices against white and Asian candidates in order to advantage black applicants. This kind of pro-black discrimination is endemic throughout American institutions. Tracing the roots of this bias to the legislation passed in the 1960s, the great commentator Paul Craig Roberts observed that

A system of racial privileges for blacks was forced on universities, employers, and the population. Less qualified blacks were given preference over more qualified whites in university admissions, employment and promotion. Freezes are used against white admissions, employment, and promotion until racial balance is achieved.

Robertss comment is an apt summary of Americas present-day treatment of black people which is decidedly preferential in nature.

It is true that racism has played a role in the history of this country (as it also did in the history of nearly every other country). America, however, has not been institutionally racist for a good half a century now. During this time, it earnestly sought to redress past injustices. Fred Reed, another astute observer of our societal scene, expressed this fact well when he wrote last year: In truth, America has made the greatest effort ever essayed by one race to uplift another. Thanks to this effort we have now reached the point where American blacks are one of the most favored minorities in history.

This is one of the reasons why the United States is the number one immigration destination of black people worldwide. Just ask yourself this: If America truly were a racist nation would black people really want to come and live here? Neither do we see African Americans  whether rich or poor  running away from this country. Why? Because they know they would not have it better anywhere else.

Why, then, are so many American whites so eager to confess their societys non-existent sin of racism? There are several different reasons why white people do this.

Some do it out of fear. It is a sad fact that many of us now live or work in an environment which is so politically correct that not agreeing that America is racist may result in negative repercussions or outright punishment.

Others do it, because those around them do it, and they do not wish to stand out or draw unwanted attention to themselves.

There is another set that subscribes to the doctrine of racist America, because they wish to make the impression of being good, compassionate and enlightened. These are your notorious virtue signalers.

Then there are those whites who keep pushing the idea of America the racist because they receive some benefit from it, be it political power, money, influence or just the plain satisfaction of wreaking havoc in their country. This category would include, for example, white politicians who seek to increase their share of black vote through this kind of demagoguery. Activists, professors and intellectuals who derive their livelihood from writing and speaking on the subject of racial struggle likewise belong here. Included here are also officials and employees of various governmental agencies, non-profits and NGOs whose purported mission revolves around the issue of discrimination and whose levels of funding depend directly on the perceived severity of this problem. And then there are the perennial malcontents and revolutionaries who seek to cause as much discord as possible in order to destabilize the society they detest.

There is, however, a distinct subset of American whites who genuinely seem to believe that they and their society are racist. Their confession is all the more remarkable for the fact that most of these people are not known to have done or said anything that could be construed as racist. This is the group we want to focus on here, because their claims and actions signify profound moral confusion.

There is something clearly ill-conceived about their chest-beating and tear-filled confessions. The guilt that these people experience could not have originated from racist transgressions either on their part or on the part of the society in which they live.

The question is this: What is the real source of this guilt and why do they so eagerly embrace the false charge of racism as an excuse for their public acts of self-flagellation?

Human sense of guilt

To understand the psychological process behind the white guilt complex, we have to recognize an important aspect of our existence: a deep-seated sense of guilt is an indelible feature of the human condition. It is experienced by all people throughout their lives with various degrees of intensity at different times.

This sense of guilt comes from regrets about having done things that we know we should have not done and from not having done things that we know we should have done. When examining the course of our lives, honest people will have to admit that we have taken many actions that we knew were improper, wrong or outright immoral. At the same time, we have also many times failed to fulfil and carry out our obligations and duties.

Because of the way human conscience works, every lie, every wrong action, every misdeed, every act of omission gives rise to guilt. But we rarely face and process this guilt properly, because the human mind has a strong tendency to gloss over and suppress such negative emotions. Yet it is impossible to get rid of guilt by evasion. If not admitted and repented, it lodges itself in the subconscious regions of the psyche. Over the years and decades this pool of guilt keeps accumulating and its dark presence weighs heavily upon the conscience.

Yet most of us are reluctant to confront this head on. We are afraid to honestly admit our transgressions, because we fear that such an act may expose us for the selfish manipulative person that we are, which would not be an easy truth to accept. To prevent this from happening, the mind tries hard to avoid connecting our sense of guilt with its true source.

This brings us back to the question of why some white Americans are so eager to plead guilty when charged with the (nonexistent) offence of racism: it gives them a convenient scapegoat on which to pin the sense of guilt that gnaws on the human psyche. Since confession and repentance of ones sins is the way of purging guilt, these whites unthinkingly seize on this false opportunity in hope of cleansing themselves of their sense of sinfulness.

By pleading guilty to the fake sin of racism  a most grievous sin these days  they try to evade looking at their real moral failings and thus avoid the unpalatable truth of our fallen human existence. This is the psychological mechanism that lies behind the seemingly incomprehensible manifestations of the widespread white guilt complex which so glaringly defies the reality of the situation in the United States. It is misplaced self-guilt that is the driving impulse behind this phenomenon.

Graphic credit: The Noun Project CC BY 3.0 license

Vasko Kohlmayer was born and grew up in former communist Czechoslovakia. He is the author of The West in Crisis: Civilizations and Their Death Drives.

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By the time the Cola Wars really heated up in the 1980s, Coca-Cola had perennially enjoyed the upper hand over Pepsi in a rivalry that dated to the dawn of the twentieth century. In 1975, however, Coke began to feel threatened by Pepsi, due to a marketing ploy -- the Pepsi Challenge. It was a blind taste test to show that more people preferred Pepsi over Coke.

Interestingly, this wasnt just a gimmick. Internal research at Coca-Cola confirmed that when the brand association was extracted from the equation, consumers preferred Pepsi, with its sweeter, more syrupy flavor.

In one of the most famous business decisions in modern history, Coca-Cola reacted to what they believed to be consumer sentiment in 1985. People were in love with the notion of Coca-Cola, but they werent necessarily drinking Coca-Cola to the extent they had been before. So, it changed the signature formula of the drink to taste more like Pepsi, with the new concoction becoming known as New Coke.

It was a move that has been described as both a colossal business blunder and an unintended stroke of marketing genius. Coke fans were immediately outraged, and Pepsi was delighted to be The Choice of a New Generation, a slogan that persisted into the 1990s. Coke was the past, and Pepsi was the future, my generation was told.

And yet, it simply didnt work out that way.

The public backlash against Coke was fierce. Former employee and archivist Phil Mooney says that he couldnt give New Coke away, with friends rejecting even samples, saying give me the original Coke back! What senior leadership didnt understand at the time, he says, was the deep psychological attachment people had to Coca-Cola. We heard stories about how Coke was with them on their first date, or during World War II.

Ed Hays, now the Chief Technical Officer of Coca-Cola, recalls that New Coke also showed that people craved -- and still crave -- a degree of certainty, familiarity and comfort in a world that changes so quickly and so dramatically.

Within three months after the launch of New Coke, the original formula, known as Coca-Cola Classic, was reintroduced, and it took the world by storm. People wanted to taste the beverage again, and not just feel good about the Coca-Cola brand, writes Becky Little at History.

In 1985, Coca-Cola executives opted to alter the companys product to satisfy what they believed to be the progressive tastes of Americans. In the end, it was Americans loyalty to the companys corporate brand that saved them from its executives decision to make sweeping changes to its product for the sake of perceived progress.

Theres still a clear leader in the space of sugary soft drinks, and it remains Coca-Cola. But as Daniel Greenfield observes at FrontPage Magazine, Coke currently owns a majority share of a declining market. To address this crisis, Coca-Colas current executives have opted to alter the corporate brand in order to satisfy what they believe to be the progressive political desires of Americans, and it doesnt appear that there is even a remote possibility that Americans loyalty to the product alone could ever save Coke from this stupid decision.

North America may be the biggest soft drink market in the world, but consumption of the sugary stuff has been on a steady decline in recent decades, and none are drinking less of it than the demographic that Coke is desperately trying to reach with its recent political posturing.

As anyone paying the slightest bit of attention to American culture should easily recognize, its not effete, health-conscious, coastal leftists that have been bolstering Cokes market capitalization these past decades. But somehow, is it possible that internal corporate research has suggested to a few poor decision-makers at Coca-Cola that its embarrassing prostrations toward effete coastal leftists are the path to more people drinking Coke?

I have difficulty believing that. More likely, as Daniel Greenfield observes, Coke is destroying the pro-America brand association that it had been building for over a century because its afraid of the political forces aligning against it.

And who can blame them? Democrats like Michael Bloomberg in New York have been arguing for government-imposed limitations on sales of large-size sodas for over a decade now. Blue states like California tax soft drinks so highly that one cant help but buy fewer of them, regardless of the taste. And it really doesnt matter which cola company gets a contract with AMC Theaters or Cinemark next year, because the same people who think your soft drink should be smaller and taxed more heavily by the government are also the people who think that you shouldnt be allowed to sit next to others in the movie theater if theres an immeasurably small fraction-of-a-percent chance that someone may get sick by your doing so.

And yet, Coca-Cola abandoned its brand, signifying its woke virtues in order to forge an alliance with that group of people?

In February, Coca-Cola announced a quota for attorneys it would hire, saying that 15-percent of billable hours of service would be provided by black attorneys, which is larger than their demographic representation in America. Then, famously, employees at Coca-Cola were encouraged, on company time and the company dime, to be less white, which ostensibly means to be less defensive, arrogant, and ignorant. Most recently, the company injected itself into American politics in a manner that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. Coke openly aligned itself with the Democratic Party, spreading propaganda on its behalf in order to signal its opposition to Georgias legislation meant to protect election integrity in future elections.

This isnt the 80s. This time, the degree to which Coke has offended its consumers runs much deeper than our taste buds. Back then, American consumers forgave Coke for its mistakes, focusing on the brand and the fond memories. This time, the schism between Coke and its once-loyal consumers seems much more permanent. One readers comments at The Daily Wire stand out:

I have collected Coca Cola memorabilia for many, many years. Since I was a kid. I found them to be very Americana, and looking at my collection always gave me a sense of home. I packed everything all up last month. It was not a great feeling.

Hes not alone. According to a Rasmussen poll, 37-percent of Americans are less likely to buy Coca-Cola products due to the companys recent political stance. This is counterbalanced, some might suggest, by 25-percent who say theyre more likely to buy Coca-Cola products due to that stance.

However, consider what this means. A smaller number of Americans, who probably dont really like drinking Coca-Cola at all, happen to love the new Woke Cokes politics -- though they still likely hate all their corporate profits, and wish that politicians would limit or eliminate sugary drinks as a consumer choice, for the sake of public health. A larger number of Americans probably love Coca-Colas American history and the brand, have been loyal customers for years and would prefer that consumers, not government, should decide Americans beverage preferences -- but will henceforth avoid buying Coca-Cola products, or even displaying its memorabilia, wherever possible.

Coca-Cola can fire the people responsible for pitching the stupid ideas behind its recent wokeness, as it has, but its hard to imagine an outcome where Coke finds anything close to the soft landing that its good fortune, and red-blooded Americans goodwill, provided it back the 1980s.

IMAGE: New Coke. YouTube screengrab.

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America's credibility and strength are not a partisan matter or even up for political debate  when America loses, the American people lose. When America's respectability is weakened internationally, the American democracy suffers.

After the disastrous  and very unfortunate for the American people  job reports of last month, President Biden decided to give a golden opportunity to European countries and the European Union (as an organization) to humiliate the USA.

Recently, the land of creativity, innovation, the free market, self-determination, and individual ingenuity seemed to have turned into the land of coercion and government control in the international arena. For the first time, the country that created the system that (with its flaws and merits) allowed social mobility, freedom, and hope in the unlimited boundaries of human capabilities appeared worldwide as a socialist country.

I am referring to the Joe Biden's administration's announcement of its support for the waiving of COVID vaccine patents. Even European countries  the most socialist ones  are refusing this proposal. And the irony is that the European countries turned the Biden administration's suggestion away in a convention held in Oporto, Portugal about a "Pledge for a Social Europe." The European leaders pledged to enhance the so-called "European social model" despite the fact that they had rejected the Biden administration's idea of waiving patents for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Quite ironically: The socialist European countries rejected an idea supported by the current U.S. administration basically because...it is too radical. Only the political parties in Europe that support regimes such as those in Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and Communist China are cheering Biden's announcement. Thus, Joe Biden, with this amateur and reckless move, undermined American leadership of the Free World. This must not happen again.

To be perfectly honest, President Biden's motive is noble  to allow mass production of the vaccine to end the pandemic. However, there are many other solutions. The reason for the existence of patents is to allow innovation, to protect intellectual and industrial property as an incentive to push the boundaries of possibilities in each time of history. Patent-waiving would be practically an eminent domain situation: the government would have to justly compensate the (American) pharmaceutical companies for the infringement of their private property protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Additionally, another really relevant question must be asked: should be the United States offer vaccine patents to the world? Should the United States have announced its openness to waive the vaccines patents prior to other countries, mainly China, Russia, and Germany? Prior to countries where the private property protections are not  putting it mildly  so strong?

For so many years, we have been hearing about the vices of (American) unilateralism compared with the merits of multilateralism. Multilateralism would be the salvation of the world. Therefore, one must ask: where is the U.N.? Shouldn't the U.N. step up and find some solution? Do something useful for a change?

Let us be clear: the U.S. already pays for USAID (more than 35 billion dollars), pays major contributions to the WHO (which Biden administration decided to rejoin  the United States is the major contributor to WHO by far, paying more than double what China pays), and now has joined COVAX (Joe Biden announced $4 million to COVAX, which is the lion's share of the funding!).

The generosity of the American people to the world is beyond doubt and well proved again and again throughout the years. There is absolutely no need for Joe Biden to put another burden on American private creative agents, making them pay to finance other countries by establishing a mandatory international sale of intellectual property.

This is even worse when you take into account that this major burden put on all Americans  through general taxes, which finance international institutions, and the "hidden tax" that the Biden administration was open to imposing on the American pharmaceutical sector  would be made without pursuing any American foreign policy priority.

On the contrary, the massive transfer of knowledge to foreign countries and to the international institutions would benefit America's main enemies: they would learn from the best and use it against America in the future.

In fact, waiving the COVID-19 vaccines' patents will allow the Chinese Communist Party access to American pharmaceutical knowledge at no cost, improving the Chinese vaccines and allowing cheaper production to surpass America. Next time, America and the world would be dependent on Chinese Communist Party's goodwill, even to develop a new vaccine that might be necessary in the future.

We cannot mince words here: once America waives the vaccines' patents, setting this dangerous precedent  China would immediately create a system of intellectual property rights protection to attract the pharmaceutical corporations and other powerful players to move there. This would be the perfect cocktail to destroy the free world: some strong protections of intellectual property rights combined with low wages and no worker's rights. America and the free world would be economically dead pretty fast.

Do not forget a simple premise of world politics (and life): knowledge is power.

All things considered, I do trust that this was nothing more than a stunt by the Biden administration. The U.S. will not back waiving COVID-19 vaccines' patents. This is not a question of liberalism versus conservatism. Rather, it was a matter of America's vital interests. Americanism is not (should not be) a partisan issue.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Its one thing for students to shun applying to colleges that disgrace themselves with wokeness excesses: its quite another when applicants to run the campus all bow out.

The ideology of wokeness that now is in command at virtually all[i] of the nations leading colleges and universities is toxic, not just to the outside society and economy, but to the institutions that have embraced it. While the most highly-endowed institutions like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Princeton  hedge funds managing tens of billions of dollars with educational subsidiaries that justify their tax-exempt status  will survive, other degree-granting establishments further down the prestige hierarchy may end up forfeiting their survivability.

Case in point: The Evergreen State College, founded in 1967 as a non-traditional institution where students can design their own courses of study and professors write evaluations in place of assigning grades, but owned and subsidized by the State of Washington. Evergreen made national headlines, drove away applicants, and ended up paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle a lawsuit when it implemented and defended a segregationist event on campus in 2017.

Professor Bret Weinstein, a leftist, refused to participate in the evacuation of white people (only) from the campus of Evergreen State College and sued the college for the hostile work environment he alleged that he and his wife subsequently suffered. Without admitting that charge, the state-supported institution that already faces a $2.1 million deficit and layoffs, is going to cough up a cool half million bucks to avoid the expense, spectacle, and risk of a jury trial.

Exposure of the Colleges extremism resulted in serious declines in applications and enrollment, and therefore a deficit:

Administrators at The Evergreen State College have announced that the embattled school faces a massive $2.1 million budget shortfall due in part to a drop in enrollment, and the institution has already handed out some temporary layoff notices as officials grapple with balancing the books. In an Aug. 28 memo to the campus community titled "Enrollment and Budget Update," officials report that fall 2017-18 registration is down about 5 percent, from 3,922 students to 3,713. But the problem is nearly all of the students they lost are nonresidents, who traditionally pay a much higher tuition to attend, officials explained in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The College Fix.

Jason Rantz summarizes why the layoffs came:

Turns out, being nationally recognized for unhinged Progressive students who are allowed by cowardly administrators to run amok doesn't pay off, as Evergreen State College is learning. (snip) I hope this serves as a wake up call. The behavior we saw on the Evergreen campus surrounding Professor Bret Weinstein has consequences. Evergreen administrators seem to hate being criticized and rather than change their behavior, they lash out. It wouldn't surprise me if the reason for some of the drop off is their notoriety as a bastion of political correct lunatics. But as much as the school wants to placate childish and dangerous behavior of campus activists who are offended when someone doesn't agree with every one of their tactics, they do so at their own peril (and budget shortfall).

The Daniel J. Evans Library at Evergreen reflects the brutalist style of architecture that predominates on campus

Photo credit: Greg M. Erickson (cropped) CC BY 3.0 license

Instead of embarking on reforms that would push wokeness out of the curriculum while laying off its worst practitioners, Evergreen decided to go with the political flow in higher education, and muddle through with the existing extremism free to reign on campus. The result: a mess that keeps compounding, and situation to unmanageable that nobody wants to manage it, even for a salary of $300,000 a year. The local newspaper in the campus area, The Chronicle, reports:

A year-long process to find the next president of The Evergreen State College came to a shocking conclusion Wednesday when the colleges Board of Trustees emerged from a three-hour meeting and announced that the three finalists for the job had withdrawn their names from consideration. Board of Trustees Chairwoman Karen Fraser said all three finalists  Michael Dumont, Catherine Kodat and Lee Lambert  withdrew following recent interviews with faculty, students, staff and alumni.

I am not optimistic about the ability of the trustees to grapple with the genuine issues:

Trustee David Nicandri said the common conceit about the college is that its biggest challenge is in recruitment and retention, but he also cited a deeper set of problems facing the college, which he did not identify. A forthcoming interim president or interim administrator or permanent appointment must engage constructively and continuously with the campus community with one primary objective in mind  that we engage in the ideal model of shared governance in a collegial and constructive manner, he said.

I doubt that prospective students are worried about shared governance so much as they are about a college that wont give them a useful education because it is so consumed with ideology.

Evergreen is owned by the State of Washington, which may be reluctant to shut it down, as this would be an admission of failure. Private institutions that disgrace themselves and have no such financial backstop may fall by the wayside, financially crippled as students avoid them. This happened to Antioch College of Yellow Springs, Ohio, though in its case, alumni raised enough money to purchase the campus and revive the colleges name in a newly constituted institution. Hampshire College in Massachusetts, another bastion of trendy progressivism, is also having trouble with survivability.

Demography alone  declining cohorts of students graduating high school and applying for college  means that the current number of colleges and universities will not sustained. The rise of cheaper online degrees will further reduce the number of those willing to pay a premium for 4 years on residential campus.

Get woke, go broke is a clever slogan invented by Professor Glenn Reynolds. While it takes a long time to deliver the death blow, progressivism in the form of wokeness is gradually destroying the moral and financial basis for supporting higher education.
The UK has seen many waves of invaders and colonizers  Neanderthals, Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Danes, Norsemen, Normans and more recently Indians and Pakistanis. Only Irish, Welsh and Scottish inhabitants have had the strength to get special recognition today.

No human race evolved in Australia - several races walked, paddled, sailed or flew here over the past 60,000 years. Some displaced earlier arrivals, others mixed with locals. Some left rock art distinctly different from that of later arrivals and some destroyed or hid evidence of earlier tribes. Some were cannibals, some brought domesticated animals with them and all hunted native animals, sometimes to extinction. None can claim moral superiority.

Visiting fishermen from Asia and exploring mariners from Europe added to the gene pool in this vast land. Negroid tribes were isolated in Tasmania when rising seas formed Bass Strait and others found refuge in the rainforests of North Queensland. Now a few modern survivors of a few of these many tribes are seeking special constitutional recognition as indigenes and a voice to Australian Parliaments.

Europeans started settling in Australia over 300 years ago. They sailed here.

In my own family, my fathers Watt family came from UK and my mothers Petersen family came from Denmark. Both families arrived in 1860s and settled in the Warwick/Killarney area in Queensland. Have we become indigenes yet?

And my wifes ancestors, the Bells and the Athertons settled in Queensland in the 1860s.

Martha Bell (wife of John Bell) arrived from England in 1860 and settled at Guyra near Armidale.

Shortly afterwards the Bells trekked to North Queensland with their cousins the Athertons.

The Bells were the first settlers at Bells Creek in the Sarina District, and the Athertons, pioneered European settlement on the Atherton Tableland.

Are they indigenes yet? And when can their horses, sheep and cattle join dingos (brought here by aboriginals) as indigenous species, welcome in National Parks?

Do we children of pioneers get a special voice in Parliament. If not yet, when?

There were hundreds of Aboriginal tribes, languages and dialects. Which one becomes the voice. Like Australias black colonizers, Europeans, Asians, and the recent multicultural mobs are now all Australians and should be treated equally in Parliament and before the law.

Indigenous Community Meeting, Jagera Arts Centre, Musgrave Park, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Photo credit: David Jackmanson CC BY 2.0 license

All Australians should have the same voting, welfare and property rights. If our black indigenes were given individual freehold property rights to the vast lands set aside for them, they would not need welfare. Getting the Voice will just enrich the lucky few who get to conduct this black choir.

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According to the United Nations, May 3 was World Press Freedom Day. That makes this a good time to stop and contemplate how dangerous it is to be a real journalist in Iran. There, a journalist takes his life into his hands if he tries to report facts with honesty and transparency. This regime has no qualms about using repression, censorship, and imprisonment to control the flow of news. Put simply, there is no press freedom in Iran

Although Iran has always been a dangerous place for journalists in the past decade its become increasingly risky to try to report the truth there. It is common for journalists and bloggers across Iran to be summoned, arrested, and sentenced to prison for expressing facts and real news.

Because the Iranian regime, like all tyrannies, is inherently unstable and it is currently facing serious economic problems, the mullahs are terrified that real news could act as a spark in a society on the verge of explosion. The last thing they want is another uprising such as the ones in 2018 and 2019. One way to try to deter uprisings is to cut off the Internet and sensor news, which it did during the recent uprising in Balochistan.

Even without the Internet, though, Iran fears those people within the country who may tell the truth. Reporters Without Borders ranks it as one of the worlds most oppressive countries for journalists:

Iran is still one of the worlds most repressive countries for journalists, subjecting news and information to relentless control. At least 860 journalists and citizen-journalists have been prosecuted, arrested, imprisoned and in some cases executed since the 1979 revolution.

In the last year alone, Iran has become even more repressive than it was just the year before, no doubt due to the damage COVID is inflicting on the country.

There are innumerable examples of Iranian journalists who have been severely punished for their work. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps arrested Soheil Arabi, an Iranian photographer, blogger, and civil rights activist in November 2013. Although the death sentence was imposed against him for his journalism, it was overturned thanks to international protests. However, he is still in prison and is reputed to be tortured.

In April 2020, a reporter published a news article about a letter from the president of Golestan University of Medical Sciences in which he warned nurses that they would be imprisoned and flogged if they left a shift during the COVID outbreak. The journalist who reported this story was arrested and prosecuted. He simply vanished into the system and I dont even know what happened to him.

One of the most infamous cases was that of Sattar Beheshti, an Iranian blogger, who was arrested and detained by cyber police on October 30, 2012, for criticizing government corruption. Once he was transferred to an unknown location they interrogated and tortured him so brutally that he died.

We know this because when news of his death became public, 41 political prisoners stated in a letter that Sattar Beheshti was in ward 350 of Evin prison from October 31 to November 1, 2021, and they could see the effects of torture on different parts of his body. According to them, Beheshti was beaten in the Iranian police detention center, hung from the ceiling by his shackled hands and kicked in the head and neck.

While these are extreme examples, Journalists are constantly exposed to intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and long prison terms. The regime, with the help of the cyber army and police (FTA), regularly monitors and represses social network sites and openly sends threatening messages to those who say anything even slightly objectionable during chats.

From the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, the Iranian regime has sought to prevent accurate reporting about the number of people COVID infected or killed. Regime opponents believe that it has been lying about the rate of the disease in Iran, announcing lower rates, and detaining and sentencing journalists who try to report the truth. Its reasonable to believe that the real statistics are five times greater than the regime has said.

Iran doesnt stop persecuting journalists within its own borders. To the best of my understanding, several journalists left Iran illegally to take refuge in other countries for fear that they would be arrested. However, they still face the risk of being kidnapped and returned to Iran or assassinated outright.

The Iranian people yearn for information and the Iranian regime will do anything to make sure they do not get it. Any regime that prevents the free flow of information within its borders is almost certainly lying to its people.

IMAGE: Soheil Arabi, a prisoner in Iran (before his arrest) by Nano GoleSorkh. CC BY 3.0.

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On May 2, 2021, Sixty Minutes (CBS) interviewed U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken on the future of America's competition with China. Blinken expressed confidence because the Middle Kingdom "has an aging population," whereas "we're in a much better place to maximize ... human potential than any country on Earth."

However, the CIA Factbook reports a median age of 38.4 years for China's 1.44 billion citizens (2020), but a slightly higher 38.5 for the 330 million Americans. For the ca. 200 million "whites," with a 2019 total fertility rate of 1.6 (children in a woman's lifetime) against China's 1.7, it is 44 years. America's white majority, thus, is aging faster than, for example, the Swiss (42.7) and hardly slower than Austrians (44.5) or Germans (45.7).

In terms of human capital development, these three Central European countries are well ahead of Blinken's homeland. In the 2018 PISA tests, published at the end of 2019, among 1,000 children (younger than 15), there is the following ranking for top achievers and failures: Switzerland (49/168), Germany (28/211), Austria (25/211), and the USA (15/271). China, on the other hand, plays in a higher-skilled league, with 165 scholastic aces and only 24 failures.

It could be argued that only four Chinese provinces with a population of less than 200 million took part in PISA, and that Beijing conducted an unfair selection process. But even if one only applies South Korea's scores (69 at the top and 150 at the bottom) to China, there are more than 17 million of its 249 million children (in 2019) who will be able to perform exceptionally well as adults. Among some 61 million American children, there are only 915,000 who reach this level, many of them hailing from East Asia. With the odds almost 19:1 in favor of the People's Republic, one could wish the U.S. had better informed advisers for its most senior politicians.

As for Europe, even if we add the finest pupils, who are under the aegis of Berlin (320,000), Vienna (32,000) and Bern (64,000), things hardly look better for the core economic regions of the Western world. The 455,000 talented young students among 50 million South Koreans alone surpass those three.

Even among the best, there seem to be differences in quality between East Asia and Europe or North America. South Korea demonstrates this in the strictly screened PCT patent applications of 2020, when it clearly outpaced Germany with 20,060 to 18,643. In 1994, the balance of patent applications was still 4,294 to 190 in favor of the Federal Republic. That curious higher cognitive intensity is confirmed by the 2019 SAT tests, in which 37 percent of Asians but only 10 percent of whites scored at the top proficiency level.

China joined the PCT for the first time in 1994, when it applied for 98 patents. Back then, the global winner was the USA with 14,798. In 2020, however, China triumphed with 68,720 to 59,230. Since it is the demographic equivalent of 28 South Koreas, China's intellectual dominance is likely to continue. Both sides are making gains, but where East Asia is sprinting ahead, Westerners are advancing at a stroll.

Blinken is right  at least so far  about the excellent educations provided by private American schools and universities. One recognizes their superiority by the fact that East Asian children educated in the USA progress faster than at home and outdo all other ethnic groups. The highest levels of cognitive competence cannot help but benefit the most from optimal support. But where, as in America, such competence is in short supply from the start, not only will the nation eventually fall behind, but in the end, its famous education system will lose its appeal as well. In tomorrow's world, the U.S. will thus find it harder to attract highly qualified students from abroad, including China.

Gunnar Heinsohn (*1943) is the author of GLOBAL COMPETITION FOR BRAINS (Wettkampf um die Klugen; Zurich: Orell & Fussli, 2019). At NATO Defense College (NDC/Rome) he taught war demography from 2011 to 2020.

Image via Max Pixel.

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Forty something days after being named Joe Biden's border czar, Kamala Harris has gotten on the phone.

What's she telling the leaders of Central American nations whose nationals are doing what California's nationals are doing, which is pulling up stakes and heading to another place for something better?

Lecturing them on court-packing, or well, their nations' "independent judiciaries":

According to Fox News:

Vice President Kamala Harris stressed the need for an "independent" judiciary in El Salvador on Sunday, even as she has yet to speak out against a Democratic attempt to pack the Supreme Court. "We have deep concerns about El Salvadors democracy, in light of the National Assemblys vote to remove constitutional court judges," Harris wrote on Twitter. "An independent judiciary is critical to a healthy democracy  and to a strong economy."

Well, gee. Seems the socialists running El Salvador and selling their nation's soul to China, have decided to do what Democrats do, and rig the courts so they'll always vote the ruling party's way.

Like court packing, see how that works?

We haven't heard a thing from Harris on the Democrats' scheme to court-pack and rig the Supreme Court to always vote the Democrats' way here now, have we?

Yet Harris, whose earlier career was as a prosecutor, supposedly with some knowledge of the law, (despite all those failed bar exams), is going along with the talking points from human rights groups or maybe State department officials that court-rigging is bad, but only in other countries.

You can bet the Salvadoran leaders hearing this lecture are rolling their eyes, and carrying on as they usually do. For a former prosecutor, she's not exactly persuasive.

As for court-packing, that's some "root cause" of mass migration that Harris has uncovered, is it not? Picture it, though: Two characters purportedly talking about mass migration, with one lecturing the other about how he's running his country -- yet doing the same thing herself. And the other one knows it.

Sound like an effective plan for getting the Salvadoran government to change its mind about court-packing? Not in anyone sane's book.

Harris, meanwhile, continues to ignore the border as irrelevant to "root causes," essentially claiming there's nothing to learn from migrants about why they migrate, or any of the real reasons for it.

She might learn, as the news media have reported, that Joe Biden's invitation to migrants, promising unaccompanied kids and some families that they'd never be sent back if they cross illegally had something to do with this -- or, she could read the Biden t-shirts of some of them and get a clue.

She could learn that Biden's stoppage of construction of the border wall has intensified the Biden border invitation to them and their cartel sponsors, as it makes illegal crossing easier.

She could learn that all her buddies in Facebook are serving as the communication means of choice of human-smuggling cartels, who are whipping up business through social media, with some citing Joe Biden's invitations to cross as their sales pitches. The Biden/Harris administration is trying to dissuade illegals from illegally crossing through radio ads, which apparently no one listens to, not the way they do to social media. Meanwhile, Democrats are not about to halt Facebook and all its crime-enabling operations, which is actually fueling the border surge.

Another slew of root causes missed by Kamala.

Nope, she's out lecturing the Latin Americans on court-packing the way the imperialists do, as if an argument that they need to revamp their entire government is somehow going to end corruption, hellish conditions for locals, or the urge to migrate, under their ruling socialists. Thanks, Kamala, never thought of it that way. We always wanted a colonial master telling us how to run our country, especially here in Latin America where we've always been fond of those gringo interventions, the logic goes.

It's idiocy. And she's obviously clueless. She hasn't the faintest understanding about why thousands of Central Americans are crossing illegally into the U.S., and very strangely, seems to think that asking their detested rulers about it is an actual way to get the root causes of a huge exodus. This is like someone going to Gavin Newsom of California and getting his answer as to why Californians are fleeing his state.

It's as strong an argument as any that her failure to go to the border is what she'd need to do if she were serious about all those "root causes." You don't ask a failed ruler for that kind of information, you ask the people voting with their feet.

But of course, she's either stupid, or she's not serious about this border gig Biden fobbed off onto her. Probably both.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

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54 years ago, on the Jewish date of the 28th of Iyar 5727, (June 7, 1967 CE on the Gregorian calendar), Israeli forces smashed through Jordanian barriers illegally dividing the city of Jerusalem in the final days of the Six Day War. As gunfire exploded in the background Israeli General Mordechai Gur triumphantly proclaimed, "Har Habayit b'yadenu," "The Temple Mount is in our hands!"

And thus, for the first time in over 2000 years, Jerusalem, the historic capital of the Jewish people (its sole original inhabitants), was finally restored to Jewish control. Though others, such as Christians, Muslims, Romans, and Turks, conquered the city over the millennia, killing and expelling most of the original and rightful Jewish residents, they all were unable to replace Jewish rights to the land.

Photo credit:   CC BY-SA 3.0 license

This year, the Hebrew date of this momentous anniversary begins this Sunday night, May 9. (A new Jewish day begins at sunset.) As Israelis prepare to celebrate Jerusalem Day beginning tonight and continuing through tomorrow, they will certainly take pride in the city's advances since reunification.

When Jordan illegally occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem from 1948 until 1967, Jews were not allowed entry to that area where many of their important religious and historical sites are located. Jordanians deliberately destroyed or otherwise desecrated many of these important Jewish sites or turned them into Muslim institutions. They treated many Christian sites with equal contempt. Now people of all religions can celebrate freely, with access to their important religious sites.

Also, according to the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research as of now:

Jerusalem continues to be the largest city in Israel. At the end of 2020, the capital's population comprised 952,000 residents. The average age in Jerusalem, 24, was much lower compared to the national average, 30. In Tel Aviv, the average age was 36, in Haifa, 38. (snip) According to data, Jerusalem is the second-largest economy in Israel, after Tel Aviv. Some 344,300 Jerusalemites are employed, which is 9% of all those employed in the country. The high-tech industry, in particular, has grown exponentially since 2015. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem had the most PhD students in the country.

Commenting on the findings, Israel's president Reuven Rivlin noted

"Jerusalem's future is also the future of the State of Israel. It is here, in the city that comprises the full range of Israel's demography in all its richness, that we need to find a way to create a dialogue, to connect, to cooperate," he added. "The year of COVID-19 and recent events demonstrate just how much Israel's capital is a multi-faceted and multi-varied city," JIPS Director-General Lior Schiller said. "Developments and events in Jerusalem have political significance and make an impact throughout the entire country. In many respects the developments and trends in the city are a prelude to what will transpire throughout Israel in the coming decades. In this sense Jerusalem is Israel's 'national laboratory."

To paraphrase an ancient Jewish prayer, for Jews everywhere, "Last year, this year, next year in Jerusalem! Rebuilt! Renewed!

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In a story that ought to be getting more attention than it is, a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) dossier that has fallen into the hands of the State department, shows that China has been planning for biological warfare, bigtime, as its means of taming the West.

According to the Daily Mail:

This latest evidence that Beijing considered the military potential of SARS coronaviruses from as early as 2015 has also raised fresh fears over the cause of Covid-19, with some officials still believing the virus could have escaped from a Chinese lab.

The bombshell paper, accessed by the US State Department, insists they will be 'the core weapon for victory' in such a conflict, even outlining the perfect conditions to release a bioweapon, and documenting the impact it would have on 'the enemy's medical system'.

Chinese scientists have been preparing for a Third World War fought with biological and genetic weapons including coronavirus for the last six years, according to a document obtained by US investigators.

2015? That's about when China started ramping up its presence in the South China Sea, building illegal atolls, and intimidating its neighbors. According to a 2020 op-ed in Defense News:

While the world is combating the new coronavirus, COVID-19, China continues to fortify its islands in the South China Sea, with only muted response from the international community. Even the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel brought minimal reaction from the international community, though the Philippines and U.S. military have made statements against the incident.

Prior to COVID-19, Chinas war without gunsmoke strategy had already resulted in the near-normalization of its South China Sea military buildup and its nine-dash line claims. Since 2013 the Great Wall of Sand (so dubbed by former Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Harry Harris) has become even more formidable. Combined with Chinese disregard for a 2016 Hague ruling that invalidated Chinese nine-dash line claims, it is obvious that China will continue to persist in its claims, as I detailed in a 2017 article for Foreign Policy.

Funny how a 'war without gunsmoke' using fishing boats as bait or spies, and eventually, raw military muscle, coincides with the sort of end-goal going on in that Wuhan lab, cooking up a means of biological destruction of the West with disease rather than bullets, as some means of subduing the West.

The details of the dossier are appalling:

The authors of the document insist that a third world war 'will be biological', unlike the first two wars which were described as chemical and nuclear respectively. Referencing research which suggested the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan forced them to surrender, and bringing about the end of WWII, they claim bioweapons will be 'the core weapon for victory' in a third world war. The document also outlines the ideal conditions to release a bioweapon and cause maximum damage. The scientists say such attacks should not be carried out in the middle of a clear day, as intense sunlight can damage the pathogens, while rain or snow can affect the aerosol particles. Instead, it should be released at night, or at dawn, dusk, or under cloudy weather, with 'a stable wind direction...so that the aerosol can float into the target area'. Meanwhile, the research also notes that such an attack would result in a surge of patients requiring hospital treatment, which then 'could cause the enemy's medical system to collapse'.

Sound like COVID? We know that COVID was released from that Wuhan lab somehow, what we don't know is whether it was accidental or intentional. And were China not preparing for some kind of biological warfare with the West, it never would have happened at all.

More important, we know that China has covered up the origins of the virus. It has blocked investigators, and it has corrupted the World Health Organization, which employs a see-no-evil policy from China, despite the mounting evidence.

Worse still, we know there are collaborators, from the West.

Joe Biden's kid Hunter is up to his gills in China "investments" he claimed he would divest as old pop became president, and somehow, didn't. How's Joe gonna ramp up to this challenge, this very real threat against the U.S. with his protected son on the take?

The vaunted Dr. Anthony Fauci, meanwhile, is about as bad, too. According to a column by James Freeman at the Wall Street Journal, published May 7:

Before Covid-19 ravaged the world, Dr. Anthony Faucis National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded coronavirus research that included work at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology. The idea was to study the ability of such viruses to attack humans, but could a Fauci-funded experiment actually be the source of the deadly global infection? In an exhaustive account of the viral possibilities published this week by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Nicholas Wade argues that the Chinese lab is the most likely source of the world-wide agony. Left-leaning journalists who dont like where this story is going may struggle to dismiss the author given his establishment credentials. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists describes him this way: Nicholas Wade is a science writer, editor, and author who has worked on the staff of Nature, Science, and, for many years, the New York Times. The former Timesman writes: The virus that caused the pandemic is known officially as SARS-CoV-2, but can be called SARS2 for short. As many people know, there are two main theories about its origin. One is that it jumped naturally from wildlife to people. The other is that the virus was under study in a lab, from which it escaped... it seems to me that proponents of lab escape can explain all the available facts about SARS2 considerably more easily than can those who favor natural emergence.

The column goes on to point out that at least some of the research involved 'gain of function' or making the virus transmissible and live from bats to humans, and that the Chinese military most certainly was involved. It certainly explains why the Chinese have refused to come clean either about their lab operation's doings, or what they were directing the lab to do and why the lab was busy producing biological agents that eventually poisoned the world. China is in fact doing all it can to spread the big lie that the virus originated someplace else.

Here's the bad news for us: This isn't the last of it. With Joe Biden in the saddle, and not Donald Trump who was a nightmare to them, they're going to keep carrying on with this 'Dr. Evil' masterplan, getting away with more and more. They know that Biden is a weakling and has a compromised son on their string, so from their perspective, the time to advance is now.

When is the U.S. going to get a real leader to calls them out and counter them in this Dr. Evil scheme?

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of image by Zhang Zhenshi and a committee of artists via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, and a public domain image.


On March 17, 2021, Emory's non-profit drug development company DRIVE announced its discovery of a new antiviral drug, called molnupiravir (formerly EIDD-2801), which can be administered to outpatients in pill form, and which

appears safe and reduces SARS-CoV-2 to undetectable levels in COVID-19 patients after five days of administration, according to data from a Phase II clinical trial in the United States[.] ... Although remdesivir and antiviral monoclonal antibodies have received Emergency Use Authorizations from the FDA, they must be given intravenously or by injection. In addition, drugs like molnupiravir could flexibly tackle SARS-CoV-2 variants, which have emerged as a concern in recent months.

Additionally, "EIDD-2801 has broad spectrum activity against a number of diseases of public health concern, including influenza, SARS-CoV-1, MERS, chikungunya, Ebola and equine encephalitis."

Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck are involved with the licensing, testing, and manufacturing of this drug. Merck recently announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement with five generic Indian drug companies to manufacture and distribute it in India.

When it comes to COVID therapeutics, whether they be older, repurposed drugs or hot-off-the-press wonder drugs, the watchword (or phrase) seems to be curb your enthusiasm!

HCQ (hydroxychloroquine) suffered the ignoble misfortune of having been endorsed by Donald Trump, AKA Orange Man Bad.

The FDA, who back in March said "people should not use ivermectin to attempt to treat or prevent Covid-19," was recently contradicted by a peer-reviewed study that found that ivermectin effectively treats and prevents COVID.

Will the government fast-track molnupiravir (the marketing guys need to rename this pronto) under emergency authorization, and will the media and establishment trumpet the drug and make it a household name?

When it comes to COVID vaccines, there's no doubt that their mantra can be characterized as damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead! And the vaccine mania is only accelerating.

By the end of April, nearly 100 colleges and universities had decided to require students to be vaccinated for COVID, and the list is growing daily. This, despite legitimate concerns about the vaccines' effects on women's menstrual cycles and fertility.

Moderna and Pfizer are blazing ahead with vaccine trials for children as young as six months. A two-year-old girl recently died after being injected with the second Pfizer shot (she had been hospitalized since after the first shot and was unfortunately given the second shot while she was still suffering).

Johns Hopkins released a 71-page document that describes a future where A.I. robots and drones deliver what they're calling self-spreading vaccines:

Self-spreading vaccines are genetically engineered to move through populations like communicable diseases, but rather than causing disease, they confer protection. The vision is that a small number of individuals in a target population could be vaccinated, and the vaccine strain would then circulate in the population much like a pathogenic virus, resulting in rapid, widespread immunity.

The report claims that "[b]acteria can be genetically engineered to produce antigens in a human host, acting as a vaccine, which triggers immunity to pathogens of concern," presumably to be administered by pills or, for that matter, food or fruit drinks. Molecular 3D printers could conceivably crank out spike proteins that could be deployed with aerosols.

A minority of doctors and scientists have issued cautions about unknown but possible long-term adverse effects of these vaccines, such as dementia, mad cow disease, and antibody dependent enhancement (ADE): "The ADE of virus infection is a phenomenon in which virus-specific antibodies enhance the entry of virus, and in some cases the replication of virus[.]"

The effects of deploying those technologies as proposed by Johns Hopkins would be irreversible. Based on recent history, there is little reason to believe that they would be deployed only after their safety had been decidedly proven over time. The contrast between how the media, medical establishment, and government regard vaccines versus cures is a red flag that factors other than purely the best interests of the public are at work.

It's been said before that we are (at some level) our own first responders, and we must resist the rah-rah peer pressure to conform and not to make our own judgments, be they right or wrong.

Image: Ben Harvey via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

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Up until recently I felt that Chinas economic growth was unstoppable and that it would indeed surpass the U.S. and keep going into a bright future.

However, researching more, I concluded that healthy land use for agriculture (such as organic farming) and minimizing industrial pollution are even more important than economic prosperity. China doesn't have them; we do.

The dysfunctional running of the centralized banking system by the CCP is also major handicap for the economy.

Now, if you merely compare a dollar's worth of the Chinese economy to that of the U.S., it seems that China is doing rather well, being second in the world, and net exporting about $400 billion a year in 2020.

IMF data from 2018 show that Chinas debt to GDP ratio is 55.36%, while U.S. debt to GDP ratio is 106.7% or almost twice as large as Chinas.

Total wealth in 2020 of the U.S. is $105,990 billion and China is $63,827 billion or about half that of the U.S.

However, I am beginning to feel sorry for the Chinese people who are being victimized by the corporatist or state capitalism which is rapidly turning Chinese land into a toxic cesspool, with devastating health impacts on the people.

It's short duration profits at the expense of public health. It is no wonder that the U.S., E.U., and Japan do not allow the import of some Chinese foodstuffs which contain unhealthy additives, dangerous drug residues, and unsanitary characteristics. Crop pollution is not prominently mentioned in the news. but many Chinese citizens have little confidence in the food which they consume.

The banking sector is terribly inefficient because it is under centralized CCP control. There's this from Foreign Policy (subscription):

State owned enterprises are inefficient financial behemoths. The large-scale privatization of state-owned enterprises is a good place to start. These inefficient behemoths control nearly $30 trillion in assets and consume roughly 80 percent of the countrys available bank credit, but they contribute only between 23 and 28 percent of GDP. The efficiency gains that would be unleashed by reining in the states direct role in the economy would be more than enough to compensate for the loss of the U.S. market.

There's this, too, from The 21st Century:

Chinas Growing Agriculture Crisis F. William Engdahl on 2020-09-07 For the past months the Peoples Republic of China has been subject to one after the other devastating shocks to its agriculture sector. A deadly outbreak of African Swine Fever that halved Chinas huge pig herds in 2019, was followed by infestation from a plague of fall armyworms (FAW) which reached China in December, 2018 and now threaten Chinas corn belt. Now the worst floods in some 60 years is wiping out major rice and other crops in central China along the Yangtze and other rivers. Food Security is one of six national priorities for national security. President Xi Jinping has just issued a call to citizens not to waste food or face penalties, a sign that the depth of the food security threat is far worse than thought. Not mentioned is the fact that pollution from pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and toxic runoff into rivers is making many crops not that healthy for human consumption so the long term prognosis for agriculture is not that rosy. Industrial pollution Perhaps half of all Chinesea staggering 600 million peopledrink water that is contaminated by human or animal waste. These people are subjected to waterborne disease and a myriad of human health concerns related to the use of polluted water. Chinas major river systems exhibit the scope of the problem. Perhaps 70 percent of their water is so polluted that it has been deemed unsafe for human contact. In addition to untreated sewage released into these waterways, high-growth industries such as textiles, paper manufacturing, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals account for a large share of this pollution. At dumps, toxic runoff often percolates through the earth to contaminate groundwater aquife rs. Untreated mining and industrial waste leaves some waters contaminated with such high metal content that they literally run red with rust-colored water. Lead levels have been recorded in Chinese rivers that are some 44 times greater than accepted norms.

China is paying dearly for supplying the world with low-cost manufactured goods and the long duration health of its people is in serious danger. I despise the CCP for its disregard of human rights and tyrannical rule. I now despise the CCP because it is screwing the long duration health of Chinese citizens and turning the country into a toxic cesspool. If you dont have your health, then all the money in the world wont buy it back. To me Chinas future does not look bright at all.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

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Curiously, a typically anti-Republican propaganda piece in The New York Times, May 7, concluded with an insightful quote from Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). The title the Times' slanted article: In Turning on Liz Cheney, G.O.P. Bows to Trumps Election Lies. Still, the anti-GOP narrative did end with this from Rep. Jordan, quoted on Fox News by the Times. "'You can't have a Republican conference chair taking a position that 90 percent of the party disagrees with, and you can't have a Republican Party chair consistently speaking out against the individual who 74 million Americans voted for.'"

In fact, not only has Cheney spoken out against Donald J. Trump, she has indicated that she would oppose him if he is the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. How can the GOP have a conference chair speaking out against a potential 2024 presidential nominee, without giving aid and comfort to their political foes? Was General Washington supposed to have welcomed as key aide Benedict Arnold after he tried to hand over West Point to the British?

Only an anti-Trumplican [cq] would parrot the nonsensical line that the Republican Party faces defeat on the 2022 congressional elections and in the presidential election in 2024 if Cheney is replaced as chair of the House Republican conference by the able Elise Stefanik, from upstate New York. Rep. Stefanik proved an eloquent defender of President Trump, as member of the House Intelligence Committee during Impeachment I.

At The New York Times, May 8, Michelle Cottle projected onto Rep. Stefanik her own delight in "see[ing] the Republican Party burned to ash...", consequent to Ms. Stefanik "grovel[ing] before the gold-plated altar of Trumpism." At The Wall Street Journal, May 8, columnist Peggy Noonan kept pace with Ms. Cottle, warning Rep. Stefanik that she will be haunted "the rest of her career" should she replace "a woman who stood where she stands at a cost and for principle."

Noonan noted that Cheney ran to The Washington Post to stand on anti-Trumpian principle. Curious venue for the third-ranking GOP House member to turn to, considering that the Post is a leading media outlet virulently anti-Trump -- and anti-Republican. How in lockstep is Noonan with the Times and the Post in propagandizing against the Trumplicans?

Here is Noonan -- but it could have been Cottle at the Times, or indeed, Pelosi in the House: "Ousting [Cheney] for saying the obvious puts the party on the side of a lie. That's never a healthy place to be in the long term." And this, too, from Noonan: "If they throw [Cheney] out she looks like Churchill, and they look like little men with umbrellas. It will make the party look stupid and weak, as if it can't tolerate dissent."

Here, Noonan goes off the highway of history. Did Churchill keep in his wartime cabinet ministers who wanted to appease the Nazis, for the sake of tolerating dissent, or, worse, to start peace negotiations with Hitler after the Dunkirk disaster? Of course not. Consider, now, retaining Cheney as House GOP conference chair after she viciously and falsely denounced Mr. Trump for being against the rule of law, against democracy. Talk about putting the fox in the henhouse!

It will soon be half a year since the end of what may prove to be Mr. Trump's first presidential term, and the Trump-haters, including NeverTrumpers like Peggy Noonan, cannot hurl too many slurs and lies and smears at Donald J. Trump that common sense understands as the indicia of Trump Derangement Syndrome. In short, the Cottles, Noonans and Cheneys doth denounce too much.

Photo credit: Exchange Associate (cropped) CC BY 2.0 license

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Nicola Sturgeon has told the Prime Minister that a second vote on Scottish independence should be a matter of when  not if.

The SNP leader, who has just led her party to a fourth successive Holyrood election victory, made her position clear in telephone call with Boris Johnson.

It comes after Scotland returned a majority of MSPs supporting independence to Holyrood, with 64 SNP representatives and eight from the Scottish Greens.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Ms Sturgeon on the phone on Sunday (Tony Melville/PA)

However, Ms Sturgeon and the SNP failed to win an overall majority in the Parliament  with a key ally of Boris Johnson arguing that this showed Scots were not agitating for a referendum.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove noted that the current SNP leader didnt secure a majority as Alex Salmond did in 2011, and insisted this was a significant difference.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on the BBC, the senior Tory stressed that in the Scottish election a majority of people who voted in the constituencies voted for parties that were opposed to a referendum.

Mr Johnson spoke to the newly re-elected First Minister on Sunday  the day after all the results from the Scottish Parliament election were declared.

A spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon said that in this call the First Minister made clear that her immediate focus was on steering the country through Covid and into recovery, and that a newly elected Scottish government would work with the UK government as far as possible on that aim.

The two politicians agreed to work closely and constructively to achieve a successful hosting of and outcome from the Cop26 climate summit due to take place in Glasgow this November.

But the spokeswoman stated: The FM also reiterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when  not if.

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Earlier, Ms Sturgeon had told how she hoped she would be the First Minister who delivers independence for Scotland.

Asked on The Andrew Marr Show if she would achieve this, the SNP leader said: I hope so.

She added: I have just won a landslide election and another five-year term as First Minister.

I have got the energy, the appetite, to get on with the job. Firstly to get us through Covid, that is my priority, and then I hope to lead to Scotland to independence.

Both the SNP and the Green election manifestos included a commitment to holding another independence referendum in the next five years  with Ms Sturgeon having already said she wants such a vote to take place before the end of 2023, assuming the immediate health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has passed.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove insisted the Scottish election results showed voters were not agitating for a second referendum. (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Mr Gove insisted the results of Thursdays elections  which also included council and mayoral votes in England as well as the Welsh Senedd  had been a thank you to politicians for the success of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

He also indicated that the UK Government may not go to court if a second referendum on Scottish independence was held, with the Cabinet Office Minister saying: Were not going near there.

Speaking later on BBC Scotlands Sunday Show, Mr Gove added: Were not going to go down the route of talking about independence or legal challenges or anything like that when our principal focus, our exclusive attention, is going on pandemic recovery.

Ms Sturgeon said Scots had voted overwhelmingly for her party, based on a manifesto which included a commitment to give the people of Scotland the opportunity to choose our own future in a referendum once the Covid crisis has passed.

(PA Graphics)

She added: The fact that we are sitting here having a debate about whether or not that outcome is going to be respected says a lot about the lack of respect for Scottish democracy that this UK Government has demonstrated for quite some time now.

Ms Sturgeon insisted: The people of Scotland have voted for the SNP, on the strength of offering, when the time is right, an independence referendum.

As in 2011, leading up to 2014, any UK Government that has any respect for Scottish democracy would simply accept that and come to an agreement with the Scottish Government that puts it beyond any legal doubt.

However, a poll for the pro-UK group Scotland in Union found less than two-fifths (37%) of Scots want a referendum within the First Ministers preferred timetable, which would see a vote held in the first half of the next Holyrood term.

More than half (52%) of Scots are against having another referendum by the end of 2023, with 10% saying they did not know.

Scotland in Union added the same poll showed 58% of Scots wanted to stay in the UK, with 42% favouring independence.

Chief executive Pamela Nash said: The very last thing we need right now is more division in our society.

The majority of Scots do not want a referendum in the First Ministers timetable of two-and-a-half years.
Unions are stepping up demands that the Government announces moves this week to outlaw the controversial practice of fire and rehire of workers.

Several disputes have flared this year, with unions claiming companies have threatened to sack workers unless they accept cuts in pay and conditions.

Union leaders said an expected Employment Bill in Tuesdays Queens Speech should include measures to tackle the issue.

Frances OGrady, general secretary of the TUC, said: Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect at work.

But this pandemic has brutally exposed the terrible working conditions and insecurity many of our key workers in retail, care and delivery face.

The Government has run out of excuses. It must deliver on its promise to boost workers rights.

That means using this months Queens Speech to bring forward its long overdue Employment Bill.

If Boris Johnson is serious about levelling up Britain he must ban zero-hours contracts and other exploitative working practices once and for all.

Warren Kenny, acting general secretary of the GMB, said: Fire and rehire is a dirty, bullying tactic used by unscrupulous bosses.

It has no place in the modern world of work and the public know it. Weve been waiting since the Government got elected in 2019 for ministers to bring forward their promised Employment Bill which they said would make the UK the best place in the world to work.

While fire and rehire is legal in the UK and banned elsewhere, this remains a broken promise.

At the moment they wont even publish the review of fire and rehire that they commissioned  what have they got to hide?

The Public and Commercial Services union called for legislation to level up the pay, terms and conditions and pensions of civil servants.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: Civil servants have kept the country functioning in the face of a deadly global pandemic, delivering universal credit and the furlough scheme, working at our ports, borders and prisons.

It is a national disgrace that these hard-working public servants have had a decade of pay cuts in real terms.

A 10% rise across the civil service and related areas would be a massive shot in the arm for our members and no less than they deserve.

The Government must also end contracting out which has led to inferior terms and conditions and poorer value for money and bring services back in house.

Contractors and ministers have reaped the benefits of this gravy train for far too long and the pandemic has been an opportunity for the government to hand contracts to their mates in the private sector.
According to sources, the duo wished to the BJP leadership to continue as Lok Sabha MPs rather than as MLAs

Kolkata: Two first-time BJP MPs, who also contested and won the Assembly election in West Bengal, have not taken their oath as MLAs apparently in fear of losing their berths in the Lok Sabha. They are Nishith Pramanik and Jagannath Sarkar.

Their unexpected move, that has raised eyebrows within the BJP, came at a time chief minister Mamata Banerjees protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as a strong contender for the post of the Leader of the Opposition, racing ahead of another frontrunner, Mukul Roy, the national vice-president of the party.

While Mr Pramanik is an MP of Cooch Behar in North Bengal, Mr Sarkar is an MP of Ranaghat in Nadia. Fielded along with three other MPs  Babul Supriyo, a Union minister, Locket Chatterjee and Swapan Dasgupta  by their party in the Assembly polls, Mr Pramanik won from Dinhata in the district and Mr Sarkar was elected at Santipur while the other three lost.

They were, however, conspicuous by their absence at the oath-taking ceremony for MLAs in the Assembly on May 7, unlike most of the 77 winning candidates of their party. This immediately fuelled speculation about their intentions. Sources said the two have requested the partys leadership to allow them to continue as Lok Sabha MPs than as MLAs.

The party has not taken a final decision on them yet, as both have six months time to choose one of the two posts. If Mr Pramanik and Mr Sarkar opt to stay as MPs, the BJPs tally of MLAs will go down to 75 from 77, with byelections being held for their Assembly seats.

Similarly, if they choose to take the oath as MLAs later, the BJPs tally of MPs in the state will decrease from 18 to 16, with their Lok Sabha seats up for byelections too.

Mr Suvendu Adhikari, meanwhile, appears to be the BJPs favourite face as Leader of the Opposition to take on the Trinamul Congress supremo in the Assembly. The biggest advantage that has put Mr Adhikari ahead of Mr Roy in the competition for the post is his success as a giant killer in defeating the TMC chief at Nandigram, although by a narrow margin.

Known for his fierce speech, Mr Adhikari also has been credited with more years of experience in serving as an MLA, at least twice, than Mr Roy, who has become an MLA for the first time in his life by winning from Krishnanagar North in Nadia. Besides, his past links with the RSS in school life and the support of at least 50 BJP MLAs for him are seen as his plus points, according to sources.

On the other hand, Mr Roy, who was initially considered a suitable face for the post with the support of a section of BJP central leaders, met a senior TMC leader in the Assembly on May 7 but skipped the first meeting of the newly elected MLAs in the Assembly and claimed that he would make his stand clear later.

This instantly triggered speculation about his possible return to the TMC. Mr Roy however tweeted on Saturday: My fight would continue as a soldier of BJP to restore democracy in our state. I would request everyone to put the concoctions and conjectures to rest. I am resolute in my political path.

Judging the situation, the BJP parliamentary board has appointed two central observers  Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav  for the election of Leader of the Opposition in the state.
The state unit of the party is abuzz that around 40 MLAs, including alliance partners, are backing Mr Sarma

Guwahati/New Delhi: Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a strong contender for the post of chief minister, announced on Saturday that the decision on who will lead the government in Assam would be taken at a BJP legislature party meeting slated to be held in Guwahati today.

On Saturday, the BJP top brass, including party president J.P. Nadda, Union home ministerAmit Shah, general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh and partys state in-charge Bijayanta Panda held a series of meetings with incumbent chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Mr Sarma, who had been summoned to Delhi by the party leadership.

After the BJP leadership held separate and joint meetings with the two of them, Mr Sarma told the media, The BJP legislature party meeting will be held tomorrow in Guwahati. Answers to all questions will come out of that meeting.

The state unit of the party is abuzz that around 40 MLAs, including alliance partners, are backing Mr Sarma, who was the first one to meet Mr Nadda. Later, the party top brass held a meeting with Mr Sonowal separately and then with both leaders. Later in the evening, Mr Shah and Mr Sonowal held another round of meeting with Mr Nadda at his residence.

While Mr Sonowal has a clean image and is given credit for pro-incumbency which helped the BJP to retain power in the state, Mr Sarma is considered an influential leader and the BJPs trouble shooter in the North-East.

Both Mr Sonowal and Mr Sarma have considerable clout in the state organisation and their supporters had been lobbying for them.

It is significant that the party had not announced any chief ministerial candidate ahead of the March-April polls. The BJP had said that it would settle the issue after the elections were over. In 2016, the BJP had projected Mr Sonowal as its leader and won, forming its government in the Northeast.

For the 2021 election, however, the BJP, opted against a chief ministerial candidate but still recorded a comfortable win. The party won 60 seats in the 126-member Assembly, while alliance partners AGP won nine and UPPL six.

Insiders in the party said that the BJP leadership has been trying to work out some formula to quell factionalism which was quite visible with the emergence of two power centres in Assam.

The biggest challenge before the BJP leadership would be to strike a balance between the two power centres. If Mr Sonowal is popular among people for his low-key profile and handling issues smoothly, Mr Sarma has been aiming for the top post not only for his performance and executing the party policies aggressively but also for having the support of the majority of newly elected MLAs.

Both the contenders have remained tight-lipped about their day-long parleys and were expected to return to Guwahati by Saturday evening to attend the legislature party meeting on Sunday.
DCT

SE is the base trim as per the configurator , which offers a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms) and a payload capacity of 1,748 pounds (793 kilograms). Key features include the 8.0-inch color touchscreen that is complemented by a whole lot of touch-sensitive buttons on the dashboard, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 2.5-liter GDI powerplant coupled to an eight-speed automatic that drives the front wheels. Hyundai offers HTRAC all-wheel drive with the same engine-transmission combo.To whom it may concern, HTRAC is a multi-mode system that integrates an electronic variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control between the axles. Scheduled to arrive in U.S. dealerships this summer, the Santa Cruz gets even better if you opt for the SEL equipment level that includes the Bluelink Connected Car system, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, an eight-way heated drivers seat with adjustable lumbar support, blind-spot collision-avoidance system, keyless entry, and push-button start.Customers who need a little more oomph can upgrade to the SEL Premium or Limited. Both feature the turbocharged 2.5-liter GDI from the Smartstream engine family, which develops 275 horsepower and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque according to the South Korean automakers preliminary figures. As opposed to the free-breathing engine, this fellow is mated to an eight-speedfeaturing steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual control.The SEL Premium appears to be the sweet spot of the range because its rocking LED headlights, dual-zone automatic temperature control, leather on the steering wheel and shifter, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, as well as Hyundai Digital Key. And finally, the Limited is unapologetically sumptuous thanks to a 10.25-inch touchscreen, Bose audio, ventilated and heated leather-wrapped seats, a heated steering wheel, exterior garnish in dark chrome, and the Blind-Spot View Monitor system.
EV

One of them is Apple, a tech giant whos become famous for its FBI-like secrecy and the efforts it puts into preventing any tidbit of information from reaching the press.Weve therefore known for a while that Apple is working on a car, but the Cupertino-based iPhone maker has so far remained completely tight-lipped on everything. And whats more, it reportedly insists on all of its partners to do the same thing just because the Apple Car is considered a top priority product for its long-term strategy.Earlier this year, for example, its been rumored Apple discussed the Apple Car plans with Hyundai, the South Korean company which at one point was in pole-position to take care of the manufacturing process of this mysterious product. But someone at Hyundai inadvertently spilled the beans on the talks, and Apples big honchos have reportedly been so upset with the whole thing that they abruptly ended all the talks with the carmaker.So yes, the Apple Car is as mysterious as it gets, but this doesnt necessarily mean we didnt get our hands on some essential tidbits. And today, were trying to answer the top questions about this highly anticipated Apple project.First of all, why is Apple, a company that has already conquered the tech world, looking into building a car?While there are several reasons why a tech firm would expand into the automotive industry, for Apple it all comes down to the opportunity to increase its profit margin and therefore make more money. The iPhone is already a money-making machine, and its not a secret Apples making quite a lot of money with every unit sold, but with a car, the profit margin would be significantly higher.Apple is currently the most valuable company in the world with a market cap that exceeds $2 trillion, and an Apple Car is seen as a product that could help easily reach $3 trillion in just a few years.As the car world is becoming more focused on technology, its easy for a giant like Apple to explore this industry, especially because it has always invested in premium approaches that allowed it to sell its products at rather high prices. So Apples tech know-how mixed with its growing appetite for profit is something that fits the tech revolution in the automotive market like a glove.No. The upcoming Apple Car will be an, and theres a good chance itll support at least level 3 self-driving, though the autonomous capabilities are still in the works as we speak.This is the reason many see the Apple Car as a fully-featured Tesla rival, especially because both companies have invested aggressively in the technology that could make its way on future cars.Rumor has it the Apple Car will land in the form of a sedan that will use all kinds of new-generation tech, and while Apple has already been granted a series of very ambitious projects, you can be sure not all of them would eventually enter the mass production.But on the other hand, theres no doubt the Apple Car will be the peak of the tech revolution in the car industry, especially as this is exactly how the Cupertino-based firm wants its EV to be set apart from the rest of the crowd.Apple has been trying for many months already to find someone to build the Apple Car, but at this point, the company has come down to two different options. So itll be either Foxconn , the long-time Apple partner thats also the number one iPhone manufacturer, or a joint venture between LG and Magna LG has recently abandoned the mobile phone business, promising to focus more on other sectors, including EV manufacturing, so a partnership with Magna for the production of the Apple Car would guarantee a successful future in this regard.Apple has previously talked about a potential partnership with a series of traditional carmakers, including Hyundai, Nissan, and possibly others, but according to people familiar with the matter, the company has repeatedly hit a roadblock every time. And the reason is a simple as it could be: no carmaker wanted to become just a standard contract manufacturer for Apple.Given its a work in progress, the debut of the Apple Car is subject to overnight changes, but at this point, it looks like Apple wants to come up with a prototype in the next two or three years, while the production model could be announced in 2023 or 2024 at the earliest Previously, its been rumored that a testing version of the Apple Car was projected to see the daylight in 2022, though this was only the case if Apple reached an agreement with a traditional carmaker.Given the whole thing is advancing slowly, the Apple Car prototype could now be revealed in 2023, though as we said, everything can change overnight if something goes wrong.Analysts believe Apple would confirm the Apple Car later this year, but this is rather unlikely given the company typically doesnt comment on new products until the official announcement.
The much hyped, too controversial appearance on NBCs Saturday Night Live (SNL) is here  literally so, since its streaming live internationally as of the moment of press. Elon Musk, CEO of market-leading companies like Tesla and SpaceX, the man who will reinvent the automotive industry and put man on Mars, one of the most controversial public figures and Twitter-ers in the world, and the worlds second-richest man, is hosting a comedy show.The opening monologue set the tone for the rest of the episode: Musk, a notoriously socially awkward individual who can talk endlessly about the developments of his respective companies, came out as having Aspergers. In fact, he said, he is the only person with Asperger Syndrome to ever host SNL. His monotone delivery of everything made for great comedy. He briefly touched on the topic of electric vehicles and his rockets , Dogecoin and the strange name hed picked out for his youngest son, X  A-12, which is pronounced Cat Running Across Keyboard. See, Elon reads your tweets!His mother Maye made an appearance, as did every mother of all the regulars. Thats because this weekend is Mothers Day in the United States, but it still made for some awkward interactions and moments. This includes the brief exchange between Elon and Maye.As usual, Elons hosting gig also included appearances in skits, both live and pre-recorded. As of this moment, hes appeared as a doctor in a skit on Gen Z-ers, a guest at a post-lockdown party, a murderer priest on Murdur Durdur, a producer on The Ooli Show, and financial analyst DogeFather, who tried to explain what Dogecoin actually is. Its a hustle, in case youre wondering.Because such a high-profile appearance makes for even greater publicity opportunities, Musk brought the Cybertruck to New York. So, for the remainder of the weekend, if youre in NYC, you might get the chance to see the Tesla all-electric, better-than-a-tank pickup truck, which should start deliveries later this year, before heading into large-scale production in 2022.And now for the question thats been everywhere since NBC announced Musk would be hosting the show: how did Elon fare? Depending on where you stand, the answer varies. Musks hosting gig, like everything else he does these days, has proven to incite debate and controversy and, not in the least, highly opposing reactions.His supporters love him, because everything he does is layered in humor, realness and his very magic touch. His critics , on the other hand, hate the idea of having one of the worlds richest billionaires deliver jokes because, apparently, comedy is directly dependent on relatability. But whatever your take on his gig, he certainly proved to be a ratings-magnet.
Duane Earl Pope might not be a name that rings a bell to readers outside of the United States, but to Americans, it stands for the author of one of the bloodiest bank robberies of modern times. Pope, a fresh college graduate and the very definition of the nice guy, needed money to buy a trailer for his planned excavation business, and he had already been working for some time on an idea on how to get it easily.Hed been tinkering with his pistols, making silencers on the machines on campus, and then testing him on his familys farm in Salina, Kansas. One day in June 1965, he headed out to Hertz and rented a 1965 Chevrolet Impala with the $50 hed borrowed from his father, on the excuse that hed head into town to look for work. Instead, he headed into Big Springs, Nebraska, where he stalked out and, the next day, robbed the Farmers State Bank.Pope shot the four people inside the bank, execution-style. Three of them died on the spot, while a third survived but was left paralyzed for life. He then drove the getaway car, now loaded with some $1,600 back to Salinas and returned it to Hertz. He would then fly to Mexico taking detours, and then into Las Vegas, where he gambled and enjoyed himself until he saw hed made it on the FBI Most Wanted List. When the president of the McPherson College publicly urged him to turn himself in, he did.Pope admitted to his crimes in a 19-page confession, and hes currently serving three consecutive life sentences at the Nebraska State Penitentiary. The Impala that he used for the bloody robbery was listed last weekend with Big Iron Auctions and, after 170 bids, sold for $45,000 to an undisclosed buyer.The Impala had previously been hosted at the Chevyland USA museum in Elm Creek, Nebraska, and was part of the Monte Hollertz collection. Hollertz died last year, and the museum closed permanently one year prior. Powered by a 283 Turbo-Fire V8 delivering 195 hp mated to an automatic transmission, the Impala showed 13,962 miles (22,470 km). It was sold with a bunch of memorabilia , such as a copy of the paper Pope signed upon renting the car and various newspaper articles and clippings.
Remnants of the Long March-5B Y2 rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean near the Maldives, officials in China announced Sunday morning Beijing time.

Details: Most of the rocket's debris burned up during the uncontrolled re-entry, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) said in a social media post. NASA administrator Bill Nelson accused China's government in a statement Saturday of "failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

"Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations."

 Nelson

Parts of the rocket's 100-foot core re-entered the atmosphere at 10.24a.m. Sunday Beijing time (10.24p.m. Saturday ET), landing at 72.47 degrees east longitude and 2.65 degrees north latitude, the CMSEO said.

For the record: The Pentagon said this week it was tracking the descent of the rocket that carried a Chinese Space Station module to orbit last month, but experts couldn't predict where it would land.

Between the lines: Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., tweeted: "An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely.

"It appears China won its gamble (unless we get news of debris in the Maldives). But it was still reckless."

Of note: Axios' Miriam Kramer notes that Chinas Tiangong-1 space station returned to Earth in an uncontrolled descent in 2018, burning up above the Pacific Ocean.

What to watch: We could see more uncontrolled rocket re-entries in the future as China launches further missions to its new space station, per the New York Times.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
The Federal Election Commission announced Thursday that it won't proceed with a case examining whether former President Trump violated election law in 2016 a hush-money payment made through his then-lawyer Michael Cohen.

The state of play: The election commission, split between three Republicans and three Democratic-aligned commissioners, dropped the proceeding in a closed-door meeting in February, per the New York Times.

Flashback: Trump allegedly directed Cohen to pay adult-film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 on the eve of the 2016 election to keep quiet about her relationship with the former president. That payment, which "was far in excess of the legal limit for individual contributions for president," was never reported on Trump's campaign filings, the Times writes.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for violating campaign finance laws.

Trump has not faced consequences for his role in the scandal.

What they're saying: The hush money payment was done at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald J. Trump, Cohen said in a statement to The New York Times.

Like me, Trump should have been found guilty. How the F.E.C. committee could rule any other way is confounding.

Of note: Two Democratic-leaning members of the FEC released a statement criticizing their Republican colleague's decision.

"There is ample evidence in the record to support the finding that Trump and the Committee knew of, and nonetheless accepted, the illegal contributions at issue here," they write.

"To conclude that a payment, made 13 days before Election Day to hush up a suddenly newsworthy 10- year-old story, was not campaign-related, without so much as conducting an investigation, defies reality."

Yes, but: Two Republican-leaning commissioners released their own statement saying the dismissal was a matter of "prosecutorial discretion."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans Saturday for a second independence referendum once the pandemic has abated following the country's parliamentary elections.

The big picture: Sturgeon's Scottish National Party (SNP) won 64 seats, one seat short of an outright majority in the 129-seat Parliament. But most seats went to pro-independence parties.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to block any second referendum push, but the SNP has published draft legislation for a secession bill.

Some SNP members have suggested they could "hold an advisory vote and force" the United Kingdom to challenge the legislation in court, Bloomberg notes.

What they're saying: "There is simply no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson, or indeed for anyone else, seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our own future," Sturgeon said at a news conference.

"It is the will of the country."

Of note: Johnson's ruling Conservative Party won comprehensively in local elections held across England on Friday.
State Department officials spoke to their Israeli and Palestinian counterparts on Friday night and asked them to de-escalate the situation in Jerusalem and the West Bank, U.S. and Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: This is the first crisis between Israel and the Palestinians the Biden administration faces as it reengages with the Palestinians after a long freeze in the relations during the Trump presidency.

The rise in tensions comes in the most sensitive time on the calendar  the last days of Ramadan.

Driving the news: In recent days the tensions grew in Jerusalem over a possible eviction of 300 Palestinians from homes they lived in for more than 50 years in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

In the last week several terror attacks were committed by Palestinians against Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank. One Israeli was murdered and another seriously wounded.

In recent weeks Israeli settlers committed what is called Price tag attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank and Israeli right wing activists attacked Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

The tensions reached its height on Friday evening when Israelis police clashed with Palestinian worshipers in the old city of Jerusalem and in the Temple Mount where the Al-Aqsa mosque is located. 20 Israeli policemen and more than 200 Palestinians were wounded.

State Department officials were in contact with senior Israeli and Palestinian leaders and urged them to work cooperatively together to lower tensions and end the violence, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

What they are saying: It is absolutely critical that all sides exercise restraint, refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric, and preserve the historic status quo on the Haram al-Sharif / Temple Mount  in word and in practice. Leaders across the spectrum must denounce all violent acts. Security services must ensure the safety of all of Jerusalems residents and hold all perpetrators to account," Price said.

Palestinian Authority president Abbas said on Friday night Israelis responsible for the escalation and called for the international community to protect the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem.

Israeli prime minister Netanyahu said after a security meeting he convened on Saturday that Israel will uphold the rule of law in Jerusalem while protecting the freedom of worship in Jerusalem.

The big picture: This escalation comes amid a deep political crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In Israel there are intense talks of forming an alternative government. These efforts can be derailed because the new government needs the support of the Raam Islamist party.

On the other side, Abbas faces harsh criticism for postponing the elections fearing his party would lose. Abbas is trying to use the current crisis in Jerusalem to divert the popular anger against him towards Israel.

Whats next: The Palestinians are trying to convene the UN security council in the coming days to discuss the situation in Jerusalem.
It's important to do some dumb stuff on a trip. Thats not hard. Dumb comes naturally. Dumb is part of our daily lives.
Waldport's Driftwood Beach Parking to Close for Oregon Coast Wave Energy Project Work

Published 05/08/21 at 5:35 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Waldport, Oregon)  A much-loved beach on the central Oregon coast will not be as easily accessible for awhile, as Driftwood Beach State Recreation Sites parking area will close down as early as June 1 for work constructing part of a massive wave energy project. Oregon State Parks and Recreation (OPRD) announced this week that Oregon State University (OSU), which is running the project, will hold two virtual town halls on Monday, May 10 to explain the gigantic test endeavor.

It's unknown for how long the parking lot will be closed. The beach remains open, as well as a restroom nearby.

Driftwood Beach, about a mile north of Waldport, will be cut off from any easy access  the nearest public accesses on either side are about a mile away. However, OPRD said parking and beach access are available at multiple nearby state parks including Seal Rock State Recreation Site, Governor Patterson Memorial State Recreation Site and Brian Booth State Park, which are all less than five miles from Driftwood Beach. Although the Driftwood Beach parking area will be closed, an on-site restroom will be available outside the construction area.

Initial work is being done on the OSU PacWave South wave energy test site, with the onshore components being connected to the offshore facility in this spot. There are two areas off the central Oregon coast where the PacWave testing will be done. Near Waldport is the southern spot, while another near Newport is the northern rigging.

The work being done here includes horizontal directional drilling deep beneath the park and ocean shore. Later subsea cable installation work will primarily be between 1 and 7 miles offshore.

PacWave South is the first marine renewable energy research lease the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued in federal waters off the West Coast. It will cost an estimated $80 million. The central Oregon array is a full-scale, utility grid-connected wave energy test site, designed to allow wave energy developers the opportunity to test different technologies for harnessing the energy of ocean waves.

OSU said wave energy has the potential to provide clean, reliable electricity to meet the worlds rising energy demands. Globally, the marine energy market is projected to reach nearly $700 billion by 2050, and the World Energy Council estimates that 10% of the worldwide electricity demand could be met by harvesting ocean energy.

The PacWave ocean test site will be located about seven miles offshore on a sandy-bottomed stretch of the Pacific Ocean away from popular commercial and recreational fishing reefs. The ocean site will have four different testing berths, which combined can accommodate up to 20 total wave energy devices at any one time. Five power and data cables buried below the seafloor will connect the ocean test site to a shoreside facility southeast of Seal Rock.

The virtual town halls are set for:

Town Hall Meeting #1 on May 10, 2021 at 1 p.m.: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/93265505728

Town Hall Meeting #2 on May 10, 2021 at 6 p.m.: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/94557740261

More information about the town halls and how to attend are available at http://pacwaveenergy.org/, under the Construction Update section. The town halls will include construction updates and public question-and-answer sessions. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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NOQReports.com reports:

There are two certainties about the Covid-19 vaccines being mass-distributed around the world. The first is that governments and the vast majority of mainstream media are pushing with as much ferocity as they can muster for these experimental drugs to be injected into as many people as possible. The second is that those who are brave enough to face the scorn that comes with asking serious questions about the vaccines are absolutely necessary components of our ongoing fight to spread the truth.

NOQ Report received an advanced copy of the manuscript in preprint below. It has been prepared by nearly five dozen highly respected doctors, scientists, and public policy experts from across the globe to be urgently sent to world leaders as well as all who are associated with the production and distribution of the various Covid-19 vaccines in circulation today.

There are still far too many questions about the safety, efficacy, and necessity of the Covid-19 vaccines that have not been addressed. This study is a bombshell that should resonate with all regardless of ones perspectives on these vaccines. There are not enough citizens asking questions at all. Most are simply doing as world governments are instructing as if they have earned our blind trust. They have not. This manuscript represents a step towards accountability and the free flow of information regarding this extraordinarily important topic. Please read and share widely.

SARS-CoV-2 mass vaccination: Urgent questions on vaccine safety that demand answers from international health agencies, regulatory authorities, governments and vaccine developers

Roxana Bruno1, Peter McCullough2, Teresa Forcades i Vila3, Alexandra Henrion-Caude4, Teresa Garcia-Gasca5, Galina P. Zaitzeva6, Sally Priester7, Maria J. Martinez Albarracin8, Alejandro Sousa-Escandon9, Fernando Lopez Mirones10, Bartomeu Payeras Cifre11, Almudena Zaragoza Velilla10, Leopoldo M. Borini1, Mario Mas1, Ramiro Salazar1, Edgardo Schinder1, Eduardo A Yahbes1, Marcela Witt1, Mariana Salmeron1, Patricia Fernandez1, Miriam M. Marchesini1, Alberto J. Kajihara1, Marisol V. de la Riva1, Patricia J. Chimeno1, Paola A. Grellet1, Matelda Lisdero1, Pamela Mas1, Abelardo J. Gatica Baudo12, Elisabeth Retamoza12, Oscar Botta13, Chinda C. Brandolino13, Javier Sciuto14, Mario Cabrera Avivar14, Mauricio Castillo15, Patricio Villarroel15, Emilia P. Poblete Rojas15, Barbara Aguayo15, Dan I. Macias Flores15, Jose V. Rossell16, Julio C. Sarmiento17, Victor Andrade-Sotomayor17, Wilfredo R. Stokes Baltazar18, Virna Cedeno Escobar19, Ulises Arrua20, Atilio Farina del Rio21, Tatiana Campos Esquivel22, Patricia Callisperis23, Maria Eugenia Barrientos24, Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse5,*

1Epidemiologos Argentinos Metadisciplinarios. Republica Argentina.

2Baylor University Medical Center. Dallas, Texas, USA.

3Monestir de Sant Benet de Montserrat, Montserrat, Spain

4INSERM U781 Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades, Universite Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Cite, Institut Imagine, Paris, France.

5School of Natural Sciences. Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico.

6Retired Professor of Medical Immunology. Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

7Medicos por la Verdad Puerto Rico. Ashford Medical Center. San Juan, Puerto Rico.

8Retired Professor of Clinical Diagnostic Processes. University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

9Urologist Hospital Comarcal de Monforte, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

10Biologos por la Verdad, Spain.

11Retired Biologist. University of Barcelona. Specialized in Microbiology. Barcelona, Spain.

12Center for Integrative Medicine MICAEL (Medicina Integrativa Centro Antroposofico Educando en Libertad). Mendoza, Republica Argentina.

13Medicos por la Verdad Argentina. Republica Argentina. 

14Medicos por la Verdad Uruguay. Republica Oriental del Uruguay.

15Medicos por la Libertad Chile. Republica de Chile.

16Physician, orthopedic specialist. Republica de Chile.

17Medicos por la Verdad Peru. Republica del Peru.

18Medicos por la Verdad Guatemala. Republica de Guatemala.

19Concepto Azul S.A. Ecuador.

20Medicos por la Verdad Brasil. Brasil.

21Medicos por la Verdad Paraguay.

22Medicos por la Costa Rica.

23Medicos por la Verdad Bolivia.

24Medicos por la Verdad El Salvador.

* Correspondence: Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, karina.acevedo.whitehouse@uaq.mx

Abstract

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the race for testing new platforms designed to confer immunity against SARS-CoV-2, has been rampant and unprecedented, leading to emergency authorization of various vaccines. Despite progress on early multidrug therapy for COVID-19 patients, the current mandate is to immunize the world population as quickly as possible. The lack of thorough testing in animals prior to clinical trials, and authorization based on safety data generated during trials that lasted less than 3.5 months, raise questions regarding the safety of these vaccines. The recently identified role of SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein Spike for inducing endothelial damage characteristic of COVID-19, even in absence of infection, is extremely relevant given that most of the authorized vaccines induce the production of Spike glycoprotein in the recipients. Given the high rate of occurrence of adverse effects, and the wide range of types of adverse effects that have been reported to date, as well as the potential for vaccine-driven disease enhancement, Th2-immunopathology, autoimmunity, and immune evasion, there is a need for a better understanding of the benefits and risks of mass vaccination, particularly in the groups that were excluded in the clinical trials. Despite calls for caution, the risks of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination have been minimized or ignored by health organizations and government authorities. We appeal to the need for a pluralistic dialogue in the context of health policies, emphasizing critical questions that require urgent answers if we wish to avoid a global erosion of public confidence in science and public health.

Introduction

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, over 150 million cases and 3 million deaths have been reported worldwide. Despite progress on early ambulatory, multidrug-therapy for high-risk patients, resulting in 85% reductions in COVID-19 hospitalization and death [1], the current paradigm for control is mass-vaccination. While we recognize the effort involved in development, production and emergency authorization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, we are concerned that risks have been minimized or ignored by health organizations and government authorities, despite calls for caution [2-8].

Vaccines for other coronaviruses have never been approved for humans, and data generated in the development of coronavirus vaccines designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies show that they may worsen COVID-19 disease via antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and Th2 immunopathology, regardless of the vaccine platform and delivery method [9-11]. Vaccine-driven disease enhancement in animals vaccinated against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV is known to occur following viral challenge, and has been attributed to immune complexes and Fc-mediated viral capture by macrophages, which augment T-cell activation and inflammation [11-13].

In March 2020, vaccine immunologists and coronavirus experts assessed SARS-CoV-2 vaccine risks based on SARS-CoV-vaccine trials in animal models. The expert group concluded that ADE and immunopathology were a real concern, but stated that their risk was insufficient to delay clinical trials, although continued monitoring would be necessary [14]. While there is no clear evidence of the occurrence of ADE and vaccine-related immunopathology in volunteers immunized with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines [15], safety trials to date have not specifically addressed these serious adverse effects (SAE). Given that the follow-up of volunteers did not exceed 2-3.5 months after the second dose [16-19], it is unlikely such SAE would have been observed. Despite92 errors in reporting, it cannot be ignored that even accounting for the number of vaccines administered, according to the US Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS), the number of deaths per million vaccine doses administered has increased more than 10-fold. We believe there is an urgent need for open scientific dialogue on vaccine safety in the context of large-scale immunization. In this paper, we describe some of the risks of mass vaccination in the context of phase 3 trial exclusion criteria and discuss the SAE reported in national and regional adverse effect registration systems. We highlight unanswered questions and draw attention to the need for a more cautious approach to mass vaccination.

SARS-CoV-2 phase 3 trial exclusion criteria

With few exceptions, SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials excluded the elderly [16-19], making it impossible to identify the occurrence of post-vaccination eosinophilia and enhanced inflammation in elderly people. Studies of SARS-CoV vaccines showed that immunized elderly mice were at particularly high risk of life-threatening Th2 immunopathology [9,20]. Despite this evidence and the extremely limited data on safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the elderly, mass-vaccination campaigns have focused on this age group from the start. Most trials also excluded pregnant and lactating volunteers, as well as those with chronic and serious conditions such as tuberculosis, hepatitis C, autoimmunity, coagulopathies, cancer, and immune suppression [16-29], although these recipients are now being offered the vaccine under the premise of safety.

Another criterion for exclusion from nearly all trials was prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2. This is unfortunate as it denied the opportunity of obtaining extremely relevant information concerning post-vaccination ADE in people that already have anti-SARS-Cov-2 antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, ADE is not being monitored systematically for any age or medical condition group currently being administered the vaccine. Moreover, despite a substantial proportion of the population already having antibodies [21], tests to determine SARS-CoV-2-antibody status prior to administration of the vaccine are not conducted routinely.

Will serious adverse effects from the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines go unnoticed?

COVID-19 encompasses a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from very mild to severe pulmonary pathology and fatal multi-organ disease with inflammatory, cardiovascular, and blood coagulation dysregulation [22-24]. In this sense, cases of vaccine-related ADE or immunopathology would be clinically-indistinguishable from severe COVID-19 [25]. Furthermore, even in the absence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, Spike glycoprotein alone causes endothelial damage and hypertension in vitro and in vivo in Syrian hamsters by down-regulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and impairing mitochondrial function [26]. Although these findings need to be confirmed in humans, the implications of this finding are staggering, as all vaccines authorized for emergency use are based on the delivery or induction of Spike glycoprotein synthesis. In the case of mRNA vaccines and adenovirus-vectorized vaccines, not a single study has examined the duration of Spike production in humans following vaccination. Under the cautionary principle, it is parsimonious to consider vaccine-induced Spike synthesis could cause clinical signs of severe COVID-19, and erroneously be counted as new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. If so, the true adverse effects of the current global vaccination strategy may never be recognized unless studies specifically examine this question. There is already non-causal evidence of temporary or sustained increases138 in COVID-19 deaths following vaccination in some countries (Fig. 1) and in light of Spikes pathogenicity, these deaths must be studied in depth to determine whether they are related to vaccination.

Unanticipated adverse reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Another critical issue to consider given the global scale of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is autoimmunity. SARS-CoV-2 has numerous immunogenic proteins, and all but one of its immunogenic epitopes have similarities to human proteins [27]. These may act as a source of antigens, leading to autoimmunity [28]. While it is true that the same effects could be observed during natural infection with SARS-CoV-2, vaccination is intended for most of the world population, while it is estimated that only 10% of the world population has been infected by SARS-CoV-2, according to Dr. Michael Ryan, head of emergencies at the World Health Organization. We have been unable to find evidence that any of the currently authorized vaccines screened and excluded homologous immunogenic epitopes to avoid potential autoimmunity due to pathogenic priming.

Some adverse reactions, including blood-clotting disorders, have already been reported in healthy and young vaccinated people. These cases led to the suspension or cancellation of the use of adenoviral vectorized ChAdOx1-nCov-19 and Janssen vaccinesin some countries. It has now been proposed that vaccination with ChAdOx1-nCov-19 can result in immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) mediated by platelet-activating antibodies against Platelet factor-4, which clinically mimics autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia [29]. Unfortunately, the risk was overlooked when authorizing these vaccines, although adenovirus-induced thrombocytopenia has been known for more than a decade, and has been a consistent event with adenoviral vectors [30]. The risk of VITT would presumably be higher in those already at risk of blood clots, including women who use oral contraceptives [31], making it imperative for clinicians to advise their patients accordingly.

At the population level, there could also be vaccine-related impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a fast-evolving RNA virus that has so far produced more than 40,000 variants [32,33] some of which affect the antigenic domain of Spike glycoprotein [34,35]. Given the high mutation rates, vaccine-induced synthesis of high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike antibodies could theoretically lead to suboptimal responses against subsequent infections by other variants in vaccinated individuals [36], a phenomenon known as original antigenic sin [37] or antigenic priming [38]. It is unknown to what extent mutations that affect SARS-CoV-2 antigenicity will become fixed during viral evolution [39], but vaccines could plausibly act as selective forces driving variants with higher infectivity or transmissibility. Considering the high similarity between known SARS-CoV-2 variants, this scenario is unlikely [32,34] but if future variants were to differ more in key epitopes, the global vaccination strategy might have helped shape an even more dangerous virus. This risk has recently been brought to the attention of the WHO as an open letter [40].

Discussion

The risks outlined here are a major obstacle to continuing global SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Evidence on the safety of all SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is needed before exposing more people to the184 risk of these experiments, since releasing a candidate vaccine without time to fully understand the resulting impact on health could lead to an exacerbation of the current global crisis [41]. Risk-stratification of vaccine recipients is essential. According to the UK government, people below 60 years of age have an extremely low risk of dying from COVID-191 187 . However, according to Eudravigillance, most of the serious adverse effects following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination occur in people aged 18-64. Of particular concern is the planned vaccination schedule for children aged 6 years and older in the United States and the UK. Dr. Anthony Fauci recently anticipated that teenagers across the country will be vaccinated in the autumn and younger children in early 2022, and the UK is awaiting trial results to commence vaccination of 11 million children under 18. There is a lack of scientific justification for subjecting healthy children to experimental vaccines, given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that they have a 99.997% survival rate if infected with SARS-CoV-2. Not only is COVID-19 irrelevant as a threat to this age group, but there is no reliable evidence to support vaccine efficacy or effectiveness in this population or to rule out harmful side effects of these experimental vaccines. In this sense, when physicians advise patients on the elective administration of COVID-19 vaccination, there is a great need to better understand the benefits and risk of administration, particularly in understudied groups.

In conclusion, in the context of the rushed emergency-use-authorization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and the current gaps in our understanding of their safety, the following questions must be raised:

Is it known whether cross-reactive antibodies from previous coronavirus infections or vaccine206 induced antibodies may influence the risk of unintended pathogenesis following vaccination with COVID-19?

Has the specific risk of ADE, immunopathology, autoimmunity, and serious adverse reactions been clearly disclosed to vaccine recipients to meet the medical ethics standard of patient understanding for informed consent? If not, what are the reasons, and how could it be implemented?

What is the rationale for administering the vaccine to every individual when the risk of dying from COVID-19 is not equal across age groups and clinical conditions and when the phase 3 trials excluded the elderly, children and frequent specific conditions?

What are the legal rights of patients if they are harmed by a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine? Who will cover the costs of medical treatment? If claims were to be settled with public money, has the public been made aware that the vaccine manufacturers have been granted immunity, and their responsibility to compensate those harmed by the vaccine has been transferred to the tax-payers?

In the context of these concerns, we propose halting mass-vaccination and opening an urgent pluralistic, critical, and scientifically-based dialogue on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among scientists, medical doctors, international health agencies, regulatory authorities, governments, and vaccine developers. This is the only way to bridge the current gap between scientific evidence and public health policy regarding the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We are convinced that humanity deserves a deeper understanding of the risks than what is currently touted as the official position. An open scientific dialogue is urgent and indispensable to avoid erosion of public confidence in science and public health and to ensure that the WHO and national health authorities protect the interests of humanity during the current pandemic. Returning public health policy to evidence-based medicine, relying on a careful evaluation of the relevant scientific research, is urgent. It is imperative to follow the science.

1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-reported-sars-cov-2-deaths-in-england/covid-19-confirmed-deaths-in-england-report

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

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Figure legends

Figure 1. Number of new COVID-19 deaths in relation to number of people that have received at least one vaccine dose for selected countries. Graph shows data from the start of vaccination to May 3rd 365 , 2021. A) India (9.25% of population vaccinated), B) Thailand (1.58% of population vaccinated), C) Colombia (6.79% of population vaccinated), D) Mongolia (31.65% of population vaccinated), E) Israel (62.47% of population vaccinated), F) Entire world (7.81% of population vaccinated). Graphs were built using data from Our World in Data (accessed 4 May 2021) https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/tree/master/public/data/vaccinations
Just hours before he was set to board a flight home to Argentina on Saturday, Santiago Solans Portillo received some news that appeared to throw a wrench in his travel plans: His coronavirus test had come back positive, authorities say.

But when the 29-year-old arrived at the airport in Miami, he made no such disclosure to the American Airlines agents checking him in, instead presenting a medical certificate that said he was fit to fly.

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It was only the following day, when he landed in Buenos Aires and health officials took his temperature, finding he had a fever of 101.3 degrees, that he made his confession: He probably had covid-19 - and should not have boarded the plane to begin with.

"Due to this irresponsible, selfish behavior, 200 people are at risk despite having done the right thing while traveling," Florencia Carignano, Argentina's top immigration official, told reporters this week.

As with many other countries, Argentina requires international travelers coming from the United States to present proof of having recovered from covid-19 recently or a negative test to board a flight. Borders have largely been closed to almost anyone besides citizens and permanent residents.

New cases in Argentina have skyrocketed in recent weeks, surpassing a total of 3 million and reaching an all-time high of new daily cases late last month as hospitals scramble to accommodate the influx of covid-19 patients.

But as in much of Latin America, vaccine rollout efforts have stalled - in part because of a shortage of supplies largely stockpiled by the United States and other wealthier countries. About 7 million people, or 16 percent of the total population, had received at least one shot as of May 3, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.

Anxious and tired of waiting, some of the richest Argentines have instead looked north, flying to Miami to get shots. Officials said that Portillo, who owns a commercial pressure-washing business, was one of them.

It is unclear whether Portillo ever did get vaccinated. But Argentine authorities say that he received a medical certificate at some point on Saturday from a clinic in Hollywood, Fla., stating that he was in good health and able to travel internationally.

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But in an interview with an Argentine radio station this week, Juan Manuel Dragani, a lawyer in Buenos Aires who represents that clinic, insisted that the certificate was not counterfeit or fraudulent and had been issued to the patient in accordance with all U.S. guidelines.

"There's a direct responsibility for the accused," Dragani said, noting that Portillo's only contact with the clinic had been through a telehealth appointment.

Still, at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, Portillo received a PCR test stating he had tested positive for the coronavirus, authorities said. By midnight, he had boarded American Airlines flight AA921, and on Sunday morning, the plane - also carrying 258 other passengers and 12 crew members - landed in Argentina.

After confessing his alleged ruse, authorities said, he was arrested and transported to a Buenos Aires sanitary hotel - one of several facilities that had been run by the city for travelers coming from abroad who were ordered to quarantine.

In a brief phone interview Tuesday with Clarin, the country's largest newspaper, Portillo said he was running a fever and was receiving medical treatment while in custody there.

He claimed that the publication's previous reporting on his case was "all a lie" and refused to offer more details without consulting his lawyer. (As of that morning, however, court officials noted that he had yet to retain an attorney; The Washington Post was unable to reach Portillo.)

Carignano, the immigration official, said that Portillo could face between 3 and 15 years in prison under an Argentine law that bars people from knowingly exposing others to infectious diseases. She noted that his "complex judicial situation" would be compounded if any of his fellow passengers develop symptoms in the coming days.

Buenos Aires city health officials have so far tracked down at least 14 people who were sitting near Portillo on the plane, ordering them to quarantine for at least seven days, though it is unclear if any have tested positive for the virus so far.

A judge has seized his cellphone to examine when exactly he received the medical certificate, and at what time a different clinic in Miami notified him he had tested positive for the virus.

Carignano has also said that her agency would be sanctioning and fining American Airlines for allowing a sick person to board the flight, in violation of the country's coronavirus rules. The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.
Port Arthur police have released the identity of a 30-year-old man fatally shot on Friday evening.

Terrel Willis, of Port Arthur, was found dead with a gunshot wound in the 700 block of West Procter, according to a department news release.

Police around 9:15 p.m. received reports of "several shots fired" around that location, the release said.

Justice of the Peace Brad Burnett has requested an autopsy.
KELOWNA, B.C. - The Victoria Royals narrowly edged the Prince George Cougars 2-1 on Saturday evening in Western Hockey League action, with all three goals coming in the second period.

Brandon Cutler scored a short-handed marker at 5:24 and Keanu Derungs got one on the power play at 16:23 as the Royals (3-14-2) jumped to a 2-0 lead.

Connor Bowie replied for the Cougars, with the man advantage, with 39 seconds left in the frame.

Royals goalie Adam Evanoff stood tall in the third, making 15 of his 33 saves in the final frame to lead Victoria to victory -- just their second win in the past 15 games.

Ty Young stopped 19-of-21 shots in defeat for Prince George (9-8-3).

Both teams finished 1 for 3 on the power play.

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BLAZERS 3 GIANTS 1

KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- The Kamloops Blazers picked up their fourth straight victory and clinched the B.C. Division thanks to a 20-save effort by Dylan Garand. Fraser Minten, Caedan Bankier and Dylan Sydor scored for Kamloops (16-4-0) while Justin Sourdif registered the lone goal for the Giants (11-10-0), who got 30 saves from Trent Miner.

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SILVERTIPS 4 THUNDERBIRDS 1

KENT, Wash. -- Three assists from Gage Goncalves and a 29-save performance by Dustin Wolf led the Everett Silvertips (19-4-0) to their fourth consecutive win. Keltie Jeri-Leon scored a consolation goal late in the third for Seattle (9-12-1).

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WINTERHAWKS 5 CHIEFS 1

PORTLAND -- An offensive outburst by Gabe Klassen, who had two goals and two assists, gave the Portland Winterhawks (11-8-3) a commanding victory over Spokane (6-9-5), who were outshot 37-18.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2021.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP)  Police officers on a city team providing services to homeless people shot and killed a man who pulled a gun on them in inland Southern California, authorities said.

The shooting happened Saturday morning in an area of downtown Riverside frequented by homeless residents, the Press-Enterprise reported.

The officers were part of an outreach unit that included a code enforcement officer and two city employees who offer social services such as housing, substance abuse assistance and counseling, the newspaper said.

As the officers approached the man, he walked away from them before pulling a handgun from his clothing and pointing it at them, said Riverside Police spokesman Ryan Railsback.

The officers opened fire, striking the man, who died at a hospital, Railsback said. He was identified as Felix Jerry Marquez, 34, of Riverside. Officials said Marquez was homeless.

The shooting is under investigation.

Riverside police Chief Larry Gonzalez said Saturday he supports having mental health professionals on the outreach teams and added that he wished he had more.

But Gonzalez said, referring to the encounter with the armed man, This is the exact scenario I worry about if we had a full civilianized team.  I cant afford to have even one civilian employee get hurt because we are not there.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  A Bismarck man has been chosen to head the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party.

Democratic leaders from across the state elected Patrick Hart chairman during the partys reorganization meeting Saturday. He defeated Shelley Lenz, who made an unsuccessful bid for governor last year.

The Dem-NPL has been a big part of my life for many years, and Im glad to be afforded the opportunity to help grow our base and lead our party into the future, Hart said.

Outgoing chairwoman Kylie Oversen, a Fargo attorney, announced in March that she would not seek a fourth two-year term, The Bismarck Tribune reported

Hart, a native of Pembina, previously served as party vice chairman. He has worked as a fertilizer auditor for the state Agriculture Department and as a grain warehouse inspector for the Public Service Commission. He ran for state auditor in the 2020 election, where he was soundly defeated by incumbent Republican Josh Gallion.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
BANGKOK (AP)  Myanmar's junta has labeled a shadow government of lawmakers and politicians ousted in a February coup and a people's defense force that is being set up to confront security forces as terrorist groups.

The government of national unity was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

The junta has previously accused them of treason, and the announcement on state TV Saturday said they were being branded terrorists because of their participation in a civil disobedience movement  a popular revolt against the military takeover that has seen people taking to the streets daily despite the lethal use of force by authorities.

More than 700 protesters and bystanders have been killed by security forces since the Feb. 1 coup, according to several detailed estimates. The junta has said the death toll is about one-third of that, and that the use of lethal force was justified to end what it called rioting.

Last week, the shadow government announced the formation of Peoples Defense Force, which would serve as a precursor to a Federal Union Army of democratic forces including ethnic minorities.

The National Unity Government has the backing of several major ethnic minority groups who for decades have been seeking greater autonomy and who maintain their own guerrilla forces. The two most important are the Kachin in the north and the Karen in the east, both of which are actively engaged in combat with the governments military forces.

Since the coup and crackdown on opponents, students and factory workers have fled to territory controlled by the ethnic guerrilla forces to take military training.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

An important piece of the Pecos National Historical Park that has never been available to the general public before has undergone a $4 million rehabilitation project that is the first step in opening Kozlowskis Trading Post.

The 6,270-square-foot trading post that was one of the last stops on the Santa Fe Trail now includes a community conference room and park offices that had been spread across the park.

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Space inside also has been set aside for a self-guided museum, but that section of the post is not expected to be ready until fall 2022, said Becky Latanich, the parks chief of interpretation and education. The remaining work is expected to cost about $600,000.

The money for the work, which began in the spring of 2019, came from fees raised at various parks across the mountain-west region, she said.

The building itself has been unoccupied for quite some time, Latanich said. We weighed all the alternatives and we felt it would be best to rehabilitate this structure.

Originally built in 1858 by a Polish immigrant named Martin Kozlowski, the trading post features many architectural features still found in traditional New Mexico homes today.

It has a lot of fascinating features contributing to its historic status, Latanich said. Its on the Santa Fe Trail. The core of the building was built in the 1850s. During the Glorieta Pass battle in the Civil War, it was used as a hospital. It has some good, important, tangible history.

That history makes it an important piece of the parks pending National Register designation as a Historic District, superintendent Karl Cordova said, adding it took a lot of hard work to bring this historic building back to life. And it is rewarding to know that it will continue to serve the public for many more years.

The building itself is a really great example of New Mexico vernacular architecture, Latanich said. We wanted to keep it very obvious about the special building techniques. It has poured concrete floors, exposed vigas (and) the vast amount of the building is adobe. We wanted to keep it looking old, but update it so it was stable.

In 1925, rodeo-promoter and entrepreneur Tex Austin bought the building and turned it into ranch headquarters for his famous Forked Lightning Ranch. In the 1940s, E.E. Buddy Fogelson bought the ranch and then brought his Hollywood actress wife, Oscar-winning Greer Garson, to the Forked Lightning Ranch, turning it into a hobby ranch and entertaining many Hollywood guests.

The National Park Service acquired the building in 1990 and used it as office space until 2006, when the building was ruled unsafe.

Albuquerques Weil Construction was the primary contractor and Ohkay Owingeh company Awaynu General Contracting was the primary subcontractor, said Jeremy Moss, Pecos chief of resource management and archeologist. Although COVID-19 caused a brief pause in the work schedule, it proceeded well and the project actually was completed a bit ahead of time, Moss said.

Some of the roofing and flooring needed to be repaired, and other work entailed replacing some rotted vigas, repairing cracks to the adobe walls that occurred during settling, rebuilding several adobe walls, pinning the roof to the beams, as well as bonding beams to the walls, he said, for wind and earthquake resistance.

The museum portions of the building will focus on the history of the area from the time of the trading posts construction to the mid-1900s, Latanich said.

The park also includes several hiking trails, including one through the battlefield, fishing sites along the Pecos River, and guided tours of the ancestral sites and the Forked Lightning Ranch House, although those tours remain on indefinite hiatus because of the pandemic.
(Bloomberg) -- A cyber-attack has never taken down a U.S. fuel pipeline quite as big as the Colonial Pipeline. Its the nations largest gasoline, diesel and jet fuel system and a critical source of fuel supply for the U.S. Northeast.

But this isnt the first time hackers have hit energy assets in America and beyond in recent years, at times disrupting services and upending operations.

The ransomware attack on the #ColonialPipeline in the U.S. shows the critical importance of cyber resilience in efforts to ensure secure energy supplies, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, said in a tweet. This is becoming ever more urgent as the role of digital technologies in our energy systems increases.

Two-Day Gas Outage

In February 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an alert about a ransomware attack that brought down a U.S. natural gas compressor facility for two days.

The agency didnt say which facility was targeted, when the attack occurred or who was behind it. But it did offer some details: Hackers sent emails with a malicious link, known as a phishing attack, to gain control of the facilitys information technology system.

It appeared likely that the attacker explored the facilitys network to identify critical assets before executing the ransomware attack, Nathan Brubaker, a senior manager at the cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc., said at the time. This tactic, which has become increasingly popular among hackers, makes it possible for the attacker to disable security processes that would normally be enough to detect known ransomware indicators, he said.

Pemex Systems Down

Mexicos oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos reported a cyber-attack in November 2019 that crippled its computer systems. The companys communication systems were affected for weeks afterwards.

For some employees, Internet access was limited, some computer files werent accessible and they had difficulty receiving external emails, people in Pemexs finance, legal and refining departments said at the time. The hacker behind the attack tried to squeeze almost $5 million out of the company. Pemex at the time refused to pay the ransom.

Story continues

Gas Communications Targeted

In April 2018, several U.S. natural gas pipeline operators including Energy Transfer Partners LP and TransCanada Corp. reported that a third-party electronic communications system had been hit with a cyber-attack. Five of the companies confirmed service disruptions from the hacking.

Though the cyber-attack didnt disrupt the supply of gas to U.S. homes and businesses, it showed how even a minor attack can have ripple effects. The attack forced utilities to warn of widespread billing delays and made it difficult for analysts and traders to predict a key government report on gas stockpiles.

Ukraine Grid

In December 2016, hackers took down almost a quarter of Ukraines power grid. Officials blamed Russians at the time for tampering with the utilities software and then jamming the power companies phone lines to keep customers from alerting anyone.

The hack knocked out at least 30 of the countrys 135 power substations for about six hours. Cybersecurity firms working to trace its origins say the attack occurred in two stages. First, hackers used malware to direct utilities industrial control computers to disconnect the substations. Then they inserted a wiper virus that made the computers inoperable.

Saudi Aramco

In 2012, Saudi Arabia blamed unidentified people based outside the kingdom for a cyber-attack against state-owned Saudi Arabian Oil Co. that aimed to disrupt production from the worlds largest exporter of crude.

More than 30,000 computers were compromised or affected by a so-called spear-phishing attack, raising concerns about the threat hackers may pose to output at the company also known as Saudi Aramco. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry, declined at the time to identify any of the several foreign countries from which the attack originated.

Energy companies from electric utilities, to power-grid operators to oil and gas pipeline operators have warned that cyberattacks are becoming more and more prevalent. The largest U.S. power grid operator, PJM Interconnection LLC, has warned regulators that its facing increasing attacks. Last May, the U.K.s grid data system was hacked, although electricity supplies werent affected. And in March, an attack against Europes association of grid operators, ENTSO-E, affected its internal office systems.

Iran Nuclear Facility Hit

Iran said its largest uranium enrichment facility was a target of nuclear terrorism last month. A senior official said a blackout at the Natanz plant, home to thousands of gas centrifuges, was an attempt to thwart both Irans atomic progress and ongoing nuclear talks in Vienna.

In the past, Iran has largely blamed Israel for attacks on its nuclear infrastructure.

It was the second suspicious incident at Natanz in less than a year. Last July, an explosion and fire caused significant damage to an outbuilding that contained an assembly line for centrifuge machines, officials said at the time, blaming sabotage and foreign interference.

In 2010, Natanz was the target of a major cyber attack using the Stuxnet computer virus.

(Updates with IEA comment and Iranian attack.)

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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) walks through Statuary Hall with other senators to the House Chamber for President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Sen. Mitt Romney Censured by Utah County Republican Party

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) was censured over the weekend by the Republican Party of Weber County, Utah, for voting to convict former President Donald Trump in the Senates second impeachment trial earlier this year.

The resolution to censure Romney, a former presidential candidate, was passed 11697 by members of the Weber County GOP, County Party Secretary Jill Koford told the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Weber County Republican Convention censures Mitt Romney for his votes to convict President Trump in two U.S. Senate impeachment trials which denied the President due process, allowed falsified evidence, did not provide adequate time for an investigation, and did not follow the U.S. Constitution which states a President may only be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, the Weber County GOPs resolution said.

The resolution also thanked Utah Republicans, including Sen. Mike Lee and Reps. Chris Stewart, John Curtis, Blake Moore, and Burgess Owens, for voting against the articles of impeachment earlier this year.

You have six years between elections of senators, and I think its important to let Senator Romney know the delegates are not satisfied with what hes doing, said Bryan Gray, who sponsored May 8s censure of Romney, according to KUTV.

Im not here to divide the party by censuring Mitt Romney, Gray also said, as reported by The Standard newspaper. Im here to make him aware of how he divided the party.

Romneys office didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.

Romney, who voted to convict Trump during his first impeachment trialthe only Republican to do sosaid that he voted to convict in February because he believed Trump attempted to corrupt an election to keep oneself in power with post-Nov. 3 election challenges and statements. The House Democrat-led impeachment said that Trump was partially responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

On May 1, the Utah Republican Party narrowly voted down censuring Romney, although the Utah senator was loudly booed during the Utah Republican Party organizational convention.

Now you know me as a person who says what he thinks, and I dont hide the fact that I wasnt a fan of our last presidents character issues, Romney said to the crowd, causing the audience to loudly boo the Republican senator. He was forced to stop his speech before the crowd died down.

Oh yeah, you can boo all you like, but Ive been a Republican all my life. My dad was a governor of Michigan, my dad worked for Republican candidates that he believed in. I worked for Republicans across the country and, if you dont recall, I was the Republican nominee for president in 2012, he also said.

Last week, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) and nine other House Republicans who impeached Trump this year were censured by the Ohio Republican Party, who also called on Gonzalez to resign from office.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises resurfacing work will take place on State Highway 2 Takitimu Drive between Elizabeth Street and the Eleventh Avenue off-ramp, from tonight.

To reduce impact on motorists, work will take place between 7pm and 5am today Sunday May 9 and Monday 10 May, finishing Tuesday morning.

Lane closures will be in place during these works and a 50 km per hour temporary speed limit applies.

The Eleventh Avenue off-ramp will be closed on the night of Monday May 10 with a sign-posted detour in place as follows:

Continue on SH2 Takitimu Drive, keep right on SH2 Tamatea Arikinui Drive, then take the off-ramp towards Cambridge Road. Turn right onto Cambridge Road, then right onto the SH2 on-ramp, then left onto the off-ramp connecting to SH2 Takitimu Drive. Take the left off-ramp towards Waihi Road, then left onto Korokoromiku Street, right onto McCord Avenue, right onto Birch Avenue and right onto the Eleventh Avenue Bridge.

Motorists are asked to take extra care when travelling through the site and follow directions of traffic management staff and signage.

"These works are part of the Waka Kotahi road maintenance programme to repair and reseal state highways across the Bay of Plenty to ensure the safety and resilience of the transport network," says a Waka Kotahi NZTA spokesperson.

In the event of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, work may be postponed.

Visit the interactive Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the latest information on roadworks, traffic, road closures and detours to help plan your trip.

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey this summer. Keep up to date with:
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Three times in the past four years, Nebraska prosecutors have sought death sentences, and each time they have been successful. Within a couple months, two more people convicted of a grisly murder could also be sentenced to death.

But as the state adds to its death row population, the lawyers, judges and prison officials who oversee Nebraska's system of capital punishment largely ignore the fact that the state has no lethal injection drugs and very likely wont get any for years, if ever. Those sentenced to death have a better chance of dying of natural causes than being executed.

While the nation remains divided over capital punishment, Nebraska stands out for its peculiar version of the institution: it's still wedded to the idea of executing prisoners, just not the practical part of doing it. The state is among a handful caught in a law vs. reality netherworld as legislatures and activists wrestle over how the issue will eventually play out.

As the Rev. Stephen Griffith, a leading anti-death penalty activist, put it, Were being duplicitous, really. We say Nebraska has a death penalty when, functionally, we dont.

Twenty seven states allow capital punishment, but many have struggled in recent years to obtain the drugs used to execute inmates because most manufacturers now refuse to openly supply them. While 12 other states responded to the hesitancy by keeping their suppliers secret, Nebraska's Supreme Court threw out its secrecy policy after the state used it to execute an inmate in 2018.

Corrections director Scott Frakes told a legislative committee that unless Nebraska is allowed to hide supplier names, the state likely would never be able to obtain the necessary drugs.

Once we get done with the trial and sentencing, its kind of off our shoulders, said Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, who has sent four men to death row during his 14-year tenure, none of whom have been executed. Certainly, it seems to be the case right now that the state doesnt have the wherewithal to carry it out.

The stand-off over execution drugs reflects a longstanding ambivalence toward capital punishment in Nebraska. Even before the drug issue, the state didn't carry many executions, and legislators in 2015 voted to abolish the death penalty, in part because it costs the state an estimated $15 million annually to prosecute and offer special housing to death row inmates.

But after Gov. Pete Ricketts helped pay for a petition drive to put the issue on the ballot, voters overwhelmingly reinstated the death penalty.

Matt Maly, a conservative activist who opposes capital punishment on moral and fiscal grounds, said many Nebraskans still support capital punishment, but theyre not especially passionate about the issue. Given that, politicians are willing to keep it on the books but not actually carry out executions.

Its not something youre hearing about in coffee shops or grocery stores, Maly said. The legislature could have said, Lets do what it takes to make this happen, but they dont have the will to do that.

Still, the end of executions doesn't mean an end to the death penalty process. Prosecutors keep seeking death sentences, and judges have condemned three more inmates since the capital punishment reinstatement vote in 2016. Nebraskas death row now has 11 inmates after one died in early April of natural causes.

Nationally, executions have resumed after the struggle over drug supplies but are nearing record lows, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a group that tracks executions. Seventeen inmates were put to death in 2020, down from a high of 98 in 1999.

Texas and Georgia, both leading death penalty states, now have periodic executions. Tennessee has executed seven inmates in the last three years, including one in 2020. Several states are still working through legal challenges, including Oklahoma, which suspended executions after injection problems in two cases. A few states have given up, like Virginia, which dropped capital punishment in March.

Robert Dunham, the Death Penalty Information Center's executive director, said many states seem to show inertia with the death penalty.

If you have a jurisdiction in which death sentences havent been imposed, people either forget how to do it or they sort of realize they dont miss it and they dont tend to push for it, he said. But once they do it and it becomes a part of the culture, they tend to do it again and again and again.

All of Nebraskas current death-row inmates were convicted of either murdering multiple people or a child, and each case includes aggravating factors such as sexual assaults, cover-ups of other crimes or dismembering bodies.

Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said that if drugs are a problem, lawmakers should consider other execution methods, such as firing squads.

There are some crimes that are so heinous, so evil, that they deserve the death penalty, Wagner said.

Kleine, the Douglas County attorney, said hell continue to pursue death sentences out of respect for the voters who chose to keep capital punishment.

Its not an easy decision to seek the death penalty, but right now its a law on the books, and if we feel the circumstances are appropriate, thats what well do, he said.

___

Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
GLOBE, Ariz. (AP)  A route between metro Phoenix and the White Mountains in eastern Arizona's high country remained closed Saturday because of a wildfire that for a time burned on both sides the highway.

The Arizona Department of Transportation said a 60-mile (97-kilometer) stretch of US 60 was closed between the outskirts of Globe and the junction with State Route 73 on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
100%

Website gregsdrivingschool.net uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 416764 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 37106 bytes (36.24 kb uncompressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-04-08, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  As COVID-19 spread through Michigan last spring, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a series of executive orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. Among them: no nonessential business, no large gatherings and no unnecessary travel.

That effectively ended wedding season before it began.

A year later, some bridal businesses are seeing revenues return thanks to a backlog of postponed weddings on the horizon, according to the Lansing State Journal.

For the year that everything was shut down, we lost a good amount of revenue because the reality is, we felt it was necessary to completely reschedule the weddings so that people could have the day that they dreamed of, said Daryl Evans, owner of Pure Enchantment Photography.

In the immediate aftermath of last years shutdown, most local bridal shops temporarily shut their doors, experiencing a sharp decline in revenue. Some declined to reopen when restrictions loosened in late May. Hawkins Photography and Haltam Jewelers in the Meridian Mall closed for good.

For those businesses that did reopen, wedding preparation looked a whole lot different.

We definitely wondered how wed survive our industry coming to a complete halt, said Phebeit Ingram, owner of Eleven 11 Events, which rents tables, chairs and other wedding decor. After the initial shock and woe is me thoughts, I shook the dust from my feet, put on my thinking cap and prayed to God for witty invention.

Some bridal shops, like Beckers Bridal in Fowler, were able to stay afloat through curbside pickups. Vice President Alyssa Pung said employees worked feverishly in the months following the shutdown orders to get brides and wedding parties outfitted for their ceremonies.

Fantastic Finds, a prom and bridal shop in Lansing Township, was less affected than some by the shutdown, owner Sue Rosenberger said. She attributed a steady stream of business to couples who changed the format of their weddings  or postponed them  but hung onto their gowns, tuxes and the like.

Now, with positivity rates in check and vaccinations on the rise, a more normal wedding season is on the horizon, Rosenberger said.

Last year, we were in recovery mode once we opened back up in the end of May, she said. This year, I would say that we are pretty on par with the year before COVID. We are where we should be even in times not considering the pandemic.

Wedding industry preps for a new normal

Wear a mask and stay socially distant.

As ever, those are the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services rules for stopping the spread of COVID-19.

In intimate settings like a wedding or bridal fitting, those rules can be hard to follow.

Evans, of Pure Enchantment Photography, said his photographers are taking extra care now to keep their distance while shooting wedding ceremonies. They use telephoto lenses to capture candid shots from across a room. Over a dozen contracted photographers work for Evans, and all are required to wear masks.

When were getting those candid, emotional shots, were using longer lenses anyways because we dont want people to have a feeling that theres a camera in their face all of the time, he said.

Some couples, he added, rescheduled weddings several times after Michigans COVID-19 numbers spiked in the fall and last month. That hurt the companys revenue, but they supplemented lost wedding business with other contracts.

We have contracts with different entities where we go out and take pictures of the city, the state and certain buildings, Evans said. We have contracts with real estate, car companies and what we will do is ramp up those things.

Some bridal shops are implementing virtual consultations and fittings.

It was really taking a look at what everyones saying, whats the recommendation, how do we still make this work because we knew in our hearts that weddings would go on, Rosenberger said. We would walk alongside that bride and say, Well figure it out with you.

Fantastic Finds currently allows couples to bring along iPads to fittings so they can video chat out-of-state or at-risk family members. Larger parties can break up fittings into smaller groups, as only three guests plus the bride or groom are allowed in at once.

For now, Pung is also seeing clients by appointment only.

Weve had to do cleanings in between appointments, asking for (clients) to be kind and stay (as) close to the appointment time (as possible) to get things cleaned up and ready, and to see as many brides as we possibly can, she said.

Both bridal shops and Pure Enchantment Photography are still working through a backlog of rescheduled 2020 weddings.

We were really encouraged by the spirit of the brides who said, my weddings going to happen no matter what, it might just be a different time, (and) we said were here with you, what can we do to help you, Rosenberger recalled.

Ingram, the event planner, is still operating under indoor capacity limits of 25 people. To keep her business festive, shes decorated her showroom for different types of events each week, from birthdays to weddings to Christmas parties, which she documents on Facebook. Shes also started offering virtual consultations and curbside pickup for decorations and rental equipment.

Supply chains have been an issue in the bridal business. Before the pandemic, several local bridal shops relied on a manufacturer based near Wuhan, China, causing problems with imports, Pung said. Since manufacturing has returned to normal, her shop has purchased a number of dresses from stateside designers to ease their reliance on international vendors.

Above all, Ingram said, this season will be about improvising.

I have always said people need to be celebrated, Ingram said. What it teaches me is to think outside the box and find a way to do this.
Sure, Netflixs Selena: The Series didnt get everything right, especially visually, but most of the mix-ups are understandable.

Those mountain ranges in the background as the Quintanilla family drives through Brownsville are beautiful. Unfortunately, anyone who has been to Brownsville knows that definitely wasnt Brownsville in those shots.

And those repeated shots of the familys Corpus Christi home? Well, the Molina neighborhood is more modest than some of those sparkling new houses shown on that street.

WHAT CHRIS THINKS: Chris Perez speaks about Netflix's Selena series

All of thats forgivable though, right? Its easier to shoot episodes at the Baja Studios in Rosarito, Mexico than it would be to actually set up shop on Corpus Christis Bloomington Street where the Quintanillas really did own three neighboring houses. And why take the entire crew to Brownsville to shoot scenes of the family driving, when you can do it in a more controlled environment?

However, there is one mistake that seems quite foolish.

TRACING THEIR ROOTS: Where you favorite Houston rapper went to high school

In the seventh episode, theres a scene where Selena Y Los Dinos are walking down a hotel hallway. Keyboardist Ricky Vela somehow is wearing one of Riff Raff's Neon Icon T-shirts.

Judging by context clues, the scene is supposed to take place in 1989 or 1990. This is the episode where Selena walks into a store and sees her debut album flying off the shelves. That album was released in October 1989. Its also the episode where Selenas brother A.B. is trying to write the hit single Baila Esta Cumbia, which was released in August 1990. Also in the episode, the family goes to the movies to watch Look Whos Talking, which debuted in October 1989.

From those context clues, Riff Raff would have been a long way from his rapper days. He would have been just 7 or 8 years old, living in Houstons Copperfield neighborhood on the Northwest side of town and going by his birth name Horst Christian Simco.

An accidental Riff Raff mention is a lot more fun than make-believe Brownsville mountain ranges.
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In the texture of many of these sentences you can almost feel where the writer has resisted bearing down with her refining tools  language and memory  so as to allow her emotional reality to remain splintered and sharp. Human loss means the loss of the stories the dead once told, in their particular voices. Adichie mourns the oral family histories she never recorded, the loss of a piece of paper on which her father had mapped a family tree. There is a sensation that is frightening, she writes, of a receding, of an ancestry slipping away, but at least I am left with enough for myth, if not memory.

Image

This is the writers quandary: What might the written word preserve, and what can it never? How astonishing it is that language can almost mean, and frightening that it does not quite, the poet Jack Gilbert tells us.

Adichie collects various tactile memories while we stand by witnessing: pinching her fathers neck, him gently slapping her hand, her rubbing his bald head. What she narrates is not only father loss, but the ways Mr. Adichie endures in having made of her a writer. She recounts how, in the Biafran War, Nigerian soldiers burned her fathers texts: Mounds of charred pages in a pile in my parents front yard, where they once grew roses. It makes sense that she would become a maker of books, to replace what was lost.

Naming, Adichie knows, is a powerful inheritance, and a summoning. Some of the most affecting moments are when the author uses her native tongue to call her father by various nicknames (like Odelu-Ora Abba, or One Who Writes for Our Community), and to don for herself, like a jeweled cape, the names he called her (like Nwoke Neli, or the equivalent of many men). Names  especially our chosen ones  are never lost. Mr. Adichie seemed to believe this so strongly that, while being kidnapped for ransom in 2015, he lectured his assailants on how to pronounce his daughters famous name properly.

Because this is Adichie, the story of her fathers life and death unfolds alongside one about his own final fight  dating back to the end of the war  against a billionaire from another town who was attempting to take control of the ancestral land in Abba. A consummate world-builder, Adichie suggests that her fathers demise was due not only to complications from kidney failure, but also quite possibly to the stress of trying to reclaim what was his. After all, she writes, land is the jewel of Igbo cosmology.

The crevasse exists here in sharp relief. The difficulty of Adichies desired return from America to Nigeria, where she also has a home, to mourn her father, is partly due to a raging pandemic but also due to negligence. Adichies attempts to get back to Nigeria bring to mind Lucille Cliftons masterly memoir, Generations, in which she returns to Buffalo for her fathers funeral. This homestead, the historical lode, is understood as the place where one might come back, to once again appear in context. It is perhaps the opposite of displacement.

Something about the quality of this particular work, the way it rushes ahead chronologically then folds back onto itself, like a former self getting acquainted with the new, led me away from the written word and into Jason Morans Cradle Song, a piano lullaby that incorporates the sound of pencil scratching on paper. Moran dedicates this song to his mother, who died of cancer in 2005. During his childhood she attended his piano lessons, taking voracious notes, which Moran hated then. But the song could not exist in its power without them now. Some days, I can listen to Cradle Song for hours, my mood rising and falling alongside the feverish pencil scratches as I revel in Morans brilliance for incorporating his mothers notes so artfully.
Huntington, WV (25701)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
DENVER (AP)  On an early weekday morning in Longmont, the co-owners of the boutique catering company Whistling Boar are busy in the kitchen getting their weekly meal boxes ready for delivery. David Pitula and Debbie Seaford-Pitula moved to Colorado from Brooklyn five years ago with dreams of living closer to the farms they worked with.

We wanted to be more personal with the farms, Seaford-Pitula said. We have farmers who now grow for us specifically, (asking) What do you need this season?

The two said that part of that farm-restaurant relationship should be supporting farmers and ranchers in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints. Agriculture emits more than 10 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gasses, and reducing that number is vital to addressing climate change.

Most ranchers sell their cattle to a meat company for the going price, so theres often little profit or incentive to invest in significant environmental improvements to their land. Something as simple as planting trees among pastures is expensive, especially across hundreds or thousands of acres.

These kinds of things are great for biodiversity and take carbon out of the atmosphere and create all this public benefit and conserve water, said Anthony Myint. But they cant sell the beef for an extra dollar.

Myint is a restaurateur and the co-founder of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit working with Boulder County to support regenerative agriculture projects that can help fight climate change.

Restore Colorado is a simple idea, but Myint hopes it will have a big impact. Restaurants and other food businesses donate 1 percent of their profits to fund farming and ranching projects that suck carbon from the atmosphere through plants that take in the greenhouse gas and store it in healthy soil. Some see regenerative agriculture as a key way to reduce the amount of CO2 in the air worsening climate change.

If we cant afford 1 percent to give back, then we should not be (running our business), Debbie said.

Boulder started Restore Colorado through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and teamed up with Myint, who founded well-known Mission Chinese Food in New York and San Francisco and first started crowd-funding carbon-farming grants in California.

Our ultimate goal is to create a renewable food economy, Myint said.

To give farmers extra financial support to invest in climate-friendly agriculture, Myint thinks the food industry should take cues from the energy industry. Electricity customers, for example, can pay a little extra on their utility bills to support clean energy or elect to buy power from a solar farm.

We dont really have that system in farming, he said.

More than 50 restaurants have joined Zero Foodprint. About 15 of those are in Colorado, including Bin 707 Foodbar in Grand Junction and River and Woods in Boulder, and more have pledged to participate. The owner of five Subway restaurants in Boulder is also on the list.

Thats almost better than getting Michelin-star chefs on board because it helps to signal that theres a new normal, and that really anybody can be part of this movement to build healthy soil and fight climate change, Myint said.

 Regenerative agriculture in practice

McCauley Family Farm in Longmont is one of the first in Colorado to get a grant from this program. Farm manager Marcus McCauley said one way he will use the money is to create more silvopasture, where trees are grown on grazing land. Those trees can provide a windbreak for the grass, and the protection and shade can help keep moisture in the ground during a drought.

Around here thats probably the best bang for the buck in trying to get more carbon pumped into the ground, McCauley said.

All of these things mean healthier soil on McCauleys farm. That healthier soil means the trees and grass suck even carbon out of the air. And healthier plants mean McCauleys pasture-raised chicken and sheep are more nutritious  and they do less damage to the land.

But growing pastures like that takes time. Tanner Starbard is with the Boulder nonprofit Mad Agriculture, which will work with the county and Zero Foodprint to select and oversee these farming projects.

Starbard said banks often wont give out loans to farmers and ranchers who dont prioritize immediate profit. He said regeneration projects like McCauleys will take years to start to show their potential benefits.

Five more Colorado farms are lined up to receive regenerative agriculture grants when they become available. Restore Colorado does not ask for the money to be paid back.

 Where the state steps in

The Colorado Department of Agricultures Soil Health Initiative supports regenerative agriculture projects with a five-year, $5 million agreement with the USDA. Cindy Lair, who manages the Colorado State Conservation Board program, said she thinks the Restore Colorado concept would be cool to take statewide and find more ways to link food consumers to their food.

We have such a tendency to be so disconnected from where our food is produced, Lair said. She sees Restore Colorado as a way to help people make that connection. Lair said the state is paying close attention to the Boulder program and wants to see if we can help build on it.

President Biden has pledged a drastic reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. As reported by Politico, the White House hasnt set any specific targets yet for agriculture. Lair does expect that the Biden administration will show more financial support for these kinds of soil health and climate initiatives.

Lair said shes thankful Colorado has done some of the work already and that we are going to be ready for (that support) when or if it comes.
PARIS (AP)  President Emmanuel Macrons plans for bringing France out of the pandemic aren't just about resuscitating long-closed restaurants, boutiques and museums. They are also about preparing his possible campaign for a second term.

A year before the next presidential election, Macron is focusing on saving jobs and reviving the pandemic-battered French economy as his country inches out of its third partial lockdown.

The centrist president's ability to meet the challenge will be significant for his political future and for France  which is among the world's worst-hit nations with the fourth-highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and the eighth-highest death toll at more than 106,000.

While he has not officially declared his candidacy, Macron has made comments suggesting he intends to seek reelection. And he has pushed recent legislation on issues that potential rivals on the right and the left hold dear, from security to climate change.

Pollsters suggest Macron, who four years ago became the youngest president in French history, has a good chance of winning the presidency again in 2022 despite his governments oft-criticized management of the pandemic and earlier challenges to his policies, from activists protesting what they see as social and economic injustice to unions angry over retirement reforms.

The coronavirus reopening strategy Macron unveiled this month calls for most restrictions on public life to be lifted June 30, when half of France's population is expected to have received at least one vaccine shot. With up to 3 million people in France getting vaccinated each week, the government plans to allow outdoor areas of restaurants and cafes, as well as museums and nonessential shops, to resume operating on May 19.

In an interview with French media, Macron said he would visit Frances regions over the summer to feel the pulse of the country" and to engage with people in a mass consultation aimed at turning the page of that moment in the nations life.

No individual destiny is worthwhile without a collective project, he said, giving the latest hint about a potential reelection bid.

At the moment, all opinion polls show Macron and Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader he beat in a presidential runoff election in 2017, again reaching the runoff next year. The polls also forecast that Macron would defeat National Rally leader Le Pen again, though by a smaller margin.

Macron, 43, a former economy minister under his predecessor, Socialist President Francois Hollande, has characterized his policies as transcending traditional left-right divides. He was elected on a promise to make the French economy more competitive while preserving the country's welfare system.

Macrons government includes major figures previously belonging to conservative party The Republicans, including his prime minister and the finance and interior ministers.

French politics expert Luc Rouban, a senior researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research. said the president's immediate goal is to show he is still able to continue implementing his project, which has more or less been stopped by the health crisis.

Macron's recent priorities demonstrate he also is trying to attract voters from the moderate right and the moderate left, the same ones who helped him win the first time, Rouban said.

Macron is undermining the field of The Republicans by strengthening security laws, taking measures to protect the French against terrorism, reinforcing security also in urban areas, increasing police and justice staff, he said.

At the same time, Macron needs to show he is addressing inequality, economic mobility and other social justice issues that are important to France's left wing, Rouban said.

Last month, the president decided to do away with Frances elite graduate school for future leaders, the Ecole Nationale dAdministration. He said his alma mater would be replaced with a more egalitarian institution.

In the French newspapers interview, Macron also praised the country's benefits for low-income workers, who since 2019 have received up to 100 additional euros ($120) per month.

Macrons public image appears to have partially recovered from drubbing it took at the height of the yellow vest" movement, which started in late 2018 to oppose a fuel tax and grew into a weekly anti-government protest targeting alleged social and economic injustice. At the time, critics angry over Macron eliminating a wealth tax labeled him the president of the rich.

But Macrons popularity in recent months has remained relatively stable, with an approval rating between 30% and 46%, higher than his predecessors Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy had after four years in office.

Frederic Dabi, deputy director-general of the polling organization IFOP, said Macrons support appears very solid. Polls show his policies are satisfying most of his 2017 supporters, and 30% to 50% of voters from the traditional right- and left-wing parties.

During the virus crisis, Macron applied a whatever it takes strategy based on state intervention to save jobs and businesses, including a massive partial unemployment program and subsidized child care leave. The government also approved a two-year 100 billion-euro ($120 billion) rescue plan to revive the economy.

Macron promised there would be no tax increases to repay the debt, which soared last year to 115.7% of gross domestic product.

Despite strong opposition from unions about planned changes to the pension system and unemployment benefits, he has pledged to keep reforming until the last quarter of hour of his five-year term, which runs out in May 2022.

Recent polls show no strong rival emerging so far from mainstream French parties amid divisions on both the right and the left. But at this stage, the field remains wide open.

As Macron himself proved in 2017, when he shot from a wild-card candidate to the presidency in less than four months, anything could happen in the next year.
Political unionism in Northern Ireland has been thrown into further flux after Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken announced his resignation.

Mr Aikens move came 10 days after DUP leader Arlene Foster was forced to quit after an internal heave against her.

The announcement from the South Antrim MLA, who will remain as leader until a successor is chosen, was also prompted by mounting discontent within the party over his stewardship.

With Mr Aikens decision coming so soon after Mrs Fosters, unionism is set for a significant realignment ahead of next years Assembly election.

The broader unionist and loyalist community in Northern Ireland has been significantly unsettled by the emergence of Brexits Irish Sea border and their political representatives acknowledge the election could be pivotal for the pro-Union cause.

And if the political turmoil ends up destablising the powersharing administration in Belfast, the election could come sooner than scheduled.

Mr Aiken, a former submarine captain, was elected UUP leader unopposed in 2019.

Many are tipping Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie as a likely successor.

Steve Aiken (right) selected former leader Robin Swann (left) to take on the UUPs sole ministerial portfolio when Stormont was restored in 2020 (PA)

In a letter to party chairman Danny Kennedy, Mr Aiken said he believed he had taken the party as far as he could.

To achieve our goals, we now need new leadership, he wrote.

Mr Aiken said he will remain in politics and continue as a South Antrim MLA.

Discussing his time as leader, Mr Aiken said he took pride in the partys decision to take on the challenging health minister portfolio when Stormont was restored in 2020.

He said his party colleague and former leader Robin Swann had been successful in his efforts to tackle the pandemic.

However, despite our successes, it has become clear to me that if we are to achieve the breakthrough in the forthcoming Assembly elections, we will need to drive further ahead, Mr Aiken wrote to the party chairman.

To represent the brand of unionism that builds on hope and not fear, and provides a clear, modern, alternative that will be both the future of our party and Northern Ireland, will require strong leadership.

Former submariner Steve Aiken was congratulated by his wife Beth when he was confirmed as UUP leader in 2019 (PA)

He insisted unionism needed positive, hopeful and progressive leadership.

The last few months have been a momentous time for our Union and for Northern Ireland, he wrote.

It is also a time when unionism, more than ever, needs positive, hopeful and progressive leadership; leadership which I strongly believe only the Ulster Unionist Party can provide.

Our party has delivered for the people of Northern Ireland for many years and in the centenary of Northern Ireland continues to do what is right  not just for unionists, but for everyone.

In a written reply to Mr Aiken, party chairman Mr Kennedy said he regretfully acknowledged his decision to resign.

On behalf of the officers and the entire party I want to express my deep appreciation for the service you have rendered as leader and pay tribute to your unstinting efforts to promote our raison detre  the maintenance and preservation of Northern Irelands place in the United Kingdom, he wrote.

UUP MLA Doug Beattie (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Beattie was among those paying tribute to the party leader.

The loneliness of leadership is never easy, he tweeted.

The cruel comments are a measure of those unwilling to put their heads above the parapet.

As my party leader, my colleague and my friend I want to thank Steve for his for service past, present and in the future.

Mr Swann tweeted: I want to thank @SteveAikenUUP for his leadership, it is oft time both a rewarding and challenging position to hold.

But most of all I thank him for his support and the trust he placed in me when he nominated me as Health Minister.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A man was fatally shot by police in Tennessee who were responding to a shooting, officials said.

Clarksville police were sent to a home around 8 p.m. Saturday in response to a domestic disturbance involving a shooting, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (AP)  Movie crews are returning to Georgias largest public beach for the first time since the coronavirus forced a long pause between productions.

Filmmakers used Tybee Island as a backdrop last month to film scenes for a Korean War movie titled Devotion. A new production is scheduled to roll into town next week, with four days of filming for The In Between scheduled to start Monday.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/09/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report features spoilers revealing whether Brandon and Julia are still together now or if the couple has split up.]

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So did Brandon and Julia's relationship last? Did the couple break up or are they still together?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

: Happily Ever After? star Julia Trubkina has complained Brandon Gibbs is not supporting her dreams on Season 6 of the series, so did the couple break up or are they still together now? What do the latest spoilers reveal about Brandon and Julia's relationship?Brandon, a 27-year-old pest-control technician who helps to run his parents' farm in Dinwiddie, VA, entered his first serious relationship with Julia, a 26-year-old go-go club dancer from Krasnodar City, Russia.Brandon fell in love at first sight with Julia, and so he flew to Russia after just a few weeks of getting to know her on the phone and through videochat.The couple dated for five months long-distance and then Brandon invited Julia to join him in Iceland, where he proposed marriage to her and the pair got engaged.Brandon and Julia ultimately had a "perfect" reunion at the airport, but Julia was upset to learn she'd have to sleep in a separate bedroom from Brandon at his parents' house while Brandon attempted to save some money.Brandon's mother Betty was also pushing for Julia to take contraception when Julia didn't want to."I can't control my mother. I can't control how they will interact. They both have really strong personalities, and I just feel like they're going to clash," Brandon lamented in a confessional.Once at the farm in Virginia, it didn't take Julia long to realize she hated the chores -- such as feeding the pigs -- and waking up early every morning."I don't want this. This is not the life [of] my dreams. Brandon say we need to stay here before we marry, but I say to him, 'No, Brandon, this is not going to work.' I need to leave," Julia vented in a confessional.Julia admitted she was ready to go back to Russia after only one day of working at his parents' farm, and Brandon wished Julia would give the farm a chance.Although Brandon felt torn between pleasing Julia and making his parents happy with his work on the farm, he and Julia still set a wedding date for May 9.Brandon made Julia his top priority and promised her that he'd be the man she wanted him to be.In order to not lose their son entirely, Betty and Brandon's father Ron agreed to let the couple sleep in the same bed.In April 2020, Julia still had one month to go on her K-1 visa but coronavirus was rapidly spreading and posed a problem for her pending nuptials, which she complained Brandon didn't seem excited about.Brandon worried about rushing into a marriage, especially because Julia already threatened him with divorce during a fight, but he said he wasn't ready to give up on his relationship with Julia.The couple therefore moved up their wedding day just to be safe, and Brandon and Julia exchanged vows in each other's languages.Brandon read his vows in Russian and said, "How did I get so lucky to meet you? How did I get so lucky to call you my love? I feel like the happiest man in the world. From this moment on, you are my priority. I love you and I need you forever."Julia cried tears of joy as Brandon read his vows, and she responded by promising to love him always as well as appreciate and respect him. Julia vowed to always make protein cookies and love him forever as his "Russian angel."On 's Season 8 Tell-All special, Julia revealed there were "more rules" in Brandon's parents' home than ever before even though she and Brandon were officially married.Julia said that she loved Betty but they butted heads when living together and there was always conflict. Julia explained she therefore yelled at Brandon all the time out of frustration.Brandon insisted he had looked at property to buy or rent before Julia moved to America but she didn't like her options.Julia wanted to leave the farm and be "the boss" in her own life. She also mentioned how she wouldn't mind having a child if she were to get pregnant by accident, but Brandon insisted she wasn't even ready to take care of a dog.On the sixth-season premiere of : Happily Ever After?, Brandon and Julia were shown traveling to Las Vegas for a vacation by themselves.Julia admitted living with Brandon's parents was crazy and the situation "pushed [her] for an explosion" at times, but Julia said marrying Brandon was the best choice of her life.Brandon told the cameras he and Julia still had a lot to learn about each other but he felt so lucky to be married to her.Brandon revealed he was in debt but had received a new job offer. Brandon planned to move to a new company, working less hours but making more money -- which thrilled Julia.Brandon's father Rob said Brandon had become "submissive" to Julia's every "whim," such as visiting Las Vegas. Ron joked that his son was "whipped" by Julia.Julia suggested to Brandon they should move to Vegas, but Brandon laughed and said that's not real life and it wouldn't be realistic for them to live in a big expensive city like that.Brandon explained to the cameras he and Julia weren't financially stable enough to make this jump overnight and he'd also have to obtain a license to work in Las Vegas, which would be a process.Julia complained about not being able to control anything in Brandon's mother's home.Julia expressed how she was tired of Brandon making promises and not living up to them because he had said they'd move together after she relocated to the U.S.Brandon recalled saying they'd save money before moving and Las Vegas was never an option. Brandon asked Julia to be patient because everything would work out in the long run."He make me angry and sad! I moved here from Russia and Brandon won't move to a different city for me," Julia lamented, adding that she could move somewhere alone once she received her work permit.Julia was concerned Brandon may want "the farm life" forever, and she also found herself getting jealous of other women paying attention to Brandon at the pool.Julia said she trusted Brandon but didn't trust other women around him.While on vacation, however, Brandon and Julia agreed on living in Richmond, VA, for at least a period of time. Julia was happy to compromise, and then she learned her first interview for her Green Card had been scheduled.Brandon said he had done a lot of work to get Julia to live in America permanently, and the couple just hoped the process would go smoothly and quickly. Julia said she wanted to start working and making money by maybe doing a designer job.But Brandon worried her broken English might hold her back from many job positions.Julia yelled at Brandon for not supporting her and for trying to break her dreams, but Brandon said he was just trying to be realistic and reasonable."I'm trying to suggest things that would help her and I think she takes that as I'm not being supportive, and that hurts," Brandon said in a confessional."Julia views my realistic view on things as pessimistic, but sometimes I think she's also just too much of a dreamer and she may want to bump down her expectations."Brandon and Julia definitely appear to still be a very happy couple, and there is photo evidence the couple hasn't broken up since the Tell-All special on social media.In late April, Julia posted two photos of the couple and shared, "Today is our first anniversary! in Russia, each anniversary has a name. 1 year - chintz (calico) wedding."On April 21, Brandon posted a photo of himself giving Julia a piggyback ride and captioned it, "Happy wife - Happy life."And Julia shared similar photos on her own Instagram account on the same day. She wrote alongside them, "Everyone asks, did I have friends in America? here is my best friend. #90dayfiance #brandonandjulia #90dayfiancehappilyeverafter."And Brandon and Julia recently took a trip to Miami, FL, together! Julia revealed on Instagram this vacation served as their honeymoon. Coronavirus probably delayed the pair's honeymoon.On March 8, Brandon uploaded an image of Julia and himself with their arms around each other and wrote alongside it, "Happy International Women's Day," along with multiple flower emojis.Earlier in the month, Brandon posted a photo standing next to someone in a grey sweatshirt and captioned it, "Hey Julia... The bus is coming."And Julia posted two photos of herself in a wedding gown around the same time to defend Brandon in light of the fact he had been unenthusiastic and seemingly bored while wedding dress shopping with his fiancee."Bad omens of a wedding. I do not believe in these signs. do you know how many of them? lots of. the whole world must be divorced, since all superstitions cannot be observed. Brandon didn't want to go to the store, but I insisted," Julia wrote.Brandon also posted two selfies with Julia, one of which featured Julia kissing him on the cheek, in late February.Brandon captioned one picture of Julia and himself posing in a hotel room, "I'm just waiting on Sunday. #90dayfiance #brandonandjulia #beautiful."On February 12, Brandon also posted a video on Instagram of Julia kissing him on one cheek while his dog licked his other cheek."Love who loves you back. Happy Valentine's day guys. #90dayfiance #Brandonandjulia," Brandon captioned the video.Around the same time, Julia posted a picture of Brandon hugging her on the beach."I want to congratulate everyone on the upcoming Valentine's day and wish to find a person next to whom you will not need anyone else. #90dayfiance #Brandonandjulia," Julia wrote alongside the image.Pictures of the couple go back for months, and Julia also conducted a Q&A with her followers on Instagram Stories earlier this year and confirmed she enjoys living in the United States."Everything is pretty nice," Julia said of her current life. "It's pretty in my life. I've never had, like, an easy life," Julia said. "I all the time chose a hard life."Julia said her English "is much better than before," probably because she's around English-speaking people all the time."I try to learn everything but it's so hard for me," Julia added.Julia also revealed she currently has a great relationship with Brandon's parents, although there was sometimes tension between them on 's eighth season.A fan asked how Julia essentially puts up with her "parents-in-law," and Julia responded, "I love my parents a lot because my parents want what is best for me.""If I could choose other parents I would never choose other parents because my parents are the best and I love them a lot."In addition, Julia said she hopes she can "start working" soon and put her degree in design to good use in either apartments or homes.As far as her favorite experience in the United States goes, Julia revealed, "I like people in America because everyone smiles and everyone tries to help. You never ask for help but people try. This is so cool."When asked whether she likes Russia or America better, Julia said there are some things she likes better in Russia and other things she likes better in the United States.She noted the countries are just "different." For example, Julia said she cannot drive yet in America while she has her license back in Russia.Julia shared excitement, however, when someone mentioned all the states she can travel to in the United States. Julia said she'd love to visit New York especially.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
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Santa Fes relationship with Los Alamos National Laboratory has been rocky for years.

The City Council, with some regularity, has passed resolutions of concern about the nuclear weapons labs environmental impact and radioactive materials safety lapses, the production of weapons parts in Los Alamos and the proliferation of nuclear weapons in general.

A 2005 council resolution recognized as immoral the notion that human security can ever be built upon instruments of mass destruction and the will to use them. The City Council called for rejection of all proposals to build new or expanded factories for nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons components.

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These days, LANL is in fact ramping up factory operations to build plutonium bomb cores known as pits as part of a massive effort to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons array. The project means big job growth for the lab, more dollars spread around northern New Mexico, and the need for more work space and housing for LANL workers.

Both the City Council and the County Commission have passed new resolutions, this time calling for a new and extensive environmental impact review of pit production, an idea the National Nuclear Security Administration has rejected.

But the relationship between Santa Fes traditionally liberal political establishment and LANL is about to change. Santa Fe will no longer be taking shots at the lab and its leading role in the nuclear weapons complex with any sense of us-versus-them separation. LANL is becoming part of Santa Fe.

The lab plans to bring close to 600 well-paying jobs  with salaries of $90,000 a year and up  to Santa Fe. LANL is moving into the former Descartes Lab headquarters downtown and two big office buildings, used formerly primarily by state government, at Pacheco and St. Michaels.

The downtown site on Guadalupe Street will be a workplace for about 75 employees, and function as a conference center and venue for launching community outreach. The buildings on Pacheco will be used by about 500 lab employees serving back office functions, and possibly in science and technology jobs, says LANL director Thomas Mason.

These moves instantly make the lab one of the biggest employers in Santa Fe. For years, the city has been looking for ways to expand its economic base beyond state and local government, and tourism, and LANL is doing that by rolling some of its work force, expanding fast as pit production begins, downhill. LANL has had even bigger plans for Santa Fe. Public documents obtained by the watchdog Los Alamos Study Group show that the labs previously confidential 2019 proposal for the city-owned Midtown Campus called for LANL to use the entire 60-acre site and also be involved in redevelopment of the entire St. Michaels Drive commercial corridor. The city didnt accept the offer.

Just last week, the Los Alamos Reporter reported that LANL also has issued a request for information from entities that could lease the lab up to 100,000 square feet of light laboratory space within a 50-mile driving radius of Los Alamos  which would include Santa Fe and Espanola.

The lab says its work in Santa Fe wont be involved directly in nuclear weapons research and development. The labs other work includes scientific endeavors in such areas as space exploration, tracking infectious disease outbreaks and development of solar energy.

Of course, many LANL employees have always lived in Santa Fe and commuted to Los Alamos. LANLs 2020 economic impact report says 23% of its 12,367 employees  2,896 people  resided somewhere in Santa Fe County and, collectively, were paid salaries totaling $301.4 million.

But establishing a physical presence in Santa Fe takes the labs impact here to another, more obvious, level.

Despite all the resolutions Santa Fe city leaders have passed over the years questioning LANL operations and the rejection of the labs Midtown Campus plan, city officials and the business community are now extending a warm welcome to the lab and its workforce.

Its unclear how many of the people who will work at LANLs Santa Fe sites already reside in Santa Fe. But Mayor Alan Webber said having new jobs in town will benefit the city during the post-pandemic economic recovery. Importantly, well also see more long-term entrepreneurial connections between LANL and the Santa Fe startup community, he said.

Those 500 jobs at St. Mikes and Pacheco, in particular, could be a big boost to surrounding neighborhoods. Owners of restaurants on the St. Mikes corridor, from Loyal Hound and Sagches Coffee House on one end to Santa Fe Bite and Jambos on the other end, should be licking their chops at the prospect of new customers.

But many of LANLs critics among anti-nuke, peace advocacy and environmental communities see the labs move as an invasion. We call it a takeover plan for Santa Fe, said Greg Mello of Los Alamos Study Group.

City Councilor Renee Villarreal said, We cannot deny that LANLs expansion into Santa Fe is a direct consequence of the labs expanding role as a nuclear bomb production site. In other words, LANLs expansion into Santa Fe is also designed to relocate personnel so that plutonium pit production can be expanded on the Hill. And this gives me a reason to be concerned.

County Commissioner Anna Hansen said bluntly, I dont like LANL moving to Santa Fe and I do not want any nuclear weapons work done in Santa Fe County.

A big LANL presence in Santa Fe could certainly affect Santa Fes self-image. Santa Fe Style has never included one of those atomic symbols such as the Albuquerque Isotopes use.

But the reality is that its vast amounts of money and jobs make LANL, with an annual budget now north of $3 billion, an irresistible force, especially in a poor state such as New Mexico.

You can see it in the states politics, where a congressional delegation full of liberal Democrats fights to keep plutonium bomb component production and its resultant nuclear waste outputs in Los Alamos. Conservative Republicans could not have done more for the lab on this issue.

So, despite the protests from activists, Santa Fe will almost certainly offer little resistance to LANL moving some non-hazardous operations here, even if there was some way to stop it. The lab plan for the Midtown Campus, which seemingly would have created a sort of nuclear-free LANL 2.0, apparently was just a bridge too far for city officials now welcoming an influx of lab jobs.

Some Santa Feans will feel betrayed by city officialdoms embrace of the lab or that theyve been made complicit in the production of weapons of mass destruction.

But LANLs expansion also can be seen as a sort of truth-telling.

Having lab offices in place makes it perfectly explicit that Santa Fe  however much it sees itself as an art town, a liberal town, a spiritual place, a refuge for peace advocates, tree huggers, weirdos and outsiders  has long relied on the numerous employees of a nuclear weapons lab living here in the city for a significant part of its economy.

Debate on the overarching issue of whether mutually assured destruction remains the best available method of sustaining some kind of global order will continue, of course.

We get it that opponents of the nuclear weapons enterprise will fight LANL and bomb production on every front. LANLs work is expensive and hazardous, and needs watchdogs. The watchdogs shouldnt stop arguing, as have even some under-the-radar conservative voices, that new pit production is essentially a massive, unnecessary make-work program, with thousands of old ones in storage. Advocates should continue to support efforts such as a recent state Environment Department lawsuit that says LANL is out of compliance with requirements for cleaning up its long-term legacy waste.

But those issues will remain whether lab workers have offices in Santa Fe or not. Stopping LANLs office plans in Santa Fe might be a symbolic victory, but the lab and its big budget would likely find or build other office space somewhere else in northern New Mexico.

The real issue is the expansion of the lab in its new role as a plutonium pit factory. Eventually, it may be the courts that decide if LANL has met environmental rules for this undertaking. If it gets a favorable judges ruling, or just takes its time and does a new environmental review, then LANL will have a chance to show that it is up to the task of making 30 pits a year. A study by the nonprofit Institute for Defense Analysis that was commissioned by Congress cast doubt on the NNSAs entire pit production plans, saying risks in the complexity of the program make eventual success of the strategy to reconstitute plutonium pit production  far from certain.

Still, absent an edict from Pope Francis  who has proclaimed the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral  that would excommunicate President Joe Biden from the Catholic Church unless the federally mandated pit production is halted, the labs work will probably continue, and it will probably continue somewhere in northern New Mexico.
MAGNOLIA, Del. (AP)  Standing in line to receive food boxes with her kids and other families during the COVID-19 pandemic gave Jennifer Antonik a new perspective.

It wasnt just food she and her family were receiving from the cafeteria staff at a local school  it was love and a nice reminder that people still care, even during uncertain times.

It also gave Mrs. Antonik, a budding author of childrens books, the idea and inspiration for her latest work, Boxes of Love.

The nutrition staff even began writing sayings or drawing hearts or emojis on the (food) boxes, Mrs. Antonik said. It was just a loving feeling every time we picked up boxes, and our kids felt that way, too. It was a gentle reminder that everything will work out somehow, and Im excited that we have the chance to help share this story.

A former journalist and current public relations coordinator for the Delaware Farm Bureau, Mrs. Antonik noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, school lunch heroes, farmers and other groups have worked tirelessly to provide healthy meals to students all over the country, even after schools were shuttered.

Their work was the inspiration behind Mrs. Antoniks new bilingual childrens book, which tells a familiar tale with a heartwarming twist and a diverse cast of characters.

Coincidentally, School Lunch Hero Day was on Friday.

Boxes of Love is a story from the heart, Mrs. Antonik said. My family was not immune to the consequences of the pandemic. Like many, many other families, we soon found ourselves in the meal-pickup line at our local school.

Businesses like My Sisters Fault and Mama Marias in Milford even began offering meals, while people scrambled to figure out how we could all respond to this new normal. In the pickup line, we came from all walks of life, but one thing was always the same between us  we were all there for the kids. I tried to express that and gratitude for our local school lunch heroes with this book.

To help bring her story to a broader audience, advocate and Milford School District Board of Education Vice President Rony Baltazar-Lopez translated Boxes of Love into Spanish. He currently works at the Delaware Department of Justice and is a part-time graduate student in the Joseph R. Biden Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Delaware.

What (school nutrition staff) provide is of vital importance, especially for our minority families. We do not heighten our cafeteria workers the way we should, and this book does that, Mr. Baltazar-Lopez said. Ive never translated a book before, and this fell in line with everything else Ive done before.

Everything in this book is like what the kids experience with the meal boxes. Im just really appreciative of the opportunity to be involved.

The Spanish translations appear on the same pages as the English words do, offering a complete reading experience for English-speaking and English-learning families alike.

Mrs. Antonik said that including Spanish in her book was important to her because much of what the school nutrition staff members do is about inclusion.

Having a native speaker like Rony was really the only way to go to make sure our story had an authentic feel for everyone reading the book, said Mrs. Antonik. Where we live in central Delaware, there are many families with English-speaking children but parents who only know Spanish.

The children end up translating for their parents, and I wanted to eliminate that barrier if I could, at least this once. It takes a village. Im so grateful for Rony for his time and passion on this project.

Boxes of Love explores questions and feelings many children had at the beginning of the pandemic, such as sadness and confusion.

Like Mrs. Antoniks family experienced, the main character found a slice of happiness when he saw a weeks worth of food inside his own box of love from the school nutrition staff. But he had to ask the question, How is this possible?

After a mission of discovery leads him to several local farms, the answer is not what he expects.

Love always wins. Love is always the answer, Mrs. Antonik said. Explaining a global pandemic to our younger children was especially hard at the beginning. But explaining why we could bring home boxes of meals for each child was easy  they are loved. Its so easy to lose sight of that.

And that is how Mrs. Antoniks Boxes of Love came to be.

We started calling them Boxes of Love in our house for a few reasons. For one, I discovered a new perspective on the process that goes on behind the scenes for every meal distribution, she said, referencing her role at the Delaware Farm Bureau. Plus, a local farmer, 302Aquaponics (in Dover), contributed salads for a lot of the boxes, which was always nice to see.

Our daughter loves salads, and this gave us a chance to really dive into the conversation of where food comes from, whether its a local farmer or another group that wants our kids to be healthy.

The book is in or headed to at least six school districts in the state, with more in the works.

Boxes of Love is Mrs. Antoniks fifth childrens book. Her first, The Music Man: Our Rootin, Tootin Hero was written late last year and earned first place in the childrens nonfiction category of the Delaware Press Associations 2021 Communications Contest.

I self-published my first book late last year after my grandfather passed away, she said. Besides being a veteran and amazing father and grandfather, he was a regular volunteer at the (Milford) High School, active in the community and even founded the Milford Community Band 30 years ago.

Ive always felt like his story was too big to keep tucked away. Writing a childrens book about him and his journey helped our whole family cope with losing him, and it helped me dip my toes into the world of childrens books.

Mrs. Antonik enjoys sharing her life experiences, so what better way to do that than to write books about them?

When it comes to writing, whether its for children or adults, my greatest satisfaction has always been learning about something and then sharing that information Ive been gifted in a way that is inspiring and educational, she said. I say gifted because knowledge is a gift that shouldnt be taken for granted.

With Boxes of Love, I feel amazing knowing that Ive made some very special people feel loved and inspired to continue their important work and that young readers will not only learn something new, but theyll maybe be inspired, also.

Its also worthwhile that Mrs. Antoniks three children enjoy her books and her writing.

They are excited, especially our 6-year-old, she said. Our older kids think its really cool that mom is an author. Theyve started drawing or writing more, which is pretty exciting to watch. Sometimes, they even come up with a new book or marketing ideas to brainstorm.

Our youngest daughter tells everyone about Mommys books. She loves knowing she can share our family stories with the world. When my first book arrived in the mail, she nearly ripped it out of my hands and ran through the house, so she could read it on the couch. The whole family has really been so supportive of this venture.
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP)  For folks who work with the Kinney Pioneer Museum near the Mason City Municipal Airport, living history has been a little less alive over the past year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum, which has operated for 53 years, hasnt been open to the public since July 2020 when its Board of Trustees unanimously voted not to open for the season.

So, no celebratory events, no new displays to show off to visitors and no tours to give.

I just want to show everybody what they have. I want everybody to know what they have and what theyre missing out on, Museum Director Kay Ingersoll told the Globe Gazette.

For her, thats been the most difficult part of the closure. She misses the visitors.

But last weekend, the museum grounds felt a little less lonely as Kinney Pioneer officials opened back up for the 2021 season with an outdoor lunch that featured pulled pork sandwiches. According to Ingersoll, the timing and nature of the event is actually rooted in the Museums own history.

I think about 50 years ago they started roasting a pig out there at the museum and now its an annual thing, she said.

To end each year, Ingersoll and Museum treasurer John Barron explained that they help put on an apple cider and doughnut day.

We always have a special feature each month which helps us raise funds to keep the museum open, Barron said.

For him, whats been most difficult about being closed for a year is that the demands of a museum dont stop simply because it isnt open.

Expenses go on and museums are noted for a being a cash cow. You have to maintain, Barron said. You have to be prudent. Hes been on the board for at least 10 years, while Ingersoll has served as director for seven years.

Beyond last weekend's event, Barron and Ingersoll confirmed that the museum will be back open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. and operate through October.

They said that the time off has allowed for them to update some of their displays such as one for the old Jefferson Highway, which once ran through North Iowa, and another to recognize the womens suffrage movement, which Charles Citys own Carrie Chapman Catt was crucially involved with.

Its just amazing what you find out about people and what theyve contributed, Ingersoll said. There are too many people in Mason City who get a lot of credit but these other people did it without recognition. They poured their heart and soul into Mason City and nobody knows their name.

Ingersoll said thats part of what she loves so much about her job: She constantly gets to learn about all of the unknowns who help move things along in the area. The folks who put in the necessary work.

Im learning so much and I want to know every single thing about every single person. I think I was born in the wrong era. I want to know who those people were, what they were thinking and what they were about.
Honesdale

National Bank

Brian Wilken has been promoted to vice president, business development officer.

In his current role, Wilken provides the bank with business development opportunities and growth strategies involving our products, services and business relations.

Wilken has 12 years of experience in the financial industry and a whole career in business development to the bank.

Wilken is a Honesdale native, graduating from Honesdale High School and receiving an associate degree from SUNY Cobleskill.

Lisa Dowse has been promoted to vice president, human resource officer.

In her current role, Dowse provides support and service for employees regarding recruitment, payroll, benefits, along with many other functions in the human resources department. Throughout her career, she has attended the PA Bankers School of Banking and attended many webinars and seminars to advance her knowledge in the financial industry.

She is a past board member of the Chamber of the Northern Poconos and also served as a co-chair on the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties funds distribution committee.

Lackawanna Bar Association

Lackawanna Bar Association inducted officers and newly elected members of their board of directors at the Annual Virtual Membership Meeting of the association held recently. Attorney Thomas P. Cummings was installed as the 71st president of the association, which was founded in 1890 and has been serving the community for more than 130 years. Attorney Michael F. Cosgrove is president-elect and attorney John C. Mascelli was elected vice president. Other newly elected officers include attorney David I. Fallk and attorney Judith G. Price. Also appointed to the board for 2021 is attorney Patricia Lafferty. Lee Ann Munley is the executive director of the association.

Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin

Michael A. Sebastian has joined the Scranton regional office as a shareholder in the workers compensation department. Sebastian concentrates the entirety of his practice on workers compensation defense and represents employers, insurance carriers and third-party administrators.

With more than 20 years of experience, Sebastian has appeared on behalf of his clients before many local judges, the Workers Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In addition to litigating claims, he counsels clients on implementing risk management strategies that focus on lowering workers compensation costs and avoiding liability exposure.

Niki Jones Agency

Veronica Nelson has joined the agencys team.

With experience as both a graphic designer and a content developer, Nelsons multi-faceted approach to marketing ensures coordination between visual and written materials from the outset. She formerly worked as a social media and email marketing specialist for corporate marketing firms. She has a deep understanding of the analytics that drive engagements and conversions. She applied this knowledge to every design and brand narrative she creates, resulting in sophisticated graphics and stories that resonate across audiences.

She earned her bachelors degree in creative writing from the University of Arkansas in 2015.

PennFuture

President and CEO Jacquelyn Bonomo has been appointed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to a three-year term on the Department of Environmental Protections Citizens Advisory Council.

In this role, Bonomo will join 17 other citizen volunteers from across Pennsylvania, as well as DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell, in reviewing all environmental laws in the commonwealth and offering suggestions on revisions or modifications to those laws.

Bonomos three-year term will expire on Jan. 19, 2024. She lives in Luzerne County.

The Citizens Advisory Council meets monthly, except for August and December, or at the call of the chair.

Perry Law Firm

Mark Perry has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for the 17th consecutive year. Perry was first recognized as a Super Lawyer in 2005, and has been selected for Super Lawyer designation every year since.

Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

Perry was selected under the practice area of medical malpractice defense. A substantial portion of his practice is dedicated to the litigation of complex professional liability claims. He has represented physicians and hospitals in central and Northeast Pennsylvania in hundreds of cases in both state and federal court.

Step By Step Inc.

Jacqueline (Jackie) Sharifi has been appointed as the new vice president of human resources.

She succeeds Edie Hennebaul, who retired after 43 years.

Sharifi most recently served as the director of human resources and as a human resource manager at CareLink Community Support Services, a human service agency located in Southeast Pennsylvania.

She holds a masters degree in leadership development from Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies and a bachelors degree in psychology from Marywood University. Sharifi is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.

University of Scranton

A book by Stacy Smulowitz, Ph.D., associate professor of communication and media, was published recently by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. The book, The Communication Solution: Leading Successful Change in Higher Education, provides a practical and theoretical guide based on preexisting and original research data to issues surrounding planned organizational change strategies, core competencies and other aspects of the change process needed for effective leadership in higher education.

At the university, Smulowitz teaches courses in advertising, leadership and organizational communication.

Smulowitz is a resident of Shavertown.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Ryan White didnt have time to think of the danger he was putting himself in at the helm of the documentary Assassins.

Not to mention the dozens of obstacles along the way.

But he pushed forward.

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It was not likely that my mom was thrilled, White says. It was tricky.

Assassins is an account of the two women  Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong  convicted of assassinating Kim Jong-uns half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, in 2017. The film follows their sensational trials in an bid to understand whether they are trained killers or simply pawns.

White spent months on the film, not knowing if it would ever be released.

The Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe will host White, Evans J.R. Revere and Robert R. King at a Zoom panel at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 11. The cost is $10; register at ccasantafe.org to receive a link to stream the film prior to the discussion. Jaqueline Frank will moderate.

Revere is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institutions Center for East Asia Policy Studies. King is Senior Advisor to the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

White recalled the 2017 killing, but then it was out of the news.

However, he got a call from journalist Doug Bock Clark, who was investigating the story for GQ Magazine.

He reached out to me and I learned more about the women who were being charged, White says. He began to tell me about their backstory and I was really compelled. Impulsively, I was on a flight with him to Malaysia. I took my camera and my director of photography. It was a very small crew because we didnt know what wed have access to.

White is known for such projects as Ask Dr. Ruth, Good Ol Freda, and The Case Against 8, all of which are character-based films.

White knew he would have a tough time getting access to the women since they were incarcerated.

I didnt know them and I couldnt meet them, and that was a huge challenge in making a character film about two women in jail, White says. In hindsight, while we were watching the trials, everyone was whispering to us that the women werent going to get out of this alive. My film would make a strong case that they were innocent.

White knew he needed to humanize them. Then he realized: What if this never gets released?

If they would have died, we couldnt release this, he says. We had to make a choice and I got access to the women in the end. We wanted to take viewers on a journey  to experience the highs and lows that we experienced.
GET THE niggers, was their slogan, / Kill them, burn, them, set the pace. / Let them know that we are white men. /Teach them how to keep their place. AJ Smitherman, The Tulsa Race Riot and Massacre (1922).

I had just left Harvard University as an assistant professor and was doing Time to Talk, a series of interviews for T&T Television.
Supporters of the opposition celebrated in Honduras when the president's brother was sentenced in the US

Inside a New York courtroom, the president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was known simply as "Co-conspirator 4".

Yet being stripped of the deference his position traditionally commands was the least of his concerns. US prosecutors now consider him to be intimately and demonstrably linked to violent drug cartels.

In 2019, his younger brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez, was found guilty of smuggling tonnes of cocaine into the United States during a criminal career that spanned over a decade.

To have your brother sentenced to life plus 30 years for drug trafficking would be a stain on any politician's record. But under the full glare of the world's media, prosecutors alleged his government was corrupt to its core - causing irreparable damage to his legitimacy as president.

And it is not just the case against his brother in which US prosecutors have identified the Honduran president.

During the recent trial in New York of Honduran drug trafficker Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, the prosecutor painted a grim picture of Honduras as a "narco-state" where the cartels had infiltrated "police, military and political power mayors, congressmen, military generals and police chiefs, even the current president".

President Juan Orlando Hernandez has denied the allegations against him

"In the 10 years before 2010, the traditional narcos had acquired so much political power in Honduras that they then began to co-opt the state itself to ensure their safety," says a former Honduran state attorney, Edy Tabora.

That period coincided with the rise of Tony Hernandez in the drug world and his older brother into politics. Once Juan Orlando became president in 2014 and Tony Hernandez a member of Congress for the National Party, they were effectively "narco-politicians", alleges Mr Tabora.

'State-sponsored drug trafficking'

President Hernandez called his brother's sentence "outrageous" and repeated his constant refrain that the conviction was based on the testimony of known criminals with an axe to grind.

Story continues

Tony Hernandez was found guilty of receiving $1m (720,000 in current figures) from the notorious drug lord, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, for his brother's election campaign.

US prosecutors also allege that President Hernandez accepted bribes in exchange for the protection of his security forces and planned to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos", referring to potential foreign users.

It was, they argued, nothing less than "state-sponsored drug trafficking".

The accusation is that - unlike countries where drug cartels work in tandem with corrupt elements of the state or the security forces - in Honduras the drug traffickers are the state, the very same people who control the apparatus of power.

President Hernandez points to the seizure of large drug hauls as evidence that he is fighting the drugs trade

"That's the most important point to understand about Honduras", argues Mr Tabora. "The problem here is that the public functionaries wanted control over the drug trade."

The BBC asked President Hernandez's office for an interview or a statement. So far, neither has been provided.

"We're talking about an entire political class," says Jennifer Avila, editor-in-chief of Contra Corriente, a digital media outlet in Honduras.

"We've seen former parliamentary deputies on trial and members of the economic elite, one of whom is standing for president this year," she says, referring to Yani Rosenthal, a presidential candidate for the opposition Liberal Party who was convicted of laundering money for the Cachiros cartel in 2017.

'He may try to remain in power perpetually'

Juan Orlando Hernandez is a headache for US President Joe Biden. He is the first sitting Latin American president since Manuel Noriega in Panama in the late 1980s to have his name so closely linked to drug trafficking in a US court.

One might expect the White House and the state department to impose sanctions or, at the very least, distance themselves from the alleged "narco-president". Instead Washington's economic and security interests are undoubtedly at play, especially regarding undocumented immigration.

The sentencing of Tony Hernandez shone a spotlight on Honduras

Honduras was quick to comply with President Donald Trump's harshest policies on immigration but as his brother was convicted, President Hernandez indicated that bilateral security co-operation could "collapse" over the affair.

"At this moment he is the elected president of Honduras, we are going to work with his government, we are going to look for areas of common interest," said Juan Gonzalez, President Biden's top adviser on Latin America.

"It doesn't surprise me," retorts Jennifer Avila. "What most interests the US is preserving governability. They don't want a political vacuum or a transitional government because that would bring more instability to Honduras and generate more migration."

Were Juan Orlando Hernandez to be forced out, she says, the country simply "isn't prepared for a crisis of that magnitude".

"Narco-government": The president has faced protests in recent years demanding his resignation

Washington appears to prefer the status quo - even one tainted by drug money.

"When Trump left office, clearly we'd hoped for a different position from the Biden administration," explains Gabriela Amador of the Pro-Honduras Network, an anti-corruption group of US-based Hondurans that covered every moment of the trials in New York.

"What worries us as Hondurans is that it's been shown that cartels have invested millions into politics and Juan Orlando Hernandez may try to remain in power perpetually through fraudulent means."

His previous election win in 2017 sparked violent protests after the vote count was considered untrustworthy by international election observers.

Although President Hernandez refutes the allegations, the convictions obtained by the US Department of Justice reveal a country mired in drug-related corruption - a description which former state attorney Edy Tabora reluctantly accepts about his homeland.

"The prosecutors in New York put it best when they called Honduras a 'corrupt narco-state'," he says, "because both mechanisms - corruption and drug trafficking - were used to seize the state's resources."
OROVILLE, Calif. (AP)  Cruz Reynoso, a son of migrant workers who worked in the fields as a child and went on to become the first Latino state Supreme Court justice in California history, has died. He was 90.

Reynoso died Friday at an elder care facility in Oroville, according to his son Rondall Reynoso. The cause of death was not disclosed.

In a legal career that spanned six decades, Reynoso played a prominent role in the movement to uplift the poorest workers in California, especially farmworkers from Mexico like his parents, and guided many minority students toward the law.

As director of California Rural Legal Assistance  the first statewide, federally funded legal aid program in the country  in the late 1960s he led efforts to ensure farmworkers' access to sanitation facilities in the fields and to ban the use of the carcinogenic pesticide DDT.

One of the biggest cases won by CRLA while Reynoso was its director centered on Spanish-speaking students who were incorrectly assessed by their schools and placed into classes for the mentally challenged when, in reality, they were simply new English learners. The 1970 class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Latino students in the Monterey County town of Soledad ended the practice of giving Spanish-speaking students IQ tests in English.

After leaving CRLA in 1972, Reynoso taught law before he was appointed to the states 3rd District Appellate Court in Sacramento. In 1982, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Reynoso to the state Supreme Court, the first Latino to be named to the states high court.

He earned respect for his compassion during his five years on the state Supreme Court but became the target of a recall campaign led by proponents of the death penalty who painted him, Chief Justice Rose Bird, and Associate Justice Joseph Grodin as being soft on crime. The three were removed in 1987.

After leaving the bench, he practiced and taught law at the University of California in Los Angeles and in Davis and served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 2000.

Cruz Reynoso was a giant for the judiciary and the legal profession in California and across the country, Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, a justice on the California Supreme Court, said in a statement.

His accomplishments were as remarkable as his humility. His memory and deeds will continue to inspire so many of us across California and the rest of our country.

Born in Brea on May 2, 1931, Reynoso was one of 11 children and spent summers with his family working the fields of the San Joaquin Valley.

After graduating from Pomona College in 1953, he served two years in the Army before attending law school at UC Berkeley.

He was married to Jeannene Reynoso for 52 years until her death in 2007. He married his second wife, Elaine Reynoso, in 2008. She died in 2017.

He is survived by four children and two stepchildren.
Stefano Domenicali is working hard to tackle the latest problem with the 2021 Formula 1 calendar, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

Following the recent cancellation of the Canadian GP, F1 CEO Domenicali inked a last-minute replacement deal with Istanbul Park.

However, the UK government has now put Turkey on its so-called covid 'red list', meaning that F1 team members returning to Britain face a mandatory two-week quarantine period.

Domenicali told Sky Italia that he wants to try to work around the problem.

"We don't want to change the schedule or postpone any more races," said the Italian. "But we don't exactly know how that should work at the moment."

Mugello and the Nurburgring are said to be next in line as replacement hosts, but Domenicali insisted: "I can't confirm anything. There is nothing yet.

"In the coming days we will try to understand if it is possible to have exemptions to manage the calendar as scheduled," he added.

"If this is not the case we have options to discuss based on our desire to keep the calendar with the same number of races, because we do not want to miss a moment of this season that is going so well.

"Already next week we want to understand what the direction will be," said Domenicali. "As I said, there is the will to stay with the number of races we have but we must consider a situation that is constantly evolving."

When asked about the problem with the Turkish GP, Mercedes' Wolff said: "First of all, it is not very pleasant to serve quarantine at a hotel, so Stefano Domenicali is deciding how to organise everything.

"By gaining a clearer picture of the situation, we can then decide which employees will stay in continental Europe and who will return home," he added.

(GMM)
Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey Republicans will decide whether they want an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump to be their standard bearer in the fall election for governor, while Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy is on an easy path toward capturing his party's nomination.

New Jersey's June 8 primary is just a month away, with some clear contours already emerging.

Murphy is aiming to become the first Democrat since 1977 to win reelection in a state where Democrats now outnumber Republicans by more than 1 million voters. On the GOP side, many in the party have lined up behind Jack Ciattarelli, a one-time Assembly member, accountant and small business owner. Ciattarelli is focusing his attacks on Murphy, but he faces competition from candidates embracing Trump.

A closer look at how the race is shaping up:

MURPHY CRUISING

Murphy won't have any challenger on the ballot for the Democratic primary. State officials ruled that two would-be challengers filed faulty petitions to get on the ballot last month.

That means Murphy, who is the head of the Democratic Party in the state, will secure the nomination.

It also means he won't have to burn cash to fend off attack and can instead focus on November.

A Monmouth University poll out Wednesday showed Murphy with a 57% approval rating, down from 71% at the height of the outbreak last year, but still in positive territory.

That poll surveyed 706 New Jersey adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

If he wins in November, he'll be the first Democrat to win reelection in more than four decades.

As governor, he has a pulpit during his usually twice-weekly COVID-19 news conferences, which are streamed live on YouTube.

And despite some squabbles with fellow Democrats who control the Legislature, he has achieved a number of key campaign promises: phasing in a $15 minimum wage, enacting recreational marijuana legalization, raising taxes on millionaires, expanding gun control legislation and expanding paid family leave. A big unfished campaign promise is the establishment of a state bank.

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REPUBLICAN RIVALS

Ciattarelli is the only one of the four Republicans running for governor to qualify for public matching funds. He has also received support from county Republican parties up and down the state.

Ciattarelli ran four years ago for governor, but lost the nomination to then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. He launched his campaign for governor almost as soon as Murphy took office in 2018.

Ciattarelli had been critical of former GOP Gov. Chris Christie and President Donald Trump. Still, in a GOP primary, he's highlighted the support he received from Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Trump favorite who left the Democratic Party and fully embraced the president over his opposition of the first impeachment.

He's focused much of his campaign squarely on Murphy, calling for reopening from pandemic closures sooner and making the state more affordable.

Also seeking the nomination are Hudson County pastor Phil Rizzo, who recently posted a photo of himself alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Hirsh Singh, a former unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in 2017, and Brian Levine, an accountant and former county elected official. Singh has also been a vocal Trump supporter. Levine has called for the party to stop arguing over Trump and focused reining in tax rates.

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THE FUNDRAISING PICTURE

Based on the available public records, Murphy is leading the fundraising contest  by a lot. He's brought in $3.4 million, according to the Election Law Enforcement Commission, and gotten $4.1 million in public matching funds.

Ciattarelli has raised nearly $1 million and received $3.6 million in matching funds.

Data for the other GOP candidates, who haven't qualified for public funds, will become available later this month.

The matching fund program goes back to 1974 and allows candidates to get $2 in public cash for every $1 raised. Candidates must raise $490,000 to qualify for the funds. Theres a cap of $4.6 million and spending for candidates getting public money is limited to $7.3 million in the primary.
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In 1983, a scientist named Bill Foege resigned as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He did so, Michael Lewis tells us in his new book, The Premonition, because after CDC researchers had discovered a connection between aspirin and Reyes syndrome in children, the aspirin manufacturers complained to the White House. President Ronald Reagans administration responded by telling the CDC to cease and desist, according to Foege. So he quit.

Foege was a career CDC scientist  the last career agency employee to hold the title of director. Every director since then has been a political appointee  plucked from the supporters of whichever politician happened to occupy the White House  whom the president could fire at will. Thus did the CDC go from being an agency focused solely on science to one focused as much, or more, on politics. As Lewiss book  and the pandemic  illustrates, this shift didnt just damage the CDC. It damaged the country.

A more recent example of this shift came to light Monday when the New York Post published an article detailing emails between the CDC and the American Federation of Teachers, which has been a strong supporter of President Joe Biden. The emails had been obtained by Americans for Public Trust, a conservative group that seeks, as it puts it, to hold politicians and political groups accountable for corrupt and unethical behavior. After I read the Post article, I asked the group to send me the emails, which it did. Maybe, when the CDC was purely about science, the exchange between the union and the federal agency would have been viewed as unethical. Today, sadly, it is par for the course.

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Some quick background: As you may recall, soon after Biden took office, the CDC was charged with publishing science-based guidance for reopening public schools safely. Because of the recalcitrance of the teachers unions, schools in most big cities were operating either entirely remotely or under a hybrid plan, even though study after study showed that children were far less likely than adults to either get or transmit COVID-19 and that classrooms were safer than just about any other place a kid could be. Even three CDC researchers acknowledged as much in an article they published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The new director of the CDC was Rochelle Walensky, who had run the infectious disease department at Massachusetts General Hospital and taught at Harvard Medical School. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she had been one of those scientists the public had come to rely on for advice about mitigating COVID-19.

In early February, just two weeks after Walensky was confirmed by the Senate, she got her first taste of politics trumping science at the CDC. During a briefing with reporters, she said reopening schools did not necessarily require that teachers be vaccinated  something that real-world experience had long shown. The teachers unions, however, were adamant that teachers should be vaccinated before reentering the classroom. Walensky was quickly slapped down by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said the CDC chief was speaking in her personal capacity and that her remarks didnt constitute official guidance.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Walensky was getting another political lesson. As the agency was putting together its school reopening guidance, Randi Weingarten, the formidable head of the AFT, and Kelly Trautner, the unions health policy official, inserted themselves in the process.

Thank you again for Fridays rich discussion about forthcoming CDC guidance and for your openness to the suggestions made by our president, Randi Weingarten, and the AFT, Trautner wrote on Feb. 1. We are hopeful that lines of communication will remain open, and that we can serve as a true thought partner as you continue the important work toward safe reopening of schools. Trautner then offered suggested language regarding accommodations for high-risk individuals.

The next week, Weingarten and Walensky had a second conversation, the contents of which are unknown. And, on Feb. 11, just before the guidance was issued, Trautner sent an email to Walensky and other CDC officials complaining that the guidance didnt contain provisions providing for when schools should close. She added  with no intended irony  We really want to lend our efforts to helping restore faith in the CDC.

When the guidance was published the next day, Weingarten and the AFT were thrilled. It called for social distancing of 6 feet between students, for making teacher vaccinations a priority and for schools to remain closed in high-transmission communities. It also included the language Trautner had suggested for high-risk individuals virtually word for word. Weingarten praised the agency for relying on facts and evidence.

Critics pounced on the guidelines, saying that, rather than promoting reopening, they gave teachers new excuses to avoid returning to the classroom. Why, for instance, did students need to remain 6 feet apart, which made it nearly impossible for public schools to have a full complement of students in a classroom. Indeed, before joining the CDC, Walensky had said in a private email that 3 feet was quite safe.

A month later, the CDC updated its school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. It concluded that 3 feet was just fine. CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges, Walensky said.

How did Weingarten respond? Not well. We are not convinced that the evidence supports changing physical distancing requirements at this time, she said in a letter to Walensky. The CDC chief then sent a long letter back to the AFT aimed at roping them back in as allies. (It worked.)

But why should the CDC care whether Weingarten and the teachers are friend or foe? An agency that claims to follow the science should devise guidance that calls it like it is, as Howard Cosell used to say, rather than how the presidents supporters want it to be. The fact that it so transparently did the AFTs bidding is precisely why many people have lost faith in the CDC. Its not just Trump who co-opted the agency; its a process that has been going on for more than a quarter-century.

That perhaps explains why the CDC offered no apologies when its email exchanges with the AFT were made public. I wasnt surprised that Weingarten saw her intervention as simply an example of her doing her job  a point she made in a series of tweets on Monday.

But the CDC was every bit as unapologetic. A spokeswoman sent me a list of more than 50 organizations that had been consulted on the guidance. Four of them, including the AFT, had seen drafts before publication.

As part of long-standing best practices, she wrote, CDC has traditionally engaged with organizations and groups that are impacted by guidance and recommendations issued by the agency. Best practices? As long as the CDC views consulting with the presidents allies  allies with no particular scientific knowledge  as appropriate, it will never regain the stature, and the credibility, that once made it so special.

Joe Nocera is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. His latest project is the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast The Shrink Next Door.
BEIJING (AP)  China's space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.

People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media, with scores of users posting footage of the debris piercing the early dawn skies over the Middle East.

Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency later clarified that reentry occurred Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process," the report said.

Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

The roughly 30-meter (100-foot) long rocket stage is among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth. China's space program, with its close military links, hasnt said why it put the main component of the rocket into space rather than allowing it to fall back to earth soon after discharging its payload, as is usual in such operations.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Chinas first permanent space station  Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony  into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

An 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first-ever space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere. Both had been briefly occupied by Chinese astronauts as precursors to China's permanent station, now under construction.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroy a defunct weather satellite in January 2007, creating a large field of hazardous debris imperiling satellites and other spacecraft.

___

This story corrects the time the rocket fell on Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time, not 7:24 p.m. Saturday.
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BEIJING  Chinas space agency said a core segment of its biggest rocket reentered Earths atmosphere above the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and that most of it burned up early Sunday.

Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter, An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble But it was still reckless.

People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media, with scores of users posting footage of the debris piercing the early dawn skies over the Middle East.

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................................................................

Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and dont go into orbit.

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency later clarified that reentry occurred Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time. The vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the reentry process, the report said.

Despite that, NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson issued a statement saying: It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.

The roughly 30-meter (100-foot) long rocket stage is among the biggest space debris to fall to Earth. Chinas space program, with its close military links, hasnt said why it put the main component of the rocket into space rather than allowing it to fall back to earth soon after discharging its payload, as is usual in such operations.

The Long March 5B rocket carried the main module of Chinas first permanent space station  Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony  into orbit on April 29. China plans 10 more launches to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit.

An 18-ton rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

Chinas first-ever space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere. Both had been briefly occupied by Chinese astronauts as precursors to Chinas permanent station, now under construction.

In March, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by U.S. aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

China was heavily criticized after sending a missile to destroy a defunct weather satellite in January 2007, creating a large field of hazardous debris imperiling satellites and other spacecraft.

___

This story corrects the time the rocket fell on Sunday at 10:24 a.m. Beijing time, not 7:24 p.m. Saturday.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  The U.S. Attorney's Office for Nevada says two men have pleaded guilty in a tax withholding scheme devised while one of the men was imprisoned.

Jabari Laquan Marshall, 43, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of theft of government money and one count of aggravated identity theft and Jalen Tony Henry, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money, the office said.
Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Traffic is returning to the city streets. Elevators are getting crowded. Favourite lunch spots are filling up.

Two months after Israel reopened its economy, Tel Aviv is moving on from the work-from-home era.

Israels lightning-fast vaccine programme gave it a headstart in planning for life after coronavirus, and its quick rollout turned it into a global test case on everything from real-world efficacy data to vaccine passports.

With commercial activity now heating up in Tel Aviv, employers and employees around the world are watching with interest to see what happens in a country that has come to be seen as a late-pandemic bellwether.

Early signs are that the end of lockdown has flicked the switch on office life.

Demand for space is picking up across the board, according to data tracked by commercial real estate outfit Natam Group.

Co-working provider WeWork says footfall in its Israeli buildings is up 20% since February, with strong demand for new sales.

Googles mobility data shows a sharp increase in travel to work in Tel Aviv during April, with numbers now close to their pre-pandemic baseline.

A WeWork co-working space close to the Azrieli Tower in Tel Aviv on April 30. Google data for April shows a rise in commuting levels, with numbers close to their pre-pandemic levels. Picture: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg

Nir Minerbi got the first sign that things were about to change back in December when he tried  and failed  to renew the discounted deal he struck with WeWork during 2020s initial lockdown.

Being in the office last year was like being at a graveyard, said Minerbi, chief executive officer of quantum computing firm Classiq Technologies.

Hes keen to revive the camaraderie of face-to-face working, so has signed an interim contract with a smaller co-working space while looking for a more traditional long-term office lease.

While Covid-19 continues to ravage India and cases accelerate around the world, countries with high vaccination levels are taking first their steps towards reopening.

Australia and New Zealand kept Covid-19 at bay, though many office-based employees remain at home.

In the UK, where working from home is recommended until at least June 21, some 42% of employees were at their desks in April, according to Morgan Stanley research. That figure is higher in Europe.

In the US, New York will soon lift many pandemic restrictions, and major banks are planning a resumption of office life.

Tel Aviv offers a glimpse for other economic hubs of what work may look like soon, as workers and employees alike seek to rekindle the sense of community they lost last year.

Theres a huge bounce back, Dotan Weiner, chief operating officer at Labs, a co-working firm owned by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, said in an interview.

Companies are telling us that without the office, its harder to recruit and maintain their culture.

Footfall at Labs Israel site is now back to over 95% of total capacity, Weiner said, up from a low of 15% in 2020s first lockdown and 40% in the second. Weiner was five minutes late to his interview, a tardiness he blamed on elevator traffic.

Labs also operates 12 buildings in London, and Weiner is similarly optimistic for business prospects in the English capital.

Weiner expects a somewhat slower return than in Tel Aviv, with Londoners seen as reluctant to flock back onto public transport networks.

The UK has broadly tracked Israels path through the pandemic, locking down and reopening a few weeks behind the Middle Eastern nation.

With case numbers now low and vaccination rates high in both countries, the UK appears on course to reopen its economy fully in late June.

Nevertheless, even in Israel, many companies are yet to settle on a definitive balance between working from home and returning to the office.

The new need for adaptability is driving change in Israels commercial real estate sector.

Co-working provider Mindspace is shifting towards what it calls a partnership model with landlords, handling rental agreements with tenants on behalf of landlords in a bid to minimise the risk of a falling market.

Companies dont know what to do with their real estate strategy, Mindspace CEO Dan Zakai said.

Thats why well see an increase in flexible contracts.

At Classiq, Nir Minerbi understands that some of his team are still scarred by the pandemic and prefer a more tightly controlled office experience than they can get at a co-working venue.

People dont love crowded working areas anymore, Minerbi said.

Even if it isnt 100% full, some of our employees want a place where they feel they can breathe.

Bloomberg
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
As the supply of COVID-19 vaccines continues to outpace demand, Southeast Texas public health officials are working on new ways to target area residents who may be bedridden, vaccine hesitant or outright naysayers.

Port Arthur Public Health Director Judith Smith noted that the regions first priority was to get the vaccine out to everyone who wanted it through mass vaccination clinics. Not only was that an efficient way to inoculate residents, but also the more residents that had antibodies, the less the virus was spreading throughout the community.

But with fewer people coming in for first doses each day  up to 500 across the county according to public health expert Dr. Praphul Joshi  its time to turn attention to more challenging cases.

Smith said the citys public health department recently received a grant to hire two nurses and a coordinator to form a vaccine strike team.

Related: US backs waiving intellectual property rules on vaccines

The team launches today, and it will administer vaccines to bedbound residents in Mid- and South-County as well as run vaccination clinics at nontraditional settings, such as churches or barber shops.

This was the project we chose when applying for the grant so we can increase vaccinations in the community by providing options to get vaccinated outside of the site from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., she said. This way, the timing will be more versatile  whats best for the community.

She said shes not yet sure how many people to expect, but the team likely will have time for about 10 home visits each day and at least 200 people or more at a vaccination clinic.

The team will start doing home visits once a week until the department gets a better feel for how many people are taking advantage of the service and how long its taking the nurses to complete.

Residents in Port Arthur, Port Neches, Groves and Nederland can call (409) 332-6180 for more information or to set up an appointment.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

She said this initiative is in line with what public health has been doing for years, just with a different vaccine.

Im just an old public health nurse. This is what weve always done, she said. When we were doing well-baby clinics, we set them up in the community people live in. I know you have to have a central location for something, but if you set up in a community where people live, youre going to see better results.

Joshi said hes working with the Beaumont Public Health Department and bilingual Lamar University students on similar initiatives that meet area residents where they are.

That work includes partnering with personal care providers who could provide vaccines to residents already in the office for a routine check up or other service and multi-language education programs in zip codes that are lagging behind in the vaccination effort.

He noted that, in most public health issues, theres a spectrum of patients  innovators, early adopters and laggers  that require different methods of communication and service delivery.

Determining and carrying out those methods is just part of public healths job.

Related: Scientists may have found a new coronavirus rapid-testing method: Bees

Theres nobody else that does this. Its public health. Youre concerned about the health of the public, she said. A doctor runs an office an people go to that office, but the health of the community falls under us. Can we do that effectively all the time? Absolutely not. But its still our job to make sure the community is as healthy as possible and to put out information that creates a better environment for our people.

Joshi said this message is particularly important as people across the world are watching the number of new cases of coronavirus and deaths related to the virus are skyrocketing in India.

He said the country is averaging about 350,000 new cases and 4,000 deaths each day, which comes after a period where the country largely thought the threat had lapsed.

But there are multiple variants that spread more quickly circulating across the country, which he said should be a wake-up call for people across the globe.

Related: Biden aims to vaccinate 70% of American adults by July 4

What we know is the more people who are vaccinated, they serve as barriers for transmission. The less room there is for virus transmission, the capacity to mutate is lessened, he said. If we dont want to be where India is right now, this should be a wake up call for us that everyone should get vaccinated so we dont even have the chance to get in that condition.

According to data analyzed and dissiminated by Joshi to various public officials across Jefferson County, 29% of the countys residents who are 16 and older are fully vaccinated. He said the goal is to see 75% of county residents from the same group vaccinated.

A greater percentage of population getting vaccinated will result in minimizing any potential case spikes in the coming weeks as summer travel picks up, he wrote in his daily report.

Joshi also is a part of the India Association of Southeast Texas, which is accepting donations to reach out to caregivers in India with the utmost accountability and providing medical supplies. Information on how to donate to the association and other funds helping the country can be found on the associations website.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/09/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report features spoilers revealing whether Tiffany and Ronald are still together now or if the couple has split up.]

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So are Tiffany and Ronald still together now or has the couple broken up?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

: Happily Ever After? star Tiffany Franco is contemplating divorce from Ronald Smith on Season 6 of the series, so did she follow through with the divorce or is she still married to Ronald? What do spoilers reveal about the current status of Tiffany and Ronald's relationship?Tiffany was a 27-year-old from Frederick, MD, and Ronald was a 29-year-old from South Africa when they initially starred on : The Other Way's first season in 2019.After getting engaged, Tiffany discovered Ronald had a criminal past and gambling addiction.Once Ronald completed a six-month rehab program in South Africa, he wanted Tiffany to move Daniel and live with him in his native country.Tiffany had to decide whether she should uproot her then eight-year-old son Daniel from a previous relationship and move across the world for Ronald, in spite of her hunch there were more secrets about his dark past.Tiffany did, in fact, take a risk for love and fly to South Africa again on a Tourist Visa with Daniel. She said she was committed to Ronald but didn't know if her visit was going to become a permanent move."Unfortunately, the only Ronald I know is the Ronald that loves me but also the Ronald that put me through hell and hurt me and lied to me," Tiffany lamented.Tiffany hoped Ronald wouldn't relapse and disappoint her family again. She also needed to make sure Daniel would love his life in South Africa and feel comfortable.As the couple lived in South Africa together, they hit some bumps in the road -- including Ronald's wild bachelor party and Tiffany worrying his gambling addiction might turn into something else, such as alcoholism.The pair's financial situation was also pretty dire as Ronald struggled to find a well-paying job post-rehab.But Tiffany loved Ronald through it all and decided to marry him during her trip to South Africa.Tiffany attempted to like South Africa, but Daniel wasn't happy there and Tiffany -- who was pregnant with her second child -- couldn't imagine giving birth in one of the hospitals.After two months in South Africa, Tiffany therefore decided she was taking opportunities away from Daniel and wanted to give birth in America and live there long-term. Tiffany thought a life in South Africa was simply too dangerous for her little ones.Tiffany determined instead of moving her whole family to Ronald's native country, she'd return home and apply for a spousal visa.After giving birth to the couple's daughter Carley in Summer 2019, Tiffany revealed on Part 1 of : The Other Way's Tell-All special -- which aired in October 2019 -- that life in the U.S. was "so much harder" than she could have ever anticipated without her husband by her side.In Part 2 of the Tell-All special, Tiffany revealed she had already purchased plane tickets so she and her children could visit Ronald again in South Africa soon.Ronald, however, had yet to apply for the visa because he said it was going to cost him a lot of money."If Ronald's visa does not get approved, that's something we're going to have to face if it happens, but I'm not making a plan for that," Tiffany explained on the show.Tiffany said at the time she wouldn't accept anything other than Ronald coming to the United States because she simply wasn't ready to move her kids to another country.However, Ronald had a prior lengthy criminal record standing in his way stemming from his gambling addiction.On Season 6 of : Happily Ever After?, Tiffany was shown doing a makeup tutorial via Zoom while taking care of her 10-year-old son Daniel and her one-year-old daughter Carley whom she welcomed with Ronald.When Carley was three months old, Tiffany said she was able to book tickets to South Africa so Ronald could meet his daughter for the first time. Tiffany recalled it being a magical moment, but she said that soon after that, Ronald became "very hot and cold" about eventually moving to the United States.Ronald had told Tiffany that he didn't want to waste money trying for another visa -- given he had been denied a K-1 visa before due to his criminal record -- but then Tiffany revealed she went ahead and applied for a spousal CR-1 visa for Ronald."We still haven't heard anything back, and so Ronald is still in South Africa. COVID has really put my marriage through the wringer," Tiffany explained."The last time Ronald and I were physically together, it was eight months ago, and I am all alone -- left to face everything and be responsible for everything. Ronald, right now, is not emotionally supportive and he's not financially supportive."Tiffany said Ronald never offered to send money for clothes or diapers, and Tiffany vented, "I didn't make this baby alone!"Tiffany was then shown meeting with an attorney, Christopher Role, and said she was expecting a response for the spousal visa in one to three months.Tiffany admitted she was no longer sure if she wanted to make things work with Ronald because she was allegedly the only person trying in their relationship."I have moments when I wonder if this marriage is right for me," Tiffany confessed. "Ronald doesn't know this, but I think I want a divorce."Tiffany explained to the cameras a lot had happened over the past couple months and she almost felt stuck in the relationship.Tiffany cried to Christopher about the "struggle" she was facing. She said she had reached "a breaking point" and feared there was "no other choice but to get divorced."Tiffany didn't want to continue feeling miserable every day, and she worried things would only get worse once Ronald arrived in the United States.Christopher advised Tiffany not to take divorce lightly because the process would be challenging, and so he suggested the couple should attempt therapy and counseling first.Christopher asked Tiffany to think about whether she'd be better off with or without Ronald in her life."In order for me to think this could work out long-term, I need Ronald to get a job. I need Ronald to save money and I need Ronald to put in as much effort as I'm putting in," Tiffany explained, adding that she could no longer fund her family and baby her husband."This will no longer be all on me," she added.Meanwhile, Ronald said he was sad and lonely to be away from his family and was hoping for the best.Ronald anticipated a family visit soon and then moving to America to be with his wife and children. Ronald said he and Tiffany had been fighting a lot and she tended to use his past against him.Ronald insisted he was making "small strides" and "ends meet" by doing odd jobs -- such as painting rooms -- since overcoming his gambling addiction. Ronald said Tiffany didn't trust that he was trying to do his best in South Africa."It's not easy having a wife who is always doubting that you are doing the right thing," Ronald explained. "I want Tiffany to see that I can be the husband I know I can be for her and this family."Suddenly, Tiffany revealed to Ronald on Zoom she had decided to cancel her family's plane tickets to South Africa. Tiffany said it wasn't fair she was always paying for things and never receiving anything from her husband."If you want us to come, then buy the tickets," Tiffany told Ronald via Zoom, adding, "You should say, 'Baby, I want to help you!'"Tiffany reminded Ronald that he had spent $3,000 to fix his motorcycle instead of helping his children, but Ronald reminded his wife that his money wasn't worth much in the U.S. due to the exchange rate.Tiffany insisted that she was killing herself for their family, but Ronald disagreed. Ronald also said it was emotionally draining for him that he couldn't watch his children grow up and witness milestones, such as Carley's first steps or first words."It's really heartbreaking to see Carley grow up through a screen. It's unbearable," Ronald told the cameras.Tiffany told the cameras if Ronald didn't start helping and paying more for their children then their marriage wasn't going to work out.Ronald and Tiffany announced they were "separating" in January 2020 and seemed to be headed for a divorce.Tiffany accused Ronald of "adultery" and manipulation and claimed he had suffered multiple relapses of the gambling addiction he had once sought treatment for before in a rehab facility.On January 28, 2020, Tiffany told her Instagram followers in regards to her marriage "some things are just irreparable," and Ronald claimed on social media at the time he'd be "filing for divorce in South Africa" after a year-and-a-half of marriage."Tiff only tried to do good, not really control me but more protect me from wrong [people], places and temptations, and the more I think about it now, it makes sense..." Ronald wrote on Instagram during."She was more the victim and I'll admit here I was a dick to her at times, worrying about me, me, me and not looking after her feelings or needs."But rumors of a reconciliation began to swirl on March 5, 2020 when Ronald posted adorable snapshots of Tiffany and himself seemingly in South Africa together.In March 11, 2020 Ronald uploaded a selfie of the couple as well as a photo in which they were embracing in front of a fountain during a date night at Monte in Gauteng, South Africa.Ronald then flat out confirmed the next day his marriage to Tiffany was back on and thriving in the comments section of his Instagram post."Hope the rumors are true and y'all found your way back to one another!!" one person wrote."Yes," Ronald replied.When an Instagram user asked Ronald to "please work it out" with Tiffany, Ronald responded with, "We are good."One person mentioned, "I thought they got divorced," and Ronald wrote back, "Guess not," with a smiley face.And finally, one fan wrote, "Happy you're back together," to which Ronald replied, "Yes."Tiffany revealed on a May 2020 episode of : Self-Quarantined that she was waiting for Ronald to get approved for a spousal visa so he could move to the United States."We got married over a year ago, but we only applied for his spousal visa four months ago. The coronavirus has affected the whole process of the visa. This virus is stopping everything, including my family being together," Tiffany told the cameras.Meanwhile, Ronald was living in Victoria, South Africa, and apparently FaceTimed or Skyped with his family in America often. Ronald said he desperately missed his family in the United States.On top of the distance and coronavirus "craziness," Tiffany said there were trust issues in her relationship but she and Ronald were working with a counselor to get past them.Tiffany and Ronald then reunited for the holidays in December 2020 after a tumultuous year.Tiffany apparently brought her two kids, her son Daniel from a previous relationship and Ronald's daughter Carley, to South Africa to visit her husband for Christmas.Tiffany had posted a family photo of Ronald, Daniel, Carley and herself outdoors on a bench and she captioned it, "Family," along with a red heart emoticon."Such amazing holidays with the family," she captioned another photo of herself and Ronald at the time.Ronald also confirmed on his own Instagram account the pictures were not "old" or throwbacks."Merry Christmas to everyone and your family hope you all enjoy it as much as i do," Ronald wrote."Just wanted to show everyone how blessed i am to be with my family and to be able to spend such a happy time with them and make memories, having fun, playing around, and just spending quality time as a family together hehe."There is little evidence on social media in 2021 that indicates the couple is still together now; however, Tiffany confirmed she still loves Ronald on April 4, 2020.Ronald posted a beautiful tribute to Tiffany's son Daniel, whom Ronald also considers and calls his son.In addition to complimenting the young boy on his maturity, cleverness and being well-mannered, Ronald wrote, "I just really hope that the connection we have I hope it never dies as you get older now I'm proud to have you as my son but also I'm a bit sad not being able to be there to celebrate it with you."Ronald, who made it clear he's still living in South Africa, continued, "But make the best of it my boy just know you are in my thoughts and I wish I was there may you have a blessed year and many more and you guys better call me when your blow the candles lol."Ronald added of Tiffany, "Last thing so tell your mom @tiffanyfrancosmith its your yes day and make the best of it... you know what i mean my boy! love your dad."Tiffany actually commented in reply on Ronald's post, "Aw love you. I'm showing him."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Houston and Calgary, April 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Validere, a leading data intelligence platform for oil and gas product quality, announced its US operations grew by more than 900% quarter over quarter in Q1 of 2021. Valideres surging demand reflects the substantial market opportunity and demand for actionable, real-time oil and gas data and predictive insights at the molecular level, that now includes ESG attributes.

After entering the U.S. market in 2020, Validere accelerated client growth, made strategic executive appointments, acquired a new office in Houstons The Cannon technology hub and expanded its ESG focus.

To support escalating customer demand, Valideres headcount tripled in 2020 despite the pandemic. Validere relocated its U.S. headquarters to Houstons technology hub to support the growth, and in the first quarter of 2021, appointed Kayla Ball as Senior Vice President, Product. Ben Tao was named Senior Vice President of Marketing, Jana Shelford was named Vice President of Talent and Culture, and Jesse Shouldice was appointed Vice President of Business Development. The new executive appointments mark Valideres focus on bringing together the brightest talent to solve the industrys most complex challenges.

Some of the brightest technology and industry talent across North America has joined Valideres mission to bring operational, commercial, and environmental efficiency to the oil and gas industry, said Nouman Ahmad, Valideres CEO. Validere is proud to power more than 50 of North Americas leading energy companies with real-time intelligence and insights to identify operational efficiencies and action the highest-margin commercial decisions, while also supporting ESG mandates.

Kayla Ball is a respected leader with an in-depth knowledge of the industry and customer needs. In her most recent role as Managing Director of Commercial Strategy at Enverus, Kayla championed the customers voice to determine product gaps and drive product strategy. Kayla has also served as IHS Markits Portfolio Strategic Director, responsible for leading the product management team with end-to-end product innovation processes throughout the product life cycle of the upstream energy portfolio.

Ben Tao is a seasoned technology marketing leader with more than 20 years of experience in brand, product marketing, digital marketing, demand generation, and customer experience. Previously, Ben was Forcepoints Vice President of Corporate Marketing where he led the repositioning of its brand into an enterprise-class, SaaS cybersecurity vendor focused on human-centric cybersecurity. He also directed marketing teams across the IT and analytics markets at IBM, Dell, and Solarwinds.

Jesse Shouldice spent 17 years in the energy industry in investment banking and building businesses within commodity derivatives. Prior to Validere, Jesse served as VP of Global Commodities at J.P. Morgan, rebuilding its Canadian financial derivatives business. He held leadership roles at Credit Suisse, Citi, and Goldman Sachs.

Jana Shelford has focused her career on helping oil and gas companies to differentiate themselves with human capital. In her previous role as HR Director with RS Energy Group, she fueled its high-performance culture as the business scaled to achieve every stretch goal.

###

About Validere

Validere is a data-intelligence platform for oil and gas product quality. The first and only software that provides real-time visibility into the true composition and quality of oil and gas, Valideres insights and team of experts enable industry participants to identify operational efficiencies and the highest-margin marketing and supply decisions. Validere is transforming the worlds largest supply chain by making critical product-quality data accessible and actionable. More than 50 of North Americas leading energy companies rely on Valideres insights to reduce waste and emissions and enhance operational and trading margins.
MIAMI (AP)  A shooting at a South Florida shopping mall that was sparked by a fight between two groups of people sent panicked shoppers fleeing and left three persons injured Saturday afternoon, police and witnesses said.

Live aerial television news footage showed people scattering outside the Aventura Mall after the initial reports of gunfire. Law enforcement vehicles could be seen converging at the complex and blocking roads.

Aventura Police said two groups of people had begun fighting before it escalated to gunfire.

One individual in one of the groups produced a gun, and an individual in the other group also drew a gun and fired that weapon, said an Aventura police spokesman, Michael Bentolila, in briefing reporters on live television.

Police said the three wounded were taken to hospitals but their injuries were not life-threatening.

Aventura Police later tweeted that authorities had several suspects" in custody who were being questioned by detectives. Police had no immediate report on what touched off the incident and did not immediately release the identities of those in custody or injured.

After the shooting, mall patrons and employees were led out of the shopping complex and officials announced the mall would not reopen until Sunday.

Oscar Alvarado, a worker at the mall, said the complex was bustling with a strong Mother's Day weekend crowd when the chaos erupted. He said it wasn't the first shooting at the mall that hes experienced.

This time I do have to say I could hear the screams from so far away. I could clearly hear the people were really, really worried and concerned, he said. They were yelling `shooter, shooter.' 

Alvarado recorded video of two police officers moving down the mall walkway after the shooting with their guns drawn. And he described waiting for about an hour with coworkers before they could evacuate.

There was a lot of commotion outside, a lot of people crying and stressed," he said of the scene outdoors.

Videos shared on social media community forums show officers who appeared to be taking a man in custody outside the mall. Other footage showed shoppers running out of stores or seeking cover.

Luke Lockart, 22, said he was in Armani Exchange, checking out, when he heard screaming and things falling over because people were running into the store and knocking over mannequins.

They were trying to hide anywhere they could because no one knew what was going on, said Lockart, who works in real estate.

The staff at the store eventually locked the doors and asked people to go into a back room, he said. Police and first responders were running through a nearby hallway within minutes. They were on top of it, Lockart said.

He followed updates on social media, saying it was a very uneasy feeling as he spent more than an hour in the store before police escorted everyone out.

Aventura City Manager Ron Wasson told The Miami Herald that authorities were sweeping the complex afterward in case someone dropped a firearm.

They just want to make sure if someone might have dumped a weapon, we dont miss it, he told the newspaper.

Aventura Mall bills itself on its online site as a premier shopping destination in the Miami area and South Florida.

In May 2020, two people were wounded and taken to a hospital after an argument led to a shooting inside the same mall. Police said that shooting also followed an argument.

___

Associated Press writer Thalia Beaty in New York contributed to this report.
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Californias energy policy and planning agency wants to transition new homes away from gas-powered appliances.

The California Energy Commission released a draft building standards code on Thursday that would require new homes to be equipped with circuits and panels that support all-electric appliances for heating, cooking and drying clothes.
OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP)  A chase involving police in northern Oregon ended with gunshot injuries for an officer and suspect.

The Oregon City officer had serious but not life threatening injuries. The suspect was treated at a hospital and released to police after the chase Saturday evening, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Before Ralph M. Flores of Tome died in 2017, he had written a book he called Fractured Fables.

Written, but not published. Not until his widow, Geri Rhodes, edited and organized her late husbands text for the now published and retitled The Illustrated Fractured Fables.

The 13 fables are accompanied by cheerful illustrations by family members and friends. Flores thoughtfully worded fables are at the heart of the book.

Fables are generally short and can be prose or verse, with animals and other creatures talking and thinking like humans. Flores writes in prose about members of the animal world.

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Perhaps the most famous fable Flores twists is The Tortoise and the Hare. In the original story, the lumbering Tortoise surprisingly wins a race against the fleet Hare, who naps too long. The moral? Dont give up.

Flores version is And the winner is  Dont assume the same results.

In fact, Flores has Hare, renamed Rabbit, snoozing, though he barely manages to come out the victor over the older, slower Tortoise. The moral here is as unexpected and as funny as the updated fable itself: If youre old and in the way, you might consider a bicycle.

Flores has Tortoise re-examining what he might have done differently in his running  or was it waddling?  of the race: Tortoise confesses that he probably shouldnt have stopped to pee!

Flores Tortoise and Rabbit fable also injects sociopolitical issues, such as ageism. The initial spark for their competition occurs when the much younger Rabbit bumps Tortoise off a trail, almost flipping him over onto his shell.

The upset Tortoise decries that youth no longer have any respect for their elders. Tortoise further argues that young people have no manners and are too lazy to seek jobs.

Rabbits retort is that slowpokes shouldnt block the trail. That provokes Tortoise to challenge Rabbit to the foot race. Rhodes said that several years before her husband died, he discussed the possibility of illustrating his fables with Laura F. Sanchez, whose husband Alex was a good friend of Flores. The Sanchezes live in Los Lunas.

One of Laura Sanchezs drawings illustrates And the winner is  She shares her thoughts about the fable in a section of the book that gives illustrators a chance to comment on the fables they illustrated and the drawings they created for them. She writes that her final image uses felt tip drawing, watercolor, and finish texturing with colored pencil.

Rhodes said the fable that best describes her own behavior is Treasures, which she said is inspired by her hiding jewelry.

Treasures tells how Monkey spies something shiny along a path and stops to look at it. It was red, about the size of a jelly bean, smooth, and seemed to radiate a fire from within, the fable says.

Monkey shows it to Squirrel, who says its simply a pretty rock. Owl disagrees; its a ruby, and humans consider it valuable. So Monkey, fearing it might get stolen, repeatedly uncovers and covers the ruby under a tree. Then Coyote, coming down a mountain, admires the beautiful world, but spots Monkeys strange uncovering-re-covering maneuvers. The moral? A mountain is MUCH bigger than a ruby.

Some of Flores morals can be enjoyed as stand-alone witticisms. The fable Stubborn carries the moral Many people are stubborn, so always be ready to stand firm and hold your ground. The moral of the cautionary fable Diligence advises The early worm gets eaten by the bird.

The book is a delight for all ages. Copies are available through the website ralphfloresbooks.com by emailing Rhodes at geriraf@nmia.com.

Previously published are Flores Tales from La Perla: A Misspent Hippie Youth, mostly recollections of living in the village of La Joya north of Socorro, and The Horse in the Kitchen: Stories of a Mexican-American Family, based on Flores fathers life. The latter volume is in English and Spanish editions.
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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)  Firefighters extinguished a blaze Sunday in a distillation unit at one of Syrias two oil refineries, Syrian state TV reported.

No one was hurt, but the fire caused some damage to the facility, a refinery official said. The TV named the cause of the fire as crude oil leakage from one of the pumping stations at the Homs Oil Refinery in the central province of Homs.

The fire came amid a series of mysterious attacks on vessels and oil facilities in Syria over the past months. The war-torn country has been suffering from fuel shortages in recent months.

The head of Homs Oil Refinery, Suleiman Mohammed, told state TV that the distillation unit that caught fire is one of four at the refinery.

In addition to the refinery in Homs, Syria has another one near the coastal town of Banias. Both are government-run and operating.

Syrias oil resources are mostly outside of government controlled areas.

Syria controls some small oil and gas fields in the countrys center but most of the countrys large fields in the east are controlled by U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters. This has made Damascus reliant on Iran for fuel.

The U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spanned Syria, Iran and Russia responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.

In late April, Syrias oil ministry said a fire erupted in an oil tanker on its coast after what it said was a suspected drone attack. Syrian state media reported a day later that it was not a drone attack but rather that the tanker caught fire.

Fire broke out on the same tanker, still docked off the coastal town of Banias, due to engine problems on Saturday, state TV reported. The tanker was empty when the fire broke out and it was extinguished shortly afterward, according to pro-government media.

In January, an explosion in an oil tanker outside a state fuel distribution company in Homs caused massive fire. The minister of oil told Syrian state TV at the time that seven tankers caught fire but there were no civilian casualties.
CHICO, Calif. (AP)  Authorities on Saturday evening lifted an evacuation order after they gained control of a wildfire burning amid hot, dry and windy conditions in a rural area north of Chico.

The fire, which started in a grassy field just after 2 p.m. Saturday, quickly grew to about 550 acres, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. At least one aircraft was sent in to drop retardant over the blaze to slow its spread.
An undercover investigation has claimed Britain's Prince Michael of Kent was willing to use his royal status for personal profit, and to seek favours from Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Queen Elizabeths cousin told undercover reporters posing as investors from South Korea in a virtual meeting that he could be hired for 10,000 (11,400) a day to make confidential representations to Mr Putins regime.

The revelation was made by Channel 4 Dispatches in collaboration with the Sunday Times, who set up a fake South Korean gold company called House of Haedong and approached five members of the royal family with an offer of a role.

Prince Michael of Kent responded showing interest in working with the company, telling undercover reporters that he would give House of Haedong his royal endorsement in a recorded speech for a 200,000 US dollars (164,000) fee and was happy to use his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Chris Jackson/PA)

Prince Michael does not receive money from the civil list and earns a living acting as chairman of his own private company, which offers consultancy advice.

He was also approached about a role helping the fictitious gold firm in Russia.

The programme said his business partner Simon Reading had used an event at Kensington Palace in 2013, in which Prince Michael was a guest, to sell access to Mr Putin.

The event, to promote the Russian wrestling sport of Sambo, also offered opportunities to personally meet the Russian leader at a later date, Dispatches found.

In a recorded meeting with the undercover reporters, Mr Reading said: If he (Prince Michael) is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold.

It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful.

He added: I think, if I can say this, this is kind of slightly discreet, were talking relatively discreetly here.

Because we wouldnt want the world to know that he is seeing Putin purely for business reasons, if you follow me.

He went on to describe Prince Michael as Her Majestys unofficial ambassador to Russia, and that tension between the UK and the Russian regime has not affected his relationship with Mr Putin.

Responding to programme, Prince Michaels office said: Prince Michael receives no public funding and earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years.

Prince Michael has no special relationship with President Putin.

They last met in June 2003 and Prince Michael has had no contact with him or his office since then.

Lord Reading is a good friend, who in trying to help, made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been able, to fulfil.

Mr Reading said: I thought the approach from the House of Haedong was genuine and I was only trying to facilitate an introduction to my friend Prince Michael.

I made a mistake and over-promised and for that, I am truly regretful.

I wasnt at my peak as I was recovering from a kidney transplant.

For the record, the Sambo event which was eight years ago was my event and Prince Michael was simply my guest along with many other people.

Dispatches: Royals for Hire, will broadcast at 7.30pm on Monday on Channel 4.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the April jobs report from the East Room of the White House in Washington, May 7. Reuters-Yonhap



The Biden administration is examining ways to ensure that a waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents to aid poor countries will not hand sensitive U.S. biopharmaceutical technology to China and Russia, responding to a chorus of concerns, U.S. and industry officials say.



President Joe Biden on Wednesday backed the U.S. entering negotiations at the World Trade Organization for the waiver of intellectual property rights as a means to boost vaccine supplies by allowing poorer countries to make their own.



So far, vaccines have gone overwhelmingly to richer nations, which scooped up contracts for them earlier this year. COVID-19 infection rates in wealthy countries have dropped as vaccination rates increased this year, but infections are still rising in 36 countries, with India's daily cases skyrocketing to nearly 400,000 a day.



Western pharmaceutical companies, many of which have received government support to develop vaccines, strongly oppose the transfer of intellectual property to make them. They say poorer countries will be slow to set up manufacturing capacity and compete for scarce supplies, hitting production.



Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, said on Friday that the proposed waiver would disrupt progress made so far in boosting vaccine supplies. "It will unleash a scramble for the critical inputs we require in order to make a safe and effective vaccine. Entities with little or no experience in manufacturing vaccines are likely to chase the very raw materials we require to scale our production, putting the safety and security of all at risk."



Many companies and now some U.S. officials fear the move would allow China to leapfrog years of research and erode the U.S. advantage in biopharmaceuticals.



A senior Biden administration official said that while the priority is saving lives, the United States "would want to examine the effect of a waiver on China and Russia before it went into effect to ensure that it's fit for purpose."



A question and answer document produced by the administration and shared with industry representatives also acknowledges concerns that intellectual property sharing could damage the United State's competitive advantage over China, an industry source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.



The contents of the document read to a Reuters reporter by an industry representative said the Biden administration believes it can address those concerns through the WTO negotiations, but did not specify how. The source added that some agencies in the Biden administration have conflicting views of how to address the concerns in negotiations that are expected to take months.



Spokespersons at the White House and U.S. Trade Representative's office had no immediate comment on the matter.



Pfizer and Moderna spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment on technology transfer concerns, while a Novavax spokesperson referred Reuters to the company's statement, which said proposals to "weaken intellectual property protections would not achieve equitable vaccine access."



Enforcing limits on use of the technology could be very difficult, once handed over, some analysts say. Messenger RNA, used in COVID-19 vaccines by leaders Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, is a newly developed biotechnology that holds promise for treatments far beyond vaccines.



China and Russia have their own vaccines that do not use this biotechnology.



"It took Pfizer and Moderna years and years of research to develop these vaccines," said Gary Locke a former U.S. ambassador to China and U.S. Commerce Secretary. "China, Russia, India, South Africa and others want to gain access. Their intention is to get the underlying know-how so they can use it to develop further vaccines," Locke said.



China's Fosun Pharma has struck a deal with BioNTech on COVID-19 vaccine product development, which would potentially give it access to some of the technology.



China has high ambitions for its pharma industry and already is developing its own mRNA vaccine.



Patents themselves are publicly accessible, noted James Pooley, intellectual property attorney and former deputy director general of the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organization. But trade secrets developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and others, "cook books" of manufacturing processes such as temperature and growing conditions, have not been made public. That may ultimately be a dual problem for negotiators. Before they protect the knowledge, U.S. officials would have to ensure access to it.



Those companies would need to be persuaded to come to the bargaining table to give up such trade secrets.



"What happens when it turns out that the U.S. can't actually deliver the information that is critically important to implementing the inventions?" Pooley asked. "This will be seen as another failure by the U.S. and other rich countries to keep their promises." (Reuters)


MIAMI (AP)  A fight inside a Wendys restaurant in Miami caused injuries to an employee and resulted in a deadly shooting, officials said. The suspected shooter escaped.

The Miami Herald reports that two customers began fighting Saturday, and when an employee of the fast food restaurant tried to intervene, he was punched in the face by one of the men.
As pollen torments millions, it might be getting worse, and its poorly measured in America
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Clear to partly cloudy. Low 56F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Clear to partly cloudy. Low 56F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Rabindranath Tagore's iconic lines from Gitanjali come to mind looking at the irony of the latest bout of political violence that has erupted in West Bengal.

As many as 16 people were killed in violence within five days after the result of Assembly elections, in which names of Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahansa were invoked, as both the TMC and the BJP vied with each other to claim the legacy of Bengal's icons.

When Mamata Banerjee took oath for the third time as West Bengal Chief Minister, she said tackling Covid was her first priority and checking the clashes second. Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, in the presence of Mamata, said this should be "first priority".

The opposition parties in the state  the BJP, the Congress and the CPI-M  were on the same page, lashing out at Mamata over the post-poll violence. Ironically, none of them have a clean record on the issue.

Every state in India is vulnerable to political violence, but nowhere it is as intense and relentless as in West Bengal and Kerala.

Read | United Opposition a mirage?

In Bengal, violence seems to be woven into the fibre of its politics, with West Bengal being scarred by it right from the days when the Congress and Left ruled the state. Violence also marked the 2011 Assembly polls, in which Mamata Banerjee trounced the Left and ended its 34-year-long unbroken rule.

The phenomenon has continued to haunt the state as seen by the ghastly visuals coming after the latest Trinamool victory.

The days-long clashes broke out soon after results of one of most acrimonious elections in the state were announced. For the 'bhadralok' of Bengal, the killings were a sombre reality check as Bengal was the only state which could not come out of this cycle even amid the pandemic.

Kerala, another state with a history of political violence, was relatively calm this time, while Tamil Nadu, where sporadic violence used to mar the polls, was by and large peaceful.

Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai says that political violence in Bengal points to the "lack of acceptance of the mandate at the grassroots".

"In states like Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan and many others, once an election concludes, the bitterness of rivals subside, at least to the point of accepting the cardinal principle of democracy  that the group having 51 has won over the one having 49, and so try your luck next time," says Kidwai.

Also Read | Will Congress come out of its troubles?

This time, Kidwai speculates, political violence in Bengal is more about "power politics" than "political ideology".

"The message to the defeated group in the respective areas is to shut up. All cases of violence are not purely political in nature. Personal scores are settled, property disputes play a part in the garb of political rivalry," he says.

With the BJP increasing its Assembly seats to 77 in 2021 from a mere three in 2016 and Lok Sabha tally from just two in 2014 to 18 in 2019, the polity in West Bengal has already undergone a tectonic shift. Consequently, the bitterness between the TMC and the challenger knocking at the doors of power is at an all-time high.

In Kerala, violence is limited mainly to the region around Kannur. But unlike Bengal, the BJP is on a decline ever since its best show of 16% votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. This time, the party got 11.3% votes and lost its lone seat in the state.

The saffron party claims that since 2001 around 150 of its workers have been killed in the state by Left cadres. Official statistics, however, show almost an equal number of political workers from CPI-M have been killed in political violence in this period.

Also Read | West Bengal sees sporadic post-poll violence days nearly a week after results

Mercifully, Kerala was relatively peaceful during the polls.

While in Kerala, Kannur is the epicentre of political violence, the entire West Bengal is prone to political killings. And the state has 30% Muslim population, which by and large does not vote for the BJP.

As Bengal witnessed another cycle of blood-letting in 2021, the BJP went big with the issue. But an incensed Banerjee said violence and clashes were taking place in areas where BJP candidates emerged victorious in the Assembly polls, a contention which was also backed by the Shiv Sena.

While claims and counter-claims in Bengal muddy the political waters, a return to long-lasting peace will take much effort. BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya's tweet was an indicator of the times to come. "The BJP now has 18 MPs and 77 MLAs in West Bengal. We will respond in adequate measure within the constitutional framework," he said.




More than 400 migrants arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, Italian media reported, as authorities in Sicily again blocked a rescue boat from leaving port.







A 20-meter boat carrying 325 people was intercepted about eight miles (13 kilometers) off the coast of Lampedusa, and another was found slightly closer with 90 people aboard, news agencies reported.







Meanwhile judicial authorities in Sicily reinstated a detention order against the Sea-Watch 4 vessel, run by Germany's Sea-Watch organization, which had kept it in Palermo for six months until March, media reports said.







The order followed a safety inspection that found too many life jackets on board, saying the ship's sewage system is insufficient for the potential number of people rescued.







Activists claim the inspection was a smokescreen to block the ship.







"We hope the authorities will not stop us from leaving for the central Mediterranean with the absurd accusations to which we have become accustomed," Sea-Watch Italy had tweeted on Friday after returning from its latest mission.







Another vessel, Sea-Watch 3, was impounded by the Italian coastguard in March in the Sicilian port of Augusta, again over safety issues.







The aid groups have also faced accusations of colluding with Libyan migrant traffickers to bring people to safety on European shores  charges they strongly deny.







Italy is a prime entry point for Europe-bound migrants, but the stretch of water between Sicily and North Africa is one of the world's deadliest migration routes.







Almost 530,000 migrants have landed on Italian shores since the start of 2015, including some 6,000 in the year to date, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). (AFP)


Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Clear skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 54F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 54F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
After being named BJP's choice for the next Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has joined the league of several Congressmen, who did not find a prominent position within the party but rose to top positions elsewhere, either by hitching their wagons to the BJP or charting out an independent course.

In cases of many, it was not any principled choice but the passion of power that made them move their seats. Himanta, N Biren Singh, Prema Khandu left Congress and made a political capital for them in the BJP, while Jaganmohan Reddy in Telangana made fortunes charting an independent course like Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar in West Bengal and Maharashtra. Jyotiraditya Scindia awaits his luck in Madhya Pradesh, while Vijay Bahuguna in Uttarakhand has not been so lucky.

Also read  BJP names former Congress 'dissident' Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam's new CM

Sarma, once a key strategist of Congress will take oath as Assam Chief Minister of Assam, albeit as a leader in the BJP nearly six years after he had quit his parent party in September 2015 over power tussle with incumbent Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. In 2016, he took revenge, helping the BJP oust Congress and form its form government in Assam, and opening its account in the North East. Five years later, he managed to get the coveted CM chair after ensuring a second consecutive win to the BJP as Congress got pushed further in the background.

Sarma, a Brahmin, is a not lone Congressman who deserted the party after complaining of not getting his due. A number of them chose the resurgent BJP after 2014 Lok Sabha elections and made big gains in their political career for themselves. In another North-East state, Manipur, the BJP lapped up N Biren Singh in October 2016, the number 2 in the Congress state hierarchy then. Singh revolted against then Chief Minister of Congress Okram Ibobi Singh and joined the BJP with his supporters. In the Assembly election next year, the BJP managed to form a government with support from allies even as the Congress was the single largest party. Singh became Chief Minister and continued to rule the state weathering many storms including the one in 2020 when his Deputy Chief Minister resigned with nearly half a dozen MLAs.

Also read: Incumbent Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal submits his resignation

The BJP is in power in all eight north-eastern states. While it ruled Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur on its own, it is in power with coalition partners in the rest. The current Arunachal CM Prema Khandu had quit the Congress in October 2016 with 43 MLAs to join the People's Party of Arunachal, which in alliance with the BJP formed the next government. Three months later, Khandu along with 33 MLAs broke away from PPA, joined the BJP, and became Chief Minister. Khandu-led BJP won the 2019 Assembly polls and stayed as the CM.

After the death of his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, a two-term Congress Chief Minister in a plane crash in 2009, his son Y S Jaganmohan Reddy staked claim for the Chief Ministership. The Congress refused and Jagan formed a new party YSRCP in 2011. In the 2014 Assembly polls, he lost to the TDP-BJP alliance, getting two per cent fewer votes than them. In the very next poll in 2019, the YSRCP decimated other parties and Jagan became CM at the age of 46. The Congress was lost into oblivion.

"Several young leaders, who quit Congress have managed to stay afloat on their own while the Congress, which could not retain them lost relevance in those states, be it West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and now you see it happening in Assam. Something seriously needs to be done by the party to correct this trend. Most of the leaders who left complained they did not get an audience when they raise the issue," says political commentator Rasheed Kidwai.

Apart from these recent names, there is a history of Congress leaders deserting their parent party and standing on their own. The most glaring example is Mamata Banerjee, who became the third Chief Minister of West Bengal this month. She had quit the Congress in 1997 and formed Trinamool Congress, bringing an end to the 34-year-long rule of Left Front in West Bengal in 2011, and is the Chief Minister of the state since then.

Also read  From Congress dissenter to 'biggest player' in BJP: Twists and turns in Himanta Biswa Sarma's career

Though the contexts are different, even Jyotiraditya Scindia, the erstwhile Congress leader who was a minister in two UPA governments in past, helped the BJP reclaim Madhya Pradesh by resigning from the Congress in March 2020. This was just one and a half years after the fighting trio of the state Congress, Scindia, Digvijay Singh, and Kamal Nath, had come together and brought an end to the Congress's 15-year-long exile from power in 2018. Scindia after a prolonged power tussle with Kamal Nath and Digvijay and after having denied the state Presidency for long, chose to hitch his wagon to the BJP. While Scindia has not been given any big position so far, age is on his side and he could just be staring at his cherished dream as the BJP has exception relations with Scindia family starting with his grand mother Vijaya Raje Scindia, who nurtured and nourished the Jan Sangh and the BJP in its early days.

The not so go lucky

In Uttarakhand, Vijay Bahuguna (another Brhamin) leader revolted his Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat in March 2016 leading to the imposition of President Rule in the state, paving the way for victory of the BJP in the Assembly election in the state the following year. He along with his supporters, joined the BJP. His brother and son got accommodated while Bahuguna was last considered for a Rajya Sabha nomination. However, he is yet to make anything big for himself in the BJP so far. Bahuguna's sister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, a former Congress chief for Uttar Pradesh, quit the party, joined the Samajwadi Party and then the BJP and is currently a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

After leaving the Congress in 1999, Pawar formed the NCP with Tariq Anwar and P A Sangma. Pawar came back to UPA as Union Minister, Anwar back to Congress, and Sangma failed to make an impact in creating an alternative political platform. Pawar, has, however, managed to stay afloat as a powerful voice in political circles with relations across the political spectrum. Many believe, he could play a major role in creating a non-NDA alternative.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Lurking beneath Facebook's decision on whether to continue Donald Trump's suspension from its platform is a far more complex and consequential question: Do the protections carved out for companies when the internet was in its infancy 25 years ago make sense when some of them have become global powerhouses with almost unlimited reach?

The companies have provided a powerful megaphone for Trump, other world leaders and billions of users to air their grievances, even ones that are false or damaging to someone's reputation, knowing that the platforms themselves were shielded from liability for content posted by users.

Now that shield is getting a critical look in the current climate of hostility toward Big Tech and the social environment of political polarization, hate speech and violence against minorities.

The debate is starting to take root in Congress, and the action this week by Facebooks quasi-independent oversight board upholding the companys suspension of Trumps accounts could add momentum to that legislative effort.

Under the 1996 Communications Decency Act, digital platform companies have legal protection both for content they carry and for removing postings they deem offensive. The shelter from lawsuits and prosecution applies to social media posts, uploaded videos, user reviews of restaurants or doctors, classified ads  or the underworld of thousands of websites that profit from false and defamatory information on individuals.

Now Playing: Four months after Facebook suspended President Donald Trump's accounts for inciting violence that led to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the company's quasi-independent oversight board has upheld the bans. (May 5) Video: Associated Press

Section 230 of the law, which outlines the shield, was enacted when many of the most powerful social media companies didnt even exist. It allowed companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google to grow into the behemoths they are today.

Republicans accuse the social media platforms of suppressing conservative voices and giving a stage to foreign leaders branded as dictators, while Trump is barred. Democrats and civil rights groups decry the digital presence of far-right extremists and pin blame on the platforms for disseminating hate speech and stoking extremist violence.

For too long, social media platforms have hidden behind Section 230 protections to censor content that deviates from their beliefs, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the senior Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, has said.

On this, Trump and President Joe Biden apparently agree. Trump, while president, called for the repeal of Section 230, branding it a serious threat to our national security and election integrity. Biden said during his campaign that it immediately should be revoked, though he hasnt spoken about the issue at length as president.

Facebook, with a strong lobbying presence in Washington and a desire to have an input into any changes, has stepped out in favor of revisions to Section 230. Congress should update the 1996 law to make sure its working as intended, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said. And hes offered a specific suggestion: Congress could require internet platforms to gain legal protection only by proving that their systems for identifying illegal content are up to snuff.

Some critics see a clever gambit in that, a requirement that could make it more difficult for smaller tech companies and startups to comply and would ultimately advantage Facebook over smaller competitors.

Spokespeople for Twitter and Google declined to comment on the prospects for legislative action on Section 230 following the Facebook board ruling; a spokesperson for Menlo Park, California-based Facebook had no immediate comment.

The decision announced by the Facebook oversight board upheld the suspension of Trump, an extremely rare move that was based on the company's conclusion that he incited violence leading to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot. But the overseers told Facebook to specify how long the suspension would last, saying its indefinite ban on the former president was unreasonable. The ruling, which gives Facebook six months to comply, effectively postpones any possible Trump reinstatement and puts the onus for that decision squarely back on the company.

Trump was permanently banned after the riot from Twitter, his favored bullhorn. But it was Facebook that played an integral role in both of Trumps campaigns, not just as a way to speak to his more than 32 million followers but also as a fundraising juggernaut driving small-dollar contributions through highly targeted ads.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

Critics of Facebook generally saw the oversight boards ruling as positive. But some view the board as a distraction by Facebook to skirt its responsibility and to stave off action by Congress or the Biden administration. What must be addressed, critics insist, are the broader problems for society from the fearsome power, market dominance and underlying business model of Facebook and the other tech giants  harvesting data from platform users and making it available to online advertisers so they can pinpoint consumers to target.

Thats where the debate over changes to Section 230 comes in, as a key area for new regulation of social media.

Gautam Hans, a technology law and free-speech expert and professor at Vanderbilt University, said he finds the board to be a bit of a sideshow from the larger policy and social questions that we have about these companies.

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Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report.

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Follow Marcy Gordon at https://Twitter.com/mgordonap
WAYNESBORO, Ga. (AP)  A court has ruled that Gov. Brian Kemp legally appointed a former state senator as a superior court judge, rejecting a lawsuit by an attorney who said there should have been an election and that Kemp waited too long.

Senior Judge Michael Karpf ruled Thursday that Jesse Stone can remain a judge in the Augusta Judicial Circuit.

Former judge Michael Annis retired in Febuary 2020, but the Republican governor didn't name Stone to the bench until Feb. 21 of this year.

Lawyer Maureen Floyd filed suit in Burke County claiming that Kemp had waited too long because Annis' term expired at the end of 2020.

Karpf ruled that Kemp had not violated the state constitution's requirement that Kemp fill the vacancy promptly and wrote that it didn't matter that Annis' term had run out because previous caselaw stated that judicial terms of office are eliminated when judges resign.

The judge also rejected Floyds claims that Kemp manipulated the appointment process to give Stone a longer period in office before he had to face voters.

Karpf noted that Stone will face voters in a nonpartisan election next year, the same time he would have gone before voters even if Kemp had appointed him in February 2020, because state law requires at least a six-month delay before an appointed judge faces voters. Judicial elections generally take place in May, not on the November ballot that includes partisan elected officials.

The Georgia Supreme Court ruled last year that Kemp had not violated state law when he appointed a successor to resigning Justice Keith Blackwell. The justice announced his resignation in February, but did not make it effective until Nov. 18, six weeks before his term expired. The decision prompted heated dissents that said it invited abuse of the system by letting judges resign late in their terms without a competitive election to replace them. Sitting judges rarely lose election bids in Georgia.
Hindus believe taking a dip in the Ganges will cleanse them of their sins

When millions of devout Hindus gathered last month in the Himalayan town of Haridwar to participate in the Kumbh Mela festival even as India battled a devastating second wave of coronavirus, many feared that it would turn out to be a "super-spreader event".

Those fears, it now seems, are coming true, with reports of Kumbh returnees testing positive - and possibly spreading the infection - coming from many parts of the country.

When Mahant Shankar Das arrived in Haridwar on 15 March to participate in the festival, cases of Covid-19 were already rising in many parts of India.

On 4 April, just four days after the festival officially began, the 80-year-old Hindu priest tested positive for Covid-19 and was advised to quarantine in a tent.

But instead of isolating, he packed his bags, boarded a train and travelled 1,000km (621 miles) to the city of Varanasi.

There, his son Nagendra Pathak met him at the railway station and they rode a shared taxi to their village 20km (12 miles) away in the adjoining district of Mirzapur.

Speaking to me on the phone from his home recently, Mahant Das said he was "now hale and hearty" and that after his return, he had remained at home in quarantine.

He insisted that he did not pass on the virus to anyone else, but within days, his son and a few other villagers also developed Covid symptoms.

Mr Pathak, who's also made a full recovery, says their village has seen "13 deaths in the past fortnight from fever and cough".

The infections in the villagers may - or may not - be linked to Mahant Das, but health experts say his behaviour was irresponsible and that by travelling in a crowded train and sharing a taxi, he may have spread the virus to many along the way.

Epidemiologist Dr Lalit Kant says "huge groups of mask-less pilgrims sitting on the river bank singing the glories of the Ganges" created an ideal environment for the virus to spread rapidly. "We already know that chorus singing in churches and temples are known to be super-spreader events."

Story continues

More than nine million pilgrims attended the festival in Haridwar in April

In Haridwar, officials said 2,642 devotees had tested positive, including dozens of top religious leaders.

Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state, and Nepal's former King Gyanendra Shah and former Queen Komal Shah, were among those who tested positive after returning home. Bollywood composer Shravan Rathod died in a Mumbai hospital soon after his return from Kumbh. Nine Hindu seers from one group also perished.

With growing fears that the Kumbh returnees could start to infect others, several worried state governments ordered a 14-day mandatory quarantine and warned of strict action against those who withheld information about their travels.

Some made the RT-PCR test mandatory for them, but few states have a database of travellers and no state has a foolproof system of testing and tracing those entering its borders.

In the past fortnight, reports of Kumbh returnees testing positive have come from all over India:

"It's disastrous," says Dr Kant. "And these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. The groups of pilgrims travelling in crowded trains and buses would have the multiplier effect on the number of infections. I can say without hesitation that the Kumbh Mela is one of the main reasons behind the rise in cases in India."

Mahant Das is combative when I ask him if it would have been better to cancel the Kumbh at a time India was recording huge surges in daily cases and hospitals were turning away patients due to a shortage of beds, medical oxygen and life-saving drugs.

"How is it right for the government to hold election rallies and elections in West Bengal then? Why is it that only we, the devout, are being told that it was wrong to gather?" he asks.

At least nine seers have tested positive at the Kumbh Mela, officials told the BBC

Critics say Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reluctance to cancel the gathering was because of possible backlash from Hindu religious leaders like Mahant Das. The priests, the seers and the ascetics are among the party's biggest supporters and play an important role in mobilising Hindu votes during elections.

On 12 April, the first big day of the festival - when more than three million devotees took a dip in the river Ganges in the belief that bathing there would help them attain salvation - India logged more than 168,000 new cases, overtaking Brazil to become the country with the second-highest number of cases globally.

The festival was scaled down only a week later after the lead monk of one of the participating groups died. Mr Modi requested the seers to turn the festival from then on into a symbolic event.

But the damage had already been done.

Last week, the event organisers said 9.1 million pilgrims visited Haridwar even as the Uttarakhand high court said the state had become a "laughing stock by allowing the Kumbh Mela in the midst of a raging pandemic".

There had been concerns from the start that holding the Kumbh was fraught with risks.

Health experts had warned the government in early March that "a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus was taking hold in the country" and letting millions of largely unmasked people gather for a festival was not prudent.

Uttarakhand's former chief minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, told me that he had planned the Kumbh to be a "limited, symbolic event" from the start because experts were "telling me that the pandemic is not going to end soon".

"The festival attracts people from not just India, but other countries too. I was worried that healthy people would visit Haridwar and take the infection back with them everywhere. "

But just days before the festival, he was replaced by Tirath Singh Rawat, who famously remarked that with "the blessings of Ma Ganga [Ganges, the river goddess] in the flow, there would be no corona".

The new chief minister said "nobody will be stopped", a negative Covid report was not necessary to attend, and that it would be enough to follow safety rules. But as millions descended on the town, officials struggled to impose safety norms.

Haridwar's chief medical officer, Dr Shambhu Kumar Jha, told me that crowd management became "very difficult" because people didn't come with negative reports and that they "couldn't turn back the devout who had come all the way driven by faith".

"You can't hang people for wanting to attend a religious festival, can you?" he asked.

"There were standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the federal government and the high court and we tried our best to implement them," he added.

"With crowds of that size, SOPs became almost impossible to follow. They look very good on paper, but it's impossible to implement them," Anoop Nautiyal, founder of an Uttarakhand-based think tank, told the BBC.

Mr Nautiyal, who has been collating the health ministry data since the state recorded its first case on 15 March 2020, says Uttarakhand had recorded 557 cases in the week from 14 to 20 March, just as pilgrims had begun arriving. The cases rose rapidly after that, with 38,581 cases recorded between 25 April and 1 May - the last week of the festival.

"It will be wrong to say all the cases were because of the festival, but the surge has coincided with the festival," he said.

I asked Dr Kant if there's anything India could do now to contain the damage done by allowing the gathering.

"Someone said that the devotees will take the coronavirus as prasad [god's blessing] and spread it. It's tragic that the pilgrims have carried the infection everywhere," he said.

"I can't think of anything that can be done now to rectify the situation. Our ship has gone too far out into the sea. We can't even return to the safety of the harbour. It's very, very tragic. I just pray that the infections were mild and people can get over them."
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RICHMOND, Va., (AP)  Police Chief Will Cunningham came to work four years ago to find that his six-officer department was the victim of a crime.

Hackers had taken advantage of a weak password to break in and encrypt the files of the department in Roxana, a small town in Illinois near St. Louis, and were demanding $6,000 of bitcoin.

I was shocked, I was surprised, frustrated," Cunningham said.

Police departments big and small have been plagued for years by foreign hackers breaking into networks and causing varying level of mischief, from disabling email systems to more serious problems with 911 centers temporarily knocked offline. In some cases important case files have gone missing.

But things have taken a dark turn recently. Criminal hackers are increasingly using brazen methods to increase pressure on law enforcement agencies to pay ransoms, including leaking or threatening to leak highly sensitive and potentially life-threatening information.

The threat of ransomware has risen to a level that's impossible to ignore, with hardly a day going by without news of a hospital, private business or government agency being victimized. On Saturday, the operator of a major pipeline system that transports fuel across the East Coast said it had been victimized by a ransomware attack and had halted all pipeline operations to deal with the threat.

The increasingly defiant attacks on law enforcement agencies underscore how little ransomware gangs fear repercussions.

In Washington, D.C., a Russian-speaking ransomware syndicate called Babuk hacked into the network of the city's police department and threatened to leak the identities of confidential informants unless an unspecified ransom was paid.

A day after the initial threat was posted in late April, the gang tried to spur payment by leaking personal information of some police officers taken from background checks, including details of officers' past drug use, finances and  in at least one incident  of past sexual abuse.

Similar threats were made recently against a small police force in Maine. The police department in Dade City, a small town in Florida, currently has many of its files posted on the dark web by the ransomware gang Avaddon after the city decided not to pay the $450,000 worth of bitcoin that was demanded. Leaked files show pictures of a dead body from a crime scene.

Ransomware gangs have been leaking sensitive data from victims for well over a year, but experts said they've not seen such aggressive new tactics used before against police departments.

It should be a wake-up call to government that it finally needs to take strong and decisive action, said Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the security firm Emsisoft.

Making the ransomware attacks potentially more damaging, police are now able to collect and store more personal information than ever before through advances in surveillance equipment and technologies such as artificial intelligence and facial recognition software.

April Doss, the executive director of the Institute for Technology Law & Policy at Georgetown University Law School, said laws and regulations about how police collect, retain and secure that data are largely unsettled.

Where that leaves us is with police departments getting to use a great deal of their own discretion in terms of what technologies they adopt and how they use them, said Doss, who previously worked at the National Security Agency and recently wrote a book on cyberprivacy.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has called ransomware a threat to national security and said the issue is a top priority of the White House. Congress is exploring giving state and local governments grant money to boost their response to ransomware.

Because ransomware is so lucrative for its perpetrators, who operate out of Western law enforcements reach in Russia and other safe havens, experts say the most important tools for battling it are elementary cybersecurity measures.

Statistics of how many police departments have been hit by ransomware attacks are hard to come by, as is information on whether departments ever pay a ransom. There's no official count and not every incident is made public.

Callow, the threat analyst, said he's counted at least 11 law enforcement agencies affected by ransomware since the beginning of 2020. Officers have been locked out of their computer systems and forced to resort to paper records. Prosecutors in Stuart, Florida, told local media last year they had to drop a case against suspected drug dealers after a local police department's files were encrypted by a ransomware gang.

In the nation's capital, the final outcome is uncertain. The Babuk gang's threats to release more information have so far not come to pass and the files that were posted have been taken down.

The city's lower income areas are struggling with increased violence. Longtime community activist Philip Pannell said police already have a hard time getting witnesses to come forward, and having hackers threaten to release information about confidential informants would make it even harder. If the names of confidential informants are released, Pannell said it would put them in real danger.

Why would someone want to do something like that? They just want to foment chaos. he said.

Gregg Pemberton, chairman of the D.C. Police Union, said officers are extremely concerned about such private information being in the hands of foreign hackers.

The fact that data of such a sensitive nature was able to be accessed by hackers says a lot about the quality of service elected officials provide this city. What is ironic is that in an era where police officers are targeted by their leaders for alleged misfeasance, its really their leaders that are truly unable to perform to standards, he said.

The department said in a statement it's still trying to determine the size and scope of the breach and has urged officers to obtain a free copy of their credit reports. The FBI is assisting with the investigation.

Law enforcement agencies require thorough and intrusive background checks that gather a wealth of information about a person's history and character. It's perfect blackmail material for hackers, whether they are criminal gangs or foreign governments. Six years ago Chinese hackers stole millions of background check files of federal government employees from the Office of Personnel Management.

Randy Pargman, who worked for the FBI for 15 years, said police departments need to do some "soul searching" about how they currently protect sensitive data such as background check files. He said many departments don't have the budget or staffing for sophisticated cybersecurity measures, but could still transfer sensitive files to external hard drives kept offline and used only when needed.

Every police department needs to think about their threat model and that they will probably be a target at some point, said Pargman, vice president of threat hunting and counterintelligence at the private firm Binary Defense.

Back in Roxana, the police chief said he didn't have to pay the hackers because the files were backed up and the department bought new computer equipment for roughly the same amount as the ransom demand. Cunningham reported the hackers to the FBI, but as far as he's heard they were never caught. The whole experience, Cunningham said, was a real eye-opener.

It's amazing how much opportunity is out there for these computer crimes, he said.
After a contest last night at Scioto Downs, members of GLADA traveled to Northfield Park for two trotting divisions in the year-long series. And when the judges posted the official signs, Don Sherman and Larry Ferrari each emerged victorious in the respective $7,800 splits.

Sherman won with Palmers Pride in 1:56.4 in the first division while Larry Ferrari copped the second one behind So Wishful in 1:57.1.

In his split, Sherman gunned Palmers Pride to the lead from the four-hole and the veteran trotter needed a :27.4 first quarter to take command. But once on top, pressure continued as Joggintothebank took up the chase. They raced one-two to three-quarters but Palmers Pride was game and rebuffed the challenge.

Sherman's trotter then headed for paydirt, though he had company in the presence of Go Go George. Those two raced heads apart to the finish. However, Palmers Pride held tough and eked-out the victory. Rockefella Lindy finished third for Manny Miller.

Palmers Pride is owned by Judy Roegner and trained by Jessica Roegner. He paid $18.60 for win.

After being bridesmaid in the first division, Larry Ferrari made amends and copped the second division behind So Wishful in 1:57.1.

After a slow start where he got away seventh, Ferrari bided his time and moved slowly up the pylons while Impressive Chief showed the way. But at three-quarters, Quadrangle and Vernon Beachy assumed command as Ferrari had So Wishful out and winging. And when the trotters rounded the final turn and headed for home, So Wishful was the strong horse and rallied to a head victory over Quadrangle in 1:57.1. Don Sherman took home the show dough with Ubanji.

The winner, a five-year-old Wishing Stone gelding, is owned by Kiesha Ferrari and trained by his driver. He paid $14.20 for win.

(GLADA)
We are pleased to be collaborating with Christian McDonald to bring WireGuard back to pfSense Plus and pfSense CE software in an experimental form. Christian approached our engineering team a few weeks ago to look for ways to collaborate on WireGuard, and we are pleased to work with him and share his results. Starting May 5, 2021, Netgate will build and distribute this new code as part of the library of extensions that exist for both development and future versions of pfSense Plus and pfSense CE.

Christian started with Netgates open-source pfSense code for WireGuard management and adapted it to work without needing any low-level changes or extensions to pfSense software. This allows it to be built and distributed as an add-on package rather than requiring it to be bundled as part of a pfSense software update. The kernel driver component of Christians package comes from the net/wireguard-kmod effort in the FreeBSD ports project. Christian has done an outstanding job with documenting his journey, and we encourage the community to take a look at his YouTube channel. Please consider sponsoring him so he can continue his efforts.

This new WireGuard package is still highly experimental. Netgate will continue to monitor the evolution of this code and provide assistance when practical. We encourage all those who are interested to try it and provide feedback. Thanks to Christian for his work on this project.
NEW YORK (AP)  There was a time, not long ago, when Elise Stefanik would not say Donald Trump's name.

He was simply my party's presidential nominee, she would say. The pragmatic New York congresswoman was far more focused on welcoming a new generation of voters to what she hoped would be a more inclusive Republican Party.

Today, Stefanik is one of Trump's fiercest defenders in the House of Representatives, where her loyalty to the former president  and the support he returned  has carried the 36-year-old to the brink of becoming one of the most powerful women in Congress. She is widely expected to become the third-ranking House Republican in the coming days once Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is stripped of her leadership post because of her vocal criticism of Trump.

Stefanik's rise is linked to her commitment to bringing more Republican women to Congress, an effort that helped make the House GOP's 2021 first-term class one of the most diverse in history. But those close to Stefanik suggest there is one moment above all that solidified her political transformation and rise in Republican politics  and that moment had little to do with diversity.

It was a Thursday night in November 2019, and Trump's first impeachment inquiry was raging on Capitol Hill. Stefanik had emerged as a leading Trump defender in committee hearings, but on that night, she brought her message to Fox News' Sean Hannity for the first time.

After attacking the Democrats' case for impeachment, she asked Fox viewers to send money to a website designed to protect her from a growing wave of political attacks.

Within 15 minutes, she had raised $250,000, aides later tweeted. Several hundred thousand more flowed into her campaign by the next morning. Her team had never seen anything like it, according to people with direct knowledge of her operation who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private discussions.

The snowball grew the next day when Trump went on Fox and Friends and praised Stefanik. It grew still more weeks later when Trump singled her out during a White House event as he crowed about beating impeachment.

In total, Stefanik raised more than $13 million over that cycle, almost twice as much as the combined fundraising totals from her previous three elections. She raised an additional $2 million for Republican candidates and assembled what her office now describes as one of the five strongest donor email lists among 212 House Republicans.

She never wavered in supporting Trump again.

Even as staff privately encouraged her to moderate her message in the following weeks, Stefanik leaned harder into Trumpism. Her team began regularly insulting critics and reporters on social media. Her transformation was complete when Stefanik, a former White House aide under President George W. Bush and admirer of former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., voted against certifying the 2020 election results even after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Stefanik's evolution is the story of the modern Republican Party, which has come to believe that the path to power and fundraising success runs through Trump, whether party members like him or not. A few Republicans have resisted his influence, including Cheney, but the vast majority has fallen in line even as Trump continues to spread the same disinformation about the 2020 election that inspired the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Trump has been our strongest supporter of any president when it comes to standing up for the Constitution, Stefanik said this past week on former Trump aide Steve Bannon's War Room podcast.

In the same interview, she again cast doubt about the integrity of the 2020 election, even though allegations about widespread voter fraud have been discredited by senior Trump administration officials and dozens of judges across the country.

Those who have worked closely with Stefanik describe her as a hardworking, smart and disciplined messenger, tenacious in her pursuit of energizing Republican voters and framing the terms of the debate.

She became a policy aide in the Bush White House after graduating from Harvard University in 2006. By the time the 2012 presidential election arrived, she was a well-regarded political operative with strong ties to the Republican establishment. She joined former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlentys short-lived presidential campaign before going to work for Mitt Romney, the partys presidential nominee against the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama.

After the election, Stefanik moved from Washington to her parents home in upstate New York with an eye on the U.S. House seat left open by Democrat Bill Owens' retirement. In what was widely considered a swing district, the 30-year-old Stefanik won the race and became the youngest woman, at that time, ever elected to Congress.

She found success with a moderate message focused on bringing a new generation of voters to the Republican Party.

Jeff Graham, the former mayor of Watertown, New York, remembers meeting the fresh-faced Stefanik a year before the election. He quickly became a supporter.

At first I said, Who the hell is she? I went on Google, couldnt find a lot about her, he said. Even though she was young, she had a rich background -- being in the Bush White House and being pals with Paul Ryan."

In her early years in Congress, Stefanik earned a reputation as a studious moderate who stayed close to her district, a massive rural expanse of upstate New York bordered by Vermont to the east and Canada to the north. She paid especially close attention to Fort Drum.

She put politics aside, said Carl Zeilman, chairman of the Saratoga County Republican Committee. She knows how to roll up her sleeves and get things done.

Facing her first reelection test in 2016, she was reluctant to embrace Trump. She initially backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich's presidential bid.

The decision to support the Ohio moderate was in line with her voting record. Stefanik has a lifetime rating of 48% from the conservative Heritage Action for America and 35% from Club for Growth, among the lowest grades for House Republicans.

In the late spring of 2016, when Trump emerged as the GOPs presumed presidential nominee, local press noted that she refused to say Trumps name, promising only to support my partys nominee in the fall.

Stefanik became a more vocal Trump supporter as the election approached, but she regularly reminded voters that she disagreed with him at times. She described his remarks captured on video about sexually assaulting women as offensive and just wrong.

She warmed to Trump further after he took office. She also started a political action committee, Elevate PAC, designed to bring more Republican women to Congress. She was widely praised for the effort last fall, when 18 of the 30 women she endorsed won.

One was Rep. Ashley Hinson, an Iowa Republican who says she was in constant communication with Stefanik throughout her election. Beyond offering strategic guidance and moral support, Stefanik helped connect Hinson with her network of donors and political contacts in Washington.

It was an important and very pivotal year for the GOP in terms of telling the story that we were a party of women, minorities and veterans, Hinson said. And Elise had a great hand in that.

Trump was impressed, too.

While Cheney's conservative ratings are far superior to Stefanik's, Trump this past week called Cheney a warmongering fool who has no business in Republican Party Leadership.

Elise Stefanik is a far superior choice, and she has my COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement for GOP Conference Chair, he said in a written statement. Elise is a tough and smart communicator!

Back in upstate New York, longtime supporters have noticed Stefanik's evolution.

Graham, the former Watertown mayor, acknowledged that Stefanik has become more Trumpian, but like many other Republicans in the rural district, he's generally pleased with the trajectory of her career.

Our members of Congress up here have not had much time on the national stage," Graham said. Were proud of most of it.

___

Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Allegiance to a lie has become a test of loyalty to Donald Trump and a means of self-preservation for Republicans.

Trump's discredited allegations about a stolen election did nothing to save his presidency when courtrooms high and low, state governments and ultimately Congress  meeting in the chaos of an insurrection powered by his grievances  affirmed the legitimacy of his defeat and the honesty of the process that led to it.

Now those Big Lie allegations, no closer to true than before, are getting a second, howling wind.

Republicans are expected to believe the falsehoods, pretend they do or at bare minimum not let it be known that they dont. State Republican leaders from Georgia to Arizona have been flamed by Trump or his followers for standing against the lies.

Only a select few Republicans in Washington are defying him, for they, too, know that doing so comes with a cost.

Liz Cheney, lifelong conservative and daughter of a vice president once loved by the Republican right while earning the nickname Darth Vader, was willing to pay it.

History is watching, the Wyoming congresswoman wrote as House Republicans prepared to strip her of her No. 3 leadership position this coming week over her confrontation with Trump. Republicans need to stand for genuinely conservative principles, and steer away from the dangerous and anti-democratic Trump cult of personality.

Everyone enmeshed in Trumps relentless election claims agrees a Big Lie is at the heart of the matter. President Joe Biden says so. Cheney said so. Dominion Voting Systems alleges in a massive lawsuit that Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani manufactured and disseminated the Big Lie.'

Trump tried to appropriate the phrase by turning it against his accusers, a pattern from his presidency when he railed against fake news after having his own called out.

The Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020 will be, from this day forth, known as THE BIG LIE! he said in a statement last week, delivered as if by force of proclamation.

Trump led his party in an election that cost Republicans the presidency and their Senate majority while leaving them short of taking over in the House. For all that, the party's brute-force Trump faction is ascendant as Republicans place their bets on the energy and passions of his core supporters in the approach to the midterm elections next year.

That bet requires a suspension of disbelief when Trump makes his fantastical claims about a rigged election.

This message is working," said former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman, driven from Congress by a Trump-aligned opponent in the party's nomination race in his Virginia district last year. Riggleman pointed to strong local fund-raising success and poll numbers for Trump loyalists.

If youve got to say things you dont believe in, as long as that leads to a win, thats whats most important, he told MSNBC. If you think you can win by fanning these flames of disinformation, why wouldnt you do that? He added: If you have no integrity."

In the running to replace Cheney in the House GOP leadership, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York in recent days endorsed Trump's false claims of voting fraud and of a ballot recount being conducted in Arizona's Maricopa County by a company whose leader has shared unfounded conspiracy theories about the election.

Artifice unfolded in Florida as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis staged a fake signing ceremony Thursday on Fox News for a bill he actually signed elsewhere. The bill imposes new voting restrictions to fix problems state officials acknowledged haven't really been found, but might be in the future.

Republicans are pushing voting curbs in multiple states as well as the federal level even as state leaders have pronounced Trumps case baseless.

They can't change the 2020 election but they can use it as a predicate for new restrictive voting laws, election law scholar Richard Hasen of University of California, Irvine, said of the Trump loyalists.

Its extremely troubling for American democracy and undermines voter confidence in the integrity of the election process. Very dangerous.

Trump has been busy resurfacing election claims he's aired countless times before. They've been systematically debunked.

In a statement Friday, Trump asserted: At 6:31 in the morning on November 4th, a dump of 149,772 votes came in to the State of Michigan. Biden received 96% of those votes and the State miraculously went to him.

No vote dump happened. The morning after Novembers election, Trump allies shared a map of Michigan that appeared to show Biden getting a huge spike of votes in an update. But the online news organization that was tracking results and published that map confirmed the same day it had made a data error and corrected it.

Trump went on: "Likewise, at 3:42 in the morning, a dump of 143,379 votes came in to the state of Wisconsin, also miraculously, given to Biden. Where did these votes come from?

Nothing nefarious here, either. Biden's early-morning comeback was simply the result of absentee and early votes being counted in Wisconsins largest city and reported at once. Milwaukee counts absentee ballots in one centralized location and reports the results in a batch.

Election officials finished counting the citys roughly 169,000 absentee ballots and uploaded the results about 3 a.m. after Election Day. Milwaukee police then escorted the citys elections director to the county courthouse to deliver thumb drives with the data.

The outstanding ballots at that point overwhelmingly broke for Biden. A Democrat winning in a big city surprises no one.

In Utah a week ago, Sen. Mitt Romney was roundly booed by members of his party, while prevailing in a censure vote, for criticisms of Trump that hecklers called treasonous. Romney voted in both of Trump's impeachment trials to convict him; Cheney split her decision in the two House impeachments.

For four years Mike Pence epitomized the loyal vice president. But his pro forma certification of Biden's victory Jan. 6 put him on the outs with Trump and clouded his political future, though he had no authority under the Constitution, congressional rules, the law or custom to stand in Biden's way.

In one of his broadsides last week, Trump assailed Cheney, Pence and labeled Sen. Mitch McConnell gutless and clueless in one go. McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, voted for Trump's acquittal but pronounced him practically and morally responsible for provoking the Jan. 6 insurrection, drawing the ex-president's enduring enmity.

Since then, McConnell and Pence have turned the other cheek. Darth Vader's daughter didn't. But at the moment, the force seems to be with Trump.

___

Associated Press writers Ali Swenson in Seattle and Hope Yen contributed to this report.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) 

An Ohio man has been convicted in an alleged plot to ambush and kidnap law enforcement officers responding to a false distress call.

A federal jury on Friday convicted 21-year-old Christian Ferguson of Cleveland of two counts of attempted kidnapping.

Ferguson was arrested in May 2020 after authorities alleged that he made violent and extremist" posts in a chat room and spoke of making a false emergency call to lure officers to a remote location" and take their weapons and body armor. Authorities alleged that his ultimate goal was to start an uprising.

Prosecutors alleged that Ferguson and two informants met in Cuyahoga Valley National Park for a dry run, FBI authorities said in court documents. They hiked and talked about the plan, then placed a 911 call to determine police response, watching four officers respond and later return to their cars, authorities alleged.

Bridget M. Brennan, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said those who reported the alleged plan and the agents who worked to prevent it should be commended" for their actions. Lives were saved, Brennan said in a statement.

Defense attorney John Ricotta said in court documents that the majority of the ideas originated with the informants," Cleveland.com reported. He said his client was susceptible to such influence based upon his age and a lifelong obsession with being a member of the armed forces.

Ricotta asked as the case was pending that his client be able to get counseling and mental-health assistance.

Ferguson is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 27.
GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP)  DIANE MEDICINE HORSE, AMY JOHNSON, JODY HOWARD, VALEN HOTOMANIE, HOWARD BURLISON, LEVI YELLOWMULE, ROBERT ALEXANDER, ROBERT STEWART, JAMES LIMBERHAND, FREDA KNOWSHISGUN, RICHARD ROASTING STICK, ASHLEY LORING, JASON AZURE, JERMAIN CHARLO, SHACAIAH HARDING, HUB WILLIAMSON, KAMILLE SAMUELS, RONALEEN BENALLY, KIMBERLY LAMBDIN, MARTINA SWIMMER-MEYER, DARREN SIMONS, XAVIER MORIGEAU, RANSOM SIMPSON, ALLEN RAY, CHARLES BEARCRANE, PERCY JACKSON, JUNE JACKSON, ELAN BEARCRANE, MIRANDA KENMILLE, TRESSE FIRST, ZARA FREIBURG, CANDACE LAFORGE, BAJA-KNUK SPOTTEDELK, BREANNA SPOTTED EAGLE, ANALISIA LONGEE, SHANIA BURNS, LIGHTENING KELLUM, GEORGE RIDES AT THE DOOR, KERRI ABRAHAM, ANTONE BIRDTAIL, DARCIE ROWLAND, JAELIYAH AZURE, THOMAS REDMOND JR., TEIGANLEIGH COBELL, MICCAYLA DECOTEAU, HEATHER JONES, SIERRA OLSON, KAILY LAMBERT, AALAYLAH QUEQUESAH, SHANAIHA YOUNGRUNNINGCRANE, NATHAN GROESBECK, ELIANO ALVARADO, ASHANTI THOMAS, CHEYANNA QUEQUESAH, DOMINIC LAVERDURE, DANOKOO HOAGLEN, ARDEN PEPION.

These are the names of the 57 Indigenous people who were reported missing in Montana as of April 27, though the number is likely higher. A consequence of genocide, colonialism and oppression, Native Americans go missing and are killed at disproportionately high rates nationwide.

Ashley Loring has been missing for nearly four years. Jermain Charlo disappeared in 2018 after leaving a bar in Missoula. Sixteen-year-old Shanaiha Youngrunningcrane was last seen at prom in Browning. The list goes on and on. And on.

With jurisdictional challenges among law enforcement entities and little public outrage, political consequence or media attention, cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people often go unsolved. When justice is not done, the cycle of violence continues.

May 5 is a national day of awareness for the thousands of Indigenous people who go missing and are killed each year. Its also Hanna Harris birthday. A member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Harris was killed in 2013.

This year, she wouldve turned 29.

Her legacy prevails through Hannas Act, which authorizes the Montana Department of Justice to assist local law enforcement in missing persons cases. Many honor Harris and other Indigenous people on May 5 by wearing red, sharing stories on social media and attending community events.

Gov. Greg Gianforte in April signed three bills addressing the missing persons crisis in Montana. Two bills will extend a task force and grant program to help tribes report missing people and the other will create a review commission under the state Department of Justice to recommend policy changes. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is also creating a missing and murdered unit to pursue justice for Indigenous families.

While families of victims say these policy changes offer hope, experts say a clear solution to the missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) epidemic lies in sovereignty. Their advice? Restore criminal jurisdiction to tribes, the Great Falls Tribune reports.

In a study that surveyed 71 U.S. cities, the Urban Indian Health Institute found there were 5,712 reported cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls in 2016, though just 116 of those cases were logged in the Department of Justice database. A 2016 National Institute of Justice report found that more than four in five Indigenous people had experienced violence in their lifetimes. And Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies in 2017 found that homicide was the fourth leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native girls ages 1-19, and homicide was tied with cancer for the third leading cause of death among their male counterparts.

The disproportionately high rates of missing and murdered Indigenous people is a nationwide crisis, and experts say Montana is an epicenter.

Native Americans make up 6.7% of Montanas population, but they comprised 32% of the states active missing persons cases, as of April 27. Of the 57 missing Indigenous people in Montana, 20 were missing for more than one year, 32 were female, 25 were male and 29 were under the age of 18.

Prior to colonization, Native American tribes had policing and criminal justice systems.

But in 1817, Congress passed the General Crimes Act, which gave federal courts jurisdiction over crimes committed by or against non-Natives in Indian Country. Additionally, the Major Crimes Act of 1885 gave federal courts shared jurisdiction with tribal courts for some crimes (which now include murder, manslaughter and kidnapping, among others) committed by or against Indigenous people in Indian Country.

In 1978, the Supreme Court solidified the General Crimes Act in Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe, ruling that tribes could no longer exercise jurisdiction over non-Natives who commit crimes in Indian Country.

That decision created quite a crisis, said Mary Kathryn Nagle, a partner at Pipestem & Nagle, P.C. who specializes in tribal sovereignty. Because of it, if youre not Indian, you can go on tribal lands and commit crimes. People know how to manipulate the system, and many figured that out.

In 2013, the Violence Against Women Act contained a provision that restored tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Natives who commit domestic violence, dating violence or violate protection orders in Indian Country. But the act did not restore tribal criminal jurisdiction in cases of homicide or other major crimes.

Now, jurisdiction among tribal, state and federal law enforcement entities varies depending on the severity and location of the crime and ethnicity of the victim and perpetrator. Generally, in Montana, if an Indigenous person commits a felony specified in state law off-reservation, state agencies have jurisdiction. But when someone commits a major crime on a reservation, jurisdiction gets more complicated, and Indigenous people can become involved in various justice systems, according to a Montana Budget and Policy Center report.

If an Indigenous person in Montana commits a major crime against another Indigenous person on a reservation, for example, federal and tribal law enforcement entities share jurisdiction, according to the same report. If a non-Native person commits a major crime against a Native person in Indian Country, federal law enforcement has jurisdiction. But if the same non-Native person committed the same major crime in the same place against a non-Native person instead, the state would have jurisdiction. Though, of course, because each case is different, exceptions exist.

Tribal nations are also limited in their sentencing abilities and cannot tax reservation residents to fund tribal law enforcement. As a result, tribal law enforcement agencies often lack the funding and resources necessary for intensive investigations. Three or four officers can be responsible for patrolling the entire 1.5 million-acre Blackfeet Reservation, for example.

When Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, 18, went missing in August 2019, her body was found five days later, according to a record kept by Pipestem & Nagle, P.C. But law enforcement didnt notify Kayseras family for almost two weeks, according to the same record.

The Big Horn County Attorneys and Sheriffs offices did not reply to requests for this story.

Because Kayseras body was found half a mile from the Crow Reservation border, the FBI does not have jurisdiction in her case. Instead, Big Horn County has jurisdiction.

Nearly two years later, Kayseras cause of death is undetermined and no arrests have been made in her case. Like many family members of MMIP victims, Kayseras family said law enforcement didnt take them seriously.

Everyone we talk to in Big Horn County brushes us off, said Grace Bulltail, Kayseras aunt. The police dont seem to care enough to listen or to do a basic investigation. Its just disregard for her. Its laziness. Its just disrespect.

Annita Lucchesi, founder and executive director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, an organization that collects data and conducts research on MMIP, said Indigenous male perpetrators are more likely to be convicted when a Native woman is killed, compared to white male perpetrators.

Only one in two alleged white male killers of a Native woman are ever charged, she said. Even when there is a person of interest, that person is not being properly investigated and prosecuted, so thats really reflective of bias (within law enforcement).

Kayseras family has held protests, rallies and marches to put pressure on law enforcement to investigate her case. Now, through fundraisers and events, her family is building a reward fund to incentivize people who might have information on her death to come forward. The fund now offers $20,000 for any information that leads to an arrest or conviction of the person responsible for her death.

We will stay in this fight, said Yolanda Fraser, Kayseras grandmother and legal guardian. We will not stop. We will not go away. Kaysera is loved, and she didnt deserve to be treated like this.

Its not uncommon for family members of MMIP victims to investigate their loved ones cases. Often, when a loved one is missing, families will put themselves in danger and under financial stress to collect evidence, conduct interviews and host community searches.

Hanna Harris mother, Malinda Harris Limberhand, said she took on the role of detective in her daughters case. She asked for help on social media and even interviewed a man and woman she thought were suspects.

When I reported her missing, the police said they were busy. They said I could investigate myself, but later they said I ruined the crime scene. To me, it felt like they had no interest in helping my family. We were pushed to the side, and we felt like we didnt matter, she said.

The man and woman Harris Limberhand interviewed later admitted to killing Hanna. While her daughter is gone, Harris Limberhand said she considers herself one of the lucky MMIP family members because she saw justice in Hannas case.

But if Hannas killers hadnt come forward themselves, Harris Limberhand said she worries law enforcement wouldnt have convicted them.

I pray for the families that dont get the closure they need to move forward, she said.

Nagle has tried to intervene in MMIP cases. Though she collects evidence, transcribes interviews with suspects and encourages law enforcement to interview witnesses, Nagle said her efforts are often ignored.

They can ignore these cases because whats the consequence of ignoring the death of a Native woman? What happens to you? I havent seen a single person face any consequences for ignoring a homicide of a Native woman or girl, she said.

I try to do law enforcements job for them, but unfortunately, I dont have the badge. So, unless law enforcement decides to do their job, theres not much I can do.

While its illegal for law enforcement to avoid investigating a case based on a victims identity as an Indigenous person, Nagle said that kind of discrimination is very hard to prove in court.

The cards are stacked against Native people in proving these prejudicial claims. We can bring them, but theyre very hard to win, she said.

As states begin to establish MMIP task forces and commit more resources to the epidemic, some experts say the solution is clear.

Tribal sovereignty is the only thing thats going to fix this issue, said Lucchesi of the Sovereign Bodies Institute. Tribes have to have the self-determination to protect their people and hold perpetrators accountable. Until that happens, there will be no change.

Because tribal law enforcement entities are limited in their jurisdiction and in their sentencing abilities, Nagle said the U.S. should restore criminal jurisdiction rights to tribal nations and provide more funding to tribal law enforcement and governments. According to Nagle, support for an Oliphant fix, which would restore tribal criminal jurisdiction over anyone who commits a crime in Indian Country, is gaining support.

There are clear pathways to a solution. We just have to get them to a place of priority and reality, she said.
WELDON SPRING, Mo. (AP)  A hiker was accidentally shot by a turkey hunter in the St. Louis area on Saturday, authorities said.

The shooting happened on the Lewis and Clark Trail in the Weldon Spring Conservation Area around 12:30 p.m. Saturday, St. Charles County Police Department spokeswoman Val Joyner said.

It sounds like it was just a really bad accident, Joyner said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The male hiker was taken to a hospital after the shooting, but his condition wasn't immediately available Saturday evening.

Joyner said the hunter cooperated with police as they helped the Missouri Department of Conservation investigate the shooting.

Rebecca Brown, 50, of Richmond Heights, said she came upon the scene of the shooting Saturday while she had been running on the trail near Highway 94.

It may have been an accident, but it is positively unforgivable that they allow people to hunt with firearms on Mothers Day weekend on one of the most heavily traveled trails, Brown said. They need to mark that differently. There were families out there today with kids and dogs.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  With a special election to fill a vacant Albuquerque-area congressional seat just over three weeks away, the four candidates on the ballot sought to spotlight their credentials  and their opponents records  during a Sunday debate.

As in a previous debate, Republican Mark Moores repeatedly described Melanie Stansbury as a radical on environmental, immigration and criminal justice issues during the hourlong debate.

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Specifically, he claimed the Democratic candidate supports legislation that would halt deportations of individuals convicted of criminal offenses and even brought up Stanburys graduate thesis at Cornell University.

Meanwhile, independent candidate Aubrey Dunn, a former state land commissioner, at one point questioned Stansburys motives for moving to New Mexico.

It almost appears youve come here to run for office, Dunn said.

In response, Stansbury highlighted her upbringing in New Mexico and said she only left the state in 2010 to work as a staffer for a White House budget office.

She returned to the state in time for the 2018 election cycle and ran successfully against an incumbent Republican lawmaker that year as part of a blue wave in the Albuquerque area.

Stansbury, now a two-term state representative, defended her votes in the Legislature this year in favor of bills dealing with mandatory paid sick leave for private-sector employees and barring the defense of qualified immunity in lawsuits against police officers and other public employees.

I stand with our communities, I stand for social justice and I stand with our workers, said Stansbury, who claimed it was offensive for Moores to politicize discussions over criminal justice and policing.

And she questioned the three-term GOP state senator about his vote during this years 60-day legislative session against a bill repealing a long-dormant state abortion ban.

The 1st Congressional District seat is empty because former Rep. Deb Haaland, a Democrat, resigned in March after being confirmed as U.S. interior secretary.

Early voting in the race began last week, and Election Day is June 1.

The district was previously considered a swing district but has been increasingly Democratic in recent election cycles.

In last years presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden trounced Republican Donald Trump among district voters  with roughly 60% voting for Biden and just 37.4% for Trump.

The Sunday debate touched on some of the same issues that surfaced in the presidential race, including gun control, climate change and pandemic response efforts.

Stansbury said she supports reimposing a federal assault weapons ban, saying the country is facing an epidemic of gun violence.

The other three candidates indicated they would oppose such firearm restrictions.

On the issue of the pandemic, Moores described himself as the most qualified candidate due to his work as a partner in a state medical laboratory.

But all four candidates largely agreed on the need to safely reopen New Mexicos economy and reduce the states high unemployment rate.

Weve got to get these small businesses back so the economy can get roaring again, Moores said.

The debate also featured some lighter moments, such as when Libertarian candidate Chris Manning asked Dunn about his favorite memories of his mother.

In response, Dunn fondly recalled his mom  who is now 91 years old  teaching him how to play tennis as a child.

And during a later exchange over gun restrictions, Dunn cited his recent shooting of a badger that had damaged a water tank on his ranch.

The debate was hosted by KOAT-TV and also sponsored by KKOB radio and the Journal.
Editors note: This story was produced in conjunction with the Latino Communities Reporting Lab. A free Spanish translation is available at Myrecordjournal.com/latino-news.

As walk-in appointments become more available at many locations statewide, people may no longer get their second vaccine dose at the same place as the first.

But they do need to make sure they get the same brand and understand when to get that second shot, health officials said.

Proper spacing between COVID-19 vaccine doses is critical for achieving the maximum protection against the virus, health care experts said. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires a second dose after three weeks and the Moderna vaccine requires four weeks.

Its not arbitrary at all, said Dr. Henry Anyimadu, Hartford HealthCare infectious disease specialist. The first dose is a primer dose, it recruits the antibodies, recruits the T-cells. The first dose primes the immune system and gets it ready.

There is some flexibility, Anyimadu said. Second doses of both vaccines can be as early as four days before the three- or four-week marker, and as late as six weeks from the first dose.

This leaves room for some contingency, Anyimadu said. There is some protection several weeks after the first dose, and two weeks after second dose.

Vaccine research in primates showed that it takes three weeks for the body to build up immune cells. Thats the reason there is a wait between first and second doses.

Vaccine makers and health experts say the COVID-19 vaccines can offer 91.3 percent protection from seven days to six months after the second dose but what is unclear is when or if, we might see the need for boosters.

Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel recently said that people who received the Moderna vaccine will likely need a third dose after 6 to 12 months, according to CBS News. Bancel said the booster will be available in the U.S. by fall and will be a combination shot meant to protect against COVID-19 and seasonal influenza.

Pfizer executives have said the same thing leading many to argue there is going to be a cycle of vaccines and boosters, but doctors liken it to flu shots and other vaccines that require boosters at various intervals.

Booster shots work like a wake-up call for the immune system, doctors said. Vaccines stimulate the body to create antibodies that are capable of recognizing the coronavirus and, if someone encounters it, killing it and any cells that have been infected by it, often before any symptoms appear, according to Healio, an online news site for health care professionals.

Memory T and B immune cells guard the body in case another encounter occurs. But over time, the numbers of these memory cells diminish and the immune system may forget how to recognize the virus.

Booster shots are a reminder to the immune system of how to recognize the germ causing the disease, according to Healio.

Albert Bourla, the chief executive at Pfizer, recently said: There will be likely a need for a third dose somewhere between six and 12 months (following the first two doses) and then from there, there will be an annual revaccination.

But National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci recently said public health  and not pharmaceutical companies  will determine the need for a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Fauci explained in an April 18th Meet the Press interview that researchers will be able to measure antibody levels and predict when protection is so low that breakthrough infections are likely.

When that happens, clearly, youre going to see a recommendation for a booster, Fauci said.

mgodin@record-journal.com203-317-2255Twitter: @Cconnbiz
Nepal's embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Monday to prove that he enjoys majority support in the lower house after the CPN (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpakamal Dahal "Prachanda" withdrew support to his government.

A special session of the lower house of Parliament has been called for Monday when Prime Minister Oli will try to win the confidence of the 275-member house to prove that he enjoys majority support, aiming to consolidate his grip in the party.

The prime minister's fate will be decided by Monday's voting for which the ruling CPN-UML has issued a whip to all of its lawmakers, urging them to cast their votes in favour of the prime minister.

Read more: Covid threatens Everest climbing comeback plans

After its alliance Nepal Communist Party  Maoist Centre led by Prachanda withdrew its support to the government, Oli's government is reduced to a minority one.

There are only 121 members of the lower house with the CPN-UML. However, Oli hopes to garner majority in the voting with the support from other fringe parties during the crucial voting.

But Madhav Nepal led rival group within the ruling party, which commands support of 22 Parliament members, has warned to tender en masse resignation before the voting takes place, according sources close to CPN-UML Nepal faction.

The pro-Madhesi Janata Samajwadi Party has decided to remain neutral, not to vote either for or against Oli, during the voting. Main Opposition Nepali Congress has already decided to vote against Oli during the voting.

Meanwhile, 28 members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the coronavirus. Their swabs were collected recently ahead of the House of Representatives meeting.

Gopainath Yogi, secretary at the Parliament Secretariat, told PTI that arrangements are being made for the Covid-19 positive lawmakers to cast their votes in a separate room during the voting.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Oli's move to dissolve the House sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by his rival 'Prachanda'.

In February, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls.

Oli repeatedly defended his move to dissolve the House of Representatives, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a "parallel government".
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NEW YORK  There was a time, not long ago, when Elise Stefanik would not say Donald Trumps name.

He was simply my partys presidential nominee, she would say. The pragmatic New York congresswoman was far more focused on welcoming a new generation of voters to what she hoped would be a more inclusive Republican Party.

Today, Stefanik is one of Trumps fiercest defenders in the House of Representatives, where her loyalty to the former president  and the support he returned  has carried the 36-year-old to the brink of becoming one of the most powerful women in Congress. She is widely expected to become the third-ranking House Republican in the coming days once Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is stripped of her leadership post because of her vocal criticism of Trump.

Stefaniks rise is linked to her commitment to bringing more Republican women to Congress, an effort that helped make the House GOPs 2021 first-term class one of the most diverse in history. But those close to Stefanik suggest there is one moment above all that solidified her political transformation and rise in Republican politics  and that moment had little to do with diversity.

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It was a Thursday night in November 2019, and Trumps first impeachment inquiry was raging on Capitol Hill. Stefanik had emerged as a leading Trump defender in committee hearings, but on that night, she brought her message to Fox News Sean Hannity for the first time.

After attacking the Democrats case for impeachment, she asked Fox viewers to send money to a website designed to protect her from a growing wave of political attacks.

Within 15 minutes, she had raised $250,000, aides later tweeted. Several hundred thousand more flowed into her campaign by the next morning. Her team had never seen anything like it, according to people with direct knowledge of her operation who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private discussions.

The snowball grew the next day when Trump went on Fox and Friends and praised Stefanik. It grew still more weeks later when Trump singled her out during a White House event as he crowed about beating impeachment.

In total, Stefanik raised more than $13 million over that cycle, almost twice as much as the combined fundraising totals from her previous three elections. She raised an additional $2 million for Republican candidates and assembled what her office now describes as one of the five strongest donor email lists among 212 House Republicans.

She never wavered in supporting Trump again.

Even as staff privately encouraged her to moderate her message in the following weeks, Stefanik leaned harder into Trumpism. Her team began regularly insulting critics and reporters on social media. Her transformation was complete when Stefanik, a former White House aide under President George W. Bush and admirer of former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., voted against certifying the 2020 election results even after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Stefaniks evolution is the story of the modern Republican Party, which has come to believe that the path to power and fundraising success runs through Trump, whether party members like him or not. A few Republicans have resisted his influence, including Cheney, but the vast majority has fallen in line even as Trump continues to spread the same disinformation about the 2020 election that inspired the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Trump has been our strongest supporter of any president when it comes to standing up for the Constitution, Stefanik said this past week on former Trump aide Steve Bannons War Room podcast.

In the same interview, she again cast doubt about the integrity of the 2020 election, even though allegations about widespread voter fraud have been discredited by senior Trump administration officials and dozens of judges across the country.

Those who have worked closely with Stefanik describe her as a hardworking, smart and disciplined messenger, tenacious in her pursuit of energizing Republican voters and framing the terms of the debate.

She became a policy aide in the Bush White House after graduating from Harvard University in 2006. By the time the 2012 presidential election arrived, she was a well-regarded political operative with strong ties to the Republican establishment. She joined former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlentys short-lived presidential campaign before going to work for Mitt Romney, the partys presidential nominee against the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama.

After the election, Stefanik moved from Washington to her parents home in upstate New York with an eye on the U.S. House seat left open by Democrat Bill Owens retirement. In what was widely considered a swing district, the 30-year-old Stefanik won the race and became the youngest woman, at that time, ever elected to Congress.

She found success with a moderate message focused on bringing a new generation of voters to the Republican Party.

Jeff Graham, the former mayor of Watertown, New York, remembers meeting the fresh-faced Stefanik a year before the election. He quickly became a supporter.

At first I said, Who the hell is she? I went on Google, couldnt find a lot about her, he said. Even though she was young, she had a rich background  being in the Bush White House and being pals with Paul Ryan.

In her early years in Congress, Stefanik earned a reputation as a studious moderate who stayed close to her district, a massive rural expanse of upstate New York bordered by Vermont to the east and Canada to the north. She paid especially close attention to Fort Drum.

She put politics aside, said Carl Zeilman, chairman of the Saratoga County Republican Committee. She knows how to roll up her sleeves and get things done.

Facing her first reelection test in 2016, she was reluctant to embrace Trump. She initially backed Ohio Gov. John Kasichs presidential bid.

The decision to support the Ohio moderate was in line with her voting record. Stefanik has a lifetime rating of 48% from the conservative Heritage Action for America and 35% from Club for Growth, among the lowest grades for House Republicans.

In the late spring of 2016, when Trump emerged as the GOPs presumed presidential nominee, local press noted that she refused to say Trumps name, promising only to support my partys nominee in the fall.

Stefanik became a more vocal Trump supporter as the election approached, but she regularly reminded voters that she disagreed with him at times. She described his remarks captured on video about sexually assaulting women as offensive and just wrong.

She warmed to Trump further after he took office. She also started a political action committee, Elevate PAC, designed to bring more Republican women to Congress. She was widely praised for the effort last fall, when 18 of the 30 women she endorsed won.

One was Rep. Ashley Hinson, an Iowa Republican who says she was in constant communication with Stefanik throughout her election. Beyond offering strategic guidance and moral support, Stefanik helped connect Hinson with her network of donors and political contacts in Washington.

It was an important and very pivotal year for the GOP in terms of telling the story that we were a party of women, minorities and veterans, Hinson said. And Elise had a great hand in that.

Trump was impressed, too.

While Cheneys conservative ratings are far superior to Stefaniks, Trump this past week called Cheney a warmongering fool who has no business in Republican Party Leadership.

Elise Stefanik is a far superior choice, and she has my COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement for GOP Conference Chair, he said in a written statement. Elise is a tough and smart communicator!

Back in upstate New York, longtime supporters have noticed Stefaniks evolution.

Graham, the former Watertown mayor, acknowledged that Stefanik has become more Trumpian, but like many other Republicans in the rural district, hes generally pleased with the trajectory of her career.

Our members of Congress up here have not had much time on the national stage, Graham said. Were proud of most of it.

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Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Serbia on Sunday honored 2019 Nobel Literature Prize winner Peter Handke, who is known for his apologist views over Serbia's nationalist policies and Serb war crimes during the 1990s wars in the Balkans.

The Austrian novelist and screenwriter received a state decoration from Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist who now says he wants his country to join the European Union. On Friday, Handke also received honors from Bosnian Serbs.

Thank you for everything you have done for Serbia, Vucic said. Serbia is showing gratitude to its friend with this (decoration).

The RTS television said Handke was awarded for special contribution in representing Serbia and its citizens in the area of public and cultural activities and for personal persistence in uncompromising responsibility toward the truth."

Handke is adored by Serbs for support during the wars of the 1990s' and the era of late strongman Slobodan Milosevic when Serbs were widely blamed for fomenting the conflict that killed more than 100,000 people. Handke is considered persona non grata in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, and in Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008.

Handke also has disputed that the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in the town of Srebrenica was genocide. That runs counter to several rulings by international courts, which have proclaimed the carnage in the eastern Bosnian enclave a genocide.

The writer said in Belgrade that he was didn't expect to receive Serbia's state awards, the official RTS television reported.

I was not prepared, he said.
A GOLDSMITH in Henley has made a bespoke piece of jewellery to raise money for a marine conservation charity.

Lucy Riveiros, manager of Lawsons in Duke Street, spent three weeks creating the 850 pendant, which depicts coral reefs, a starfish and sea plants in a mixture of blue, green and gold. It is made of enamel glass and sterling silver and has an 18in chain but can also be worn as a brooch.

The jewellers is inviting customers to buy raffle tickets over the next month.

All the proceeds will go to Sea Shepherd UK, which aims to prevent the destruction of ocean habitats and wildlife. Miss Riveiros was inspired by a TV documentary called Seaspiracy, which examined the harm humans are doing to marine life and the environmental impacts of fishing.

It really hit home, she said. The reason why I chose the sea scene is because it reminds me of how fragile the ocean is. I really wanted to spread awareness. I think people were really starting to understand the issues that David Attenborough was trying to raise but it has gone on to the back burner because of covid.

Raffle tickets cost 3 each, or 12 for a strip of five, and are available from the shop.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A Mesquite man has been arrested in connection with the death girlfriends 5-month-old daughter last month, according to Dona Ana County Sheriffs officials.

They said 23-year-old Israel Ramirez is facing one count of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 12 and one count of intentional child abuse resulting in great bodily harm of a child under 12.
The owner of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of guns, cash and other valuables stolen from a rural Wyoming home is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Starr Hardridge paints in an amalgam of European pointillism and the beadwork of the Muscogee Creek Nation.

Color mosaics such as stained glass meld with ancient Muscogee themes in a dazzling array of pattern through a fractal lens.

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Hardridges latest work Unbridled is on view at Santa Fes Blue Rain Gallery.

The artist grew up in central Oklahoma surrounded by the artistic traditions of his culture. His formal training includes a fine arts degree in illustration and painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Later studies at Frances Nadai Verdon Atelier of Decorative Arts emphasized harmony and composition.

Hardridge once painted in a very traditional, muted style until the 2014 death of his father triggered a seismic stylistic change.

I was going through a transitional period in painting, he said in a telephone interview from Knoxville, Tennessee. I was studying the beadwork and trying to put together work representing loss and resistance at the same time, and the narrative of Southeast Native removal from Alabama to Oklahoma.

Although none of his family members made beadwork, it was a traditional art form for the Muscogee until their forced removal during the 1830s. Hardridge wanted to echo that work in his painting.

He experimented with a stylus, then worked with a needle-like dispenser before landing on a plastic bottle applicator. First, he applies it to an acrylic-based plaster atop a nylon grid to help organize the canvas.

Placing 1/16th of an inch of acrylic paint through a dropper onto a canvas comes fraught with drawbacks. Hardridge can spend up to 200 hours on a single painting.

This was what I was looking for, he said, adding, Its insane to do this kind of painting because it takes so long.

Its hard not to think of the French Impressionists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac at the first mention of pointillism. In 1886, the pair developed the technique using small, distinct dots of color in patterns to form an image.

Its all subtly influenced me, Hardridge acknowledged. Ive had my stuff compared to Southwest African art and aboriginal art in Australia.

Its such a primitive way of putting down information, he added. My palette is now straight pigment.

Today, he relies on a large cache of automatic drawings he produced in 2012 as a starting point. As developed by the Surrealists, in automatic drawing, the hand moves randomly across the paper.

His latest work is both angular and geometric.

Water Carrier shows a Native woman carrying a pot of water, her background and clothing a crazy quilt of color and shapes.

The woman is Muscogee-Creek, Hardridge said. Shes carrying a pot with the O.G. symbol; its associated with Muscogee mythology and symbols of origin.

With its pair of galloping horses, Unbridled reveals a signature theme of duality in the artists work.

In my imagery, youre always going to see pairs, the concept of duality, he said. Im a Libra and Im also a twin. Theres this push and pull of a narrative theme of trying to find balance.

The Shepherd also carries a metaphorical theme of being responsible for your people, your children and your property.

I was looking at the concept of the Dine shepherds, Hardridge said.

Disappearing Buffalo emerges from what resembles a woven diamond pattern. To Hardridge, the buffalo is a symbol of growth.

They could make their house out of it, they could make their food out of it, they could make their weapons out of it, he said. It was definitely holy and sacred.

Hardridge also cites such mid-century Native painters as Oscar Howe, the Kiowa Six (Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Jack Hokeah, Stephen Mopope, Monroe Tsatoke and Lois Smoky) and the Santa Fe Indian School as influences.

If I was too much in love with one artist, I think people would see it, he said. Hardridge won Best of Painting at the 2012 Santa Fe Indian Market. In 2013, he worked on a restoration project at the U.S. Capitol, replicating work on the inner east and west corridors of the Senate entrance that had faded after 200 years of cigarettes, pipes and cigars.

His paintings can be found in the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park, Kansas, and the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis.

If you go

WHAT: Unbridled by Starr Hardridge

WHERE: Blue Rain Gallery, 544 S. Guadalupe St., Santa Fe

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

CONTACT: 505-954-9902, blueraingallery.com
India, South Africa and other developing countries are likely to push for a wider waiver of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 drugs and medical tools after US President Joe Biden and Trade Representative Katherine Tai backed their call to waive off intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines.

India and South Africa had submitted a joint proposal to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), touching upon the broad areas of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver they were seeking. The revised draft is likely to go into further detail on the coverage and duration of the waiver, which could be longer than originally anticipated, according to a report by the Times of India.

Also Read | PM Modi seeks EU support on Covid-19 drugs, vaccines' patent waiver

So far, The United States has backed talks to scrap only vaccine patents but has stayed mum about other medical supplies that are crucial in the fight against the pandemic for low-income countries.

"Intellectual property is not the only barrier but definitely a significant barrier that can impact the production of medical tools.... The scope (of the waiver) should cover health products and technology, including diagnostics, therapeutics, medical products and personal equipment," South Africa's ambassador to the WTO Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter said at an online panel discussion.

Patent rights ensure pharmaceutical companies that develop medical equipment have the sole right to monetise or license them to recover costs and generate revenue off them, prompting some to claim that scrapping them would set a dangerous precedent and discourage future medical innovation. However, critics have said that honouring the patents during a global pandemic has robbed economically weaker nations of the chance to vaccinate their large populations.

Also Read | US supported WTO patent waiver on Covid-19 vaccines after India, South Africa, others agreed to rework proposal

India has been the worst-hit developing nation, with its health system buckling under the pressure of a large and sudden upsurge of cases in its second Covid wave. While the Centres vaccination drive has had a sluggish start, with vaccine production taking time to ramp up, hospitals have also been clamouring for supplies of life-saving drugs and medical supplies like oxygen.

If patents on Covid-adjacent medical supplies are dropped, it would make it easier for countries like India and South Africa to increase their availability and impose price caps without incurring hefty financial hits.
VILNIUS, Lithuania, May 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The adoption of blockchain technology over the past decade has revolutionized many industry sectors. From securing data to supply chain management, blockchain application has revamped efficiency levels and allowed participating businesses to thrive and outperform competitors.



Blockchain technology also allowed businesses to circumvent municipal laws in order to raise capital from retail investors whilst understating the risk levels associated with the investment in those companies and completely disassociating the consideration passed to the investor from the companys equity.

This was known as the utility token boom of 2017, where companies raised millions in ICOs, that had very little to no substantive business activity or generating cash flows. The benefit to them was that the utility tokens offered were more so regarded as products of the companies rather than securities, which meant that the cash flows generated were legally interpreted as revenues rather than capital. Why is this important, you ask? Well, its important because as an investor, you are afforded far less statutory protection as a consumer than as an investor.

Since the boom and bust of the ICO era, a new type of tokenised offering emerged, the STO or Security Token Offering. Here companies and the respective intermediaries attempted to create a hybrid structure between a utility token and company equity, whereby the purchaser would be granted the same rights/protections under the law as a company shareholder, yet still enjoy the benefits of a tokenised ecosystem.

The world was excited to greet this new STO, as capital raising companies scrambled to build out such digital equities. Alas, the market was too optimistic and counted on this ecosystem being completed in time for companies to execute their investors exit strategies. What was the problem, you ask? Well, thats very simple. There was no marketplace for security tokens to be traded due to a lack of legal compliance. With no liquidity, there was no exit strategy for investors, and thus no capital gain incentives for them to invest in security tokens... and so the hype died and security tokens became a thing of the past, as other blockchain-oriented phenomena emerged (ie. the recent NFT boom).

The reason behind the security tokens incompatibility with legal compliance was the inability for security tokens to act as equity, due to the various functional features that company shares possess, as well as the inherent interaction with a municipal regulator through the issuance/governance of such shares.

Now for the first time, a new network is being designed and built by eMoney Bank in collaboration with the world-renowned CBDC developers Superhow from Lithuania. This new network, the GCR Network, is being built on central banking level protocols, by the aforementioned development team, in such a way so as to be able to interact with the technical systems of local regulators, whilst still maintaining all of the functionality of company shares. The goal here is to finally have a blockchain network that can sustain a regulatory-compliant ecosystem, which allows companies to build their security tokens and provides a portal through which these tokens can be traded on a secondary market.

The GCR Network is built in such a way as to allow continuous growth of the network, with stable fees and network speeds (regardless of the networks congestion levels). This is achieved by having a stable coin at the center of the network, which will not increase with network usage, like Ethereum and other such networks. It appears that eMoney Bank has partnered with an international telco in order to stabilize network speeds through the use of global telecommunication supernodes.

The stable coin at the Centre of the system is known as Gold Coin Reserve (GCR), a multi-network digital asset, which has already received significant market popularity, already averaging an impressive $16,000,000 in daily transactions. The digital assets remain pegged to the spot gold price and is rumored to also be backed by gold reserves.

Holders of GCR are also rewarded for holding their assets in term deposits through staking benefits, where they receive an ongoing growth on their holding at the companys crypto-banking trading interface, the GCR Alliance platform - an offshoot from the company website (goldcoinreserve.io). The interface also allows users to stake USDT in term deposits as well as buy digital assets with Euros and exit back into bank accounts, where their digital assets are converted back into Euros.

The company boasts about the new GCR Networks resilience to external attacks and is rumored to soon be announcing a global hackathon event, encouraging hackers to hack its testnet network sometime this month, presumably in order to battle test it prior to launch next month.

Media Contact -

Company - Gold Coin Reserve

Website- https://goldcoinreserve.io

Web - https://trading.goldcoinreserve.io/en-us/#/convert

Twitter- https://twitter.com/goldcoinreserve

Telegram- https://t.me/goldcoinrsrv
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Grieving families buried their dead Sunday following a horrific bombing at a girls school in the Afghan capital that killed 50 people, many of them pupils between 11 and 15 years old.

The number of wounded in Saturday's attack climbed to more than 100, said Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian. In the western neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi, families buried their dead amid angry recriminations at a government they said has failed to protect them from repeated attacks in the mostly Shiite Muslim neighborhood.

The government reacts after the incident, it doesnt do anything before the incident, said Mohammad Baqir, Alizada, 41, who had gathered to bury his niece, Latifa, a Grade 11 student the Syed Al-Shahda school.

Three explosions outside the school entrance struck as students were leaving for the day, said Arian. The blasts targeted Afghanistans ethnic Hazaras who dominate the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood, where the bombings occurred. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims. The Taliban denied responsibility, condemning the attack and the many deaths.

The first explosion came from a vehicle packed with explosives, followed by two others, said Arian, adding that the casualty figures could still rise.

In the capital rattled by relentless bombings, Saturday's attack was among the worst. Criticism has mounted over lack of security and growing fears of even more violence as the U.S. and NATO complete their final military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

At Vatican City, in his traditional Sunday remarks to faithful in St. Peters Square, Pope Francis cited the bombing. Let us pray for the victims of the terrorist attack in Kabul, an inhumane action that struck so many girls as they were coming out of school. He said. The pontiff then added: May God give Afghanistan peace.

The Dasht-e-Barchi area has been hit by several incidents of violence targeting minority Shiites and most often claimed by the Islamic State affiliate operating in the country. No one has yet claimed Saturdays bombings.

In this same neighborhood in 2018, a school bombing killed 34 people, mostly students. In September 2018 a wrestling club was attacked killing 24 people and in May 2020 a maternity hospital was brutally attacked killing 24 people, including pregnant women and infants. And in October 2020, the Kawsar-e-Danish tutoring center was attacked, killing 30 people.

Most of the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State affiliate operating in Afghanistan.

The radical Sunni Muslim group has declared war on Afghanistans Shiites. Washington blamed IS for a vicious attack last year in a maternity hospital in the same area that killed pregnant women and newborn babies.

Soon after the bombing, angry crowds attacked ambulances and even beat health workers as they tried to evacuate the wounded, Health Ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigar Nazari said. He had implored residents to cooperate and allow ambulances free access to the site.

Arian, the Interior Ministry spokesman, blamed the attack on the Taliban despite their denials.

Bloodied backpacks and schools books lay strewn outside the Syed Al-Shahda school. In the morning, boys attend classes in the sprawling school compound and in the afternoon, it's girls' turn.

On Sunday, Hazara leaders from Dasht-e- Barchi met to express their frustration with the government failure to protect ethnic Hazaras, deciding to cobble together a protection force of their own from among the Hazara community.

The force would be deployed outside schools, mosques and public facilities and would cooperate with government security forces. The intention is to supplement the local forces, said Parliamentarian Ghulam Hussein Naseri.

The meeting participants decided that there is not any other way, except for people themselves to provide their own security alongside of the security forces, said Naseri, who added that the government should provide local Hazaras with weapons.

Naseri said Hazaras have been attacked in their schools, in their mosques and it is their right to be upset. How many more families lose their loved ones? How many more attacks against this minority has to occur in this part of the city before something is done?"

One of the students fleeing the school recalled the attack, the girls' screams of the girls, the blood.

I was with my classmate, we were leaving the school, when suddenly an explosion happened,  said 15-year-old Zahra, whose arm had been broken by a piece of shrapnel.

Ten minutes later there was another explosion and just a couple of minutes later another explosion, she said. Everyone was yelling and there was blood everywhere, and I couldnt see anything clearly. Her friend died.

Most of the dozens of injured brought to the EMERGENCY Hospital for war wounded in the Afghan capital, almost all girls and young women between 12 and 20 years old, said Marco Puntin, the hospital's program coordinator in Afghanistan.

In a statement following the attack, the hospital, which has operated in Kabul since 2000, said the first three months of this year have seen a 21 per cent increase in war-wounded.

Even as IS has been degraded in Afghanistan, according to government and US officials, it has stepped-up its attacks particularly against Shiite Muslims and women workers.

The attack comes days after the remaining 2,500 to 3,500 American troops officially began leaving the country. They will be out by Sept. 11 at the latest. The pullout comes amid a resurgent Taliban, who control or hold sway over half of Afghanistan.

The top U.S. military officer said Sunday that Afghan government forces face an uncertain future and possibly some bad possible outcomes against Taliban insurgents as the withdrawal accelerates in the coming weeks.

_____

Associated Press photographer Rahmat Gul and video journalist Ahmad Seir in Kabul, Afghanistan and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Pakistan and Frances D'Emilio contributed to this report.
Relief for workers is coming almost a week after more than 600 employees were locked out of ExxonMobils Beaumont refinery and packaging plant, but there is no sign of a contract agreement yet.

Both representatives from the United Steelworkers union and the company confirmed that there havent been further negotiations since the morning of April 30, when ExxonMobil rejected a comprehensive contract proposal from the union.

ExxonMobil has said it seeks to bring Beaumonts refinery and packaging plant contract in line with what it says are industry standards already in place at its other plants in hopes of being more competitive for the future, but USW believes the companys proposals will compromise its seniority system and worker safety.

After hourly workers were walked off the work site, which the company said would prevent impacts to safety from an impromptu strike, there were reports that ExxonMobil had advertised for and hired temporary workers.

The company didnt directly confirm that it has hired temporary workers in the absence of its regular crews, but spokesperson Nakisha Burns said it could be one of the options to make sure production stays on track.

While we do not comment on staffing levels, the company maintains sufficient resources, which may include temporary highly-trained employees and contractors necessary to safely and efficiently operate, Burns said in an email.

As in the past few days, Burns said that negotiations werent off the table, but future meetings would have to be confirmed between both parties.

While there appears to have been little progress through the week to bridge that gap, union officials said that progress has been made to get workers aid while they are off the job.

We got word recently that unemployment benefits have been approved for our locked-out workers, said Richard Hoot Landry, a USW District 13 staff representative. The local union is also in the process of setting up an intake committee next week.

The intake committee will sit down with members and register the needs of their families so the local can give detailed requests to the USWs international organization for benefits from its strike and defense fund.

Most workers had only one additional check coming after the lockout was initiated.

Representatives from the Texas Workforce Commission told the Enterprise that the agency isnt allowed to give details about an individual employer or case, but that workers often qualify for benefits in the event of a lockout.

Workers will have to register with the agency and have their individual cases evaluated, but they would be able to qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits based on their past wages.

As with typical unemployment filings, workers will have to have paid into their employers unemployment plan for a period of time and an amount that reaches TWCs qualification guidelines.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
JAMES ISLAND  A conflict of interest involving a floating oyster farm in a popular creek has spawned hard questions about government secrecy, insider dealing and the sanctity of public lands in South Carolina.

Caged oyster farming has become a growing and potentially lucrative industry in recent years. It offers the promise of eco-friendly jobs and year-round, succulent bivalves for Charlestons renowned dining scene.

But a battle over one such operation sparked a state ethics investigation. That probe found a Department of Natural Resources permit coordinator had used his position to help his brother win approval to grow oysters along a Charleston County creek.

The coordinator later quit his job and became a partner in his brothers company, an Uncovered investigation found.

The farm won its final approval earlier this year  a month before the former staffer was fined for violating the states ethics law.

The episode has drawn fresh scrutiny of South Carolinas management of commercial oyster farming, a secretive process that largely takes place in closed-door meetings outside of the publics view.

The state charges far less than its neighbors for the commercial use of its public lands for oyster farming. And by law, DNR says, it must hide from the public the identity and location of those who hold commercial fishing permits, including oyster growers.

Other states are more forthcoming. North Carolina, by contrast, maps its permits online, allowing citizens to see who is harvesting oysters and where. The goal, officials there said, is to provide needed transparency surrounding the use of public resources.

The conflict on Green Creek came to light as a result of nearby islanders opposing an oyster farm they insist will pose threats to boating safety and water access.

The Post and Courier obtained a trove of documents related to the case as part of its Uncovered series, which aims to shine light on questionable government conduct throughout South Carolina.

Thomas Bierce, who runs Charleston Oyster Farm on Green Creek, declined to comment for this article, saying only that his brother is no longer affiliated with the business.

On social media, however, he has scoffed at the notion that his brothers involvement somehow swayed a three-agency permitting process. State and federal officials take a similar stance.

Charleston Oyster Farms attorney, Cody Lenhardt, noted that DNRs final approval for the farm didnt arrive until January of this year, some five years after Bierces brother left the agency.

The controversy comes amid a larger tug-of-war between the floating farms and critics who object to seeing and navigating around the operations. At present, eight oyster farms are permitted to use floating gear within some 75 acres of coastal waters.

Sen. Chip Campsen, an Isle of Palms Republican, said these farms are approved with little public notice in a process that seems weighted toward growers. Over time, this threatens to push the public out of prized fishing holes and duck blinds in return for leases that net the state just $5 to $10 an acre, he said.

In 2018, Charleston growers reported about $645,000 in oyster sales to local restaurants, according to the S.C. Shellfish Growers Association.

North Carolina charges $100 an acre for similar leases. In Georgia, which is just venturing into floating oyster farms, the fee is $50 an acre, officials there said.

Something doesnt smell right about all of it, Campsen said. You are depriving people of public waters that they own. And you are ceding that for a pittance.

Floating controversy

A spray of salty air whipped through the low-slung boat as it sliced through the chilly water of the Stono River on an April afternoon. Up ahead lay the marshy backside of Folly Island, the luxurious enclaves of Kiawah and the shimmering Atlantic Ocean beyond.

Just shy of those marks, the boat swung into a calm channel where acres of green sawgrass rustled in the breeze beneath a powder blue sky. This is Green Creek, a sparkling ribbon of water that snakes through a warren of small islands all but invisible from traffic-clogged Folly Road less than 3 miles away.

Nearby is Coles Island, once home to a Confederate artillery station during the Civil War. And Pumpkin Island, supposedly named for what a harvest moon resembled as it rose over the ocean on a pleasant Lowcountry night.

With little high ground to build on and no running water, there are few homes and even fewer full-time residents. This meandering tributary and its network of small islands is a place where the only sound on a given day might be the cawing of gliding gulls, the casting of a shrimp net or the whine of a boats engine as it pulls a skier in tow.

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

The creek was empty this afternoon as a retired lawyer named Clem Ripley guided his 18-foot craft around a bend. Up ahead lay a series of black floating boxes bobbing in a neat line. The floats were attached to cages beneath the surface.

The cages are owned by Thomas Bierce and his Charleston Oyster Farm. Soon, there could be hundreds more just like them along this shore.

Growers like Bierce use floating cages that can be tethered to the bottom of a river or creek bed. Farmers regularly take out the shellfish while theyre growing to spin them in drums. That shapes and grades them into premium select singles that can be served on the half shell in trendy restaurants.

It takes about a year to bring them to maturity. Along the way, these bivalves filter the water as wild oyster beds decline across the state.

Ripley built a home just up the creek from this spot about 20 years ago, a fortress of solitude for when he retired from a bustling legal career in Chicago. Its powered by the sun and accessible only by boat. So think of Green Creek as his liquid driveway.

The operation here doesn't look like much now. But permits allow Charleston Oyster Farm to place as many as 330 cages along the creek, covering just over 2 acres.

Ripley and others worry the floating farm will create a hazard; make the narrow creek difficult to navigate; and deprive the public of a prized spot for boating, shrimping and angling.

And they are convinced that Peter Bierces job at DNR gave the brothers an inside track to make this all happen.

They would effectively take over this part of the creek, Ripley said. It will make this into a specific place of business.

The yearslong permitting process required approvals from DNR, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Officials at the three agencies say they stand by their findings that the creek can accommodate the farm. They, and the farms lawyer, note that a state judge came to the same conclusion after a lengthy legal challenge.

But Ripley and his fellow islanders lack confidence in these findings, particularly after their digging unearthed a troubling conflict that helped set this process in motion.

A conflict emerges

Alarm spread quickly across the islands when word of the planned oyster farm surfaced publicly in late 2016, about a year after Bierce first approached DNR with his proposal. Anxiety rose when the islanders learned the venture had already received conditional approval from the Department of Natural Resources.

DNR officials say the term is a bit of a misnomer, as it simply marks the point where more formal and rigorous reviews begin by the agency, DHEC and the Army Corps. But to Ripley and his fellow islanders, it sounded like a done deal. Seeing the creek as too narrow to support such an operation, they dug in and prepared for a fight.

That battle would stretch on for nearly three more years before winding up in an administrative law court, where a judge eventually sided with the state in granting the first of three needed approvals. But along the way, the islanders and their attorney amassed a thick raft of state memos, emails and other records that unveiled the conflict at the heart of it all.

Those records would form the basis of an ethics complaint filed in 2019. It accused Peter Bierce of using his position for economic gain while concealing his ties to his brothers business from his colleagues at DNR.

The complaint indicates the episode played out this way:

Thomas Bierce applied for an oyster farming permit on Dec. 3, 2015, through his business, Charleston Mooring and Marine.

The request went straight to his twin brother Peter, a DNR permit coordinator who served as the primary contact for people seeking to grow oysters commercially. In that position, Peter Bierce had access to fishery data unavailable to the general public. And he served on an agency committee that could recommend permit requests for approval.

A week after his brothers proposal was submitted and again in January 2016, Peter Bierce emailed the Army Corps to discuss the need for a meeting on the permit application. He indicated that he and other DNR staffers had already reviewed the proposal and we are satisfied with the application on this end.

The emails made no mention of the fact that the company was owned by his brother, or that the pair were in the process of purchasing a small island just around the corner, with a dock.

In fact, a January 2016 email exchange between Thomas Bierce and the brothers accountant indicated his desire to leave Peters name off paperwork associated with their purchase of Goat Island. The stated reason: Peter had a conflict of interest.

In a later deposition, Peter Bierce stated that he invested $25,000 toward the island purchase.

In February 2016, his supervisor at DNR intervened and took over handling of the Green Creek oyster farm application. In an email, she told Thomas Bierce she would now serve as the project manager because Peter obviously has a conflict of interest and none of us need that to come back and bite us.

She also alerted the Army Corps to the conflict, but the application went forward all the same, despite Peter Bierces initial involvement with the review.

Now sidelined from that process, Peter Bierce remained involved behind the scenes in his brother's business. In April of that year, he initially used his DNR email account to arrange for the purchase of oyster equipment for another site. The seller commended him for doing so, suggesting that his connection to DNR would afford him a better rate, according to the emails.

We are thinking 'Charleston Oyster Farm' for the business name, Peter Bierce told the seller.

Bierce would go on to leave DNR in September 2016, and emails indicate he was cautioned by his bosses to avoid involvement in his brothers business for at least a year. But that didnt stop him from emailing a contact at a local nonprofit seeking support for the oyster farm plan at a public hearing. He stated that he was starting the farm with his brother but would remain a silent partner for the time being due to DNRs warning.

In December 2017, Peter Bierce made his participation public, becoming a co-owner of Charleston Oyster Farm.

The complaint Ripley filed against him resulted in a consent order from the State Ethics Commission in January of this year, finding that Peter Bierce violated South Carolinas ethics law by participating in his brothers permit. His punishment: $700 in fines and fees.

Bierce maintained that he did not use his state position to help his brothers company win approval. But he accepted the punishment, stressing in the order that his violation was inadvertent and unintentional.

Its unclear just how much the Bierces stand to benefit if all the cages allowed by the permits are installed. The cages generally hold up to 1,000 oysters that can fetch between 85 cents and $1 a pop, depending on who you ask. At 330 cages, that could put their annual haul north of a quarter-million dollars a year, critics contend.

Thomas Bierce told The Post and Courier his brother would not comment for this article, as he has since left the company for another job. The farms attorney, who also represents Peter Bierce, said the consent order speaks for itself and required no further comment.

Push for transparency

Islanders maintain that DNR should have restarted the permit process as soon as the ethical conflict was discovered to ensure everything had been done by the book. Its a position shared by state Sen. Sandy Senn, a Charleston Republican who has earned the growers wrath in recent months by calling for more guardrails on the industry.

Once you know for sure you have an ethical violation on a permit application and people are putting a magnifying glass on it, why in the world wouldnt you say, This one is gone. You can try again,  she said.

DNR said Peter Bierce never had decision-making authority over the agencys permit for the oyster farm, and staff found no problems with the application after his conflict was identified. So the process was allowed to proceed.

DHEC and the Army Corps said Bierces involvement had no bearing on their independent reviews, and they stand by their decisions to issue permits as well .

Earlier this year, Thomas Bierce and other growers tangled with Senn on a Facebook group for Charleston boaters after she sponsored a bill to bar summer harvests. When Bierce weighed in, Senn questioned whether he was related to the former DNR worker who had been hammered with a state ethics opinion.

Bierce shot back that his brothers involvement didnt affect the outcome of his permit. He added that there never would have been an ethics case if SOMEONE hadnt complained because they werent getting their way.

Everything was done freely and fairly and I had to fight to get that permit, he stated. It was hardly handed to me.

Senn and her Senate colleague Campsen have continued to push for greater transparency about the permitting process and more public notice about plans for future farms. State law requires that applicants advertise their plans once weekly for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper within the county where the operation would be located.

Thomas Bierce didnt run his notice until July 2017, more than a year and a half after permitting talks began.

Ben Dyar, head of DNRs shellfish management program, said the agency has built a more robust online presence to educate the public about the so-called mariculture industry. Among other things, the site has maps, rules and public notices about pending applications that will remain visible for a longer time.

Were trying to be a lot more transparent about everything, he said.

Trey McMillan runs Lowcountry Oyster Company in the ACE Basin and serves as vice president of the S.C. Shellfish Growers Association. He said the industry wants greater transparency and public education to combat a host of misinformation floating around about its practices and intentions.

We welcome the chance to show people our operations, he said.

Jack Rackley owns a small, undeveloped hummock on Green Creek, just across from Thomas Bierces 10 cages. He watched his children grow up there on myriad camping trips  boating, shrimping, crabbing and taking in spectacular sunsets.

Rackley insists he has no problem with industry, but he frets about what the future holds for this slice of Lowcountry that he calls a spiritual spot for his family.

State officials say there is no need to worry, that agencies will keep tabs on the Bierce operation to make sure it is meeting the terms of its permits. Charleston Oyster Farms lawyer said the company hasnt determined whether it will put in the full number of cages allowed under its permits or when that might occur.

So for now, the public remains in the dark about what lies ahead.
By Joe Guzzardi





Early morning on May 2, a commercial boat in the San Diego Bay called to report a distressed vessel near Point Loma. The vessel, maneuvering in seven-foot swells, fog and light rain, broke apart after hitting rocks. San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Rick Romero said that people were flailing about, drowning and getting sucked under by the currents.



Four people died, and 28 survived, five of whom were transported to a local hospital, one in critical condition. The smuggling boat was dangerously overcrowded, and had inadequate safety equipment on board.



When the U.S. Border Patrol arrived at the scene, it advised in a statement made later that all but two of the passengers were Mexican foreign nationals with "no legal status to enter the U.S." The two remaining non-Mexicans were a Guatemalan national and a U.S. citizen identified as the boat's captain who was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.



Jeff Stephenson, a Border Patrol supervisory agent, said that human and drug traffickers have found the Pacific Ocean a more expeditious smuggling route than land, especially after President Donald Trump began wall construction, tightened enforcement and initiated Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as Remain in Mexico. In fiscal 2020, Border Patrol agents detained about 1,200 people during maritime trafficking efforts  a 92 percent increase over fiscal 2019.



The chances are excellent that if the trafficking vessel hadn't capsized, the smuggler would have succeeded in his effort to get more than 30 illegal immigrants ashore, and into the general population. If President Biden has shown no interest in strengthening border patrol agencies, then he isn't concerned about ocean or waterway smuggling either.



Through their refusal to enforce immigration laws, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris actively protect illegal immigrants, and encourage criminal human trafficking. A U.S. Attorneys' Annual Statistical Report concluded that illegal immigration leads to myriad other federal felonies, including more trafficking. From the report: "Illegal immigration provides the initial foothold which criminal elements, including organized crime syndicates, use to engage in a myriad of illicit activities ranging from immigration document fraud and migrant smuggling to human trafficking."



Whenever President Biden lectures the nation about its humane immigration policies, or hectors that enforcing immigration laws "isn't who we are," remember Point Loma, the tragic, avoidable loss of life, and the flagrant disregard a U.S. citizen had for following federal laws Congress passed, and a U.S. president signed.



The White House can manage immigration in any of three ways. First, declare the borders open which would immediately put traffickers out of business. Second, shut the borders, clamp down on interior enforcement and pass mandatory E-Verify to remove the jobs magnet. Or Biden can continue along his current path that winks at the border crisis, encourages human trafficking with its inevitable loss of lives, and enables, as the Department of Justice predicted, future immigration-related crimes.



To date, Biden is comfortable with his steadfast refusal to acknowledge the border mess, and content to let his immigration czar Harris shirk her responsibilities as the administration's designee in charge of border control.



If nothing else, Biden is tone deaf. A new Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll found that 80 percent of respondents consider the Southwest border surge "a crisis that needs to be addressed immediately." About 170,000 migrants were apprehended at the U.S. southern border in March, a 15-year high. Moreover, 22,000 unaccompanied migrant children are currently residing in the U.S.



Going into the 2022 mid-term elections, the party in power almost always pays a price. Presidents Clinton, Obama and Trump suffered major congressional losses. None had as glaringly visible failures as Biden's border breakdown. Biden has time to recover, but he'll need to reverse himself quickly, something he's shown no sign of doing.





Joe Guzzardi (jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.) is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. This article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons Inc.


Gerry Broome/AP

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP)  Pastors and denominational leaders rallied in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on Saturday to call for greater transparency in the investigation into the death of a Black man who was fatally shot in his car by sheriffs deputies.

More than 100 people marched to the Pasquotank County Courthouse, where they posted on its doors a series of demands related to the killing of Andrew Brown Jr., the News & Observer reported.
SPRINGDALE, Utah (AP)  The small crowd cheered as local leaders smashed gold-tipped sledgehammers into the old wood door of a home on Zion Park Boulevard Thursday.

A former motel built with wood from Zion National Park will be rebuilt as the Springdale History Center, a museum dedicated to the legacy of the national parks gateway town, the Spectrum newspaper reported.

What weve been trying to do for a number of years is to create a more rich and meaningful experience for the visitors who come here, Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office Director Kevin Lewis said. The people that we really want to come here are the ones who will ... become contributors to the community versus consumers.

Mayor Stan Smith, who has lived in Springdale for over 50 years, Washington County Commissioner Gil Almquist and Zion Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh were also in attendance.

I thought growing up in Springdale was tough but settling Springdale was tougher, Smith said of the homesteaders who founded the town in 1864.

In 2019, Washington County Commission approved nearly $400,000 of tourism tax dollars to renovate the motel into a museum.

It will feature a natural history element and elements from local Native American history through exhibits, presentations and hands-on experiences.

People often just see the beauty and then they wonder well what was the history and unless you have historic buildings or historic museums, that history is lost, Almquist said. I love the fact that it will be displayed here for all to appreciate.

At the renovation kick-off event, Almquist, Smith and Lewis briefly spoke to a small crowd gathered in front of the building, and then ceremonially began construction by breaking down the door. Visitors were then allowed to tour the gutted house.

Lila Moss, 72, lived in the very house that is being renovated for the museum and said she is happy to see the old Canyon Ranch Motel she operated in the 70s be repurposed, partly her idea.

This building was special and represented in many ways the kind of hospitality that built this town, she said.

However, as a long-time Springdale resident and member of the historical society, Moss is concerned about how busy the town has become with high tourism numbers.

In many ways, we are being loved to death, she said. Id really rather it was not so crowded.

Lewis said the property is right in the heart of walkable Springdale, and it will help spread some of the tourists out from Zion.

We are most excited about another reason for (tourists) to be here, he said.

The museum will also provide recreational suggestions for visitors to explore the greater area, a press release said.

This will be a tremendous asset to the community, Bradybaugh said.

Construction is to begin imminently, with a goal to be completed by November.

__

K. Sophie Will is the National Parks Reporter for The Spectrum & Daily News through the Report for America initiative by The GroundTruth Project.
SUMTER, S.C. (AP)  Much has been made about K-12 classroom changes during the pandemic, but what about the changes and new normal for school food-service workers?

Given Friday, May 7, was national School Lunch Hero Day across the U.S., The Sumter Item sat down with some of Sumter School Districts finest cuisine creators to get a feel for the work and capture all the change that has occurred in the last 15 months with food preparation in the COVID-19 era.

According to Stacey Francis, the districts food service director, and others, the biggest change in breakfast and lunch meal prep as a result of the pandemic has been prepackaging all items versus placing food on trays as we all remember in the world before COVID-19. Meals are still cooked from scratch though, she said.

Francis has worked in food services in the district from the ground up over 26 years. She said she began her career in 1995 as a substitute cafeteria worker. Then, Francis was a full-time cashier and later became a school cafeteria manager. Next, she served as one of two district field supervisors, working with numerous schools cafeterias, before assuming the director position about one year ago.

And what a year it has been, she said.

Schools across the state had about 48 hours to completely change operations when Gov. Henry McMaster by executive order closed all schools for students with the initial spread of the coronavirus in mid-March 2020. Still, Francis noted, schools had to feed the students.

Food-service staffs across the district had to shift and adapt quickly to packaging separate meals and to-go boxes for meal distribution to families outside the schools.

There were distribution changes and then more changes, Francis said.

The work was challenging, somewhat exhausting, and required multitasking, but food-service workers still maintained their standard six-hour workday and completed all the work, she said.

They are superheroes with all the adjustments they made, Francis said. I take pride in the fact of what we have accomplished. The team at each school is a wonderful group of people. I appreciate them, and they are truly the superheroes this year with all the changes we have had to implement, last minute many times. But the staffs have always been willing and been dedicated to the children.

OTHER CHANGES AND THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

All meals provided by the district must meet USDA guidelines and state regulations, according to district field supervisor Juanita Green. She has worked for 38 years in food services in Sumters public schools.

That means pizza  a staple with the kids  is made on whole-grain bread with low-fat cheese. French fries  another favorite  are baked, not fried, Francis said.

Green added that taking temperature of foods is a constant. Each day, refrigerators are also monitored for their storage temperatures.

In addition, all food-service workers sanitize when they arrive in the mornings. Given COVID-19, sanitization is also required every hour in the cafeterias. There is also a no-touch policy, she added, as food-service workers always wear gloves.

IN THE TRENCHES

Another big change that everyone realizes and misses is the childrens laughter in school cafeterias because all students are eating meals now at their classroom desks behind a protective shield.

At Pocalla Springs Elementary School, cook Glenda McKnight said that.

For grades K-3, food-service staff deliver prepackaged meals to the schools classrooms. Older students (fourth- and fifth-graders) go to the cafeteria to pick up their to-go boxed meals.

McKnight said the changes mean less interaction, and she misses greeting the kids in the lunch line and giving out hugs.

With the initial spread of the virus last spring, she was concerned and cautious with her job in food services, but with safety precautions in place and everyone doing their part, it helps a lot, she added.

A self-described people person, McKnight has always worked around people and enjoys it. She has been a cook in the district for five years - all at Pocalla Springs.

McKnight doesnt consider herself a hero, she said. She just wants to treat others as she would like to be treated.

Its rewarding to see a smile on a kids face, she said. If I can make at least one person smile, I think I have done good.

Lori Werner is the schools cafeteria manager and has been in the field for 24 years in different states. She knows off the top of her head that Pocalla Springs currently is preparing 4,150 meals per week for in-person students and also for pickup by parents of virtual students.

Given changes because of COVID-19, many workers in food services are walking a lot more, she added.

They deliver breakfast meals to the classrooms, then pickup, and it is the same routine for lunch.

When district elementary schools were open four days per week earlier this spring, Werner used a pedometer to count her steps. In a four-day week, she logged 20-plus miles walking, she said.

She added seeing smiles on the kids faces is one of the best parts of the job.

Another big motivator for Werner and others is that for many students, breakfast and lunch at school might be the only healthy and nutritious meals they get during a day or week.

Everyone works hard each day with the children at heart, she said.

Breakfast and lunch provide fuel needed for our students that helps with the focus and the learning of the day, Werner said. Thats the main reason we are here. If the kids are hungry, they will not do well in school.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  University of Mississippi Medical Center officials say they are seeing an impact from a multimillion dollar grant that aims to get more doctors working in rural areas.

In July, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the UMMC medical school the first $1.9 million of a grant that is worth at least $7.6 million. In addition, the school is eligible for an extra $5 million at the end of the first year.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF) (the Company or Isracann) an Israel-based company focused on becoming a premier low cost, high quality cannabis producer/distributor is pleased to announce it has been granted a Foreign Owners Cannabis License by the Israeli Minister of Health. This important event paves the way to conclude a number of outstanding key partnership and regulatory considerations in preparation for commercial operations.



In a press release issued on March 24, 2020, Isracann announced its entry into a joint venture (JV) agreement as part of a phased partnership of two near-term farm operations located in Ein Hahoresh, Israel. The agreement included an equitable sharing arrangement of both operating costs and revenue through participatory agreements comprising construction services, growing services, land lease agreements, IMCA licenses, and a number of sub agreements establishing and defining the various rights of all parties. Todays announcement represents the removal of regulatory ownership barriers in order to fully execute the terms of the JV plan.

The highly sought-after foreign owners license significantly legitimizes the Companys presence in Israel. There are only a small number of foreign owned sector participants who have obtained similar licencing, and Isracann is now favourably positioned to leverage certain advantages. Ownership licensing allows for greater access to domestic partnerships, increased participation in state-sponsored initiatives, and enhances access to financing. It also simplifies the Companys ability to undertake domestic acquisitions, including the conclusion of its planned purchase of a third-party participant in the JV which would result in Isracann increasing its ownership position to 50%.

In related news, the Company has concluded all requisite construction and infrastructural installations in preparation for the commencement of planting and subsequent production at its Hefer Valley-based Ein Hahoresh Farm. Largely due to COVID-19 related delays, Isracann has a final regulatory hurdle to conclude which appears to be moving closer to conclusion. Based on discussions with our regional consultants, we are waiting for an inspection by law enforcement officials and concurrent Ministry of Health approvals. It is our understanding that scheduling for the inspection is imminent. Upon receipt, Isracann will have full approval to begin planting.

Regarding the recently announced medical cannabis import partnership LOI, Isracann is working diligently with the Israeli partner to conclude the agreement for the importation of Canadian products on an expedited basis. Additionally, Isracann is finalizing an agreement with its Canadian partners to secure high-grade genetic material for introduction into its Israeli-based genomics program. While regional strains have certain inherently excellent traits, Isracann aims to broaden product diversity, and through expert agronomy to achieve a selection of world-class offerings.

Isracann CEO, Darryl Jones states, We continue to push ahead on multiple fronts. From product importation to new genetics programs on the one hand, today we also celebrate our official approval as foreign owners in this exciting sector. Now we can truly dig in to finalize matters and accelerate our efforts to fully enter the commercial marketplace. Weve been in communication with all the relevant parties and now with the licensing in-place, a number of initiatives will be triggered almost immediately and should result in an accelerated pace towards revenue generation. We have to admit that we always thought the pandemic would create a delay, and it could have been worse. In the meantime, we have by no means been standing still and have used the opportunity to invest in added value and develop our relations throughout the region. Once again we thank our Israeli team of consultants and stakeholders who have proven to be invaluable at representing our interests so effectively and who share our vision for success.

Further to the Companys news release on January 11, 2021, the Company has issued 6,123,563 warrants pursuant to its incentive program. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one additional common share of the Company at $0.50 per share for 24 months from the date of issuance.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Darryl Jones

Darryl Jones

Chief Executive Officer and President

About Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF)

Isracann is an Israeli-based cannabis company focused on becoming a premier cannabis producer/distributor offering low-cost production targeting undersupplied, major European marketplaces. Based in Israel's agricultural sector, Isracann will leverage its development within the most experienced country in the world with respect to cannabis research. The Company has secured agreements within Israel for medicinal marijuana cultivation. For more information visit: www.isracann.com.

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. The use of any of the words anticipate, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, would, project, should, believe and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply and demand trends in the cannabis industry, 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 Companys expectations are disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the Canadian Securities Exchange, the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the Alberta Securities Commission.

Contact

Empire Communications Group

Phone: +1 (604) 343-2724

Email: inquiries@isracann.com

Web: www.isracann.com
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Montana nonprofit to build slaughterhouse for food bank beef

A nonprofit in Montana plans to open a slaughterhouse that will kill and process cattle donated for food banks
BELFAST, Maine (AP)  Some of the buildings on the campus created by credit card giant MBNA may soon be housing schoolchildren.

Regional School Unit 71 directors are looking into purchasing three now-vacant buildings for $7 million to $8 million to serve all the districts kindergarten through second-grade students.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that the countrys borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of Covid-19 strains.

Australia's borders were slammed shut in March last year as the coronavirus spread across the world. Only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter the country under some strict Covid-19 border rules.

On April 27, Australia suspended all direct passenger flights from India with immediate effect until May 15 due to the "very significant" spike in Covid-19 cases there.

Read more: Sydney extends Covid-19 restrictions in hunt for outbreak source

According to media reports here, Morrison said he "doesnt see an appetite" for Australia opening to the world at the moment, and that he intended to be cautious

He further said that it was still unclear if it was safe to reopen even after the vaccination rollout completion and that he has no plans to abandon a "zero cases" target.

Morrison said that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world so as to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of Covid-19 strains.

I think what we're seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic is not going anywhere," Morrison said.

All I know is once you let (Covid-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. Youve crossed that threshold. We continue to roll out the vaccination programme, over the course of this year, and in the meantime, I intend to be cautious, its in my nature, he added.

"We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has," he said.

In a later Facebook post, he warned borders would only be opened "when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead."

I think Australians want to ensure that the way were living at the moment is maintained, he said.

It follows Finance Minister Simon Birminghams comments on Thursday that international borders opening was unlikely to happen soon because there has been a clear message Australians do not want to risk Covid entering this country.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Australia are 29,906 and the death toll stands at 910.

A total of 2.5 million Australians have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to Federal Government figures.But the government has received criticism for its slow roll-out, falling well below its target of having four million adults given the jab by the end of March, according to a media report.

On May 7, Morrison said that Australia will charter three repatriation flights from India between May 15 and May 31. The first flight into Darwin will touch down on May 15. Direct commercial flights from India are still banned.

Morrison said flights being organised to repatriate stranded Australians will be "focused on bringing those Australian citizens, residents and families who have been registered with our high commission and consular offices within India."

Official figures say there are currently 9,000 Australians in India who want to return home.
KATY, Texas (AP)  A Texas man is facing a murder charge after authorities allege he killed his mother when he drove into a group of people who had been fighting in the parking lot of a suburban Houston restaurant, according to authorities.

Homer Lopez, 20, was being held on bonds totaling $90,000 after making his initial court appearance on Saturday.
Dominican Republic Coronavirus Update - Coronavirus cases climb to 270,600, Total Deaths reaches to 3,523 on 09-May-2021

In Dominican Republic total confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) have increased to 270,600, while 3,523 people died due to the growing infection in the country.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) update from around the world:

Delhi, 09-May-2021: Daily positivity rate stands at 21.64 per cent in India

According to the Health ministry, daily positivity rate stands at 21.64 per cent in India. There is a net increase of 13,202 cases in total active caseload in India.

Delhi, 09-May-2021: In Delhi 13,336 new Covid-19 cases and 273 deaths are reported in past 24 hours

In Delhi Coronavirus cases are going down and in past 24 hours 13,336 new Covid-19 cases are reported, while 273 deaths and 14,738 recoveries are recorded in the last 24 hours



Total cases: 13,23,567

Death toll: 19,344

Total recoveries: 12,17,991

Active cases: 86,232



The total active cases remains 86,232 in Delhi.

Gujarat, 09-May-2021: Congress leader Hardik Patel's fatherwas suffering from Covid-19 and died due to Covid-19 infection.

Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel's father was suffering from Covid-19. He was admitted a hospital in Ahmedabad where he was undergoing treatment for Covid-19. Due to Cvoid-19 infection Congress leader Hardik Patel's father died.

New Delhi, 09-May-2021: Corona curfew in Jammu and Kashmir extended till May 17

Due to rise in the Coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir, Government extended the Corona curfew in the state till Many 17. Jammu and Kashmir on Friday reported 5,443 new coronavirus cases raising the total cases to 206,954, while 50 deaths reported raising the total deaths to 2,612. This is the big jump in the new cases in positive cases Jammu and Kashmir.

France: France is reporting higher number of deaths but but slightly fewer people with severe conditions were admitted into ICU in past fourth day. France reported 315 deaths last day as compared to 345 deaths the day earlier. In France 133,670 confirmed cases and 14,412 deaths reported so far.

Here are the latest cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in Dominican Republic:

Sr. No. Date Total Cases New Cases Total Deaths Deaths 1. 04-May-2021 268,070 389 3,504 5 2. 05-May-2021 268,561 491 3,509 5 3. 06-May-2021 269,184 623 3,514 5 4. 07-May-2021 269,958 774 3,517 3 5. 08-May-2021 270,600 642 3,523 6 6. 09-May-2021 270,600 0 3,523 0

TOP 10 Deaths by country due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:



1. Europe (1,034,889)

2. North America (871,328)

3. South America (702,324)

4. USA (595,619)

5. Asia (568,163)

6. Brazil (421,484)

7. India (245,256)

8. Mexico (218,928)

9. UK (127,605)

10. Africa (124,538)

Total Deaths Worldwide (3,302,466)

Globally till now over 3,302,466 people died due to the outbreak of deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19). The new infection and death cases are increasing fast. Authorities in the Dominican Republic and other countries are taking proper measures to contain the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As of now Europe is the worst affected country in the world with over 1,034,889 deaths and 45,482,115 confirmed cases.

Check latest update: Coronaviurs Covid-19 cases around the world
POTTSVILLE  Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael A. OPake and the Schuylkill County detectives are asking the publics help in finding a man who failed to show up at a required court appearance last year.

Detectives said Justin D. Blume failed to appear at the office of Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, on Oct. 6 for a preliminary hearing.

The original charges against Blume are felony materially false written statements for the purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm and misdemeanor statements under penalty.

Blume, 48, is described as being white, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds. He has a last known address of Box 242, Barnesville, detectives said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Blume or any other fugitive in Schuylkill County is asked to call the district attorneys office at 570-628-1350 or Schuylkill County Tip Line at 570-624-3988. Information can also be submitted by email to dadd@co.schuylkill.pa.us.
PETERSBURG, Va. (AP)  Its so nice to hear childrens voices in here again, said Richard Stewart, immersed in a field trip of about 20 kids standing in his home on Pocahontas Island.

Stewarts house doubles as a Black History Museum that chronicles the islands history as the oldest Black community in the United States. It was the home of free Blacks as early as the 1800s, achieving prosperity and esteem. About 700 historical pieces are packed within the houses walls.

Children filed through hallways piled to the ceiling in artifacts and old news clippings showing the islands past  old steel shackles, a replica slave ship and information on historical figures like Gabriel Prosser, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and John Rolfe.

Stewart has been used to seeing visitors come to his museum from across the country. Monday was the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that was able to entertain more than one person at a time in over a year and a half.

The field trippers from Cultural Roots Cooperative are visiting Stewart for the third time since 2018. This time they have a special gift  a check for $3,500, the largest donation Stewart says anyone has ever given for the Black History Museum.

Middle school-aged students led the fundraising efforts by creating a documentary with the help of an instructor from Virginia Commonwealth University. The two-minute film features Stewart talking about the importance of his museum. He says that it is an important physical connection to Black history.

A Richmond-based home-schooling co-op, Cultural Roots has an emphasis on teaching its students about their heritage. Though students come from several cultural backgrounds, many of them are students of color.

Having them hear personal stories from people like Mr. Stewart who collect stories is really important to us, said Alycia Wright, founder and director for Cultural Roots. Its great just having them put their feet on the ground and know that black people were resilient and determined.

Wright said Black history in the region is too often mistreated. The Richmond Slave Trail is located next to a sewage treatment plant and the citys African Burial Ground is somewhat unknown, despite having a central location.

We just think (Stewart) is amazing and are glad this land is being preserved, Wright said.

The donation itself is also seen as a way to help Stewart continue telling the story of Pocahontas. Though many of the modern residents can trace their lineage back to the years before the Civil War, their numbers are dwindling. Many homeowners are in their 60s and 70s. Few school age children still live on the island  maybe two or three.

Kennedy Wright, grade six, says the museums iron slave shackles were her most prominent memory from visiting the island. Wright and six other students worked on the fundraising video.

Id never seen slave shackles before and I thought it was really cool, she said. If this museum goes away, Im not sure well get to see those kinds of artifacts.

Jamellah Tucker, grade seven, says her most prominent memory is the replica slave ship. An upstairs exhibit focused on Civil Rights has an authentic KKK robe. Seventh Grader Jordan Wright says she most remembers that.

Every time the Co-op visits Stewart, he takes them for a walk around the island. In a previous visit, they took a photo by the Islands shore with the Appomattox River. Stewart said it makes him think about the future of Pocahontas

Amid a growing downtown area, Pocahontas is in the crosshairs of future development, should it ever escape the confines of Old Towne Petersburg. Stewart often talks about his fear that gentrification will one day overgrow the banks of the now elderly, historical community.

Gentrification is on its way, Stewart told the students. Yall are doing something to help preserve it.
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SANTA FE, N.M.  New Mexico officials have released the names of dozens of people who are vying to be appointed to the states new Cannabis Regulatory Advisory Committee.

The list of 161 people was posted online Friday, with state officials saying theyre committed to ensuring a transparent process as the state prepares for recreational marijuana sales.

Under state law, the advisory committee must be established no later than Sept. 1. The panel will be charged with advising the Cannabis Control Division on the development of rules covering best practices, public health and safety, and the promotion of economic and cultural diversity when it comes to licensing and employment opportunities.

The committee will include the states chief public defender and one representative each from the New Mexico Administrative Office of the District Attorneys, the New Mexico Sheriffs Association, and the New Mexico Association of Chiefs of Police. The head of the state Regulation and Licensing Department also will appoint several members who are associated with specific groups or have certain professional qualifications.

Retail sales of adult-use cannabis in New Mexico are to begin no later than April 1, 2022.

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BOSTON (AP)  The recent court ruling striking down a national eviction moratorium has heightened concerns that tenants won't receive tens of billions of dollars in promised federal aid in time to avoid getting kicked out of their homes.

A federal judge on Wednesday found the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when it imposed the moratorium last year. Housing advocates believe the ban saved lives and not only should continue, but be extended past its initial June 30 deadline.

For now, the moratorium remains: A judge stayed the court's order following an appeal from the Justice Department.

Without the moratorium, advocates say, the only thing standing between many tenants and eviction is the nearly $50 billion allocated by Congress for rental assistance. Advocates say very few tenants have received any of the money  which is up to individual states to distribute  and they fear it won't get to the neediest people in time if the moratorium is scrapped.

Unfortunately, rental assistance funds are not reaching struggling families nearly as quickly as is needed, said Oren Sellstrom, litigation director for the Lawyers for Civil Rights in Boston. Here in Massachusetts, tenants report that submitting a rental assistance application is like sending it into a black hole.

The government didn't do much better last year, when several states failed to spend the federal coronavirus relief monies they had set aside for rental assistance, the advocates said. Among them were New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kansas.

Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said some of the same problems are being seen now, namely landlords refusing to participate, programs refusing to give money directly to tenants and cumbersome application processes.

The CDC moratorium is essential to our efforts to prevent people from getting evicted before they can get rental assistance, said Caitlin Cedfeldt, a staff attorney at Legal Aid of Nebraska.

Landlords, many of whom have challenged the moratorium, say the court's decision increases pressure on the federal and state governments to speed up rental assistance distribution.

Instead of propping up legally-questionable policies, government at every level needs to cut the red tape and focus on distributing the $46 billion in rental assistance efficiently, Bob Pinnegar, president & CEO of the National Apartment Association, said in an email interview. Getting rental assistance funds into the hands of those renters and rental housing providers who need it most is the only way to prevent irrevocable harm to our nations housing supply.

President Joe Biden's administration on Friday announced changes aimed at doing just that. Government agencies implementing the rental relief program will be required to offer assistance directly to renters if landlords choose not to participate, said Gene Sperling. Sperling is the White House coordinator of Biden's American Rescue Plan, a sweeping, $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package Congress passed to help the country defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. Also, the waiting time for delivering the assistance to renters is cut in half if landlords aren't involved, Sperling said.

We need to make sure that as we implement these emergency funds that we are nimble enough to address growing needs, he said.

The eviction ban was put in place last year to prevent families from losing their homes and moving into shelters or sharing crowded conditions with relatives or friends, conditions health officials said could exacerbate the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

Proponents of the moratorium argue it is necessary since the pandemic is still a threat and so many people are at risk of eviction or foreclosure. Nearly 4 million people in the U.S. said they faced eviction or foreclosure in the next two months, according to the Census Bureaus biweekly Household Pulse Survey.

In the short term, Congress and the Biden administration have the power to strengthen the moratorium across the country and halt all evictions for the remainder of the pandemic, Dawn Phillips, executive director of Right To The City Alliance, a national coalition of 90 housing-justice organizations, said in an email interview.

A handful of states are picking up the slack themselves. The state of Connecticut and the city of Philadelphia both have their own eviction moratoriums in place.

While were ahead of the curve in working to get our rental relief money out compared to our peers, we still have a long way to go, said Democratic Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who indicated that his state's moratorium would probably remain in place for another month. " ... Were trying to work with tenants and landlords to put together something that allows people to stay in their homes a lot longer.

In Philadelphia, lawmakers credit a local moratorium with helping to reduce evictions from about 20,000 a year to only 5,000 last year. On top of that, a program started in September requires landlords to apply for rental assistance prior to going to court to evict tenants. The so-called diversion program has been credited with preventing thousands of evictions.

We had to create alternatives to eviction, said Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym, who helped put the program in place.

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Associated Press writer Susan Haigh in Norwich, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
CAVE CITY, Ky. (AP)  What some might see as a curiosity, Greg Davis of the Cave City Tourist and Convention Commission sees as a valuable contributor to his citys economy.

So much so that Davis has gladly endorsed an investment in the Cave City property being branded as Historic Wigwam Village No. 2 that will help its new owners restore the historic inn and its 15 teepee-like motel rooms to a modern-day version of their glory days.

Its such an icon for this area, said Davis, executive director of the tourist and convention commission. One of the top questions we get when we go to conferences is if the wigwams are still there.

It has been in need of repair. Now the new owners are going to bring it back to its heyday. Were very pleased to see it come back.

That comeback begins in earnest Saturday, when new owners Keith Stone and Megan Smith officially unveil the neon Sleep in a Wigwam sign that was refurbished at Louisvilles Rueff Sign Co. with the help of the tourist and convention commission.

Davis said the commission awarded a $2,500 grant to help Stone and Smith pay for repairs to the neon sign that will be turned on about 7 p.m. Saturday as part of an open house event scheduled to last from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Bob Rueff with Rueff Signs had the skills to do the neon, said Stone, who plans to have a wigwam cake and sleep-in-a-wigwam cookies at Saturdays event.

It will be a grand opening of sorts for Wigwam Village, which actually reopened under its new owners in March.

Stone and Smith bought the 4.5-acre property from Bowling Greens Afzal and Masuda Rahim, who had owned the quirky tourist attraction since 2005.

The sale was handled by Glasgow Realtor Kerry Mears, who listed the property last year for $395,000 and thought she had it sold to a buyer from Lexington in September.

Although that deal fell through, Mears said there was plenty of interest in the property that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mears said potential buyers from several states expressed interest in the property that has been located on North Dixie Highway (U.S. 31-W) since it was built by Wigwam Village founder Frank Redford in 1937.

The Cave City attraction was actually Wigwam Village No. 2, coming a couple of years after Redford built the first Wigwam Village in Horse Cave.

Redford added more Wigwam Villages, building five more for a total of seven by 1949. Today, the Cave City site joins locations along Route 66 in Arizona and California as the only Wigwam Villages still in operation.

That uniqueness appealed to Stone, who said he and Smith are working to restore it to its 1937 splendor.

That work has already started, not only with the neon sign but with the rooms themselves. Stone said eight of the 15 steel-frame-and-concrete teepees have been refurbished and are open. The remaining rooms will be open within a month, he said.

The restoration has been a labor of love for Stone, who has a background in architecture, and for Smith, who has an interest in historic preservation.

Were working on finding historic photos of the property, Stone said. We want to update it with modern touches but also keep the original feel.

The 21st century touches include flat-screen televisions, USB charging ports and wireless internet service; but Stone doesnt want the property to lose its mid-20th century charm.

One thing Stone wants to keep are the two large fire pits in the center of the property that he has been updating.

I fell in love with that (fire pits), he said. People would come out in the center of the property and talk to each other. People just wanted to be here.

Another historic aspect of the property that Stone wants to bring back is the restaurant that was once housed in the main building (or Bigwam) now used strictly as an office and gift shop.

Our goal is to restore it and find someone to lease it as a coffee shop, he said.

There will be no coffee shop available at Saturdays open house, but Stone said visitors curious about the rooms will be able to peek inside a couple of them.

More information about Cave Citys Wigwam Village and its history can be found at the historicwigwamvillage.com website.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

After numerous reports of residents hearing gunshots at all hours of the day, having bullet holes in their cars and home, and life-or-death safety concerns, the Santa Fe County Commission is looking at options to solve the recreational shooting problems near the Las Campanas community.

Despite the commissions willingness to help residents, the problem lies mostly outside its jurisdiction. The majority of the recreational shooting near community residents is on federal land run by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which allows shooting there.

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Over the years, I have experienced bullets flying over my head, resident Tammy Maynard said. I have been followed home and threatened by armed individuals who are scared of the area being shut down to shooting.

Her husband is an 18-year-veteran of the U.S. Army, she said, and just got back from his fourth deployment. The constant gunfire causes him extreme anxiety and trauma after his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She said her home has bullet holes in it and her 2-year-old cant really play outside due to the danger. Her son learned to run into the house whenever he hears gunfire.

Our lives are in constant danger every single day because of the shooting, she said.

Santa Fe County Commissioner Anna Hansen, who represents District 2, said theres no shooting range in Santa Fe County and recreational shooting has increased in these areas over the past five years.

She said the shooting is occurring way too close to peoples homes, and she saw firsthand dead cows near Alamo Creek due to recreational shooting.

So no one is trying to take away anybodys right. What were trying to do is provide a safe place for people to go shoot, she said. We need to provide a responsible place where gun owners can shoot.

Considering options

Juan Rios, Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office media coordinator, said deputies do respond to calls regarding shooting on BLM land and in the Las Campanas areas. He said there isnt much deputies can do because the shooting occurs on federal land.

He added that deputies conduct close patrols in those areas, make reports and investigate when necessary. Deputies do try to dissuade people from discharging firearms in these areas, but dont have the authority to enforce a ban.

Pamela Mathis, Taos Field Office manager for the BLM, said the recreational shooting is an allowed use on this federal land. Mathis said the BLM has been working for the past few years on ways to improve public safety surrounding the recreational shooting in the area.

The BLM recognizes that recreational shooting is occurring close to residential areas. To address the matter, it formed a focus group, which proposed developing shooting ranges near the areas where the unsafe shooting was taking place.

Let me be clear, theres no ideal location on public lands for developing shooting ranges  were having to consider the trade-offs, Brad Hidgon, BLM project manager, said. Any development of shooting ranges would involve, you know, environmental consequences.

Higdon proposed three locations for a developed target shooting range in the same area. One is near Alamo Creek close to Buckman, another is near Camel Tracks and the other is close to the San Pedro Mountains. These are also areas where recreational shooting is already concentrated.

Mathis said New Mexico Game and Fish would have to apply for a grant to fund one of these shooting ranges. Right now, the best option appears to be the Camel Track location.

What the BLM doesnt have at this time is a private entity willing to operate a shooting range, she said.

The BLM will soon begin an environmental assessment to analyze locations for a shooting range and remediation for current shooting locations. Part of this process will include seeking input from people, tribes, shooting organizations and others.

Safe shooting

Thomas Turner, president of the Los Alamos Sportsmens Club, said shooting ranges offer more structured shooting than the kind taking place on BLM land. He said if people choose to shoot on BLM land, the shooter is responsible for the bullet.

If Im taking a shot on open land, I would want to know where the bullet was because youre responsible for the bullet after it leaves the gun, and bullets can have a range of a mile easily, he said.

At a shooting range, there are berms set up to stop the bullet after it leaves the gun, Turner said, and the range also makes sure people are shooting in a safe direction.

That being said, Turner added that shooting on BLM land can be a safe experience as long as the shooter is shooting in a safe direction and has a backstop to stop the bullet. This can mean shooting into a canyon wall, or other methods, he said.

Its also important to be aware of the distance a bullet can travel because this changes depending on the type of gun and the caliber of bullet, he said. Its also important for shooters to pick up after themselves because shooting areas can turn into trashy places, he said, adding that no one should be shooting at glass targets.

Ive gone shooting down by the volcanoes in Albuquerque  you see shot-up cars in the arroyos, or old washing machines people have left out there, he said. It can be kind of a trashy environment, but you can go out there, you can shoot, and if you pick up after yourself  Im good with it.

But not everyone picks up after themselves. The area of concern near Las Campanas is littered with spent shell casings, rifle cartridges, shot-up cans, bullet-ridden wood and metal targets, and other debris.

The BLM prohibits recreational shooting across or from roadways and in developed recreation sites, according to its website. The agency also instructs shooters to check with local states on regulations regarding exploding targets.

Jillian Aragon, public affairs specialist for the BLM, said via email that BLM New Mexico has supplementary rules that state shooters have to be at least 150 yards from a private residence or structure. They also have to have a suitable backdrop to prevent stray bullets.

Target shooters who are not using safe shooting practices a suitable backdrop, etc.) can be contacted by a Law Enforcement Ranger and educated, she wrote. In cases where shooting practices are intentionally hazardous, or downright egregious, the Ranger can issue a citation for creating a hazard. 

Shooters are also required to clean up after themselves and may not dump any materials on public lands, Aragon said.

Public concern

However, local residents said these prohibitions do little to protect their safety.

Charles Harris, a longtime resident of Santa Fe County, said people who shoot at night on BLM land are likely the type of people who would never use a managed shooting range. These are the same people who kill cows, leave trash and shoot across fences into private property, he said, adding that all of these things have happened in his neighborhood.

There are obviously issues that havent been addressed yet, but this is an earnest, welcome start, he said. Probably the most serious admission is the lack of planning to deal with those currently abusing the public trust.

Ralf Fahrenbach, who bought his land in Tierra Nueva with his wife eight years ago, faced similar issues.

He used to be able to hike, ride his bike and walk his dogs on his property and on BLM land near his house. But he says he cant do that any longer. Recreational shooters have begun to shoot beer bottles, dump trash and shoot in the direction of his property.

My house has been hit. My car has been hit. Ive seen dead dogs in the morning from the nights of shooting before, he said. When Im in my kitchen or in my dining room, I can see the muzzle flashes that instigates an instinct to drop to the ground, to take cover, and all of that has led to the fact that my wife and I dont live there any more. Its too dangerous.

The couple moved and now live on the East Coast, he said.

Chip Munday, general manager of Las Campanas Homeowners Association, said another area not mentioned by the BLM is the Camino Real trailhead.

He said recreational shooters are very active in that area, causing safety concerns for hikers, as well as environmental concerns.

Were very concerned about the environmental impacts; you cant go out there without seeing shell casings, furniture, appliances and all kinds of debris, He said. But also the people using the Camino Real trail, and you cant go outside on any day of the year and not hear gunfire.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Leading Bahraini businessman Abdulrahman Juma has been elected the new chairman of the Bahrain India Society (BIS).

Other office bearers elected to the board of directors of BIS for 2021 - 2023 are :

P S Balasubramanyam- Vice Chairman, Zahra Taher - Secretary-General, and Vijay Boloor- Treasurer.

Also on the board are Ahmed Jawahery, Soman Baby, Talal Al Mannai, Mohammed Khaja, Harish Gopinath, Kishore Kewalram and Vinod Das.

The board also elected the following to chair the respective committees: Harish Gopinath ( fundraising), Soman Baby (public relations) and Kishore Kewalram (membership).

The founding chairman of BIS Abdulnabi Al Sho'ala initially chaired the meeting and offered all the best for the new committee in their activities.

Mr Juma thanked everyone for the confidence placed on him and sought their co-operation for the success of BIS over the coming two years.

Indian Ambassador is the patron of the society.

BIS was founded in 2008 by a group of leading Bahraini and Indian businessmen with a view to contributing to the development and strengthening of the centuries-old friendly relationship between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of India in a non-discriminatory, non-political and non-profit making manner.

The society seeks to take advantage of the development in civil society to actively work to strengthen ties between the two countries not only business links but in politics, social affairs, science and culture.




North Korean defector Eom Yeong-nam discussed some of the main points of a speech that he will present in full context on

hosted by Freedom Speakers International with support from UniKorea.  Ed.





By Eom Yeong-nam





I spent a decade in the North Korean army before being released in 2010. Shortly after that, I escaped from North Korea to South Korea, lived in Canada for two years, and earned a master's degree in public administration from Korea University.





I struggled to find freedom after I escaped from North Korea.







I didn't exactly know what freedom meant to me at that time.







Nowadays, I can say that freedom can be used to overcome suffering.







There are two different kinds of suffering. One, North Korean style of suffering. I had no idea how to overcome it.







For example, I was physically and verbally attacked when I was in North Korea, and I also suffered from hunger.







I couldn't solve this problem when I was in North Korea.







Moreover, it was getting worse and worse. There were no human rights and no freedom.







There isn't only suffering in North Korea. There is a second and completely different kind of suffering outside of North Korea.







I felt like an alien when I arrived in South Korea for the first time.







Because of the cultural differences, language barrier, political and social discrimination, and homesickness.







Even though, I graduated from college in North Korea, I had no hope about getting a quality job there.







What freedom means to me is suffering, but freedom also presents the opportunity to overcome suffering.







People can try to reduce the education gap between North and South Korea by learning English or studying in graduate school. It is still possible to achieve when there is freedom.







That suffering happened to me because I'm from North Korea.







However, I have overcome those challenges and I am enjoying freedom because I have a special strength that I gained when I was in North Korea.

















Eom's unscripted remarks were edited by Casey Lartigue, editor of

.


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The U.S. Navy announced Sunday it seized an arms shipment of thousands of assault weapons, machines guns and sniper rifles hidden aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea, apparently bound for Yemen to support the country's Houthi rebels.

An American defense official told The Associated Press that the Navy's initial investigation found the vessel came from Iran, again tying the Islamic Republic to arming the Houthis despite a United Nations arms embargo. Iran's mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Tehran has denied in the past giving the rebels weapons.

The seizure, one of several amid the yearslong war in Yemen, comes as the U.S. and others try to end a conflict that spawned one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. The arms shipment, described as sizeable, shows that the war may still have far to run.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey discovered the weapons aboard what the Navy described as a stateless dhow, a traditional Mideast sailing ship, in an operation that began Thursday in the northern reaches of the Arabian Sea off Oman and Pakistan. Sailors boarded the vessel and found the weapons, most wrapped in green plastic, below deck.

When laid out on the deck of the Monterey, the scale of the find came into focus. Sailors found nearly 3,000 Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, a variant of the Kalashnikov. They recovered hundreds of other heavy machine guns and sniper rifles, as well as dozens of advanced, Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles. The shipments also included several hundred rocket-propelled grenade launchers and optical sights for weapons.

The Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet did not identify where the weapons originated, nor where they were going. However, an American defense official said the weapons resembled those of other shipments interdicted bounded for the Houthis.

Based on interviews with the crew and material investigated on board, the sailors determined the vessel came from Iran, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

After all illicit cargo was removed, the dhow was assessed for seaworthiness, and after questioning, its crew was provided food and water before being released, the 5th Fleet said in a statement.

The seizure marks just the latest in the Arabian Sea or Gulf of Aden involving weapons likely bound to Yemen. The seizures began in 2016 and have continued intermittently throughout the war, which has seen the Houthis fire ballistic missiles and use drones later linked to Iran. Yemen is awash with small arms that have been smuggled into poorly controlled ports over years of conflict.

This recent seizure appeared to be among the biggest. Tim Michetti, an investigative researcher who studies the illicit weapon trade, also said the shipment bore similarities to the others.

The unique blend of materiel recovered by the USS Monterey appears to be consistent with the materiel from previous interdictions, which have been linked to Iran, he said.

Yemens war began in September 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015. Iran backed the Houthis, who harass Saudi Arabia with missile fire and drone attacks.

The war has killed some 130,000 people, including over 13,000 civilians slain in targeted attacks, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Project.

The war has seen atrocities from all sides. Saudi airstrikes using American-made bombs killed school children and civilians. The UAE paid off local al-Qaida fighters to avoid fighting and controlled prisons where torture and sexual abuse was rampant. The Houthis employ child soldiers and indiscriminately lay landmines.

Since 2015, the U.N. Security Council has imposed an arms embargo on the Houthis. Despite that, U.N. experts warn an increasing body of evidence suggests that individuals or entities in the Islamic Republic of Iran supply significant volumes of weapons and components to the Houthis.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
Trinidad and Tobago can see a reduction in the number of people dying from Covid-19 on a daily basis if the drugAzithromycinis immediately stopped, says Dr Ravi Ramjanak.

Ramjanak is a consultant in obstetrics gynaecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery.

It is my view based on the pharmacodynamics of Azithromycin that the death rate will fall if we stop using this drug in Covid-positive cases. Azithromycin has no effect on viruses, yeasts and fungi, said Ramjanak in an interview with the Sunday Express last week.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indiana labor union leaders are calling for improved workplace safety enforcement with the states rate of deaths while working about one-third higher than the national average.

Federal data shows Indiana had 146 worker deaths during 2019, the most recent year available. A report from the AFL-CIO says that represents 4.7 deaths per 100,000 workers compared to the national rate of 3.5 deaths per 100,000.
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MESQUITE  A Mesquite man has been arrested and charged with causing the death of his girlfriends 5-month-old daughter last month while the infants mother was at work.

Israel Ramirez, 23, is facing one count of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 12 and one count of intentional child abuse resulting in great bodily harm of a child under 12. Both are first-degree felonies.

The childs mother, Danielle Lujan, 23, has been charged with child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, also a first-degree felony.

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, deputies from the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office responded to a 911 call regarding a 5-month-old infant who was unresponsive, according to court records.

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After learning the 911 call had been placed from a neighbors house, the deputies went to a neighboring residence in the 300 block of Las Parcelas Loop and found the Dona Ana County Fire Department already on scene and administering CPR to the child.

Court documents say Ramirez told the first responders that he had been watching the baby, Kamilah Hernandez, for a few hours while Lujan was at work.

The infant  described as purple, unresponsive and not breathing  was taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center, where she underwent an initial assessment. There, deputies were advised that the child had regained a pulse but was in critical condition, records say.

At MMC, doctors said the infant had several bruises  including on her cheek, her left thigh and her back  as well as swelling on her left leg. X-rays showed multiple fractured ribs, some of which doctors said were consistent with the administration of CPR, but others that appeared older and had begun to heal. A CT scan revealed a brain injury, as well.

Kamilah would have to be transported to University Medical Center in El Paso, doctors said.

911 call, neighbor

Saturday, April 17, began like any other morning, Ramirez and Lujan told police. Lujan woke up and took a shower while the baby was still asleep. Afterward, she changed Kamilahs diaper and clothes, and then crawled back into bed for a little bit with Ramirez. She put Kamilah in between them, she told police. The baby was happy  smiling and doing baby talk, according to court records.

Ramirez watched the baby and his two children from a previous relationship while Lujan drove to a bank in Las Cruces. After she returned, he made lunch for the family before Lujan had to leave to work at her new job for a few hours.

Then she left for work. Before leaving, she gave Kamilah a bottle and put her in her crib, Lujan reportedly told detectives. Ramirez was watching a movie.

About 30 minutes later, Ramirez told detectives, he got up to check on Kamilah, who was sleeping in the couples bedroom. The infant had recently developed a habit of pulling the blankets over her head, he reportedly told deputies. He said he found the child was purple in color and nonresponsive.

Ramirez, who allegedly told deputies he had previously been trained in CPR, said he picked Kamilah up and shook her, court records say. He said he then spanked her on the bottom. Unable to revive her, he said, he tried to call 911.

Ramirez told detectives that, because his phone is broken and he can only call his three most recent contacts, he was unable to complete the call. Instead, he called Lujan, instructed her to call 911, and ran with the baby to a neighbors house.

The neighbor told police that he began doing CPR, which he, too, had been trained in, and that Kamilah began showing signs of life. Then, he reportedly told deputies, Ramirez took over again; the neighbor said Ramirez was being too rough with the child, and commented he was beating her up, according to records.

Lujan left work but reportedly crashed into a pole on her way home and had was taken to Mountain View Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Long-term child abuse

After Kamilah arrived at UMC in El Paso, she was treated by a doctor who specializes in child abuse cases, court records say. The doctor was unable to do a full assessment, due to Kamilahs condition, but reportedly told deputies that the injuries were consistent with long-term child abuse.

Court records indicate X-rays revealed fractures to Kamilahs left and right arms, her left leg and her ribs. She also suffered fractures and deformities to her spine. A second CT scan reportedly revealed brain bleeding, which the doctor described as consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Its unclear from court records exactly when Kamilah died. But on April 20, deputies spoke to a forensic pathologist from the Office of the Medical Examiner, who reportedly said the infant suffered from a brain hemorrhage caused by trauma and not something medically related, according to court filings.

Ramirez and Lujan were arrested Thursday and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center, where they are initially being held without bail.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Dubai's long-haul carrier Emirates will begin shipping aid from the World Health Organization and other groups into India for free to help fight a crushing outbreak of the coronavirus, the airline said Sunday.

The offer by Emirates, which has some 95 flights weekly to nine cities in India, initially involves aid already in Dubai but may expand across the carrier's network as time goes on. That could mean major savings for aid groups as airfreight costs have skyrocketed amid the pandemic. Demand for flown cargo stands at record levels worldwide.

Emirates made the announcement at Dubai's International Humanitarian City, already home to a WHO warehouse that's been crucial to the distribution of medical gear worldwide. A WHO worker on a forklift moved boxes of tents made in Pakistan and rolls of net shades from South Korea preparing for the initial flight planned for Thursday. That will be used to construct field hospitals for India's overwhelmed health care system.

Nabil Sultan, the divisional senior vice president for Emirates SkyCargo, said the initial priority would be shipping aid out of Dubai, rather than elsewhere from its network. While airfreight costs stand at record prices, Sultan said offering free shipping for aid to India now was important for an airline that has flown to the South Asian country since the carrier's founding in 1985.

Our relationship with India in particular goes a long way and at times like this, I think its absolutely essential that we make sure that essential commodities get to India and to the Indian people, Sultan told The Associated Press. "This is the time for us to give back.

As India has grown into an economic power, so has Emirates and its base of Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel. The airline serves as a key link in East-West travel.

Passenger numbers from India for Emirates, just under 3 million in 2008, grew to 5.5 million a decade later. That's some 10% of Emirates overall annual passenger load, with more coming from the surrounding countries on the subcontinent. Millions of Indians also live in the United Arab Emirates and comprise a key part of its labor force.

Then came the pandemic and the fierce outbreak now burning through India. Infections have surged there since February, fueled by variants and the government's permission for massive crowds to attend religious festivals and political rallies. On Saturday alone, India reported over 400,000 new cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Since the pandemic began, India has reported 21.8 million cases and nearly 240,000 deaths, though experts say even those figures likely are undercounts.

The UAE banned in-bound passenger flights from India in late April, though cargo flights continued and passenger planes return with their seats now empty. Emirates already had been shipping in masks, gloves and other protective gear, as well as diffusers as oxygen remains in short supply for those gasping to breath in the throes of the virus, Sultan said.

As the Indian diaspora tries to send in more aid, Sultan said the airline would evaluate whether to expand the program to include shipments coming from outside of Dubai as well. Operating with groups already in Dubai ensure that they have the right paperwork and contacts to make sure the most vital aid reaches there first, he said.

As a phase two and three, we will be looking at a range of opportunities for people to sort of donate if they wish, where we can provide capacity to those sort of donations and move them to India, Sultan said.

All this comes as air cargo has reached record levels after flights around the world halted when the pandemic first took hold. The International Air Transport Association, an aviation trade organization, said in March it saw the highest levels of demand ever as the world's economy slowly began to pick up.

Per pound, costs for airfreight worldwide are up by some 75%, according to data provider WorldACM. That's as airlines like Emirates still have jumbo jets sitting on tarmacs, waiting for demand and international restrictions to lift to restart routes. Dozens of Emirates' double-decker Airbus A380s stood parked at the nearby Dubai World Central's Al Maktoum International Airport.

Robert Blanchard, who oversees the emergency operation in Dubai for the WHO, praised Emirates for offering the free cargo flights. His warehouse continues to juggle aid for the coronavirus while shipping out gear for cholera and Ebola outbreaks with just eight staffers. He warned that while countries in the West and in the UAE enjoyed quicker access to vaccines, what India faces serves a warning to the rest of the world.

Theres a long way to go before we get back to normal," Blanchard said. "And although the vaccines offer a lot of promise, what were seeing is that the quantities that are available and the rate of distribution is simply not enough to handle the pandemic.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (AP)  In 1973, a group of union coal miners in Eastern Kanawha County formed Cabin Creek Health to care for and serve families living in the regions mining communities.

It was the first clinic of its kind in West Virginia. While the clinic has expanded to become a health system with 11 sites throughout the Kanawha Valley, its mission has remained the same.

Its still the mission, and it really does feel  especially standing on the coal mine in Cabin Creek, right near where that mission started  that, today, were living the mission, Dr. Jessica McColley, head of medical services at Cabin Creek Health Systems, said. Its poetic, so many years later, to still be at the mines.

Over the past month, McColley and her colleagues have been working to vaccinate coal miners specifically. They show up at the mines between shifts, and catch workers coming and going.

Weve been even expanding past Kanawha County with this initiative, and thats because we see the need. We go outside Kanawha for these traveling events, because there is a need and its not always being met, McColley said. Now we went to one mine, and that went well, so we can reach out to some more and do others. Well keep doing that.

McColley called the working environment for coal miners great for an airborne virus. Underground miners often work in small, low-airflow areas with several other people for extended periods of time.

Researchers are learning more about COVID-19 and its variant strains every day, but they agree the lungs are often the main organs affected.

Thats one of the most significant effects weve seen from COVID-19, said Dr. Rayan Ihle, a critical care pulmonologist with Charleston Area Medical Center. The people that end up having severe symptoms are often very very sick ... it can be so bad they end up on the ventilator and, unfortunately, when COVID-19 is that severe that you end up in the ICU or life support, the mortality rate is (high).

This is important for coal miners, many of whom already suffer from preexisting lung conditions, such as black lung disease or COPD, Ihle said.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said in April that, while the agency was collecting information on mines either closed or affected by COVID-19, that data would not be made public.

The United Mine Workers union has said it keeps this data itself. Representatives from the UMW did not return requests for comment.

COVID-19 poses a serious health risk to coal miners, Ihle said, and the best protection they, or anyone, can have is a vaccine.

Coal miners, being at higher risk of having complications from COVID-19, should really be on the forefront and standing in the front of the line to protect themselves, Ihle said. But vaccination not only helps that individual patient not contract (the virus), it protects others.

Its almost a civic duty, because its to protect those around you as well. For me, its like we owe it to the people around us.

COVID-19 vaccination rates across the state have plummeted in recent weeks, but McColley said its incorrect to label every unvaccinated West Virginian as vaccine hesitant.

Not everyone can take a day or two off to find a shot, get it and recover, McColley said. People rely on their income, and we know paid days off arent available to everyone who may need them.

A lot of people, the men, they said they were (getting vaccinated) because their wife wanted them to. So theres that family aspect or expectation, and they arent necessarily against the vaccine, it just wasnt a priority.

When were out there, right in front of people, I think you learn its harder for them to say no. Thats why (at Cabin Creek) we really focus on meeting people where they are. We know that works.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Its been a long, patience-testing pandemic for most as restrictions implemented due to COVID-19 severely limited the day-to-day activities of New Mexicans over the past year.

But, for those who regularly attend meetings of the Santa Fe City Council, it might have felt even longer  because it has.

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In fact, Santa Fe City Council meetings, which have notoriously run late for years, have gotten even longer since the pandemic forced such meetings to a virtual format, raising concerns about residents ability to participate.

The Journal analyzed the lengths of the past 82 Santa Fe City Council meetings  41 pre-pandemic in-person meetings and 41 conducted virtually  and found the median length of virtual meetings is around 4 hours, 50 minutes.

Thats around 1 hour longer compared to in-person meetings, a 28% increase.

Heather Ferguson, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, said that, for many other governing bodies, the pandemic has not increased meeting lengths.

Their meetings have consistently run late into the night, she said. Its moderately surprising that theyre going up.

And the length of some meetings has been staggering. Nine of the 10 longest meetings during that period took place virtually, each averaging around 7 hours.

On several occasions, the council has had to suspend procedural rules since the body is not allowed to continue discussion past 11:30 p.m.

Councilor Chris Rivera, the bodys longest-serving member, said virtual meetings have been a difficult adjustment. As someone who has sat through hundreds of meetings, Rivera now finds it hard to remain as focused on discussion as he was before COVID-19.

Ill find myself kind of daydreaming at times and have to kind of force myself back into it, he said. Staring at a screen for so long, it can be pretty difficult.

Its an issue the city has tried to address. Councilors passed a resolution in August 2020 to start meetings an hour earlier, so city officials wouldnt have to discuss agenda items late into the night.

Councilor Rene Villarreal sponsored the resolution and said at the time that meetings had gotten much longer since the pandemic and the city needed to adjust.

We have never adjusted to how COVID has affected our meetings and being virtual, Villarreal said.

However, the data suggests an earlier start time might be having the opposite effect. Of the 10 longest meetings, eight took place after the new start time was implemented.

Mayor Alan Webber, who chairs all council meetings, said its clear that earlier meetings havent solved the problem.

I dont think anybody on the council would say thats worked out the way it was intended, Webber said.

An obvious question remains  have long virtual meetings impacted public participation for better or worse?

Analytics from the citys YouTube channel, where meetings are broadcast, might give some idea. For nine of the most recent meetings, viewers usually watched 6-8% of the entire meeting, according to figures obtained by the Journal.

Currently, residents are able to speak publicly at meetings via Zoom and usually have to sign up beforehand. However, Rivera believes public participation is way down from where it typically is.

Even the meetings where you have great turnout, I think, in normal face-to-face sessions, the numbers would have been much higher, he said.

Ferguson said that, compared to other communities, Santa Fes council has a greater degree of public participation, which can often make meetings longer.

I see a community that is incredibly engaged at every meeting, she said.

Webber said it could also be the length of some agendas, with many having dozens of items to work through.

It has been a year filled with several controversial issues at the city level. Land use cases, employee furloughs, budget meetings and short-term rentals are just some of the issues that have had councilors debating for multiple hours.

Councilors have recently discussed having some in-person or hybrid meetings as virus cases plateau across the state.

But it seems there is no obvious solution to the long meetings in sight.

Webber said the council could decide to limit the time each councilor has to question or comment on an issue. But he noted there are some aspects of a city council meeting you cant recreate virtually.

Theres a greater sense of interpersonal connection that comes from just being in the same room, he said.
Tim Tetrick was on his game Saturday night (May 8) at The Meadowlands, as the 39-year-old Hall of Fame driver won both $30,000 divisions of the first leg of the Miss Versatility Series for open mares on the trot.

Off a superb seasonal debut where she closed in :26.4 to just miss, Next Level Stuff was predictably sent to the gate as the 3-5 public choice in division one, and while she did not disappoint, she needed every inch of the stretch to record a neck victory in 1:52.2.

She raced against the top [fillies] last year, said Tetrick. Shes a trip mare, and she got a trip tonight.

Long shot Morairtime, off at 60-1, cut the action on the front to three-quarters. When Dovescry inched closer from first over on the far turn while providing a perfect tow for the eventual winner before making the lead at the head of the stretch.

Tetrick tipped Next Level Stuff off cover at just the right time with about an eighth of a mile to go and got up nearing the wire to record her 14th win from just 25 starts for trainer Jim Campbell. The four-year-old daughter of Sebastian K S-Nantab returned $3.40 to her backers while upping her lifetime bank account to $668,066. When Dovescry was a valiant second with Felicityshagwell S third.

I got David [Miller, driving When Dovescry] to pull out of there, said Tetrick, and everything went like it was supposed to for me. Im super happy with her. Shes a nice mare to drive.

Tetrick opted to race Absattitudexpress on the front in division two, and just held off 2020 Hambletonian Oaks champion Sorella by a nose in 1:52.3. Miss McKee was third.

The race saw little action from the outset, as the 3-5 favourite Absattitudexpress and 9-5 second-choice Sorella raced one-two around the track. Yannick Gingras moved Sorella from the pocket at the head of the stretch, only to miss by an eyelash after a stretch-long duel.

[Winning trainer] Lucas [Wallin] and his crew have done a great job with her, said Tetrick of the four-year-old miss by Trixton-Abbiesgotattitude. I thought going to the lead was the best thing to do. She was good turning for home, but Sorella dug in too. Im very happy with her. Her effort was big tonight.

Absattitudexpress paid $3.40 to win while upping her lifetime stats to 10 victories from 19 starts, good for earnings of $310,641.

PICK-6 CARRYOVER: There were no winning tickets sold in the 20-cent Pick 6, which means the wager will have a carryover of $14,686 for Friday nights card. Those with five correct collected $2,447.

Free program pages for every race of every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.

HELLUVA HANDLE: All-source wagering totaled $3,764,756, giving the Big M 12 consecutive programs where handle has exceeded the $3-million mark. Added to the $3.3 million wagered Friday, the track has now recorded six weekends during 2021 where betting has bettered the $7-million plateau.

A LITTLE MORE: American History was sensational in the seventh race mid-range conditioned pace, blazing a trail around the track, leading at every call, and stopping the clock in 1:48, to equal the fastest mile of the year in the sport two weeks after Stars Align As identical timing.

Andy McCarthy was the big dog of the drivers colony, scoring four times on the program to run his weekend total to eight victories.

Racing resumes Friday (May 14) at 6:20 p.m. (EDT).

(The Meadowlands)
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/09/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report features spoilers revealing whether Jovi and Yara are still together now or if the couple has split up.]

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So are Jovi and Yara still together now or has the couple broken up?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Jovi Dufren and Yara Zaya have been new parents trying to navigate life together in New Orleans. So what do spoilers reveal about if the : Happily Ever After? couple is still together now?Jovi, a 29-year-old who works in underwater robotics from New Orleans, LA, met Yara, a 25-year-old makeup artist from Kiev, Ukraine, through a travel app and began traveling the world together.When Yara got pregnant for the first time, Jovi decided to propose marriage during a trip to Cuba and then apply for a K-1 visa once he returned to America.Yara unfortunately experienced a miscarriage but Jovi determined he still wanted to spend the rest of his life with the blonde beauty and move forward with the K-1.Once Yara arrived to America, she and Jovi argued a lot over his partying and how Yara didn't feel she could trust Jovi to stand by her through tough times and be around for their future children given he works so much.Yara also heard from one of Jovi's friends, Sara, that Jovi used to sleep with exotic dancers and had a wild and crazy side.Yara then discovered she was pregnant again -- but she didn't feel prepared or ready to have a baby. After all, she was still getting used to life in a foreign country."I honestly don't even know if [Jovi] wants to settle down with me and [stop] partying all the time. It just makes me feel crazy," Yara complained.As for Jovi, he said he couldn't picture himself living anywhere but New Orleans and raising his kids there.The pair even fought at their engagement party, with Yara wishing she could return to Ukraine a single woman and calling Jovi "an alcoholic."Yara felt she deserved more from Jovi and questioned whether he really cared for her at all. She didn't feel like Jovi was taking care of her.Yara therefore gave Jovi an ultimatum and said if he wanted to be with her long-term, he needed to shape up and stop his frequent drinking and going out with friends.Yara said if Jovi didn't change his ways, he'd be visiting with his child on weekends while living apart from her. Yara demanded respect.Jovi definitely stepped up to the plate, according to Yara, but he got himself into trouble at his bachelor party.At the stripclub, Jovi flirted with a dancer named Carter and his buddy instructed Carter to take Jovi "upstairs" and show him a good time. Jovi joked that his pal was forcing him to interact with the entertainer, but Jovi didn't seem to mind.Jovi also came home much later than promised and Yara cried about wanting to return to Ukraine, especially when she realized Jovi wasn't prepared for their wedding at all.Yara didn't know if she was making the right decision in marrying Jovi and wished she had more time to decide, although she loved Jovi "so much.""If I was not pregnant, I would just leave everything and go home," Yara said. "But it's not that simple."Jovi realized if he couldn't make his relationship work, he'd lose his wife and his baby. He said he was going to try to listen, pay attention to her all the time and try to understand what she needs in order to keep her happy.Jovi even let Yara pick out whatever expensive wedding ring she wanted."[I feel] a ton of pressure on my shoulders and I'm just worried am I making the right decision? Have I had enough time to think this through? I don't know," Jovi lamented.But when Jovi saw Yara in her sparkly form-fitted wedding dress, he told her that she looked "amazing."Yara admitted in the limo she didn't feel ready to get married, but the ceremony was about to happen regardless."Even though I want Jovi to be a better husband, I still want him to be my husband," Yara admitted."I just hope Jovi is not lying and he will really do what he tells me, that he will be a man... I really hope he will change and he will be nice."Jovi and Yara got married by an Elvis impersonator and the couple enjoyed a good laugh at the altar in their wedding chapel.After exchanging vows and officially getting married, Yara gushed about feeling happy.Jovi said his next step would be to apply for Yara's Green Card and move her over to the United States permanently. He also looked forward to welcoming his baby.: Jovi and Yara's Baby Special in early April featured Yara and Jovi learning they had a baby girl on the way and Yara still trying to tame Jovi and make him more domestic.Yara said she needed Jovi's help around the house and hoped he'd stick around -- and not go out with his friends all the time -- once the baby arrived.Jovi swore that he'd stick by Yara's side once the baby came and wouldn't go anywhere.Yara then gave birth in a hospital and the couple named their daughter, who weighed seven pounds and nine ounces, Mylah Angelina."Beautiful just like her mommy," Jovi gushed.Jovi said everything the couple had gone through together was worth it, and Yara said of her newborn, "I always want to cry when I look at [my daughter]. I love her so much... I [didn't] think I could love somebody so much in just a little bit of time."On 's Season 8 Tell-All special, Yara said being a parent was "amazing" and gushed about how Jovi is a loving and caring father, which makes her fall deeper in love with him every day.But then Yara was forced to watch back footage of Jovi going upstairs with an exotic dancer in a stripclub at his bachelor party as well as Jovi failing a lie detector test when asked whether he's ever slept with a stripper before."Jovi never told me nothing [about] what he was doing," she complained.Yara admitted she felt "mad" and Jovi receiving a lapdance was "disrespectful" to her.Yara pointed out, however, that Jovi is "a grown-ass man" and she can't control his actions. Jovi said it was difficult to see Yara upset but "the past is the past" and all of that was behind them.Jovi promised Yara that he'd never do something like that again because he loves her "so much."In a preview of Yara and Jovi's first appearance on : Happily Ever After?, Yara and Gwen appear to butt heads over how to raise the baby, with Gwen being more overprotective.Jovi seemingly gets caught in the middle of the two women in his life.There is a lot of evidence on social media the couple is doing well.In late April, Yara posted photos of herself and Jovi walking down a street in New Orleans with their daughter and captioned the slideshow, "Family time with [Jovi]," along with eight red heart emojis.Around the same time, Jovi uploaded a selfie of the couple on his own Instagram account.On April 21, days after Part 2 of the Season 8 Tell-All aired, Jovi posted a selfie with Yara and their sweet baby girl and captioned it, "Just chillin."And shortly after Part 1 of the Tell-All special aired, Yara took to Instagram and uploaded two photos of Jovi and herself pushing their baby in a stroller on a nice day outside with big smiles on their faces."Wonderful day," Yara wrote alongside the images with multiple heart emoticons.On April 14, Jovi posted a photo of himself holding his daughter and wrote, "I can not commend Yara enough on how healthy she stayed throughout the pregnancy, and how much of a good mom she has been to my baby girl. I could not ask for anything better!"Yara shared that she was enjoying "family time" on April 11.The couple haven't been shy about sharing their love for one another on social media for months now.Yara, for example, posted a picture of a bedside table decorated with candles and flowers in March. It appeared Jovi may have served Yara cake and coffee in bed in honor of International Women's Day."Happy International Women's Day, my girls, I hope you made your man buy you flowers," Yara captioned her post."In my country, March 8 is a great holiday when women are treated like queens. Women, be sure your man treat you the right way, buy for you flowers, take you to dinner. I do not feel like this is celebrated enough in America."Jovi simultaneously shared a picture of himself on the same day and advised men to treat their girlfriends or wives the way the women deserve to be treated.According to a screenshot posted by Instagrammer John Yates, Jovi and Yara obtained a marriage license on February 13, 2020, In Touch Weekly reported.Yara and Jovi reportedly exchanged vows in a wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, NV, that same month.Yara told Us Weekly in January 2021 she was "so happy" upon learning she was pregnant because she hoped her baby would look as "handsome" or "beautiful" as Jovi, whom she gushed about being in love with "so much."Jovi and Yara reportedly welcomed their first child together only a few months before Season 8 of premiered on TLC in December 2020, according to In Touch.It appears Yara delivered the couple's child in September 2020.Before viewers saw Yara take a positive pregnancy test on 's eighth season, pregnancy rumors began floating around on December 31 when Yara posted an Instagram photo that appeared to show two unique ornaments on a Christmas tree she was posing next to.(Eagle-eyed fans also pointed out the tree looked like it was in Jovi's New Orleans apartment).One of the ornaments was a baby and the other was a pink heart with the word "mom" written on it.Yara also reportedly created an Amazon baby registry last year under the name "Yara Dufren."The baby registry was posted on January 4, 2020, according to In Touch, and the items Yara listed were for a baby girl due in September 2020.The registry has since been removed from Amazon.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico Supreme Court justices have barred an Albuquerque attorney from practicing law for 90 days after finding that he attempted to avoid paying a legal judgment by shifting assets between companies he owned.

The suspension of William Fergusons law license went beyond the recommendation of the disciplinary board that recommended only that Ferguson be publicly censured.

Chief Justice Michael Vigil told Ferguson at a hearing on Wednesday that justices felt strongly that a 90-day suspension was a very light discipline in this case.

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Justices also required Ferguson to take a professional responsibility exam no later than Aug. 31 and score at least 80%. Vigil said justices unanimously agreed with the findings of the disciplinary board that Ferguson had attempted to improperly shield assets after one of his companies was ordered to pay a $232,000 civil judgment in 2018.

Reinstatement of Fergusons law license also requires than no additional disciplinary charges are filed against him in regard to the judgment.

We sincerely hope that we do not see you here again regarding these proceedings, Vigil told Ferguson.

Ferguson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment, and his attorney, John Brant, declined to comment Friday.

At the time of the judgment, Ferguson was majority owner of Motiva Performance Engineering LLC, a high-performance auto shop that specialized in modifying vehicles, according to the disciplinary boards report.

In 2014, Ferguson bought a $200,000 Ferrari and registered the car to Motiva, the disciplinary board found. By so doing, Ferguson avoided paying a $6,000 excise tax on the vehicle, the report said.

In 2017, a vehicle owner sued Motiva alleging the firm had damaged one of his vehicles. He won a $232,000 judgment against Motiva in October 2018.

Four days after the verdict, Ferguson transferred the Ferrari out of Motivas name and registered it to another company he owned, according to the report.

This action was intended to avoid seizure of the Ferrari to satisfy the judgment against Motiva, according to the report. The value of the vehicle was about $140,000 at the time, the board wrote.

Motiva ceased operations in December 2018 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in November 2019.
GREENVILLE  The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating after Greenville police shot and killed an armed man during a traffic stop May 9, officials report.

Greenville Police Department officers believe the vehicle the man was driving was connected to an earlier shooting that left another man dead, according to SLED's statement.

J.H. Thompson, Greenville's chief of police, told reporters during an afternoon press conference that "two people have lost their lives" in the mid-morning incidents in the Legacy Park area of Greenville.

The names of the two dead have not yet been released.

The first of the day's two shooting victims called 911 at 10:52 a.m. while riding his bike to report he was being harassed by the suspect, Thompson said. Dispatchers could hear gunshots in the background during the call with the man.

Witnesses called in to give details of the vehicle they saw the suspect driving in the shooting near Legacy Park, and police responded to the area.

The suspect pulled into the parking lot of a fire station about a mile away from the park and got out of the vehicle with a handgun at 11 a.m., Thompson said.

"There was an exchange of gunfire, and the officers did return fire," Thompson told reporters.

Two officers were involved. Both have been placed on administrative duty in line with the department's policies, the chief said. Both were wearing body cameras.

SLED gave few other details about its investigation but did say no one else was hurt in the shooting. SLED investigates officer-involved shootings at police agencies' request.

There have been 14 shootings involving police in South Carolina in 2021, Tommy Crosby, public information officer for SLED, said.

Thompson said he does not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community.

"This seemed to be an isolated incident between two individuals," he said.
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech during a policy briefing session on the scheme to create a 6GW floating offshore wind power complex by 2030, at the New Industrial Complex for 3D Printing in Ulsan, Thursday. Yonhap



President to deliver special speech to mark 4th anniversary in office



By Jung Da-min



With just a year left before President Moon Jae-in's term ends in May 2022, his government is facing challenges on multiple fronts including the economy and diplomacy.



Among the challenges are achieving herd immunity against the COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible through its vaccination program, stabilizing the real estate market and reigniting Moon's now-stalemated "peace process" on the Korean Peninsula. Whether these are achieved will be a measure of the success of the administration, political watchers said Sunday, adding that this will also affect the presidential election slated for next March 9.



Moon is set to deliver a special speech to the public, Monday, the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, and is expected to address his administration's policy achievements over the past four years and plans for the remaining year of his five-year term.



Some of the expected topics for the speech and the following question and answer session include achieving herd immunity against COVID-19 by November as the government promised; boosting the virus-hit economy through its Korea New Deal project for job creation; stabilizing the real estate market through an administration-led boost in the housing supply; and how to capitalize on the upcoming South Korea-U.S. summit slated for May 21 to restart the President's Korean Peninsula peace process.



Political watchers said the Moon administration is in an unfavorable situation at this point, when it is prone to a lame-duck presidency especially after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) crushing defeat by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in the April 7 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, which were seen as a barometer on public opinion for the presidential election.



The DPK's defeat in the by-elections is widely seen as a result of the ruling bloc's failures in its real estate policies as well as a land speculation scandal involving employees of the state-run Korea Land Housing Corp. (LH) and some members of the ruling bloc.



The government is also grappling with the COVID-19 vaccine issue, with many people doubting its plan of achieving herd immunity by November due to the relatively late start of its vaccination program compared to other countries, a shortage of vaccines and concerns over the safety of the one from AstraZeneca currently being administered.





People wait for COVID-19 vaccine shots at an inoculation center in Seoul, May 3. Yonhap
A day before 43 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs including senior leaders of the party take oath as Ministers of the newly-elected TMC government, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar announced that he has accorded sanction for prosecution to the CBI against Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee.

While Hakim, Mukherjee and Mitra are senior TMC leaders and were all Ministers in the West Bengal Government, Chatterjee, a former Minister in the TMC government joined the BJP in August 2019. He has recently severed ties with the saffron party.

Also Read | Assembly election debacle: Is the Left on its deathbed in West Bengal?

The announcement was made in rebuttal of certain media reports claiming that the sanction for prosecution against the concerned persons was given as they were MLAs at the relevant time of commission of crime.

The Governor made the announcement by tweeting a release issued by the Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

Governor accorded sanction for prosecution of Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra & Sovan Chatterjee being appointing authority of Ministers @MamataOfficial under Article 164 & thus competent authority. Media reports that sanction was for being MLA is incorrect, tweeted Dhankhar.

Governor accorded sanction for prosecution of Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra & Sovan Chatterjee being appointing authority of Ministers @MamataOfficial under Article 164 & thus competent authority Media reports that sanction was for being MLA is incorrect. pic.twitter.com/vqEg7Cv6OW  Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 9, 2021

The CBI had approached the Governor seeking permission to prosecute the concerned persons in relation to the Narada sting operation case.

Honble Governor is the competent authority to accord sanction in terms in terns of law as he happens to be the appointing authority in terms of Article 164 of the Constitution, stated the release.

It also stated that the sanction was accorded by the Governor after the CBI requested him and provided entire documentation related to the case.

The sanction came to accorded by the Honble Governor after the CBI had made a request and made available entire documentation relevant to the case to the Honble Governor and he invoked his powers under article 163 and 164 of the Constitution, being the competent authority to accord such sanction, stated the release.

Describing a section of media reports in this regard as factually untenable the Raj Bhavan made it clear in the release that the premise of the sanction as indicated is that these persons at the relevant point of time of commission of crime were holding the position of Ministers in the Government of West Bengal.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Republicans pushed a plan through the Kansas Legislature early Saturday that could provide roughly $500 million to small businesses to offset losses tied to state and local restrictions meant to check COVID-19's spread last year.

The measure would require the state, cities and counties to set aside part of their federal coronavirus relief funds to pay claims from small businesses. It was the last bill lawmakers considered before shutting down their annual session except for a formal adjournment May 26.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved a bipartisan public school funding bill and finished a $21 billion state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The budget also included provisions to prevent the state from issuing COVID-19 vaccine passports and to restrict efforts to track down close contacts of people with the virus.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signaled that she plans to sign the education bill, and she's expected to approve most to all of the budget's items. But she has not said what she'll do with the business-compensation bill.

Supporters said creating a system for considering and paying claims could avoid a larger total payout from potential lawsuits over COVID-19 restrictions, but doing so would help small businesses that cannot afford to hire attorneys to sue state or local officials.

This process is perfect for them, said Ryan Kriegshauser, an attorney for a Wichita fitness studio and its owner, who sued the state in December. Thats really what its for, is the mom and pop shops that got shut down, because a lot of the big box retailers, they were operating.

The relief funds would go to businesses with 50 or fewer employees that gave up their right to sue by filing a claim with the state. Larger businesses still would have to sue to get compensation and the state could face additional costs, but lawmakers argued that small businesses were harmed far more by pandemic restrictions.

The votes on the bill were 68-42 in the House and 24-14 in the Senate, demonstrating that at least a few Republicans in each chamber had misgivings and Democrats in both were overwhelmingly opposed.

The measure is a response to the lawsuit filed by Kriegshauser's clients, believed to be the only one of its kind.

There's likely more litigation coming, and we hope that this will cut down on that litigation and put in place a fairly simple process, said House Judiciary Chair Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican.

The Wichita fitness studio and state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican now running for governor, agreed to put the fitness studios lawsuit on hold to give the Legislature a chance to provide compensation. GOP lawmakers considered compensation figures as high as $2 billion, and the Senate passed a plan this week for $700 million.

The House had not debated any plan until it considered the one lawmakers ultimately passed early Saturday.

The bill reflects Republican lawmakers' view that Kelly's early handling of the pandemic hurt damaged the economy and restrictions didn't need to be as strong as they were.

Kelly imposed a stay-at-home order for five weeks last spring and then started a phased reopening of the the economy before Republican lawmakers intervened and gave local officials control over restrictions. She continues to defend her actions as crucial early in the pandemic, when state officials feared that a big, early surge in COVID-19 cases would overwhelm hospitals and Kansas scrambled to find personal protective equipment and testing supplies.

Democrats also suggested that lawmakers weren't doing enough to ensure that businesses receiving compensation used some of the money to help their workers. Others opposed forcing cities and counties to set aside coronavirus relief funds for the compensation and questioned whether the state has the authority to do it.

And some were upset that an appointed, three-member board would review claims  in meetings closed to the public to protect businesses financial information. Its decisions would be reviewed by a joint legislative committee, and legislative leaders would have the final say.

Really, this could be back-door deals, said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat. I have some serious concerns that we don't have enough transparency.

Meanwhile, conservatives pushing for a ban on vaccine passports and limits on contact tracing had to settle for the provisions in budget legislation that would be in effect for a little more than a year.

Conservatives saw vaccine passports as a threat to privacy and personal liberty, even though Kelly said last month that none would be issued by her administration.

The budget legislation would prevent any state agency from spending any funds on issuing passports or requiring them to go into "a place accessible to the general public. But the ban wouldnt apply to cities and counties.

Another budget provision would allow the state Department of Health and Environment to spend money on tracing only if participation was voluntary and the tracing did not use cellphone location data.

The Legislature enacted limits on COVID-19 contract tracing last year at Schmidts urging, preventing people with the virus from being forced to disclose close contacts. He saw them as a way to protect peoples privacy, but those rules expired May 1.

___

Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
Authorities say a man was hospitalized after he was shot by an Arkansas police officer following a confrontation in which he is accused of dragging the officer with his car
DETROIT (AP)  A judges recent ruling will stop Wayne County foreclosures this year on occupied homes and occupied commercial properties.

The move follows Treasurer Eric Sabrees office filing a motion in Wayne County Circuit Court requesting that the redemption period on foreclosures be extended to March 31, 2022. County officials say there's been continued economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, a Judge Timothy Kenny issued an order to keep the properties off the annual auction.

All homeowners still must make property tax payments, Sabree said in a release.

About 2,400 owner-occupied homes, 4,100 non-owner occupied residential properties and 178 occupied commercial properties in the county face foreclosure.

A similar request was granted in March 2020 when Sabree asked that all properties in Wayne County be withheld from foreclosure.

Our number one priority remains keeping people in their homes, and too many Wayne County taxpayers are still suffering significant economic hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis, Sabree said. Knowing that our recovery will take some time, we want to make some allowances in light of the pandemic.
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The federal census numbers are in, and they are concerning. New Mexico has gained only 58,000 residents since 2010 while our neighboring states flourished. More people are leaving than moving here, were losing our future leaders and our overall population is getting older.

New Mexicos overall population has grown by just 2.8% since 2010, the smallest rate recorded since statehood. Meanwhile, Texas grew by 15.9%, Colorado by 14.8%, Arizona by 11.9% and the nation by 7.4%. Utah led the country with a phenomenal growth rate of 18.4%.

There are those who say thats fine with them, that we dont have the resources for more people. But low, flat or negative population growth is a symptom of an illness. State leaders should take the census numbers very seriously because they are an indication of our future. Policymakers need to sit down and ask themselves what they are doing wrong, and then figure out how to do it right. And they need to bring in  and listen to  leaders of both the public and private sectors.

If not, we risk becoming an abandoned movie set  literally.

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One forecast predicts our population growth will slow to a crawl over the next 20 years and perhaps then decline. And thats no way to build a strong economy or strong communities. Nobody wants to be the last one here to turn out the lights.

We cant blame the predicted undercount: New Mexico beat the Census Bureaus own estimate of population growth by 0.5%. Thats thanks in great part to a concerted effort last year to boost census participation via a campaign of media ads, telephone calls, text messages and mailers. The governor and Legislature authorized $8 million in emergency spending for census outreach efforts, and it was money well-spent given that each New Mexican not counted meant an estimated loss of $3,700 of federal funds per year over 10 years.

As we routinely rank high on the bad lists (crime, hunger, poverty) and low on the good lists (per capita income, child well-being, places to retire, quality of education, jobs) lawmakers now have concrete evidence that people are voting with their feet.

Sen. William Burt, R-Alamogordo, asks What would be the incentive for someone to come to New Mexico?

The answer needs to be more than our sunshine, chile and generous Medicaid benefits for almost half our population. Its terrifying its now routine to have DWI fatalities and homicide call-outs. We are over-reliant on government jobs, over-regulate private-sector business and have a tax system that does not compete well with our neighboring states.

It is a bridge to nowhere.

And if we dont build a bridge to somewhere soon, were in big trouble.

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., says the answer is short: People follow the jobs.

Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Orions announcements of expanding here, as well Intels announcement it plans to bring 700 jobs and invest $3.5 billion in its Rio Rancho plant, are all good news. But we will need many more major announcements to see a healthy growth in population.

For those who say we dont have the water and infrastructure needed to support the kind of growth taking place in Texas, Arizona, Utah and Colorado, you miss the point. Phoenix, Denver and Houston didnt have vast water supplies to support exponential growth, but they found a way to grow anyway. And as much as we may denigrate the traffic, congestion and other issues that accompany explosive growth, count how many N.M. native 20- to 40-year-olds you know who now live in those cities  or Seattle or Austin.

New Mexico needs younger workers to not just replace retirees, but to bring innovation, experimentation and entrepreneurship to our myriad sectors and keep our economy vibrant. Yet were going in the opposite direction.

 Our population of children under 18 shrank by 8.3% from the 2010 census. In fact, a Legislative Finance Committee report warns of the consequences of overbuilding pre-school capacity and since 2016 public school enrollment has declined 3% a year and higher education has declined 5%.

 The number of high school graduates is projected to decline by a whopping 22% by 2037.

 Our states working-age population has declined by 2% since 2010.

 While our over-65 population grew 38%, its unclear whether that was due to residents aging in place or retirees actually moving here. Rampant crime and the states policies of taxing Social Security, pension and military retirement do nothing to attract them.

Sanderoff points out successful retirees often have a second home in New Mexico but keep their main residence in Texas, where there is no income tax. He and others question how New Mexico could be so flush in oil royalties recently, yet residents failed to see any broad tax relief.

To grow, we need jobs, a good education system, lower crime rates and to be tax and entrepreneur friendly.

Weve got to start thinking about how to keep young people here, Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, recently said.

And we have to think beyond his successful push to legalize recreational marijuana.

A first step could be for the governor to tap a group of leaders in the private sector  including entrepreneurs, investors and business owners  as well as public policy experts and give them the task of coming up with a dozen top-line recommendations for making New Mexico more competitive.

New Mexico has much to offer with its dramatic landscapes, exciting outdoor opportunities, diverse cultures, rich traditions, temperate climate and genuinely friendly people. And we still beat our neighbors in affordability.

However, without quality education, safe communities and a strong private sector, its a nice place to visit  but as the census shows, many just wouldnt want to live here.

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.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

On her first trip to Morocco, University of New Mexico archaeology student Emily Hayes-Rich was struck by the resemblance of the ancient khettara irrigation system to the acequias in her northern New Mexico hometown of Pojoaque.

Now, the 24-year-old masters student has won a Fulbright grant to spend nine months in Morocco researching the waterways at the edge of the Sahara.

Hayes-Rich will also study Arabic in Marrakech and work with a water rights organization.

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Variations of this (irrigation) system are found all throughout the Middle East and around the world, she said. Many organizations are working to restore them because of their cultural importance. It was the source of life for these communities, and allowed them to thrive in the desert for thousands of years.

The khettara system of underground tunnels and wells dates back centuries in rural Morocco.

Many of the systems have been abandoned in favor of modern water delivery techniques.

The aspiring archaeologist first encountered the North African canals during an Arabic study abroad program as an undergraduate at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

She stayed on for three months after the program ended to learn more about Moroccan irrigation for her honors thesis.

I was always interested in archaeology, and I think my parents thought that I just wanted to be Indiana Jones, Hayes-Rich said. But it stuck with me as a career thats mentally and physically challenging.

The student researchers work will also be supported by grants from the local American Association of University Women chapter and the American Institute for Maghrib Studies.

Hayes-Rich said she looks forward to studying how carefully-designed irrigation systems can help support sustainable communities in arid climates.

Water was really important in the building of Morocco, Hayes-Rich said. People really realize how important it will be to the future of the region.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  There is no monolithic descriptor for mother.

They come from different backgrounds. Some stay at home. Some work. Some are the head of their families, while others prefer to take a more subdued role. Some gave birth, while others adopted or inherited their children. Whatever their story, for many, their mothers are a source of wisdom, imparting knowledge that has helped them navigate the world.

Today America celebrates mothers and the Journal is sharing the best advice New Mexicans received from their moms

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Zahra Marwan, 32, and Hayat Ani, 71

Zahra Marwan said the best advice her mom ever gave her was to go to college and avoid placing too much importance on those who dont respect themselves. Both these things, she said, have provided the drive and motivation in life to succeed.

Marwans grandparents, who lived in Kuwait, were illiterate. Her uncles went on to become doctors and other medical professionals but her mother, Hayat Ani, and her aunts were not encouraged to pursue an education. Her mom, who still lives in Kuwait, didnt let that stop her. She went to a technical school after high school and took Marwans grandmother to night school so she could learn to read.

My dad dropped out of high school to work, and she also insisted he go back to school, she said. She thought the most important thing I could do is become educated.

Marwan is now a successful illustrator and has won several awards for her work.

Pat Di Vasto, 66, and Nicoletta Di Vasto

Pat Di Vasto, an assistant principal at Rio Rancho High School, grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and lost her mother, Nicoletta, the day she turned 15. Her mothers biggest dream, she said, was that her children graduate from college.

My mom made my dad promise, right before she died, she said. That all three of her children would graduate from college.

Nicoletta Di Vasto had to drop out of high school during the Great Depression to help her parents and siblings. She was only 48 when she died of breast cancer. All three of her children would earn college degrees and go on to have careers.

She always stressed the value of a good education, especially for women, she said. My mom saw it as an opportunity not to financially depend on a man, even in the 60s. I often wonder what she would think if she knew that not only did I become a math teacher, but furthered my education to become a principal.

Danielle Bridges, 33, and Bertha Bridges, 66

Danielle Bridges is a local makeup artist who said while growing up she didnt always want to hear what her mother had to say. But it was her mother, she said, that helped Danielle discover who she is.

The biggest advice she ever gave me was to just be yourself and dont mimic other people, Bridges said. Being an African American and trying to find my identity, this was so important.

Bertha Bridges was involved in local theater and was even a DJ for a little while.

As Danielle Bridges had gotten older, shes learned to appreciate her mother.

I really didnt get along with my mom when I was younger, she said. Now we seem to be becoming the same person. I have so much respect for her.

Lisa Emery, 40, and Gloria Vigil, 69

Lisa Emery has reached several milestones in her life. She married and had a child, bought a home and has built a successful career in health care as an admissions director at Lovelace Westside Hospital. Through it all she has always remembered something her mom Gloria Vigil said to her. Vigil was a housewife who raised Emery and her two sisters.

Emery was a teenager, and like many teenagers, thought she knew it all. She made some new friends and her mom was not thrilled.

She knew this new crowd I wanted to hang out with was up to no good and thats when she told me Show me your friends and Ill tell you who you are. 

Her mom was right. Emery now takes those words to heart.

Ive always referred back to her saying this when I choose who to surround myself with and to this day Im selective on who I share my time with.

David Carl, 30, and Gail Tanner, 55

David Carls mom, Gail Tanner, raised him and his two siblings on her own. The family, he said, struggled for money, but his mom, a school teacher, never buckled under the pressure. He said she never let anything get in her way.

Theres this one thing that sticks with me, he said. She would say Life is tough. Wear a helmet. 

It was her way, he said, of telling him to stop whining and instead accept that life isnt fair and look for solutions to overcome whatever obstacles came their way.

Carl, is a former television reporter, spokesman for a local school district and currently the director of communication and fan experience for New Mexico United.

She taught me I have to fight through it, he said. It taught me how to persevere.

Ben Emerson, 50, and Terri Corbin, 72

Ben Emerson, who owns Conjure Hair Salon with his wife, Katie, said his mom, Terri Corbin, is quite the character. A belly dance instructor and artist, Corbin has never fretted too much over what other people think.

Her advice was the audience is very forgiving, he said. That can translate to real life. When she told that to me, it was about a performance, but later it became more of a mantra  cut yourself some slack. Dont get bunched up about things.

He also remembers the time they stopped at a store before a belly dance performance and his mom was already in full costume.

I said You arent going to wear that in the store, are you?  he said. She said You can wear a costume anytime you want. 

Emerson said these two things emboldened him to completely embrace who he was and to be whatever he wanted to be.

Thats probably why I have tattoos all over my face, he said. She gave me that confidence.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Authorities said a suspect was in custody after two Montgomery police officers were shot and injured while responding to a call.

The officers responded shortly after 2 p.m. to a call of a person shot and found a man with life-threatening injuries, news outlets reported. The man was taken to a hospital.
HAMMOND, La. (AP)  A Louisiana State University scientist is testing whether tea plants in south Louisiana do better in full sun or partial shade.

Two New Iberia farmers and one in Amite are trying their hands at tea farming, and an organic farm in the Alexandria area and a New Orleans-area tourist plantation have plans to do so, horticulturist Yan Chen of the LSU AgCenter said.

Tea is grown in places like Hawaii, generally as an expensive specialty niche crop. And there are at least two commercial tea farms each in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, according to consultant Jordan G. Hardin.

Louisiana's were all started within the last three years, and leaves can't be harvested until the plants are four or five years old, Chen said in an interview Tuesday.

Part of Chen's studies will compare plants grown in full sun at the AgCenter's Hammond Research Center with partly shaded bushes grown on land owned by David Barron near Amite, less than 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the research station.

Barrons 150 acres (about 61 hectares) are mostly planted in pine, but he has created a clearing for tea, he said in an AgCenter news release.

About 1,500 plants grown there from seedlings are being compared with about 500 grown from seedlings at the AgCenter's Hammond Research Station, Chen said. Both plots are a variety from the Republic of Georgia.

The leaves will be tested for the amounts of caffeine, sugar and three amino acids, and tea from those plants, brewed at a standard heat and steeping time, will be tasted to see whether bitter tannins are noticeable.

Tannins shouldn't be noticeable unless tea has steeped too long, she said.

The AgCenter is in Hammond, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from New Orleans.

Chen said Louisiana gets more intense sunlight and heat than some other areas where tea is grown. Moreover, while the plants can acclimate to extreme heat or cold, quick swings between the two can cause significant damage.

The problem is not how extreme weather we can get, Chen said in the AgCenter news release. It is the sudden temperature changes. We can change from 80 degrees to 40 degrees in a day or half a day.

In addition to the seedling plots, she's testing different fertilization schedules on plants grown from cuttings and therefore much closer to each other genetically than those grown from seed.

Barron plans a tea company including a processing plant and tasting room. When his business is fully operational, he told the AgCenter, visitors can pick tea themselves.

We will process it, and you can drink it that day. So it will be as fresh as it can be, and thats when things are their most flavorful, he said.
Washington uses the topic of human rights as a diplomatic instrument of pressure on countries that do not want to obey and yield, said Lin Songtian, head of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

According to him, human rights are not a monopoly or a privilege of the United States, but a common aspiration of all mankind.

The United States only cares about its own interests and hegemony, and not about human rights, Lin Songtian noted.

For decades, he said, the United States allegedly defended human rights in Asia, Africa and Latin America, but never took action to help any country successfully solve a development problem.

The United States only cares about capital and politics, protecting the human rights of the rich. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The wealth of the 50 richest people in the United States is equal to that of the poorest 165 million people, he said.

Lin Songtian added that in order to maintain its hegemony and serve selfish interests, Washington uses the topic of human rights as a diplomatic tool to suppress countries that do not want to obey and give in.

Since 1991, the US has unleashed wars in the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, and Syria, resulting in massive civilian casualties and numerous refugees. At the same time, the United States, under all sorts of pretexts, introduced unilateral sanctions against Cuba, Iran, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Syria, and other countries and has never cared about the rights to life, health, and the existence of people in these countries.

He noted that countries differ in history, civilization, and development, and their development in the field of human rights will certainly also be different.

The international community should maintain a spirit of mutual respect, treat each other as equals, seek common ground while maintaining differences and strive for common development, strengthen exchanges and cooperation on human rights, and promote overall progress, he added.

He noted that the international community must also strongly oppose double standards and the politicization of human rights.
KONNOR PERRIN, Chariho boys lacrosse, freshman: Perrin established a school record for assists in a game with nine in the Chargers 22-0 win over Ponaganset. Perrin leads the team with 21 assists to go with 14 goals.

LILA RICH, Stonington girls track, senior: Rich won two events at the ECC Division I track meet. Rich was first in the high jump (5-0) and the pole vault (10-0) as the Bears finished third at the meet.

MADIGAN HILTZ, Westerly boys lacrosse, senior: Hiltz scored seven goals and had three assists in pair of victories for the Bulldogs. Hiltz has 17 goals and seven assists for the season.

ADDIE HAUPTMANN, Wheeler softball, junior: Hauptmann was 4 for 9 with a home run and six RBIs in two games. For the season, Hauptmann is hitting .617 with eight homers and 42 RBIs. She has 50 hits.

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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Its been nearly a week, but Rio Arriba County is still processing the sudden decision to replace its longtime county manager, Tomas Campos.

County commissioners voted 2-1 on May 3 to not extend Campos contract, which is set to expire on June 30, and immediately offered the position to Lucia Sanchez, forgoing any application or interview process. Commissioners James Martinez and Moises Morales cast the deciding votes.

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The decision followed a five-hour executive session. Multiple county employees told the Journal that the boards decision caught them off guard and was an emotional shock for many.

Its still unclear why Campos replacement was selected before an application process could begin. Martinez had told the Journal it was to create a smooth transition, although it appears to have had the opposite effect.

Now, other officials within the county are expressing their dissatisfaction with what they saw as a breakdown in the process.

Rep. Susan Herrera, D-Embudo, happened to be at the county building during the meeting and said she didnt like how Martinez and Morales handled the decision. She referred to the incident as a back room deal.

I just thought it was the totally wrong way to do it, Herrera said.

She said it could significantly impact the county, which has worked to rid itself of a reputation for backhanded deals and corruption.

Were trying to get away from that, she said, adding Rio Arriba had been very successful in doing so. This didnt have to happen.

And the sudden change in management might shake up the countys entire organizational chart. Multiple top officials within the county could leave their positions in the coming weeks, sources within the county told the Journal.

One of those officials is Economic Development Director Chris Madrid, who has worked for the county for eight years. He said Mondays decision has put much of his work on ice.

He said that, during his tenure at the county, he had frequently turned down opportunities elsewhere, but that the sudden shift in management had changed his tune.

The county deserves a thoughtful transition to make sure that we dont skip a beat, Madrid said. Im operating blind right now.

The nature of Sanchezs appointment has led some, such as Commissioner Christine Bustos, to believe that Martinez and Morales had discussed hiring Sanchez as manager before Mondays meeting, which, if true, would be a violation of the state Open Meetings Act.

Bustos said her fellow commissioners had entered Mondays meeting with Campos replacement already picked out.

State law forbids a quorum of a governing body to discuss public business outside the context of a public meeting. For the three-person commission in Rio Arriba, any conversation between two commissioners could violate the law if pertaining to public business.

Neither Martinez nor Morales returned multiple requests for comment.

A spokesperson from the Attorney Generals Office said Friday no complaint had been submitted regarding the meeting.
Former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed underwent 16 hours of surgery

Police in the Maldives say they have arrested the alleged "prime suspect" in the attempted assassination of the country's former president.

Adhuham Ahmed Rasheed, 25, was arrested on Sunday, three days after Mohamed Nasheed, 53, was badly injured in an explosion outside his home in the Indian Ocean nation's capital, Male.

Mr Nasheed's condition had improved on Saturday, according to family.

A British national and two others were also injured in the 6 May bombing.

The official Twitter account of the Maldives Police announced the arrest on Sunday, saying the man is believed to be the prime suspect in the attack.

They allege he is the same man seen on CCTV waiting in an alley just before a device planted on a motorbike parked near Mr Nasheed's car exploded on Thursday evening.

Police say the attack was carried out by "religious extremists," and have also arrested two other men, named as Mujaz Ahmed, 21, and Thahmeen Ahmed, 32. Investigators are still searching for others believed to be involved in the attack.

A map showing where Male is in the Maldives

The Maldives is known for its luxury holiday resorts, but has also faced political unrest and Islamist militant violence.

Mr Nasheed - who was ousted in a coup four years after his 2008 election, but now holds the second most powerful position in parliament - has been an outspoken critic of hardline Islamists.

News agency AFP say the explosives had been packed with ball bearings for maximum damage.

Mr Nasheed, who is also known for his work on tackling climate change, underwent 16 hours of surgery to remove shrapnel from his body. On Saturday his hospital said he was off life support but would remain in the intensive care unit.

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Kyle Lands article of May 2, Rebuilding Raton could not have portrayed our small city in a worse way.

Im not sure what the intent was, and I would hope that the intent was better than the result. By focusing on the negative, and by only using photos of the saddest looking buildings that he and photographer Eddie Moore could find, the Journal has done us a great disservice.

My partner and I moved from Florida to Raton five years ago because we saw the beauty and potential of this area. We bought a slightly tired motel and the years-closed building next to it, and turned them into the Raton Pass Motor Inn. You can look it up yourself, and file it under retro cute and successful as heck. We sold that property last year to a couple from Dallas who also love this area and who could not be happier to be out of the big city.

Now, my guy is running Gate City Craft Bar, which basically opened about the same time that the pandemic hit. Despite the multiple challenges that came with that timing, hes determined to turn that into another success.

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I just launched a short-term rental upstairs from the bar and plan on expanding with other units for the travelers we came to enjoy as innkeepers.

You completely ignored several other businesses, like 111 Park Ave, a coffee shop owned by two powerhouse sisters who are native Ratonians, and who moved back here after experiencing life outside New Mexico. They could have been successful anywhere but, again, the potential here was obvious to people with vision.

How about Brunos Pizza and Wings? Their food has gotten accolades far outside the area and theyve recently expanded with Mountain Pass Market. You can now find high-end groceries in the downtown that Kyle seems to think is a wasteland.

Did he even stop into Dulces Encantados, where the handmade candies have a distinctly New Mexican flavor? Or businesses that are local traditions, such as La Cosina and Pappas Sweet Shop?

He completely ignored the plethora of well-kept Victorian homes that still line our streets and the small, charming parks where kids can play safely, the close proximity to a jewel of a state park, the fabulous views in every direction.

Im sorry that the people who were chosen to represent our city did it such a pitiable fashion.

If the Journal would like to look at us from a different angle some time, and I hope you do, Id like to invite Kyle and Eddie back to see things through the eyes of people who truly love this little city.

Laurie Bunny Bunker lives in Raton.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

PUERTOCITO DE LA PIEDRA LUMBRE  Thats a lot of name for a next-to-nothing place on N.M. 283 just west of I-25 and south of Las Vegas.

But according to the historical markers here, theres more to it than is apparent. This is where the storied Santa Fe Trail, a major commercial road running about 900 miles from Missouri to New Mexico, was born nearly 200 years ago.

You cant underestimate the value of the Santa Fe Trail, said Paul Hutton, distinguished professor of history at the University of New Mexico. The Trail ties the far West back to the East, Missouri, and makes so many Americans aware of the potential of the West.

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Look around now and its difficult to imagine what William Becknell and his five companions, traders from Missouri, weather-blistered men with travel-weary mounts and pack animals, might have seen as they gazed south from this spot on Nov. 13, 1821.

Things are so different now. The San Miguel County Detention Center is on the highway to the east. And south of the road is what appears to be a sawmill business, its grounds studded with fuel-storage tanks.

There are, however, the enduring hills, brown except where they are green with stands of juniper and pine. Becknell and his men would have seen those hills as they looked south 200 years ago  and also several hundred soldiers approaching them.

A different attitude

In early September 1821, Becknells party started out from Franklin, Missouri, crossed the Missouri River at Arrow Rock and pushed West to trade for horses and mules and catch whatever wild animals might prove valuable.

Their trek through Kansas, southwest into Colorado and then into New Mexico had been a tribulation due to snow, natural barriers and a shortage of food because game was hard to find.

And now heres 400 soldiers coming at them.

The American traders were in country that had long been controlled by Spain, and Spanish authorities did not like visitors. In 1812, members of a Missouri trading expedition had been put in prison.

Spain restricted trade and the movement of people, said Rob Martinez, New Mexicos state historian. Spain forbid its people trading with foreigners.  And (residents) had to get papers to travel down from Albuquerque and Santa Fe to Chihuahua and Mexico City.

No doubt Becknell and his men were much relieved when the military detachment greeted them warmly.

Although the difference of our language would not admit of conversation, yet circumstances attending their reception of us, fully convinced us of their friendly feelings, Becknell later wrote.

These were not Spanish troops but soldiers of Mexico, which had declared its independence from Spain in September. And the infant government was eager to trade with Americans.

Mexico takes a different attitude, Martinez said. Without Mexican independence there is no Santa Fe Trail.

On Nov. 16, 1821, Becknells band rode into Santa Fe, where they were welcomed with frenzied elation and very quickly sold out their trade stock at high profits.

Santa Fes people were like kids in a candy store, children waiting for Christmas, James Crutchfield, author of On the Santa Fe Trail, said during a phone interview from his home in Franklin, Tennessee. The Spanish had taken very little interest in what happened as far north as Santa Fe, so supplies were very scarce.

That marked the start of trade between Mexico and the United States and the opening of the Santa Fe Trail, which would endure as a crucial commercial route until the railroad reached New Mexico in 1880.

Road to change

Crutchfield said the trail was a major factor in Manifest Destiny, the 19th-century notion that the U.S. was meant to expand its borders across North America.

The Santa Fe Trail was first and foremost a path of commerce, he said. The West could not have been settled if you had only immigrants. You needed commerce, you needed trade.

Aaron Mahr, the National Park Services Superintendent of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, said the trail was vital to Americas development in the West.

Its an international road that connected different countries and landscapes during an important time in Americas history, said Mahr, who is based in Santa Fe.

Besides establishing back-and-forth trade with Mexico and supporting the Westward movement of American settlers, the Santa Fe Trail accelerated the U.S. conquest of Mexico, disrupted the way of life of the American Indian tribes through whose lands it passed, contributed to the devastation of beaver and buffalo and played a bloody role in free state/slave state violence and the Civil War.

Trails bring change, Martinez said. The Santa Fe Trail is the silent witness to the opening of New Mexicos American history. Our way of life would change with new foods and tools, Americans hunting beaver and buffalo and depleting resources. Americans benefited from new markets. New Mexicans benefited from democratic ideas brought here. But it was a painful process.

Just about every character important to the 19th century Southwest traveled the trail. Frontiersman Kit Carson and Albuquerque merchant/mover and shaker Franz Huning came West on the trail.

The Santa Fe Trail is different from the Oregon Trail, which is all about we are going here to settle, said Deb Goodrich, a Kansas resident who is publicity chair of the Santa Fe Trail Association and the person in charge of the associations commemoration of the trails 200th anniversary. The Santa Fe Trail is much more complex.

But it starts out as a connection between two very different cultures  American and Mexican. Mexican traders started going east on the trail in 1825, bringing goods to America. The trade was exhilarating. Mexicans and Americans are getting all this cool stuff from another culture.

Pack your wagons

Becknell stayed in Santa Fe until early December 1821 and then headed back to Franklin, arriving in the Missouri River town in late January 1822. He immediately started organizing another Santa Fe expedition, one that would include wagons. You could pack 200 to 300 pounds on the backs of horses and mules but load 5,000 to 6,000 pounds in wagons. You dont need to be a CPA to see how that comes out on the bottom line.

But the downside is wagons could not go everywhere horses and mules could. The challenge of moving wagons over the trail inspired Albuquerque sculptor Reynaldo Sonny Rivera in the creation of two powerful installations that pay homage to the Santa Fe Trail and those who traveled it.

Journeys End, dedicated in 2003 on Museum Hill in Santa Fe, depicts six mules and a muleskinner struggling to get a wagon up a steep grade. Westward Journey, dedicated in 2019 at St. Louis Universitys Lay Center for Education and the Arts in Pike County, Missouri, portrays a mule-drawn wagon attempting a water crossing as a woman, children and mounted men watch.

My dad had a small farm, said Rivera. Thats why I do a lot of horses and cattle because thats what I grew up with. In Journeys End, a mule stumbled and that driver is reaching down to get the reins and get that mule up.

In Westward Journey, the wagons right front wheel went into a depression, shifting the wagons load so the mules are struggling to get the wagon going again.

Thats the kind of trouble that would have been worrying Becknell. When he left Franklin in May 1822 with 21 men and three wagons, he was set on finding a route that would avoid steep and rock-cursed Raton Pass between Colorado and New Mexico. The pass could chew up wagon wheels, axles and the human spirit and spit them to the side.

Another way

Near what is now Dodge City, Kansas, Becknells company turned southwest instead of continuing into Colorado. He set a course between the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers. This route, christened the Cimarron Cutoff, dodged all but a splinter of Colorado and nicked through a corner of what is now Oklahoma into New Mexico. That shaved about a week off an eight to 10-week journey, but this more direct shot into Santa Fe was dangerously dry.

Becknells 1822 party nearly died of thirst. Josiah Gregg, who made eight trading trips on the trail, writes about the groups desperate plight in his 1844 book Commerce of the Prairies.

The forlorn band were at last reduced to the cruel necessity of killing their dogs, and cutting off the ears of their mules, in the vain hope of assuaging their burning thirst with hot blood. This only served to irritate the parched palates and madden the senses of the sufferers.

But just as their situation seemed grimmest, Becknell, his men and surviving livestock got to water and into Santa Fe not many days later.

In Commerce of the Prairies, Gregg describes what it was like when trade wagons rolled into Santa Fe.

The arrival produced a great deal of bustle and excitement among the natives. Los Americanos!  Los carros!  La entrada de la caravana! were to be heard in every direction; and crowds of women and boys crowded around to see the newcomers.

The Santa Fe Trade was lucrative. Crutchfield writes that in 1824 an American went into Santa Fe with $30,000 in goods and left with $150,000 in Mexican wares.

Becknell made an estimated 2,000% profit on that nearly disastrous 1822 excursion, but he never forgot how close he came to dying on that trip.

So dangerous

Travel on the trail was so dangerous, said Hutton, whose work in progress, a book titled The Undiscovered Country, includes two chapters linked to the trail. Its a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome road. Every caravan was a target for native tribes, white outlaws, prairie fires and a couple of million buffalo that might happen by.

In 1867, businessman Franz Huning was bringing his mother-in-law and brother-in-law over the trail to Albuquerque when Indians attacked their caravan. Both the mother-in-law and the brother-in-law died, the former from shock and the latter from a grievous chest wound.

United as they were in life, I had them buried side by side, Huning wrote from the trail to his wife, Ernestine, in Albuquerque.

Conflict with Indian tribes had been part of the trails history from the start, but in 1846 the road took another turn.

It opens up commerce between Mexico and the U.S., and then it becomes a war trail, Hutton said.

Waning days

In a move to add the disputed Republic of Texas and the Mexican possessions of New Mexico and California to its own empire, the United States declared war on Mexico in 1846, and the U.S. Army of the West, under the command of Col. (later Gen.) Stephen Watts Kearny, marched out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, along the trail into New Mexico.

Kearnys army occupies Las Vegas without firing a shot on Aug. 15, 1846, and on Aug. 18 takes Santa Fe, again without opposition.

Without the Santa Fe Trail, Kearny could not have reached Santa Fe as fast as he did, Crutchfield said. He got down there in a matter of weeks. That was very important.

The Santa Fe Trail would play a similarly significant role in the 1862 Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass in New Mexico Territory.

After the Civil War, however, the trails importance faded, and its value as a trade route was erased by the railroad in 1880. But like the wagon ruts that can still be seen along its routes, memories of the trail linger.

I cherish the idea of being on the trail, said Mahr, of the Park Service. He said Wagon Mound, the rock formation shaped like a covered wagon that looms along the Cimarron Cutoff northeast of Las Vegas, takes him back in time.

I see it from 20 miles north, even from the highway, and I get a sense of what travelers on the trail felt when they saw that historic landmark.
MGM Northfield Park has announced the addition of a $15,000 Pick-5 total pool guarantee for Sunday (May 9).

Beginning in Race 6, the $15,000 Pick-5 guaranteed total pool includes a carryover of $3,069.61.

This wager is being offered as part of the Strategic Wagering Program through the United States Trotting Association.

Northfields Pick 5, Pick 4s, Pick 3s, 50-cent (non-jackpot) Pick 6 and 20-cent Super High Five offer a reduced takeout rate of just 14 percent.

Sundays post time is 6 p.m. (EDT).

(Northfield Park)
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP)  At the small hospital where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works in Chad's capital, there are no debates over which coronavirus vaccine is the best.

There are simply no vaccines at all.

Not even for the doctors and nurses like her, who care for COVID-19 patients in Chad, one of the least-developed nations in the world where about one third of the country is engulfed by the Sahara desert.

I find it unfair and unjust, and it is something that saddens me, the 33-year-old infectious diseases doctor says. I dont even have that choice. The first vaccine that comes along that has authorization, I will take it.

While wealthier nations have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are still scrambling to secure doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any.

The World Health Organization says nearly a dozen countries  many of them in Africa  are still waiting to get vaccines. Those last in line on the continent along with Chad are Burkina Faso, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania.

Delays and shortages of vaccine supplies are driving African countries to slip further behind the rest of the world in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the continent now accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide, WHO warned Thursday.

And in places where there are no vaccines, there's also the chance that new and concerning variants could emerge, said Gian Gandhi, UNICEFs COVAX coordinator for Supply Division.

So we should all be concerned about any lack of coverage anywhere in the world, Gandhi said, urging higher-income countries to donate doses to the nations that are still waiting.

While the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases among them is relatively low compared with the world's hot spots, health officials say that figure is likely a vast undercount: The countries in Africa still waiting for vaccines are among those least equipped to track infections because of their fragile health care systems.

Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive. Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally.

Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in NDjamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood, where camels nibble from acacia trees nearby. Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for COVID-19 patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer. Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible.

That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors all around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me, Djarma said. I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

Everyone dies from this disease, rich or poor, she says. Everyone must have the opportunity, the chance to be vaccinated, especially those who are most exposed."

COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, is aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries get access. A few of the countries, though, including Chad, have expressed concerns about receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX for fear it might not protect as well against a variant first seen in South Africa.

Chad is expected to get some Pfizer doses next month if it can put in place the cold storage facilities needed to keep that vaccine safe in a country where temperatures soar each day to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Some of the last countries also took more time to meet the requirements for receiving doses, including signing indemnity waivers with manufacturers and having distribution plans in place.

Those delays, though, now mean an even longer wait for places like Burkina Faso, since a key vaccine manufacturer in India scaled back its global supply because of the catastrophic virus surge there.

"Now with global vaccine supply shortages, stemming in particular from the surge of cases in India and subsequently the Indian governments sequestration of doses from manufacturers there, Burkina Faso risks even longer delays in receiving the doses it was slated to get, said Donald Brooks, CEO of a U.S. aid group engaged in the COVID-19 response there known as Initiative: Eau.

Front-line health workers in Burkina Faso say theyre not sure why the government hasnt secured vaccines.

We would have liked to have had it like other colleagues around the world, says Chivanot Afavi, a supervising nurse who worked on the front lines of the response until recently. No one really knows what this disease will do to us in the future.

In Haiti, not a single vaccine has been administered to the more than 11 million people who live in the most impoverished country of the Western hemisphere.

Haiti was slated to receive 756,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via COVAX, but government officials said they didnt have the infrastructure needed to conserve them and worried about having to throw them away. Haitian officials also expressed concerns over potential side effects and said they preferred a single-dose vaccine.

Several small island nations in the Pacific also have yet to receive any vaccine, although the lack of outbreaks in some of those places has meant there is less urgency with inoculation campaigns. Vanuatu, with a population of 300,000, is waiting to receive its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine later this month, but it has recorded only three cases of coronavirus, all of them in quarantine.

At the Farcha hospital in Chad, nine health care workers have gotten the virus, including Dr. Mahamat Yaya Kichine, a cardiologist. The hospital now has set up pods of health care worker teams to minimize the risk of exposure for the entire staff.

It took almost 14 days for me to be cured, Kichine says. There were a lot of caregivers that were infected, so I think that if there is a possibility to make a vaccine available, it will really ease us in our work.

___

Associated Press writers Sam Mednick in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Nick Perry in Wellington, New Zealand; and Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

-

Follow APs pandemic coverage at

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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EARLYSVILLE, Va. (AP)  A green cemetery could become an interment option in Central Virginia.

The owners of Panorama Farms are hoping to add a natural burial ground to their property in Albemarle County.

Green burial grounds do not use embalming, have no plastic liners, concrete vaults or exotic wood caskets and do not have plastic memorials. Instead, they use biodegradable containers, and gravesites are marked with flat stones or native plantings.

Chris Murray, a member of the family that owns the property, said they are continuing to try to keep the farm an open space.

The question that faces every farm in our situation is, how do you pay for it? We believe and we hope that this will be the answer towards that, he said. Revenue from this would enable future generations to pay for what is our stated family mission  to maintain open space.

The farms owners have applied for a special-use permit for a cemetery on almost 20 acres near the farms northwestern entrance off Reas Ford Lane. The property is zoned Rural Area, which allows cemeteries with a permit.

State law currently requires cemeteries to be set back 750 feet from the nearest residents, and the farm has received waivers from two neighbors for the cemetery to be closer to their property.

Murray said the farm has been an example of innovative and pragmatic environmental stewardship for almost 70 years.

My mother and father were foam-at-the-mouth environmentalists, and theyre both dead, but they would love it that were continuing to try to keep the farm an open space, he said. If we get the special-use permit, and if the business is successful, it would enable the Murray family  were now welcoming the fourth generation  to continue this legacy as long as possible.

As more baby boomers are starting to bury their parents, Murray said theyre seeking green alternatives.

Were now looking for an alternative to the sort of conventional, standard, casket-involved burial or cremation, he said. We hope to make it locally a viable option for respectfully burying the dead.

In a survey provided by Murray of green or hybrid cemeteries in the South, most said they had between eight and 25 attendees for burials and between 15 and 50 burials a year.

The current gravel road off Reas Ford Lane would remain, and another entrance that is currently gated and only leads to a wooded area could be lengthened in the future as needed, Murray said. They would have about 10 main parking spots and about 50 overflow spots, and possibly a pavilion in the future.

The whole idea here is to create as little impervious surface as possible, he said.

In terms of the quality of the roads on the property, Mariah Gleason, a county senior planner, said Albemarle County Fire Rescue has indicated that there may not need to be any improvements to those roads, but the county is still reviewing the proposal.

At the time that a pavilion might be put in place in the future, they would reassess whether the roads on the property would need to be improved, she said.

During a recent community meeting, some neighbors had concerns about traffic around any services and buffering of the cemetery.

Jennifer Reed, who lives near the property, said she didnt have issues with the green cemetery concept, but that she was concerned with potential increased traffic along Reas Ford Lane.

The road is not kept up very well by the state anyway because it is a dirt road, and we battle that constantly on a yearly basis, she said. With a lot of traffic coming in for funerals, we wonder what thats going to do to the condition of the roads.

Murray said from talking with cemetery operators that somewhere between 30% and 50% of plots are usually reserved, and that the funerals at the site will typically be small and the business will start slowly.

We can put up signage, we could let the public know when a service might be held, we could email or text to let you know  there are a number of sort of operational issues that wed be glad to work out to mitigate that as much as possible, he said.

Linda Thompson, who said her mother lives on the other side of the Rivanna River from the farm, asked about future protection of the site, if the cemetery is approved.

What would happen if 50 years down the road the family or whoever owns the farm at that time decides that it does need to be sold for development? Is there something that would protect the area that is hopefully going to be the burial ground? she asked.

Virginia has a Cemetery Board that regulates for-profit cemeteries that offer perpetual care services or pre-need burial contracts and that are required to maintain trust fund accounts. Murray said that if the Panorama Farms cemetery did fail, the monies in that trust fund would be used for perpetual maintenance.

If the cemetery ultimately was approved and was so successful it needed to expand, Murray said they would like to expand into the corner of the property as much as possible.

Another neighbor, Sharon Davis, asked if the farm had proposed landscaping to offset the impacts to her property.

Gleason said Albemarle does not mandate landscaping or buffering of any kind with this particular use, but Murray said they were open to adding some kind of buffer.

We can do plantings  theres a possibility of a fence, whatever would be necessary for both of us to feel protected, he said.

Public hearings before the countys Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors on the proposal have not yet been scheduled.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Overcast with showers at times. Thunder possible. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Overcast with showers at times. Thunder possible. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (AP)  The U.S. Forest Service will reduce the wild horse population east of Prineville to a level that horse advocates say could lead to the herds elimination.

The most recent count of wild horses on the Big Summit Wild Horse Territory of the Ochoco National Forest puts the population around 130, but the Forest Service estimates it at closer to 150, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Californias population declined last year, marking the first time the nations largest state has registered a drop since it joined the Union in 1850.

The state's Department of Finance said in a report Friday that Californias population stood at 39,466,855 as of Jan. 1, down 182,083 from the prior year, a growth rate of minus 0.46 percent.

More Californians died in 2020 than were born, even before factoring in the 51,000 Golden State residents who died from COVID-19.

The state also received 100,000 fewer immigrants than in 2019, a drop the Finance Department attributed to federal policy under the Trump administration.

In recent years, the slowdown in natural increase  a nationwide trend affecting California more than other states  has contributed to the states population growth slowing and plateauing, the department said in a statement. The addition of 2020s Covid-19-related deaths, combined with immigration restrictions in the past year, tipped population change to an annual loss.
Reaching heights of more than 30 metres, giant kelp is the largest seaweed and biggest of all marine algae. Giant kelp forests provide habitat to a great diversity of animals, including abalone, crayfish, weedy sea dragons, sharks, giant cuttlefish, and numerous other fish species. One of the last patches of giant kelp in Fortescue Bay. The kelp is one of the fastest-growing organisms on the planet, giving it unique potential to rapidly take up carbon during photosynthesis. Credit:Cayne Layton In Tasmania, the institutes team has collected giant kelp from remnant populations around the island and narrowed these down to about 50 individual family lines that seem more naturally tolerant of warmer temperatures. Giant kelp cultures have been created in a laboratory to make abundant quantities of heat-resistant gametophytes (the sexual phase in the life cycle of plants and algae). And hundreds of thousands of these delicate baby super-kelp, as Dr Layton affectionately refers to them, about one millimetre in size, have been planted on plastic plates that are screwed to the sea floor. At Fortescue Bay, a total of 100 square metres are in place. Its about laying a foundation ... and understanding whether or not that lab-selected super-kelp can even survive in the field, said Dr Layton.

With fieldwork affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the baby kelp was planted in spring last year, which meant they had to weather a hotter than average summer. But they made it. Divers enter the water to measure how much the new giant kelp has grown. Credit:Jason South They survived a baptism of fire but it made us optimistic that almost all the survivors now are robust, said Dr Layton. Theyre past the danger zone where theyre really small and delicate and prone to being munched on by animals or smothered with sediments. Its a similar concept to operation crayweed in Sydney. Crayweed became extinct from Sydneys coastline in the 1980s due to water pollution. But even though water quality has greatly improved, the species hasnt returned. So scientists at the University of New South Wales have attached reproductive adult individuals to temporary underwater mats. These reproduce and cray-bies attach to the reef to form a new, self-sustaining population.

Giant kelp forests may be on the way back. Credit:Cayne Layton At Fortescue Bay, there are about 50 individual giant kelp that are about 30 centimetres long. It might not sound like a lot but if they all mature, they will be at the density at which giant kelp naturally occurs. And, encouragingly, they look healthy, with no necrosis  the rotting tissue that occurs in summer because of heat stress  or bleaching. This year, some may even start reproducing. Thatll be the next big exciting step for us because the real secret to kelp restoration, and marine restoration in general, is the second generation  those natural ones that grow because we have kick-started their natural reproductive processes, Dr Layton says. When the giant kelp dies, it is replaced by common kelp, a much shorter species that occurs naturally in Tasmania. These are still important, healthy environments, but they create a different ecosystem.

Its like comparing heathland to a forest of 30-metre trees: the verticality of giant kelp, and the space it takes up, creates a home for a huge range of organisms. Baby giant kelp growing on twine. Credit:Cayne Layton Alongside Fortescue Bay, giant kelp trials are taking place at two other locations on the eastern Tasmanian coast. One at Dover  an estuarine habitat with greater human activity  has been unsuccessful so far because the tiny kelp babies were smothered in sediment. But a site on Trumpeter Bay, off the shore of Bruny Island, or Lunawanna Alonnah, has had the most successful results, with 170 individual kelp surviving. This site is being restored in collaboration with a local Aboriginal corporation. The community approached the university and explained they had extensive knowledge of the site and had seen the giant kelp decline. These kelp forests were very important to them as a food source and culturally, and we are pleased to be able to work together, Dr Layton says.
Social restrictions imposed in Greater Sydney in the wake of two locally acquired cases of COVID-19 will be extended by a week as NSW adopts a cautious approach to stamping out further new cases.

NSW recorded no new cases of community transmission of the virus in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday but a suite of restrictions that took effect on Thursday at 5pm will remain in place, apart from a requirement for customers to wear masks in shops.

COVID restrictions in Sydney would be extended, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Sunday. Credit:Kate Geraghty, Janie Barrett

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the missing link between two local cases of COVID-19 detected on Wednesday remained unclear and the government was keen to prevent a superspreading event.

She said existing restrictions, announced on Thursday for Greater Sydney, including Wollongong, Central Coast and the Blue Mountains, will be in place for an extra week, except for shoppers in retail who will no longer be required to wear a mask.
Ram: Guys, please stick together. This place is new to me. I may get lost.

Sanjana: Come on Ram.

Friend 1: Are you a kid? What nonsense! He thinks its the Mela



This conversation takes place quite early in the 2004 blockbuster Main Hoon Na. Ram Prasad Sharma, a major of the Indian army, is on an undercover mission at a college in Darjeeling, a hill station in north Bengal. He goes to watch a film, Sholay (1975), with his new friends and is tasked with buying the tickets. As his friends disperse  to get popcorn and other refreshments  he asks them to stick together. The throwaway line is one among the many references to popular Hindi cinema of the 1970s to which this film pays self-conscious tribute.

The lost-and-found trope was a popular one among filmmakers, write National Award winners Balaji Vittal and Anirudha Bhattacharjee. Tracing the popularity of the genre to Kismet (1943), they name several films that use this narrative device  Waqt (1965), Kati Patang (1970), Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Samadhi (1972), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), Zameer (1975), Khel Khilari Ka (1977), and Manzil Manzil (1984). One can, of course, add Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) to this list. Film critic Rashmi Doraiswamy, in her essay These Days of Our Modernity: The Cinema of Nasir Hussain (2004), related the prevalence of this theme to the trauma of the Partition: It functions often as a trope of the trauma of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, of displacement, uprootment [sic] and the losing of ones kith and kin in the mayhem.



The lost-and-found narratives started becoming less popular as the 1980s, progressed. (S)tarting the late 1980s, perhaps with the advent of computers, the lost & found theory was decommissioned from Bollywood, write Vittal and Bhattacharjee. (I)n todays age where even a Pizza delivery boys ID is verified before entering a residential apartment it is unlikely that someone claiming to be the lost one would be accepted without due diligence of DNA tests and biometrics. And finding the lost would be far easier today as the lost person is likely to pop up as People you might know on Facebook.

While getting lost is still quite common at the Mela  the major Hindu festival celebrated in 12-year cycles at Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain and Allahabad (Prayagraj)  staying lost is almost impossible. Modern communication technology has made it possible to stage a quick reunion even if one loses ones family or companions. But, did people ever get lost in the Mela, even in Hindi popular films? As I began to research for this column, I could not think of any, and reached out to friends and acquaintances. The most obvious answer was Do Anjaane (1976), where Amit Roy (Amitabh Bachchan) is found by Sumesh Dutt (Pradeep Kumar) and his wife (Urmila Bhatt) after he has been pushed off a train by his friend Ranjit Mallik (Prem Chopra). Dutt and his wife adopt him as their son, whom they had lost at the years ago, though of course, he is a different person.

Others pointed to Mela (1971), starring real-life brothers Sanjay Khan and Feroze Khan as Kanhiya and Shakti, two screen brothers who lose each other at a village fair as children only to be united, after much turmoil, as adults. But the fair at which they lose each other is not the but an event at their village. Eventually, novelist and film buff Madhulika Liddle pointed me towards the 1954 Kishore Kumar-Usha Kiron-starrer Adhikar. A child is lost by her foster parents at the and found by her stepmother, though they are unaware of the relation. Stock footage of a Kumbh Mela at Allahabad (Prayagraj), with people taking the holy dip, elephants and other animals on display as well as the procession of Naga sadhus, are inter-cut with the song Maati kahe kumbhar se as the distraught grandparents of the lost child search for her.

Over the past month, similar images saturated media as India continued to celebrated the Kumbh Mela in the northern city of Haridwar, even as the deadly second wave of Covid-19 ravaged the country. In an editorial on May 8, the Lancet gave a fuller picture of the monumental human suffering in the country: The scenes of suffering in India are hard to comprehend. As of May 4, more than 20.2 million cases of Covid-19 had been reported, with a rolling average of 378,000 cases a day, together with more than 222,000 deaths, which experts believe are likely to be substantial underestimates. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities.

It laid the blame squarely at the door of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, which allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political ralliesconspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures. Denying scientific evidence, Modis government allowed the Kumbh Mela to go ahead this year. In popular Hindi films, those who are lost are also found. Some through song and dance, like in Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), or the totem of a childs toy, like in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). It is almost a narrative ritual and a sort of resolution to the anxiety of displacement that Doraiswamy identifies. But there is no resolution to the anxiety and loss that so many Indians have gone through over the past two months. It will leave us scarred for years.

Uttaran Das Guptas novel, Ritual, was published in 2020. He teaches journalism at O P Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana.
Thirteen prisoners escaped from a jail in Haryana's Rewari, a dedicated facility for COVID-19 positive inmates in the state, officials said on Sunday.

Four police teams have been formed to trace the prisoners while Rewari Police is also coordinating with police departments of neighbouring districts including Narnaul, a senior officer said.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday and some of the escaped prisoners are convicted in cases of murder, rape, and dacoity, they said.

The prisoners, who were kept in a special section of the Rewari jail, cut an iron grill of the barrack in which they were lodged and used cloth from their bedding as a rope to escape, they added.

At present, the jail is functioning as a dedicated facility for COVID-19 positive prisoners in the state.

As many as 493 COVID positive undertrial prisoners from different parts of the state are lodged in the special section of the Rewari jail, which is in the final stages of construction, Rewari's Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Jorwal said over the phone.

Inmates from different jails are shifted to the facility for isolation and treatment once they test positive for

Thirteen prisoners have escaped. They were facing cases including murder, theft, dacoity and rape in Rewari and Mahendergarh. They were brought to Rewari from Narnaul jail, Jorwal said.

Jorwal said jail officials informed the police that during routine counting of prisoners in the morning, thirteen were found missing.

He said a case has been registered in the incident and negligence on part of the jail officials is being investigated.

(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.)
Delhi Chief Minister urged the Centre to "actively monitor and supervise" private COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in the country and ensure adequate availability of the vaccine doses to states and Union territories.

The central government should make available to the states/UTs the requisite number of vaccine doses to enable vaccination of all its citizens, he said.

"The Centre should actively monitor and supervise the manufacture of vaccines by the private parties so that supplies in adequate quantity are made to all state governments, and this crucial aspect is not left to the discretion of the private manufacturers, Kejriwal said in a letter to Union Health Minister

The Delhi CM also said that a uniform price should be fixed for the vaccines for supplies made to governments (whether central or states) and private hospitals.

Kejriwal has reiterated on several occasions that his government can vaccinate everyone in the national capital within three months if the Centre ensures supply of adequate doses of vaccine to it.

He has claimed Delhi needs 3 crore doses, out of which, only around 40 lakh doses have been received by it so far.

(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 Sessions Court in Delhi on Saturday has set aside a magistrate Court order that directed to put to use seized 12 concentrators either by Delhi Police Officials and the Judicial Officers and their families.

Dwarka court's Principal District and Sessions Judge (South West Delhi) Narottam Kaushal set aside the order dated May 5 passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) and observed that MM in his zeal to provide life-saving machines to front line workers , was so dazzled that he forgot that a judge has to act and behave like a self-less, dispassionate saint.

"A perusal of the impugned Order reveals that MM was greatly influenced by the fact that two Judicial Officers had lost their lives in battle with Covid-19. One of them being his own brother colleague with who he shared the corridors," Sessions Judge Kaushal said.

"As I pen down this order, the judicial fraternity has lost one more officer, who also succumbed to Covid-19 virus. MM, in his zeal to provide life-saving machines to front line workers i.e. the Delhi Police and to his judicial fraternity, was so dazzled that he forgot that a judge on account of the office he occupies has to act and behave like a self-less, dispassionate saint. "

The sessions Court said that magistrate has to rise above the interests of self and his ilk and benevolent and well-intended, his act may be; the same cannot breach the Constitutional provisions of equality.

"On the touchstone of these morals and principles of law, Ld. MM seems to have faltered. The impugned order dated 5.5.2021, thus, is not sustainable and is set aside," the Court said.

The Court directed Investigating officer to move a fresh application before the appropriate authority viz. the District Magistrate, in terms of orders passed by the High Court in Venkateshwar Hospital's case (supra) or on the basis of notification, if any, declaring the seized articles to be an essential commodity. Needless, to say he must act without wasting time.

The Court however noted that the Investigating officer was probably clear of this position, that is why the application for release of the case property was moved by him before the Ld. MM and not before the District Magistrate, as is the mandate of Sec.-6E of the Essential Commodities Act as thus the seized articles having not been notified to be essential commodity, reference to the provisions of Essential Commodities Act or the procedure prescribed therein for release of the case property, is misplaced. The trial court has, thus, not erred in exercise of the jurisdiction, so invoked by the IO.

"Order passed by Ld MM on this score can not be said to be illegal," the Court said.

The Sessions Court also noted Delhi High Court which grants power to District Commissioners to proceed to pass orders for release of the seized article like the medicines/ cylinders.

"In view of the aforesaid observation of the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, the investigation officer ought to have immediately informed the District Magistrate and placed the seized machines at the disposal of District Magistrate for suitable utilization during the period of investigation/ trial," the Court said.

The court was hearing revision petition filed by the state through additional public prosecutor VK Swami, who argued citing Delhi High Court's recent ordered that in case of seizure of Medicines/ Cylinders, the same should be informed to the Concerned District Commissioner and the District Commissioner should proceed to pass orders for release.

Metropolitan Magistrate had directed Delhi Police to release 12 seized Oxygen concentrators seized on May 4, for the medication of police officers, judicial officers, and their family members infected with COVID-19.

The Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Bahal in an order passed on Wednesday directed that, out of 12, two Oxygen Concentrator should be released to Dwarka Deputy Commissioner of Police, for the use of COVID-19 infected police personnel.

The magistrate order has said that three Oxygen Concentrator should be released for infected judicial officers at Tiz Hazari court; two to the office of Principal District and Session Judge in Dwarka; three to the office of Principal District and Session Judge in Saket; and two to Covid Health Centre, at Delhi Judicial Academy, Dwarka.

The magistrate court has also noted that a large number of judicial officers and their families in Delhi are infected with the COVID-19 virus and unfortunately two members of the Delhi Judiciary- Family Judge Kovai Venugopal and Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka Kamran Khan- have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

The application was filed by the investigation officer of Delhi Police who sought direction for releasing the Oxygen Concentrator and submitted that on May 4, 12 oxygen concentrators were seized from the accused persons-- Vinay Agarwal and Akash Vashist-- and all of them were deposited in Police Station Dwarka Malkhana.

It submitted that many police personnel, Judicial officers and their families are suffering from COVID-19 and therefore, these oxygen concentrators can be used for saving the lives of the police personnel.

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Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, Prime Minister on Sunday spoke with Chief Ministers of Punjab, Karnataka, Bihar, and Uttarakhand over the situation, sources said.

Over the past few days, the Prime Minister has been holding telephonic conversations with Chief Ministers of various states, including Uddhav Thackeray of Maharashtra, M K Stalin of Tamil Nadu, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan of Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh CM had informed that he had apprised of the current COVID situation in the state. He also highlighted the status of oxygen, oxygen plants, Remdesivir injections, isolation centres, COVID care centres, temporary COVID hospitals, and public awareness campaigns.

The Prime Minister in conversation with Maharashtra chief minister had enquired about the COVID-19 related situation and praised the state for its efforts in combating the virus.

Earlier, PM Modi has also spoken with Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh CMs on the issue. he also spoke to Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir to get a detailed picture of the outbreak across the country.

Soon after a conversation with PM Modi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, however, claimed that the PM only did his "Mann ki Baat" instead of "listening to and spoken on important matters".

India recorded more the four lakh fresh COVID-19 cases for the fourth day in a row. 4,03,738 new COVID infections were reported in the country taking the cumulative toll to 2,22,96,414. In the last 24 hours, India registered 3,86,44 recoveries and 4,092 related deaths.

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COVID-19 vaccines for people in the



18-44 age group in Bengaluru, which has almost half the number of cases and deaths in Karnataka, would be available from May 10 at all major hospitals and medical colleges, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Sunday.

"Starting Monday, Covid-19 will be provided for citizens aged between 18 and 44 years at K C General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital, Sir C V Raman General Hospital, Government Medical Colleges, ESI Hospitals and NIMHANS in Bengaluru," the minister said in a statement.

In other districts, the vaccine shots will initially be provided at district hospitals, government medical colleges and all taluk hospitals.

The number of centres would be increased as and when more vaccines are available, the Minister added.

All such centres providing for the 18-44 age group would have an exclusive session site earmarked for them, he said,adding the shots would be given only to those who have registered and scheduled an appointment on the Co-Win portal.

The minister said the government is leaving no stone unturned to vaccinate every citizen at the earliest and was making continuous efforts to secure supply of vaccines



Earlier on May 1, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa flagged off the fourth phase of the drive to vaccinate citizens in the 18-44 age group with a promise that the shortage of doses would be addressed soon.

The statement said that the government has already placed orders for two crore doses of Covishield and one crore of Covaxin to vaccinate the estimated 3.26 crore people in this age group.

Those in the 18-44 age group would require 6.52 crore doses in two shots to get fully vaccinated, it said.

The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures Covishield, has already supplied 6.5 lakh doses and more would be delivered by the second or third week of May, it said.

The virus caseload in Karnataka has been rising at an alarming rate, with the state reporting infections in the region of around 50,000 daily.

has been recording almost half the number of cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic last year.

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As COVID-19 cases in the national capital continue to rise, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Saturday reviewed the action against hoarding/black marketing of medicines, injections, and oxygen cylinders and frauds taking place in name of covid help besides the effective enforcement of the to curb the spread of infection.In a virtual meeting at the Vimarsh conference hall, Police headquarters, Shrivastava told the District Commissioners of Police (DCP) to obtain orders from courts as early as possible for the release of seized medicine, concentrators, and oxygen cylinders for use by needy patients, a statement from the Delhi Police informed.

He further asked DCPs to intensify the action of covid online fraudsters in coordination with the cyber cell and crime branch for interstate investigation as most of the calls involved in cheating are originating from Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Mewat etc.

He also reviewed effective enforcement of the across the city.

"Watch be kept on shops opening other than the grocery or essential stores shops and action be taken against such shop owners who are willfully violating the restrictions and endangering public health," Shrivastava was quite in the statement.

The CP reiterated stricter implementation to break the infection spread and although district police are taking legal action against violators, stricter implementation of the lockdown should be done by making announcements through public address systems.

The fruits and vegetable markets be shifted to open areas, wherever possible and the hawkers should maintain social distancing. Vegetable markets (sabzi mandi) should be sanitized after closure. Commercial transport like e-rickshaws, gramin seva etc. should not carry more passengers than prescribed.

The CP, Delhi also directed the field officers to take note of forthcoming Eid-Ul-Fitr and follow DDMA orders in this regard by liaising with community elders and religious leaders not to cause any gatherings.

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Faced with an uphill task of keeping business solvent, the countrys airlines have approached the central and state governments to eliminate the need for Covid negative report, which is mandatory for entry into multiple states. Karnataka was the first state to remove the requirement on Sunday.

Airlines want the negative RT-PCR test result to be replaced with a fit-to- fly certificate from a physician to make things easier for passengers and the aviation industry.

According to multiple executives of private and government-owned Air India, such a request have been made to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and also to specific state governments. Airlines cited that getting an RT-PCR test at any of Indias leading metro cities within 72 hours have become difficult which is forcing people to cancel their travel.

Airlines have cited instructions of the country's apex bio-medical research agency Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which had recently said there was no need for a Covid-19 retest at least for the next three months for people who have recovered from the disease.

Leave alone getting a test result, it is quite impossible to even book a test within 48 hours in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. In such cases, many healthy people (those without any symptoms) and those have recovered from RT-PCR are not being able to travel, hitting the sector further. A fit-to-fly certificate from a legitimate physician should be enough to allow someone to take a flight, an executive said.

Due to the severe stress on labs, ICMR on May 4 had recommended that the need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel should be removed.

Medical experts have said that even for people who have recovered from Covid-19, many are getting positive test results due to the presence of residual virus which is not harmful and not transmissible.

After treatment, the RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecule remains in the body for some time, say another two weeks, and gradually goes out. If someone goes for a second test immediately after completing the treatment, the test report will be positive but it is harmless for the person and he or she cannot transmit it, said Prof Tulika Chandra, head of the department of transfusion medicine at King George Medical University, Lucknow.

It is better for states to look at faster detection of passengers with Covid-19 than simply asking them to come with a negative test report to the airport, she said.

A second wave of COVID-19 has severely hit With passenger numbers declining daily and no financial support from the government, some expect that it may lead to bankruptcy for a few companies. The domestic passenger traffic dropped below the 100,000 mark after seven months earlier this week. And airlines on Saturday handled 79,080 passengers- barely 20 per cent of what they used to fly daily before the pandemic.

Several states and local city governments had made it compulsory for passengers, especially from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, to have negative RT-PCR test results conducted within 72 hours before the travel date. West Bengal last week made a negative report compulsory for passengers from across the country.

This, according to airline executives, has further hit demand for travel as getting a test report within 72 hours became challenging during the second wave.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday said that the Union health ministry should "wake up" and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The doctors' body in a statement also alleged that the ministry has not taken appropriate action to deal with second COVID-19 wave.

"IMA demands the health ministry to wake up from its slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. IMA is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the ministry of health in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic," it said.

The statement said for the last 20 days, the IMA has been insisting for a complete and well-planned national to ramp up health infrastructure and replenish both material and manpower.

"The collective consciousness, proactive cognisance, and requests made by the IMA and other professional learned colleagues are put into the dustbin, and often without realising the ground realities the decisions are taken," IMA president J A Jayalal said.

"However, the central government has refused to implement lockdown, resulting in mounting of new patients beyond four lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 per cent. Sporadic night curfews have not done any good. Life is precious than the economy," the IMA said.

On COVID-19 vaccination, it said that it had made persistent calls for inoculation of those in the 18 to 45 years age bracket.

But it is "unfortunate" that the ministry has failed to make the necessary road map and ensure adequate stock of vaccine. This has resulted in non-roll out of vaccination for the age group in many places, the IMA said.

It also attacked the government on different prices of COVID vaccine and said it is because of this that the 18-45 year age group "are forbidden to get the free vaccination from the central share of 50 per cent and they are placed under the mercy of state governments".

The IMA said in 1997 and 2014, India could declare eradication of smallpox and polio only by adopting universal free vaccination.

"Unless the government comes out and implements with willingness and steadfastness for equitable distribution, we will not be able the achieve the goal (of speedy vaccination)," it said.

Claiming that the crisis of oxygen is deepening every day, the IMA said though there is enough production it is often the distribution which is not proper.

Most hospitals are not getting oxygen and patients are suffering, it said and added that resultant, people are knocking at the doors of courts to get justice.

"Imported oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants are yet to reach beneficiaries. IMA appeal, as the time is running out with the impending crisis lest we deepen the crisis, solve it on a war footing," it said.

The IMA said that the mutation is a norm for RNA viruses and understanding this needs proper gene sequencing and risk assessment.

"Unless we make our self-prepared to face this by enhancing testing, we will miss the boat," it said



The IMA pointed out that "we have lost 756 doctors in the first wave and in the second wave, more than 146 doctors have died within a short period".

"Hundreds of deaths happening in big hospitals are shown as non-COVID deaths and crematoriums are showing housefull boards. Why are we trying to hide actual deaths?" it said.

The IMA demanded capping of prices of life-saving drugs and removing GST from them.

It said that violence against doctors and health care professionals is increasing and demanded a central law against hospital violence tagged with IPC provisions.

The IMA said that the entire health care administration should be revamped with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care.

"We also demand to establish a new integrated ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front," it said.

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There seems to be no



let-up in COVID-19 cases in Kerala as the state on Sunday logged 35,801 fresh infections, taking the caseload to 18,72,573 and the test positivity rate to 28.88 per cent.

While active cases stood at 4,23,514, the toll mounted to 5,814 with 68 more deaths.

As many as 29,318 people have been cured, taking the total recoveries to14,72,951, the government said.

In the last 24 hours, as many as 1,23,980 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 28.88 per cent.

Ernakulam reported 4,767 cases, the highest among all 14 districts.

While Thiruvananthapuram reported 4,240 cases, other districts including Malappuram and Kozhikode reported 3,850 and 3,805 cases respectively.

Of the fresh cases, 316 people had come from outside the state and 32,627 were infected through contact, the government said, adding those who tested positive Sunday included 115 health workers.

One person who came from abroad was also tested positive for COVID-19.

At least 10,94,055people are under quarantine in various districts, including 31,430in hospitals.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said his government will consider importing COVID-19 vaccines to ensure that people in the state are inoculated against the viral disease at the earliest.

Speaking at a high-level meeting held to review the COVID-19 situation in the state, the chief minister stressed the need to accelerate the pace of vaccination to stem the spread of the pandemic and bring down the fatality rate.

Gehlot said all options should be considered to ensure the availability of vaccines in the state.

The state government will also consider importing vaccines as there is a need to inoculate the state's residents against COVID-19 at the earliest, he said.

The chief minister also directed officials to conduct special campaigns to generate awareness about the vaccination drive in rural areas as the pandemic is spreading very fast in villages.

Health machinery should be fully activated in rural areas to prevent its spread and provide immediate treatment to those infected, he said.

To generate awareness, Gehlot said, maximum participation of all state government personnel and panchayat level representatives should be ensured.

It is too late by the time people from villages arrive in cities for treatment. In such a situation, a door-to-door survey and distribution of medicine kits should be carried out, he said.

This will enable timely examination of symptomatic patients and it will be easier to save lives by providing medicines at the initial stage of the infection, he added.

Gehlot said experts are also anticipating a third wave of COVID-19 that could be more deadly. It is feared that it will affect children more.

In view of this, infrastructure should be strengthened in children's hospitals. Intensive care facilities like NICU and PICU, etc., should be strengthened in these hospitals, he said.

Health Minister Raghu Sharma suggested setting up oxygen plants at children's hospitals, too, to prepare the state for the potential third wave of the pandemic.

Rajasthan recorded 160 COVID-19 fatalities and 17,987 fresh cases on Saturday that pushed the death toll to 5,506 and the infection tally to 7,38,786, according to an official report.

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West Bengal on Saturday



registered its highest single-day COVID-19 deaths with 127 new fatalities, pushing the death toll to 12,203, the health department said.

The caseload increased to 9,73,718 after the state also recorded its highest one-day spike of 19,436 fresh cases, it said.

North 24 Parganas district accounted for the highest number of fatalities at 39 while the city registered 34 deaths, it said.

Neighbouring Hooghly district reported 9 COVID-19 deaths, South 24 Parganas (7), Howrah (6), and the rest of the fatalities were from the other districts.

Out of the 127 deaths, 50 were due to comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.

As many as 3,982 fresh infections were reported from North 24 Parganas while there were 3,961 new cases in the city.

In the last 24 hours, 18,243 patients have recuperated from the disease in West Bengal and the discharge rate has improved slightly to 85.89 per cent.

So far, 8,36,351 people have recovered from the infection.

At present, there are 1,25,164 active COVID-19 cases in the state.

Since Friday, 63,377 samples have been tested for in West Bengal, the bulletin said.

Altogether 1,09,05,646 samples have been tested for the infection in the state so far.

On Saturday, Dr Smarajit Jana, founder of Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Samiti, an NGO which works for the development and uplift of sex workers of the state, succumbed to COVID-19 at a private hospital.

Dr Jana (68), who breathed his last at around 11 AM on Saturday, played a pioneering role in combating the trafficking of women.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over Dr Jana's death.

Meanwhile, around 1,00,641 people were vaccinated in West Bengal and no adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) were reported on Saturday.

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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

Australia's borders were slammed shut in March last year as the spread across the world. Only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter the country under some strict COVID-19 border rules.

On April 27, suspended all direct passenger flights from India with immediate effect until May 15 due to the "very significant" spike in COVID-19 cases there.

According to media reports here, Morrison said he "doesn't see an appetite" for opening to the world at the moment, and that he intended to be cautious



He further said that it was still unclear if it was safe to reopen even after the vaccination rollout completion and that he has no plans to abandon a "zero cases" target.

Morrison said that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world so as to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

I think what we're seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic is not going anywhere," Morrison said.

All I know is once you let (COVID-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. You've crossed that threshold. We continue to roll out the vaccination programme, over the course of this year, and in the meantime, I intend to be cautious, it's in my nature, he added.

"We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has," he said.

In a later Facebook post, he warned borders would only be opened "when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead."



I think Australians want to ensure that the way we're living at the moment is maintained, he said.

It follows Finance Minister Simon Birmingham's comments on Thursday that borders opening was unlikely to happen soon because there has been a clear message Australians do not want to risk COVID entering this country.

The total number of cases in are 29,906 and the death toll stands at 910.

A total of 2.5 million Australians have received their first dose of the vaccine, according to Federal Government figures.But the government has received criticism for its slow roll-out, falling well below its target of having four million adults given the jab by the end of March, according to a media report.

On May 7, Morrison said that Australia will charter three repatriation flights from India between May 15 and May 31. The first flight into Darwin will touch down on May 15. Direct commercial flights from India are still banned.

Morrison said flights being organised to repatriate stranded Australians will be "focused on bringing those Australian citizens, residents and families who have been registered with our high commission and consular offices within India."



Official figures say there are currently 9,000 Australians in India who want to return home.

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has been re-elected as Mayor of London for a second term after beating his closest rival with a vote share of 55.2 per cent versus 44.8 per cent in an election that was closer than expected.

Labour Party candidate Khan, 51, defeated his Conservative Party rival, Shaun Bailey, after winning a total of 1,206,034 votes as against 977,601 when both first and second preference votes from Thursday's mayoral election were fully counted overnight on Saturday.

The Pakistani-origin former Labour member of Parliament was the first Muslim mayor of a European capital city when he was first elected in 2016. The mayoral poll was due last year but was postponed by a year at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

"I am deeply humbled by the trust Londoners have placed in me to continue leading the greatest city on earth," said Khan.

"I promise to strain every sinew, help build a better and brighter future for London, after the dark days of the pandemic and to create a greener, fairer and safer city for all Londoners, to get the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential. I am proud to have won an overwhelming mandate today," he said, speaking at his City Hall office.

Khan reiterated his previous pledge to be a mayor for all Londoners and work to improve the lives of every single person in this city.

"The results of the elections around the UK shows our country, and even our city, remains deeply divided. The scars of Brexit have yet to heal. A crude culture war is pushing us further apart," he said.

"As we seek to confront the enormity of the challenge ahead, and as we endeavour to rebuild from this pandemic, we must use this moment of national recovery to heal those damaging divisions," he added.

Rival Bailey said he had been "written off" by pollsters, journalists and other politicians but Londoners didn't write me off".

His victory is one of the few positives for the Labour Party as the party held on to its dominance in the London Assembly as well. Labour also kept hold of its mayoralty in Greater Manchester, where Andy Burnham was re-elected in a landslide win.

However, overall the local election performance has been largely dismal for the Opposition party as it lost many of its strongholds. The Conservatives have gained control of around 12 councils and the Labour has lost control of seven and the Labour failed in its attempt to oust Conservative Andy Street as the popular mayor of the West Midlands.

UK Environment Secretary George Eustice said the Labour had been punished in Leave-voting areas by "wrangling" over Brexit in recent years. The Boris Johnson led Conservatives are also seen to have benefitted from the successful roll-out of vaccines against COVID-19.

The polls were seen as the first major leadership test for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who took over from Jeremy Corbyn after a disastrous December 2019 general election defeat.

He reacted by dramatically dismissing his deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was also the party's local election campaign chair. Starmer, who said he takes full responsibility for his party's poll setback, is set to reshuffle his top team further.

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Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed that the state received 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Saturday night, while Andhra Pradesh government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of the same on Sunday.

As states are conducting large-scale vaccination drives against coronavirus, and have received fresh stocks of COVID-19 vaccines.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed that the state received 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Saturday night, while government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of the same on Sunday.

has received a total of 6.5 lakh doses of vaccines out of the two crores ordered, he informed further. He further informed that the central government has so far supplied over 1.1 crore doses.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "In the order placed by Karnataka government to procure 2 crore doses of Covishield, we received 3.5 lakh doses on Saturday night taking the total delivery to 6.5 lakh doses. So far GoI has supplied 1,10,49,470 doses including 99,58,190 doses of Covishield and 10,91,280 doses of Covaxin."

Sudhakar also announced that the state will start its third phase of the vaccination drive for people aged 18-44 years from May 10, which was earlier postponed due to the unavailability of COVID-19 vaccines in the state.

In many other states, the third phase of the vaccination drive for the newly added age group commenced on May 1, as per schedule.

"COVID-19 vaccination will be provided for citizens aged between 18 to 44 years at KC General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital, Sir C.V.Raman General Hospital, Government Medical Colleges, ESI Hospitals and NIMHANS from Monday, 10th May," he said in another tweet.

Further elaborating on how the third phase will begin, he wrote, "In other districts, initially vaccination will be provided at District Hospitals, Government Medical Colleges and all Taluka Hospitals. Number of vaccination centres will be increased as and when more vaccines will become available."

He also stated that walk-ins would not be allowed. It is mandatory for people to register on the CoWIN portal or Aarogya Setu app.

"All Vaccination Centres providing vaccination for this age group 18 to 44 will have an exclusive session site earmarked for them. Vaccination will be provided to only those who have registered and scheduled an appointment on the Co-win portal and walk-ins will not be allowed," added Sudhakar.

Assuring that everyone will be inoculated in the vaccination drive, he said, "Government is leaving no stone unturned to vaccinate each and every citizen at earliest and is making continuous efforts to secure supply of vaccines. I urge all citizens, especially my young friends, to wait for your turn and government will ensure you will surely get your jab."

Meanwhile, the government said that they have received 3.60 lakh doses of Covishield from Serum Institute Pune via airway on Sunday morning.

"The vaccine was unloaded at Gannavaram Airport, and from there it is being sent to state vaccine store at Gannavaram," they said.

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The coronavirus recovery rate in the state now is 89.71 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.99 and the positivity rate at eight per cent, the official said.

reported 244 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike, pushing the tally in the state to 20,046, a health department official said here on Sunday.

The Capital Complex region recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 77, followed by Tawang (33), 20 each in Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit, Changlang (19), Lower Siang (13), East Siang (12) and Lower Subansiri (10), State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Nine cases were also reported from Namsai, seven from East Kameng, Papumpare (6), four each from West Kameng, Upper Subansiri and Upper Siang and one each from Leparada, West Siang, Shi-Yomi, Dibang Valley, Anjaw and Tirap district respectively, the official said.

Four CRPF personnel and an army jawan are among the fresh cases.

Of the total new cases, 211 were detected through rapid antigen test, 17 through RT-PCR and 16 through TrueNat method, he said.

Barring 96, all the fresh cases are asymptomatic, the SSO said.

At least 135 people were cured of the disease on Saturday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 17,984.

The death toll in the state remained at 60 as the state did not report any COVID-19 death in the last 24 hours, Dr Jampa said.

The recovery rate in the state now is 89.71 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.99 and the positivity rate at eight per cent, the official said.

now has 2,002 active COVID-19 cases, Dr Jampa said.

The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 570, followed by Lower Dibang Valley (297), West Kameng (139), Lower Subansiri (124), Papumpare (120) and Changlang at 103.

The state government on Saturday imposed night curfew in the entire state from 6.30 pm to 5 am till May 31, to contain the spread of the disease.

Altogether, 4,80,631 samples have been tested for COVID-19, including 3,165 on Saturday, the SSO said.

Meanwhile, State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that 2,84,949 people have been inoculated since the beginning of the vaccination programme in January.

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As many as 2,118 branches of 10 public sector banks have either been closed or merged with other banks in the last fiscal, according to an RTI reply.

The highest number of 1,283 branches of Bank of Baroda were either closed or merged, according to information provided to an RTI query filed by Neemuch-based activist Chandrashekhar Gaud.

No branch of Bank of India and UCO bank was closed in the last fiscal. The government consolidated ten PSU banks into four in the last financial year, bringing the number of nationalised banks to 12.

All India Bank Employees Association general secretary CH Venkatachalam said a dip in the number of the public sector banks was not in the interest of the banking industry and domestic economy.

He said there was a need to expand the branches of the banks to cater to the vast population in the country.

Bringing down the number of bank branches has reduced employment opportunities in the banking sector following which the young people were frustrated, Venkatachalam added.

Also read: FPIs pull out Rs 5,936 cr from equities in May amid raging 2nd COVID-19 wave

Also read: COVID-19 second wave: Centre releases Rs 8,923.9 cr to panchayats in 25 states
Chinese military scientists allegedly investigated weaponising coronaviruses five years before the COVID-19 pandemic and may have predicted a World War III fought with biological weapons, according to media reports referring to documents obtained by the US State Department.

According to 'The Sun' newspaper in the UK, quoting reports first released by 'The Australian', the "bombshell" documents obtained by the US State Department reportedly show the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) commanders making the sinister prediction.

US officials allegedly obtained the papers which were written by military scientists and senior Chinese public health officials in 2015 as part of their own investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Chinese scientists described SARS coronaviruses - of which COVID is one example - as presenting a "new era of genetic weapons".

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, several of which cause respiratory diseases in humans - ranging from a common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The PLA papers referenced seem to fantasise that a bioweapon attack could cause the "enemy's medical system to collapse".

It references work by US Air Force colonel Michael J. Ainscough, who predicted World War III may be fought with bioweapons.

The paper also includes musing that SARS - which hit China in 2003 - could have been a man-made bioweapon deliberately unleashed by "terrorists".

Also read: COVID-19: Centre releases advisory on mucormycosis, says may turn fatal if uncared

They reportedly boasted the viruses could be "artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponised and unleashed in a way never seen before".

The document lists some of China's top public health figures among the authors and has been revealed in an upcoming book on the origins of COVID, titled 'What Really Happened In Wuhan'.

China reported the first COVID-19 case in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and since then the deadly disease has become a pandemic, affecting more than 15,77,89,300 people and causing over 32,85,200 deaths worldwide.

Tom Tugendhat MP and Australian politician James Paterson said the document raises major concerns about China's transparency on the origins of COVID-19.

Tugendhat, chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, was quoted in 'The Sun' as saying: "China's evident interest in bioweapons is extremely concerning. Even under the tightest controls these weapons are dangerous.

"This document raises major concerns about the ambitions of some of those who advise the top party leadership."

Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told news.com.au that the document is as close to a "smoking gun" as we've got.

"I think this is significant because it clearly shows that Chinese scientists were thinking about military application for different strains of the coronavirus and thinking about how it could be deployed," said Jennings.

"It begins to firm up the possibility that what we have here is the accidental release of a pathogen for military use," added Jennings.

He also said that the document may explain why China has been so reluctant for outside investigations into the origins of COVID-19.

"If this was a case of transmission from a wet market it would be in China's interest to co-operate...we've had the opposite of that."

Among the 18 listed authors of the document are People's Liberation Army scientists and weapons experts.

Robert Potter, a cyber security specialist who analyses leaked Chinese government documents was asked by The Australian to verify the paper. He says the document definitely is not fake.

"We reached a high confidence conclusion that it was genuine...It's not fake but it's up to someone else to interpret how serious it is," Potter told news.com.au.

"It emerged in the last few years...they (China) will almost certainly try to remove it now it's been covered."

Questions remain over the origins of the deadly virus after a much derided World Health Organisation (WHO) probe earlier this year, with the organisation ordering a further investigation which factors in the possibly of a lab leak.

Most scientists have said there is no evidence that COVID-19 is manmade - but questions remain whether it may have escaped from a secretive biolab in Wuhan - from where the pandemic originated.

China is known to have been carrying out high risk "gain of function" research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) - which is near the outbreak's ground zero at the Huanan Seafood Market.

There is no evidence so far to suggest it was intentionally released by China.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, the state-run Global Times newspaper slammed The Australian for publishing the article to smear China.

An academic book that explores bioterrorism and possibilities of viruses being used in warfare was interpreted as a conspiracy theory by The Australian, which deliberately and malignantly intends to invent pretexts to smear China, Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the newspaper.

"It is a shame for anti-China forces in Australia to back their own ideology against China at the expense of basic professional journalistic ethics, conspiring to twist the real meaning of the book," Chen said.

Also read: India 'squandered' its early successes in tackling COVID-19; PM Modi's actions 'inexcusable': Lancet report
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognised that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is airborne and can be transmitted via respiratory fluids, which are fine droplets released during respiration.

Revising its public guidelines on COVID-19, the top US medical body has modified the listed modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to comprise the probability of the virus being airborne.

"People release respiratory fluids during exhalation (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing, sneezing) in the form of droplets across a spectrum of sizes. These droplets carry virus and transmit infection," the updated guidelines on US CDC's website noted.

Also Read: COVID-19 is primarily airborne, safety protocols should change urgently: Lancet report

The medical body said people release respiratory fluids while talking which settle on nearby surfaces or can remain suspended in the air. Although the larger droplets settle out of the air swiftly within seconds to minutes, the smallest droplets and aerosol particles can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.

The US CDC also noted that while infections through inhalation at distances greater than six feet from an infectious source are not as likely, an infectious person breathing out the virus indoors for a prolonged period of time can result in concentration of the virus in the air, which may then infect people who are even six feet away.

The medical body's guidelines update comes nearly a month after a report in the Lancet medical journal claimed that there is consistent, strong evidence to prove that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is predominantly transmitted through the air.

Also Read: COVID-19 is airborne but doesn't mean outside air is contaminated; here's what it means

The analysis by six experts from the UK, US, and Canada said public health measures fail to treat the virus as predominantly the airborne route leave people unprotected and allow the virus to spread.

"The evidence supporting airborne transmission is overwhelming, and evidence supporting large droplet transmission is almost non-existent," said Jose-Luis Jimenez, from the University of Colorado Boulder in the US.

"It is urgent that the World Health Organization and other public health agencies adapt their description of transmission to the scientific evidence so that the focus of mitigation is put on reducing airborne transmission," Jimenez stated.
CLAIM: Pfizer admits in its COVID-19 clinical trial protocol document that vaccinated people can "shed" the vaccine, emitting materials that can spread to unvaccinated people by inhalation or skin contact.

AP'S ASSESSMENT: False. Covid-19 vaccines that are in use, including the Pfizer vaccine, cannot spread between people. Posts making the false claim are misrepresenting standard language in the protocol document intended to protect pregnant women and monitor their potential exposure during clinical trials.

THE FACTS: Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine does not shed from person to person, nor has the company admitted any such thing.

"The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is a synthetic mRNA vaccine and does not contain any virus particles. Because there is no virus produced in the body, no shedding occurs within the human body," Pfizer spokesperson Jerica Pitts told The Associated Press in an email. "The vaccine cannot be inhaled via shedding and can only enter the human body through an administered dose."

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer-BioNTech eye $26 bn revenue, Moderna estimates $19.2 bn sales in 2021

The US Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer's vaccine in December after extensive clinical trials. Women who were pregnant or breastfeeding were excluded from joining those early clinical studies, and participants were instructed to take measures to avoid pregnancy.

The false posts use a portion of a November clinical trial protocol document that addresses pregnant women to support the bogus theory that a vaccinated person can spread the vaccine or provoke supposed side effects in another person.

The document says any exposures during pregnancy should be reported, and defines such cases broadly to include instances where a pregnant woman is exposed to the vaccine "by inhalation or skin contact" or if a man who received the vaccine or was exposed to it "then exposes his female partner prior to or around the time of conception."

Also Read: COVID-19 is airborne, acknowledges US CDC

That language can be relevant to other kinds of vaccines, including certain ones that contain live viruses, said Dr. Justin Brandt, an assistant professor at the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

"That language probably doesn't have any relevance to this specific type of vaccine platform," Brandt said of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, which does not contain live virus.

Dr. Shobha Swaminathan, an associate professor of medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, referred to the document's language as "generic" meant to cover cases of "any potential exposures, including possible accidental ones."

Swaminathan told The Associated Press that "exposure" through inhalation or skin contact could refer to incidents where a pregnant woman was near a syringe that contained the product and accidentally broke.

But in the case of Covid-19 vaccines, the degree of absorption from spilling the vaccine on your skin is "probably going to be negligible to non-existent," Swaminathan said.

Regarding the document's guidelines requiring reporting if a vaccinated man potentially exposes a woman "around the time of conception," Swaminathan said the language is meant to gather information on any type of exposure before the risks are known.

"Initially, you might not potentially know whether any of the vaccine is actually getting into the semen, if any of the semen are affected," Swaminathan said. At this stage of research, however, she said: "We know that it really does not affect fertility at all."

False posts have misinterpreted this protocol document as evidence that unvaccinated people -- particularly pregnant women -- should keep away from people vaccinated against Covid-19. The AP has previously debunked that false theory.

"It is very easy for these people, who have no understanding of the rigorous regulations and processes involved in undertaking the conduct of a clinical trial and have never been involved in the conduct of a trial to, in isolation, comment on the standard handling processes of investigational products out of context," said Kathleen M. Mullane, director of infectious diseases clinical trials and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
The Uttar Pradesh government, on Sunday, May 9, extended the duration of the partial curfew imposed in the state by another week till May 17 as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, an official spokesman said. All shops and establishments will remain shut till May 17 until further order by the UP government.

The decision has been taken by the state government to break the chain of COVID transmission as it continues to grip the country.

Also Read: COVID-19 restrictions extended till May 6 in UP

The previous curfew was slated to end on Monday, May 10, morning. The UP government had on April 29 announced that weekend curfews will also cover Mondays.

However, the state dispensation later extended the order till May 6 further protracting it until May 10.

On Saturday, 298 people died due to COVID-19 in UP. The state also registered 26,847 new coronavirus cases, taking its infection count to 14,80,315, as per the data provided by the UP government. The deadly virus has so far claimed 15,170 lives in the state.
According to SEBI data, MFs had put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, as per SEBI data

Mutual Funds (MFs) infused Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, continuing their buying spree, with fund managers identifying opportunities after some consolidation in the market.

MF investments in stocks will continue in the coming months and will witness an increase in user growth as several fintech players are entering into this space, Kaushlendra Singh Sengar, founder and CEO at INVEST19 told PTI.

Meanwhile, Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, also held the opinion that this bullish stance will continue as valuations moderate reasonably post FY21 earnings and the consolidation gives investors a chance to accumulate equities.

Also Read: MF industry adds 81 lakh investors in FY21, experts hopeful of growth in FY22

Another factor driving this stance is the softening of bond yields from March onwards, forcing investors to flock to equities in search of higher returns, he added.

According to SEBI data, MFs had put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March.

This was the first such fund infusion by MFs in 10 months.

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) showed.

"We have witnessed 15.8 per cent monthly investment growth by mutual funds into equities last month as volatile stock market pushed investors to invest via equity mutual funds to reduce risk," Sengar said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, said mutual fund flows are generally a reflection of investor flows in the respective mutual fund schemes.

Domestic investors had been taking out money from equity mutual fund schemes since July 2020 and March 2021 was the first month when the trend changed.

Also Read: Part of compensation of key mutual fund employees to be in MF units: SEBI

In addition, spike in SIP flows was witnessed in March rising to Rs 9,182 crore from Rs 7,528 crore in the preceding month. Hence, the positive flow by mutual funds into equities was witnessed in March, he said.

Though the data is not yet out, this trend of net inflow in equity mutual fund schemes seems to have continued in April 2021 too, leading to positive flows by mutual funds, he added.

"The month of April witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases that lead to some minor corrections in the markets, however, this was followed by quick recoveries as well. Mutual funds used this fall in the market to buy new stocks resulting in increased inflow in equities even in the month of April-2021," Gautam Kalia, Head - Investment Solutions, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, said.

Furthermore, there have been positive flows in mutual funds schemes in March and April that provided fund managers with additional liquidity to manage, he added.

Month-wise, MFs withdrew Rs 16,306 crore from equities in February, 13,032 crore in January, Rs 26,428 crore in December, Rs 30,760 crore in November, Rs 14,492 crore in October, Rs 4,134 crore in September, Rs 9,213 crore in August, Rs 9,195 crore in July and Rs 612 crore in June.

These outflows were mainly due to profit-booking by investors amid a rally in stock markets.

However, MFs invested over Rs 40,200 crore in the first five months (January-May) of 2020. Of this, Rs 30,285 crore was invested in March 2020.

The latest investment by mutual funds could be attributed to positive flows in the previous month and some consolidation in markets continues to give opportunities to fund managers to invest, Harshad Chetanwala, co-founder of Mywealthgrowth.com, said.

"If the fears of COVID increases among global investors, one could see more outflows on FPIs side, this can result in some more volatility. Investors may like to use this volatility or consolidation as an opportunity to invest in future as well," he added.

Also Read: 0% return! Debt mutual fund investors in for a shock in FY22

According to Rahul Shah, co-head of research at EquityMaster, the key job for any fund manager, at least in the medium term, is to strike the right balance between aggression and conservatism.

There are times when he should be more aggressive and there are times when more conservatism is called for.

"The behaviour of the funds in the last one year has baffled me somewhat. They were withdrawing money from equities when it was time to turn aggressive. And now when the situation calls for conservatism, they are directing funds into equities," Shah said.

"I just hope there isn't more withdrawal if and when there is a correction in the market," he added.

On the other hand, mutual funds put in nearly Rs 21,600 crore in debt markets in the month under review.

However, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out a net sum of Rs 9,659 crore from the Indian equity markets in April after investing Rs 10,482 crore in the preceding month.

They had invested Rs 25,787 crore in February and Rs 19,472 crore in January.

(With PTI inputs.)
E-commerce platforms bring global brands closer to Chinese customers

Xinhua) 09:37, May 09, 2021

An e-commerce livestreaming anchor is introducing products to viewers at the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Ruiqing)

HAIKOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping and created a surge in cross-border e-commerce imports in China, e-commerce platforms are bringing global brands closer to the world's most promising consumer market.

On the first day of the China International Consumer Products Expo, Tmall Global, an online marketplace of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, held four livestreaming sessions to promote products, each garnering more than 1 million viewers.

At the four-day expo, which opened on Thursday in south China's island province of Hainan, Tmall Global has showcased products of over 100 foreign brands, ranging from cosmetics, beauty devices, to smart devices for pets and imported wine.

Amid the pandemic, cross-border e-commerce has become an important platform for brands from home and abroad to release their new products. Over 100 brands signed strategic agreements with Tmall Global on Friday, with the aim to sell their new products displayed at the expo via Tmall in the coming year to meet the booming demand of Chinese customers.

"The consumer products expo not only serves as an important window to display the progress of the Hainan free trade port construction, but also helps foreign businesses to better understand the Chinese market," said Marcella Li, head of Global Business Development and Operations at Tmall Global.

Last year, an average of approximately 400 overseas brands opened stores on Tmall Global each month, according to the company. To date, more than 29,000 overseas brands from 87 countries and regions have established storefronts on Tmall Global.

At the expo, JD Worldwide, the platform for imported products of China's leading retailer JD.com, displayed a number of smart products of domestic and foreign brands.

People queue up to taste Swiss cheese in the Fashion Life Exhibition Hall of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"With the pandemic keeping Chinese customers from shopping overseas, the demand for international brands in China has increased, and cross-border e-commerce platforms have become their preferred choice," said Frank Yu, general manager of marketing and operations for JD Worldwide.

Since its launch in 2015, JD Worldwide has attracted nearly 20,000 overseas brands, offering a vast range of product categories including maternal and childcare, nutrition and healthcare, household and kitchenware, food and car accessories.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, consumer goods imports into China grew 8.2 percent in 2020, reaching 1.57 trillion yuan (about 242 billion U.S. dollars).

Such growth was echoed on JD Worldwide during the 2020 Singles' Day shopping festival, with total sales during the period increased by 50 percent year on year.

In 2020, the e-commerce platform opened its first brick-and-mortar duty-free store in Sanya City, Hainan, and plans to open an online duty-free shop soon.

JD Worldwide will seize the opportunities brought by the Hainan free trade port to promote the upgrading of consumption of Chinese consumers, said Han Rui, vice president of JD.com.

With a total population of over 1.4 billion and more than 400 million middle-income residents, China has become the world's most promising consumer market.

Foreign brands are attaching great importance to the Chinese market, especially amid the pandemic, said Viya, one of the most well-known e-commerce livestreaming anchors in China, at the expo.

"Some tailored products are designed exclusively for our customers and the products are not only sold in China but also abroad, as design philosophies featuring Chinese characteristics are gaining momentum worldwide," she said.

E-commerce platforms are a channel for Chinese consumers to purchase quality products of foreign brands without going abroad, and are also conducive to promoting China's products to the world, she added.

Kazunori Tokura, executive vice president of Japanese company Omron Healthcare (China), said Omron expects to accelerate its entry into the Chinese market. Via the expo, the company is willing to cooperate with local firms such as e-commerce platforms to help more customers become familiar with their products and services, he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Photo: The Canadian Press A Statistics Canada 2016 Census mailer sits on the key board of a laptop after arriving in the mail at a residence in Ottawa, May 2, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Statistics Canada says the response to the census is higher than the agency expected so far, with online submissions coming from some remote communities for the first time.

Census cards with information about how to fill out the short- and long-form questionnaires went out to households in the last week ahead of census day on May 11.

One reason for the higher online response involves a pandemic-related change the agency made this year to allow anyone in the country to file through the internet-based form for the first time.

Geoff Bowlby, director general at Statistics Canada responsible for the census, says the agency assumed in previous census cycles that remote parts of the country didn't have enough internet coverage to allow for online responses.

Now, he says, the agency is getting responses at a faster rate than expected from urban centres, First Nations, rural and remote communities.

Bowlby says the agency has even received a response from as far north as Grise Fiord in Nunavut, which registered a population of 129 in the last census five years ago.

The agency had expected about eight in every 10 people to respond to the census online, but that number could change as Bowlby noted that fewer people are requesting paper questionnaires.

He says having more online responses makes life easier for agency analysts, and safer for workers who will have to manually input fewer paper replies at a processing centre in the National Capital Region.

Analysts will spend the coming months sifting through the data gleaned from the census forms before releasing results in 2022.

The census, which takes place once every five years, provides the most detailed look at Canadians, leaving a wealth of information for demographers to review to see how the country continues to change.

For policy-makers, the census provides the base for local decisions on where to build new schools and hospitals, and how much the federal government sends to provinces and territories in transfers payments to pay for health-care systems.

But the pandemic has thrown a statistical wrench into the paint-by-numbers portrait of the population as daily routines have changed over the last year due to COVID-19.

Bowlby says the agency is looking at how to analyze responses to questions affected by the pandemic, such as a commute to work that for some people has been replaced by a walk down the staircase to a home office in the basement.

"We've had the same kind of conversations at our workplace. We're all working from home at StatCan and can relate to how people might have difficulty responding to some of the questions because of COVID," Bowlby said.

"As a result, we're aware of this and there is, in fact, guidance for any respondent who is having trouble understanding how they should respond to those questions."

The agency will again use existing data held by governments, such as income information from the Canada Revenue Agency, to supplement or replace parts of the questionnaire.

Statistics Canada had been working on ways to use these administrative data to potentially replace the short-form census that asks questions on the number of people in a home, their ages, and relationships.

It had to test those efforts five years ago when it used administrative data to help enumerate Fort McMurray during the wildfires that devastated the Alberta city.

Bowlby says the agency is still studying how a digital register of the population might work, citing technical barriers and the need to consult Canadians should it ever decide to replace parts of the questionnaires.

"If we were to replace some parts of the census, we have to be absolutely sure that  doesn't impact the quality of the information that Canadians expect of the census," he said.

"You can see how Canadians are enthusiastically taking up the census. There is a sense of pride in responding to the census form."
Since 2014, Keanu Reeves has been dominating Hollywood with the John Wick movies. He plays the titular character, a former assassin who goes back to work after a series of personal tragedies. Wick seems to be a far cry from the kind of guy Reeves is known to be, but the actor admits he actually has something in common with his character.

Keanu Reeves on the red carpet at an event for John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum | Isa Foltin/WireImage

The 1 thing Keanu Reeves says he has in common with John Wick

In 2019, Reeves did an interview with BuzzFeed while sitting with a gaggle of adoptable puppies. He took several fan questions, including ones about his secret, his down-to-earth demeanor, and his favorite book genre. He was also asked about John Wick, including whether there are any similarities between him and his character.

Reeves replied, saying theres at least one thing he probably has in common with his famous character. We might share a kind of dry sense of humor, he admitted around the 2:50 mark. Other than that, I cant really say.

RELATED: Keanu Reeves Revealed His Craziest Experience Filming John Wick

Fans know that while John Wick is a serious movie, it features plenty of comedic moments. Reeves previously admitted that was even part of what drew him to the role, explaining to The Associated Press: I love his will, his passion. I love the depth of his feeling. I like his honor. I like how he fights for his life. I like his sense of humor.

Reeves also had to go to boot camp for the role, learning how to operate firearms and training in jiu-jitsu and judo among other things. He even learned some stunt driving tricks.

I love all the training, he added. Id love to play the character again. Im curious to see what happens to him.

Now, hes working on the next John Wick movie

The most recent film from the franchise is 2019s John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum, which ended with Wick and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) vowing revenge against The High Table.

RELATED: John Wick 3: Why It Took Keanu Reeves a Half Hour to Make a 3-Min Walk to the Gym

Lionsgate announced in 2019 the next film would premiere in May 2021, but that date was pushed back a year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Im hearing most of the shoot will take place in Berlin and Paris, with additional photography in New York City and Japan, Collider reported in March. The reason theyre shooting in Berlin and Paris is because both cities are featured in the story. Same with NYC and Japan.

Director Chad Stahelski has also said the film might have deleted scenes in it from John Wick 3.

There were two action sequences that we had really kind of conceived, but we just didnt have room for them, he previously explained to The Hollywood Reporter. So, we pulled them from the movie. And Id like to think that 90 percent of what I pulled, theres a place in John Wick 4 that I can definitely reinsert them.
Elon Musk ended up not being much of a wild card on "Saturday Night Live," despite his initial warning to us all.

Tesla CEO, Technoking, the Dogefather, mega-billionaire, new Texan, and now an "SNL" host, the Musk of many titles sparked a lot of conversation when the show announced he would take the stage on May 8.

Musk is the first person to host "SNL" who is not an athlete or entertainer since former President Donald Trump hosted in 2015 (and we all know how that turned out). It's a notable moment for "Saturday Night Live" as they embrace a figure as controversial as Musk  reactions from the internet were largely negative, and cast members Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang made posts on their social media accounts that seemingly pointed toward their displeasure at Musk's casting.

SPACE WINE: A bottle of space-aged Chateau Petrus 2000 is being sold for $1 million

But "SNL" and Musk pressed on.

Musk appeared as a variety of characters, including a doctor at "Gen Z Hospital," a cowboy, a cryptocurrency expert, himself in a Mars-based Space X sketch and Wario (with his girlfriend and musician Grimes as Princess Peach, seriously).

And ultimately, it was fine. It was whatever. I cringed a lot. It seemed like a fairly normal (albeit not very funny) episode of "SNL."

But "SNL" shied away from all the controversy that surrounds Musk, not bothering to nail him or even mention some of his most questionable moves of the past few years except for all his exploding rockets.

In one of the earlier sketches of the show, Musk plays a party-goer struggling to get through a conversation post-quarantine. In response to a question about his fictional wife, Musk's character gives an answer about working from home and seeing her more before his inner monologue says, "We're getting divorced and I'm losing my job."

Musk has sown skepticism on the COVID-19 pandemic, ranted about "fascist" quarantine lockdowns, very publicly questioned the vaccine and basically moved to Texas in protest of California lockdowns. So watching one of the richest people in the world cosplay on TV as a regular guy who struggled through the pandemic is... strange.

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Not to mention Musk has earned a reputation on Twitter as a meme-stealer, something you would think wouldn't vibe with the spirit of "SNL."

There were some human moments. Musk's mother made an appearance, and he disclosed he has Asperger's syndrome in his opening monologue.

But so much of the show seemed to hinge on promoting Musk as a "cool billionaire," relying on jokes about Teslas, rockets, Dogecoin (the meme cryptocurrency Musk has been pushing) and Elon Musk just being Elon Musk, that I truly did start questioning if Musk had just written Lorne Michaels a fat check so he could host. And while I know "SNL" doesn't exist to make fun of its hosts, so much of the controversy surrounding Musk is in plain sight that it rings weirdly false to never address those things in an episode that also pokes at "disgraced former fast-food spokesperson," "white nationalist" and former "SNL" host Donald Trump.

In one of the riskiest choices "SNL" could make for a host, they ultimately played it so safe that you could almost believe the only criticisms against Musk are his 4/20 jokes and that he smoked weed on The Joe Rogan Experience.

TRUE STORY: Tesla CEO Elon Musk stole my meme

And after all that, Dogecoin didn't even hit a dollar. At the time of publishing, Dogecoin is worth 56 cents a share. Not quite to the moon.
PHOENIX (AP)  Health officials in Arizona on Sunday reported 448 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and two more deaths.

The latest numbers pushed the states pandemic totals to 868,830 cases and 17,409 deaths, according to the states coronavirus dashboard.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Sluggish COVID-19 vaccination rates for Arkansas prison workers are raising concerns about the prison systems ability to ward off disease during the pandemics next phase and against more-contagious variants, according to public health and incarceration experts.

About 42% of the more than 4,700 Arkansas Department of Corrections employees have received at least one shot, an agency spokeswoman said. The corrections department set a goal of vaccinating 80% of employees after shots were offered on Jan. 5, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Sunday.

More than 11,300 people in Arkansas custody have contracted the virus, and at least 49 died, according to Department of Health data.

As of May 1, Arkansas infection rate among prisoners was the third-highest among states, according to data compiled by the Marshall Project, a nonprofit criminal-justice news outlet.

State prisons continue to see new virus cases, with five sites reporting new cases since April 15.

Department of Corrections communications director Cindy Murphy didnt answer questions from the newspaper about why officials think COVID-19 vaccinations lag among workers.

In a statement, she said the agency has been affected more than most institutions in the state and that workers had stepped up once again to receive shots.

She said the vaccination rate for prison workers outpaces the rate for the state population overall and that the agency ran a robust vaccination campaign.

Vaccinating prison system workers is as important as providing shots for inmates, according to public health experts.

Incarcerated people are at the mercy of the staffs choice to be vaccinated, said John Hart, a senior research associate with the Vera Institute of Justices Restoring Promise initiative in New York.

As of last week 7,438 prison inmates, or about 47% of the total population, had received their first vaccine dose, agency statistics released under public-records law show.

The corrections department cant require the shots. A new state law which took effect last month prohibits state agencies from requiring their workers to be vaccinated without seeking special permission from the Legislature.

It wasnt clear if problems with vaccination reluctance among prison staff members extended to jails in the states most populous counties. Faulkner County, which last week reported more than 90 positive cases in its jail, didnt answer a public-records request for that information. Pulaski County has vaccinated 84 of 262 jail employees -- about 32%.

On Saturday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson raised concern as active coronavirus cases in the state reached a 47-day high.

While our new cases remain steady and hospitalizations have declined, the virus remains a threat. Keep up the good work, and get vaccinated as soon as you can, Hutchinson said in a tweet.
Legal miracle: No matter where you live, an Ohio city is allowed to tax your income  if you work inside that city. Whats more, the GOP-ruled General Assembly last year unanimously passed House Bill 197. It lets Ohio cities tax your income even if  thanks to COVID-19  youre required to work outside your city job site, and instead work, say, at your suburban home.

Prime sponsors of that bill (an anti-COVID-19 package) were Republican Reps. Jena Powell, from Darke Countys Arcanum, and Derek Merrin, from suburban Toledo. Co-sponsors included future House Speaker Robert Cupp, a Lima Republican.

The municipal tax provision runs counter to case law: The Ohio Supreme Court has been perfectly clear in binding decisions stating that cities lack the authority to tax residents who neither work nor live there, according to Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of the Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based free-market think thank thats been fighting the tax grab in court.

Of course, if youre a member of the Ohio House, or state Senate, or Ohios lieutenant governor, you dont have any worries: A sweetheart 1965 law forbids the city of Columbus from charging city income tax on state salaries of General Assembly members and General Assembly employees unless they are legal residents of Columbus. (At the time, lieutenant governors were also presidents of the Senate.)

A General Assembly member is constitutionally required to be a resident of his or legislative district. That means only a comparatively few Ohio House or Senate members  those from Columbus districts  can be considered Columbus residents. But Jane or Joe Taxpayer, working at their suburban home because their big-city office is closed? Pay up  or get yourself elected to the legislature.

Continuing coal plant subsidies cant be justified

Because of phone problems at this end, state Sen. Bob Peterson of Washington Court House, chair of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, didnt get to have his say last week about the stall on a bill that would junk the $700 million subsidy that Ohio electricity consumers must give two coal-fueled power plants (one in Indiana), thanks to repealed House Bill 6, the 2019 measure to force Ohio electricity consumers to bail out two money-losing nuclear-fueled power plants and the coal-fueled power plants.

Legislators repealed the nuclear-plant bailout. They didnt repeal the coal-plant bailout.

Peterson, the Senates No. 2 Republican, is among those seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican, in Congress. The Columbus Dispatch has reported that others seeking the GOP congressional nomination are Fairfield County Commissioner Jeff Fix; state Sen. Stephanie Kunze, of suburban Columbus; and State Reps. Jeff LaRe, of Fairfield County, and Brian Stewart, of Pickaway County. The winner of the GOP primary might well succeed Stivers: President Donald Trump drew 56.3% of the districts vote last year, according to Daily Kos data.

Stalled in Petersons panel is Senate Bill 117, sponsored by GOP Sen. Mark Romanchuk of Ontario and Democratic Sen. Hearcel Craig of Columbus. Their bill would repeal the $700 million coal-plant subsidy that HB 6 demands from Ohio electricity consumers. Among the committees members are GOP Sens. Matt Dolan, of Chagrin Falls, and Jerry Cirino, of Kirtland, and Democratic Sen. Sandra Williams, whos running for mayor of Cleveland.

Peterson cited two factors for delay on the Romanchuk-Craig bill. First, the Senates now working on Ohios proposed operating budget. As passed by the House, the 2,759-page budget would let the state spend $75.9 billion over the next two years.

Peterson is correct: The budget is complex. But the coal subsidy is a tax on Ohio electricity consumers. Including a repeal of that in the budget would be appropriate.

Second, Peterson also said repealing the coal tax on electricity consumers isnt supported by the Senates GOP caucus (though, obviously, Romanchuk seeks repeal).

But caucuses are spectators when a final Ohio budget bill is cut-and-pasted. Whats in the budget will be decided behind closed doors by Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Cupp, both Lima Republicans.

Repealing the $700 million coal subsidy would benefit thousands of Ohio electricity customers. Dont all those Ohioans outweigh the Statehouses roughly 30 electric utility lobbyists? For now, the answer seems to be no.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) -- Department of Health officials may face criminal charges if they continue to buy more supplies of remdesivir for COVID-19 patients, said Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor.

We consider all new purchases of remdesivir as reckless and foolish spending in light of the WHO recommendation, and considering that government is scrounging for money to buy more COVID-19 vaccines and to pay for the P2,000 cash aid for every Filipino contemplated under the Bayanihan 3 bill, said Defensor in a statement.

All further purchases of remdesivir - after the WHO came out with its adverse recommendation - may be deemed as transactions highly detrimental to the government under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, he added.

The DOH still pushed through last year with the clinical trial of the remdesivir despite the World Health Organizations recommendation against the anti-viral drug to treat severe COVID-19 cases. Health Secretary Rosario Vergeire cited then that remdesivir was one of the drugs included in the WHOs Solidarity Trial, adding that the WHO recommended that countries can continue with the trial to gather more evidence if the drug can help patients.

The national government has procured more supplies of remdesivir and another experimental drug, tocilizumab, last March.

Citing the law, Defensor said DOH officials may be held liable for a grossly disadvantageous transaction.

Defensor also urged the Department of Budget and Management to repurpose the money to be spent on the purchase of more redemsivir to acquire more COVID-19 vaccines.

The problem with redemsivir is its outrageous price, and yet, based on the findings of the WHO, the drug offers no significant relief to patients, he said.

The DOH earlier warned about overpricing of remdesivir, noting that a 100-milligram vial must only cost 1,500 to 8,200. The use of the drug also requires a compassionate use permit from the Food and Drug Administration.

Defensor and fellow congressman House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta were recently criticized for distributing the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, although the FDA has not yet authorized the sale of the drug for COVID-19 treatment. Health experts, including those from the WHO, said there is not enough evidence that ivermectin can be used to cure COVID-19 infection.

READ: Doctors or solons liable for ivermectin giveaway lapses? DOH to cover all bases in probe
NEW MEXICO

US sets aside habitat critical for survival of rare songbird

ALBUQUERQUE  U.S. wildlife managers have set aside vast areas across several states as habitat critical to the survival of a rare songbird that migrates each year from Central and South America to breeding grounds in Mexico and the United States.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the final habitat designation for the western yellow-billed cuckoo on April 20. It covers about 467 square miles along hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in the western states.

Most breeding in the U.S. occurs in Arizona and New Mexico, but the habitat designation also includes areas in California, Colorado, Utah, Texas and Idaho.

The designation isn't as big as initially proposed. Wildlife managers opted to exclude more than 300 square miles of potential habitat after considering updated information about ongoing conservation activities, the lack of suitable habitat in some areas and potential interference with critical infrastructure.

Federal biologists describe the cuckoo as an elusive species. Difficult to observe, it selects its nesting spots based on habitat conditions and the availability of food.

Each spring and fall, the cuckoo uses river corridors as routes to travel between its wintering and breeding grounds. Nesting pairs find refuge in willows, cottonwoods and other trees along waterways and once their chicks hatch, their voracious appetites for insects help them fuel up for the return trip south.

Listed as threatened in 2014, biologists say the bird has seen population declines due to loss of riparian habitat and habitat fragmentation resulting from agriculture, dams and river management, erosion, overgrazing and competition from exotic plants.

Judge rules state must give at-home students fast internet

SANTA FE  A New Mexico judge has ordered education officials to provide computers and high-speed internet to students who still don't have them in a landmark ruling that for the first time in the state has set a standard for internet speeds for public school children.

The April 30 ruling by state District Judge Matthew Wilson requires state officials to immediately determine which students covered by the sweeping lawsuit are still lacking quality internet, or devices, and to provide them with what they need, including transportation if they can't get fast internet from home.

The vast majority of New Mexico schools have opened to in-person learning this month after closures due to the pandemic. But school districts serving tribal areas, which were particularly hard-hit by COVID-19 cases and deaths, are still under lockdown orders and some are still in remote or partially remote learning.

About 10% of New Mexico children are Native American and often confront major barriers to online and in-person learning. When the pandemic first hit, 55% of Native American students could not connect to online courses, according to a Legislative Finance Committee report. Many teachers serving at-risk students also lacked at-home internet and computers.

Some homes are simply too far for wireless towers that send internet to WiFi hot spots, and state officials have estimated a full extension of the state's broadband system would cost around $5 billion; larger than its entire annual education budget.

WYOMING

Cheney: 'Wishful thinking' by Trump she won't seek 4th term

CHEYENNE  Speculation by former President Donald Trump that she won't seek re-election next year is "wishful thinking," Liz Cheney said April 28.

Trump suggested a day earlier that Wyoming's congresswoman would become a lobbyist or "maybe embarrass her family by running for president" to save face amid criticism for her vote to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Cheney struck down any such ideas in a call with Wyoming reporters.

"I am absolutely dedicated and committed to winning my primary and earning the votes of the people of Wyoming," Cheney said.

"It's a critical time to make sure that we have the strongest person in Washington fighting on behalf of our values, fighting on behalf of our energy industry, our ag industry, our families," added Cheney, the elder daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Cheney joined nine Republican representatives and all Democrats in the U.S. House in voting to impeach. She has called it a vote of her conscience against Trump's betrayal of his office and oath to uphold the Constitution.

In February, the Wyoming Republican Party central committee censured Cheney for her vote. Four Republicans already are running against her in 2022.

They include two state legislators, Sen. Anthony Bouchard of Cheyenne and Rep. Chuck Gray of Casper, who aren't well known beyond Wyoming's two biggest cities. Two other Republican opponents are even less well-known. Wyoming's top elected officials have either voiced support for Cheney or not weighed in on her impeachment vote.

IDAHO

Bill to kill up to 90% of wolves heads to governor

BOISE  The Idaho House on April 27 approved legislation allowing the state to hire private contractors and expand methods to kill wolves roaming Idaho  a measure that could cut the wolf population by 90%.

Lawmakers voted 58-11 to send the agriculture industry-backed bill to Republican Gov. Brad Little. The fast-tracked bill that allows the use of night-vision equipment to kill wolves as well as hunting from snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, among other measures, passed the Senate last week.

Backers said changes to Idaho law could help reduce the wolf population from about 1,500 to 150, alleviating wolf attacks on cattle, sheep and wildlife.

Cattle and sheep ranchers say wolves have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars by killing animals or harassing them, causing them to lose weight, making them less valuable when they are sold.

Opponents said the legislation threatens a 2002 wolf management plan involving the federal government that could ultimately lead to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking back control of managing the state's wolves.

Environmental groups blasted the House's approval of the measure and called on Republican Gov. Brad Little to veto the legislation.

A primary change in the new law is the hiring of private contractors to kill wolves. The legislation includes increasing the amount of money the Idaho Department of Fish and Game sends to the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control board from $110,000 to $300,000.

About 500 wolves have been killed in the state in each of the last two years by hunters, trappers and wolf-control measures carried out by state and federal authorities.

NEBRASKA

114-year-old woman becomes oldest living American

OMAHA  A 114-year-old Nebraska woman who has taken the title of America's oldest living person says what she wants most is to eat with her friend after a year of pandemic restrictions.

Thelma Sutcliffe, of Omaha, became the nation's oldest living person and seventh-oldest in the world on April 17 when Hester Ford, a 115-year-old woman, died in North Carolina, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Sutcliffe was born on Oct. 1, 1906. Her longtime friend, Luella "Lou" Mason, said she is happy that the senior living center where Sutcliffe lives is locked down, but "Thelma is as determined as ever to do what she wants to do."

Until visitors are allowed in the dining room, Thelma is taking all her meals in her room. Mason, who has Sutcliffe's power of attorney, calls the senior living center 24 hours ahead of time to schedule visits.

Sutcliffe's hearing and sight are fading, Mason said, but her mind is still "very sharp."
Invaders United Kingdom 1900: Chinese cartoonist Wuheqilin mocks G7 meeting with new illustration

Global Times) 10:10, May 09, 2021

The satire illustration that Wuheqilin released on May 7, 2021. (photo: Weibo)

"The last time when these guys colluded to [suppress] China was still in 1900; 120 years have passed, they are still dreaming," patriotic Chinese cartoonist Wuheqilin posted on social media, alongside his new satire illustration on Friday, comparing the meddling of the G7 (or Group of Seven) in China's internal affairs to the notorious invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance troops in 1900.

The illustration, looking like a yellowing old photograph, was painted based on a real group photo that the G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union for foreign affairs took in London on May 4 local time. It depicts eight people wearing old-style military uniforms and black face masks standing in the middle, and a man dressed in Indian garb and wearing a white mask in the left corner, who is on a drip, like a patient.

Chinese readers found that the eight people in the middle of the illustration, standing in the same positions as the eight officials in the May 4 photo, respectively symbolize Britain, the US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austria-Hungary, which formed the invading troops to China some 120 years ago.

In his illustration, Wuheqilin candidly changed the words "United Kingdom 2021," shown on the background board in the actual May 4 photo, into "Invaders United Kingdom 1900."

The man in Indian clothing at the corner of the illustration represents India, which is not a G7 member but was invited to the meeting as a guest along with a few other countries including Australia, readers pointed out.

The Indian man in the illustration holds an IV drip stand close to him, which allows readers to associate it with the severe COVID-19 situation in the South Asian country, which reported a record-high 414,188 confirmed new cases on Thursday.

It followed after India's foreign minister, and his entire team for the G7 talks in London, said they were self-isolating after two delegation members tested positive for coronavirus, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The meeting "was hit by a COVID-19 scare" after the two cases were reported, it said.

The illustration went viral on Chinese social media on Friday, generating more than 306,000 likes and 27,500 retweets within five hours on Twitter-like Weibo since Wuheqilin posted it. Many netizens applauded the satire piece for vividly revealing the ugly faces of some Western forces who have been attempting to bully and contain China over the century.

"Eight-Nation Alliance troops invaded China and looted and pillaged Beijing in 1900, when China was called 'Sick Man of East Asia;' but now times have changed, and China is no longer what she used to be," a Weibo user commented under the illustration. "Western forces, stop your daydreaming!" another user said.

Some other users called the G7 meeting attendees "beasts in human dress," lashing out at the hypocrisy of G7 in grossly interfering in China's internal affairs, including Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with lies and groundless accusations under the guise of so-called "human rights."

A Wednesday-issued statement by the foreign ministers of G7 countries tried to reaffirm their leadership by outlining China and Russia as "threats" and listing issues regarding China's Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet and Taiwan, but no concrete steps of confrontation were disclosed.

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting launched groundless accusations against China, blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs and engaged in anachronistic bloc politics, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Thursday. "This is gross interference in China's sovereignty, flagrant trampling on norms of international relations and [a] violation of the trend toward peace," Wang noted.

Weibo users also heatedly discussed the Indian man being on a drip alone in the illustration. They criticized Indian authorities for still painstakingly trying to ride on the G7's coattails to suppress China, regardless of the tens of thousands of domestic lives being lost as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak at home.

"India, be realistic and take more care of your own people first," some Chinese Weibo users commented.

India recorded 3,915 COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday, according to the health ministry data. It was the 10th consecutive day that the number of fatalities identified in a 24-hour period exceeded 3,000, said a Times of India report.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
In a year marked by disease and death, women across the country have continued to bring forth new life, taking on a new title: mom.

While birth rates around the country have dropped for the sixth year in a row with a baby bust declared, some Connecticut women are becoming mothers for the first time, going through pregnancies and giving birth while the world screeched to a halt with the COVID-19 pandemic.

But these new moms have had a different experience.

Faced with uncertainty, isolation and an ever-changing medical landscape, pandemic moms have had to make their own way. They focused on the positives  special bonding time with their newborns  and reached out to create communities for themselves via Facetime, texts to friends and families, and prenatal groups, when other options werent available.

A June study from the Guttmacher Institute found that 40 percent of women in the U.S. changed their plans about when to have children or how many children to have during the pandemic, and one-third reported wanting to postpone having children or wanting to have fewer children.

Still, there were some who started or expanded their families during these past months of turmoil, including Katie Clunan of Newtown, who had daughter Layla last year on April 20, and Samantha Cook of Shelton, who had daughter Elle last year on March 7.

Clunan and Cook, two first-time moms raising newborns during the pandemic, werent scared by their experiences. Despite the unique ups and downs, both hope to have more children.

A slight decline in births and a great desire for midwives

Danbury Hospitals Family Birth Center saw a 6 percent decrease in births in 2020 compared to 2019, according to Orleen Dawes-Slater, senior director of maternal child health at the hospital. Nationwide there was a four percent birthrate drop in 2020, the federal government reported Wednesday. The new data also marks the sixth year in a row the nations birthrate has fallen.

Dawes-Slater said the migration of New Yorkers  some relocating to Connecticut in their third trimester and delivering at Danbury Hospital  likely offset these numbers, too. The decline was possibly greater than 6 percent.

Last year, the center helped deliver 1,889 babies, when in 2019 that number was 2,018. In 2021, the center is seeing a slight increase compared to the first few months of 2020, but still fewer births than 2019. From January to April, theyve had 610 births, compared to 599 last year and 627 in 2019.

However, Dawes-Slater said these numbers show neither a significant decline nor the predicted pandemic baby boom.

But amid declines in birth rates nationally, midwives and birthing centers have stayed busy. The Connecticut Childbirth & Womens Center is seeing a patient boom, according to Cathy Parisi, certified nurse midwife and clinical director at the center.

Our numbers are through the roof. This is going to be the busiest year weve ever had, said Parisi, who has worked at the center since 1997.

With anxieties over hospitals and the virus, more women opted to give birth with a midwife in a home-like setting. Parisi said some just didnt want to stay away from the safety of home for long.

Women have just kind of wanted to come in, have their baby in a safe, caring environment, and then go home within four to eight hours, she said. Were getting women from Manhattan, from New Jersey, from Massachusetts.

They even have one client, due May 23, who just transferred over to their center.

Caring for mental health and a new baby

Childbirth and prenatal educators in the area noticed a lot more fear, anxiety and feelings of loneliness and isolation among new parents.

Specifically, women were fearful of giving birth without a partner or family by their side, said Lauren Cascone, who runs Strong as a Mother, which runs childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care educational classes in Newtown.

She gave birth to her third child  a daughter  at Danbury Hospital in October and said she worried shed have to go it alone and was wary of being in a hospital with the circulating virus.

There was so much fear, and theres still a lot of fear, Cascone said.

Clunans anxiety set in as she parted from her husband in the hospital parking lot to give birth to Layla, now a year old. She had watched the news incessantly, observing hospital capacity fill as she neared her due date.

With contractions just four minutes apart, she entered the hospital, not knowing when shed see her husband again. Thankfully, he was allowed to attend the birth, but the unknown elements were stressful for the first-time mom.

Finding creative solutions to community

Pregnancy and birth are often communal events, filled with baby showers, classes, family visits, and new mommy friendships  things that are in short supply during the pandemic. These new moms had to find different ways to connect and find support.

Jessica Hill, founder of The Parent Collective, focused on community even before the pandemic. Her company provides prenatal and parenting classes in Fairfield County with the goal of cultivating a strong sense of community among parents.

From her own experiences, Hill knows having a group on the same journey can help in hard times.

When the pandemic hit, she moved all classes  mostly attended by first-time parents  onto Zoom. Hill also started partnering with local medical practices to provide support to patients.

Despite being online, Hills classes try to foster that sense of community among soon-to-be parents through breakout rooms and group texts created by class facilitators.

The people who are in our classes are just really hungry for that, Hill said.

Cascone created a private Facebook group called Strong as a Mother Mamas so her clients could have a safe space to connect and ask questions.

Hill said demand for the classes has increased during the pandemic, and she has a broader audience, especially with her new partnerships. Slots are sold out five minutes after emails are sent to one providers patients, who get the classes for free.

We joke that those classes are like concert tickets, Hill said.

Cascone has also seen strong demand for her classes, which went virtual last spring, too.

Finding answers

In Cascones experience, giving birth just before the winter with decreased social interactions was hard and isolating, especially with the baby blues. Cascone had few places to bring her children to play and couldnt rely as much on the normal social support systems after a birth.

For Clunan, it was difficult not to get tunnel vision at home when she was worried about her daughter. She relied on Cascone, whose classes she took, and her sisters and sisters-in-law for advice. She wanted to know if she was doing it right, what she should do next, whether her daughter was hitting the right milestones.

Cook and Clunan both said they also relied heavily on friends who were also first-time moms, texting and talking on FaceTime frequently.

We still to this day say we couldnt have done it without each other, Clunan said.

Knowing they were all going through the same thing made Cook feel a lot less lonely.

I think now, more than ever, when moms dont really have access to library playgroups and opportunities for gatherings to meet other moms, its so important that we figure out creative ways of connecting, Hill said.

Silver linings

But social isolation came with its benefits for some first-time moms.

Clunan will always remember her unusual birth experience as a very special time  she loves looking at the pictures of Laylas birth. It was just the three of them  her husband, her baby, and herself  with no other visitors.

It was really special just having that alone time, she said. Given the fact that everything turned out well for us, its such a special story that I can share with her forever.

While it was hard not having family come visit and meet Layla, Clunan said she had more time to rest. Looking back, she said she wouldnt change her experience.

Dawes-Slater saw this with patients at Danbury Hospital, too. She wrote in an email that for many patients the pandemic extended baby-bonding time, and that a slower pace with more time for family has been a bright side for some.

Cook thinks her daughter played a large role in helping her get through the darkest parts of the pandemic.

She kept me going every day, Cook said. She was kind of like a light for all of us these past 12 months.
Advertisement

Pregnant Meghan Markle has made an appearance during the Vax Live telecast, claiming COVID has wiped out a generation of progress for women of color.

The Duchess of Sussex made the assertion in a recorded statement, which appeared to be filmed in the backyard of her $14.7 million Montecito mansion.

'As campaign chairs of Vax Live, my husband and I believe it's critical that our recovery prioritizes the health, safety and success of everyone, but particularly women who have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic,' Meghan stated.

'Women, and especially women of color, have seen a generation of economic gain wiped out.'

Cradling her large baby bump in a red floral blouse, Meghan continued: 'My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world.

'When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward.'

The Vax Live concert took place at Los Angeles' Lo-Fi stadium this past Sunday. Prince Harry appeared in person, but Meghan reportedly pulled out at the last minute.

However, her brief recorded statement aired at the conclusion of the concert's telecast - which was aired across multiple TV channels in the US on Saturday night.

It was the Duchess's first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March.

Pregnant Meghan Markle has made an appearance during the Vax Live telecast, claiming COVID has wiped out a generation of progress for women of color

Bumping along nicely! Meghan's prominent baby bump was on full display as she gushed over the fact that she and Harry will soon be parents of a bay girl

Meghan sported a softer and more maternal look than she did during her Oprah interview

Meghan also wielded out a series of stats during her 2-minute statement, saying: 'Since the pandemic began, nearly 5.5 million women have lost work in the U.S., and 47 million more women around the world are expected to slip into extreme poverty.'

She also stated that the the 'future leadership' of young women 'depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now'.

'We want to make sure that as we recover, we recover stronger; that as we rebuild, we rebuild together,' the Duchess declared.

It's unclear when Meghan's statement was recorded. However, she sported a softer look than she did during her Oprah interview.

The Duchess opted for a bright and loose-fitting button down adorned with flowers. She left her long locks free-flowing and styled them in loose curls.

She appeared to be wearing a $140 'Woman Power Charm Necklace' from jewelry brand Awe Inspired.

The company states on its website: 'Celebrating intersectional feminism and social justice is at the core of who we are and what we do. 20% of all proceeds benefit our incredible charity partners, each chosen for the direct impact they have on the lives of women overcoming adversity.'

The Duchess of Sussex appeared to have recorded the statement in the backyard of her Montecito mansion

Meghan's brief recorded statement which aired during the Vax Live telecast marked her first appearance on American television since her and Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah back in March

appeared to be wearing a $140 'Woman Power Charm Necklace' from jewelry brand Awe Inspired

Meanwhile, Prince Harry warned against the 'politicization' of COVID-19 vaccines in a video which was recorded backstage at the Vax Live concert.

'I think the most worrying thing for me and my wife [Meghan].. is science being politicized,' Harry stated in the black and white clip, posted to Twitter on Saturday.

'When we're talking about life and death, which we're talking about now, vaccines cannot be politicized'.

The Duke of Sussex further declared: 'We must ensure that everyone around the world has equal access to the vaccine, otherwise none of this works.'

Harry and Meghan have backed US President Joe Biden's move to waive vaccine patents for poorer countries.

That decision - which was announced earlier this week - caused shares for vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna to tumble on Thursday. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla described support of the waivers as 'so wrong',

Germany, Canada, the EU and the UK currently oppose Harry and Meghan's push to waive the patents, fearing that it won't help boost production in the short-term, and could hamper innovation in the longer-term.

Prince Harry warned against the 'politicization' of COVID-19 vaccines in a clip which was recorded backstage at the Vax Live concert

The Duke and Duchess's tell-all sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, which aired on March 7, sparked fervent debate after they lobbed a series of accusations at the Royal Family

Prince Harry called for COVID-19 vaccines to be 'equitably' distributed across the globe during his appearance at the Vax Live concert in Los Angeles. The concert took place last Sunday and a telecast of the event aired in the US on Saturday

The Duke of Sussex took to the stage at the event, held at So-Fi Stadium, telling a crowd of healthcare workers that they 'cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution [of the vaccine] to every corner of the world'

Earlier this week, Harry and Meghan urged vaccine manufacturers to 'temporarily suspend' intellectual property rights in order to help those in developing countries gain access to jabs.

The couple shared an emotive letter to the CEOs of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Norovax on Thursday as they launched a campaign to 'ensure equitable vaccine access globally'.

The lengthy note, published to Global Citizen, asks the vaccine bosses to 'act with extraordinary purpose, responsibility, and leadership' in response to a 'equity crisis' and use 'every possible measure to increase global supply.'

These proposed measures include 'the temporary suspension of intellectual property and extraordinary global public-private collaboration resulting in wider transfer of technology and know-how.'

AstraZeneca has already vowed not to profit from the vaccine during the pandemic, but Harry and Meghan today urged the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna to follow suit and supply at least 100 million doses of their vaccinations at 'not-for-profit prices' this year.

They also requested that the two pharma giants accelerate their supply and deliver the jabs to COVAX - Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, which protects people against the virus 'regardless of wealth' - as soon as possible.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden delivered a message during the Vax Live concert. The Biden Administration announced this week that they wanted to waive copyright patents on vaccines in the hopes that people in poorer countries could receive the jab quicker

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla (left) hit out at the Biden administration's support for waiving intellectual property protections to allow poorer countries to produce vaccines developed by companies like it and Moderna, potentially cutting into their profits

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have urged supporters to make a donation to a vaccine equity campaign to mark their son Archie's second birthday

Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan also asked their supporters to donate to GAVI, a vaccine alliance which buys Covid-19 vaccines for the world, in a post on their Archewell Foundation website.

The Sussexes said a $5 donation would be matched by organizations supporting the appeal to become $20 - which would cover the purchase of four vaccines.

'We cannot think of a more resonant way to honor our sons birthday,' they said.

'If we all show up, with compassion for those we both know and dont know, we can have a profound impact. Even a small contribution can have a ripple effect.'

Harry and Meghan also asked their supporters to donate to GAVI, a vaccine alliance which buys Covid-19 vaccines for the world, in a post on their Archewell Foundation website
Covid restrictions in Sydney have been extended by a week as the state's health tracers struggle to find the source of two mystery cases.

State Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday all but one of the measures will remain in place until 12.01am on May 17.

'As the "missing link" case hasn't been identified we're keen to prevent a super-spreading event,' she said.

'All safeguards/restrictions will be in place for an extra week, except for shoppers in retail who will no longer be required to wear a mask.'

The restrictions were introduced on Thursday after an eastern Sydney man tested positive to Covid-19 on Wednesday.

Covid restrictions in Sydney have been extended by a week as the state's health tracers struggle to find the source of a mystery case (pictured, A Covid tester at Bondi Beach)

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday all but one of the measures will remain in place until 12.01am on May 17

Genomic sequencing revealed the man had the same virus as a returned traveller from the US who was staying in hotel quarantine, even though the pair had never come into contact with each other.

Health authorities have been scrambling to find the missing link over fears of another outbreak.

The man aged in his 50s subsequently infected his wife but no other close contacts to date.

Household gatherings remain capped at 20 people, mask usage remains mandatory on public transport and indoor venues such as theatres and aged care homes, and singing and dancing remains mostly banned.

Hospitality patrons are still not permitted to drink while standing.

Dr Stephen Conaty praised residents for following health advice and getting tested for Covid-19.

'NSW Health thanks the community for their strong response to calls for testing and continue to urge everyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms - such as cough, headache, fatigue, sore throat or runny nose - to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until you receive a negative result,' he said.

'High testing rates are vital for detecting any unidentified chains of transmission in the community.'

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests

Almost 780,000 vaccinations in total have been administered in NSW, which includes those overseen by the Commonwealth

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests.

There were an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.

One Covid-19 patient in NSW is currently in intensive care and on a ventilator.

Almost 780,000 vaccinations in total have been administered in NSW, which includes those overseen by the Commonwealth.

Sydneysiders were this week urged to wear masks and adhere to other restrictions without cancelling their Mother's Day plans.

Liquor and Gaming NSW on Saturday also urged businesses to do the right thing over the weekend, with compliance officers out in force on Sunday.

Businesses can be fined up to $5000 and forced to shut their doors for defying Covid, including the requirement all patrons check in.
A new poll shows the uphill climb to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The push for herd immunity in the country is reliant on getting a large majority of people in the United States vaccinated, with experts believing 80% need to get the shots to effectively inoculate the country.

There are many people, however, who have made up their mind about whether to get it at all, forming a potential roadblock towards defeating the coronavirus pandemic.

A new poll from The Economist/YouGov asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the jab.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Those who are anti-vaccine mostly show no signs of changing their mind

A new poll shows that 79 percent of those who oppose the vaccine won't change their minds

Pictured: A sign from a rally in March claiming the vaccine is a 'microchip delivery tool'

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The question was further broken down by age, income, and region, each yielding significant findings.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

There was a correlation between low income people and being locked into not getting the vaccine, with just 2 percent of respondents with an income under $50K willing to reconsider getting jabbed after receiving new information.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site

Over half of adults in the United States have received as least one COVID-19 shot

Many more will need to be vaccinated if there is a hope for herd immunity, though

The northeast was the region most willing to reconsider an anti-vax stance, with 66 percent saying they wouldn't reconsider, 11 percent saying they could, and the other 23 percent saying they were unsure.

Democrats were also more likely to reconsider getting vaccinated, with 23 percent saying they could have their mind changed against 3 percent of Republicans, which includes 3 percent of Donald Trump voters as well.

Nevertheless, only 18 percent of people who responded to the poll said they were dead set against getting the vaccine.

A man holds signs that read 'don't give-up on freedom' and 'I choose natural immunity' in Union Square at a 'Freedom Rally' in support of anti-mask and anti-vaccine on March 20

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

According to the CDC, 45.6 percent of the total population of the United States has started their vaccine series as of Saturday, with 33.9 percent fully vaccinated.

That includes 57.7 percent of the 18 and over population starting their vaccine series and 43.2 percent of that same age group fully vaccinated.

By some measures, that puts the United States just over halfway towards herd immunity, which remains an elusive goal in taking down the COVID-19 threat.

There are fears herd immunity may never be reached, especially as the seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered in the United States continues to steadily decline from a mid-April high.

Just over 1.6 million new vaccine doses were administered on May 3, the most recent day with complete data.

The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered in the United States has been steadily declining since mid-April

A regional breakdown of where the most vaccinations are taking place in the U.S.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that experts are beginning to believe herd immunity is not attainable in the United States.

Instead, the coronavirus might become a smaller threat, but one that still hospitalizes and kills people every year.

'The virus is unlikely to go away,' said Emory University evolutionary biologist Rustom Antia. 'But we want to do all we can to check that its likely to become a mild infection.'

Current estimates for the herd immunity threshold are around 80 percent, though those estimates could increase if more contagious variants are discovered.

The Economist/YouGov poll provides hope in that respect, as 82 percent of respondents were open to getting the vaccine, but the margin of error is thin.

So far, there have been over 32.68 million cases of coronavirus in the United States, with 581,511 deaths.
Six returned travellers have tested positive to Covid while in hotel quarantine in Victoria.

The cases recorded on Sunday were a child, a teenage boy, and four adults in their 20s, 40s and 50s.

It's the largest number of daily hotel cases since Victoria's quarantine system reopened on April 8 following an extensive overhaul of its program.

Six returned travellers have tested positive to Covid while in hotel quarantine in Victoria

Three people in Victoria, who have tested negative, are in isolation for two weeks after visiting Covid exposure sites in Sydney after an infected man in his 50s visited several venues.

NSW Health is still unclear how the infected eastern suburbs man caught the virus, which shared the same genomic sequencing as a returned traveller from the US in quarantine.

Most current coronavirus-related restrictions across Greater Sydney will be extended for another week except for mask use in retail settings.

NSW recorded zero new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday.

The cases recorded on Sunday were a child, a teenage boy, and four adults in their 20s, 40s and 50s

Meanwhile, Australia's border will stay shut until 2022 as the federal government targets COVID suppression, while the opposition says a sluggish vaccination rollout will affect future freedom.

The 'tragic' events in India are a reminder of the threat still posed by the virus and there will be an assumption in this week's budget of borders opening next year, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.

'We don't move ahead of the health advice. We've got to ensure that our communities stay safe and when we suppress the virus as we've successfully done, our economy recovers,' he told the ABC on Sunday.
A third of Americans yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine say they would be more likely to get the shot if offered $100, a study has found.

The cash incentives proved far more persuasive than an endorsement from a doctor or pharmacist, a public health expert such as Anthony Fauci or a polarizing political figure like Joe Biden, the New York Times reported.

But not everyone was swayed by money: 15% of those surveyed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) COVID-19 Health and Politics Project said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered $100.

The prospect of not having to wear masks was another effective inducement.

Some 63% of participants said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it meant they no longer had to wear a mask.

The revealing data comes as the number of Americans receiving their vaccines has fallen.

More than 3 million vaccination shots were being administered every day in mid-April, but the rolling average daily rate has now slipped below 2 million.

Lynn Vavreck, a principal investigator of the UCLA Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, wrote in the New York Times that 'at this later stage of a vaccine campaign  when attention has now turned to the hesitant  the net benefit seems to be tilting toward payment'.

Some states are already offering incentives, including cash payments for driving neighbors to vaccination sites.

Bars in some areas have even offered shots of alcohol for those getting their vaccines.

Private businesses such as Trader Joes and Dollar General have also offered financial inducements to staff who take up the vaccine.

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However, not everyone is convinced by a cash reward: 19% of those surveyed said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered a $100 payment. Experts say there is a fine line between a 'incentivizing and coercion'

Vaccine rates hit a peak in the US on April 10 when 4.63 million received the vaccine, but have slipped back since then. Some have linked the declining numbers to a pause in the J&J vaccine on April 13

The UCLA study examined the likelihood of people to get vaccinated when offered $100, $50 and $25.

At $100, 34% said they would be more likely to take a shot, at $50, 31% said they would be more likely, and when the amount was $25, 28% said they would be more inclined.

But some among the 7249 people randomly surveyed said they would be less inclined to be vaccinated if offered a cash payment.

When offered $100, 15% said they would be less likely to take a shot, 17% said they'd be less inclined if they were offered $50, and 15% said they would be dissuaded from taking the vaccine if they were offered $25.

The effect was greatest for unvaccinated Democrats, 48 percent of whom said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it came with a $100 payment.

The long-running study has also examined Americans' likelihood to get vaccinated by political persuasion.

It found that vaccine endorsements by political figures brought about strong partisan reactions.

A Donald Trump vaccine endorsement in 2020 decreased the uptake among Democrats, while increasing the uptake for Republicans.

Similarly, an endorsement by Joe Biden in 2021 saw fewer Republicans take up the vaccine shot.

Meanwhile, private companies such as Trader Joes and Dollar General are already offering their employees cash bonuses to get vaccinated. Trader Joes is giving two hours pay to workers who get the shot, Dollar General will give its employees four hours pay.

In Detroit, residents are being offered $50 prepaid cards to anyone who drives their neighbors to get vaccinated.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site. Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose

A third of yet-to-be vaccinated Americans would be more likely to get the shot when offered $100, a UCLA study has found

Maryland is offering $100 to state employees who receive the vaccine, and West Virginia announced last week that it would give $100 savings bonds to anyone aged between 16 and 36 who gets the shot.

In New Jersey, anyone over 21 is eligible to receive an alcoholic beverage with its 'Shot and a Beer' program.

In Texas, public health leaders are weighing up offering cash to convince the vaccine skeptics.

'I think we do need to have a discussion about incentives,' Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County's interim health authority, told KXAN.

Echoing the USLA findings, Escott said there was a 'thin line between motivation and coercion'.

The number of people taking the vaccine peaked on April 10 when 4.63 million Americans received the shot in a 24-hour period.

Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose.

On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration announced it was pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they study serious illnesses that developed in six American women.

It resumed 10 days later, but experts believe the pause stoked fears among the vaccine hesitant that they were not safe.

'There is a portion of the population that because of the pause, that's the straw that broke the camel's back, they're not going to get vaccinated,' Paul Shelton, executive vice president of pharmacy at AdhereHealth LLC, told the Wall Street Journal.

A recent poll shows just how much of an uphill climb it will to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The Economist/YouGov poll asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the shot.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

Infection rates have declined sharply as more Americans receive the vaccine

The death toll in the United States has slowed markedly in recent months, but is still heading towards 600,000

Stalling vaccination rates have left experts wondering if America will ever reach herd immunity, when a high enough proportion of the population are vaccinated to effectively snuff out the danger of infection.

Herd immunity was once estimated to be around 70 percent, but with the emergence of more in infectious variants - including the now-dominant B117 variant first identified in the UK - the needle has likely moved, experts told the New York Times.

Now, north of 80 percent of Americans would likely need to be vaccinated against the virus to prevent resurgences.

That simply may not be possible, considering that between 20 and 30 percent of Americans are still vaccine hesitant.

'It is theoretically possible that we could get to about 90 percent vaccination coverage, but not super likely, I would say,' Dr Marc Lipsitch, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health epidemiologist, told the Times.

Wyoming has the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy in the country, with an estimated 32 percent of people saying they won't get the shots in at least 11 of the state's 23 counties.

The state also has the fourth lowest rate of vaccination, with 34.1 percent of its population having had one or more doses of Covid vaccines, and 28 percent fully vaccinated. Daily cases in Wyoming are holding steady at about 60 a day.

Mississippi lags furthest behind, with 31.1 percent of residents having had one or more doses and just 23.8 percent fully vaccinated. The prospects of its vaccination campaign look poor as well, as 30 percent of people in six of its counties are hesitant to get vaccinated.

Herd immunity may be especially hard to reach in these states, and hotspots for vaccine hesitancy could be the Achilles heel that allows coronavirus to continue to resurge, if the U.S. doesn't adopt a strategy to quickly quell emerging outbreaks.

Meanwhile, confirmation that pregnant mothers are safe to receive the vaccination is being welcomed as a vital step forward in eliminating the virus.

And there is growing evidence that vaccinating women now may have knock-on benefits for any children they have in the future, too.

Since the immunity provided by a COVID vaccine is passed down to the foetus, wide take-up of the shot will eventually lead to a generation of children with in-built resistance.

While the risk that COVID poses to pregnant women and babies is generally low, studies have shown that women who catch it while pregnant are two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely  which can endanger the newborn. However, the shot dramatically reduces this risk.

Despite this, experts say that roughly one in five pregnant patients are hesitant about getting a COVID shot.

Other studies suggest this is likely to be higher  the results of a poll of more than 1,000 pregnant women, reported last week, showed at least one in three werent sure theyd have one.
Public health officers in Bolton are going door-to-door in a bid to control the spread of the B16172 Indian coronavirus variant.

Indian variant cases have soared over the last week and Public Health officials say almost half the cases are related to travel or contact with a traveller.

The cases are spread across the country, however, the majority of the cases are in London and the North West, predominantly Bolton.

Residents living in the Bolton boroughs of Rumworth, Deane and Great Lever are being told to expect a knock on the door.

The former mill town of Bolton has been revealed as the UK hotspot for the new Covid 19 strain detected in India which has been escalated to a 'variant of concern'

They will be told about new measures in place to stop the transmission of the variant.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 strategic response director at Public Health England (PHE) said: 'We are monitoring all of these variants extremely closely.

'We have taken the decision to classify this as a variant of concern because the indications are that this VOC-21APR-02 is a more transmissible variant.'

Bolton has been revealed as the UK hotspot for the new Covid 19 strain detected in India which has been escalated to a 'variant of concern'.

Urgent measures to contain the variant are in the works in the town including surge testing and a strengthened vaccination campaign urging people to get the jab.

Areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton, Greater Manchester, registered a small number of cases of the variant, leading to widespread testing.

There are 520 confirmed cases of the strain in the country, up from 202 the previous week.

Surge testing is increased testing (including door-to-door testing in some areas) and enhanced contact tracing in specific locations.

It involves testing of people who do not have any symptoms of coronavirus.

Surge testing centres with Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests have been set up in venues including a Hindu temple in addition to a large Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) site.

Areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton, Greater Manchester, registered a small number of cases of the variant, leading to widespread testing

As well as being the hotspot for the new strain, Bolton has recorded the second highest Covid infection rate in the country with cases continuing to rise, below only Hyndburn in Lancashire.

Weekly data shows that Bolton had the second highest Covid-19 case rate in England for the seven days to May 3 up to 89 cases per 100,000 people, up 78 per cent on the previous week.

Compared to the average in the country which sits at 20.6 cases per 100,000 people for the same period.

One area, Rumworth South, has seen cases skyrocket by 500 percent, with an infection rate of 359.3 per 100,000 people.

Public health officers will be going door-to-door to explain the emergency situation unfolding in Bolton.

The Department of Health said a 'small number' of cases of the variant first identified in South Africa (B.1.351) and a cluster of cases of the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India had been found.

It comes as Public Health England (PHE) upgraded the Indian variant to a 'variant of concern'.

The majority of Indian variant cases are in the North West, predominantly Bolton, and London, where there has also been increased transmission.

Bolton Council's Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Lowey, said: 'There is no evidence these variants cause more severe illness, there is some evidence that the Indian variant spreads more easily than other Covid-19 variants so it is the one that we want to stop and contain.

No10's top scientists calculated the R rate had fallen compared to last week, when it was between 0.8 and 1.1 across England. But they said the measure was becoming less reliable because of low numbers of cases, deaths and hospitalisations

Public Health England has divided the Indian variant in three sub-types because they aren't identical. Type 1 and Type 3 both have a mutation called E484Q but Type 2 is missing this, despite still clearly being a descendant of the original Indian strain. It is not yet clear what separates Type 1 and 3

'We are working closely with our partners across the community to identify people who have the virus, to increase the numbers of our eligible residents having the vaccine and to remind us all that Covid has not gone away.

'These measures are designed to bring the virus under control, but there are basic things we can all do to stop Covid spreading.

'Wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering, maintain social distancing, keep areas well ventilated and take up the vaccine when it is offered.'

Dr Helen Wall, Senior Responsible Officer of the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme in Bolton, said:

'It is proven that vaccination has a significant impact on the spread and severity of the virus, so we will be taking steps to provide additional capacity in these areas.

'We have a good track record of vaccination and a high level of confidence in the programme already in Bolton and we aim to build on that with some targeted vaccination work to try and nip this in the bud to protect everyone in Bolton.

'We are so close to getting things back to normal; let's keep up the momentum and stop this virus from spreading further.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE INDIA VARIANTS? Real name: B.1.617  now divided into B.1.617.1; B.1.617.2; B.1.617.3 When and where was it discovered? The variant was first reported by the Indian government in February 2021. But the first cases appear to date back to October 2020. Its presence in the UK was first announced by Public Health England on April 15. There have since been at least 400 cases spotted in genetic lab testing. What mutations does it have? It has 13 mutations that separate it from the original Covid virus that emerged in China  but the two main ones are named E484Q and L452R. Scientists suspect these two alterations can help it to transmit faster and to get past immune cells made in response to older variants. PHE officials said it has split into three distinct virus types, with types 1 and 3 both having the E484Q mutation but type 2 missing the change, despite having all the other hallmarks of the variant. Is it more infectious and can it evade vaccines? The L452R mutation is also found on the Californian variant (B.1.429), even though the two evolved independently. It is thought to make the American strain 20 per cent more infectious than the original Wuhan version  even with the extra 20 per cent it is likely slower than the Kent variant. The E484Q mutation is very similar to the one found in the South African and Brazil variants known as E484K, which can help the virus evade antibodies. The South African variant is thought to make vaccines about 30 per cent less effective at stopping infections, but it's not clear what effect it has on severe illness. Professor Sharon Peacock, of PHE, claimed there was 'limited' evidence of E484Q's effect on immunity and vaccines. Lab studies have suggested it may be able to escape some antibodies, but to what degree remains uncertain. Early research suggests both the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and the Pfizer jab, still work against the variant, as well as India's own jab, Covaxin. A paper published by SAGE last week suggested two doses of the Pfizer vaccine is good enough to protect against all known variants. How deadly is it? Scientists still don't know for sure. But they are fairly certain it won't be more deadly than the current variants in circulation in Britain. This is because there is no evolutionary benefit to Covid becoming more deadly. The virus's sole goal is to spread as much as it can, so it needs people to be alive and mix with others for as long as possible to achieve this. And, if other variants are anything to go by, the Indian strain should not be more lethal. There is still no conclusive evidence to show dominant versions like the Kent and South African variants are more deadly than the original Covid strain - even though they are highly transmissible. Doctors in India claim there has been a sudden spike in Covid admissions among people under 45, who have traditionally been less vulnerable to the disease. There have been anecdotal reports from medics that young people make up two third of new patients in Delhi. In the southern IT hub of Bangalore, under-40s made up 58 percent of infections in early April, up from 46 percent last year. There is still no proof younger people are more badly affected by the new strain. Should we be worried? Scientists are unsure exactly how transmissible or vaccine-resistant the Indian variant is because it hasn't been studied thoroughly. The fact it appears to have increased infectivity should not pose an immediate threat to the UK's situation because the current dominant Kent version appears equally or more transmissible. It will take a variant far more infectious strain than that to knock it off the top spot. However, if the Indian version proves to be effective at slipping past vaccine-gained immunity, then its prevalence could rise in Britain as the immunisation programme squashes the Kent variant. Why has B.1.617.2 been designated as a variant of concern? Scientists believe this variant can spread more quickly than two other related variants seen in India. It is thought to be at least as transmissible as the variant detected in Kent last year, known as B117, which is now dominant in the UK. Dr Susan Hopkins, Covid-19 strategic response director at PHE, said: 'We are monitoring all of these variants extremely closely and have taken the decision to classify this as a variant of concern because the indications are that this VOC-21APR-02 is a more transmissible variant.' PHE said there is currently 'insufficient evidence' to indicate that any of the variants recently detected in India cause more severe disease or make the vaccines available any less effective. How many cases have been detected in the UK? According to data by PHE released on Friday, there are, at present, 520 confirmed cases of the B.1.617.2 variant in the UK, from 202 over the last week. The report also showed 261 cases of B.1.617.1 and nine cases of B.1.617.3. The cases are spread across the country, with the majority in two areas  the North West, mainly in Bolton, and London. PHE said around half of these cases are related to travel or contact with a traveller. PHE health protection teams are working with local authorities, public health officials and NHS Test and Trace to detect cases and limit onward spread. Surge testing is expected to be deployed where there is evidence of community transmission. Is B16172 variant driving the second wave in India? India reported 412,262 new Covid-19 cases and 3,980 Covid-19-related deaths on Thursday  both new single-day records. In the past 30 days, the country has recorded 8.3million cases. However, it remains unclear whether the new coronavirus variants are driving the second wave. Experts say large gatherings, and lack of preventive measures such as mask-wearing or social distancing, are playing a key role in the spread of the virus. Although India has the world's biggest vaccine making capacity, the country has partially or fully immunised less than 10 per cent of its 1.35billion people. Advertisement

Just five new Covid deaths are recorded as cases rise 7.3 per cent to 2,047 - while number of people who have had second jab soars past 17m

By Joe Davies for MailOnline

Britain's daily coronavirus deaths fell by nearly 30 per cent today, as the number of people who have received a second dose soared past 17million.

There were 2,047 positive tests across the country, the Department of Health announced, up 7.3 per cent on last Saturday's number (1,907).

Officials also recorded just five lab-confirmed deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid swab, 28.6 per cent less than the number recorded a week ago.

The latest figures show that nearly 35.2million Britons have been given at least one dose of Covid vaccine, after another 119,349 first injections were administered yesterday.

The NHS also dished out a further 449,716 second doses, bringing the total number of people fully vaccinated against the disease to 17.2million.

Some 66.8 per cent of adults have had a first jab, while nearly a third have had their second.

It comes surge testing began in the former mill town of Bolton today, which has been identified as a hotspot for the Indian Covid variant.

British health chiefs yesterday announced India's mutant coronavirus strain is now officially a 'variant of concern'.

Public Health England say the variant  linked to an explosion of cases in India  is 'at least' as infectious as the current dominant Kent strain.

Cases of the variant, scientifically called B.1.617.2, have more than doubled in a week. It has now been spotted 520 times, with hotspots in Bolton and London.

Health officials are confident vaccines currently being used should still work against the variant but are carrying out urgent tests to be certain.

Scientists have grouped the Indian variant into three separate sub-strains, with type 2 quickly spreading in the UK. It has been found in schools, care homes and places of worship, it was reported yesterday.

The other two are genetically similar strains  B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.3  and aren't currently considered variants of concern. But PHE said their status will be kept 'under constant review'.

Despite being more infectious, health chiefs don't believe the variant is deadlier than original coronavirus strains.

The move to make the Indian variant one 'of concern' means officials can now put in place tougher measures to contain the strain, including ordering door-to-door tests and boosting contact tracing. All residents living in areas where the variant is spreading in the community will be asked to get a test, even if they don't have symptoms.

The Department of Health has announced it will start surge testing in Bolton in the BL3 postcode and has asked residents to book a test online or on the phone so they can go for one at a site or have one delivered to them at home. Surge testing in London has not yet been announced.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said that tracking of the Indian variant will be 'absolutely ruthless'.

Celebrating the Tories delivering a hammer blow to the Labour's Red Wall in the local elections, Mr Johnson told reporters: 'What we're doing there is making sure that we are absolutely ruthless in the surge testing, in the door-to-door tracking of any contacts.

'At the moment we're looking carefully at the way the Indian variant seems to function, we don't see any evidence that it is resistant to the vaccines or in any way more dangerous.'

Public Health England has divided the Indian variant into three sub-types because they aren't identical. Type 1 and Type 3 both have a mutation called E484Q but Type 2 is missing this, despite still clearly being a descendant of the original Indian strain. It is not yet clear what separates Type 1 and 3

But an expert has warned the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown might be delayed because of outbreaks of the variant.

Dr Duncan Robinson, policy and strategy analytics academic at Loughborough University, yesterdaysaid a 'political decision' may be taken to slow down easing restrictions because the strain could disproportionately affect areas where there are outbreaks.

But speaking in Hartlepool yesterday, Mr Johnson also said he 'can't see any reason' to delay the remaining steps along the out of lockdown.

Early research suggests both the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and the Pfizer jab, still work against the variant.

Cases HALVE in a month to 46,000, R rate falls slightly and is still below one, and fewer than 1,000 patients are now in hospital for the first time since September England's coronavirus cases have halved in a month, the R rate is still below one, and the number of people in hospital has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since September, promising data revealed today. Just 46,000 people had coronavirus in England on any given day last week, or one in 1,180 people, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure was around 112,000 towards the start of April  and is down 15 per cent last Friday's estimate. No10's top scientists said the reproduction rate  which tracks the spread of the virus  was between 0.8 and 1.0, meaning the outbreak is still shrinking. This was down from 0.8 to 1.1 in the previous seven-day period. Meanwhile, NHS figures show the number of infected patients in hospitals across England has dropped into three figures for the first time since the second wave spiralled out of control nine months ago. Daily admissions are now below 100. The data follows on from promising statistics from Public Health England and a symptom-tracking app yesterday, which showed the easing of restrictions on April 12 has not triggered any spike in the disease. Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to speed up his roadmap out of lockdown, with businesses and MPs warning that they risk suffering another lost summer if there are further delays. But the Prime Minister has refused to budge from plans to re-allow holidays and indoor hospitality from May 17, despite promising he would be led by 'data not dates'. Advertisement

Speaking at the Downing Street press conference tonight Jenny Harries, the head of the UK Health Protection Agency, said: 'Yes we should be concerned. Our overall positivity rates have dropped dramatically but in some areas there are some variants of concern.

'Particularly the Indian one, which has risen quite sharply in the last week or two. So in those areas, we really do want people to be extra cautious.'

She said that while scientists had determined the variant was more transmissible, they still need to monitor its affect on vaccine effectiveness and disease severity.

Ms Harries added: 'While we're watching that, we're taking a whole host of steps to ensure areas where we have seen that we have enhanced contact tracing, we're going in with messaging, working with local communities, with local directors of public health, to make sure people are really aware of the potential risk.

'We're encouraging people to continue working from home. All the things we know work.

'Socialising outdoors, even if the situation and the rules change [across the country]. It's really important that people continue to do that.

'This is likely to be a bit of a pattern as we move forward. So we need the public to do everything they have been doing in sticking to the rules but in those particular areas, being particularly careful. And we will be continuing to monitor it.'

Dr Susan Hopkins, PHE's Covid strategic response director, said: 'The way to limit the spread of all variants is the same and although we are all enjoying slightly more freedom, the virus is still with us.

'Keep your distance, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, cover your nose and mouth when inside and keep buildings well ventilated and meet people from other households outside.

'If you are told to get a test, if you have any symptoms at all or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, please make sure you get tested too.'

She said the decision to upgrade B.1.617.2 to a 'variant of concern' was because data shows it is more transmissible.

But PHE said there is currently no proof that any of the variants are deadlier or render the vaccines currently deployed any less effective.

Urgent laboratory tests are being carried out to 'better understand the impact of the mutations on the behaviour of the virus', the agency said.

It also revealed the majority of the cases being detected were in just two areas  the North West (mainly Bolton) and London.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'Working in partnership with Bolton Council, NHS Test and Trace is providing additional testing and genomic sequencing in targeted areas within the BL3 postcode in Bolton.

'Everybody who resides or works in these postcodes is strongly encouraged to take a COVID-19 PCR test, whether they are showing symptoms or not.

'Enhanced contact tracing will be used for individuals testing positive with a variant of concern. In these instances, contact tracers will look back over an extended period in order to determine the route of transmission.

'By using PCR testing, positive results can be sent for genomic sequencing at specialist laboratories, helping us to identify variant of concern cases and their spread.

'People with symptoms should book a free test online or by phone so they can get tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to them at home. Those without symptoms should visit the local authority website for more information.'

Boris Johnson (pictured celebrating the Tories' by-election win on Jacksons Wharf with Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer this morning) has pledged 'absolutely ruthless' tracking of India's mutant Covid strain after health chief today officially declared it a 'variant of concern'

Data modelled by Professor Christina Pagel suggested the variants now account for 10 per cent of Covid cases in London, and between 5 and 7 per cent of cases in the South East and East Midlands

APRIL 17: In the most recent data, the variant  now split into three recognisable strains  has been found in dozens of areas and accounted for 2.4 per cent of all positive tests sampled

Data on April 3 (left) show how just a handful of boroughs had spotted cases of the Indian variants. By a week later (right) the variant had spread to more areas and started to take off in London

Reflecting on the strain's upgrade to 'variant of concern' on Twitter, Dr Robinson said: 'A *political* decision will be made. Risk of Roadmap Step 3 is clear.

'It would be prudent to delay the reopening to see how outbreaks spread or do not spread in the weeks ahead. Otherwise deprived, ethnic, urban communities may suffer disproportionately.'

But the Prime Minister yesterday said: 'I think it's been very important for our country that we're able to get through Covid as fast as we can. I think we've got to always bear in mind that this thing isn't over.

'I think the epidemiology is very encouraging at the moment but we've got to continue to be cautious, and we will continue with the cautious but irreversible steps of the road map. I can't see any reason now to delay any of the steps that we've got ahead of us, but that's going to be our programme.'
Cases of variant forms of COVID have surged in Florida just weeks after the state was inundated with spring breakers, data has revealed.

Florida now has the distinction of being the home to the most variant COVID-19 cases in the country as state health officials reported more than 11,800 cases of COVID-19 variants on Wednesday, the Sun Sentinel reported.

In mid-March 753 cases were reported from three 'variants of concern' - the B.1.1.7, the P.1, and the B. 1.3.5.1.

That number swelled to 5,177 cases from five types of variants on April 15 and just two weeks later, the number of variant infections exploded to 9,248 on April 27, according to health data reviewed by WFTV.

In Florida, 243 people have been hospitalized with variants and 67 have died.

And since only one percent of all COVID-19 cases in Florida undergo testing to study their genetic coding, the number of variant infections is likely much higher than reported.

There are fears that the spread of variants could make vaccines less effective, and prolong the covid pandemic as people who have already had the disease or been vaccinated risk being reinfected.

The timing of the variant surge aligns with spring break, as thousands of college students and vacationers flock to the Sunshine State for vacation

Variant COVID infections have risen dramatically since March, aligning with the influx of vacationers visiting Florida for spring break (source: Florida Department of Health via WFTV)

Spring breakers (pictured) make their way to Florida beaches as the state experiences a surge in COVID variant infections

As of May 1, Miami-Dade County led the state with 2,279 variant cases, followed by Broward County with 1,950 variant cases, the Sun Sentinel reported.

The B.1.1.7 strain- first detected in the United Kingdom- is estimated to be 60% more infectious than the original dominant strain of COVID-19, it is also believed to result in more severe illness and higher hospitalization rates, Orlando Sentinel reported.

The most recent estimate is that variant strain is 67% more deadly.

There are also several reports of the South African and Brazilian variants.

The number of overall COVID infections in Florida has dropped in recent weeks as health officials report the number of variant COVID infections have surged

Overall COVID deaths are on the decline in Florida as the state reports that a total of 35,73 people have died from the virus

The timing of the variant surge aligns with spring break, coming weeks after thousands of college students and vacationers flocked to the Sunshine State for vacation.

Despite the rise in variant infections, overall COVID-19 cases in Florida are going down as state health officials reported 4.67% COVID-19 positivity rate on Friday- the second day in a row that it has dipped below five percent, ABC News 7 reported.

In total, Florida has had 2,269,806 cases of COVID and 35,731 deaths.

Around 40% of Floridians - 9 million people - have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Spring breakers gather on the beach (pictured) in South Beach, Miami as variant COVID infections surge in the Sunshine State

South Beach beaches are packed during spring break as vacationers flock to Florida as it experiences a surge in variant COVID infections

Dr. Aileen Marty, a professor of infectious disease and outbreak response at Florida International University, tells the Orlando Sentinel that the rise in variant COVID infections can be attributed to lax attitudes about the virus.

'The real problem is that everyone's acting like the pandemic is over,' she said. 'If we get lackadaisical about it...these variants can overcome some of the immunity that we've developed, and we may find ourselves in a very bad situation again.'

Dr. Marty says that the best way to prevent the spread of variants is to get vaccinated. 'I think that to the majority of the people, there are just too many numbers and letters [for the variants] to keep up with and to understand where the risk actually is right now,' she told the Orlando Sentinal. 'The most important thing to know is that we need to get more people vaccinated. Any level of protection is better than no level of protection.'

A third of vaccine skeptics would get COVID-19 shot if offered a $100 cash incentive, study finds

A third of Americans yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine say they would be more likely to get the shot if offered $100, a study has found.

The cash incentives proved far more persuasive than an endorsement from a doctor or pharmacist, a public health expert such as Anthony Fauci or a polarizing political figure like Joe Biden, the New York Times reported.

But not everyone was swayed by money: 15% of those surveyed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) COVID-19 Health and Politics Project said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered $100.

The prospect of not having to wear masks was another effective inducement.

Some 63% of participants said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it meant they no longer had to wear a mask.

The revealing data comes as the number of Americans receiving their vaccines has fallen.

More than 3 million vaccination shots were being administered every day in mid-April, but the rolling average daily rate has now slipped below 2 million.

Lynn Vavreck, a principal investigator of the UCLA Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, wrote in the New York Times that 'at this later stage of a vaccine campaign  when attention has now turned to the hesitant  the net benefit seems to be tilting toward payment'.

Some states are already offering incentives, including cash payments for driving neighbors to vaccination sites.

Bars in some areas have even offered shots of alcohol for those getting their vaccines.

Private businesses such as Trader Joes and Dollar General have also offered financial inducements to staff who take up the vaccine.

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However, not everyone is convinced by a cash reward: 19% of those surveyed said they would be less likely to get the shot if offered a $100 payment. Experts say there is a fine line between a 'incentivizing and coercion'

Vaccine rates hit a peak in the US on April 10 when 4.63 million received the vaccine, but have slipped back since then. Some have linked the declining numbers to a pause in the J&J vaccine on April 13

The UCLA study examined the likelihood of people to get vaccinated when offered $100, $50 and $25.

At $100, 34% said they would be more likely to take a shot, at $50, 31% said they would be more likely, and when the amount was $25, 28% said they would be more inclined.

But some among the 7249 people randomly surveyed said they would be less inclined to be vaccinated if offered a cash payment.

When offered $100, 15% said they would be less likely to take a shot, 17% said they'd be less inclined if they were offered $50, and 15% said they would be dissuaded from taking the vaccine if they were offered $25.

The effect was greatest for unvaccinated Democrats, 48 percent of whom said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it came with a $100 payment.

The long-running study has also examined Americans' likelihood to get vaccinated by political persuasion.

It found that vaccine endorsements by political figures brought about strong partisan reactions.

A Donald Trump vaccine endorsement in 2020 decreased the uptake among Democrats, while increasing the uptake for Republicans.

Similarly, an endorsement by Joe Biden in 2021 saw fewer Republicans take up the vaccine shot.

Meanwhile, private companies such as Trader Joes and Dollar General are already offering their employees cash bonuses to get vaccinated. Trader Joes is giving two hours pay to workers who get the shot, Dollar General will give its employees four hours pay.

In Detroit, residents are being offered $50 prepaid cards to anyone who drives their neighbors to get vaccinated.

Pictured: The Jacob Javits Center in NYC in April, which has served as a mass vaccination site. Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose

A third of yet-to-be vaccinated Americans would be more likely to get the shot when offered $100, a UCLA study has found

Maryland is offering $100 to state employees who receive the vaccine, and West Virginia announced last week that it would give $100 savings bonds to anyone aged between 16 and 36 who gets the shot.

In New Jersey, anyone over 21 is eligible to receive an alcoholic beverage with its 'Shot and a Beer' program.

In Texas, public health leaders are weighing up offering cash to convince the vaccine skeptics.

'I think we do need to have a discussion about incentives,' Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County's interim health authority, told KXAN.

Echoing the USLA findings, Escott said there was a 'thin line between motivation and coercion'.

The number of people taking the vaccine peaked on April 10 when 4.63 million Americans received the shot in a 24-hour period.

Latest figures put the number of fully vaccinated adults in the United States at 34%, and at least 46% have had one dose.

On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration announced it was pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they study serious illnesses that developed in six American women.

It resumed 10 days later, but experts believe the pause stoked fears among the vaccine hesitant that they were not safe.

'There is a portion of the population that because of the pause, that's the straw that broke the camel's back, they're not going to get vaccinated,' Paul Shelton, executive vice president of pharmacy at AdhereHealth LLC, told the Wall Street Journal.

A recent poll shows just how much of an uphill climb it will to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 who have already made their minds up about the shot.

The Economist/YouGov poll asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the shot.

Of those who responded, 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent they weren't sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Women were slightly more likely to have their heels dug in than men, with 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine saying nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men.

The age group most open to mind-altering information was 18-29-year-olds, 14 percent of whom said they could be convinced to change their mind.

Income and political ideology correlated to resistance over changing minds about the vaccine

Infection rates have declined sharply as more Americans receive the vaccine

The death toll in the United States has slowed markedly in recent months, but is still heading towards 600,000

Stalling vaccination rates have left experts wondering if America will ever reach herd immunity, when a high enough proportion of the population are vaccinated to effectively snuff out the danger of infection.

Herd immunity was once estimated to be around 70 percent, but with the emergence of more in infectious variants - including the now-dominant B117 variant first identified in the UK - the needle has likely moved, experts told the New York Times.

Now, north of 80 percent of Americans would likely need to be vaccinated against the virus to prevent resurgences.

That simply may not be possible, considering that between 20 and 30 percent of Americans are still vaccine hesitant.

'It is theoretically possible that we could get to about 90 percent vaccination coverage, but not super likely, I would say,' Dr Marc Lipsitch, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health epidemiologist, told the Times.

Wyoming has the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy in the country, with an estimated 32 percent of people saying they won't get the shots in at least 11 of the state's 23 counties.

The state also has the fourth lowest rate of vaccination, with 34.1 percent of its population having had one or more doses of Covid vaccines, and 28 percent fully vaccinated. Daily cases in Wyoming are holding steady at about 60 a day.

Mississippi lags furthest behind, with 31.1 percent of residents having had one or more doses and just 23.8 percent fully vaccinated. The prospects of its vaccination campaign look poor as well, as 30 percent of people in six of its counties are hesitant to get vaccinated.

Herd immunity may be especially hard to reach in these states, and hotspots for vaccine hesitancy could be the Achilles heel that allows coronavirus to continue to resurge, if the U.S. doesn't adopt a strategy to quickly quell emerging outbreaks.

Meanwhile, confirmation that pregnant mothers are safe to receive the vaccination is being welcomed as a vital step forward in eliminating the virus.

And there is growing evidence that vaccinating women now may have knock-on benefits for any children they have in the future, too.

Since the immunity provided by a COVID vaccine is passed down to the foetus, wide take-up of the shot will eventually lead to a generation of children with in-built resistance.

While the risk that COVID poses to pregnant women and babies is generally low, studies have shown that women who catch it while pregnant are two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely  which can endanger the newborn. However, the shot dramatically reduces this risk.

Despite this, experts say that roughly one in five pregnant patients are hesitant about getting a COVID shot.

Other studies suggest this is likely to be higher  the results of a poll of more than 1,000 pregnant women, reported last week, showed at least one in three werent sure theyd have one.
One millions Aussies between 40 and 49 will be able to receive the Pfizer vaccine 'within weeks', according to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Ms Berejiklian made the comments at the opening of the state's first mass Covid-19 vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park, which will have the capacity to administer 30,000 Covid-19 jabs per week.

The good news about vaccines comes as millions in Greater Sydney remain under increased coronavirus restrictions for another week with the authorities still unable to work out exactly how an eastern suburbs Sydney man was infected.

The NSW government expects the Homebush hub, opening on Monday and the first to open in the state, will have the capacity to It will be staffed by hundreds of medical personnel and operate six days a week from 8am to 8pm in a specially-fitted commercial building.

For its first two weeks, the hub will be open to people in categories 1a and 1b before expanding to anyone over 50 from May 24.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she hopes the state can now give out 60,000 vaccines a week, helping to boost Australia's fledgling rollout.

Ben Shepherd from RFS receives his COVID-19 vaccination at the Olympic Park Vaccination Centre in Sydney, on Monday (above)

The vaccine centre will be staffed by hundreds of medical personnel and operate six days a week from 8am to 8pm in a specially-fitted commercial building

'The mass vaccination centre will be able to administer up to 30,000 vaccines per week once it is up and running, that means around 5,000 vaccinations per day,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'The Centre, combined with the more than 100 NSW Health run clinics and hubs, means NSW Health can administer around 60,000 vaccines each week across the State.'

Victoria has now streaked 25,300 vaccine doses ahead of NSW after bringing six mass vaccination hubs online across the state.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR VACCINE IN NEW SOUTH WALES Members of the general public aged 40-49 are invited to register their interest in receiving the Pfizer vaccine through NSW Health. They will be contacted when a booking is available. People aged 40-49 can register here from 5pm today: nsw.gov.au/ From Wednesday 12 May, people aged 50 and over can book their AstraZeneca jab at the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park, if they are unable to obtain the vaccination from their GP. These bookings will be available here; covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility Advertisement

The hub opening comes fresh from the NSW government extending Greater Sydney's current restrictions for another week, except for mask usage in retail settings.

NSW Health on Sunday said it remains unsure how an infected east Sydney man caught the virus, which shared the same genomic sequencing as a returned traveller from the US in quarantine.

The man, in his 50s, subsequently infected his wife but no other close contacts to date.

Ms Berejiklian said she was 'keen to prevent a super-spreading event' given the 'missing link' between the two local cases was yet to be identified.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (above) and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (right) visit the Olympic Park Vaccination Centre on Monday. NSW said they will start vaccinating residents between 40 and 49 within 'weeks'

It means for the next week household gatherings remain capped at 20 people, mask usage remains mandatory on public transport and indoor venues such as theatres and aged care homes, and singing and dancing remains mostly banned.

Hospitality patrons are still not permitted to drink while standing, although retail customers are no longer obliged to wear masks.

NSW recorded zero new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday from more than 18,000 tests.

There were an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
Kumail Nanjiani was seen out and about on Saturday afternoon.

The 43-year-old comedian showed off his impressively toned bicep and calf muscles as he prepared to pump some iron at a Los Angeles gym.

Nanjiani's outing comes ahead of the premiere of the upcoming Marvel film Eternals, which is slated for a November release.

Putting in work: Kumail Nanjiani was seen showing off his toned form while spending time at an outdoor gym in Los Angeles on Saturday morning

Nanjiani was dressed in a form-fitting grey tank top that placed an emphasis on his toned arms and was previously worn underneath a lighter hoodie.

He paired his neutral-toned top with a pair of loose-fitting green Champion shorts that exposed his worked-on calf muscles.

The Silicon Valley actor tied off his outfit with sets of white socks and multicolored Adidas running shoes while spending time at the gym.

The performer wore a light blue facial covering that reduced his chance of being exposed to COVID-19 during his workout session.

Covering up: The Silicon Valley actor initially covered up his sculpted form with a light grey hoodie, although he later removed his outer layer and placed his muscled arms on full display

Taking precaution: Nanjiani wore a light blue facial covering to keep himself protected from COVID-19 during his time at the gym

Although he is well known for his primarily comedic efforts, Nanjiani is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film Eternals.

The actor will portray Kingo, a superhuman being with the ability to shoot bolts of energy out of his hands who doubles as a Bollywood star.

Also set to appear in the forthcoming Chloe Zhao-directed feature are Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Kit Harington, among several others.

Development on the film began in 2018 when Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that a movie based on the Eternals would make its debut in the near future.

Major project: The comedian is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film Eternals, which entered into the development stage in 2018; he is seen with several other cast members, as well as director Chloe Zhao at San Diego Comic-Con International 2019

The feature is set to be one of the first projects in the media company's Phase Four, which deals with stories that take place in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame.

Principal photography on the feature had begun by July of 2019 and continued into the following year, with an official wrap on production occurring in February of 2020 and reshoots continuing into 2021.

In late April, Zhao expressed that she and the film's producers were in the final stages of editing the film, which is currently set to be released on November 5th.

Coming soon: Eternals is currently in the final stages of the editing process and is set to make its debut on November 5th

During an interview with Men's Health, Nanjiani expressed that, when he was approached by the filmmakers about taking a role in Eternals, he told them that he wanted to take a leading position in the project.

He recalled, 'I was like, "I dont want to be just part of a Marvel movie; I want to be a Marvel superhero."'

The actor went on to speak about how, as he wanted to change his physique for Eternals, he had to change his mindset and attitude about working out in order to cope with the intensity of his fitness sessions.

'I had to change my relationship to pain. Youre so designed to avoid it, but in that situation you really have to be okay with it. You have to want it. Its almost trying to rewire your brain,' he said.
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It was the first COVID-compliant, large-scale music event for a live audience consisting of fully vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers.

Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World aired this weekend on Saturday, after being pre-taped last week at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

The show's central purpose was to call upon leadership and governments as well as the private sector and philanthropists to commit to equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World aired this weekend on Saturday, after being pre-taped last weekend at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

Serving as master of ceremonies was none other than Selena Gomez, modeling her newly bleached locks while wearing a stunning black column dress with diamond-shapes.

Selena begged viewers around the world to get vaccinated for those who were on the fence, stressing the importance of protecting not only those people, but their loved ones as well.

Presenters at the event included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are serving as campaign chairs of Vax Live.

Statuesque: She was wearing a stunning black column dress with diamond-shapes

Serving as master of ceremonies: None other than Selena Gomez, modeling her newly bleached locks

Turning up the heat: Saweetie also performed, sizzling onstage alongside masked backup dancers

Bustin' moves: They performed her song Fast (Motion)

Other presenters included Olivia Munn, Sean Penn, Ben Affleck and Chrissy Teigen.

Penn, founder of CORE, took the stage as a representative of the community outreach organization that was instrumental in the vaccine coordination in the US.

Chrissy took some time to speak at the end of the show, referring to the event and the audience in the stadium as a 'house of hope'.

Performances at the Global Citizen concert event featured stars such as Eddie Vedder, NCT 127 and recent Oscar winner H.E.R.

Lovely: Chrissy took some time to speak at the end of the show, in a peachy orange gown with long train

Stunning: The TV personality ensured she caught the eye after taking to the stage at the event on Saturday evening

Hopeful: She referred to the event and the audience in the stadium as a 'house of hope'

Other presenters included: Olivia Munn, Sean Penn (both pictured), Ben Affleck and Chrissy

Performances at the Global Citizen concert event featured: Stars such as Eddie Vedder and H.E.R. (pictured)

Accolades: H.E.R. is a recent Oscar winner for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) for Fight For You in the film Judas and the Black Messiah

Dancing: Boy band NCT 127 was also seen performing

Chief among them, however, was Jlo, who opened and closed the show and invited her gorgeous mother onstage to sing Sweet Caroline.

Saweetie also performed, sizzling onstage alongside masked backup dancers for her song Fast (Motion).

Vedder, of iconic 90s band Pearl Jam, put on a brilliant show, along with sharing a message on the importance of vaccine equity.

You've heard of them: Presenters at the event included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are serving as campaign chairs of Vax Live

She's expecting: Meghan's baby bump was evident as she spoke from home at Saturday night's event

Other musicians to take the stage included the Foo Fighters and J Balvin.

In terms of presenters, Affleck came out onstage with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, who donned a Robin costume while Ben was in a regular suit.

The gag involved Jimmy assuming that Ben would wear a Batman suit, naturally.

Chief among the performers was Jlo: She opened the show and invited her gorgeous mother onstage to sing

Here we go: The Latina star ensured her fans were not disappointed by putting on a stunning performance

Blooming lovely: She caught the eye in a glittering jumpsuit after taking to the stage at the event

Main man: Foo Fighters star Dave Grohl addressed the crowd during his band's storming performance

The 'eager to perform, fully vaccinated' Foo Fighters: The band took the stage to perform their hit song Everlong

Rocking: Eddie Vedder, of iconic 90s band Pearl Jam, put on a brilliant show, along with sharing a message on the importance of vaccine equity

Other musicians to take the stage: The Foo Fighters and J Balvin (pictured)

Gag: Presenter Ben Affleck came out onstage with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, who donned a Robin costume while Ben was in a regular suit

On a more serious note, actress Nomzamo Mbatha of South Africa took the stage to describe the plight of limited vaccine rollout throughout Africa.

She explained that while 50 million people in the US were vaccinated in the last week, only 10,000 were inoculated in South Africa.

She went on to say many in the African continent will not get the vaccine until 2023.

On a more serious note: Actress Nomzamo Mbatha of South Africa took the stage to describe the plight of limited vaccine rollout throughout Africa

Lovely: The actress wore a tasteful chocolate brown dress as she addressed viewers at the pre-recorded event

Important message: Nomzamo highlighted the plight of South Africans amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis

Appearing via livestream was President and First Lady Biden, reminding viewers that anyone aged 16 and over in the United States can now get vaccinated.

Later, Vice President Kamala Harris also made a statement via a video feed for the event.

David Letterman echoed the sentiment about the importance of vaccines, when he came out for a small standup routine.

Appearing via livestream: President and First Lady Biden reminded viewers that anyone aged 16 and over in the United States can now get vaccinated

Later: Vice President Kamala Harris also made a statement via a video feed for the event

The late night legend also presented the 'eager to perform, fully vaccinated' Foo Fighters.

Nirvana alum Dave Grohl and his band took the stage to perform their hit song Everlong, later welcoming surprise guest Brian Johnson of AC/DC.

Vax Live streamed and aired on Saturday night, on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App.
Still indulging in vaccine supremacy, U.S. now itches for vaccine diplomacy

10:33, May 09, 2021 By Qing Ming ( People's Daily Online

Four months ago, the coronavirus situations in the U.S. and India were worlds apart, with Americas daily COVID-19 cases soaring to between 150 and 250 thousand while Indias single-day case numbers had just touched down to their lowest point at 8,635. Four months later, the contrast remains, but just in the opposite direction: now the U.S. is in a much better off position with 46% of its citizens having gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while India is meanwhile heading straight down a slippery slope, shattering world records for daily case counts one day after another.

What is even more striking than the two nations intersecting fates, however, is that India, which is one of the world's largest vaccine producers, is struggling to mass-produce enough doses even for its own citizens, with Americas disappointing delays in lifting exports bans on raw materials having played no small role in this debacle.

Despite US President Joe Bidens promise to share AstraZeneca doses and his support for waiving COVID-19 vaccine patents, he cant wipe away the gritty truth that America and its G7 allies went about hoarding a sizable share of worldwide vaccine stocks, swaying the international vaccine distribution and supply chain first and foremost in favor of themselves. Yes, they havent blocked the poor countries of the world from accessing COVID-19 vaccines, but they have nevertheless purchased available vaccines in bulk through bilateral deals; nor have they barred poor countries from directly producing vaccines, yet they instead acted simply to cut off the export of key raw materials.

Representatives pose for a group photo during the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign and development ministers at Lancaster House in London, Britain, on May 4, 2021. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

On May 5, at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting, a joint statement imbued with privilege, conceits and cliches was issued, blathering on about other countries internal affairs while conjuring up solutions to issues the group failed to address from the get-go (if not having contributed to making these issues even worse). But the ministers clearly forgot to comment on what the clique had done from the outset to aggravate an unfair situation of vaccine distribution that had been one of their own making (that is, by signing self-serving bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies reserving orders for billions of doses), nor did they comment on why the U.S. had thwarted others attempts to acquire raw materials even with its millions of as-yet-unused doses sitting in storage.

America and some of its allies vaccine supremacy lies in the fact that they deploy their authority willy-nilly and abuse their dominant position on what at first appears a seemingly understandable basis  namely, that their citizens (many of whom are reluctant to wear masks or loath to engage in social distancing) should have privileges to get the shot first. Even though the clique would go to every length to slam Trumps America First policy, in practice, theyve never completely forgone the same insular mindset. Thats no less shocking and immoral than rounding up and stockpiling all the bottled water from the shelves for ones own personal use during a water crisis as workers elsewhere are dying of thirst in front of the bottled water assembly lines.

A doctor shows a box of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Varoslod, Hungary, Feb. 24, 2021. (Tamas Vasvari/MTI via Xinhua)

On May 7, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, alongside previously authorized Pfizer-BioNTech, Astrazeneca/SK Bio, Serum Institute of India, Janssen, and Moderna vaccines, highlighting that its efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalized disease was estimated to be 79%, all age groups combined.

Following WHOs go-ahead for the Sinopharm vaccine, a WHO official acknowledged Chinas efforts to provide and donate vaccines to vulnerable countries, according to Reuters, especially nations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia who have found it exceptionally difficult to request access to doses from the rich world, noting that China has offered support to the COVAX program by providing COVID-19 vaccines mainly to poor countries.

The U.S. has not shown the slightest hint of appreciation towards China in its efforts to help ameliorate a crisis we are all facing together, instead having continued to smear China from the very beginning: questioning the efficacy of the Chinese vaccines, disputing the transparency of the WHO expert teams Wuhan trip, and labeling Chinas donations and exports of vaccines as vaccine diplomacy, a mere drive to secure geopolitical influence .

Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2021 shows a scene of the WHO-China joint study press conference in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Its not hard to see that the U.S. is falling into the same hypocritical rut and following the same hegemonic patterns when it comes to the issue of vaccines. One can plainly see that Americas targeting of China with its groundless accusation of economic coercion at the G7 meeting is just a mirror image of its own flagrant economic coercion directed against China : whether its the U.S. and American allies exclusion of Huaweis 5G equipment, citing so-called absurd concerns over state-sponsored surveillance that reflects a self-imposed paranoia of getting spied on, much like what the NSA had itself done to the German Chancellery and other foreign targets for decades, as well as Americas trumped-up accusations of genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang, which illustrates Americas own ugly past of slaughtering Native Americans and enslaving African Americans. It comes as no surprise then that the U.S. is weaponizing Chinas vaccine donations, belittling it in an attempt to gain geopolitical leverage, Janus-faced maneuvering that the U.S. intends to deploy at its own behest and yet fearing such behaviors on the part of other countries on the world stage.

The U.S. is the last major power to enter the race for global vaccine diplomacy, but still has the opportunity to win it, said Dave Lawler, an editor at Axios, in his opinion piece entitled U.S. could fill vaccine diplomacy void as other powers struggle, a roadmap for how America could win the vaccine diplomacy race. He got it right that America is second only to China in terms of production but has barely exported any vaccine doses at all as China has exported more doses than all the other major players combined, yet his argument that China and Russia had hoped to play a role as early birds seeking to win the vaccine-for-influence race was wide off the mark as it was in fact the U.S. who had plans all along to join the race as a latecomer and before crossing the finish line first.

Workers unload China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese government to Ethiopia, at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 30, 2021. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)

When it comes to China and the U.S., the doer vs. talker divide between the two countries has a deep-seated origin concerning sharing vaccines: they have a view to vaccines and foreign assistance that is quite divergent. While China regards vaccines as a public good to which all nations should be afforded access, the U.S. sees their premium vaccines as exclusive assets, highly coveted commodities that are only trotted out as donations if the act is captured on TV screens and in Newspaper headlines. China has provided vaccine assistance to more than 80 countries and three international organizations, exported vaccines to over 40 countries, and carried out vaccine research and production cooperation with more than 10 countries as Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted on May 6 at a regular press conference, while the U.S., on the other hand, has continued to repeat empty promises of assistance and yet has delivered little of real value, with news coverage meanwhile flooded with hollow words or, worse still, pathetic name-calling.

Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque administers a dose of the Russia-made COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik V" in the arm of a health worker in Manila, the Philippines, on May 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

Russia has also fallen victim to Americas unwarranted attacks. In an episode of The Daily, a New York Times podcast, released on April 26, titled Why Russia Is Exporting So Much Vaccine, the country was accused of peddling its Sputnik V vaccines to gain influence at the expense of its people. The opening part of the episode was certainly intriguing to listen to as it expanded on the Soviet Unions marvelous achievements in vaccine development; then suddenly, the program started to repeat the same old patterns of smearing and slandering other countries (well then again, what can you expect?). It is fascinating to see American journalism issuing a hit piece on Russiathis episode is biased propaganda disguised as news, said one comment. I am very disappointed at this episode. The Daily intentionally avoided the most important question in this health crisis: by helping small countries first, does Russia save more lives? another comment read. Some comments also pointed out that in the U.S., Moderna's [vaccine] is the only vaccine approved in [the] country that is truly all American while the Pfizer vaccine was not developed in the US, but in Germany. Whats more, Pfizer reported that its COVID-19 vaccine brought in $3.5 billion in revenue during the first three months of this year, nearly a quarter of its total revenues.

Combo photo of U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. U.S. President Joe Biden on April 26 promised to support India hit hard by COVID-19 in a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Xinhua)

The resurgence of COVID-19 cases in India, Nepal, and in other countries is truly a disturbing turn in the course of the worldwide fight against the virus. Equally concerning is the downright antagonism that the U.S. and some of its allies have shown towards those few countries that have acted to deliver vaccines to those in most need while stepping up efforts to make vaccines a public good. Next time this clique feels like criticizing anyone, they should just remember that all the people in this world havent had the advantages that theyve had, and that theyd ought to begin to walk the walk than merely talk the talk.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun)
Sidharth Shukla Shares An Adorable Snap On Mothers Day; Rubina Reveals How Her Mom Is Helping Her Recover

While mothers should be honored every day of the year for all that they do and all that they are, we try to make their day even more special on Mothers Day. Celebrating his mother on this occasion, Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla shared a beautiful picture of him and his superwoman of a mother, Rita Shukla. Along with the post, he penned a heartwarming note which read: Acknowledging all your love and sacrifice on this special day because you make my everyday. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sidharth Shukla (@realsidharthshukla)

Bigg Boss 14 winner Rubina Dilaik, on the other hand, thanked her mother for taking care of her while she recovers from coronavirus. Rubina shared, She is up all night, just checking on me, she cooks variety of dishes as I cant taste and smell , she plays music for me , she makes sure I am comfortable ! I couldnt have been on my path to recovery so soon , had she not been around...... I love you mom. Along with this sweet post, Rubina shared adorable pictures of her mommy dearest.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rubina Dilaik (@rubinadilaik)

Rubina is currently in her home town Shimla recovering from COVID-19. She tested positive for the virus on May 1st and announced that she is home quarantined for the next 17 days. Meanwhile, her husband Abhinav Shukla has jetted off to Cape Town to participate in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.
Armie Hammer was recently seen in public for the first time since rape allegations surfaced in March.

The actor was seen in the Cayman Islands, where his estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, has been staying with their children since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

In a video and photos exclusively obtained by Page Six, the actor was spotted with two older people and three other women which was described as his "friends".

In the said video, the eyewitness described the actor's mood as "super chill" and "casual"

According to The New York Times, the "Call Me By Your Name" actor is still under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department because of his rape allegations a few months back.

READ MORE: Bill and Melinda Gates Still Have One Ambitious Goal Amid Sudden Divorce

The rape issue in March

The allegations began to spark in March of this year when a woman who identifies herself as Effie, gave a press conference with her lawyer, Gloria Allred, claiming that the actor "violently" raped her in April 2017, she also claimed that the actor "mentally, emotionally, and sexually" abused her by "banging her head against the wall"

"I thought he was going to kill me," Effie said in the press conference, "I was constantly emotionally distressed and I lost interest in living" she added.

Efflie claims that she had an on-and-off relationship with the actor that began on Facebook in 2016, the relationship was said to last for four years.

In a statement provided to IndieWire, Andrew B. Brettler, Hammer's attorney, claims that all interactions between the actor and Effie was consensual.

"From day one, Mr. Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [Effie] - and every other sexual partner of his for that matter - have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. [Effie's] attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve." the attorney stated.

Hammer was married since 2010 and separated from his wife in 2020.

The actors estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, answered a fan question from Instagram in April asking her why she has been quiet on social media, Chambers answered "Focusing on healing, my babes and work,"

"A lot I've wanted to share, but hasn't felt right" she added, seemingly talking about the allegations against her estranged husband.

READ ALSO: Olivia Rodrigo Slams "Sexist" Comments About Her Songwriting Style
Dalia Avalos, 24, was in her second trimester, and she and her 4-year-old daughter Maliyah were riding out the pandemic at Dalias parents house in Caldwell, just outside College Station. The baby was a boy: Dalia and her boyfriend, Joseph Cockerham, had already named him Cash. Her dad, Jose Balleza, hoped Cash would have red hair like Cockerham. A red-haired grandson would brighten things up.

Near the end of February, though, Dalia felt awful. Her lower back ached. She had a fever and couldnt catch her breath. A urinary tract infection, she thought: potentially dangerous, but also common during pregnancy. She took herself to the nearest emergency room, expecting to be sent home with antibiotics.

But the hospital tested her for COVID-19  it tested everyone  and to her shock, the test came back positive. Everyone in the house had been COVID-careful because they were all at high risk: Dalia because she was pregnant; her parents because they were in their 50s and both on dialysis. Jose, a retired construction worker, had diabetes, too. It had cost him a leg.

But COVID it was: Dalias oxygen levels were dropping fast.

In College Station, she was admitted to the ICU. She was alone: COVID rules prohibited even her family from being with her. She could hardly breathe. And she was scared  for herself; for her baby; and for Maliyah. Four is far too young to lose your mother.

MORE FROM LISA GRAY: As COVID rages in India, Peter Hotez's vaccine provides hope to prevent future waves

Texas Childrens Hospital, in Houston, is a magnet for the regions highest-risk pregnancies and births, and in early March, its doctors received an urgent call about Dalia: An otherwise healthy young woman, in the late stages of a very viable pregnancy, was in danger of dying. On March 4, an ambulance delivered her to Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women.

Though her oxygen levels were dangerously low, Dalia was conscious. A nurse told her that shed have to be put on a ventilator. That meant shed need a tracheotomy, and shed be heavily sedated.

First, though, the nurse helped Dalia make a couple of calls. Her parents were sick, so she talked with her older sister, and with Cockerham.

Then she went to sleep. For more than 20 days.

Her life was very much at risk

By the time Dalia arrived at Texas Childrens, the doctors knew something she didnt: Dalia wasnt the only person in the household whod come down with COVID. Everyone else had, too. Both Dalias parents had been hospitalized.

That, said Dr. Edward Hickey, the surgeon who directs Texas Childrens Adult Congenital Heart Disease program, made the team all the more determined to keep unconscious Dalia and her baby alive. Nurses and doctors are human, and Dalias story got under their skins. The stakes were extremely high, he said.

On the ventilator, Dalia kept getting worse. Lungs arent built to have air forced into them. Her pneumonia grew into acute respiratory distress syndrome  ARDS  in which the lungs air sacs fill with fluid leaking from tiny blood vessels. Her life was very much at risk, said Hickey.

Her lungs were failing. With most COVID patients, to make it easier to breathe, hospitals could use a simple technique called proning: They roll the patient onto their stomach, which gives the lungs more room to expand. Because Dalia was pregnant, Hickeys team couldnt do that.

The medical team was also worried about Dalias baby. It was hard to tell how he was doing. When a pregnant woman is asleep, her baby is too, explained Dr. Abida Hasan, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Texas Childrens: Its harder to tell if a baby is in distress.

It was obvious that we had to get the baby out, Hickey said  even though the baby was nowhere near ready to be born. An average pregnancy lasts 40 weeks; any birth before 36 weeks is considered premature. Dalia was just over 29 weeks.

On March 6, Hickey and other specialists were in the delivery room, on stand-by, watching as Hasan performed a C-section. Dalia was still unconscious, still hooked to the ventilator. The delivery went smoothly  the best-case scenario, Hasan called it.

Newborn Cash was tiny: 2 pounds, 15 ounces. The medical team swung into action, whisking him to the neonatal intensive care unit. He needed an incubator to keep him warm, machines to help him breathe, and tubes to feed him a nutrient solution.

At 29 weeks, he was born pretty ill and not able to breathe or digest food on his own, said neonatologist Dr. Minal Patel.

Even so, the specialists were not alarmed: Texas Childrens NICU is one of the largest in the country; it handles even tinier preemies. Im shocked and amazed every day about how much tiny babies can withstand and overcome in their first few weeks of life, said Patel. Although premature infants like Cash are fragile, they are also very resilient.

Born so early, he was still covered in lanugo: downy fetal fur, stuff that usually goes away in the third trimester. The soft, fine hairs were red.

Blood to the heart

As soon as Cash was delivered, Hickeys team also swung into action, flipping Dalia onto her stomach, into the prone position. Her breathing improved  enough that Hickey hoped that nothing more drastic would be needed.

But it wasnt enough. Five days later, still unconscious, she was deteriorating. Her blood oxygen levels were low. Her organs were failing.

We had to implement ECMO, said Hickey. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a particularly extreme, last-ditch form of life support. Unlike a ventilator, which forces air into the patients lungs, ECMO acts as like a lung outside the patients body. One tube sucks blood out of the heart and into a machine that oxygenates it; another tube returns that blood to the heart.

MORE FROM LISA GRAY: She's found vaccine appointments for 500 people. For free.

That extremely artificial state of affairs cant last forever. But by temporarily replacing Dalias lungs, ECMO bought the doctors time to focus on her other failing organs  her kidneys, her liver, her brain.

The day after Easter

On April 5, the day after Easter, Dalia slowly came to. She couldnt talk. She wasnt sure why she was lying on a hospital bed.

The medical team was thrilled. She had woken up! said Hickey. We knew then she was going to beat this.

The nurses, dressed in the beekeeper-like gear that COVID requires, explained it all. Shed given birth while she was unconscious. Baby Cash was premature but doing well. Theyd taped his photos to the wall where she could see them. He was in the NICU, and shed get to meet him when they were both strong enough.

Dalia asked about her family. Given her phone, she began texting, asking if everything was OK there. That evening, her older sister and three brothers gathered for a videochat. Haltingly, they broke the news.

Her daughter Maliyah, they said, had sailed through COVID with no problem. And their mom had come out of the hospital OK. She was using an oxygen tank at home, but she was OK.

Their dad had died.

Dalia was stunned. It was too much to take in: Jose, her dad, would never meet his grandson  the one with the red hair, not just on his tiny head, but on his fuzzy back, too.

Almost five pounds

On April 7, nurses brought Cash to Dalias room  by then he weighed 4 pounds  and she was able to hold him for a couple of hours before he had to go back and be fed through tubes. After that, shed do her physical-therapy walks on the NICU floor and go visit. She got better fast.

Shes home now in Caldwell, with her mom and Maliyah. The house is really different without my dad, she said. Maliyah misses playing with him, misses being spoiled. Her mom misses him. The dogs miss him. Sometimes we just sit around being sad, Dalia said.

She doesnt dwell on how close she too came to dying. When her doctors tell her story, its dramatic; when Dalia tells it, shes matter-of-fact. Her voice doesnt break when she talks about how scared she was in the hospital. It breaks when she talks about missing her dad.

Shes trying to focus on the future  on bringing Cash home, on being his mother. Hes still in the NICU, but hes thriving. He can breathe on his own, is nursing from a bottle, and weighs almost 5 pounds.

Dalia hopes hell be strong enough to come home next week  not in time for Mothers Day, but close enough. She and her mom have been getting his room ready and buying things such as baby clothes and a carseat  making the preparations she thought shed have time for in her third trimester.

Maliyah cant wait to met her little brother. Dalias mom cant wait to hold her red-haired grandson in her arms.

Were all ready to have him here, Dalia said.

lisa.gray@chron.com




Nearly 70 percent of South Koreans believe that the use of a vaccination passport, which proves that a person has been fully vaccinated against the virus, will help the economy, a poll showed Sunday.







The poll from the Federation of Korean Industries, a major business lobbying group here, showed 67.4 percent expect the adoption of the passport will vitalize the economy.







With the passport, 36.4 percent said they would like to take trips overseas, with 41.2 percent of them pointing to Europe as their preferred destination.







The poll, which surveyed 838 adults nationwide, showed 62 percent of people believe the country's vaccination rate is the key to initiate the vaccination passport use, while 15.7 percent pointed out international agreements as an important factor.







If the passport is authorized for use, 43.5 percent said it should be given to businessmen first, followed by public officials for international affairs with 24.1 percent, and Korean scholars and students with 15.7 percent.







The poll also showed that 60.8 percent of people predicted herd immunity next year, while 29.3 percent expected it after 2023.







Only 9.9 percent answered that it can be achieved in November like the government targeted.







Herd immunity refers to a scenario where enough people in a community develop immunity to a virus so that transmission is halted.







The survey respondents on average gave 55.3 points out of 100 for the country's vaccine supply scheme, indicating that health authorities need to work harder to secure a stable rollout of vaccines amid global shortage woes.







Regarding COVID-19 vaccines for use, only 7.8 percent said they would accept Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, while only 1.2 percent approved of Chinese vaccines like Sinopharm and Sinovac. (Yonhap)


Times are tough in our country and every single frontline worker has geared up like a superhero and helped people cope up with the current COVID-19 crisis. Showing their gratitude, many actors have come forward to contribute by donating money, food kits or resources to help these frontline workers and one such actor working toward the cause is Anushka Sharma.

Anushka, along with her husband Virat Kohli, started a fundraiser to procure resources in these tough times when medical facilities are hard to get by. The actor raised around 4 crores to help out in this fight against the virus. Today, Anushka posted a beautiful video, thanking the healthcare and frontline workers for their relentless work in the last one year. She posted, A huge shoutout to all the frontliners working tirelessly day and night, putting their lives at risk to save ours. India stands by you.

Check out the video below.
Kim Chang-yong, National Police Agency Commissioner General, receives an AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus at a public health center in Jongno, Seoul, April 27. Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon



By Lee Hyo-jin



A police officer has lodged a petition with the nation's human rights watchdog claiming that he and his colleagues have been forced by their superiors to receive COVID-19 inoculations.



Kim Gi-beom, a sergeant at Gimhae Jungbu Police Station in South Gyeongsang Province, filed the petition with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, April 30, against National Police Agency (NPA) Commissioner General Kim Chang-yong and head of Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Lee Moon-soo.



In the petition, Sergeant Kim accused Commissioner Kim and Lee of violating officers' human rights, privacy and right to pursue happiness stipulated in the Constitution.



"Unlike their promise that each individual officer will be given a choice on whether to receive a vaccine, superiors at police agencies have virtually coerced officers into getting it," he said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency.



The sergeant, who received an AstraZeneca jab April 29, said he was one of many officers who were inoculated out of fear that they would be penalized if they failed to do so. At some police stations, members who refused to participate in the vaccination program were asked to submit letters explaining why or have a meeting with their superiors, according to Kim.






President should reflect on policy blunders



President Moon Jae-in enters his fifth and last year in office Monday, but he is in no mood for a celebration due to the loss of public trust in his administration. Regrettably, he is not receiving high scores for his performance as the country's head of state.



His approval rating hit a record low of 29 percent at the end of last month, according to a Gallup Korea poll. This means more and more people are withdrawing their support for Moon, especially after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) suffered a crushing defeat in the April 7 mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan.



The gloomy mood has been caused by his policy failures. Moon promised to usher in a fair and just society when he took office in May 2017 following the impeachment of then President Park Geun-hye over a massive corruption and power abuse scandal. But his administration has moved in the opposite direction by trying to protect corrupt officials and politicians, while going all-out to eliminate the "old evils" of the previous government.



An increasing number of people are turning their back on the Moon administration which is becoming more hypocritical than ever. In a word, President Moon has yet to meet the public's mounting calls to build a better society and restore democratic values; and many now argue that the current government is virtually no different from the corrupt and incompetent Park administration.



Moon has made little effort to bring real change to the nation. He wasted time and effort, "taming" the prosecution to prevent it from investigating his confidants, including former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, over allegations of bribery, election fraud and influence-peddling. His government also tried hard to cover up its data manipulation aimed at closing an aging nuclear reactor earlier than planned to push for his nuclear phase-out policy.



In addition, the President has reneged on his promise to cooperate with the opposition. The DPK has not hesitated to railroad many controversial bills through the National Assembly by using its supermajority. It has neglected to create bipartisanship with the main opposition People Power Party over important issues ranging from national security and diplomacy to the economy and public health.



The Moon government and the DPK have failed to stabilize the overheated housing market. They have focused too much on suppressing demand with restrictions on mortgages, and higher taxes on homeowners. They have also been negligent in their efforts to create jobs and improve living standards. As a result, the income and wealth gap between the rich and the poor has widened.



Now Moon needs to reflect on his policy blunders. He should not repeat the same mistakes he has made over the last four years. First of all, he must restore the value of fairness and justice to win back the hearts and minds of the people. Then he should come up with new policies to bring runaway housing prices under control, defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, stabilize people's livelihoods, and speed up economic recovery. Otherwise he cannot avoid becoming a lame-duck president.


Korean nationals from India arrive at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. The government has dispatched special flights to India to bring back Korean residents as COVID-19 infections there spread rapidly. Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korean companies operating in India said Sunday that they were minimizing their number of employees on site and monitoring developments there as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country spirals out of control.



According to the Indian government, the number of daily COVID-19 infections cases remained at over 400,000, Sunday, despite several states imposing strict lockdown measures.



Over 700 Korean firms operate in India and most of them have taken measures to have staff work from home while repatriating their family members. Some have reduced production as they run manufacturing facilities in compliance with quarantine rules imposed by local governments.



New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and other major Indian cities where local branches of Korean companies are located have been implementing full lockdown measures, including suspending the operation of local government offices except for essential services.



Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has pledged to ensure the safe return of Korean nationals from India, and on Sunday a plane carrying 164 Korean citizens arrived at Incheon International Airport from New Delhi.









It was the third special flight sent by the government, following two previous ones  one to Chennai that returned 172 Koreans and the second to Bangalore that repatriated 203 people. Most of the passengers on the third flight were employees of Samsung Display who were working on the construction of a new plant. An additional 12 flights are scheduled to transport Korean citizens out of India this month.



To help India fight the spread of COVID-19, Samsung Electronics recently announced it will donate $5 million to the central and state governments.



The company, which operates a smartphone manufacturing facility in Noida and a home appliance factory in Chennai, has told its employees there to work from home, and is paying the airfares of the family members of its Korean employees to return home on the special flights.



"We are currently operating our production facilities in compliance with the quarantine policies of the local Indian governments. We are also covering the cost of airplane tickets for family members of our employees to help them return to Korea," an official said.



Samsung said it will donate $3 million to the central government of India as well as the states of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; and $2 million worth of medical supplies, including 100 oxygen generators, 3,000 oxygen cylinders and 1 million low dead space syringes. Additionally, the firm will cover any vaccination fees for its 50,000 employees.





Indians cover their faces as a precaution against the coronavirus line up to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 at a medical college in Prayagraj, India, May 8. AP-Yonhap
In the Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, scientists train bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19. This unusual study is a contrast to studies using dogs as COVID-19 detectors.

Bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19 is under research

According to the article reported by Newsmax, scientists at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands claim to have trained more than 150 bees to detect samples of the virus based on their smell.

It was sought to devise a means to find ways to detect the coronavirus, other than dogs. Though it seems unusual, the scientists embarked on the usual idea that bees can detect the virus, said the Hill last Saturday.

Scientists are working on a hypothesis that bees could be conditions as scent detected of the COVID-19 virus, just as effectively as a dog's nose.

The university said in a press release on May 3 that it collaborated with InsectSense, a start-up, to condition the bees to stick out their tongues as a visual signal when they detected the virus, noted Wageningen University.

According to the institution's press release, bees, like dogs, are particularly sensitive to the biochemical changes in an infected body that emit an odor and can be detected in minutes.

Based on the press release, "bees can sense volatiles with a precision of parts per trillion." "They locate flowers, for example, a few kilometers away. Bees, like dogs, can be designed to detect volatiles and scents in just a few minutes."

Scientists said the bees were trained using the Pavlovian Method. They were rewarded with a sugar-water solution every time they were subjected to the scent of a COVID tainted sample. The training method only took a few minutes to achieve training bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19.

Read also: Scientists Train Sniffer Dogs to Detect COVID-19

Using the same method for dog training achieved the results that the Dutch researchers consider their goal: finding COVID in infected people.

Since bees can be located worldwide, it could prove a highly successful diagnostic system in low-income countries. Machines could be designed to rapidly train them and deploy them via a second small machine to classify people, told to the press release.

Poorer countries will benefit from using these insects with a more affordable method. Presently richer countries are the ones who can afford more advanced test devices to detect virus carriers.

Sources say the school Wageningen University Research is a collaboration between Wageningen University and the Wageningen Research Foundation.

The school stated that more than 12,500 students and 6,500 staff from over 100 countries work at the school to research safe food and living conditions for business and government populations.

Wim van der Poel, a professor at Wageningen University, told The Hill. "Especially in lower countries, not all laboratories have that." "Bees are everywhere, and the hive isn't overly complex."

Research has yet to be peer-reviewed; the results show that using several insects per sample, the virus can be identified with a 95 percent accuracy rate, stated the professor.

According to the story, two teams of dogs from 360 K9 Group were deployed to sniff essential staff, NASCAR officials, race teams, and vendors as they entered the track.

Wageningen's effort to develop bees to detect people Infected with COVID-19 will be investigated further for the validity of the researchers' claims, noted Fox Sports.

Related article: K-9 Dog Sniffs Out 24 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in NYC Pad

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The owner of a Northern California bar where authorities say made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards were sold to undercover state agents for $20 each was arrested in what officials call the first such foiled operation they are aware of nationwide.

The plainclothes agents from California's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control said they were told at the Old Corner Saloon in Clements to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes and then watched as employees cut the cards, filled in identifying information and bogus vaccination dates and laminated the finished products.

On the back where they put the two dates when you were vaccinated, they used two different color pens to make it look like it was two different times," supervising agent Luke Blehm said Friday. So they went to some effort to make it look authentic.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

In California, officials have allowed venue operators to offer easier access to people with proof of vaccination. That includes preferential access to large events such as concerts and sporting events and allowing venues to create vaccinated-only sections where social distancing requirements are not as strict.

Acting on an anonymous tip to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, four undercover agents went to the bar several times in April and bought four fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They also reported seeing at least eight others buy fake cards, but haven't uncovered how many were sold.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and arrested its owner. Agents said they found another two completed cards and 30 additional blank cards along with a laminator and cutting device.

This is such a new case. We looked for some other guidance from other cases around the country and we haven't been able to find one like this at all, Blehm said.

Fake cards have been advertised on social media and online sales platforms, he said, prompting the California attorney general's office to send cease and desist warnings to those entities.

But it's the first example he's found of someone selling cards out of a bar.

With just one such report so far, California law enforcement and regulatory agencies said Friday that they're not mounting the kind of sustained task force approach they used last summer to make sure business owners were following safety guidelines designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

If we see this, we'll do an investigation and take action on it, Blehm said. This is on the radar, but this is the only one we know of so far.

Other federal and state authorities in California said they've not seen similar counterfeit operations.

But federal, state and local officials on a joint task force that looks for criminal activities are keeping a watchful eye, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services.

They actively are looking for stuff like this, he said. They're looking for folks that are doing things like selling vaccines or fraudulent vaccines on the open market, vaccine cards."

The FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general in late March warned the public to be aware of individuals selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards and encouraging others to print fake cards at home. That notice also warned of internet-based sales.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

Anderson was arrested on suspicion of three felonies, including identity theft, forging government documents and possession of an unregistered firearm. He also is accused of falsifying medical records, a misdemeanor.

It is disheartening to have members in our community show flagrant disregard for public health in the midst of a pandemic, San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said in a statement. Distributing, falsifying or purchasing fake COVID-19 vaccine cards is against the law and endangers yourself and those around you.

California officials also are also pursuing disciplinary action against the bar.

___

Associated Press writer Olga R. Rodriguez contributed to this story from San Francisco
In what's probably a first-of-its-kind announcement from any state, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned Rs 60 lakh from Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) to feed stray animals during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in five municipal corporations, 48 municipalities and 61 Notified Area Councils (NACs).

The state government has fixed the unit cost per day for all municipal corporations, municipalities, and all NAC areas to meet the expenditure in this regard.



The state government has asked civic bodies to make necessary provisions for providing food to the stray animals in urban and semi-urban areas of the state during the Covid-19 lockdown.





Reuters

Earlier in the day, the Odisha government decided to prioritise the vaccination of 18 to 44 age group people in the five municipal corporations of the state where the positivity rate of COVID-19 infection is relatively high.

"The state has started the process of procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for vaccination of I8 to 44 year age groups from the state's own fund. Presently, as the manufacturers are able to supply low quantity of vaccines, we are starting 18 to 44 year age group vaccination only in five municipal corporations," wrote additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra in a letter to all district collectors on Saturday.





File Photo

Thousands of stray animals in the state may have a hard time finding food leading to starvation and other consequential issues amid the lockdown in the state from May 5 to May 19.

Therefore, the Housing and Urban Development Department has directed all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state to make necessary provision of food for the stray animals.
European leaders postpone decision on patent waiver of COVID-19 vaccines

Xinhua) 15:14, May 09, 2021

LISBON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday at the end of the social summit of the European Union (EU) held in the Portuguese city of Porto that leaders of the EU countries understand that there are "more pressing issues" than patent waiver on vaccines against COVID-19.

Speaking to journalists, von der Leyen said this topic "is important," but will be discussed "in the long term, not in the short or medium term."

According to her, Europe should not "lose sight of the main urgencies," which are "production of vaccines as soon as possible and how they will be distributed in a fair and equitable way."

The EU executive stressed that "the European Union is the pharmacy of the world."

"Up to today, 400 million doses of vaccines have been produced in the European Union. And 50 percent of them -- 200 million doses -- have been exported to 90 different countries in the world. So we invite others to do the same," she added.

According to her, "this is the best way, in the short term, to address bottlenecks and lack of vaccines worldwide."

"We have now delivered over 200 million doses to the European people. So we are on track to achieve our objective of enough doses being delivered in July to vaccinate 70 percent of the European adult population. Close to 160 million Europeans now have already received a first shot of the vaccine, that's over 25 percent of the EU population," she noted.

She also announced that the EU has concluded the negotiations with BioNTech-Pfizer for a new contract which secures 1.8 billion doses of vaccines through 2023.

Von der Leyen was glad to report that the legal and the technical work on the EU travel certificate -- the vaccination certificate -- is on track for the system to be operational in June.

The U.S. on Wednesday agreed to support waiving IP restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

French President Emmanuel Macron said during the social summit that he is "available to debate the proposal, but that this is not the solution" to increase the speed of vaccination.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Saturday that the U.S. proposal to suspend patents on COVID-19 vaccines "will not guarantee an increase in the supply of vaccines."

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the EU has been "exemplary" in its contribution to the COVAX mechanism, which helps the poorest countries to have access to vaccines.

"At the European Council, we are all aware that no one will be protected until there is a global immunization. EU member states have been contributing to support the countries most in need," he said at the end of the two-day social summit.

Twenty-four of the 27 EU heads of state and government attended the two-day meeting to set the bloc's social agenda for the next decade. The summit was hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
The seven-day average of Covid-19 vaccines administered in the United States has dipped below 2 million per day for the first time since early March -- a sign of the continued decline in demand for coronavirus immunizations.

According to data published Saturday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the seven-day average of doses administered now sits at 1.98 million. The last time the daily average was below 2 million was March 2.

It's an indicator that vaccinations are gradually slowing, even though the US remains far short of the levels of immunization needed to reach herd immunity.

About 113 million people, or at least a third of the population, have been fully vaccinated, per CDC data. About 45.6% of the population, or 151 million people, have received at least one dose of a vaccine. But experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have estimated 70-85% would need to be immune to possibly reach herd immunity.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky addressed flagging vaccine administrations earlier in the week, telling CNN the slowdown was expected.

'We knew that we would have a lot of supply by the end of April, early May,' she said, 'but we also knew that this would be the time that we had people who were more hesitant, that people wouldn't be rushing to be getting a vaccine.'

The dip in demand has already led to the closures of some mass vaccination sites, and more continue to follow suit: Officials announced Wednesday that one such site at Oakland Coliseum in California would close this month after a 'rapid reduction' in vaccine appointments.

And on Thursday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced the National Guard was scaling back its involvement at mass vaccination sites, citing reduced demand -- though he also said the state is 'in a good place on the vaccine front.'

This comes as the Biden administration set a new goal to vaccinate at least 70% of US adults with at least one dose by July 4. As of Saturday, only four states had done so: Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Vermont.

In an interview with CNN's Pamela Brown on Saturday, Andy Slavitt, the White House's senior adviser for Covid-19, acknowledged vaccination rates have plateaued in some parts of the country, leaving some pockets 'at risk for future outbreaks.'

'That's where I think some of the myths around vaccines and vaccine hesitancy may have taken hold and they may be present,' he said. 'So I think we need to be very patient and continue to allow people in those communities to hear from people they trust.'

'If you're not sure if you want to get vaccinated, my advice is just, ask your doctor or ask your pharmacist what they think or ask someone you know who's been vaccinated -- and I think that will help you make a decision about whether or not you want to get vaccinated,' Slavitt added. 'This is an individual decision.'

CDC director acknowledges possibility of vaccine boosters

As experts grow concerned about a possible Covid-19 surge in the winter, the CDC's Walensky acknowledged it's still possible seasonal vaccine boosters will be necessary.

'We want to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst,' Walensky told actress Jennifer Garner in an interview streamed on Instagram.

Researchers at the CDC are looking into whether a booster specific to variants that are already in the US will be needed as well as if protection from the virus fades over time, Walensky said.

'We are doing the studies on boosters to see if we will need them, and that is six months, one year, two years -- we don't really know,' Walensky said. 'But we want to be prepared for them should we need them.'

If the US does need them, officials have processes already in place to get them out.

'The vision would be that we would do it in the same way that we do flu vaccine,' she said. 'We hope we don't have to do it every season, but we're preparing in case we do.'

Slavitt said Saturday that data coming out next week indicates that vaccines authorized for emergency use in the US are proving effective against the Covid-19 variant spreading through India. He said that while the variant is 'certainly causing more trouble,' it's 'not nearly as troublesome' as other variants.

'Americans should expect that if they're not vaccinated, they're going to be more exposed,' Slavitt said. 'If they are vaccinated, I think they can look at these variants, and there's going to be very good levels of protection so far.'

Expanding vaccine authorization

Meanwhile, vaccine manufacturers are preparing for the long haul.

Pfizer/BioNTech, whose vaccine currently has an emergency use authorization, announced the initiation of its application to the US Food and Drug Administration for full approval for people ages 16 and older.

This would be the first Covid-19 vaccine to be assessed for full approval from the FDA.

'We are proud of the tremendous progress we've made since December in delivering vaccines to millions of Americans, in collaboration with the U.S. Government,' Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, said in a statement. 'We look forward to working with the FDA to complete this rolling submission and support their review, with the goal of securing full regulatory approval of the vaccine in the coming months.'

The FDA is already poised to authorize the company's vaccine in children and teens ages 12 to 15 by early next week, a federal government official told CNN.

The vaccine also has been undergoing a safety and efficacy study in children ages 6 months to 11 years, and the company said it expects to submit for FDA emergency use authorization for children ages 2 to 11 in September.

CNN medical analyst Dr. Celine Gounder said 'for some people, seeing a full approval from the FDA will indeed give them more confidence that these vaccines are safe and effective.'

'And it's important to understand that the CDC and FDA will continue to do safety monitoring even after a full FDA approval,' she added. 'That's just business as usual.'

Conflict over asking about vaccination status

Health experts have hailed vaccination as the ticket back to a sense of normalcy, but officials have come up against conflicts over who can monitor vaccination decisions.

Wyoming is the latest state to prohibit state agencies from asking people whether they have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Under a directive signed Friday by Gov. Mark Gordon, the state boards and agencies are ordered to 'provide full access to state spaces and state services, regardless of a constituent's COVID-19 vaccination status.'

'Vaccine passport programs have the potential to politicize a decision that should not be politicized,' Gordon said in a written statement. The press release notes that the governor has been vaccinated and encourages the residents of his state to voluntarily be vaccinated.

Unlike a similar order signed by the governor of Florida, the Wyoming directive is only mandatory for the state government.

However, it says local governments and private businesses 'are encouraged' to follow Gordon's directive.

Florida's law prohibits businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. said Thursday it could cause the company to suspend Florida departures and move its ships elsewhere.

'At the end of the day, cruise ships have motors, propellers and rudders, and God forbid we can't operate in the state of Florida for whatever reason, then there are other states that we do operate from, and we can operate from the Caribbean for a ship that otherwise would have gone to Florida,' CEO Frank Del Rio said during the company's quarterly earnings call.

'In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision,' Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
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Kisses, hugs, cuddles, breakfast in bed/beautiful brunch outdoors is how I remember celebrating Mothers Day with my kids in the past, but 2020 was a bit different.

As a physician caring for children with COVID-19, along with being a mother of 2 young children, the celebration during this pandemic had been an unusual experience.

I vividly remember Mothers Day, May 10, 2020

The first surge of cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to COVID-19 had just hit our region. New York City was declared the epicenter in March 2020 and exactly 6 to 8 weeks later, the tsunami of children affected with MIS-C started arriving at every hospital in New York. It caught us by surprise. A few weeks ago, we had received the U.K. alert about a mysterious illness affecting children after a COVID infection resembling Kawasaki Disease, where children appeared more critically sick, presenting in shock, cardiac dysfunction, myocarditis, neurological or hematological complications.

Being a pediatric cardiologist, I had cared for the first MIS-C child admitted to our hospital in April when we all struggled to make sense of this illness. It was my turn for a weekend call which happened to be on Mothers Day. Anticipating a busy day, I kissed my kids, who were sleeping on a cozy Sunday morning, and left the house early, hoping to be back home soon. I knew that my 5-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son had been planning a special day for me secretly with their dad. I had seen them work on their cards, whispering to their dad, giggling, and making plans excitedly with oohs and aahs. I loved every bit of it, looking forward to being surprised and pampered by them that day! Little did we know, the day would unfold differently.

It was 3 p.m. already. Inpatient rounds had dragged longer than usual due to the additional MIS-C/COVID huddle where subspecialists, hospitalists, PICU staff huddle in a corner, trying to reach a consensus regarding the plan for every MIS-C child. I had finished seeing all new consults, discussed plans with the teams and families, and tried to complete my notes, hoping to be home for late lunch with family. Soon Tigertext on my phone started beeping. A 5-year-old rule-out MIS-C had just presented to the ER, looking very sick. As I discussed the plan, a stat consult was requested on a newborn transferred with cyanosis and tachypnea.

After evaluating the newborn, performing an echocardiogram, and finalizing a plan with NICU, I rushed to the ER. The child was positive for SARS-CoV2. He was febrile (104 degrees) and was irritable. Donning the PPE gear, I entered his room. As I discussed the history with the parents, I examined him and performed an echocardiogram to check his cardiac function. Not a happy camper, he started crying and screaming. He flung his arms, trying to push me away. The parents and nurse tried to hold him down while I tried to get a quick look at his heart with my probe.

Being extremely upset, he fought back. In the shuffle, he grabbed my face shield and mask, accidentally pulling it off my face. I tried to stop him and attempted to adjust my PPE. The echocardiogram revealed moderate-severely depressed left ventricular function. For a moment, forgetting about my own worries, I tried to get the necessary images as soon as possible and then left the childs room. A comprehensive treatment plan was discussed, medications were started, and he was admitted to the PICU. I had lost track of time and checked my watch. Just then, a sudden fear gripped me. The realization about what had just happened hit me. I could feel the little distressed child in the ER crying, coughing, breathing on my face. When my mask and face shield had temporarily come off, had I been exposed to the virus?

Pulling my car into our driveway, I saw my kids looking expectantly out the window. A big smile came to their faces, and they rushed out the door to hug me. One look at them, and tears swelled up in my eyes. As they came running towards me, I stopped them. I explained that until I was tested for the virus, they had to stay away from me. They looked confused and sad. They told me that they had planned a scavenger hunt for my gift, flowers, and baked cookies. My 5 year old said that she had missed me at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and wondered if we could at least have dessert together. I explained that I couldnt sit together with them. I blew them kisses from a distance while we all cried. She was very upset for not being able to even hug me and cried herself to sleep as my husband put them to bed while I self quarantined in a separate room and cried too. This Mothers Day was devoid of all cuddles and kisses. It instead was filled with fear and sadness.

Many children admitted with MIS-C at our hospital had been unintentionally exposed to the virus by their parents/loved ones. I could now identify with those mothers, experiencing guilt as they accompanied their children to the hospital. In medicine, we are often told to dissociate ourselves from our patients to become better physicians. I believe in the contrary. When vested in your patient, you strive further towards their care. Its especially hard not being attached to the child and family if you have kids of your own. Hence when the mothers had questions about the long-term effects of MIS-C on the childs heart, it led me to look for answers in ways where my training and expertise could help. We obtained important cardiac magnetic resonance findings in these children in the acute phase of illness. Although logistically challenging, it played an important role in the pursuit of answers and understanding this disease process.

This pandemic has brought to light some stark realities of life. As health care workers, we are expected not to complain as we signed up for this job. But the truth remains, in this pandemic, it is not our health alone that we worry about. The health of our families and children is at stake too. The anxiety, fear, guilt of bringing home the virus to loved ones, along with the mental stress of managing sick patients and sharing the concerns of distressed parents ends up taking a heavy toll on our health and well-being.

Although I had stressors, I also had some inspiration at home. Being a two-physician family, our work schedules, along with remote schooling earlier, had left our two kids with no parent or friend. Yet they navigated the school work all by themselves amazingly well and never complained. They truly were superstars! My mother was my other inspiration. She has been a lone fighter, living alone in India in social isolation, trying to be safe during this entire pandemic which puts me in awe of her! (Admittedly, I worry about her every day, but she continues to smile and inspire me.)

During this pandemic, mothers worldwide have faced many challenges, including layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, halt at promotions, working on covid floors during pregnancy, balancing work and family, taking care of loved ones living far away. This has left little time for them to think and care for themselves. The few things that have been reinforced to me by this pandemic is that health truly is wealth, close friends and family are invaluable, mothers have nerves of steel but do require lots of TLC and time to decompress (family time with hugs and cuddles, me time to do something you like, time with girlfriends are some good options).

As we celebrate Mothers Day this month, lets remember to take care of ourselves and each other.

To all the super moms out there, wishing you a very Happy Mothers Day! Do take time out for yourself. You deserve it.

Supriya Jain is a pediatric cardiologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State University students are reacting to university's vaccine requirement announcement made on Tuesday.

RELATED: OSU PLANS TO REQUIRE COVID-19 VACCINATION THIS FALL

KEZI spoke to several students who were in favor of this decision.

"I'm excited to go back to normal, have more classes in person," OSU junior Emily Lew said. "Especially, like our smaller hands-on labs that we have here at Oregon State. I'm pretty excited about that."

Several students including Annie Olsen, a junior at OSU said this is a step towards getting back to normal.

"Really missing in person classes and the learning we get from that. Online has been really hard. Especially when we're talking upper division classes. So being able to be more in hands on or with the professors will be really helpful."

Oregon State University is planning to require all students and faculty to receive a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to campus in the fall, according to university officials.

Students participating in online-only learning will not be required to get vaccinated, but the university is encouraging all members of its community to get the shot.
Ahmedabad/Mumbai, May 8: Cases of mucormycosis, a fungal infection, are rising among COVID-19 survivors, causing blindness or serious illness and even death in some cases, health officials in Maharashtra and Gujarat said on Saturday. The cost of treatment for this disease is also a matter of concern, some doctors said.

Mathur Savani, chairman of Surat-based Kiran Super Multi-speciality Hospital, said mucormycosis patients are coming to his hospital from Surat district as well as other parts of Gujarat.

"Fifty mucormycosis patients are being treated at our hospital and 60 more are awaiting (treatment). They all came to our hospital in the last three weeks and have recovered from COVID-19 recently," Savani told PTI. Seven such patients lost eyesight, he said. What Is Mucormycosis? From Symptoms to Its Link With Coronavirus, Here's Everything About Potentially Fatal Fungal Infection.

The civil hospital in Surat has set up a separate facility for such patients, said in-charge Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Ketan Naik. In Ahmedabad, at least five mucormycosis patients are being operated upon every day at the civil hospital at Asarva, a senior doctor said.

"We are receiving five to 10 such cases (daily), especially since the second wave of COVID-19 started," said Dr Devang Gupta, ENT specialist at the hospital. "At least one out of five cases is related to eyes. Several of them are suffering from blindness," he said.

In Maharashtra, at least eight COVID-19 survivors have died due to mucormycosis while 200 others are being treated, said Dr Tatyarao Lahane, who heads the Directorate of Medical Education and Research of the state government.

"They survived COVID-19 but the fungal infection attacked their weakened immune system," Dr Lahane told PTI. This disease is not new, but it is on rise among COVID-19 patients because the use of steroids elevates sugar level and some medicines suppress the immunity of these patients, he said.

"In such a situation, the fungus infects the patient easily. If it reaches the brain, it can prove fatal. In one such case, one of the eyes of a patient had to be removed permanently to save his life," Dr Lahane said.

The fungus, also called `black fungus', is present in the environment, but those with suppressed immunity or co- morbidities are more vulnerable to its infection, he said. Symptoms of mucormycosis include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision, Dr Lahane said.

Speaking about treatment, he said, "A patient generally needs a type of injection for 21 days. The basic cost of this injection is around Rs 9,000 per day." Dr Hetal Marfatia, professor and head of the ENT department at the government-run KEM hospital in Mumbai, said a surge in mucormycosis cases is being witnessed in the last two weeks. "On average, two or three such patients are visiting the hospital every day," he said.

Many of these patients come from outside Mumbai and cannot afford the treatment cost, he said. During the first phase of COVID-19 pandemic the fungal infection typically came to light a couple of weeks after patients were discharged, Dr Marfatia said.

"But now, some patients are contracting this infection while undergoing COVID-19 treatment," he added. Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul on Friday had said that mucormycosis cases were being found in patients with COVID-19. COVID-19 Positive Test Report Not Mandatory for Admission in Hospitals, Says Union Health Ministry.

"It is caused by a fungus named mucor, which is found on wet surfaces. It, to a large extent, is happening to people who have diabetes. It is very uncommon in those who are not diabetic. There is no big outbreak and we are monitoring it," he said at a press conference after a hospital in Delhi flagged rising cases.

"When a patient is on oxygen support, it should be ensured that water does not leak from the humidifier (to prevent the growth of the fungus)," he said, while also calling for "a rational usage" of steroids and medicines such as Tocilizumab to treat COVID-19 patients.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, May 8: Hospitals in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune and Mumbai have reported cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus. Triggered by coronavirus (COVID-19), mucormycosis has a mortality rate of over 50 per cent. The rare fungal infection can cause blindness and turn fatal if left untreated. The cases are on rise in Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra with experts seeking urgent intervention from the government. Mucormycosis, COVID-19-Triggered Fungal Infection, Found in 6 Patients at Delhi Hospital.

What is Mucormycosis?

Mucormycosis is a type of serious fungal infection. Also called black fungas, mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These molds live throughout the environment. People with weakened immunity from an illness are more prone to mucormycosis. If not detected and treated on time, it can cause death. Mucormycosis Kills 9 in Ahmedabad, Reports Suggest Could be Linked to COVID-19.

What Are Symptoms of Mucormycosis?

People infected with mucormycosis initially experience pain under the eyes. The infection usually starts from the nose and spreads to eyes. After the infection spreads, it may cause one-sided facial swelling, severe headache, fever, sinus congestion and eventually partial vision loss or in worst case death.

Mucormycosis-Coronavirus Link:

COVID-19 patients are more vulnerable to mucormycosis because coronavirus weakens their immunity system. The fungal infection also occurs to diabetic people who suffered from COVID-19. COVID-19 patients who have been given steroids for treatment and have co-morbidities are more prone to mucormycosis.

What Steps Should Be Taken to Prevent Mucormycosis?

Good hygiene is highly important. If one is suffering from illness like COVID-19, s/he should avoid touching eyes and nose often. If you notice swelling around your nose, eyes or throat, you must consult a doctor for a checkup. Early detection of mucormycosis can prevent the infection from spreading.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2021 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Bethlehem is seeking housing providers to help families at risk of becoming homeless.

These include housing development organizations, property owners, and landlords who are compassionate and have a desire to give back to the community. Providers who have the capacity to provide short-term or transitional homes for families or individuals who are either homeless or at-risk of being homeless are being asked by the city submit a Letter of Interest. Information for a Letter of Interest is available here.

City officials say private property owners and housing providers who own or are purchasing vacant housing units, requiring renovation are perfect candidates. In return, the city is providing both rental subsidies and housing rehab grants for interior and/or exterior improvements as incentive.

Grant funding is being used to help the city create programs and services to lead to safe environments for families in need, under COVID-19 relief aid.

City officials say the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the financial stability of families in search of housing. Through rental subsidies, the city has helped nearly 200 families remain in their homes, but there are families who remain at risk of becoming homeless this year.

Mayor Bob Donchez said he has been on the front line in efforts to prevent homelessness.

It is my hope, that with the right partners and staff in place, our city will move toward effective and lasting solutions, the mayor said.

Additionally, Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead this past week issued a statement following a ruling from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia striking down the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions national moratorium on evictions established in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The United States Department of Justice is appealing the ruling.

Snead said residential renters and landlords should not wait to pursue assistance available through the states Emergency Rental Assistance Program. She added the ruling bodes a dangerous path ahead as recovery continues from the economic insecurity created by the pandemic.

During a period of great danger to health and well-being and unprecedented loss of employment and income, the eviction moratorium has allowed people to remain housed -- a basic need that can help those most affected by the pandemic in the last 15 months have a sense of stability necessary to weather these crises, Snead said.

A recent report from the United States Census Bureau found that more than 30% of statewide adults are behind on rent or mortgage payments and could face eviction or foreclosure in the next few months. A wave of evictions would be disastrous for local economies that have already been strained by the pandemic and would bring about another public health crisis, Snead said.

A rapid spike in homelessness would further destabilize individuals and families in a way that could lead to significant, long-term health and economic disparities lasting far beyond this pandemic, she added.

I urge anyone who has experienced financial hardship because of this pandemic and is behind on rental payments to apply for ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) now, she said. This is a lifeline for renters and landlords, an investment in our long-term economic recovery and our personal well-being. Do not wait  start the application process now so you do not have to risk eviction and further instability and uncertainty. This program exists so that when the moratorium ends, we can all focus on our recovery and moving forward. Let it help you.

Gov. Tom Wolfs Administration built the ERAP in partnership with the General Assembly through Act 1 of 2021 to distribute $569 million to statewide households through partnerships with local leaders. An additional $278 million in rental assistance was directly allocated to the states largest counties by the federal government. Funding for ERAP comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and further rental assistance funds included in the American Rescue Plan Act are expected to be available later in the year.

Households may be eligible for up to 12 months of assistance to cover past-due or future rental and/or utility payments. The amount of a households monthly rent or utility bills does not preclude eligibility, but the amount of ERAP assistance provided to a household is determined by program administrators at the county level.

Assistance can be provided to a tenant for future rental payments, and for unpaid rental or utility arrears that were accrued on or after March 13, 2020 on a residential rental property. Counties may choose to provide additional assistance to eligible households if funds remain available.

To qualify for assistance, a household must be responsible to pay rent on a residential property and meet each of the following criteria:

One or more people within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One or more individuals in the household can show a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

The household has an income at or below 80% of area median income, which varies by county.

Applicants will need to provide the following information: head of households personal information; income information for all household members aged 18 and older; rental lease and amount owed; landlords name and contact information. If applying for utility assistance, applicants must provide utility expenses and utility provider information.

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.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Regional Hospital Mullingars emergency departments and hospital has issued an apology this weekend over long waiting times having reached 'full capacity'.

The Westmeath hospital is extremely busy and seeing a lot of seriously ill patients, many of which are over 75 years of age with a variety of complex healthcare needs.

A spokesperson said this evening (Sunday, May 9): "We apologise for the distress or inconvenience caused to patients or their loved ones who are experiencing long wait times.

"The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented our consultants are doing additional ward rounds to facilitate discharges and we are working with the community to discharge patients where it is appropriate to the community.

"The hospital is asking that people think about all their care and treatment options, the length of time you may be waiting in ED should you not require urgent care and we would ask that people keep our ED services for the patients who need them most.

"However, if you are seriously injured or ill the ED will assess and treat you as a priority. We ask the public to please adhere to all Public Health Guidance and wear a face covering and keep socially distanced, wash your hands frequently and to wash your hands frequently."

The public in the hospital's catchment area are reminded:

"Contact your GP immediately if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Do not attend the ED. Call your doctor immediately if you think you have one or more symptoms of coronavirus (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, loss or change in your taste or smell).

"The COVID-19 test and GP consultation is provided free of charge. Your doctor will assess you over the phone and can arrange a COVID-19 test. Early diagnosis means you can get the help you need and take steps to avoid spreading the virus to someone else. Remember, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, you need to self-isolate at home for 10 days, while people in your household will need to restrict their movements.

"The increase in cases in recent weeks shows that the virus is actively circulating in the community at moment. GP out of hours services can arrange a COVID-19 test at the weekend to check if you have the virus. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 over the weekend- call your GP out of hours service."

Last Friday Westmeath reached the third worst spot in Irish counties for new cases of Covid-19, under Kildare and Donegal.
American interventionism as a source of humanitarian crisis

21:11, May 09, 2021 By Li Haidong ( People's Daily Online

U.S. military vehicle is seen passing through the Tal Tamr area in the countryside of Hasakah Province in northeastern Syria on Nov. 14, 2019. (Xinhua File photo)

American interventionism has brought about multiple tragedies in the world, which is a stark reminder for us to remain extra vigilant against the erratic behavior and actions of the United States.

Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. had launched a so-called "humanitarian intervention" in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, transformed other countries politically and socially under the so-called doctrine of "the responsibility to protect," instigated wars against other countries in the name of anti-terrorism, and grossly interfered in other countries' domestic affairs under the pretext of protecting democracy and human rights.

The interventionist actions of the U.S. has disturbed public order in countries and regions all around the world, many of which have led to a large number of civilian casualties and the mass exodus of local populations, as well as the occurrence of numerous tragedies and humanitarian disasters.

In the 1990s, American-led interference in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia precipitated the outbreak of national and ethnic hostilities, triggering a series of vengeful confrontations in the region. Nearly 300,000 people died in the Bosnian War and the Kosovo War, while three million became refugees as a result of the armed conflict. After all the bloodshed, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ended up in an acrimonious break-up and disintegrated into several smaller and weaker countries.

The war initiated by the U.S. in Afghanistan, which has lasted 20 years from October 2001 up until today, has displaced 11 million people and has killed over 30,000 innocent civilians.

Meanwhile, the Iraq War launched by the U.S. in 2003, as well as the Syrian Civil War in which the Americans have played a major part, created a vacuum for incubating radicalized terrorist forces, most notoriously in the form of ISIS, while further fueling the outbreak of other incidental clashes in the Middle East, not to mention having led to a huge humanitarian tragedy in which over 200,000 civilians died and more than five million became homeless.

In the final analysis, all these interventionist actions of the U.S., disguised in mendacious excuses, have ended up causing severe humanitarian disasters in affected countries and regions.

The sustained war and chaos triggered by American interventionism have constantly compelled refugees to seek refuge in other countries and regions, exacerbating humanitarian disasters that were already a life-and-death situation for people on the ground. Most of the refugees in the Middle East and North Africa have sought refuge in Europe, while those in Latin America have flooded into the U.S. They have suffered from untold horrors while fleeing from their own countries, with many of them even having been separated from their families. A large number of refugees were rejected by their destination countries or put into detention facilities where their search for freedom fell on deaf ears.

However, life isn't easy for those who have made it to their host destinations, either. These refugees have often been discriminated against, excluded and attacked by local residents. Moreover, the social order in the communities that have received these foreign migrants are often characterized by chaos and an extreme sense of instability.

This has been the experience in Germany, which is today the largest refugee-hosting country in Europe. Receiving over 200,000 displaced people, the country is now suffering from severe economic and social impacts, and the German government has since been fiercely questioned for its handling of refugee-related issues. In Denmark and Sweden, direct conflict has erupted between local communities and refugee groups.

Successive refugee crises, brought on by Americas interventionist actions, have contributed in large part to undermining regional stability, with some developed countries that once espoused the value of human rights now being accused of disrespecting the human rights of incoming refugees. The stable and delicate social order in these countries that has been a feature of the past is now in great danger due to the flood of refugees from conflagrations abroad.

The ceaseless interventionist actions of the U.S. have placed the country itself into a deep humanitarian crisis. During the past two decades, military intervention has cost taxpayers in the country more than US$6 trillion, while the costs associated with clandestine activities, such as those in support of the so-called "Color Revolutions", have also added up to significant sums.

The U.S. is willing to spend huge amounts of money on interventions and military exercises overseas, many of which give rise to humanitarian disasters, but rarely assigns any of its discretionary spending on improving its race relations and the basic human rights of vulnerable groups living within its borders, let alone other measures to improve human rights conditions at home or abroad.

Political elites in the U.S., who are addicted to foreign intervention abroad and reluctant to improve the ability to govern at home, have become unwitting cheerleaders for a country that is now facing extreme and growing political, class and racial divides. Both the death toll wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken the lives of 568,000 American citizens, and the emotive case of George Floyd, point to the fact that American interventionism will only come back to hurt the country itself in the end. It's a huge irony, therefore, that the U.S. has become a model for aiding others in times of humanitarian crisis.

In a word, the interventionist actions of the U.S. are of good to no one and instead serve as a source of humanitarian disaster and human rights violations. The U.S. may continue to take such rash actions in the future, but more and more countries have realized that they must work together to firmly say no to such interventions, in this way promoting stability and sustained order around the world.

(Li Haidong is a professor with the Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University.)

Related reading:

U.S. human rights violations: exporting turmoil and leaving other countries behind in chaos

The sin of U.S. colonialism: Americas genocide against Native Americans

Ethnic minorities in the U.S. have long suffered from bullying, discrimination

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
State

World red cross day celebrated across the state

file photo

DIMAPUR: | Publish Date: 5/8/2021 2:24:29 PM IST

: World Red Cross Day (WRCD) is celebrated every year on May 8 to acknowledge the beliefs of the Red Crescent Movement and the International Red Cross. The day also signifies appreciation for the volunteers who are always ready to help the needy. In Nagaland, various Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) branches across the state celebrated that day under the theme, unstoppable.

Correspondent

LONGLENG, May 8 (NPN): IRCS Longleng branch celebrated WRCD on Saturday at DCs conference hall with DC Longleng, M. Shayung Phom as special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that Red Cross Society was a voluntary organisation where members sacrificed their lives in protecting and assisting the world in times of natural disasters, wars, epidemic diseases etc.

DC called upon the gathering to enhance the dignity of selfless service in protecting the lives of humankind in times of emergency such athe present COVID-19 pandemic where people need to extend every possible help, based on the fundamental principles of Red Cross Society which includes humanity, impartiality, voluntary and neutrality.

He also said that observing the day helped people become aware about the organisation and how it played an important role in times of distress.

Meanwhile, honorary secretary of the Red Cross society Longleng, YB Angam Phom highlighted the significance of the day.

He said that Jean Henry Dunants idea of voluntary, impartial and humanitarian services to victims of war was immortalised in the formation of Red Cross Movement globally.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by EAC Hq. Longleng, Pechano Kikon, Bible reading prayer by Police Baptist Church Longleng, pastor Chingthai Phom while vote of thanks was delivered by IRCS Longleng treasurer H. Leisha Phom.

Zunheboto: ICRS Zunheboto branch observed WRCD at DCs conference hall on the theme wear mask to protect yourself and others and stop the spread of COVID-19 adhering to all safety protocols.

According to DIPR report, while delivering the welcome address, honorary secretary Dr. Hokishe Kiho briefed about all the activities carried out by IRCS Zunheboto branch such as assistance to the returnees from outside the state, financial assistance to families affected by landslides, material assistance while visiting villages affected by natural calamities and others.

Meanwhile, DC and chairman of IRCS, Zunheboto branch, Peter Lichamo said that assistance provided by the Red Cross societies all over the world was well acknowledged because of the exemplary contributions the society provided to the needy at times of crisis and which he said was why the Red Cross Society was one the premium organisations that was respected and honoured.

He also said that the district branch should prepare itself in case of a worst blow during the pandemic. He appealed the members to always be ready and to make themselves available for the needy.

Speaking on the theme of the programme, CMO Zunheboto Dr. Akaho Sema stated that India was now entering the 3rd stage of the pandemic which means that the virus was spreading rapidly and the community spread was now inevitable.

He informed that unlike the earlier stages, contact tracing was no more possible, which was resulting in covid positive detection of more than 4 lakh and 3500 deaths everyday in an average across the country.

He expressed regret that there were still certain sections of the people who advocated against the only practical solutions such as wearing of masks, washing of hands, sanitising and getting vaccinated.

Earlier, IRCS advisor Dr. Huskha Yepthomi spoke on the inception of the Red Cross Society, vote of thanks was delivered by former vice chairman Hokugha Sukhalu who appealed to the IRCS Zunheboto not to be stagnant and to activate itself at this time of crisis in whichever way possible. The programme was chaired by vice chairman Kashito Yepthomi and invocation was said by Asheto Kiba.

Kohima: In commemoration of WRCD, IRCS Kohima branch visited the Good Samaritan Old Age Home at Meriema on the theme, together we are unstoppable emphasising on the triumphant spirit of humanitarian service worldwide.

In a press release, ICRS Kohima honorary secretary, Thehiechulie Louis Solo stated that the visit was accompanied by the office bearers and managing committee members of the Kohima district branch.

It may be mentioned that the team donated such as blankets, mask, groceries and some amount in cash to the home.

Mon: IRCS Mon branch observed WRCD at DCs conference hall with DC & IRCS chairman Mon, Thavaseelan K as special guest.

In a press release, honorary secretary, Nyamto Wangsha stated that during the programme, the special guest lauded the dedicated services of IRCS Mon and expressed his enthusiasm to extend all possible help to them in order to reach to the poor and needy when the need arises.

Meanwhile, CWC chairperson Raju Thapa Magar delivered the PowerPoint presentation on the activities of ICRS Mon branch during the period of 2020-2021

Earlier, the programme was chaired by IRCS Mon executive chairman KS Anil Kumar, invocation by Ashim Konyak and vote of thanks by Nyamto Wangsha.

To commemorate the day, IRCS Mon presented relief to the differentl abled persons.
The U.S. will likely ease up on indoor mask guidelines in real time as COVID-19 vaccinations continue to increase, Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday.

I think youre going to probably be seeing that as we go along and as more people get vaccinated, Fauci, the top White House medical adviser, told ABC News This Week. We do need to start being more liberal as we get more people vaccinated [because] the number of cases per day will absolutely go down. Were averaging about 43,000 a day. Weve got to get it much, much lower than that. When that gets lower, the risk of any infection, indoor or outdoor, diminishes dramatically.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adjusted its mask recommendations in late April, saying many unmasked outdoor activities such as running or walking were safe, especially for vaccinated Americans. The CDC also relaxed guidelines for some indoor activities, noting that masked vaccinated people can attend worship, visit restaurants or bars or partake in indoor exercises class.

But most people should still don masks indoors around people who are not vaccinated. Large crowds without social distancing should still be avoided, the CDC says.

We know the virus spreads very well indoors, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last month, arguing the agency would only further relax indoor mask recommendations after new daily cases were below 50,000.

Fauci, in an interview with NBC News Meet the Press on Sunday, noted that mask-wearing dramatically impacted the most recent flu season. He said more Americans may start wearing masks seasonally to prevent respiratory infections.

I think people have gotten used to the fact that wearing masks ... clearly, if you look at the data, it diminishes respiratory diseases. Weve had practically a non-existent flu season this year merely because people were doing the kinds of public health things that were directed predominately against COVID-19, he said.

Former Food and Drug Administration chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CBS News Face the Nation that COVID-19 cases were down to a point right now where we can ... start lifting these ordinances and allowing people to resume normal activity. Certainly, outdoors, we should not be putting limits on gatherings anymore and we should be encouraging people to go outside. States where infection rates are low should also see relaxed indoor public health guidelines, Gottlieb argued.

Both the town of Brookline and the city of Salem chose to continue their outdoor face covering mandates after Gov. Charlie Baker announced on April 27 that masks would only need to be worn outside when its not possible to socially distance and at other times based on sector-specific guidance.

Under the states current guidance, face coverings are still required in indoor public places and at events, whether held indoors or outdoors and whether held in a public space or private home, except for when eating or drinking, according to the governors office.

At small gatherings in private homes, face coverings are recommended but not required. The $300 enforcement fine for mask-wearing was eliminated as well.

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There are some really lovely phrases in the English language. The best and most commonly used is simply, I love you, but thank you, im sorry, and I forgive you are right up there.

For readers of this column, however, Id say that free beer ranks pretty highly. And now those two words are being employed for the greater good.

On May 8, New Yorks Erie County teamed up with Buffalo Resurgence Brewing to kick off its Shot and a Chaser program to entice people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. People who got their first dose of the vaccine at the brewery received a free pint glass and coupon for a drink of their choice.

Its unfortunate that people have to be lured into doing the right thing, but hey, whatever works, in my opinion. And one Resurgence employee had a point:

Given the world we live in right now, its not so weird, Ben Kestner, director of taproom operations at the brewery, told Sandra Tan of The Buffalo News.

And with vaccination appointments falling off recently (even though there are plenty of people who still need them), it was great to hear that there was a line out the door before the vaccinations even started.

Were going to do more people today at our first-dose clinics than most of our first-dose clinics in the last week combined, Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz said to the newspaper. Its been a success. We figured it would be pretty good, but now were seeing the results.

And like grapevine gossip about a good beer, word spreads fast about a good idea: Four more Erie County breweries have signed up for the program: Flying Bison and Thin Man Brewery, both also in Buffalo, Steelbound Brewery in Springville,, and The 12 Gates Brewing Company in Amherst. Other states have also shown interest in adopting the idea.

While free beer cant solve the pandemic alone, Poloncarz told the Buffalo News that the program helps.

But if it gets another 200 people vaccinated today who otherwise would not have, thats 200 more people that are going to be protected from COVID-19 and 200 less people we need to get to eventually reach herd immunity. And thats the important thing, he said.

This is obviously a great idea and I wonder if our local officials and local breweries could team up with a similar program. (And no, Im not angling for a free beer. Im already fully vaccinated. I hope you are  or will be soon.)
SPRINGFIELD  One of the most impactful aspects of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valleys programming is the opportunity for people from different socioeconomic levels to come together to address their racial biases.

While the program is traditionally done in person, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way the two-day immersive program will be taught in the future.

Assuming that restrictions are lifted we are going to be debuting a hybrid model in July, said Vanessa Otero, a co-founder and interim director of the institute.

More than 1,000 people from Western Massachusetts have gone through the program, and Otero is looking to expand the reach through virtual opportunities.

On April 28 the organization received a $300,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation to help launch its $1 million, three-year capital fund drive. A portion of the funding will go toward the hybrid initiative, as well as add staff, expand facilitator training and provide scholarships for individuals unable to afford participation in the program.

We want to ensure our programming is current, but also meaningful in the way it was intended to be since its inception, and this funding will help us do that, Otero said. It will also help us build the infrastructure necessary to make it a standalone organization.

A portion of the funding will go toward preparing people to go beyond the initial tools they get in the two-day program.

By developing cohorts within organizations, we hope these conversations become part of their hiring practices, part of the culture of organizations, Otero said. The idea is that they dont always have to come to us for these yearly anti-racism conversations. The goal is that this work  to end racism or to address bigotry and discrimination  is part of the fabric of the organizations.

With the MassMutual Foundation grant, the capital campaign has already reached $450,000 in financial commitments over the next three years, with other contributions coming from the Beveridge Foundation and The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation.

President Dennis Duquette said the MassMutual Foundation is committed to investing in the community it serves and initiatives that produce real change.

MassMutual is no stranger to supporting the citizens of our hometown, Springfield, dating back to our founding here in 1851, he said. Through the sweat equity of our employee volunteers, to the leadership of MassMutual executives on behalf of worthwhile causes, to financial support for community programs, we remain committed to help bring about sustainable, positive change for communities throughout the region.

Duquette said the Healing Racism Institute is doing timely and necessary work.

The current moment calls for change that can advance greater understanding, cooperation, and opportunities to thrive across an increasingly diverse populace, he said. The mission of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley is central to driving that important work here in greater Springfield, and we are delighted to support their growth and expand the reach of their efforts.

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SPRINGFIELD  Listen closely, and the visitor can perhaps hear the echoes of a time long gone by, but preserved by a man who believed the beauty of art should enjoyed by all.

George Walter Vincent Smith was ahead of his time, and, together with his wife, he gave Springfield a museum for the ages. Opened in 1896, the fruit of Smiths vision provided more than just a building filled with fascinating artifacts.

It was an opportunity for people in Springfield and Western Massachusetts to experience the worlds beauty without ever leaving home. And, today, in a 2021 world of constant and sometimes wrenching change, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is still standing elegantly in the Quadrangle, where its founder once lived, and providing that same experience.

George and his wife, Belle Townsley Smith, wanted ordinary people to be introduced to art from around the world, the types of art they would not ordinarily see, explains Maggie North, curator of art for the Springfield Museums.

The museum brings 19th and early 20th century art to life, and in this, its 125th year, it is more relevant and vibrant than ever. Its been accorded the prestigious 2021 Paul & Niki Tsongas Award, the highest honor given by Preservation Massachusetts, and there is hope for more recognition to come.

The museum is competing for the Peoples Preservation Choice Award, which is sponsored by Preservation Massachusetts and will be determined by an online public vote. Voting is open until noon on May 20.

Nothing would be more appropriate, for it was the public that the Smiths had in mind when they gave the city a window to the world that very few citizens of the Western world  let alone Western Massachusetts  might ever have seen.

In doing so, the Smiths sowed the seeds for another cultural phenomenon: the Springfield Museums. Today, the Quadrangle is home to several institutions and has secured the citys place in the world of art, history and science.

But the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum was the first in the city and stands as testament to its founders vision, dedication and spirit.

This started and inspired the entire Quadrangle. Its called and recognized as a mini-Smithsonian says Karen Fisk, director of marketing and communication strategy for the Springfield Museums.

Suggestions have been made that Smiths influence is felt not just by the spectacular collection he assembled, but by the spirit of the founder himself. Smith and his wife are interred within the museums walls, and urban legend exists that their ghostly spirit is a positive, paranormal presence.

Some feel (the Smiths) have walked the halls (in spirit), North said with a smile during a tour this week. Theyd be pleased.

George Walter Vincent Smith died at 90 in 1923, five years before his wifes passing. Their lives spoke to the dazzle of the Gilded Age, but rather than limit the beauty of world-class art to the elite, they introduced it to the masses.

The vast collection of Chinese and Japanese art was collected at a particularly momentous time in global history.

In the 19th century, Japan was just opening up to the west. Items that had never been available became available, and no one had ever seen anything like them, says Heather Haskell, director of the Springfield Art Museums and Collections. George was entranced by them, and he wanted to show them to the citizens of Springfield. People also came from all over the nation to see them.

They still do. In 2012, the general counsel of Japan for Boston, Takeshi Hikihara, came to see the array of Japanese suits, arms, armor and samurai swords.

The Chinese collection also shows form, function and symbolism. Its one of the most impressive collections in the United States, Haskell says.

Smith also saw beauty in Middle Eastern and Islamic art, in ways other experienced collectors of his time did not.

In his lifetime, carpets had been used almost exclusively on floors, which caused many of their frills and decorative aspects to be stripped away. But Smith insisted on preserving the pieces in their entirety. That is why today, the museum is one of very few that can display these carpets in full splendor.

He saw the carpets as art objects, not utilitarian, explains Haskell. He was clear about not altering the objects at all.

33 George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum continues giving world-class art a Springfield home

Smiths own story is as remarkable as the museum he created. He made a comfortable living as a producer of elegant carriages, then retired at 35 to pursue his passion for art collecting.

His entry was well-timed, for it came before such collecting became popular. Smiths pioneering spirit later showed itself in another progressive way, when he insisted his museum be directed, managed and curated by women  at a time the womans place in business and society was rarely so prominent.

In 1869, Smith married Belle Townsley, the daughter of a prominent Springfield politician and businessman. Their home was in Springfield, though they also toured the world and spent much time in Italy, where their support of Italian artists led to a place for their works in the museum.

They also enthusiastically supported contemporary American artists. Perhaps most famous, though, is the collection of Asian art, including one of the largest collections of Chinese cloisonne metalwork outside of Asia.

The uniqueness of the Smith museum displays is not limited to the art. The airtight cases are originals, a remarkable testament to 19th century craftsmanship that protected precious items long before air quality control was perfected.

Air conditioning, in fact, was not installed at the museum until 2011. Before then, once the temperature went over 100 degrees, wed close the second floor, Haskell says.

Modern amenities, though, have not changed the flavor of a museum that captures the past.

The gallery is lit by natural lighting, Haskell explains. In the 19th century, that was cutting-edge.

The Tsongas Award honors people and projects that have displayed the highest level of commitment to historic preservation in Massachusetts. At the George W.V. Smith Art Museum, restoration has been in full swing for the past 10 years.

Funds raised entirely from grants and a capital campaign have gone into climate modification, roof repair and restoration of 33 Tiffany stained-glass windows  the only such windows still in use by a museum.

They were designed specifically for this building. We felt so strongly about the founders vision that we restored the skylights, too. They give a warm, beautiful glow, even on a cloudy day, Haskell says.

The museum is free to Springfield residents. With safety COVID-19 protocols in place, it has been open since mid-July and is ready now for summer visitors as tourism and travel make a comeback.

Smith ordered his personal papers destroyed upon his death, but some of Belles correspondence remains, as do hundreds of photographs, catalogues, documents and invoices from artists and others. This allows the museum archives to chronicle the atmosphere of the Gilded Age, which was consigned to the rear view mirror by 1923, the year an addition was built to the museum  and the same year Smith died.

He lived to see the addition, though, Haskell says. He brought art from all over the world to Springfield, at a time people werent always able to travel. Maintaining his vision is still very important to us, in everything we do.

CAST YOUR VOTE

The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield is in the running for the Peoples Preservation Choice Award, sponsored by Preservation Massachusetts

Deadline: May 20, noon; daily voting allowed

Vote: Online, preservationmass.org

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One year ago this month, the toll of those lost at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke had exceeded more than 70 men and women. The COVID-19 coronavirus crept into the home for ill and aging veterans, taking lives of residents and sickening others, including many staff. It was a circumstance not unlike what transpired in scores of nursing homes and facilities for elders across this nation.

A year later, the families of those lost still grieve. They and all of us still wait for answers from the state about how and why the outbreak was allowed to course its way, initially unchecked, through the place their loved ones had gone for sanctuary.

The state Legislature this week named a conference committee of six senators and representatives whose task it is to determine a path forward for the reconstruction and expansion of Soldiers Home. They will sort out differences between the $400 million bill approved by the House and the $600 million Senate version.

The bond bill, submitted by Gov. Charlie Baker in February, initially survived review by three subcommittees. Each version received unanimous support of the branch involved. The $200 million difference represents funds the Senate added to help extend and expand services to other parts of the Bay State, including southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, whose veterans are more distant from both of the soldiers homes in Holyoke and Chelsea. The Senate bill also added some policy amendments related to Soldiers Home governance and other matters.

There is a clear sense of urgency to enact this legislation so the state can complete its work to meet an Aug. 1 deadline to secure up to $260 million in federal Department of Veterans Affairs funding for the project. To be sure, $400 million is very large amount of money. We trust the numbers are being carefully determined by state planning agencies and reviewed by the federal government.

This is not a time when politics should come into play, either pitting one region of our state against another nor seeing any single legislator ruffling feathers in search of attention. This legislation is a debt owed for the legacy of those lost and those serving today in the military.

Now is the time for every single member of the Legislature to take the necessary steps to fund a Soldiers Home of the future. No matter whether located in Holyoke or Chelsea, these homes serve all veterans.

It is imperative for the conference committee to come together swiftly and hammer out the details so the work already in progress be completed to meet the needs of all generations of veterans. There are men and women now serving in Afghanistan who will soon be coming home and who in another five, 10 or 20 years  if not earlier - will need treatment for their bodies and souls. They  and their families  deserve a state-of-the-art facility to provide the care they will need.

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts progressive who finished third in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, will run for re-election to the Senate in 2024.

Warren told Politico that she hopes to keep making her mark in Congress, where Democrats have a slim edge over Republicans just as progressives are seeing more of their proposals weaved into President Joe Bidens multi-trillion-dollar packages aimed at COVID-19 relief, jobs and infrastructure, and education and families.

After her failed White House bid, Warren  a political newcomer in 2012  said she was open to serving as Bidens vice president or Treasury secretary. Neither came to be, and Biden has not incorporated Warrens wealth tax on ultra-millionaires and billionaires  one of her signature campaign policy plans  into his tax proposals.

But Biden has pushed forward with proposals long aligned with Warren, including the elimination of several tax loopholes, raising the corporate tax rate, hiking the federal minimum wage and boosting child care. Hes also open to Warrens push for canceling up to $50,000 in debt for students and former students who took out federal loans.

Bidens American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan are framed in part by many economic and environmental proposals from progressives like Warren, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Ed Markey, and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley.

Pressley and former Rep. Joe Kennedy III have often been named as potential candidates for Warrens seat, had the 71-year-old picked up a Cabinet spot or not sought re-election.

In Warrens new book, Persist, and in an interview with Politico, she acknowledges a few mistakes that hurt her campaign, including taking a DNA test in an attempt to put to rest controversy over claiming Native American ethnicity while teaching in law school.

But Warren, a bankruptcy expert who now chars the Senate Finance Committees Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, said she wouldnt have done much differently during her White House run. And she still touts her broad policy plans, telling Politico that solid detailed plans are the physical manifestation of values that voters are looking for.

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LUXAFLOR Roses, the company which got a US$750 000 bank loan guarantee from government that has raised eyebrows, says it does not have any link with Zanu PF, despite its manager having previously expressed support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The government announced in last Fridays Government Gazette that it will guarantee a US$750 000 CBZ loan to Luxaflor Roses under the Covid-19 Economic Recovery and Stimulus Package.

The guarantee covers 50% of the facility meant to finance the procurement of raw materials for the production and export of roses.

In November 2020, the horticulture project run by Aart Nugteren and his son Roelof was reported to be exporting 30 million to 35 million rose stems per year, earning US$8.2 million.

In an interview in August 2018, Roelof told an international newsletter that Mnangagwa would be the best leader for Zimbabwe, arguing that Chamisa would not be able to fulfil electoral promises.

He (Mnangagwa) got 80 to 90% of the votes in all rural areas. The only place where many people were against him was capital city Harare. Unemployment is very high there. November last year, everyone was jumping for joy at the prospect of change after all that time. And now, people in the cities already want to see more changes. Its important to stay realistic, Roelof said then.

Chamisa promises the population all sorts of things, but he wouldnt be able to deliver, because he doesnt have any international contacts. Mnangagwas past might not be great, but foreign companies and organisations all know him. Hell open Zimbabwes borders for international trade. What Zimbabwe needs now is hard currency, and Mnangagwa will be able to attract investors.

Zanu PF is the best party for employers, we can see theyre trying their best. For example, by offering foreign companies the opportunity to purchase land.

Roelof referred questions from The NewsHawks on the loan guarantee to the companys chairperson, saying he was just a farm manager.

Luxaflor chairperson Yakub Mahomed said the guarantee was based on merit as the company had no links to the government.

The guarantee was based on three things: growing the rose industry, creating jobs and earning foreign currency. We started with nine hectares and we are intending to be on 32 hectares in September. Most of our money has been going towards capital expansion. We need to import the greenhouses because they last longer, Mahomed said.

We have been going to the banks but have not been successful there because the banks are not accepting security of things on the farm. So, government stepped up because they could see the vision we have and the process was thorough. I have been working closely with government on the 200-hectare rollout we are working on. And I should just add, this will be a loan and we will pay it back.

He said exports were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic but were starting to improve. The 16-hectare rose farm is in Concession.

The guarantee reads: It is hereby notified, in terms of section 300 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, as read with section 18 (2) of the Public Debt Management Act [Chapter 22:21], that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development hereby issued the following:

(a) Guarantee, binding the Government of Zimbabwe as surety for the repayment of US$750,000,00 (50% of the facility) to Luxaflor Roses (Private) Limited from CBZ Bank Limited to finance the procurement of raw materials for production and export of roses under the COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Stimulus Package;

(b) should there be any outstanding amounts due to Lender at the date of maturity of the Guarantee; the Guarantor undertakes to make full payment of all amounts payable by the Guarantor in terms of this Guarantee upon demand from the Lender within thirty (30) calendar days;

(c) that the total amount of this Guarantee shall be reduced by any payment of the principal, interest and fees by the Lender, or any payment of the principal, interest and fees by the Guarantor;

(d) Guarantee is for the use and benefit of the Lender and the Lender may not without consent of the Guarantor, assign, transfer, mortgage, charge and deal in any matter with or all of its rights and obligations under this Guarantee;

(e) The guarantee shall remain valid and in force until all amounts due under the terms and conditions of the Facility are paid up. NewsHawks
In Maharashtra COVID-19 case tally has crossed the 5 million-mark while fatalities shot past the 75,000-level, although the situation in Mumbai remained positive, health officials said here.



Compared to 898 deaths reported on Friday, the state's fatalities went down to 864 on Saturday, taking the state's overall death toll to 75,277, the worst in the country.

Maharashtra has reported 53,605 new cases, much lower than the record high of 68,631 cases recorded on April 18, mounting the state's overall tally past the 50 lakh-mark to 50,53,336.





For the seventh straight day, the state's fatality rate remained stable at 1.49 per cent, while the number of active cases stood at 628,213.



On the brighter side, 82,266 fully cured patients returned home on Saturday, the highest in a single day this month, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 43,47,592. Maharashtra's recovery rate increased from 85.36 per cent a day before to 86.03 per cent now.



The Mumbai Circle, comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, recorded a drop in new cases from 8,335 on Friday to 7,541 now, taking its overall tally to 14,39,919, while 129 deaths mounted its death toll to 24,574 till date.



Of the day's 864 total fatalities due to the contagion, Aurangabad led the chart with 96 deaths, followed by 81 in Nashik, 66 in Nagpur, 62 in Mumbai, 47 in Ahmednagar, 45 in Solapur, 38 in Thane, 34 in Satara, 33 in Nandurbar, 28 each in Raigad and Yavatmal, 26 in Osmanabad, 25 in Kolhapur, 24 in Sangli, 21 each in Parbhani and Nanded, 20 each in Beed and Amravati, 19 each in Pune and Chandrapur, 17 in Wardha, 15 in Jalgaon, 13 in Washim, 12 in Ratnagiri, and 10 each in Latur and Akola -- in the higher range.



There were 8 deaths in Jalna, 7 in Dhule, 6 in Gadchiroli, 4 each in Sindhudurg and Gondia, 2 each in Hingoli and Bhandara, and 1 in Palghar -- in the lower range.



Out of the 36 districts in the state, only Buldhana reported zero fatalities on Saturday.



Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation decreased from 38,41,431 a day before to 37,50,502 now, while those shunted to institutional quarantine went down from 28,860 on Friday to 28,453 on Saturday.



Source: IANS Mumbai's daily deaths went down from 71 on Friday to 62 Saturday, as the total number of fatalities in the country's commercial capital shot up to 13,713.For the seventh straight day, the state's fatality rate remained stable at 1.49 per cent, while the number of active cases stood at 628,213.On the brighter side, 82,266 fully cured patients returned home on Saturday, the highest in a single day this month, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 43,47,592. Maharashtra's recovery rate increased from 85.36 per cent a day before to 86.03 per cent now.The Mumbai Circle, comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, recorded a drop in new cases from 8,335 on Friday to 7,541 now, taking its overall tally to 14,39,919, while 129 deaths mounted its death toll to 24,574 till date.Of the day's 864 total fatalities due to the contagion, Aurangabad led the chart with 96 deaths, followed by 81 in Nashik, 66 in Nagpur, 62 in Mumbai, 47 in Ahmednagar, 45 in Solapur, 38 in Thane, 34 in Satara, 33 in Nandurbar, 28 each in Raigad and Yavatmal, 26 in Osmanabad, 25 in Kolhapur, 24 in Sangli, 21 each in Parbhani and Nanded, 20 each in Beed and Amravati, 19 each in Pune and Chandrapur, 17 in Wardha, 15 in Jalgaon, 13 in Washim, 12 in Ratnagiri, and 10 each in Latur and Akola -- in the higher range.There were 8 deaths in Jalna, 7 in Dhule, 6 in Gadchiroli, 4 each in Sindhudurg and Gondia, 2 each in Hingoli and Bhandara, and 1 in Palghar -- in the lower range.Out of the 36 districts in the state, only Buldhana reported zero fatalities on Saturday.Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation decreased from 38,41,431 a day before to 37,50,502 now, while those shunted to institutional quarantine went down from 28,860 on Friday to 28,453 on Saturday.Source: IANS

The situation in Mumbai continued to be encouraging, with new infections remaining much below the 5,000-level at 2,664, taking the city's overall tally to 673,235 till date.
A hard-hitting editorial published in the US medical journal The Lancet said that Prime Minister Narendra Modis actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable.

 Reuters

The journal also went on to say that PM Narendra Modis government seems more interested in 'removing criticism' on Twitter than trying to control the second wave of COVID in the country.



The editorial quoted The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation saying that India will see a staggering 1 million deaths due to COVID-19 by August 1st. If that outcome were to happen, Modis Government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe The Lancet said.

"India squandered its early successes in controlling COVID-19. Until April, the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us, and India must now restructure its response while the crisis rages.

"The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart," it said.

 Reuters

The journal also heavily criticised the government for projecting an impression that India had beaten the virus after several months of low cases. The impression was made despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains.



The editorial also pointed out that despite warnings, the government allowed super spreader events like religious festivals and political rallies to go ahead.

Despite warnings about the risks of super-spreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies-conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures," Lancet said.

 Reuters

The publication also criticised Indias vaccination programme saying that the message that COVID-19 was essentially over caused the slow down of the vaccination campaign.



The Lancet also called the policy "botched" and "falling apart at the central level. The journal also noted that the Government shifted course without even discussing the change in policy with states.

The journal says that India must restructure its response to the rise and success of that effort depends on the government owning up to its mistakes. The journal called for responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart.

Source: The Lancet
Ivan Staklo was eager to get vaccinated, but after getting his first dose, he doesnt even want to look at his vaccination card. Its a reminder of the odd experience he had, rather than the exciting moment he was fervidly looking forward to.

Staklo, a transgender man from New Haven, said his first dose experience was one of humiliation and disrespect. His gender and name were manually changed in the system by an individual working at a Waterbury clinic because the ones he reported didnt match his official I.D. In multiple ways, Staklo said his identity was erased that day.

And when looking at the states record of vaccinations for transgender individuals, the lack of data tells a broader story of oversight and erasure.

State data suggests that out of the more than two million COVID-19 vaccinations in Connecticut, just five of those doses have been given to transgender people as of May 6, with only four fully vaccinated. Roughly 3,000 additional individuals who have initiated their vaccinations are marked as unknown, with around 2,000 fully vaccinated.

However, an estimated 3.9 percent of the population identifies as LGBTQ in Connecticut, including roughly 13,350 transgender people aged 13 and older, according to a report from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

I think the data is, frankly, wrong, said Katy Tierney, an endocrinology specialist and medical director of the Middlesex Health Transgender Program. We just dont know how many trans people have been vaccinated.

Experts say the need for a proper count is important. From cataloguing medical side effects to crafting outreach and funding, accurate data tells a story about vaccines in the transgender community that can shape policy, medical response, and health outcomes and many think that story is being lost.

Without accurate data, its hard to know what vaccination rates look like in the transgender community a group that often works frontline jobs and that has historically been hesitant to pursue medical services due to discrimination.

You don't know what that outreach needs to look like if you don't know who is and is not getting the vaccine, said Jody Herman, scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute.

Herman also said its hard to know what disparities this group experiences and what their key health indicators are if data isnt collected.

Connecticuts undercount can be problematic

Experts like Tierney and state officials agree that the number of vaccinated transgender people is an undercount.

Some may have selected the Other option, while most transgender people would have just picked the gender they identify as, experts said. Depending on where people were vaccinated, there may have only been an option to select male or female.

Maura Fitzgerald, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Health, said in an email that the department does not track the information providers request from patients. Instead, she said, providers report vaccination information to them through Connecticuts immunization registry system, CTWiZ, where gender can be reported as female, male, transgender, or unknown.

Fitzgerald added that the department is not aware of specific COVID-19 public health issues that would compel the separate tracking of vaccination for transgender individuals.

Others would disagree.

If we dont have a systematic approach to data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity, we're only getting part of the story as to what's going on with LGBT people in the U.S., said Herman.

Obstacles in representation

Among several obstacles standing in the way of giving the transgender community proper representation in state data is the varied and often limiting options available for them on intake forms.

The Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) only has options to select Male, Female, Decline to specify, or Other.

Eliot Olson, Staklos partner, called the other box, the cheap mans shot to try and be inclusive, that is rooted in ignorance and can perpetuate trans-erasure.

The majority of local health departments, providers, and clinics used VAMS to schedule vaccine appointments, and likely had to use data collected there when reporting to the state. Some pharmacies, including CVS, also did not ask for anything beyond binary gender options.

Jude Reid, a New Britain individual who registered with multiple vaccine providers in their appointment hunt, found that the MyChart programs from organizations such as the University of Connecticut, Middlesex Health and Hartford Healthcare were more nuanced than others, but still had problematic language.

These forms included multiple gender identity options in addition to male and female, such as Transgender Female MtF, Transgender Male FtM, Queer, Gender fluid, and Other. Although more options were available, the chance of having a checkbox for those who are nonbinary is rare, with the exception of Middlesex Health.

Reid believes the staggering range of options from one site to the next could be why the data is disproportioned.

Taylor Edelmann of Brookfield agreed, saying trans people are embedded in the numbers, but under the gender unassigned/unknown category or the male and female categories. It is possible that some of the transgender vaccine recipients were reported from one or more of these providers systems.

Questions lead to discrimination

For those still making legal document changes or transitioning, a provider asking for sex assigned at birth can be difficult to navigate. Edelmann was able to easily mark male without a raised eyebrow thanks to matching documentation, but this isnt always the case.

When youre getting a vaccine, its opening up the door for discrimination, Edelmann said, because if a transgender persons sex assigned at birth, doesnt match their other documents, it inherently outs them and makes them vulnerable to discrimination.

Olson echoed Edelmanns point and noted that in any situation where a trans person has to show identification, it becomes a matter of prepping yourself for whats going to happen.

You know somethings going to happen, its just a question of what and how bad, he said. It kind of is a continual reminder that you are not just an inconvenience but an oddity.

When Staklo went to get vaccinated, he said his name was changed in the system to his deadname, which is the birth name given to him before transitioning. They also changed his gender marker to the incorrect one and proceeded to ignore me when I asked them not to do that.

According to Edelmann and others, CVS had to rescind and modify its intake form after members from the transgender community made it known that the question of sex assigned at birth was invariably outing trans people.

Tara Burke, a CVS spokesperson said they crafted the question on its website based on feedback from the LGBTQ community while ensuring it complies with the CDCs requirements.

An individuals sex, gender, race or ethnicity are in no way limiting factors in scheduling a vaccine appointment, Burke noted.

An alternate approach

When Will Love made their way into Brookfields vaccine clinic at St Joseph Catholic Academy, they became one of the 3,000 residents whose gender is now marked as unknown by the state. The Danbury resident who identifies as nonbinary selected Decline to specify under the gender option, and received their shot.

Usually in those instances, I select Prefer Not to Answer just because I dont feel like it is an accurate representation, said Love.

Love suggested that providers at least provide three options: male, female, transgender.

I always get really excited when I have an option to select transgender, Love said. If I see nonbinary that is even more exciting.

But some scholars say the answer is not just adding transgender or nonbinary options along with the others.

Herman said that when given the option of male, female, or transgender, 70 percent will often simply choose the gender they identify as, instead of selecting transgender. And already, studies show that surveys could be missing over half of transgender respondents based on the way they ask the gender question.

A single question wont do it, Herman said. We would recommend a two-step approach if possible.

In her opinion, that means asking about gender and separately asking whether a person identifies as transgender.

On the other hand, Tierney thinks that asking people to identify themselves as transgender in an unfamiliar health care setting at vaccine clinics could cause anxiety and be a deterrent. Tierney suggested post-vaccine surveys instead.

But at the end of the day, it comes down to inclusion.

By acknowledging someones pronouns or the fact they have transitioned, you are acknowledging them, Love said.
PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the decision from the European Union not to renew its order for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Macron said the EU policy is aiming at responding in particular to the variants... We see that some other vaccines are more efficient.

The blocs Internal Market Commissioner, Thierry Breton, said Sunday the EU Commission has not ordered AstraZeneca shots for after June. Two weeks ago, the EU launched legal proceedings against the pharmaceutical group for allegedly failing to respect the terms of its contract.

South Africa halted earlier this year the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after preliminary data indicated it may be only minimally effective against the variant which is dominant in the country.

In France, the variant first identified in Britain has become largely dominant and the South African variant represents only a small percentage of the virus detected in the country.

Across the Channel, Britain has made the AstraZeneca vaccine the centerpiece of its successful vaccination campaign.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

 India's vaccination campaign falters due to a lack of vaccines even as new infections, deaths soar

 Party-goers across Spain rejoice as nations state of emergency is lifted

 Vaccine deserts: Some countries have no COVID-19 jabs at all

 EU says US patent waiver proposal isn't a magic bullet

 As US reopens, campuses tighten restrictions for virus

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

NEW DELHI  India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping the country, but since then the pace of administering the shots has only dropped, with states saying they only have limited stock.

New infections are still rising at record pace in the worlds second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccinations, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are significant undercounts.

Indias Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an oxygen audit to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which just stepped in to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in the capital, New Delhi.

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BARCELONA, Spain  Impromptu street celebrations erupted across Spain as the clock struck midnight on Saturday, when a six-month-long national state of emergency to contain the spread of coronavirus ended and many nighttime curfews were lifted.

In Madrid, police had to usher revelers out of the central Puerta del Sol square, where the scenes of unmasked dancing and group signing esembled pre-pandemic nightlife.

Teenagers and young adults also poured into central squares and beaches of Barcelona to mark the relaxation of restrictions.

Freedom! said Juan Cadavid, who was reconnecting with friends. The 25-year-old Barcelona resident was also rejoicing at the prospect of going back to work at a Michelin-star restaurant that has been closed for the past seven months due to pandemic-related restrictions.

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BRATISLAVA  Slovakias government is set to discuss possible use of Russias Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine with Moscow after it was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab.

Slovakian Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his countrys experts and the Russian side about further developments on this issue.

Hungary offered Slovakia assistance in inspecting the Russian-made vaccine after the Slovak State Institute for Drug Control said it had not received enough information about the Russian jab from its producer to be able to assess its benefits and risks.

The regulator also said the doses it received from Russia differed from those under review by the European Unions medicines authority.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets Sputnik V abroad, called the findings fake news. It welcomed the results of the Hungarian tests and said it asked the Slovak drug regulator to apologize for spreading incorrect information about Sputnik V.

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan  Pakistan is struggling with a third surge of coronavirus cases, despite a complete closure of all business and transport that began this weekend and continues until May 16, the end of the Eid holidays.

Pakistan reported 118 more deaths and 3,785 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day Sunday. It has now seen nearly 19,000 deaths in the pandemic.

All businesses are now closed except for essential food stores, pharmacies and fuel stations. Public transport in major cities and town is either at halt or allowed only with 50% capacity while intercity passenger transport is completely shut. Federal authorities also extended school closures to May 21

After receiving the first consignment of 1.2 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on Saturday, the government is trying to ramp up inoculations.

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DUBAI  Dubais long-haul carrier Emirates will begin shipping aid from the World Health Organization and other groups into India for free to help fight a crushing outbreak of the coronavirus, the airline said Sunday.

The offer by Emirates, which has 95 flights weekly to nine cities in India, initially involves aid already in Dubai but may expand across the carriers network as time goes on. That could mean major savings for aid groups as airfreight costs have skyrocketed amid the pandemic. Demand for flown cargo stands at record levels worldwide.

Emirates made the announcement at Dubais International Humanitarian City, already home to a WHO warehouse.

A WHO worker on a forklift moved boxes of tents made in Pakistan and rolls of net shades from South Korea preparing for the initial flight planned for next Thursday. That will be used to construct field hospitals for Indias overwhelmed health care system.

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ROME  The Italian Health Ministry has set out guidelines for visiting people in nursing homes in the latest sign of reopening in the onetime epicenter of COVID-19 in Europe.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a decree Saturday setting out a plan that, among other things, requires visitors to either be fully vaccinated, have proof of having had COVID-19 and recovered, or a negative test result in the past 48 hours.

As in other countries, Italian nursing homes and long-term residential facilities were devastated by the pandemic, especially during the first wave of infections in the spring of 2020. The total nursing home death toll isnt known, since so many COVID-19-suspected deaths were not counted because residents were not tested.

Italy has largely reopened after its wintertime lockdown, even though it is continuing to add around 10,000 confirmed infections and around 250-300 deaths per day. The 224 deaths reported Saturday brought Italys confirmed toll to 122,694, second only to Britain in Europe.

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MADISON, Wisc.  U.S. states asked the federal government this week to withhold staggering amounts of COVID-19 vaccine amid plummeting demand for the shots, contributing to a growing U.S. stockpile of doses.

From South Carolina to Washington, states are requesting the Biden administration send them only a fraction of whats been allocated to them. The turned-down vaccines amount to hundreds of thousands of doses this week alone, providing a stark illustration of the problem of vaccine hesitancy in the U.S.

More than 150 million Americans  about 57% of the adult population  have received at least one dose of vaccine, but government leaders are doing everything they can to persuade the rest of the country to get inoculated.

The Biden administration announced this week that if states dont order all the vaccine theyve been allotted, the administration will shift the surplus to meet demand in other states.

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ISTANBUL  Produce markets were allowed to open Saturday across Turkey as the countrys strictest lockdown continues amid an economic downturn with double-digit inflation.

The markets, or bazaars, are integral to Turkish food culture. Producers bring their fruits and vegetables to nearly every neighborhood on set days of the week.

The full lockdown that began in late April and is set to last until May 17 has curtailed this tradition and limited it to Saturdays in designated marketplaces.

Idris Taka, a vendor selling vegetables at an open-air market in Istanbul on Saturday, says he has taken a financial hit. We could work four to five days a week and now we can work one day out of 17 days, he said.

Critics have said the Turkish governments measures to fight a surge in cases have been inconsistent and impractical. Residents have been ordered to stay at home, but millions are exempt from the lockdown and continue to work in factories, hospitals, agriculture and tourism. Foreign tourists are also exempt.

Prices continued climbing in April with year-to-year inflation hovering above 17%.

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STOCKHOLM  The Swedish military says 200 conscripts have been sent home from a major military exercise involving thousands of soldiers in southern and central Sweden due to a suspected outbreak of coronavirus infections.

The Sydfront 21 drill with over 3,500 participants from 13 different units of the Swedish Armed Forces is the first major military exercise in the Scandinavian nation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exercise leader Maj. Ake Palm told Swedish broadcaster TV4 that the military made the decision to send some soldiers home after several conscripts with cold-like symptoms either tested positive or were suspected to have been infected.

Alf Johansson, head of the exercises communications, defended holding the drill in the middle of the pandemic.

This is a very important exercise for the army to train together so that we can maintain our ability to defend Sweden, Johansson told the Swedish news agency TT.

Sweden, a nation of 10 million, has recorded just over 1 million coronavirus cases, with 14,173 deaths.

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HELENA, Mont. -- Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that Montana will share COVID-19 vaccines with Canadian truck drivers from neighboring Alberta.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed Friday about 2,000 truck drivers from Alberta who transport goods from Canada to the U.S. will be eligible to be vaccinated at a highway rest stop near Conrad.

The vaccines will be available between May 10 and May 23. A similar program to vaccinate truck drivers from Canada began in North Dakota last month.

The Blackfeet tribe in northern Montana has given around 1,000 vaccines to their relatives and neighbors across the border.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each.

The plainclothes agents from Californias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control were told to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes. They say bar employees cut the cards, filled out the identifying information and bogus vaccination dates, then laminated the finished product.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyomings governor is barring state officials from requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they may have access to state property or services.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon announced the directive against vaccine passports Friday.

Gordon in a statement encourages Wyoming residents over 16 to get vaccinated but calls it a personal choice based upon personal circumstances.

The Cheyenne Post reports Gordons directive encourages Wyomings cities, towns, counties and private businesses to provide full access to places and services regardless of a persons vaccine status.

Over 180,000 people in Wyoming, or almost one-third of the states population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Last Mothers Day, they celebrated with bacon and eggs over FaceTime. This time, Jean Codianni of Los Angeles flew to New Jersey to surprise her 74-year-old mother, now that both have been vaccinated against the disease that has stolen uncountable hugs and kisses around the world.

You forget how your mom smells, how she looks. Its like, she never looks as beautiful as the last time you saw her, Codianni said. We understand how privileged we are, how lucky we are. Hundreds of thousands of people dont get to celebrate Mothers Day, or are celebrating it under a veil of grief.

Joyous reunions among vaccinated parents and children across the country marked this years Mothers Day, the second one celebrated during the coronavirus pandemic. Some families separated by worries of transmitting the virus saw each other for the first time in more than a year, emboldened by their vaccinations, as many others grieved for mothers lost to the virus.

For Pam Grimes, Mother's Day last year remains a fuzzy yet scary and depressing memory, blurred together with the rest of the pandemic's early months. In contrast, when her vaccinated adult grandchildren gathered at her Panama City, Florida, home to celebrate this year, they hugged and laughed and teased each other.

"The whole world felt better, Grimes said.

Historian Andy Verhoff didn't see his mother for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's. But for Mother's Day, he drove from his home in Columbus, Ohio, to spend a day in rural Putnam County, Ohio with her, stopping at the first historical marker they'd worked on together. Both mother and son were vaccinated, giving them the confidence to take their masks off  which made it feel like a normal, pre-pandemic day, Verhoff said.

We never let the mask get in the way of things, Verhoff said. It was just nice to not have my glasses fog up.

Some long-term care facilities across the country prepared for the special day by facilitating in-person visits, especially as some states have relaxed visitation rules in recent months given rising vaccination rates and dropping case numbers.

In suburban Detroit, residents with dementia at Addington Place lately have been allowed to see visitors in person. But the big change Sunday was their ability to leave for a special meal with family members and return without being quarantined. Moms were also receiving roses from staff.

Residents can feel the energy now that families are coming in, said Kelley Fulkerson, business office manager at Addington in Northville. There is excitement among staff  and tears and excitement among families waiting to see loved ones.

St. Joseph of Harahan  an assisted living facility in Harahan, Louisiana  held a parking lot parade Friday with dozens of cars honking and family members yelling well wishes for Mothers Day.

Residents in masks sat behind caution tape and waved to loved ones whom they had waited to see for more than a year in some cases. Workers passed out balloons and flowers.

Cathedral Village, a nursing home and rehabilitation center in Philadelphia, was spacing out weekend visits for Mothers Day, said supervisor Hannah Han. Social workers were helping some families that wanted to take people home to celebrate. Visits in private rooms required masks and gowns.

Mary Daniel, who last year took a job as a dishwasher so she could see her husband at a long-term care facility in Jacksonville, Florida, said holidays are important to maintain traditions with family. She said spouses and others should be recognized as essential caregivers who offer emotional support and be allowed inside.

We are seeing progress with people being allowed to see loved ones and visit or take them home for holidays, but we are still seeing individual facilities who refuse to follow the federal guidance on allowing visits, said Daniel, who started a group called Caregivers for Compromise-Because Isolation Kills Too.

Still, the virus limited the holiday this year for Winslow Swan, who served as his 83-year-old mother's primary caretaker in Ellijay, Georgia, until last year, when health troubles forced him to move her into a nursing home in town during the middle of the pandemic.

New COVID-19 cases in the past month has led to the facility to tighten its visitation restrictions, and Swan likely won't see his mother for this year's holiday, though he has considered an impromptu window visit.

Its sad," he said. I know the room thats shes in and there is a possibility that I can find her and see her through the window.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Fearing a miscarriage, one Michigan woman spent the night in the emergency room alone, without her husband.

Another first-time mom was told to watch YouTube videos to prepare after her hospitals birthing classes were canceled.

A third Michigan mother was back to work treating COVID-19 patients in a hospital emergency room just 10 weeks after giving birth.

Pregnancy brings with it a host of physical aches. It takes a mental and emotional toll, and spurs anxieties about the life growing inside your body. Add in a global pandemic, and new mothers today face a difficult path and, in some cases, seemingly impossible choices.

Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine? Should I isolate away from others, and struggle through pregnancy and postpartum alone, or seek the support of others even if it means an increased risk of catching a deadly virus?

While caring for her 10-week-old baby at home last spring, emergency room nursing assistant Katelyn McGee watched news reports of overfilling morgues, intubated COVID-19 patients and horrific scenes in hospitals across the country.

I was like, What the hell? I have to go back into this, McGee said.

Every COVID-19 patient at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw comes through the ER first. Capacity issues on coronavirus floors mean those patients could spend hours or even days in the emergency room, waiting to be transferred.

Even though you have your PPE on, you still cant obviously stay six feet apart from patients, McGee said. Youre right in their face. Youre helping intubate. Youre doing a bunch of stuff. Theyre coughing all over you and you cant just stay six feet apart from them.

I would come home, and I would strip everything off at the door, she said, recalling the fear of holding her newborn and risking spread of the virus.

During her own pregnancy last year, Jolien Weytens rarely left the house and was careful to avoid seeing people. A first-time mom from a small town in Shiawassee County, she is an only child and her parents live in Belgium.

Her parents have yet to meet their first grandchild and cannot travel to visit even though its their daughters first child.

I feel very lonely, Weytens said.

Jolien Weytens, a 29-year-old Belgium native, prepares bottles of breast milk in the kitchen on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at her home in New Lothrop. Weytens uses the bottles to feed her son fresh breast milk every day, while freezing the rest for future use. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May

Her husbands hours at his manufacturing job picked up considerably during the pandemic, and he worked seven days per week  with no offer of paternity leave from his company.

This left Weytens alone with a newborn.

She did well mentally, but couldnt recover physically from the birth. Her stitches never healed and required surgery. She is still healing today.

Weytens spent her days in bed with baby Harrison and her dog, rarely going outside except to absorb some occasional sunshine  even then never leaving her yard. She Skyped with her parents and Harrisons godmother.

That helped a little bit to have some contact with people, Weytens said. But it would have been nice to have somebody help out.

Pandemic compounds anxieties

Weytens and McGee are far from alone, though, in feeling burdened by the stressors of experiencing pregnancy and motherhood, some for the first time, amid a global pandemic.

Kristin Evers, a medical social worker at Bronson Obstetrics, Gynecology and Midwifery Specialists in Kalamazoo, said COVID-19 is compounding the risk of anxiety and depression for women, both during pregnancy and postpartum.

I often tell patients that pregnancy isnt always kind to your mood even in the best of circumstances, Evers said. And thats very normal.

Evers said her patients have persistently expressed fears of catching COVID-19 and the impact that could have on their unborn child. Others have questions about the safety of the vaccine and whether they can receive it during pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says its a personal choice for women whether to get vaccinated, though pregnancy puts women at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Experts believe the vaccines are safe based on how they work in the body. At the same time, there is currently limited data on the safety of the vaccine for pregnant women.

I think everybody experiences anxiety regarding COVID, Evers said. And with pregnancy mood changes, concern about bringing this little baby youre going to have, that compounds it.

Related: Mental health struggles are surging in Michigan families during the pandemic. Here are their stories.

Prior to the pandemic, Evers worked face-to-face with women through the difficulties of pregnancy.

One of our immediate and basic responses to perinatal mood disorder is OK, lets wrap around you, lets try to diminish some of this isolation, lets try to normalize your adjustment to having a baby, she said.

That type of response is not possible during a pandemic.

The most important step is to ask for help, Evers said.

Theres a lot of stigma around mood changes in pregnancy in the best of circumstances because we all want to be good moms and sometimes the stigma is that if I ask for help, Im not a good mom, Evers said. I always like to turn that around and say, Asking for help helps you be a better mom.

Before COVID-19 was a household name and masks were commonplace in public, Weytens and her husband were trying to conceive their first child through in vitro fertilization. After two failed embryo transfers, Weytens son Harrison was conceived in February 2020.

Three weeks later, the statewide shutdown for COVID-19 began.

Her doctors office closed, and she did not receive routine follow-up care she would have otherwise. Tests considered elective procedures that were canceled due to the pandemic included a blood test meant to confirm her pregnancy, she said.

During her first trimester, Weytens woke up in the middle of the night to bleeding, a common sign of miscarriage. She was forced to spend the night in the ER alone, with her husband locked outside due to visitor restrictions.

That was a scary night, she said. Fortunately, her baby was OK.

Today, Weytens is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and hopes soon to travel to visit her family in Europe. But, like many others during the pandemic, she is also dealing with tensions surrounding COVID-19 and family members who will not be vaccinated or follow CDC guidelines  making her decision to bring those individuals around her newborn a difficult one.

If I go back home to visit my family, I want to have everybody see him, she said. But if some arent vaccinated, its going to really suck to tell them no, even though its for his health.

Jolien Weytens, a 29-year-old Belgium native, smiles as she interacts with her 5-month-old son Harrison Long while eating dinner on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at their home in New Lothrop. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May

A lonely time

Traditionally, having a baby is a joyous time that brings families closer together, Katie Corbit, the director of Maternal Child Health at YWCA Kalamazoo, said.

Instead, in 2021, its definitely a lonely time, Corbit said.

Women are more isolated, she said. Were not able to easily travel, were not able to host the baby showers or get the supplies and support that many women rely on.

Some women are forced to attend medical appointments and even deliver their child alone, amid pandemic visitor restrictions. Many new mothers struggle to find childcare in order to go back to work, Corbit said.

Older siblings are, in some cases, still learning from home through virtual school, adding an additional strain to pregnant women and those with newborns.

Its putting a lot of pressure on our families, Corbit said. Theyre struggling to balance taking care of children while also finding jobs that allow them the flexibility to do so.

YWCA works to decrease the infant and maternal mortality rate in the community and knows that Black infants are 2.6 times more likely to die before their first birthday than their white peers.

Stress during a pregnancy can cause low birth rate or prematurity for infants, and women are faced with a multitude of stressors, including job loss or eviction due to the pandemic, Corbit said.

So, the stress that moms are facing right now, especially Black moms when it comes to this political climate, when it comes to the daily racism that they face, Corbit said. And, on top of COVID stressors.

Telehealth challenges

Kristi Suber, coordinator of the Maternal Infant Health Program in Tuscola County, said in more rural places like Michigans Thumb, internet access can be a hurdle preventing mothers even from accessing virtual supports during the pandemic.

Telehealth has been vital to her department in an effort to continue offering services. The majority of clients are unaffected by those barriers, she said. But, for some, the cost of internet service or lack of availability means they cannot access video appointments.

Others are simply tired of video chatting rather than getting the care they need in-person. Its something Suber called telehealth fatigue.

The pandemic has taken away choices from mothers who would usually feel more in control of their pregnancy and birthing experience, she said.

COVID-19 restrictions needed to be put in place to protect everyones health, but we have to acknowledge all the emotions that come with the restrictions  like sadness, frustration, grief and anger  that a moms birth plan cant be what she hoped it to be or planned it to be, Suber said.

The Thumb was recently a hotspot for COVID-19 after a spike in case numbers. Some in the community expressed hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine and other CDC recommendations.

Related: Many of Michigans Thumb residents are done with COVID-19 pandemic, even as virus rages like wildfire

We listen to their concerns and worries, normalize these feelings so they dont feel alone or abnormal, answer questions by empowering them with accurate information, review with them the recommendations and precautions, help them develop action plans, encourage them to speak with their doctors and help them locate needed resources, Suber said.

Most of the pregnant women and new mothers that Subers department serves are receptive to COVID-19 information and education, even if they dont agree with all of it, she said.

They want to keep themselves, babies and children safe, Suber said.

One more thing

Emma Millers family lives just down the street, and has been able to help her with 5-month-old daughter Oakland. But she missed having family with her in the hospital.

Miller, a first-time mother from Hastings, hoped for the support of both her husband and mother in the delivery room. But, like so much during the pandemic, those plans changed.

I was in labor in the tub and found out that mom couldnt come, so that was pretty hard, Miller said.

Emma Miller works on a graphic for a youth group outing as she holds her 5-month-old daughter, Oakland, on April 29, 2021 while at work in Hastings, Michigan. Miller works as an assistant pastor in her community church. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Even without considering the pandemic, Miller said, new moms and their partners have a mountain of decisions, research and information to juggle.

Everything from car seat safety to babys first food to breastfeeding, theres so many things that you want to research and know about, she said. So COVID being added on as one more thing to worry about has been a lot.

The hospitals birthing classes were canceled at the beginning of the pandemic. Instead, Miller was encouraged to watch YouTube videos to prepare for the birth.

I ended up finding a really cool doula on Youtube, and I watched tons of her videos, she said.

Miller found out she was pregnant with her first child just two weeks after Michigans initial pandemic shutdown, in March 2020.

That was still that time when we thought it was all going to get over pretty quick, she said.

Miller said her faith in Gods divine timing helped fend off fears about COVID-19 and her pregnancy. She and her husband followed the guidelines from health officials, and were careful about allowing people into their home.

We tried to just listen and do the best we could, because we had no idea what the repercussions would be, what the impact would be on our unborn baby, Miller said.

Emma Miller kisses her 5-month-old daughter, Oakland, on the forehead after she woke up from a nap on April 29, 2021 while at work in Hastings, Michigan. Miller works as an assistant pastor in her community church. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Today, Weytens son Harrison is 5 months old. She hopes to introduce him to his family by his first birthday.

McGees friends from work are hesitant to socialize their children with her son, who is now 1, because they too are exposed daily to COVID-19 at work.

Miller said every new piece of direction from government and health officials now means she and her husband need to discuss how to respond, and what it might mean for their daughter.

All three wonder, When will this finally be over?

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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Seven years ago, Mike Becker retired as a clinical care specialist in Mott Childrens Hospitals neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). He joined the Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh and later found that members of Kiwanis groups made quilts for the babies and families in the NICU units to provide them warmth and comfort, as well as a keepsake for when they go home.

However, many members had trouble cutting squares of fabric for the quilts due to the amount of stress it puts on their hands and wrists. Thats when Becker volunteered his wife, Julie, to help, because she had an automated cutting machine at Eastern Michigan University that she could use to cut the fabric.

They started bringing just a little bit of fabric over and thought maybe she could cut it up in a few weeks, and she cut it up in like a day, Mike Becker said. She would return it to them, and all of a sudden, more fabric came and more fabric came.

Julie Becker, an associate professor and interim director of EMUs School of Technology and Professional Services Management, cut about 1,000 squares at 6  by 6  in just two passes on her high-speed single ply, she said. In about five minutes, Julie Becker can cut about 600 squares of fabric, she said.

Becker also trains her students to use the machine, which entails putting the math into the computer-aided design (CAD) system. What takes the longest time is setting up the machine and taking the parts off, she said. Once the squares are cut, the squares go to Kiwanis clubs in Tecumseh, Chelsea and Saline, where members will sew quilts for babies and families in the NICU unit at Mott Childrens Hospital.

At the NICU, the quilts are draped over the babies isolettes, providing safety from bright lights in the unit and a sound barrier from the machines, Julie and Mike Becker said. The quilts then go home with families when they leave the hospital.

It touches a lot of people, and I think its the community  its the service of giving back, Julie Becker said. Seeing a need and understanding, because Im a quilter myself, and I know how tedious it is to cut things, and it does take a lot of pressure and theres a lot of issues with carpal tunnel and arthritis.

Preemie Pals, a group of quilters around the state, have been creating quilts for a number of years for the NICU and Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care unit at Mott Childrens Hospital, as well as St. Josephs Hospital, Childrens Hospital of Michigan, Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital in Jackson and Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor. Preemie Pals coordinator Cyndi Etsler said two main cutters needed to take some time off, and Julie Becker came in at just the right time.

We provide volunteers who sew for us a full kit to make quilts, and people just pick those up at our local quilt shop, make the quilt and return it to us, Etsler said. Without Julies stepping in and helping, Im not sure what we would have done.

The quilts are well received by families at the NICU, said Lisa OLeary, a clinical nurse supervisor. Although there was some uncertainty about whether they would get new quilts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital now has an overabundance of quilts for families in the unit, according to Mary Ellen Zinke, a parent host on Motts NICU.

Both OLeary and Zinke are thankful to have all of the help and support from the community  from Julie Becker to the Kiwanis clubs and the Preemie Pals  to bring a little part of home to the NICU.

It certainly adds a piece of making that room more of a nursery feel to those parents as they wait to bring their babies home to their own nursery, OLeary said. Its not the typical blanket you see in every other hospital, every other nursery. Its special, its unique and its just for that baby, and its made with a lot of love.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor OKd plans for the citys first marijuana consumption lounge this past week, and it could be the first of over two dozen like it in the city.

We are going to allow 28, said City Planner Alexis DiLeo, citing a cap in the citys regulations.

When City Council decided in October 2019 to give the green light to the recreational marijuana industry in the city, it limited the number of permits for marijuana micro-businesses, dispensaries and consumption centers to 28 each.

While the city has since gotten about all the dispensaries its going to see under the cap, the door is still open to potentially 27 more entrepreneurs interested in creating spaces where customers can consume cannabis onsite.

But theyre not lining up just yet, DiLeo told the Planning Commission as it approved a permit this week for whats expected to be Michigans first marijuana consumption lounge  in the house next to the Liberty Provisioning Center marijuana dispensary on Ashley Street downtown.

This is our first taker, DiLeo said, noting marijuana consumption lounges dont seem to be as popular a business proposal as dispensaries.

Michigans first marijuana consumption lounge coming to Ann Arbor

Its tough to find a model thats profitable, but the main reason why no one has opened a marijuana consumption lounge in the last year or so is strictly because of COVID-19, said Mark Passerini, co-founder of the Om of Medicine marijuana dispensary on Main Street.

COVID kind of put a kibosh on all things social, he said.

Once the pandemic is over, he fully expects to see more marijuana consumption lounges in Ann Arbor, but its not something Om is planning at this time, he said.

But I am thrilled that its happening, he said of the first one coming. Ive been waiting for this all my life and I feel like its something that is long overdue.

Marijuana tourists who visit Ann Arbor cant legally smoke in their hotels, cars or in public places like parks, so this gives them a legal place to light up, he said.

Permit conditions state the lounge can be used only by customers of the adjacent dispensary.

In addition to a city permit, the owner needs to obtain and maintain a state license for the lounge.

The company behind the business is Holistic Industries, which describes itself as the countrys largest privately held cannabis operator with operations from California to Washington, D.C. Its flagship retail and wholesale brand is Liberty Cannabis.

Rabbi James Kahn, the companys director of community outreach, assured city planning officials the business wants to be a good neighbor.

In 2021 America, owning a cannabis business is not a right, its a privilege, he said, noting the business will have to get its license regularly renewed and its going to have to answer to neighbors. We all want to create facilities that were comfortable living next to, that were proud of showing our kids and telling our kids about, and thats critical to us.

Hours of operation for the lounge are expected to be noon to 8 p.m. daily with 45-minute reservations free for customers who can show a same-day receipt from the dispensary next door and $10 for those who do not have a receipt.

Maximum occupancy is 19 people, though initially the business plans to only allow up to two groups of four at a time.

City Council Member Lisa Disch, who serves on the Planning Commission, noted the company laid out its plans for the lounge in extensive detail, including odor-control measures and $655,000 in improvements to the property, plus projections of $150,000 in gross annual receipts the first year.

That jumped out at her as a big upfront investment that will take a while to recoup, she said.

The companys primary goal with the lounge isnt to make money but to expand offerings to the customers of its adjacent dispensary, Kahn said.

Despite some concerns that marijuana consumption lounges could lead to people driving while high, the city decided to allow them with the rules approved in 2019.

Passerini points out downtown streets are already lined with bars that serve alcohol and he hopes the city isnt overly restrictive about marijuana lounges.

I was having a conversation the other day with the folks at the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association and were considering starting a whole new campaign to deregulate cannabis like alcohol, he said. The original campaign for legalization was regulate cannabis like alcohol, but now that weve regulated it, weve gone way too far. Its starting to be regulated like its enriched uranium, as opposed to, you know, one of the least-toxic substances known to man.

A history of Hash Bash and marijuana activism in Ann Arbor

Passerini said he had dreams of having a consumption lounge in his building at one point, but thats been the furthest thing from his mind during the pandemic.

While there will be some coming, theyre not going to be like Amsterdam-style cafes, he said.

One of the biggest issues is that the way its set up right now, you cant serve food or drinks, and that would not be Amsterdam-style, he said. Amsterdam has had bakeries and obviously coffee and, you know, a very different model than what were going to see.

Given the restrictions on selling products inside a consumption lounge, there have been questions about whether theyre even financially viable and the expectation is they wont widely proliferate across the community, said City Council Member Erica Briggs, D-5th Ward, who was on Planning Commission when the city hashed out the regulations.

There hasnt been much discussion about them since, Briggs said, adding the city is just trying to facilitate what state voters approved when they legalized recreational marijuana.

Well just have to monitor it as we go and see how it works, she said of consumption lounges. Well just have to see how it integrates into the community.

Brett Lenart, the citys planning manager, said shortly before the regulations were OKd in 2019 he would be surprised if the city got close to the 28-permit cap for consumption lounges and he expected they would end up co-located with dispensaries.

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Schools like the University of Michigan, Oakland University and Lawrence Technological University are requiring students in university housing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester.

However, a group of physicians is asking these schools to reconsider their mandates.

In a letter to deans, governing boards and trustees at universities with COVID-19 vaccine requirements, Paul Kempen, president of the conservative Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, listed more than a dozen reasons why schools should reconsider those mandates, including vaccine side effects and the lower risk of young adults suffering or dying from COVID-19.

Although, at first glance, the policy may seem prudent, it coerces students into bearing unneeded and unknown risk and is at heart contrary to the bedrock medical principle of informed consent, Kempen wrote.

Oakland University announced its vaccine mandate in early April, which applies to students living in on-campus residence halls, apartments and cottages. Those students must be vaccinated before fall move-in on Aug. 27, officials said. About 3,500 students are on OUs campus in a normal year, officials said.

A few weeks later, UM followed suit in announcing a similar requirement for students living in residence halls and other university housing. About 31%, or 12,100 students, live in university-owned, operated or affiliated housing, residence halls are expected to operate at about 80% capacity, officials said.

COVID-19 vaccination required for University of Michigan students living on campus in fall

UM is confident in its approach to required vaccinations, spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said, emphasizing the universitys mandate is not for all students  just students living in university housing  and that students are not required to live on campus.

Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz called Kempens letter an outlier, and said in a statement that it does not represent the consensus opinions of the larger medical community.

My responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of both individuals and the broader community at OU. That is why I believe our approach of allowing students the option of living in close quarters in residence halls only after being vaccinated ensures their optimal health and safety, Pescovitz said.

I also strongly encourage our entire community to be vaccinated as evidence demonstrates that vaccination is the clearest path to a normal, healthy return to campus life.

Both UM and Oakland are allowing exemptions for students.

But, in his letter, Kempen said colleges should consider that policies permitting faculty to choose or refuse vaccination, but do not allow students the same options, raise equal protection constitutional issues.

Kempens statements contradict the American College Health Association, which has recommended vaccination requirements for all on-campus college students, saying that comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination is the most effective way for colleges and universities to return to safe on-campus experiences.

ACHA officials said most campuses have had vaccination requirements for decades, including measles, mumps, rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

While Kempen asked colleges to consider that young adults are at low risk for COVID-19, ACHA states many students, faculty and staff are in older age groups or at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness and complications, and vaccination also helps protect them and those in the surrounding communities.

And recently, Michigan was averaging more hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients younger than 40 than patients 80 or older. Experts attributed the demographic change from previous months due to the difference in vaccination rates. About 74% of Michigan residents age 70 and older have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, but the number decreases to 36% for those ages 16 to 49.

Michigan is now hospitalizing more people under 40 than those over 80 for COVID-19

An American Medical Association report states vaccine mandates can be divisive and backfire if the intent is to encourage vaccination. However, they are legally OK, as long as they are neutral in regard to religion. The report also states that, because COVID-19 spreads easily in indoor venues, laws could be passed requiring people to show proof of vaccine to enter events with lots of people in small spaces.

Both OU and UM will require students living on campus to show proof of vaccination before moving into their campus residences, officials said.

There have been instances of resistance to mandating the shot or requiring proof of a vaccine in Michigan. Protesters and some Republican lawmakers have rallied at the state Capitol against required vaccinations and vaccine passports. And a House bill would ban the use of a COVID-19 passport or any government entity from incentivizing using one.

Political resistance to vaccine mandates and passports continue to gain traction in Michigan

Other Michigan colleges and universities, like Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University, are still considering whether to mandate vaccines. At MSU, about 80% of undergraduate students surveyed said they planned to get a vaccine when its available to them. Students said protecting themselves and caring for others were the top two reasons for wanting the COVID-19 vaccine, according to MSU officials.

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ADA, MI  A partnership between nonprofit Figi Jezi, Bruce Heys Builders and a slew of businesses turned a 40-by-8-foot shipping container into a medical center that will be shipped to Haiti to provide relief to the underserved.

The Tommy Hamlin Medical Center will provide care to northern Haitian communities where many residents have never seen a medical professional in their lives.

The collaboration was sparked by a simple request to donate some supplies to assist with the nonprofits efforts in Haiti.

Thats how Telsaint Morrisett, co-founder of Figi Jezi, approached Bruce Heys, owner of the construction company, Bruce Heys Builders.

Since its founding in 2014, Figi Jezi has looked to give back to Morrisetts home country of Haiti by supporting community members and providing resources for the countrys northern region.

The nonprofits most recent focus was developing a medical center to join existing facilities. The initiative received early support from board member Ben Hamlin and his wife, Meredith, who have close ties to the nonprofit. The medical facility would be dedicated to their late son, Thomas, who died from a brain tumor at the age of 2 in 2018.

When my son, Thomas, died a few years ago, the connectivity between us and Haiti and Figi Jezi went to a different level, Hamlin said.

So, this container, this medical clinic, has been something special for not just our family because of the legacy and the way that we can honor Thomass name, but also because of the hope that it can bring to the people of Haiti and the impact that it can have to the Figi Jezi mission.

Morrisett began to look for community partners to provide materials to support the project, which would initially be shipped to Haiti and constructed there. But to his surprise, Heys stepped in and offered to not only donate materials, but to furnish the container at his Ada office.

God has been doing so many amazing things, Morrisett said. When people said they want to do something for us, we do not argue with people. We just choose to say yes because we know God is all over this. So when people say, Were going to do this for you, we just we just say, okay, okay, God, thank you, because its all about him.

The shipping container was turned into a medical center with a pair of exam rooms, complete with running water, LED lights and insulation. Once shipped, only a few finishing touches will need to be added to finish the project.

Heys said that when he heard of Figi Jezis mission, he felt compelled to do what he could to help. The challenge was not having experience constructing anything like the shipping container facility.

I had never done anything like this before, so it was a complete learning curve for us, Heys said. But [Morrisett] said this is how theyve been able to just set up construction and operate their ministry. And it seemed like a great fit. So, we agreed to jump in, even though we didnt necessarily know exactly what we were getting into.

Heys and his team still took on the challenge, continuing to reach out to and work with other volunteers and organizations to gather supplies and furnish the facility.

Everybody plugged in, he said. There was work late in the afternoon, there was work Saturday mornings. We just used everybodys mind for how we could make this thing happen.

After seeing the center nearly completed, Morrisett said he was blown away by the dedication to Figi Jezis cause.

This is beyond what we were thinking or imagining, he said. Just all the companies that come together, the vision that we have... This is just a beautiful thing. I just dont know how to respond. Its just a beautiful thing. So we were just so grateful.

The medical center will join other Figi Jezi facilities, tying into a covered common area that can be used for community events and worship.

But most importantly, Morrisett said the facility will provide medical services to Haitians that have been deprived of opportunities their entire life. He said many Cap-Haitien locals carry deformities, rashes and other ailments without the chance to have it cured.

This is going to make so much impact in the community or even like in Haiti because when the medical people come, theyre going to help people endlessly because theres some people in life that never seen no doctor, they dont even know what the doctor is, Morrisett said.

In addition to the facility donation, the organizations will fill the container floor to ceiling with medical supplies and other donated goods  such as bike helmets, batteries and school supplies.

Seeing how the community came together to support the very personal project as well as considering its potential impact reminds Hamlin of the metaphors he associates with his late son: the acorn and the tulip seed.

In the early months after his death, Meredith and I were reading about how, from one little acorn, a mighty oak tree can grow, Hamlin said. We see tulips in the spring, and we see oak trees and acorns in the fall. And this project really reminds us of both of those as symbols of how we view Thomass light and impact that he can have and the way that we can honor his life.

Morrisett said that once the container is completed, filled with goods and shipped, it will be installed and operational shortly after hitting the ground in Haiti.

For more information on Figi Jezi and its mission, visit their website.

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Apostle Kadmiel E.H. Agbelanyo, the Leader and Founder of the Seventh Day Theocracy Congregation of Homedakrom in the Eastern Region urges government to close down churches, which are not adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

He said most churches were not complying with the directives to provide handwashing stations, enforce the wearing of nose masks, and use hand sanitizers, thereby making the covid-19 fight difficult.

Apostle Agbelenyo made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the celebration of the Church's Feast of Pentecost at Otiakrom near Aburi in the Akuapem South District.

He said COVID-19 was real and that church leaders must educate their members to take the safety measures seriously to curb its spread and minimise the fatalities.

Apostle Agbelenyo prayed for President Akufo-Addo, parliamentarians and ministers to be blessed with God's wisdom to steer the affairs of the nation for peace and prosperity.

---GNA
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The Ghana Police Service has stopped organizers of the #FixTheCountry from holding their protest scheduled for Sunday, May 9.

This was after organizers of the protest had written to the police administration informing it of their intention to hit the streets to express their displeasure over economic hardship in the country.

The police however secured a court injunction on the planned protest citing the ban on public gatherings in line with COVID-19 protocols as a reason.

But in a one-page letter, Ho West Youth Congress for Development (HoYCoD) disagrees with the position of the Ghana Police Service and charged the youths within the Volta and other regions to join the non-political #FixTheCountry protest on the 9th, May 2021.

The letter signed by the Convenor and the Executive Director of the Youth Group based in Ho West Constituency said they find the counter campaigns and moves to prevent the intended demonstration on Sunday, May 9, 2021, disingenuous and disappointing.

The statement noted, "we think that the use of the Ghana Police Service and the judiciary to deny the organizers their constitutional right to demonstrate in a democracy is an affront to the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution and must be called out without any equivocation."

The group added, "We further pledge our utmost support and absolute readiness to join, participate, and even play leading roles in this campaign and all other ancillary activities by the organizers. If the organizers would decide to replicate the demonstrations across the country, we shall be ready to assist in organizing the campaign in the Volta Region and Ho West District in particular."

Read full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE #FixTheCountry CAMPAIGN

The imminent #FixTheCoutry Campaign and Civil Action is gathering momentum despite stiff and brazen opposition and counter campaigns from government officials, Members of Parliament, and communicators of the ruling party, who think the #FixTheCountry Campaign is a political move calculated at discrediting the ruling government, and making it unpopular.

We, of the Ho West Youth Congress for Development (HoYCoD), do not consider the current campaign and struggle by the youth all over the country, who are behind the #FixTheCountry as a partisan political activity.

We see it as a process to make our political leaders more responsible and accountable to us. We identify with our colleagues in other parts of the nation. We can also experience the hardships in our society currently. We ply the bad roads regularly too; we see the abandoned projects in our communities, district, and elsewhere as well.

It is in light of all of the above that we, of HoYCoD, cannot agree more with the organizers that the youth of Ghana, irrespective of its political affiliations, must rise and hold our government truly accountable to us. This is why we wish to be identified with this struggle and lend our support to the organizers.

We wish to state that we find the counter campaigns and moves to prevent the intended demonstration on Sunday, May 9, 2021, disingenuous and disappointing. Further, we think that the use of the Ghana Police Service and the judiciary to deny the organizers their constitutional right to demonstrate in a democracy is an affront to the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution and must be called out without any equivocation.

As a youth-oriented organization, especially one committed to seeking the utmost welfare and development of the youth, who find ourselves on the periphery of opportunities, we indulge all our members; home and away; near and far to lend their full and absolute support through active participation and involvement in the #FixTheCountry demonstration and campaign.

We further pledge our utmost support and absolute readiness to join, participate, and even play leading roles in this campaign and all other ancillary activities by the organizers. If the organizers would decide to replicate the demonstrations across the country, we shall be ready to assist in organizing the campaign in the Volta Region and Ho West District in particular.

HoYCoD, therefore, wishes to call on all other youth groups within the Volta Region and beyond to participate fully in the intended demonstration and subsequent actions aimed at restoring hope and life into our ailing economy.

Long live the Youth!

Long live Ghana!!

utifafa Kristo Kofi

Convenor

Carlos Yao Femi Ganyo

Executive Director
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The long-awaited HOPE TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF COVID 19 PROJECT was duly launched by H. E. Michelle Bolsonaro, First Lady Of Brazil, Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park, Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, Minister For Chieftaincy And Religious Affairs on the 7th May 2021 at the Tang Palace Hotel.

The conference witnessed the participation of about 100 Media houses who participated both online and offline and are currently circulating the good news from the project.

The project presented first-hand information on the preparations and content for the GRAND BIBLE CRUSADE dated 11thto 15th of May, 2021. This life sustaining programme is expected to play host to over two (2) billion people participating both online and offline, presenting hope through the word of God during the 5-day power-packed programme.

Reverend Ock Soo Park, the Founder of Good News Mission and Christian Leaders Fellowship (CLF), said as many people lost their jobs, fear and hopelessness had engulfed their hearts and minds. This crisis, he said, highlighted the need for urgent action to cushion the pandemics health and economic consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and set the stage for lasting recovery, hence the launch of the above project to replace hopelessness with hope and faith.

In attendance through zoom were Herman Bailey of the CTN USA, Stuart Freeman from the UK, Roger Leon Jimenez Director of Enlance TV and Yan Volkov Sergeevic Director of TBN Russia. Present in person were Rev. Dr. Ahmed Kenneth Quarshie, the General Superintendent, of the Free Methodist Church in Ghana, Rev. Young Jun Moon, the Director General of CLF, Rev. Ato Edwin the General Secretary of CLF Ghana among many others strongly advocated for partnership with the media to propagate the spread of the hope message to the world.

Rationale for the HOPE TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF COVID 19

The world's economies are on their knees following the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic over the past 13 months. Growing number of researches has been conducted on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developed countries with little attention on developing countries, who are still grappling with the negative impact of the coronavirus.

The crisis highlights the need for urgent action to cushion the pandemics health and economic consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and set the stage for lasting recovery. These highlights have been given attention by many famous Men and Servants of God around the globe. This has encouraged partnership between most of the Christian-related associations to form a common front of singing hope for the whole world through using THE GRAND BIBLE CRUSADE as tool to achieve this noble objective.

The front liner organisations are Good News Broadcasting Systems and Christian Leaders Fellowship -USA. With the patronage of Rev. Ock Soo Park, 620, 000 Pastors with two (2) billion participants from more than 94 countries, over 600 media houses are ready as partners to project this project of restoring hope in the hearts of many.

The Bible Seminar was held every year in major cities nationwide and countries around the world, starting with the Busan Mugunghwa Hall Seminar in 1986. In particular, "The Secret of forgiveness of sin and being born again" which translated the sermon of the first seminar into a book, is a bestseller published in 24 languages and sold 1.3 million copies, which is a guide to faith for many people. The Seminar, which turned online in 2020 due to the global spread of the Coronavirus infection (Covid-19), was broadcast by 276 TV and radio broadcasters in May and 655 in October, drawing attention as "The Bible Seminar giving the message of hope to the World in the time of COVID 19."

Famous Christian channels such as CTN, TBN and Enlace reported Pastor Ock Soo Park's sermon and ministry, and CTN, the largest Christian channel in North America, has been broadcasting Pastor Ock Soo Parks of hope 'The lectures on the book of John.

On-line Bible Seminar Overview

Date:Tuesday 11th ~15th (Saturday) Morning 10:30, Evening 7:30

Method: On-line (ZOOM, TV, broadcasting, Youtube live broadcasting GNMWCA etc.)

Translation: Five simultaneous translations (English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian) Simultaneous interpretation of local languages in 29 countries

More Information

+233-243211580, +233-245571220,

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Ministry of National Security, on Sunday, refuted allegations that it had cloned the phone of one of the conveners of #FixtheCountry Movement.

A statement signed and issued by Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the phone cloning allegation was "false and baseless".

The statement was in reaction to a claim by one Oliver Barker-Vormanor, one of the convenor of the #FixtheCountry campaign on Saturday, May 8, 2021, that the National Security operatives had unlawfully cloned the android phone of one of the convenors, in order to access his private chats.

It said the convenors were invited for a meeting at the National Security Ministry, which they voluntarily attended and, therefore, the allegation of coercing them into a meeting was untrue.

Also, in consistent with standard practices, the phones of all visitors to the Ministry were kept at the reception.

"The Ministry has no basis to and did not tamper with the phones of the convenors," it stressed.

"The conveners were invited for a meeting to which they voluntarily attended. The allegation that they were coerced into a meeting is therefore untrue.

"Additionally, in instances where the Agencies of the Ministry have need to investigate the electronic devices of a person, legal methods such as a proper court warrant are employed.

"The phone cloning allegation is also therefore false and baseless.

"The public is therefore advised to disregard the said allegation," the statement stated.

An Accra High Court, last week, ordered the campaigners of the #Fixthecountry to stop their intended street protest today, May 9 in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

They, however, announced their intentions to protest on the social media platform, Twitter, and asked their followers to converge on the platform today in black attire for the protest.

They are protesting against the government over high cost of living in the country brought about by the hikes in prices of commodities such as fuel, cement, and iron rods as well as poor road network and unemployment.

GNA
Government will, this month, start rolling out eight additional interventions under the Ghana's Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support Scheme (Ghana-CARES) programme, to create more jobs and boost the ailing Ghanaian economy.

The 100-billion Ghana cedi programme, also known as "Obaatanpa" would witness the implementation of various projects in the health, agriculture, tourism, trade, digitization and technology as well as housing and social services sectors.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, announced this at the Minister's press briefing in Accra, on Sunday, to update the public on key government programmes and progress made so far.

The media encounter held on the topic, "Rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, "was also intended to address the concerns raised by the campaigners of #Fixthecountry Movement.

Mr Ofori-Atta said government would also begin the implementation of $250 million Jobs and Skills Development programme to create jobs in the private sector businesses, instead of expanding government employment schemes.

The Minister said, in the coming days, his outfit would collaborate with the Water Resources and Sanitation Ministry to address water challenges, especially in the urban centres to ensure regular flow of potable water from the taps.

It would also work collaboratively with the Ministries of Transport and Roads and Highways to tackle traffic congestion on the highways.

In July this year, he said, a new Development Bank would be set up to provide long-term financing to the private sector through commercial banks.

Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the rate of growth of the public debt had been lower under the Akufo-Addo-led Government than under previous administrations.

"The rate of debt growth was lower despite massive investments in our flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, NABCo, One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances, while maintaining macroeconomic indicators and exchange rate stability," Mr Ofori-Atta emphasised.

"We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done. To fix what is broken and Government and I are determined and committed to do just that," he assured.

The Minister underscored the need to keep the healthy conversation and dialogue on fixing the economy going so that "we can have a collective action to deal with the country's challenges".

He announced a hashtag 'Fix this together and save our country'.

GNA
Listen to article

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has assured members of the #FixTheCountry movement that the Akufo-Addo administration remains resolute in delivering on its promises to fix the country's problems.

A group of Ghanaians are unhappy with what they call the economic challenges in the country.

Members of the movement had expressed displeasure over successive government's failure to improve the living standards of Ghanaians on Twitter using the hashtag #FixTheCountry.

They cited dumsor, unemployment, poor healthcare systems as proof of successive governments' mismanagement of the country.

Reacting to their concerns at a press briefing on Sunday themed rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, the Minister said despite the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments resolve to fixing the country remains unbroken.

Notwithstanding the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, just like President Akufo-Addo said on February 21st, 2017, I was not elected by the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians to complain or compare, I was elected to get things done, to fix what is broken and my government and I are committed to doing just that, we thus commit to working with fellow Ghanaians to do just that.

The good people of Ghana have given us the mandate to get things done. For us as a government, this is a clarion call for a national conversation on the shared burden to reduce the social contract of our democracy. At its minimum, we should ensure social justice and social mobility for all Ghanaians to provide an economic system in which each citizen is guaranteed the opportunity to show their full potential. I will commit to working with Ghanaians to fix the structures that will connect Ghanaians to this path, he added.

Mr. Ofori-Atta further outlined some strategies the government has adopted to address the issues raised by the members of the group.

In the coming days, we will move swiftly to address some of the issues that the #Fixthecountry group has raised. First I am working with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to immediately ensure potable water to areas with critical need. Second I am working with the Ministers of Roads and Highways, Transport and Interior to address congestion along the major highways.

On job creation, he said we are fast-tracking the implementation of the $200 million jobs and skills programme and economic transformation programme to enhance job creation. This intervention is designed to facilitate new and expanded private sector businesses to employ more people.

This he believes is a more sustainable way to rebuild the economy instead of expanding government employment schemes.

The #FixTheCountry campaign has been trending online since it started on Twitter a week ago.

It has since become more organised, with its members attempting to hold a demonstration on May 9.

The planned demonstration was however stifled by the state after the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction against it.

The court ruled that the planned protest would not be able to come off until the restriction on public gatherings is lifted.

Conveners of the protest have now moved to challenge the injunction.

citinewsroom
South Africas royal scandal: New Zulu kings claim disputed View Photo

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  A new Zulu king was named in South Africa amid scenes of chaos after members of the royal family questioned Prince Misuzulu Zulus claim to the title following his fathers death, and bodyguards suddenly whisked him away from the public announcement at a palace.

The controversy over the next king, a largely ceremonial role but one with great significance for South Africa and its 12 million Zulu people, has arisen after the death in March of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who had reigned since 1968.

Zwelithini apparently named one of his six wives, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu, as the regent of the Zulu kingdom in his will, but she died after holding the title for only a month, throwing the royal succession into turmoil.

The commotion broke out Friday night at the reading of Queen Mantfombis will and hours after a memorial service for her. The queens will named 46-year-old Prince Misuzulu, her eldest son with King Zwelithini, as the heir and next king.

But another prince objected and interrupted the announcement at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal province. Two princesses also have questioned whether the late kings will gave Queen Mantfombi the right to nominate a successor upon her death.

King Zwelithini reportedly had 28 children with his different wives, and Queen Mantfombi was not his first wife. A dispute over succession had been brewing since the late kings death, fascinating many South Africans with their very own royal scandal.

Significant to the dispute is the fate of the kings assets and the vast amounts of land traditionally owned by the Zulu people and now held in a trust. Estimates say the trust controls nearly 30% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal province, or around 28,000 square kilometers (10,810 square miles). The king is the sole trustee.

Earlier on Friday, Prince Misuzulu, who wore a traditional leopard-skin headband reserved for royalty and chiefs, called for unity among the Zulu royals at his mothers memorial service.

We have no doubt we will unite as a family, he said in a message read out by his younger sister, Princess Ntandoyesizwe Zulu. Let us emulate the king by being peaceful.

The Zulu king has no political or even constitutional position, but his traditional authority is recognized in KwaZulu-Natal, where he is said to reign but not rule. More than that, the king holds an important role in bridging the gap between traditional customs and modern democracy in South Africa, where Zulus are the largest ethnic group among the countrys 60 million people.

Forbes put King Zwelithinis net worth at nearly $20 million, while the Zulu royal household is given an annual budget of around $5 million by the South African government.

King Zwelithini, who had diabetes, reportedly died from a COVID-19-related illness at the age of 72.

By GERALD IMRAY

Associated Press
The Latest: Connecticut data show COVID-19 vaccine effective View Photo

HARTFORD, Conn.  Of the more than 1.4 million Connecticut residents who are now fully vaccinated, 242 later became infected with COVID-19, according to data released Friday from the state Department of Public Health.

Among the 242 so-called vaccine breakthrough cases, 109 people had no symptoms of the disease. DPH reported three deaths among vaccinated individuals who were confirmed to have had underlying medical conditions. They were between the ages of 55-64, 65-74, and 75 years and older.

Nationally, there have been 132 vaccine breakthrough deaths, DPH said.

The main takeaway is that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and cases of infection after a person is fully vaccinated are very rare, Dr. Deidre Gifford, the states acting public health commissioner, said in a statement. Cases of COVID-19 in fully vaccinated individuals in Connecticut is less than 0.1%, according to the DPH data.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

 Pressure rises on Indias PM Modi to issue nationwide lockdown

 Norwegian Cruise Line threatens to skip Floridas ports

 WHO panel OKs emergency use of Chinas Sinopharm vaccine

 Spain relaxes nationwide coronavirus pandemic measures

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HELENA, Mont.  Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that Montana will share COVID-19 vaccines with Canadian truck drivers from neighboring Alberta.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed Friday about 2,000 truck drivers from Alberta who transport goods from Canada to the U.S. will be eligible to be vaccinated at a highway rest stop near Conrad.

The vaccines will be available between May 10 and May 23. A similar program to vaccinate truck drivers from Canada began in North Dakota last month.

The Blackfeet tribe in northern Montana has given around 1,000 vaccines to their relatives and neighbors across the border.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each in what officials said Friday is the first such foiled operation they are aware of nationwide.

The plainclothes agents from Californias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control were told to write their names and birthdates on Post-it notes. They say bar employees cut the cards, filled out the identifying information and bogus vaccination dates, then laminated the finished product.

Vaccination cards are being used in some places as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

Acting on an an anonymous tip from the San Joaquin County Sheriffs office, four undercover agents went to Old Corner Saloon in the town of Clements several times in April and bought four fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and arrested the bars owner. Agents say they found another two completed cards and 30 additional blank cards along with a laminator and cutting device.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

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DENVER, Colo.  A former Amazon warehouse worker has filed a complaint with the Colorado officials against Amazon over its COVID-19 policies and allegations that her firing was retaliatory.

Linda Rodriguez alleges Amazon fired her in 2020 because she raised concerns about the companys COVID-19 policies that she said put workers at risk. Her complaint was sent Thursday to the states labor department.

An Amazon spokesperson in response to the complaint says Rodriguez was fired for timecard fraud that the company says was confirmed by time records and video footage. Amazon said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed Rodriguez withdrew a complaint filed with the agency.

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RALEIGH, N.C.  At a time when fewer and fewer North Carolinians are coming in for a COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials are examining ideas from other states to see what incentives might work to boost participation.

Among the proposals being actively discussed are savings account payments to younger adults. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, says thats a group that has been less willing to get the vaccine.

North Carolinas top public health official says that her team has looked into a new program in West Virginia, where the states Republican governor recently announced that residents between the ages of 16 and 35 would be eligible for a $100 savings bond if they get the vaccine or have already gotten it.

Cohens office says that it is also examining Detroits Good Neighbor program, which allows people to get $50 for every Detroit resident they sign up for a first vaccine dose and bring in for an appointment. The first $600 someone could earn from the program is nontaxable.

The development comes as North Carolina turns down tens of thousands of doses from the federal government, considers returning some of its supply to a federal pool for others to draw from and has nearly 1.2 million doses waiting for residents to take.

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MEXICO CITY  More than three months after COVID-19 infections peaked in Mexico City, the local government announced Friday that the public hospital network dedicated to fighting the disease is experiencing its lowest rate occupancy of the pandemic.

One year after the country instituted a color-coded alert system for the pandemic, the capital for the first time moved from orange to yellow, another step down from the top category, red.

City officials placed occupancy rate in public hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 care at 16%, a welcome change from January, when a surge following the holiday season pushed some hospitals to their limits.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said there was no scientific certainty to say why Mexico City is in a much better place, but she listed a half-dozen possible factors including greater discipline by citizens, expanded testing, a vaccination campaign, improved weather and the fact that many people in the city have already been infected.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia will lift its statewide mask mandate on June 20 after state officials projected more than two-thirds of eligible residents will be vaccinated against the coronavirus by then, Gov. Jim Justice announced Friday.

And even if that target isnt met, Justice said the mandate will still end on that date, also known as West Virginia Day, which marks the states admission into the union.

The state has attempted to turn around its sluggish vaccination drive for weeks after hesitancy led to plummeting demand. The Republican governor has already dangled the prize of a patriotic $100 savings bond for people aged 16 to 35 who get a shot. The state is also attempting to make walk-up vaccine clinics ubiquitous, holding them at state parks, fairs, businesses, schools and other high-traffic places.

Justice said he expects 65% of all residents aged 12 and older to be at least partially vaccinated by June 20.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahomas attorney general has secured a $2.6 million refund for the purchase of a malaria drug once touted by then-President Donald Trump as an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Attorney General Mike Hunter announced the agreement on Friday with California-based FFF Enterprises.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health purchased 1.2 million hydroxychloroquine pills in April 2020, at the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The drug has since been shown to have little or no effect on severe cases of COVID-19. A former state health official chalked up Oklahomas purchase to something that happens in the fog of war.

Oklahoma alleged that the price paid for the drug may have been excessive under the states Emergency Price Stabilization Act, which prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. Under the refund agreement, FFF Enterprises denies any accusations related to the pricing and delivery of the drug.

While governments in at least 20 other states obtained more than 30 million doses of the drug through donations from the federal reserve or private companies, Oklahoma and Utah bought them from private pharmaceutical companies. Utah later managed to secure a refund on the $800,000 no-bid contract it signed with a local pharmacy company that had been promoting the drugs.

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MIAMI  Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is threatening to skip Florida ports because of the governors order banning businesses from requiring that customers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The company says Gov. Ron DeSantis order conflicts with guidelines from federal health authorities that would let cruise ships sail in U.S. waters if passengers and crew members are vaccinated.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Frank Del Rio, says lawyers think federal law tops state law. The CEO says if Norwegian cant operate in Florida, it can go to other states or the Caribbean.

Cruise lines have been barred from sailing in U.S. waters or stopping at U.S. ports since March 2020. Some are slowly resuming trips in other countries and requiring all passengers on those cruises be vaccinated.

The companies are pushing the CDC to let them return the U.S. this summer, although none of the major companies  Norwegian, Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp.  have announced any U.S. cruises.

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NEW DELHI  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces growing pressure to impose a strict nationwide lockdown.

On Friday, India reported a new daily record of 414,188 confirmed cases and 3,915 additional deaths. The official daily death count has stayed over 3,000 the past 10 days.

Many medical experts, opposition leaders and even Supreme Court judges are calling for national restrictions, arguing that a patchwork of state rules is insufficient to stamp out the surge.

Indian television stations broadcast images of patients lying on stretchers outside hospitals waiting to be admitted, with hospital beds and critical oxygen in short supply. People infected with COVID-19 in villages are being treated in makeshift outdoor clinics, with IV drips hanging from trees.

India has registered more than 21.4 million coronavirus infections and more than 234,000 confirmed deaths. Health experts says the tolls are undercounts.

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GENEVA  A top official at the World Health Organization says the explosive number of coronavirus cases is only partly driven by the variants, warning countries that loosening control measures may worsen the pandemic.

WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan says the virus has huge kinetic energy in certain countries and leaders who think vaccination alone will stop the epidemic are mistaken.

It is being driven both by human behavior, by the emergence of variants and many other factors, Ryan said. Were expecting the virus to slow down and were pushing the accelerators.

He admonished some leaders to acknowledge the brutal reality of the situation. India has experienced a surge of cases and deaths.

Some of you are not in a good place, Ryan said. You need to protect your health system. You need to get your oxygen supply sorted out.

Ryan says while new virus variants may help spread COVID-19, the driver is proximity between people. He says crowds and the mixing of people without protection or handwashing are still potentially dangerous, even with the start of vaccination programs.

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NEW YORK  A U.S. health official, who last year shook the nation with her frank assessment of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, is resigning.

Dr. Nancy Messonnier announced the decision Friday in an email to her colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Messonnier, who joined the agency in 1995, led the CDCs work on respiratory diseases for five years and she was an early leader in the agencys COVID-19 response.

During a briefing with reporters in February 2020, Messonnier contradicted statements by administration officials that the virus was contained. Stocks plunged, and President Donald Trump was enraged.

Soon after, a White House task force moved to center stage and Vice President Mike Pence took control of clearing CDC communications about the coronavirus. Messonnier didnt make more public appearances.

In her email Friday, Messonnier says she was taking a new job with the California-based Skoll Foundation.

At a White House briefing, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky praised Messonnier as a true hero.

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LONDON  British residents can travel to countries including Portugal, Iceland and Israel later this month without having to quarantine on their return.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says a blanket ban on overseas vacations is being replaced by a system classing countries as low, medium or high risk. He says its the first tentative steps towards unlocking international travel.

The green list of 12 low-risk territories also includes Gibraltar, the Faroe Islands and the Falkland Islands  but not major vacation destinations for Britons such as France, Spain and Greece. Britons traveling to those countries will have to self-isolate for 10 days on their return.

All but essential travel remains barred to countries with severe outbreaks, including India, Turkey and the Maldives.

The changes take effect May 17, the next date on the governments road map out of lockdown. Pubs and restaurants in England can reopen indoor areas the same day, and venues including theaters and cinemas can open to limited audiences.

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GENEVA  The head of the World Trade Organization says the U.S. administrations call to remove patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines could help expand fair access to vaccines but might not be the most critical issue.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealas comments Friday came as officials in Europe increasingly insisted that more vaccine exports are the more pressing priority. Activists and humanitarian institutions cheered the American reversal in policy Wednesday and urged others to follow suit to remove the intellectual property protections on the COVID-19 vaccines.

But some world leaders have taken the U.S. to task for not sharing more vaccines.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn says the main issue is not the question of patents but of production capacity. And producing vaccines like the one developed by German firm BioNTech and manufactured with Pfizer is complicated, he says.

Spahn stressed, as has the pharmaceutical industry, that developed countries whose vaccination campaigns are going well should export more shots.

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MADRID  Spain will relax nationwide coronavirus pandemic measures this weekend, including travel restrictions, as the vaccine rollout continues to speed up.

However, some regional chiefs are concerned the six-month national state of emergency will be replaced by a patchwork of conflicting approaches.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has refused to extend the sweeping order that gave legal coverage to curfews, social gathering curbs and travel bans across the country.

Each region was taking a different path, and the response from courts was also varied. Spains cases surged sharply in January but slowed in mid-March before mildly picking up again.

Madrid, whose lockdown-skeptic regional chief was re-elected this week, announced there will be no more curfews or travel restrictions in and out of the region starting Sunday. The operation of bars and restaurants can be extended from the current 11 p.m. limit to midnight.

By The Associated Press
EXPLAINER: Why are people protesting across Colombia? View Photo

BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP)  Thousands of Colombians have protested across the country against a government they feel has long ignored their needs, allowed corruption to run rampant and is so out of touch that it proposed tax increases during the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite virus lockdown orders, protesters have turned out in more than half of Colombias municipalities since last week for mostly peaceful protest against the administration of President Ivan Duque. But violence during some demonstrations has resulted in 26 people dead, including a police officer, and more than 800 people injured, according to government figures.

Human rights organizations have denounced numerous police abuses and give a higher death toll, while the international community is calling for dialogue.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE PROTESTING?

The protests started on April 28 over proposed tax increases on public services, fuel, wages and pensions, but it has morphed into a general demand for the government to pay longstanding debts to the most vulnerable in society, such as Indigenous and Afro Latino people. Even though the administration withdrew the tax reform, protests have continued and grown as reports emerged of police violence, deaths and disappearances.

Activists see a link between the current protests and demonstrations in November 2019 over a host of issues: earlier tax increases, the murder of social leaders, official corruption, inequality and compliance with a peace agreement that led to the 2016 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The discontent expressed in 2019 festered throughout the coronavirus pandemic as people saw their livelihoods disappear, their friends and family members die of COVID-19 and the government struggle to respond. Their anger has now spilled again onto the streets.

Protesters have at times erected roadblocks that officials say have led to food shortages, prevented vaccine deliveries and blocked ambulances.

HOW HAS THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED?

Defense Minister Diego Molano said security forces have tried to protect those who are peacefully demonstrating as well as those who chose to stay home.

The military has sometimes joined police since Duque on May 1 signed off on armed forces involvement until the acts of serious alteration of public order cease. That allows mayors to request the armys presence in urban areas  a move questioned by human rights observers.

International (human rights) standards require limiting as much as possible the use of the (military) to control internal disturbances. The soldiers are trained for armed conflict, not for citizen security, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch.

Duque on Thursday invited union leaders to talks. How far the dialogue can go is unclear, however, as public frustration with his government predates the now-withdrawn tax reform.

WHY HAVE SOME PROTESTS TURNED VIOLENT?

The government contends that rebel groups have infiltrated protests and drug-trafficking enterprises are subsidizing demonstrations. Duque has even classified the actions as low-intensity terrorism.

However, leaders of the demonstrations say security forces have been exceedingly violent and the government is stigmatizing protesters.

The epicenter of the demonstrations as well as the violence has been the southwestern city of Cali, where movements of peasants and Indigenous and Afro Latino people converge. In Cali, there is a historical accumulation of social discontent, anger and rebellion, said sociologist Rosembert Ariza at the National University of Colombia.

It is a politically cultured city, and it may sound contradictory, but the exercise of violence is nothing but the response to the violence they are receiving.

At least 500 people have been arrested in the protests, according to officials.

WHAT IS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION?

International observers have called on Duques government to respect human rights and guarantee peoples right to protest.

Martha Hurtado, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the organization is deeply alarmed because it received information that in Cali the police opened fire on protesters protesting the tax reform, killing and wounding several people.

The Colombian agency responsible for monitoring human rights compliance reported Thursday that 26 people were killed in protests, including a police officer. The agency did not specify the number of deaths in which police have been involved. Previously, the agency alleged police involvement in a dozen.

Meanwhile, the mayors office in Bogota, Colombias capital, reported that protesters tried to burn alive 10 police officers on Tuesday.

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Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City.

By ASTRID SUAREZ and REGINA GARCIA CANO

Associated Press
Why do we think cats are unfriendly? BBC. From 2020, still germane.

Cyber attack shuts down U.S. fuel pipeline jugular, Biden briefed Reuters. Oddly, Colonials enormous leak hasnt generated the same level of coverage.

Wyoming backs coal with $1.2M threat to sue other states AP

Amazon Fake Reviews Scam Exposed in Data Breach Safety Detectives

#COVID19

Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19 American Journal of Therapeutics (peer-reviewed; Wolters Kluwer; in MEDLINE). Conclusions: Meta-analyses based on 18 randomized controlled treatment trials of ivermectin in COVID-19 have found large, statistically significant reductions in mortality, time to clinical recovery, and time to viral clearance. Furthermore, results from numerous controlled prophylaxis trials report significantly reduced risks of contracting COVID-19 with the regular use of ivermectin. Finally, the many examples of ivermectin distribution campaigns leading to rapid population-wide decreases in morbidity and mortality indicate that an oral agent effective in all phases of COVID-19 has been identified.

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An evolutionary portrait of the progenitor SARS-CoV-2 and its dominant offshoots in COVID-19 pandemic (accepted manuscript) (PDF) Molecular Biology. From the Abstract: However, multiple coronavirus infections in China and the USA harbored the progenitor [SARSCoV2] genetic fingerprint in January 2020 and later, suggesting that the progenitor was spreading worldwide months before and after the first reported cases of COVID19 in China. Consistent with discovery of Covid infections in Italy in late 2019 (Links 2021-5-4).

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Covid Pitted Life Against Liberty and Vanquished Both John Authers, Bloomberg

CDCs Guidelines for When Its Safe to Still Wear Lounge Pants McSweeneys Internet Tendency (nvl).
David Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Michael Kuhn, Program Director of Economic Frontiers, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Wittgenstein Centre for Global Human Capital, and Klaus Prettner, Professor of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Originally published at VoxEU.

In addition to the devastating human toll, the economic upheaval wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the inextricable relationship between physical and economic health. This column presents an overview of the macroeconomic effects of the infectious disease epidemics of the 20th and early 21st centuries through the lens of recent COVID-19 research and explores the epidemiceconomics nexus. It concludes that preventive policies, containment strategies, and early responses are more efficient, cost-effective, and manageable than combatting a full-scale infectious pandemic outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a harrowing reminder of the destructive power of infectious disease. In addition to the devastating human toll, the economic upheaval wrought by the pandemic illustrates the inextricable relationship of physical health and economic health. The ubiquity of COVID-19 has transformed our everyday world into a working laboratory, the starkest outcome of which has been the accelerated production of multiple effective vaccines in record-shattering time. Accompanying these scientific breakthroughs is a wealth of research that has been conducted on other methods to fight and mitigate the diseases far-reaching impact, adding to the accumulated knowledge of the epidemiceconomics nexus (see Vox and CEPRs coverage of the pandemic here). In this column, we present an overview of the macroeconomic effects of the infectious disease epidemics of the late 20th and early 21st centuries through the lens of recent COVID-19 research.

The mechanisms by which health influences economic growth are numerous. Good health means healthy workers, which translates to higher labour productivity and incomes. Good health further means a longer life expectancy and lower morbidity, which leads to increased schooling and human capital accumulation. Increased life expectancy also translates to greater savings and investments. Finally, good health leads to a lower fertility rate and, subsequently, expenditures are redirected to education investments; lower fertility can also produce a demographic dividend  the economic growth potential resulting from changes in a populations age structure that typically follow fertility decline.

Infectious disease, conversely, compromises economic growth in many ways. The morbidity and mortality caused by disease epidemics results in a reduction in the labour force and, oftentimes, larger indirect effects through behavioural changes in labour supply and education. Some diseases, like the Spanish Flu, disproportionately affect prime-age workers, leading to a large decline in the supply of labour. Some diseases, like COVID-19, are spread through casual social interaction, leading people to avoid those interactions and, therefore, reducing both consumption and labour supply. Other infectious diseases, like HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, become endemic to a region and, with their high morbidity and mortality rates and low prospects of recovery, reduce the investment in schooling. This, in turn, hampers human capital accumulation (as do diseases that disproportionately affect children), compromising long-run economic growth.

Effective containment and treatment of a disease, meanwhile, restore productivity and cut mortality, thereby mitigating the loss in labour supply. Yet containment and treatment can tax even the most robust health systems and economies, while often exacerbating underlying inequalities. Financing any policy response to epidemics will disrupt the customary operations of a nation, and the choices as to which policies to pursue and how to finance them will reverberate throughout the countrys economy.

Even over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, those choices continue to drive a debate that revolves around containing the disease, thus protecting lives, and maintaining economic activity, thus protecting livelihoods. Baldwin (2020) suggests an alternative to the standard cost-benefit analysis of weighing deaths versus dollars. Arguing against a World War COVID approach, he proposes that governments must more creatively balance disease containment policies with a remobilisation of workers. The challenge is to develop a strategy of constrained optimisation that gets the economy moving without spiking infection rates and overwhelming hospital systems. The dilemma pits a medical constraint, characterised as an imperative to avoid deaths, against a tolerability constraint, as a quarantined populace loses patience, social and economic discontent rises, production falls, and prices increase. Testing will help bend both constraints in the right direction, Baldwin writes, describing the multiple benefits of flattening the curve. Governments have instituted massive economic packages to ride out the recessions caused by COVID-19, but more targeted bending of both constraints will be necessary as the effects of the pandemic endure.

Until vaccination programmes are rolled out universally, containment remains reliant primarily on non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the trade-off discussion rolls on. That debate positions, in one corner, proponents of fighting COVID-19 with all available remedies including lockdowns and, in the other, those who favour herd immunity by means of protecting vulnerable individuals while allowing low-risk populations to contract the virus and build natural immunity. In Bloom et al. (2021a), we categorise potential policy responses as lockdown and testing, treatment, and prevention and eradication. Lockdowns, such as stay-at-home orders, can be effective depending on the transmission route of the disease, but can lead to severe economic and human hardship. Bloom et al. (2021b) pitch 14 simple, effective, and low-cost policy measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 that by relaxing the trade-off would satisfy those in both corners of the debate. Their suggestions include physical distancing, expanded testing (especially among frontline workers), mandating masks with high-filtration efficiencies, improving ventilation in public indoor places, restricting travel from areas with new concerning variants quickly, and investing substantially more resources in COVID research. These are characterised as achievable measures that carry little downside but potentially tremendous upside.

Rather than pursue a health versus wealth trade-off strategy that inevitably results in cyclical shutdowns and re-openings, Aghion et al. (2021) argue that successful pandemic management aims for Covid-free green zones. Areas are deemed green when levels of the virus are low and a working test, trace, and isolate (TTI) strategy is in place. Australia, New Zealand, and several countries in East Asia have sufficiently contained the virus, directly supporting economic growth. Most countries in Europe, however, have not aggressively pursued such containment tactics, forcing them to prepare for the next outbreak instead of investing in the future and boosting their economies. In fact, Aghion et al. (2021) write, In 2021GDP in zero-Covid countries will be 6.2 points higher than its 2019 level. In Europe, it will be 3.4 points lower. In total, countries pursuing zero Covid gained ten percentage points of GDP compared to Europe. The absence of long-term planning and investment by European countries may prolong this disparity even after the immediacy of the pandemic subsides, a situation especially relevant to the tourism-dependent countries of southern Europe. Recommending that Europe adopt a coordinated green zone strategy based on TTI, buttressed by travel restrictions and vaccinations, Aghion et al. (2021) state plainly, [e]liminating Covid-19 is the cheapest path towards economic recovery.

Until that happens, more than two dozen economics experts agree that one necessary course of action is, in fact, to enact vast fiscal stimulus packages (Baldwin and Weder di Mauro 2020). Hesitating to act or not passing large enough financial remedies could turn the current economic crisis into financial or debt crises with long-lasting impacts. Baldwin and Weder di Mauro write in the introduction to their eBook, This is the time to bring out the big artillery; this is not a time to be timid, but to do whatever it takes, fast. In an environment in which the enemy knows neither moral hazard (literally) nor geographical borders, this common hardship requires a common solution. Some of the authors collected in the book suggest that one piece of that solution could involve pandemic bonds issued by the European Stability Mechanism or the European Investment Bank  constituting supranational debt  which would signal a united Europe that could boost the trust, and the spending, of its stakeholders (Baldwin and Weder di Mauro 2020).

Indeed, any countrys policy response to an epidemic does not play out in isolation: COVID-19s spread reminds us of just how globally connected the modern world is. This connectivity begins with the first step of fighting an epidemic: identification and reporting of the disease. Reporting of cases may be low if a country fears they would be subject to travel bans and trade restrictions, a condition that could be alleviated by richer countries providing financial aid to poorer countries in exchange for the latter shutting down. Epidemic-induced de-globalization and corporate reshoring are genuine threats, as diseases can disrupt supply chains and standard trading patterns (Bloom et al. 2021a). Such outcomes can especially jeopardise the developing economies of poor nations, which could lead to reduced investments in health and education and create or sustain poverty traps (Bloom et al. 2021b).

Calling COVID-19 an era-defining crisis, Baldwin (2021) looks at some of these economic and social shockwaves trailing in the wake of COVID-19s direct deaths and illness: rising global poverty, worldwide hunger, and a mass disruption of childhood education. Baldwin notes that, as the world experiences a mono-cultural moment  everyone experiencing the same thing at the same time  that shared experience must translate into an empathetic call to action. A united, global, coordinated cooperation is required to combat both the health and economic repercussions of the disease.

Those economic repercussions often include an increase in the adoption of automation technologies, as robots are not susceptible to disease and, therefore, are more likely to substitute for tasks that would put humans at risk. Because robots excel at low-skill tasks and automation is often complementary to high-skilled workers tasks, the wages of low-skilled workers are likely to stagnate or decline while high-skilled workers wages are likely to increase in the face of automation. While automation improves productivity (output per capita), it also contributes to a decline in the labour income share with further repercussions on inequality. Pandemics tend to reinforce the increase in economic inequality that accompanies automation, as COVID-19 has demonstrated (Bloom et al. 2021a, Bloom and Prettner 2020). Technology is useful in the fight against pandemics  remote working and improved diagnostics can reduce the spread and also reduce the diseases economic impact  but it can also exacerbate inequality. Lower-income workers and minorities often have worse access to healthcare and are unable to work remotely, which leads to a reduction in paid hours or an increase in their exposure risk (or both). Policy proposals to counteract these consequences include educational investments, job training for displaced workers, revamped curricula that emphasize skills that are complementary to automation, strengthening the social security system, and amending the labour tax code (Prettner and Bloom 2020).

While the economic effects of epidemics depend on the disease characteristics, population demographics, and cross-country wealth disparities, all infectious diseases extract enormous human and economic tolls. Responsive policy recommendations should be based on the recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the challenge. Any solution will include value judgments that cannot be answered by science alone, but only through a transparent, evidence-based, ethics-guided, and inclusive social debate. Furthermore, policymaking needs to reflect the underlying socioeconomic and epidemic conditions of the country affected, such as the strength of social insurance, the structure of the economy, the possibility of remote working and schooling, the vulnerability and demographic structure of the population, the healthcare system capacity, and budgetary concerns (Bloom et al. 2021a). Explicit recognition must be given to the varied impacts on different socioeconomic groups and the equity issues they raise.

Generally, priority should be given to the consequential and timely implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions that allow the avoidance, deferral, or relaxed imposition of lockdowns. These include the promotion of measures of individual prevention, such as improved hygiene, mask-wearing or physical distancing; the timely elimination of unnecessary travel; the targeting of lockdowns; and the implementation of enhanced surveillance and reporting protocols that include functional testing, contact tracing, and genomic sequencing capacity. The pharmaceutical dimension of vaccine development and its equitable distribution is, of course, crucial to returning to a semblance of normal life. The research and development of vaccines is a lengthy and expensive process and, when led by private companies, is fraught with economic complications (such as certain populations being priced out). For effective prevention and eradication  to get people to actually take the medicine  vaccines should be free, subsidised, or even accompanied by incentive payments. Social trust can only be established through timely, transparent, and coherent communication about all of these endeavours. Finally, international policy coordination is essential, which could be spearheaded by the G20. No matter the disease, preventive policies, containment strategies, and early responses are more efficient, cost-effective, and manageable than combatting a full-scale infectious pandemic outbreak.

References available at the original.
(Natural News) New research from the Salk Institute has inadvertently revealed that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) spike proteins, which are forever generated inside the body following an experimental gene therapy (mRNA) injection, are directly responsible for causing injury and death.

Salk insists that only the virus spike proteins are dangerous and not the ones found in vaccines, but anyone with a brain knows better. A spike protein is a spike protein and the latest science shows that they are deadly, attacking the vascular system on a cellular level.

A paper recently published in the journal Circulation Research found that Chinese Virus spike proteins are more of a threat to the vascular system than they are to the respiratory system.

A lot of people think of it as a respiratory disease, but its really a vascular disease, says Uri Manor, an assistant research professor and co-author of the study.

That could explain why some people have strokes, and why some people have issues in other parts of the body. The commonality between them is that they all have vascular underpinnings.

Tests involving a pseudovirus that was basically just a clump of Wuhan Flu spike proteins surrounding an inert substance resulted in the same damage to lungs and arteries as the alleged virus itself.

Tissue samples showed inflammation in endothelial cells lining the pulmonary artery walls, Salk reports.

The team then replicated this process in the lab, exposing healthy endothelial cells (which line arteries) to the spike protein. They showed that the spike protein damaged the cells by binding ACE2. This binding disrupted ACE2s molecular signaling to mitochondria (organelles that generate energy for cells), causing the mitochondria to become damaged and fragmented.

Dont get the jab unless you want to suffer and possibly die

Earlier studies produced similar results, suggesting that the real threat in all this is not some virus but rather the spike proteins that are being deliberately injected into peoples bodies as a vaccine.

If you remove the replicating capabilities of the virus, it still has a major damaging effect on the vascular cells, simply by virtue of its ability to bind to this ACE2 receptor, the S protein receptor, now famous thanks to Covid, Manor admits.

Further studies with mutant spike proteins will also provide new insight towards the infectivity and severity of mutant SARS CoV-2 viruses.

A group called Doctors for Covid Ethics has issued a statement in response to the study that warns about the dangers and ineffectiveness of taking a Chinese Virus injection.

The risk-benefit calculus is  clear: the experimental vaccines are needless, ineffective and dangerous, the group maintains.

Actors authorizing, coercing or administering experimental COVID-19 vaccination are exposing populations and patients to serious, unnecessary, and unjustified medical risks.

Based on what the Salk study reveals, it is now clear that the Chinese Virus is primarily a disease of the vascular system, and its main culprit is the spike protein.

Putting two and two together, the only logical conclusion is that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) injections that contain ingredients designed to trigger the continuous production of said spike protein inside the body are an almost certain death sentence for those who take them.

The vaccines are dangerous to both healthy individuals and those with pre-existing chronic disease, for reasons such as the following: risk of lethal and non-lethal disruptions of blood clotting including bleeding disorders, thrombosis in the brain, stroke and heart attack; autoimmune and allergic reactions; antibody-dependent enhancement of disease; and vaccine impurities due to rushed manufacturing and unregulated production standards, Doctors for Covid Ethics warns.

More related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) deception can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Salk.edu

NaturalNews.com

TheBurningPlatform.com
(Natural News) Pfizer is pinning a lot of hope on its COVID-19 vaccine, and they are already targeting younger people with an eye on increasing their profits.

Earlier this week, they released a strong earnings report that exceeded the already optimistic projections from Wall Street. They also announced that they are on the verge of gaining regulatory approval to give their vaccine to minors aged 12 to 15 in the U.S. This coincides with the Biden Administrations increasing pressure on states to raise their vaccination numbers.

Media reports have also indicated that Pfizer is looking to gain approval to use the vaccine on children aged 2 to 11 in the U.S. and Europe. It is believed that this approval could come in September, despite the fact that there have been no studies carried out into the long-term effects of the vaccines on either adults or children.

Pfizer CEO Albert Borland stated in a call with reporters and analysts that the pharmaceutical firm is in discussions with what he termed basically all the governments of the world to provide COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots through the year 2024.

Indeed, they have already laid the groundwork for a steady stream of revenue by telling the public that they will likely need at least one additional shot a year after their second dose. He also mentioned that people around the world may end up needing yearly shots, much like the flu shot, which would help Pfizer to grow its bottom line and shift COVID-19 vaccines from an emergency measure to a permanent and highly profitable line of business.

Pfizer has said that they expect sales of their vaccines to reach $26 million by years end. This would make the shot their top-selling pharmaceutical product, an honor that currently goes to the rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira. In addition, they are planning to use the mRNA technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine for other types of vaccines and therapies. They are already trying to develop seasonal flu shots based on the RNA lipid nanoparticle technology.

In addition, they are exploring making COVID-19 vaccines more durable by finding ways that doses can be stored at the temperatures seen in a standard refrigerator, which is something that could raise demand for the jabs in poorer countries. Either way, however, Bourla is expecting the vaccines to have a durable demand.

Business is booming for Pfizer thanks to coronavirus

The virus is working out incredibly well for Pfizer, whose earnings were so strong that they also helped lift the shares of other vaccine makers around the world. For example, shares of Asian vaccine makers who had deals to distribute the Pfizer vaccines rallied this week. Indias Pfizer Ltd unit climbed 4.9 percent on Wednesday, while Cadila Healthcare and Dr. Reddys rose 5.9 and 2.7 percent respectively.

Once again, we see pharmaceutical companies raking in money at the expense of the public. Now that many of the people who were inclined to get the vaccine have already done so, they are going to start pressuring parents into having their kids vaccinated, despite the fact that children are not being hit by the virus nearly as hard as adults. They are also doing this in the absence of studies demonstrating its safety in any age group.

The truth is that no one knows yet how this vaccine can affect anyone over the long term, particularly children whose bodies are still developing. But thats not really a big concern for Pfizer or any of the other COVID-19 vaccine makers as they have all been granted immunity from liability should their vaccines cause people harm or kill them  which they are already doing in droves.

Sources for this article include:

SHTFPlan.com

CNBC.com
(Natural News) Following a recent back-pedal in the risk assessment of experimental mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, pregnant women in the U.K. are now being instructed by the publicly funded BBC that they should be offered the COVID vaccine.

(Article by David McLoone republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

At the end of April, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) updated its guidance to pregnant women, advising that COVID vaccines pose no specific safety concerns  in relation to pregnancy. The BBC report on this update notes similar guidelines from a number of medical authorities, whom they call the experts, including Britains beleaguered nationalized healthcare service (the NHS) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Before now, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had advised pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid taking a COVID vaccine due to no or limited data on its effects, even adding a precaution for women of childbearing age, instructing them that pregnancy should be excluded before vaccination.

Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in January that the use of this vaccine [Modernas COVID vaccine] in pregnant women is currently not recommended, unless they are at risk of high exposure.

Explaining the reason behind the dramatic shift in guidance for pregnant women, the BBC cited a recent CDC study of over 90,000 pregnant women, concluding that there is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems.

The CDC data forms part of a broader study published April 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study concluded in February, thus accounting for fewer participants, but also concluded that there are no obvious safety signals among pregnant persons who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

The NEJM study considered a pool of 35,691 participants  identified as pregnant, drawn from the CDCs V-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry and related V-safe After Vaccine Health Checker. The study also included information available on VAERS. Within the V-safe pregnancy registry, 3,958 pregnant women, fully vaccinated with an mRNA-derived product, were enrolled. Of that number, 827 pregnancies were completed before the end of the study period on February 28, 2021, 115 of which resulted in miscarriage (13.9%). The results also documented 60 premature births and 23 babies born abnormally small.

While no neonatal deaths were recorded, there were 16 cases of major congenital anomalies reported in the V-safe database. VAERS reports, according to the study, showed that the most frequently reported pregnancy-related adverse event was spontaneous abortion, accounting for 46 deaths. This was followed by stillbirth, premature rupture of membranes, and vaginal bleeding, with 3 reports for each.

The authors of the study, though concluding that the above data did not show obvious safety signals, admitted that its findings were preliminary, requiring more longitudinal follow-up.

The U.K. governments own vaccine adverse event system has collected more than 2,200 reports of reproductive disorders after coronavirus injections, including excessive or absent menstrual bleeding, delayed menstruation, vaginal haemorrhaging, miscarriages, and stillbirths.

The U.K. Yellow Card program reports that of the 2,233 reactions recorded involving reproductive systems following injection with either Pfizers or AstraZenecas experimental mRNA vaccines, 61 spontaneous abortions (miscarriages), ten premature labors, and four stillbirths have resulted as of April 5.

Despite this, recommendations are yet being made that pregnant women avail themselves of the available mRNA COVID jabs. In fact, the BBCs promotional video states that pregnant women can receive their shot at any time during pregnancy as you can become ill with COVID at any time.

Presenter Laura Foster added guidance that taking the first vaccine shot after the 12-week mark of gestation would give enough time to receive the second jab before beginning the third trimester, which is the period where COVID is likely to cause the most harm.

A doctor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who strongly advocated the COVID vaccines, tragically lost her unborn child shortly after having publicly celebrated receiving one of the experimental vaccines.

Dr. Sara Beltran Ponce tweeted on January 28 that she was 14 weeks pregnant and fully vaccinated! She shared that she had received the experimental COVID vaccine to protect myself, my baby, my family, my patients, and my community! When its available to you, I encourage you to do the same.

Less than a week later, she announced the heart-breaking news of the loss of her baby at 14  weeks. My husband and I are devastated, but blessed to have each other and our sweet Eva. Rest in Peace, angel, she wrote.

Dr. Simone Gold, founder of Americas Frontline Doctors, explained in a tweet to Ponce that [t]here is a known potential mid-pregnancy fertility risk of the experimental vaccine  The vaccine is NOT cleared of infertility risk.

Gold acknowledged that getting COVID-19 has been associated with a high risk of mid-pregnancy miscarriage because the placenta fails, but advised that the vaccine may do the exact same thing  but not for just the few weeks of being sick  but forever.

Its lunacy to get this experimental vaccine if youre a young female, she said. Its that simple  I would flat out forbid any young female from getting this vaccine, and I think its very unethical for any physician to offer this to a young female.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded 332 more COVID-19 fatalities and 17,364 new infections on Saturday, while the positivity rate remained below 25 per cent for the third consecutive day, the Health Department said.

This is the fifth time in the last six days that the number of new cases remained below 20,000.

Delhi had reported 19,832 cases on Friday, 19,133 cases on Thursday, 20,960 cases on Wednesday, 19,953 on Tuesday, 18,043 on Monday, 20,394 cases on Sunday, 25,219 on Saturday, 27,047 on Friday, 24,235 on last Thursday and 25,986 on Wednesday last week, according to data.

The case positivity rate was 23.34 per cent, the lowest since April 16, when it was 19.7 per cent, according to government data.

It was 24.6 per cent on April 17.

The national capital registered a positivity rate of 24.92 per cent on Friday, 24.29 per cent on Thursday, 26.37 per cent on Wednesday, 26.73 per cent on Tuesday, 29.56 per cent on Monday, 28.33 per cent on Sunday, 31.6 per cent on Saturday, 32.7 per cent on Friday and 32.8 per cent on last Thursday.

On April 22, a positivity rate of 36.2 per cent, the highest so far, was recorded.

The city had witnessed 341 deaths on Friday, 335 on Thursday, 311 deaths on Wednesday, 338 on Tuesday, 448 on Monday, the highest so far, 407 on Sunday, 412 on Saturday, 375 on Friday last week, 395 on last Thursday and 368 on Wednesday last week.

The national capital conducted 74,384 tests, including 62,921 RTPCR/CBNAAT/True Nat tests in the last 24 hours.

Over 20,900 people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, the health bulletin said.

There are 87,907 active cases and over 12.03 lakh people have either recovered, migrated out or have been discharged, according to a health bulletin.

The infection tally rose to 13,10,231 after the national capital recorded 17,364 new cases in the last 24 hours, it said, adding that the death toll increased to 19,071 after 332 more people succumbed to the pathogen.

Of the 22,289 hospital beds for coronavirus patients in the city, only 2,451 are vacant, it said.

Of the 5,525 beds in COVID care centres, 4,792 are vacant while only 99 beds are vacant out of 206 at dedicated COVID health centres.

As many as 49,865 patients are in home isolation and the number of containment zones have risen to 51,338, according to the bulletin.

A total of 79,800 beneficiaries were vaccinated on Friday, of which 67,753 were those who got their first dose, the bulletin stated.

Meanwhile, traders' body CTI on Saturday said 65 per cent respondents in a survey conducted by it favoured extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Delhi government imposed a weeklong lockdown in the city in the wake of steep rise in COVID positive cases in April.

After two extensions, the lockdown is scheduled to come to an end at 5 AM on May 10.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday had said that a decision on extending the lockdown further will be taken after reviewing the situation.

"Right now the citizens of Delhi themselves want this lockdown to continue, to stop the spread of this virus," he had said.

Brijesh Goyal, chairman of Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said that "65 percent of Delhi's traders favour increasing (extending) the lockdown in Delhi."

He said that "480 traders and industrial organisations gave their opinion in the survey".

About 315 of these 480 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be extended by one week.

Two week extension was favoured by 60 organisations, said a CTI statement.

Nearly 100 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be lifted and traders be allowed to open shops and markets three days a week or on an odd-even basis, it added.

The Delhi government on Saturday formed a committee of senior officers to ensure COVID appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing in wholesale vegetable and fruit markets in the city.

The officers nominated as representatives in the committee will not be below the rank of sub-divisional magistrate or assistant commissioner, stated an order issued by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

The committee will submit a detailed action taken report to the Delhi chief secretary by May 13, it said.

The order stated that the panel will take all requisite measures for ensuring compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour in all 'mandis' of Delhi as also for decongesting them so that social distancing norms and such other protocols are strictly followed.

"It will take all necessary decisions and actions for ensuring that all fruits sellers, hawkers and customers in 'mandis' are adhering to the norms of COVID-appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing etc," the order stated.

The committee will also analyse the situation and take appropriate action for decongesting the markets through various measures such as staggered timings, allowing vendors on alternate days, removing illegal vendors and reducing the number of vendors and hawkers.

It will check if market authorities are taking all requisite actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

These actions included regular sanitization, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, and create public awareness on COVID appropriate behaviour, the order stated.

The committee's members will include functionaries of the Delhi Agriculture Marketing Board, representatives of police, district administration, civic bodies.

Secretaries of mandis will be secretaries in the committee, it said.

On the other hand, Over 1.14 lakh people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in Delhi on May 7, a senior government official said on Saturday.

This is the highest number of people vaccinated in a day so far, said Ashish Kundra, officer on special duty (health).

As many as 1,14,657 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered on Friday, he said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Delhi has been vaccinating more than one lakh people every day.

This includes around 50,000 people in the 18-44 age group and 50,000 aged 45 and above.

Delhi is not getting an adequate supply of vaccines.

If it gets the required number of doses, then the government will be able to vaccinate all within three months, he said.

He also said the number of COVID-19 vaccination centres will be increased three times in Delhi and demanded that the Centre supply around 2.6 crore more vaccine doses for inoculation of all people in the national capital in the next three months.

Currently, vaccination is going on at 100 centres in Delhi.

The number of centres will be increased to 250-300 by the Delhi government, he said in an online briefing.

He said that Delhi currently has vaccine doses to vaccinate people for next 5-6 days and urged the Centre to provide adequate jabs.

In order to vaccinate all people in Delhi, over 3 crore doses will be required, out of which around 40 lakh have already been received, he said.

The chief minister urged the Centre to provide it 85 lakh doses per month so that all the Delhiites could be vaccinated in the next three months.

Kejriwal who inspected the ongoing vaccination drive at a centre in Chirag Delhi said there is great enthusiasm among the youth to get the jab.

He said that due to good arrangements in Delhi, people from NCR towns like Noida, Ghaziabad were also reaching here to get the vaccines.

So, Delhi will require a little more than three crore doses, he said.

He said Delhi is currently administering one lakh vaccine doses per day and it could increase this number to three lakh.

The chief minister said Delhi's population is two crores, and close to one crore fall in the 18-44 age group.

Fifty lakh are below 18, and 50 lakh people are above 45 years of age.

"Roughly 1.5 crore people are above 18 years of age. We need three crore vaccine doses to vaccinate these 1.5 crore people, but we've received just 40 lakh doses. As a result, we need 2 crore 60 lakh additional vaccines," he said.

Delhi has been vaccinating more than one lakh people everyday.

This includes around 50,000 people in age group of 18-44 years and 50,000 aged 45 years and above, he said.

Delhi is not getting an adequate amount of vaccines, and if it were to get the required amount of doses then the Delhi government will be able to vaccinate all within three three months, he reiterated.

"A major obstacle we're facing is that of vaccine scarcity. If we get adequate doses, then as I have said repeatedly, we will be able to vaccinate the entire Delhi in three months."

Citing warnings of a third wave of COVID-19, he said that vaccination is the only safeguard against the deadly virus.

He also urged the Centre and experts for finding alternatives to protect children below 18 years of age from COVID-19.

"We are particularly concerned about children under 18 years of age who cannot get vaccinated right now. I appeal to all experts and the Centre to arrange a vaccine for them too so that they can also get inoculated," stated the chief minister.

He also supported one vaccine programme in the country as a firm possibility.

Kejriwal credited the central government for trying its best to provide Delhi with facilities during the pandemic, and hoped it will also assist in ensuring adequate doses for vaccination.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Mumbai police deployed humour in its tweets along with a dose of Tom and Jerry, the legendary cat and mouse cartoon strip, to ask people to adhere to COVID-19 norms in the metropolis, especially wearing masks in public, in order to "ride out this storm together".

Indicating that violators will have the police after them, a tweet from the force said, "Please don't go out without a cause or a mask on your face. let's not make it a cat and mouse chase. We really dont like 'Tom-Tomming' about the consequences."

The tweet, with hashtags like #MasksNecessaryJerry #WhatsTheHurryJerry #TakingOnCorona, was accompanied by a 6- second video of perennial 'frenemies' Tom and Jerry, which soon went viral on social media, garnering praise for the men in khakhi for their wit.

With over five million followers, the Twitter handle of Mumbai police was soon at the centre of sizable tweet traffic, with users like Shachii Manik and Gaurav Nawathey urging citizens to listen to the force to help the city get a hold on the outbreak.

We miss our homes and families too Mumbai.

But our duty comes first - it always has and always will.

We are proud to be serving and protecting this fine city.



So can you do us a favour? Stay home please. Let's ride out this storm together.



#MumbaiPoliceFoundation pic.twitter.com/ECpSOYxttM  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 8, 2021

"We miss our homes and families too Mumbai. But our duty comes first - it always has and always will. We are proud to be serving and protecting this fine city. So can you do us a favour? Stay home please. Let's ride out this storm together," another tweet on Saturday evening from the metropolis' police force said.

The city reported 2,678 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the city's case tally to 6,74,072, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

Before this, the financial capital of the country had reported 2,877 cases on March 18, after which the cases had climbed.

As many as 3,608 coronavirus patients were discharged during the day, taking the total of recoveries to 6,10,043.

The recovery rate of the city stands at 91 per cent.

With 62 deaths, fatality count rose to 13,749, the civic body said.

33,378 coronavirus tests were carried out on Saturday, taking the tally to 56,77,780.
Mukesh Ranjan By

RANCHI: For hotelier Ranjeet Rajpal and his childhood friends, Covid is not a time to remain inside the safe confines of their homes. They are helping patients in refilling oxygen cylinders for free, besides providing free meals to them.

The group has purchased over a dozen cylinders for those who cannot afford to buy one. They lend the cylinders without taking any cost or security deposit from the beneficiaries.

So what spurred them to start their voluntary service? It was after Rajpal, Piyush More, Surya Prabhat and Prince Kohli, in their forties, received a distress call from one of their friends, Abhishek, whose father was facing problems in breathing due to COVID-19.

Abhishek asked us to arrange oxygen cylinder for his father. We arranged one immediately and gradually his father recovered. Next day, another person called us seeking help for his ailing family member, said Rajpal.

Our phone numbers were circulated among the people. When people started calling us for help, we could not refuse them. The group has bought 12 cylinders on its own.

After recovering from the virus, the patients return cylinders and we pass it to some other person.

When it comes to food, the quartet is providing free food packets to more than 500 people in the last 20 days.
By PTI

FIROZABAD: A total of 67 new ventilators are lying unused at the 100-bedded COVID-19 isolation ward set up at a medical college here, a senior doctor has said.

When contacted, Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Alok Kumar Sharma said that last year, the medical college had got 96 ventilators under the PM-CARES Fund, and in all there are 114 ventilators available at the medical college.

Of these, 25-30 ventilators are being used to provide treatment to patients.

He added that of the 67 ventilators, which are kept in a store room of the hospital, around 60-62 are in working condition.

Kumar, however, did not elaborate on the rest of the ventilators.

Principal of the medical college, Dr Sangeeta Aneja said, that the state medical department has been informed that 67 ventilators are there in the hospital.

In a letter to the state health department, it was also requested that if there is a need of a ventilator in any nearby district, then it could be sent there.

"Currently, we have ventilators, and they will be used when required. For operation of ventilators, technicians are needed, which we do not have in adequate numbers," she said.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Over three weeks have passed since the Maharashtra government imposed strict restrictions to check the spread of coronavirus but the daily average of cases is still over 50,000 which is a matter of concern, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

Citing the Union government, Tope said COVID-19 cases have dipped in 12 out of the total 36 districts in Maharashtra, but in some other districts, the cases are on a higher side.

The lockdown-like curbs announced by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray came into effect on April 14 that included the ban on inter-city as well as inter-district travel and the closure of non-essential services in the state.

These measures, including the weekend restrictions on the movement of people, were later extended till May 15.

The state government had allowed groceries, vegetable shops and dairies to remain open only for four hours, between 7 am and 11 am from Monday to Friday and banned home delivery after 8 pm till May 1.

"The government had introduced lockdown-like measures but the average number of daily cases is still hovering between 50,000 and 60,000. The positivity rate, which is the key factor in deciding the (extent of) outbreak of the pandemic, is still on a higher side," Tope told reporters.

The health minister said the government will review the situation and decide on whether to extend these lockdown-like measures or not.

"The state government is stressing on tracking, tracing and treating COVID-19 patients to curb the outbreak," he added.

As of May 7, Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally stood at 49,96,758 while the overall death toll is 74,413.

The state had tested 2,89,30,580 samples so far, the health department had said.

Meanwhile, district authorities in Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region said stricter COVID-19 restrictions will come into force from Sunday.

These 'break the chain' curbs will start at noon on Sunday and will be in place till May 15, officials said.

As per an order issued by Amravati Collector Shailesh Naval on Saturday, grocery shops, dairies, eateries, bars, vegetable and fruit vending outlets, bakeries etc will remain shut during the period but will be allowed to undertake home delivery between 7am and 11am, The order also curbs movement of people except for emergency and essential purposes.

It also directs schools, colleges, parks, swimming pools, tuition classes, theatres, saloons, spas, beauty parlour, parks, playing fields etc to remain shut, though online classes will be allowed.

An official said the order exempts private and public hospitals and clinics, medical stores, animal husbandry clinics and eye-wear shops from the curbs.

"All government and semi government offices will remain shut, except those engaged in essential services. Petrol pumps too have been told to sell fuel only to those vehicles which are out for valid reasons. Banks and post offices will function between 10 am and 2pm during this period," he said.

Similar orders were issued by Akola Collector Jitendra Papalkar and Collector Amol Yedge in Yavatmal.

The authorities in Solapur too have announced stricter restrictions for a week in the city as well as other parts of the district.

As part of the fresh curbs, which will come into effect from 8 pm on Saturday, shops selling essential commodities, such as milk, groceries, vegetables and fruits, will remain closed and only home delivery of these items will be permitted, officials said.

As per the earlier guidelines, shops selling essentials were allowed to operate from 7 am to 11 am in the district.

The restrictions will remain in place in Solapur city and other parts of the district till May 15, officials said.

"In view of the rise in COVID-19 cases, a decision was taken to make the lockdown stricter in the district. As per the new restrictions, shops selling essential commodities will remain shut, and only home delivery of these items will be permitted from 7 am to 11 am," Solapur district collector Milind Shambharkar said.

As section 144 of the CrPC is already imposed in the district, the movement of the people is not allowed except for valid reasons, he said.

All the essential services, such as hospitals, medicals, diagnostics services, vaccination centres, insurance offices, pet shops, animal care centres, veterinary clinics, banks and all other services, which are related to healthcare will remain open, he added.

"Shops selling agriculture-related products are allowed to remain open till 11 am," the official said.

According to him, hotels and restaurants are closed, but home delivery of food items has been permitted.
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Centre should consider imposing a nationwide lockdown in view of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is more unpredictable and deadly, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday.

Gehlot was addressing a video conference after he and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan virtually laid foundation stones for medical colleges in the state's Chittorgarh and Sriganganagar districts.

Several states have imposed lockdowns and restrictions at their level to break the COVID-19 transmission chain, but there is a lack of intra-state coordination, the chief minister said.

In such a situation, the Centre should consider imposing a lockdown again with uniformity across the country after taking into consideration the experiences of the previous nationwide lockdown last year, Gehlot said.

The Rajasthan government has announced a strict lockdown in the state from May 10 to 24 under which intra-state movement has also been disallowed.

Delhi and states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Karnataka have also imposed strict restrictions and lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and more deadly, and has taken a terrible form, Gehlot said, adding that vaccination should be given top priority.

During the event, he also urged the Union health minister to increase the number of oxygen plants being installed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the state, to provide additional tankers for oxygen transportation and to allocate oxygen to Rajasthan from nearby states instead of the eastern states of the country.

The chief minister said that the Centre, states and people will have to fight together against the pandemic and then only the country can tide over it.

Union Minister Vardhan said that India is going through a challenging time and the Centre is making all efforts to ensure availability of resources to all states.

He also suggested to state governments that those due for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be equally prioritised.

Vardhan said that the number of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has increased to 22 and it is planned to establish medical colleges in 110 districts.

In this order, out of 75 medical colleges approved in the third phase, the maximum 15 are in Rajasthan.

The medical colleges in Chittorgarh and Sriganganagar are being constructed at a cost of Rs 325 crore each.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Despite appeals by farmers who took out protest marches against the weekend lockdown imposed by the state government, shopkeepers in Punjab kept their shops shut on Saturday.

Punjab's 32 farmer unions, protesting the Central farm laws, had announced to hold street protests against the lockdown in the state and had urged shopkeepers to defy the restrictions.

Amid a second wave of COVID-19, farmers took out protest marches at several places, including Moga, Patiala, Amritsar, Ajnala, Nabha, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.

Carrying flags of their unions, farmers, including women, took out marches in the markets and appealed to shopkeepers and traders through loudspeakers to open their shops.

However, the shopkeepers kept their shops closed.

Police personnel in adequate numbers were deployed across the state in the wake of the protest call by farmers.

"We told farmers that we will not go against the law and order of the state and whatever the government decides, we will go by that," said Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal general secretary Sameer Jain.

Another Ludhiana-based trader, Sunil Mehra, said shopkeepers will continue to raise their voice in a democratic way.

"How could we open shops when there is a weekend lockdown in the state," asked Mehra.

Some traders said the district administrations had also assured them to find ways for the opening of shops dealing in non-essential items next week.

"We appealed to shopkeepers to open their shops. We told them that we are with them," said Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan in Moga.

"The lockdown is not a solution to deal with the COVID-19 crisis," he said, alleging that shopkeepers were forced to shut their shops.

Khokrikalan also accused the government of doing nothing to improve the health infrastructure despite being well aware of the second wave of COVID-19.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday had directed the state DGP to strictly enforce the weekend lockdown in the state and deal stringently with any violation in view of the farmers' call for the protest.

The state government has imposed extensive COVID-19 curbs in addition to measures like the weekend lockdown and night curfew till May 15.

In Amritsar, a farmer leader said if the state government wanted to impose a weekend lockdown, then it should give ration to shopkeepers and waive their electricity bills and other taxes.

A police team took out a flag march in a market in Ajnala with officials saying nobody will be allowed to violate the curbs.

Earlier this week, shopkeepers in Punjab had held protests against the state government's order of the closure of shops dealing in non-essential items.

The chief minister on Friday had authorised the deputy commissioners to take any decision on the opening of shops or private officers on rotation, after taking the local MLAs and other stakeholders into confidence.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday reiterated that violation of the weekend lockdown in Punjab will not be allowed given the grim COVID-19 situation, even as 32 farmer unions took out protest marches against the restriction at several places in the state.

Farmer leaders have alleged that the government imposed the lockdown to hide its failure in handling the coronavirus situation and wants to weaken the farmers' movement against the Centre's new farm laws.

These restrictions are in place to save lives and not to "sabotage" the farmers' movement against the Centre's new farm laws, Singh said and added that his government was also vehemently opposed to the legislations.

"There are lives at stake, saving them is our priority, and it is the responsibility of every Punjabi to save them," the chief minister said, urging leaders of farmer unions Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU (Ekta Dakaounda) not to misinterpret his Friday comments.

Amid a call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to oppose the weekend lockdown, Singh had on Friday asked the state police chief to strictly enforce all the weekend restrictions and not allow any violation at any cost.

The SKM, an umbrella body of over 40 farmers' unions, is leading the protest against the central farm laws which were enacted in September last year.

Nobody can be allowed to play with the lives of people, the chief minister said on Saturday.

Singh said that leaders of the two organisations had misinterpreted his statement to raise doubts about his intentions towards the ongoing farmers' stir against the "black" farm laws.

"How can my government go against the interests of farmers when it was the first in the country to move amendment laws in the state assembly to annul the draconian farm laws of the Central government," he said in a statement issued here.

Singh said as far as the central laws are concerned, his government's stand against them has been clear and consistent.

Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are demanding rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

Noting that the COVID-19 situation in Punjab is extremely grim, the chief minister said that as on May 6, the state had a 24-hour caseload of 8,874, 154 deaths, 265 patients admitted in isolation facilities, 30 patients on high dependency units and 16 on ventilator support.

"This is not the time to play politics but to put all our energies into protecting the life of every human being," he said.

Appealing to farmers to extend all support and cooperation to the state government in its endeavour to combat the COVID-19 crisis, Singh said the lives and safety of the people of Punjab were of paramount interest to his government.

He reiterated that he would not allow anyone to further endanger the lives of Punjabis amid the escalating crisis.

The state government has stood with farmers in their fight against the "draconian" farm laws of the Centre and continues to do so, as it strongly believes them to be a direct "threat" to the very existence and livelihood of farmers, Singh said.

But at the moment, the state government is completely focused on saving lives, while ensuring that they do not suffer due to the harsh measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, he said.

Singh said to alleviate sufferings of the people, he had even asked the deputy commissioners to allow opening of even non-essential shops and private offices on rotation basis.

As many as 171 people died from coronavirus in Punjab on Saturday as the state reported yet another record daily spike of 9,100 case, pushing its infection tally to 4,33,689, according to a medical bulletin.

So far, the infection has killed 10,315 people in the state, where the number of active cases stands at 71,948.

Nineteen deaths were reported from Ludhiana, 17 each from Bathinda and Muktsar, 13 each from Amritsar and Patiala and 11 each from Sangrur and Jalandhar in the past 24 hours, the bulletin said.

Ludhiana registered the maximum 1,223 fresh cases, followed by 1,168 in Mohali, 706 in Bathinda and 672 in Jalandhar.

A total of 6,647 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 3,51,426, the bulletin said.

There are 288 patients on ventilator while 9,086 are on oxygen support, it said.

A total of 77,07,585 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh--the joint capital of Punjab and Haryanarecorded nine deaths and 870 fresh cases.

So far, the city has reported 49,312 cases while the death toll stands at 558 deaths, according to a medical bulletin.

The city currently has 8,505 cases.

A total of 861 patients were discharged from hospitals, the bulletin said, adding that so far, 40,249 people have recovered from the infection.

Till now, 4,33,928 samples have been taken for testing, of which 3,83,480 tested negative while reports of 125 are awaited, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, UT Adviser Manoj Parida said the Union government has been requested to increase the oxygen quota for the city from 20 metric tonnes to 35 MT to take care of increasing bed capacity and newly set up mini COVID care centres.

He said the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has also requested the Centre to increase its oxygen quota to 40 MT.

State Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Saturday said the state will receive 35,000 Remdesivir injections from the Centre over the next week.

He further said the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set up a Remdesivir Injection Monitoring Centre to stop its black marketing.

As per an intimation received from the Centre, Punjab will receive 35,000 Remdesivir injections from May 9 to 16, he said in a statement.

He said at present, the Health Department has 4,913 Remdesivir injections, 60,000 Dexamethasone 4 MG injections and 25 lakh tablets of paracetamol in the stock.

The Centre allocated 50,000 injections for distribution in Punjab from April 21 to May 9 while the state received 41,056 vials, he said.

The minister said 20,450 injections were distributed among the government-run COVID care centres and medical colleges while 20,606 were given to the private centres.

The health minister said the state government has constantly ensured the supply, availability and distribution of injections to government and private hospitals and urged people not to buy Remdesivir at high prices as the Health Department has the sufficient stock of it.

He also expressed concern over the black marketing and hoarding of COVID-related drugs.

The minister said he has directed the FDA to take stringent action against wholesalers, distributors and retailers if anyone found doing such activities.

Sidhu instructed the FDA to monitor the prices and stocks of COVID-related drugs across the state and act promptly against the sellers who violate the guidelines.
By PTI

BHOPAL: At a time when images of relatives of deceased COVID-19 patients queuing up at crematoriums have become common, a crematorium in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal is giving temporary refuge to people who bring their loved ones to the city for treatment and lose them to the disease.

While people are usually scared to enter crematoriums and graveyards at night, Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat here has been providing beds and meals to relatives of COVID-19 patients, who perform the last rites of loved ones.

More than half a dozen people spend their night at the facility daily after cremating their loves ones, thanks to the trust looking after the place and providing them food, water and bedding in these difficult times.

People from neighbouring districts, who bring their relatives to Bhopal for COVID-19 treatment and lose them, bring the bodies to Bhadbhada crematorium, as mortal remains are not allowed to be taken out of the district to contain the viral spread.

Bereaved relatives have to wait in serpentine queues for their turn to cremate deceased patients even late in the evenings due to the heavy rush of COVID-19 casualties.

"After the last rites, people wait for the embers to cool to collect ashes for immersion. They can't travel to their homes in other districts at night and then turn up in the morning to collect the urn of ashes," said Mamtesh Sharma, the secretary of Bhadbhada crematorium.

Moreover, since hotels and guesthouses are shut due to the coronavirus curfew, many find it difficult to get food and shelter for the night, he said.

"With the help of some good Samaritans, we have made arrangements to feed kin of the deceased and make their night halt comfortable in our crematorium," Sharma said.

A double-door refrigerator has been donated to the crematorium to store food stuffs and water bottles that are being sent to the facility, he added.

According to Sharma, 60 people were cremated at the facility on Friday, and of them, 54 were COVID-19 patients, including 38 locals and 16 from outside Bhopal.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said that no jamun trees have been uprooted as part of the ongoing Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, and asserted that defining elements of built heritage like lamp posts will be restored.

The Union housing and urban affairs minister said that only a few trees will be transplanted as part of the project, claiming that the overall green cover will increase.

This comes a day after reports said that several jamun trees could be uprooted as part of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project.

"Do not believe in fake photos & canards about ongoing work at Central Vista Avenue. No Jamun trees have been removed. Only few trees will be transplanted in entire project. Overall green cover will increase. Defining elements of built heritage like lamp posts etc will be restored," Puri tweeted.

In another tweet, the minister said the new Central Vista Avenue will have more public space with refurbished lawns, paved walkways along Rajpath, improved landscape, clean canals, adequate public amenities, vending areas, public performance facilities, safe road crossings, non-disruptive facilities for public events etc.

The project will be ready in time to host the Republic Day parade in 2022, the 75th year of India's independence, he said.

The project is being executed by Shapoorji Pallonji and Co Pvt Ltd.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new Prime Minister's residence and office, and a new Vice President Enclave.

The government has been facing criticism from the Opposition for executing the Central Vista redevelopment project amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Attacking the government on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the project a "criminal wastage" and asked the dispensation to focus on people's lives during the pandemic.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor attacked Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday over his remarks that no fresh COVID-19 cases have been detected in 180 districts in the last seven days, saying it is sad to see the health minister occupy an "alternative reality while the nation gasps for breath".

In his virtual address at the 25th meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Saturday to discuss the pandemic situation, Vardhan said 180 districts have showed no fresh cases in the last seven days, 18 districts reported no cases in 14 days, 54 districts reported no infections in 21 days and 32 districts were bereft of any fresh cases in the last 28 days.

Tagging Vardhan's remarks, Tharoor tweeted, "It's sad to see Health Minister @drharshvardhan occupy an alternative reality while the nation gasps for breath & the world sees Indians suffering."

"Can one imagine Dr Fauci (and White House Chief Medical Adviser) celebrating SMSs, promoting faux medicines & endorsing unproven therapies? No one believes our figures," the former Union minister said.

ALSO WATCH:

Tharoor also tagged another tweet of Vardhan a few days ago in which he had noted that "our world-class Co-WIN platform ensured smooth rollout of beneficiary registration for Phase 3 of world's largest vaccine drive".

Vardhan mentioned in that tweet that in just three hours, 80 lakh people registered, 1.45 crore SMS were successfully delivered and 38.3 crore API hits recorded.

Taking a swipe at Vardhan, Tharoor tweeted, "SMS delivered as an indication of success in fighting #Covid?" The Congress leader also tagged a media report which claimed that the Indian Medical Association has demanded an explanation from Vardhan for "promoting" Patanjali's Coronil tablet, and tweeted, "Would love to see that explanation! The nation wants to know " In another tweet, Tharoor asked why is the government not spending the Rs 35,000 crore allocated in the budget and instead passing the burden of vaccine costs to states.

"Once Parliament has approved it, why does the government sit on the money? There's a record GST collection & windfall gains from fuel taxes.

Buy vaccines!!" the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

Tharoor also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Central Vista project by tagging two old media reports -- one quoting the PM as saying that every Indian will have a house in 2022 and the other on December 2022 being set as the deadline for readying the PM's new house as part of the Central Vista project.

"No wonder they call him the Pratham Sevak!!" Tharoor tweeted.
Kaleeswaram Raj By

Last Thursday, a Supreme Court Bench consisting of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah delivered a significant judgment. The court considered the plea by the Election Commission that sought to expunge certain oral observations of the Madras High Court against it. The Madras High Court, while considering COVID-19 related case, said that the EC was singularly liable for the second wave of pandemic by failing to regulate the crowds during the election and should probably face murder charges.

The media reported these observations. The EC was aggrieved by these oral strictures and the media reports about them. The Supreme Court rightly rejected the plea by holding that the institutions such as the EC are not immune from criticism. Our public constitutional institutions must find better responses than to complain, the court said. It also said that freedom of speech extends to reporting of judicial proceedings. It noted further: it would be retrograde for this court to promote the rule of law and access to justice on one hand and shield the daily operations of the High Courts and this court from the media in all its forms, by gagging the reporting of proceedings, on the other.

In addition to seeking expunging of remarks, the Commission asked for some form of media censorship as well, as far as court reporting is concerned. Although the court rejected this demand, this conduct of the Commission is an extension of its recent backsliding as a constitutional body. The EC has been accused of subserving those holding power at the Centre. The institution is criticised for alleged political bias and partisanship. It faces serious trust deficit. We have two basic enactments dealing with elections  The Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951.

The EC has a pivotal role under both the legislations. The Act of 1950 deals with delimitation of constituencies, preparation of electoral roll etc. The latter enactment deals with conduct of the election. Section 125 of this statute contains a significant warning. It penalises whoever promotes enmity between classes, in connection with election, on the ground of religion, community etc. It is a statutory deterrent against using hate to solicit votes. The law encompasses many such activities and label them as punishable offences. Preventing the offence is a sound forensic principle. Viewed so, the EC must act as a constant guard for maintaining a healthy democracy.

One can see that the coalition politics in India gave better functional autonomy to the EC. The period between 1989 and 2014 illustrates this point. The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi, in a 1996 survey found that the EC had captured the peoples trust and even the judiciary in India had to remain only next to it, in terms of publics faith. The nation witnessed the proactive impartiality of TN Seshan for whom the implementation of Model Code of Conduct was an integral part of any election. His tenure conveyed the message of free and fair election to the public at large. The point, however, is that the systemic deficits cannot be rectified by the emergence of individuals.

After the resurrection of the majoritarianism, political parties used religious feelings as an easy and effective tool to canvass votes. The Commission failed to check hate speech in (and since) 2014 when the BJP got majority in the Lok Sabha. The Congress, too, had played foul many a times when it enjoyed absolute majority. But due to an active judiciary and better ethics in politics during the period following the Independence, the institutional damage to the EC was minimal. The Commission has no police force of its own. It has no purse or sword.

For the conduct of election, it must depend upon the central forces and the state police. The recent Bengal election was marred by hate as a political device, for which the innocent public had to pay a heavy cost even in terms of their lives. Formed in 1950, the EC has travelled a long and difficult path since then. The body is chosen by the executive. The irony is direct and embarrassing - an appointee by the majoritarian executive is expected to act judiciously and independently, when confronted with political parties. This is a fundamental flaw in the design of the EC.

A free and fair process to select the EC is, therefore, an imperative for the fulfilment of its role as a neutral arbiter. An assertive EC should be politically nonaffiliative. It is also essential to minimise the ECs dependence on the executive for doing its constitutional duty. An independent law enforcing agency as visualised by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case (2006) can go a long way to ensure functional autonomy for the EC. In the Vineet Narain case (1997), the Supreme Court had evolved a select panel consisting of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the opposition leader for choosing the Central Vigilance Commissioner from a panel of outstanding civil servants and others with impeccable integrity, to be furnished by the Cabinet Secretary.

Likewise, a better select body was suggested to choose the CBI Director as well. The selection of the EC needs to have a representative, divergent and participative character. In his classic work, journalist Philip Coggan explained the crisis faced by the democracies in the West. His book published in 2013 had a cautioning title- The Last Vote. The electoral reforms in India need to begin with reimagining the EC. It should be revamped both structurally and functionally to preserve our electoral democracy.

Kaleeswaram Raj

Lawyer, Supreme Court

kaleeswaramraj@gmail.com
By PTI

MELBOURNE: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that the countrys borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

Australia's borders were slammed shut in March last year as the coronavirus spread across the world. Only citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to enter the country under some strict COVID-19 border rules.

On April 27, Australia suspended all direct passenger flights from India with immediate effect until May 15 due to the "very significant" spike in COVID-19 cases there.

According to media reports here, Morrison said he "doesnt see an appetite" for Australia opening to the world at the moment, and that he intended to be cautious

He further said that it was still unclear if it was safe to reopen even after the vaccination rollout completion and that he has no plans to abandon a "zero cases" target.

Morrison said that the country''s borders will remain closed indefinitely for the rest of the world so as to protect Australians from the deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains.

I think what we''re seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic is not going anywhere," Morrison said.

All I know is once you let (COVID-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. Youve crossed that threshold. We continue to roll out the vaccination programme, over the course of this year, and in the meantime, I intend to be cautious, its in my nature, he added.

"We have to be careful not to exchange that way of life for what everyone else has," he said.

In a later Facebook post, he warned borders would only be opened "when it is safe to do so. We still have a long way to go, and there are still many uncertainties ahead."

I think Australians want to ensure that the way were living at the moment is maintained, he said.

It follows Finance Minister Simon Birminghams comments on Thursday that international borders opening was unlikely to happen soon because there has been a clear message Australians do not want to risk COVID entering this country.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Australia are 29,906 and the death toll stands at 910.

A total of 2.5 million Australians have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to Federal Government figures.But the government has received criticism for its slow roll-out, falling well below its target of having four million adults given the jab by the end of March, according to a media report.

On May 7, Morrison said that Australia will charter three repatriation flights from India between May 15 and May 31. The first flight into Darwin will touch down on May 15. Direct commercial flights from India are still banned.

Morrison said flights being organised to repatriate stranded Australians will be "focused on bringing those Australian citizens, residents and families who have been registered with our high commission and consular offices within India."

Official figures say there are currently 9,000 Australians in India who want to return home.
By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday rejected a petition by jailed former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to go abroad on a medical visit, saying "there is no judicial provision that permits a jailed convict to go abroad for treatment".

The 76-year-old chief of main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who is serving a 17-year jail term on charges of embezzling foreign donations, has been temporarily released from prison amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zia contracted the virus in early April.

As per the doctors, she has now tested negative for the infection and is recovering at a hospital here.

"There is no judicial provision that permits a jailed convict to go abroad for treatment," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told a news briefing on Sunday, hours after the Law Ministry turned down a petition on her behalf seeking permission to fly abroad for further treatment.

Officials said the Law Ministry reviewed the legal scope and barriers for Zia's visit abroad and sent its opinion to the minister.

The government officially turned down the application after Zia's doctors said she had tested negative for the virus.

"The third phase test has found her COVID-19 negative but she is now in hospital for post COVID-19 treatments," said Zia's doctor and BNP vice chairman AZM Zahid Hossain.

Doctors close to the family said uncontrolled diabetes and arthritis had complicated the former prime minister's treatment.

"It is a matter of hope that she is showing a sign of progress, though her health condition requires her to stay in CCU (critical care unit) of the hospital," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

"You know she is suffering from different ailments many of which aggravated due to her imprisonment and age," he added.

Zia tested positive for coronavirus on April 11 and was admitted to a private hospital on April 27 after she had trouble breathing.

She was shifted to the hospital's critical care unit on May 3.

On May 6, Zia's younger brother Shamim Eskandar met the home minister seeking permission for Zia's treatment abroad.

The application was forwarded to the Law Ministry.

Zia is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018.

She was sent to jail by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and president Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006.

Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP.

She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.

In March 2020, Zia was released from jail for six months on condition that she would stay at home, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In March, the Bangladesh government extended the suspension of the sentence for a second time by six months.

Zia has served thrice as the premier of Bangladesh since 1991.

Her party suffered a miserable defeat in the 2018 elections bagging only six seats in the 300-seat parliament.

Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges de-barred her from contesting the polls.
By PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal's embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Monday to prove that he enjoys majority support in the lower house after the CPN (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpakamal Dahal "Prachanda" withdrew support to his government.

A special session of the lower house of Parliament has been called for Monday when Prime Minister Oli will try to win the confidence of the 275-member house to prove that he enjoys majority support, aiming to consolidate his grip in the party.

The prime minister's fate will be decided by Monday's voting for which the ruling CPN-UML has issued a whip to all of its lawmakers, urging them to cast their votes in favour of the prime minister.

After its alliance Nepal Communist Party, Maoist Centre led by Prachanda withdrew its support to the government, Oli's government is reduced to a minority one.

There are only 121 members of the lower house with the CPN-UML.

However, Oli hopes to garner majority in the voting with the support from other fringe parties during the crucial voting.

But Madhav Nepal led rival group within the ruling party, which commands support of 22 Parliament members, has warned to tender en masse resignation before the voting takes place, according sources close to CPN-UML Nepal faction.

The pro-Madhesi Janata Samajwadi Party has decided to remain neutral, not to vote either for or against Oli, during the voting.

Main Opposition Nepali Congress has already decided to vote against Oli during the voting.

Meanwhile, 28 members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Their swabs were collected recently ahead of the House of Representatives meeting.

Gopainath Yogi, secretary at the Parliament Secretariat, told PTI that arrangements are being made for the COVID-19 positive lawmakers to cast their votes in a separate room during the voting.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Oli's move to dissolve the House sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by his rival 'Prachanda'.

In February, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls.

Oli repeatedly defended his move to dissolve the House of Representatives, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a "parallel government".
WESTON  A local man is calling for changes within the police department and commission, as well as throughout the community, after he claims he was racially profiled.

Walter Simpson, who is a Black resident, spoke at Thursdays Police Commission meeting, describing his experience of a white neighbor calling the police on him while he was checking his mail one day in 2019, and then the unnecessary aggressive behavior from the responding officer.

Im not against the police department. Im not against the Weston police officers, Im not against the Weston Police Commission, Simpson said. What I am against is racial bias 911 calls, racial bias policing.

He said he was also troubled at how his complaint was treated by police officials.

Dozens of residents who spoke at the meeting expressed frustration at how it took 17 months for this incident to come to light, with some calling for the commissioners, especially Chairwoman Beth Gralnick, to resign and for the police chief to be fired.

Police Chief Ed Henion was not seen or heard from during Thursdays meeting, which was held as a Zoom webinar attended by hundreds of people. Commissioners said Henion, who did not respond to Hearst Connecticut Medias requests for comment, was present for the webinar.

Simpson is proposing adding a civilian police review panel to oversee complaints, community engagement training and a false alarm ordinance that would penalize people for making false 911 reports. He said all of these are directly connected to address his experience so it doesnt happen again and for the safety of all Black people in town.

Lets take something that was so ugly and turn it into something thats positive, he said.

Some of the commissioners apologized to Simpson for what he experienced and said they would take his recommendations and all of the comments into consideration, though Gralnick said there were no plans to reopen the investigation and said the officer didnt violate any policies or laws.

Some commissioners said they and the department are trying to improve policies and community interactions, as well as getting body cameras. Gralnick said they are improving their outreach to attract more diverse police officer candidates. The department has one Hispanic officer and a Korean officer on the force, but no Black officers.

I recognize the need for major adjustments to policies and procedures so all residents feel safe, Commissioner David Muller said.

More than 50 people spoke during the meeting, which lasted about 3 1/2 hours. It had to be rescheduled because so many people wanted to join the meeting on Tuesday after a letter to the editor appeared in Weston Today, describing Simpsons experience and asking people to come out and support him, exceeding the commissions usual 100-person Zoom cap.

Im really disgusted and upset, said Toyin, a resident and mother of three Black sons. I speak for fear of mothers who have Black boys in Weston.

Many of those who spoke expressed disgust and outrage at what Simpson experienced. Others also shared their own experiences in town, including being hesitant about going out for a run on the street and having the police called on them when they have relatives visiting.

I dont know Walter Simpson, but I also know him at the same time, resident Jaya Kolipaka said.

Its disheartening to see the response from all of you, she told the commission.

The incident

During the meeting, Simpson and his neighbors described how they usually wait by the mailboxes at the end of their road for their children to get off the school bus.

One day in November 2019, Simpson arrived there first and was checking his mail when a white woman called 911 and reported a suspicious man, Simpson and neighbors said during the meeting. A police officer arrived while Simpson was waiting for his daughter and confronted him, questioning if Simpson lived there, he said.

For me, his hand was a little too close to his gun, Simpson said Thursday.

He and others at the meeting said the officer only backed down when his white neighbor intervened and addressed Simpson by name.

Simpson said he went to the police department the next day and spoke with the chief, who helped him get the 911 recording. Simpson said at Thursdays meeting that he assumed his verbal complaint would be investigated and was surprised to learn eight months later when he shared his experience during a community call that no investigation was actually completed because a written complaint hadnt been filed.

He recounted at the meeting how he received a notice six months later that his complaint had been closed, though his neighbors, who were listed as his witnesses, said they were never contacted by the police department.

Simpson said he had also spoken with the commission and police officials about the incident, but said while initial exchanges were pleasant, Gralnick ultimately said the incident only lasted five minutes and the officer isnt the warm and fuzzy type. Simpson said she told him that since the officer broke no laws or policies, the commission was in agreement nothing more needed to be done.

During Thursdays meeting, Simpson said he wasnt injured, but questioned if it had to escalate to violence for the commission to take his complaint seriously.

Did I have to get shot first for the chair of the board of police to realize how dismissive and insensitive her comments were? he asked.

He now thinks about when its safest for him to get his mail and whether he should drive to his mailbox or walk, as well as whether he should go alone or ensure his wife and young daughters are with him.

A Black person shouldnt be shot or killed before a complaint against an officer is taken seriously, Simpson said.

During Thursdays meeting, Commissioner Peter Ottomano said the chief made Simpsons complaint his No. 1 priority after that initial meeting, listening to the 911 call and then provided the recording and discussed it with Simpson.

He said the chief told the commission he believed Simpson was satisfied with the explanation and the matter was resolved.

Ottomano said the officer who responded reached out to tell the 911 caller after the incident how badly mistaken she was and Simpson did nothing wrong. He also said dispatch had sent two cars when the call came in, but the responding officer realized nothing was wrong and called off the second car first thing.

Gralnick said the investigation was delayed because the written complaint was filed over the summer when the chief and responding officer had COVID-19, which impeded the probe.

Several commissioners also said a verbal complaint is recognized as a formal complaint under the policy and would look into what happened.

I apologize on behalf of the police commission for the distress this incident caused you and your family, Gralnick told Simpson during the meeting.

Proposed reform

Simpson is proposing the town establish initiatives, which he believes will address the 911 call, the interaction with the officer and how his complaint was handled.

He said creating a false-alarm ordinance will encourage people to call 911 only with true emergencies and discourage racially bias calls.

The second initiative would establish a community engagement program so the community and police officers can better understand each other through training and workshops. This could cover implicit bias training and deescalation, he said. It would also provide residents with insight into how officers approach situations.

Simpson said he hopes that program would foster healthy and safe relationships between the department and community.

The third would be to appoint a civilian review panel that was not affiliated with the department to oversee complaints made about the police and add impartial oversight.

Commissioners said they are residents elected to their post and already serve that role.

But the Simpsons and residents who spoke Thursday questioned how a board who hires the officers could be impartial when this complaint lingered as long as it did. Residents also questioned that the investigation was done by the supervisor who works with the officer and not an outside party.

Something clearly fell through the cracks, said Aria Simpson, Walter wife. There is still something broken. Until its fixed, an impartial group that looks at something objectively is still a priority.

Another concern was that the commission was comprised of older white men and women. Muller encouraged others to run and agreed the commission and all elected boards need to be more diverse in age and race to better reflect those who live in Weston.

Tom Barcello, a Weston resident who is also a police captain in Stamford, supported Simpsons proposals. He said the false-alarm ordinance could be difficult because of how many calls come in, but said Stamford has already launched a community engagement program and he said the independent review board made sense.

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee plans to discuss Simpsons proposals at its next meeting and formally bring them before the Board of Selectmen.

Other residents and civil liberties organizations also supported his recommendations.

Representatives from the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP offered to hold training for government leaders to address implicit biases.

The leadership in town needs diversity training, said Brenda Penn-Williams, president of the Norwalk NAACP chapter, adding this wasnt the first instance of racism in town. Ive come down with things happening at the high school and didnt like the results.

Stanley Okoro, a Black resident, said he too has to stay vigilant when he gets his mail, collecting it only when returning home, never when hes leaving.

Weston isnt inherently racist, just like America isnt inherently racist, but there are inherent biases in our structures that need to be confronted, he said.

Rev. Bernard Wilson said hes proud of the Weston Police Department, having served as the police chaplain for 15 years.

I know how hard they work to ensure people are treated with decency and respect, he said.

As an African American man, he said hes also keenly aware of the tension between police officers and the Black community and how encounters with Black men can turn quickly and unfortunately deadly.

He said the community and police department needed to come together, listen to each other and acknowledge mistakes so they could repair the racial tension in the country and town.

It is my prayer we leave this meeting, determined to make our community not just better but a model for other communities, Wilson said.
Patients with lasting symptoms of COVID-19 who completed a six week, supervised rehabilitation programme demonstrated significant improvements in exercise capacity, respiratory symptoms, fatigue and cognition, according to researchers at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre - a partnership between Leicester's Hospitals, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University.

The study, which is published in the journal Chronic Respiratory Disease today (Friday 7 May 2021), followed thirty patients who took part in face-to-face exercise rehabilitation classes twice a week over a period of six weeks. The programme included aerobic exercise, such as walking or using a treadmill, strength training of the arms and legs, and educational discussions to support symptom management based upon the information on the Your COVID Recovery platform.

Researchers found a statistically significant improvement in exercise capacity, as measured by scores of distance travelled and ability to keep going without a rest using incremental and endurance shuttle-walking tests. They also found that fatigue improved by 5 points on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Fatigue Scale over the six-week period. In addition, participants demonstrated improvement in their overall wellbeing and cognition, as measured by standardised clinical assessment tools.

Participants were referred through a hospital discharge follow-up telephone assessment, at a face-to-face COVID-19 clinic assessment, or via their GP. Individuals were offered the opportunity to take part if they displayed physical and/or psychological symptoms that were affecting their daily activities. Patients were excluded if they demonstrated acute symptoms, or were not medically stable (such as uncontrolled diabetes) or had only symptoms that were deemed unlikely to benefit from a pulmonary rehabilitation programme, such as loss of taste or smell.

Of the participants, there was an even split between men and women, with an average of 58 years. Eighty-seven per cent of participants were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, staying on average 10 days in hospital. Fourteen per cent required mechanical ventilation and were treated in an Intensive Care Unit. Four individuals had a pre-existing respiratory condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

We know that COVID-19 survivors present with a wide variety of symptoms and that a one-size-fits-all approach to managing these would not be appropriate. However, there are some overlap between the needs of COVID-19 survivors and patients who have accessed pulmonary rehabilitation [PR] for other conditions, such as COPD. So we modified our well-established PR course for COVID-19 survivors and measured their symptoms to assess whether the programme could be of potential benefit. We found there were significant improvements in clinical outcomes of walking capacity and symptoms of fatigue, cognition and respiratory symptoms - factors that patients tell us most affect their quality of life." Dr Enya Daynes, specialist pulmonary rehabilitation and research physiotherapist at Leicester's Hospitals and lead author of the study

Professor Sally Singh, head of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation at Leicester's Hospitals, professor at the University of Leicester and senior author of the paper, said: "This adapted rehabilitation programme for individuals following COVID-19 has demonstrated promising improvements in clinical outcomes. There were no drop-outs due to worsening symptoms and the high completion rate suggests that patients found it to be an acceptable treatment.

"There has been concern that rehabilitation may worsen or trigger symptoms of post-viral fatigue and that exercise therapy may exacerbate fatigue. The exercise element of this programme is progressed by staff experienced in delivering pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation programmes in line with patient's symptoms throughout the programme. Our results did not show that fatigue worsened among the group of patients on the study, and that many of their symptoms improved. This suggests an adapted pulmonary rehabilitation courses can be part of a spectrum of patient-centred and holistic approaches to treating the many different presentations of lasting COVID symptoms."

The research team acknowledges that as a cohort study there is no control group of people with similar symptoms who did not embark on the modified pulmonary rehabilitation course to offer a comparison and that further studies with a larger patient population are needed to confirm their preliminary findings.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Jau prison in Bahrain is a well-run facility with good medical provision and measures against COVID-19, said Roddy Drummond, the UK Ambassador to Bahrain.

I was pleased to visit Jau prison on 3 May with other Ambassadors. We were shown a well-run facility, with good medical provision and measures against Covid, with vaccinations offered to all prisoners.

I welcome this initiative by the authorities to be more transparent, the ambassador posted on his Twitter account.

The ambassador also hailed the visit as an initiative that provides a greater level of transparency. I welcome their engagement on difficult issues raised in the media.

I support Bahrains intent to continue to reform its judicial and prison system, including more use of alternative sentences. The ambassadors of Oman - The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Bahrain -, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, the US Charge affairs, the Russian Official of Consular Affairs, the Head of the European Union delegation residing in Riyadh, The Head of Mission of the International Organization for Migration and Acting Resident Coordinator of United Nations activities visited the centre.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

More than 15,000 new COVID-19 cases were detected in Bahrain in 13 days from April 20 to May 3 Health Ministry urged people to practice extreme caution in adhering to COVID-19 measures warning that the Kingdom recorded 15,000 cases in just 13 days.

This many cases, the ministry said, were reported from last month 20th to the third of this month.

The main culprit behind these surges is laxity in following preventive measures like social distancing and avoiding direct contact.

The ministry also attributed the surge in new infections to gatherings at home.

Contacts in public places and travel come next. The increase in infections is exerting tremendous pressure on the Kingdoms medical crew and those working in the front lines, the ministry said.

They deserve every support through strict adherence to the preventive measures, the ministry said.

The ministry also called on all to take their COVID-19 jabs to curb the spread of the virus. Separately, the National Medical Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus said that 78% of the 1,706 active COVID-19 cases recorded on Friday were not vaccinated.

The percentage of those unvaccinated cases in intensive care was 94% of 119 cases, the statement added.

The Taskforce also revealed that all four of the deaths reported yesterday were of persons not vaccinated.
BOSTON (AP)  Large event venues including TD Garden, Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium will be allowed to double their current capacities starting on Monday, and amusement parks will be permitted to reopen at half capacity as the state relaxes its COVID-19 restrictions.

The state is scheduled to move to the next step in its reopening plan, allowing large indoor and outdoor venues to increase capacity from 12% to 25%. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the shift last month, saying the state's coronavirus cases had fallen 20% since March.

Amusement parks and water parks will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity after submitting safety plans to state health officials, and road races will be permitted with staggered starts.

The next step in reopening is scheduled for May 29, subject to continued progress in case rates and vaccinations. That shift would expand gathering limits to 200 people for indoor events and 250 people outside. Street festivals and parades would be permitted at half their previous capacity, and certain restaurant rules would be lifted, including a requirement saying alcohol can only be served alongside food.

___

MAINE

Large vaccination clinics are beginning to slow down and close in Maine, but businesses aim to incentivize more vaccinations.

Employers can legally dismiss an employee if they can prove that an unvaccinated staff member would be a significant threat to others, but most are simply encouraging employees to get vaccinated.

And some are offering cold, hard cash to employees to get vaccinated.

In Portland, the owner of El Corazon is adding four hours to employees time cards  giving them four hours of extra pay  for getting vaccinated, WGME-TV reported. Across town at Flatbread Company, theyre paying employees a $100 wellness bonus if they get the shot. And Bangor Savings Bank is giving $500 to fully vaccinated workers.

The last thing we want is for another lockdown, El Corazon Restaurante Owner Joseph Urtuzuastegui said.

___

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration is offering low- and moderate-income homeowners the chance to apply for property tax relief as the economic recovery continues from the impact of COVID-19.

The department is accepting applications for its Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief program through June 30.

The department distributed more than $866,700 through the program last year, and nearly $45 million in total since the program launched in 2002.

Although the COVID-19 situation has improved from this time last year, we understand that many face financial challenges, Lindsey Stepp, department commissioner, said in a statement Friday. We will work with qualified individuals to make sure they have the option to apply for tax relief.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Saturday afternoon that more than 70 percent of Connecticut adults have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The announcement puts the state nearly two months ahead of the national goal set by President Joe Biden earlier this week to have 70 percent of adults in America receive at least their first dose by July 4.

The governor made the announcement via Twitter, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is updated daily. Lamont noted Connecticut is among the first states in the nation to reach the benchmark.

CDC data shows Vermont, Massachusetts and Hawaii have already surpassed that goal as well. The tiny Republic Of Palau, a U.S. territory holds the top vaccination rate with 92.8 percent of adults having received one shot or more.

According to the CDCs data, 1,989,426 people over the age of 18 in Connecticut have received at least one shot. That figure makes up just over 70 percent of the states adult population. Of the total population, just over 57 percent, or 2,034,240 have received at least one shot.

The state is allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to get the vaccine, however, the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNtech is the only shot currently given an emergency use authorization for people under the age of 18 through the Food and Drug Administration.

State leaders signalled this week they are preparing to expand the administration of that vaccine to adolescents through mass vaccination sites and other providers in anticipation of the FDA expanding the authorization to include children aged 12 to 15. That ruling is widely expected within the coming days.
The doctor in India had grave news, so Hiral Trivedi booked a flight.

It could be the last chance to see her mother while she was conscious, sick in a hospital with COVID-19 during a nationwide surge in cases that was only worsening. Then it dawned on her what it meant to travel halfway around the world when such a contagious disease was spreading ruthlessly and what might unravel when she returned to Jersey City three days later.

Overcome with a sense of helplessness, she broke down, her husband recalled.

Its a feeling of helplessness consuming an entire community of Hudson County residents with relatives and friends in India, where among the direst coronavirus story is playing out.

Its traumatic, Niraj Trivedi, Hirals husband, said. It weighs down on your brain and your heart heavy. Its very difficult to go about your normal life.

Members of Hudson Countys Indian diaspora said they are constantly checking in with family members living abroad. Medical organizations like the CarePoint Health Foundation have launched fund drives, aiming to purchase and distribute equipment abroad via professional connections.

Some doctors are also planning to travel to India to help.

International travel, meanwhile, has been an emerging challenge since the U.S. federal government halted travel from India for most non-U.S. citizens, said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

There has been an uptick of constituent requests among Indian Americans in Hoboken with respect to visa issues, he said.

In a country of more than 1 billion, Indias new COVID-19 cases in a single day are now topping 400,000. Less than 15% of the Indian population is vaccinated, and hospital beds, oxygen technology and everything in between is becoming increasingly scarce.

Dr. Achintya Moulick, the CEO of CarePoint Health, travelled to Kolkata just before the surge to visit his elderly parents who he said are now completely isolated.

My dad and mom wanted to see me because at 87 he didnt know whether hed see me again, Moulick said.

Since then, his WhatsApp group chats have brought constant news of friends with newly ill loved ones, he said. He and CarePoint Health Foundation President Paula Nevoso quickly created a relief fund to purchase supplies to send to hospitals at which he has direct connections.

Hackensack Meridian Health is in the process of sending 200 oxygen generators to medical centers in six Indian cities.

Some Hudson County doctors, like Christ Hospital Chief Cardiologist Dr. Michael Benz, have become informal medical consultants for friends, family and strangers abroad.

Im volunteering, Benz said. Anybody can call my sister or me directly. I advise what to do on the phone.

Benzs close family in India hasnt contracted the virus. Many of Dr. Karnik Patels family, however, had it just last week.

Every day before heading to his internal medicine practice in Hoboken, hed check in on them and ask for their temperatures and oxygen saturation, Patel said. They have since recovered, he said.

My grandma shes 91, so its hard because Im here, he said. I can only do so much here on the other side of the world.

Doctors here feel like they have the expertise needed to take on a COVID surge because of what the New York metro area experienced last spring, said Bayonne Medical Center Chief Hospital Executive Dr. Vijayant Singh.

Its that experience that motivated him to coordinate with medical peers to serve as relief surgeons and doctors in New Delhi, where he is from, later this month.

I think they need doctors, they need nurses, they need pharmacy technicians, Singh said. Anybody and everybody who has a health care background could be a great resource for India right now.

But for those outside the medical community, the options to assist are more limited.

After a panic attack brought Hiral Trivedi to cancel her trip, her mother became well enough to go home, where her family had been able to acquire an oxygen tank.

But her mother still has health complications from the virus and is still a 15-hour flight away.

The helplessness carries on, Niraj Trivedi said.
Editors note: This piece is part of Communities of New Jersey, a new series meant to highlight, showcase and cover communities underserved by large media organizations like NJ.com.

In Paterson, as it has been in many towns and cities across the country since the killing of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis Police Officer, the relationship between residents and police officers is more tense than it has been in years. Locally, allegations of police brutality and the arrests of 10 officers in the last few years are fresh in city residents mind.

I cant speak for all citizens, and Paterson has problems with crime, but Im more comfortable with drug dealers than I am with policemen, said Diana B., a resident who declined to give her last name. Our city is largely Black and brown (Latinx and Middle Eastern), and we have had issues with police presence and enforcement in our city. They arent actively and aggressively patrolling more prosperous areas like Pompton Lakes.

As of the most recent Census data available, more than 60% of Patersons residents identified as Hispanic or Latino. More than 26% of its residents identified as Black.

For Andre Sayegh, whos been mayor of the 145,000-person city since 2018, one of the ways to restore trust between the 380-member police department and the community is to bring back foot patrols, which were slashed when the coronavirus pandemic began. The move then was financial, the department was struggling with layoffs and attrition. Plus, when COVID-19 struck, officers stayed off the streets for medical concerns, officials said. Walking through busy neighborhoods and talking to business owners and residents became a dangerous prospect, as first responders fell ill with the virus, Sayegh said.

But now, as coffers have refilled, more people have been vaccinated against the virus, crime has spiked, and tension between residents and police has risen, Sayegh and City Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale say its the right time to bring foot patrols back.

Police Chief Ibrahim Mike Baycora, declined to comment for this story.

If you take the temperature of the country as far as policing is concerned, its been a really tough stretch, Sayegh said. In Paterson, the operative word is trust.

The mayor said he hopes that police presence will breed a comfortable familiarity among Paterson neighborhoods, citing the mere exposure effect, a psychological phenomenon where people eventually prefer things and people theyre more familiar with.

The more you see someone, the more likely youll gravitate towards that person or have a favorable opinion of that person, said Sayegh.

We believe that having walking patrols in neighborhoods and commercial districts will help us achieve a better level of trust in the community that the police protect and serve.

So, since April 11, teams of two officers  a veteran and a rookie  have been walking one of several beats throughout the city, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, said Speziale. As of April 13, there were 20 officers assigned to foot patrols, with the expectation for that to eventually grow to 30 officers.

The teams will focus on hotspots  areas most affected by violent and drug crimes, said Speziale.

Local officials said addressing rising crime rates directly is a necessity. Paterson recorded 27 homicides in 2020, its highest number in more than three decades, Sayegh previously told NJ Advance Media.

But residents in New Jerseys third largest city say theyre equally as concerned about the police departments recent past.

Over the past few years, eight city officers have been arrested by the FBI as part of a corruption probe. As of February, five of the officers had been convicted and are waiting sentencing, NorthJersey.com reported. Two had already been sent to prison, according to the report.

Since January 2019, when Paterson resident Jameek Lowery died after an interaction with police, residents have been wary of the encounter.

Lowery had walked into a Paterson Police station asking for help after taking ecstasy and becoming paranoid. Prosecutors said he became violent as they put him into an ambulance. Two days later, Lowery died at the hospital of cardiac arrest during active psychosis while under the influence. His death was ruled accidental and the police officers who restrained Lowery as they loaded him onto the ambulance were cleared of using excessive force. But local reaction to the incident remains skeptical, and a lawsuit filed July on behalf of the mother of Lowerys child insists that Paterson police used excessive force when they detained him.

Then, last month, two city police officers were charged with assault after a video showed them repeatedly punching a 19-year-old. The investigation was prompted by a surveillance video that circulated on social media that showed the officers repeatedly punching city resident Osamah Alsaidi while he was walking on a city street.

Alsaidi claimed he was walking to his car after work when the officers approached and started punching me for no reason. The officers were charged with depriving a victim of his Constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers and with filing a false police report.

Its all made residents doubt the effectiveness of foot patrols.

An increase in police presence doesnt mean an increase in safety, but often times can mean an increase in police violence and abuse, said Zellie Thomas, a teacher in the city and a leader of Paterson Black Lives Matter. The department is untrustworthy. If people cant feel safe with police, then we need to create alternatives to keep our community safe.

City resident Jose Torres Caballero said the patrols might make a difference, but only if the officers involved are targeting crime hot spots, like Patersons fourth ward.

They should be placed in the infected areas and not in the nice areas where the cops will get invited into peoples homes or businesses for coffee while crimes are taking place on the other side of the city, he said, noting hes seen the latter happen in the past.

Sayegh said he hoped that city residents could see past even the most recent transgressions, and learn to trust the majority of the police department who want to serve the public.

We want our officers to interact with merchants and residents alike, to give them every assurance that policing is still a noble profession and that the actions of a few bad apples should not impede very effective officers from doing their jobs, Sayegh told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday.

So its putting in that extra effort to bear in mind, Look, we understand that this happened as far as unscrupulous officers are concerned, he added. However, they should not have you change your mind about us.

As the foot patrols are underway, Patersons department is also undergoing what Sayegh says he hopes are overhauls that will bring the department forward in terms of accountability and transparency.

Last January, Sayegh, alongside Baycora, announced the city would conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the police department. Sayegh said the results of the audit are forthcoming.

Also last January, the department announced plans to equip 150 officers in its patrol division with body-worn cameras by the end of March.

On a recent shadowing of the foot patrols, officers were seen performing some enforcement activities, like writing tickets, and just chatting with residents passing by. For Public Safety Director Speziale, who said the effort is about community policing, those chats are the whole point.

Theyre not there with hats and bats to bang people around, he said. This is just to have a presence, keep crime down and make people feel good where they are, in their homes and their neighborhoods and their businesses.

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Youve heard about the Quarantine 19 and how the average Americans pandemic weight gain resembles the Freshman 15, the number of added pounds that famously follow high schoolers into college.

Get ready for a mashup well call the COVID 15, except that it has nothing to do with pounds unless you are paid in British currency.

Most of America may be headed toward a $15 minimum wage, even if Congress continues its gridlock over raising the national per-hour legal pay above its paltry, disgusting $7.25. For states such as New Jersey, which are already more than halfway to the $15 level, thats probably good news  but there could be pitfalls ahead.

Lets start with a startling observation about Wawa. Although summertime employee shortages have plagued the chains Shore locations for years, this time its serious: Wawa announced that it might have to engage in rolling, temporary store closures, like Texas or California shutting off power to avoid a huge blackout. A busy Somers Point location shut down last week and may not be able to resume full operation until June 10, a company spokesperson said.

Its not just Wawa, which pays reasonably well and offers decent benefits. An NBC News report last week indicated that nine Atlantic City casinos held a job fair to fill 1,800 positions but closed it early when only 20 people showed up. Featured was a Golden Nugget executive who complained about managers having to clean guest rooms.

If this is playing out in the COVID-19-decimated casino industry, wracked with unemployment last year, its a microcosm of whats happening all over. Many New Jersey businesses have already boosted wages to $15 an hour or more. Others are sure to follow, although state law says that employers dont need to start paying that much until 2024.

Should New Jersey accelerate the start date of that $15 minimum, since its already happening in real time? While its hard to argue that anything less than $15 is not enough  right now  for a living wage in this state, there are consequences that should be checked out before abrupt moves are made.

One thing to consider: How much of whats going is a COVID-19 fluke? If employers like Wawa and the amusement piers have problems finding hires every summer, then its not a unique pandemic circumstance.

However, many employers note that they cant recruit summer help from overseas as they normally do, and that even an elevated pay rate will not lure back ex-employees who are still afraid to come into contact daily with perhaps hundreds of possibly unvaccinated customers.

The restaurant industry cites pandemic-enhanced unemployment benefits that laid-off workers are still receiving, making it easier to decide to stay on the couch. Some officials deny that an extra $300 or $600 a week makes people more work-averse, but eatery owners whove actually contacted exes about returning say thats exactly what theyve heard from refusniks.

New Jersey should not follow the renegade states that have tried to cut off the extra benefits early, although it makes sense to reevaluate them before extending them in the fall.

Finally, some businesses seeking to fill vacant jobs without raising wages have compensated recruits in other ways. There are sign-on bonuses, college tuition help, plus health coverage and sick time in sectors that havent normally provided them, especially for part-timers. The one-shot bonuses can be withdrawn at any time. They represent a cold-hearted calculation by employers against granting regular wage increases, which are harder to claw back.

However, what good is an extra $3 or $5 an hour if that pushes a head of household beyond the limits for Medicaid, housing assistance, etc., worth hundreds of dollars a month? Our safety-net programs need to get in line with higher pay rates, and not unjustly penalize families receiving badly needed extra income.

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In 1955, when his discovery began to save countless frantic families from the ravages of polio, the obscure scientist who led the greatest public health experiment in history was asked who owned the vaccine he had just developed.

Well, the people, Id say -- there is no patent, Jonas Salk replied, before adding with a modest laugh, Could you patent the sun?

Salks vaccine could have brought him $7 billion in riches, but the alternative he chose resonates today: Some medical innovations are too important not to share  especially when they save lives -- and as Covid continues its rampage across the planet, the task of vaccinating billions must take priority over the creation of vaccine billionaires.

The Biden Administration agrees, and Americans should be proud that the US is asserting its leadership during a global health crisis that has killed 3.2 million by supporting the waiver of vaccine patents so that production can be ramped up around the world.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai could not be more plain: Extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures, she said, while reiterating the administrations strong belief in intellectual property protection.

This is the only way to reach every country with vaccines, and it cannot happen without the US taking the first step. Variants are spreading, and outbreaks could occur anywhere, so it is in Americas own interests to lead this global fight.

.@AdyBarkan: "If the US discovers a vaccine first, will you commit to sharing that technology w/ other countries? And will you ensure there are no patents to stand in the way of other countries & companies producing those life-saving vaccines?"



Biden: "Absolutely, positively" https://t.co/mjfYUAB8t6  Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) May 4, 2021

Moreover, we cannot turn our backs on India, where there are 400,000 new cases daily. We cannot ignore Brazil, where 2,500 die each day. We cannot forget the African continent, where only 18 million shots have been administered out of the 1.1 billion worldwide.

We also cannot forget that this medical breakthrough happened largely with public support: Operation Warp Speed was seeded with $10 billion in federal funds, accelerating development and removing risk. Moderna announced in October that it wouldnt enforce its patent rights.

Indeed, Big Pharma has begun to squawk, with stock prices for these manufacturers taking a hit in the days after Tais announcement. And patent waivers still require full agreement from the World Trade Organization, which works on consensus.

But as Dr. Anthony Fauci points out, the US has a moral obligation to share the vaccine worldwide. This is not without precedent: When millions were without AIDS treatment decades ago, the Bush Administration and WTO led the effort to allow production of these medicines in other countries.

The Covid virus will not be beaten until we increase vaccine production, and that cannot happen without sharing the formula, materials, and expertise to make it in developing nations. It is an act of humanity that America is known for.

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Editor's Note This article is brought to you by 1681 Reflections of Life.

For Demond James, a candle is much more than a decoration or an aroma in a room. Its a way to set the tone of the space, inspire peoples moods and create a memorable and positive experience.

To me, it is very soothing to have a nice scent anytime you walk into a space, said James. A scent can be light but memorable at the same time. When you add in the look of the candle and the vessel it is in, it creates an eye-catching flair that makes a space unique and special.

James is the creator and owner of 1681 Reflections of Life candles, a new internet-based business that sells hand-crafted candles that are all 100 percent organic, vegan, hypoallergenic and antifungal. Each candle has a burn time of 70 to 85 hours and is hand-poured with vegetable and coconut wax.

For James, the business has been something of a passion project. Initially, the native of Reserve, Louisiana worked exclusively as an interior designer, where he often used candles when staging homes. He started thinking about opening his own business, but it wasnt until last years COVID-19 pandemic that he began to take serious steps to make it happen.

The pandemic actually allowed me the time to just mentally put things into perspective and focus on something I had always wanted to do, said James, who now lives in Geismar. Ive always been extremely hands-on through this process. I worked on drawing the logo and working with a graphic designer to bring it to life. I flew to Miami four or five times in a month to work with partners and make sure everything was exactly how it needed to be. This is definitely a passion of mine.

Even the name of the business is a personal reflection of James, as it represents January 6. That date is James birthday and also the Biblical date in which the Three Kings followed the stars to Bethlehem to visit baby Jesus.

Its an incredibly special and blessed day, he said. In many other countries, its more important than Christmas or New Years.

1681 Reflections of Life now offers a variety of candles such as Royal Aura, with bergamot, tea, white florals, sandalwood, amber and musk; Majestic Pillar, with washed amber, peony petals, orange blossom, oud wood, blushed suede, tobacco flower, saffron, sandalwood, vanilla and blossom; Noble Ambiance, with bergamot, lemon, lemongrass, magnolia, jasmine, lily, koa wood and musk; and Monarchy, with nutmeg, lemon, bergamot, black tea, marine, jasmine, amber, musk and vanilla.

Fragrances and candle vessels are also available. The large vessels can hold candles that are 285 ounces, with a burn time of 2,200 hours.

The scents are all very unique and one-of-a-kind, James said. I wanted to create scents that are soothing and light and that really create a positive atmosphere.

Currently, 1681 Reflections of Life offers home fragrances for $35, an 11-ounce vessel for $50, a pack of four three-ounce vessels for $65 and 225-ounce vessels (two feet each) for $425.

The candles and products are currently available on James website, https://1681-reflections-of-life.square.site/. He can also be found on Instagram at 1681_reflectionsoflife_.
Government will, this month, start rolling out eight additional interventions under the Ghana's Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support Scheme (Ghana-CARES) programme, to create more jobs and boost the Ghanaian economy.



The 100-billion Ghana cedi programme, also known as "Obaatanpa" would witness the implementation of various projects in the health, agriculture, tourism, trade, digitization and technology as well as housing and social services sectors.



Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, announced this at the Minister's press briefing in Accra, on Sunday, to update the public on key government programmes and progress made so far.



The media encounter held on the topic, "Rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy, "was also intended to address the concerns raised by the campaigners of #Fixthecountry Movement.



Mr Ofori-Atta said government would also begin the implementation of $250 million Jobs and Skills Development programme to create jobs in the private sector businesses, instead of expanding government employment schemes.



The Minister said, in the coming days, his outfit would collaborate with the Water Resources and Sanitation Ministry to address water challenges, especially in the urban centres to ensure regular flow of potable water from the taps.



It would also work collaboratively with the Ministries of Transport and Roads and Highways to tackle traffic congestion on the highways.



In July this year, he said, a new Development Bank would be set up to provide long-term financing to the private sector through commercial banks.



Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the rate of growth of the public debt had been lower under the Akufo-Addo-led Government than under previous administrations.



"The rate of debt growth was lower despite massive investments in our flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, NABCo, One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances while maintaining macroeconomic indicators and exchange rate stability," Mr Ofori-Atta emphasised.



"We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done. To fix what is broken and Government and I are determined and committed to do just that," he assured.



The Minister underscored the need to keep the healthy conversation and dialogue on fixing the economy going so that "we can have a collective action to deal with the country's challenges".



He announced a hashtag 'Fix this together and save our country'

Source: GNA









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The union representing American Airlines flight attendants is lashing out at a memo from company leaders urging them to forgo getting food and hustle to get to planes on time, even when being called in last minute to crew a flight.

In a letter to members Thursday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said guidance from the company for getting to planes earlier was insulting after months of dealing with grumpy passengers, enforcing mask mandates and putting themselves in harms way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It now seems that skipping food runs on the way to the airplane and monitoring traffic patterns should be our new normal, said the letter from APFA President Julie Hedrick. This company continues to demonstrate just how out-of-touch they are with flight attendants, ignoring the fatigue-inducing trip construction and the constant battles over mask compliance.

The flight attendants rebuke comes as American Airlines is trying to gear up for a summer travel season that is anticipated to be much busier than last year. Meanwhile, the company just finished recalling thousands of flight attendants who were on furlough or voluntary leave from cost-cutting measures that were eventually resolved with government aid.

But even during pandemic-hampered 2020, American Airlines fell further behind competitors in terms of on-time percentage.

And if taking time for meals is a problem now, it could get much worse as airports say they are struggling to find restaurant and store workers heading into the summer travel season.

The memo from American was posted for flight attendants to read Monday, giving some tips and things to consider to be sure theyre on time and ready to go, according to the View from the Wing blog, which posted the memo.

The memo gives directions for flight attendants, such as charging tablets before leaving home or hotels, and leaving a few minutes early to give ample time for roadway traffic and Transportation Security Administration security lines.

Union leaders took issue with some of the directions, particularly for flight attendants on reserve or standby.

You may not have time to stop and get food, etc., on the way to the plane  particularly if youre called at the last minute, so keep that in mind, the memo read.

The union is in the midst of restarting contract negotiations with American as the carrier emerges from the pandemic. American flight attendants have long complained that the companys technology forces far too many crew members to be on standby reserve at each airport. Reserve crew members, both pilots and flight attendants, are required to be at the ready to fly, but only get partial pay during that time unless called on to fly.

American sees this as a golden opportunity to make our lives more difficult by increasing reserve seniority and throwing 27% of a crew base on reserve instead of working to make our lives easier in this challenging environment, Hedricks letter said. American Airlines seems to have forgotten that flight attendants spend the most time with our customers.

It is time that we are recognized for our work and our sacrifices instead of receiving a callous communication asking us to skip a meal while on duty, the letter said.

--

Kyle Arnold of The Dallas Morning News wrote this story.

2021 The Dallas Morning News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BENGALURU, India  Since India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping across the country, the pace of administering the shots has dropped with states saying they only have limited stock to give out.

Cases meanwhile are still rising at record pace in the worlds second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccinations, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are undercounts.

Indias Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an oxygen audit to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which stepped in earlier this week to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in the capital, New Delhi.

The countrys massive vaccination drive kicked off sluggishly in January when cases were low and exports of vaccines were high, with 64 million doses going overseas. But as infections started to rise in March and April, Indias exports drastically slowed down so doses went to its own population. So far, around 10% of Indias population have received one shot while just under 2.5% have got both.

At its peak in early April, India was administering a record high of 3.5 million shots a day on average. But this number has consistently shrunk since, reaching an average of 1.3 million shots a day over the past week. Between April 6 and May 6, daily doses have dropped by 38%, even as cases have tripled and deaths have jumped sixfold, according to Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistician at the University of Michigan who has been tracking Indias epidemic.

One reason for the drop in shots is that there are just not enough available, experts say. Currently, Indias two vaccine makers produce an estimated 70 million doses each month of the two approved shots  AstraZeneca, made by the Serum Institute of India, and another by Bharat Biotech.

Vaccine supply has remained nearly the same since the drive began in January, but the target population eligible has increased by threefold, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a health policy expert. In the beginning, India had far more assured supply available than the demand, but now the situation has reversed, he added.

In Kerala state, the drive to inoculate all adults is crawling along because our single biggest problem is the very slow arrival of supplies, said the states COVID-19 officer, Amar Fetle.

In New Delhi, many are waiting for hours outside vaccination centers  but only after theyve been able to book a slot.

For Gurmukh Singh, a marketing professional in the city, this has been impossible. It gets really frustrating, having so many hospitals and vaccine centers around but not being able to get access because they are all pre-booked, he said.

Family members pay last respect to their relative Rajendra Prasad Mishra, a 62-year-old man who has lost his life from coronavirus infection before cremation at River Ganges at Phaphamau in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)AP

Experts also point to a new policy change by the government, which has upended how doses are being distributed.

Previously, all of the stock was bought by the federal government and then administered to the population through both public and private health facilities.

But from May 1, all available stock has been divided in two, with 50% purchased by the government going to public health centers to inoculate those above 45. The remaining half is being purchased by states and the private sector directly from manufacturers at set prices to give adults below 45.

This has led to lags as states and private hospitals, still adjusting to new rules, struggle to procure supplies on their own.

You have now taken it out of a fairly efficient system where every dose was still centrally-controlled, said Jacob John, a professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. But with market forces at play and unprepared states burdened with such a daunting task, the efficiency of the system has fallen.

Things could change in the coming months, as the government last month gave an advance to the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, which could help boost manufacturing. And last week, India received its first batch of Sputnik V vaccines. Russia has signed a deal with an Indian pharmaceutical company to distribute 125 million doses.

But with vaccines currently in short supply, there are worries that those most in need are missing out. The goal should be to prioritize preventing deaths, which means fully vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, a microbiologist at Christian Medical College, Vellore.

You need to give it (earlier) to people who are more likely to die first, Kang said.

___

Krutila Pathi of The Associated Press wrote this story. AP journalists Rishabh R. Jain and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed to this report.
There are two proposed changes to Pennsylvanias State Constitution on this primary election ballot, which together would give the state legislature power to rescind emergency declarations after just 21 days with a simple majority vote. Presently the legislature has that power, but it requires a veto-proof 2/3 majority.

Admittedly Pennsylvania state legislators are good at many things:

 Gerrymandering their districts into shapes resembling alien microscopic life-forms, all but guaranteeing their re-election.

 Maintaining their bloated membership  Pennsylvania has the largest full-time legislature in the country (253), followed by California (120), and the second largest overall behind only New Hampshires part-time legislature (426) whose members receive an annual salary of $100.

 Accepting automatic annual cost-of-living pay increases on top of their base salary of $90,335.

 Receiving compensation for their per diem expenses ranging from $178 to $200 without having to submit any receipts to justify those expenses.

 Keeping their pensions even if convicted of a felony, except when that felony involves executing their legislative duties, a restriction only added in 2019.

Gov. Tom Wolf signed an emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic on 3/6/2020. If these proposed constitutional changes had been in effect, the legislature could have rescinded that declaration on 3/27/2020 with a simple majority vote, a truly horrifying thought.

One might disagree with specific decisions Wolf made during the emergency, and future governors might make different ones, but the proposed constitutional changes should create longer term concern for Pennsylvanians than potentially the actual pandemic.

Thanks to the scientific and healthcare communities, we have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19. We will never have a vaccine to protect us from the political machinations of the state legislature.

On May 18th vote No on Amendments 1 and 2.

Joe Hannon, Scranton Pa.
By Alejandra Molina

It took some getting used to, but sister Maria Minerva Morales is now a faithful user of a cell phone app where she documents her interactions with people she ministers to.

Through the app, Morales  who is part of the Catholic congregation Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate  documents the name, gender and age of the people she interacts with or those who seek her help. She notes whether its the first time shes spoken to the person and whether they met up in person, over the phone or through Zoom. She also documents the nature of their meetings.

The app, which her fellow sisters began using around early March 2020, was developed by Catholic Extension  a nonprofit that invests in churches and ministries in working-class communities  to track nuns interactions and the kinds of resources they needed to do their ministry. As COVID-19 struck the nation, the nuns recordings may have been scarcer at first because they were no longer publicly meeting people, but as they logged their virtual and phone interactions, certain trends began to emerge.

Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts  especially among the Latino immigrant community  were common themes the nuns were documenting and encountering in their ministry.

This kind of documentation has helped Morales, who is based in the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas, quantify the mental health needs of the people they were assisting.

This has helped me see the amount of people who have suffered from depression through the pandemic, Morales said.

The sheer trauma the sisters have encountered is palpable, said Joe Boland, vice president of Mission at Catholic Extension.

You can see in the numbers how much mental health was just a real concern, Boland said. Thats what the sisters were encountering. Our sisters are not psychologists and were not going to make them psychologists over night.

The sisters are part of Catholic Extensions U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program that assists parishes in the U.S. lacking Spanish-speaking leaders in their churches. The sisters help congregations address the spiritual needs of Latino immigrants in their neighborhoods.

Since using the app, 30 sisters across the country, from Arkansas to California, have logged 18,000 interactions.

Through her interactions, sister Zuly Cardenas has encountered issues dealing with unemployment and people who are depressed and have expressed suicidal thoughts. Issues have emerged with more people being indoors during lockdown measures.

We can really see all the need that people require in this moment, said Cardenas, who is based in the Diocese of Sacramento.

As a result of these trends, many of those sisters will undergo specific training to address the types of trauma they are encountering in their communities.

Through the Trauma Recovery Associates, a nonprofit created by the Rev. Kenneth Schmidt and psychologist Sharon Froom, the sisters will undergo training that can help those they minister to identify conflicts, unlearn specific distortions, develop self awareness, and regulate feelings related to trauma.

The program emerged from a parish in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as leaders sought to address trauma in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. More than 600 people in the Diocese of Kalamazoo have completed the program, according to Catholic Extension. This program has evolved to address different kinds of trauma, Boland said.

With added training, the sisters will also learn when to refer others to seek professional help, Boland added.

On top of that, the sisters have taken courses on psychology as they work to earn degrees from St. Marys University of Minnesota, Boland added.

Boland said the app was created to help measure the sisters impact, but, in addition to that, it wound up being a diagnostic tool about how can we support the sisters work in their communities.

To Boland, its all about how we as a church could be responding to the very human and real needs our people are facing.

This article was first published by Religion News Service.
A person wears a face mask as they walk through McGill University during light snowfall in Montreal, Sunday, December 20, 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
After hospitality workers went through unprecedented layoffs and furloughs last spring, industry leaders predicted some of them would not be coming back.

What has not been clear, though, is just how many would end up leaving the sector to pursue a different career path.

According to a survey of hospitality workers from Florida Atlantic University, that could be a substantial number. More than one-third of respondents said they will be looking for employment outside of the industry in the next year, and much-needed entry-level workers are even more likely to pursue jobs in fields other than hospitality in the months ahead.

Poll results "clearly indicate" that workers are "fed up" with the industry and are looking to get out, Peter Ricci, director of the university's hospitality and tourism management program, said in an FAU announcement about the survey.

Hospitality gigs have long had a reputation for demanding long hours and offering low pay  and staffing shortages, COVID-19 concerns and particularly rude customers haven't made the job any easier lately.

Hospitality needs "a full overhaul in its staffing levels, pay rates and employee treatment," to address the current crisis, Ricci said.

The FAU survey was conducted in March and April and includes responses from more than 4,000 hospitality workers spanning 46 countries, including every U.S. state and territory.

Poll results show most hospitality workers felt employers were too quick to lay off or furlough them.

Most hospitality layoffs in South Carolina occurred in late March and early April last year, with total weekly unemployment claims  most of which were attributed to the hospitality sector  peaking at more than 87,600 the week of April 5, 2020, according to data from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

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About 70 percent of respondents said they think COVID-19 will have a long-term negative impact on the tourism industry, and nearly half said they have concerns about the stability of their employment long-term.

Around a third of entry-level workers said they often think about quitting their organization and leaving hospitality and tourism altogether.

But the study did conclude that "there is a possibility" that employers can bring workers back into the industry or prevent them from leaving if they reach them personally. About 64 percent of respondents said they feel like they are "part of a family" at their organization, have an emotional attachment or have a "strong sense of belonging."

Ricci also referenced efforts some hotels and restaurants are making to attract talent, like offering $500 bonuses to new employees, a tactic used recently at Charleston-area job fairs.

In early April, a region-wide job fair outside the North Charleston Coliseum, hosted by Explore Charleston and the Lowcountry Hospitality Association, offered $500 bonuses, and both organizations have scheduled a second job fair with the same bonus offer on May 12 in Mount Pleasant's Cooper River Room.

At its own April hiring event, Hotel Bennett on King Street also offered $500 sign-on bonuses.

As of March, about 235,700 South Carolinians were employed in the leisure and hospitality sector, still down 11 percent from the year before. In Charleston, the recovery of tourism jobs has been slower, with hospitality employment in March down 14.5 percent year-over-year.

At its worst last spring, the industry had laid off or furloughed two-thirds of its workforce in the Charleston region.
It's becoming clear that reaching herd immunity through vaccines won't happen any time soon  if at all  as South Carolina's public health leaders are beginning to say it might not be possible to convince everyone they should get a shot.

Only about 2 percent of the state's adult population is becoming fully vaccinated against COVID-19 each week. At the current pace, it would take at least another five months to get 70 percent of people inoculated.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control says it is working to understand what vaccine skeptics have in common, and is tuning its messages about vaccines to certain communities to correct some of the disparities that have shown themselves in the rollout so far. But that doesn't change the fact that more than 230,000 eligible South Carolinians are still missing even their first dose of the vaccine.

Across South Carolina, providers are reporting low traffic. A mass vaccination site at the Columbia Place Mall that gets a special allocation from the federal government, for example, could be giving 1,000 doses every day. Instead, it's averaging 315.

And with six weeks having passed since eligibility opened to every adult in the state, complaints that the vaccine isn't accessible enough for the public are beginning to ring hollow.

It isn't all bad news: Three-quarters of South Carolina's seniors, the group at highest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19, have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Cases of COVID-19 are in a plateau  though a fairly elevated one  and the number of reported deaths is falling.

But the threat of variants that could spread rapidly in the unvaccinated population and give South Carolina another surge looms large.

"It may very well be that we will not eliminate this virus. But that's not a reason not to get vaccinated," said Dr. Jane Kelly, assistant state epidemiologist at DHEC. "If not enough people are vaccinated, then this virus has a huge pool of susceptible people to infect and continue to mutate. This is a setup for variants to emerge against which vaccines won't work."

Faced with a trickle in demand compared with the surge seen before, providers are beginning to shift their strategies.

Roper St. Francis decided to close its mass vaccine site at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center and shift its supply of the Pfizer vaccine across its five urgent care sites. Dr. Robert Oliverio, one of the health system's chief medical officers, said it became clear any hope of reaching herd immunity can't hang on a centralized effort.

"We've done what we can with the drive-thru concept," Oliverio said. "We're not going to get to 70 percent doing the same thing that we've been doing all along."

A low rate in the Lowcountry

Much of the talk about vaccine access revolves around getting doses to the remotest parts of the state, which might lack hospitals and pharmacies.

The fact is, however, that the majority of South Carolina's unvaccinated population doesn't live in a rural area, and less populated places in South Carolina don't always have lower vaccination rates compared to dense ones, a Post and Courier analysis found.

Berkeley County is an example.

Next door, Charleston and Georgetown counties have rates among the top three counties in the state, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Berkeley County's rate is middling.

Access and convenience continue to be the biggest obstacles, Berkeley County Emergency Management Director Ben Almquist suggested, adding that DHEC's chosen approach didn't "make sure vaccines were readily available everywhere."

"We continue to push public education and are working with all of our partners to provide as many vaccine events as possible, but until the vaccines can be made conveniently available for everyone, we likely won't see much change," he said in a statement.

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Yet dozens of vaccine locations have been open in Berkeley County for weeks, at local pharmacies, grocery stores, pop-up clinics and primary care offices.

Greg Habib, the mayor of Goose Creek, said even so, vaccines haven't been consistently available in some parts of the county, particularly its more sparsely populated areas.

Now, Habib said skepticism is an issue, noting it is unfortunate the vaccine's roll-out has "become political."

Anyone who folks respect need to be seen getting the vaccine. I think that will encourage some folks to get the vaccine," he said.

But the harder the government tries to force vaccines onto people, the more resistant they might be, Christie Rainwater, the mayor of Hanahan, said. Rainwater, who has taken the vaccine and experienced side effects, said she doesn't feel authorities should be pushing people on their personal health choices.

"Does everyone need to get vaccinated? I feel like everyone is so concerned about getting the vaccine, the truth is that our goal is not to get everyone the vaccine. Its to save lives, and somewhere along this journey weve lost track of that," she said. "If we are there already, why are we pressuring people to get the vaccine?"

Some demographic groups less likely

President Joe Biden set a goal of getting one dose into 70 percent of Americans by July 4. South Carolina would have to more than double its current pace to do that.

"We're going to have to bring the vaccine to people who are less eager," Biden said in a briefing with reporters May 4. He also acknowledged "we're going to be vaccinating into next fall."

Polls start to paint a picture of what people who won't get a shot have in common. Nearly half of White evangelicals say they will not, according to a Pew Research Center poll, for example.

A canvassing event in Mullins meant to get people signed up for a shot instead encountered nine in 10 people saying they wouldn't get a vaccine, Suzette McClellan, a DHEC director in the Pee Dee region, said during an April 27 panel on improving access. People were afraid of needles, side effects and dying. Some felt vaccines were a government plot, McClellan said.

"In the process they found out that people had all these fears about actually getting vaccinated," she said.

An analysis of data from DHEC and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests young Black men are likely the demographic group with the lowest uptake of the vaccine. Less than 10 percent of men under age 34 have gotten a shot in South Carolina.

Young people overall stand out as least likely to get a vaccine so far.

Though they account for 32 percent of the population, people under 35 make up just 15 percent of the doses given out. That is despite the fact that they make up the vast majority of infections reported to DHEC in recent months.

Dr. Ruth Adekunle, an infectious disease physician with the Medical University of South Carolina, said face-to-face conversations with people about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine may be the best way to convince skeptics. The most fruitful of those conversations she has had are usually with patients who share her demographics, she said.

"It's sometimes easier to hear a message from somebody who looks like you," Adekunle said.

The question remains how to multiply those efforts  and how to do it quickly.
Daniel Marshall said he's found a place where he can get vaccinated safely and stay for a little while amid concerns about delays in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination shots in his host country, the Philippines.

Marshall, 66, an American businessman who has lived in Palawan for years, is grateful that Guam has its doors open to American expatriates like him.

"I said, 'If I'm going to get stuck somewhere, I'd rather get stuck in Guam,'" he said of the U.S. territory only a 3-1/2-hour flight from the Philippines.

In the Philippines, he owns a restaurant and a laundromat in El Nido and two water supply stores in Puerto Princesa, both in Palawan. He has two sons and a common-law wife in the country. The pandemic postponed their wedding, he said. In mid-April, Marshall flew to Guam for vaccination and vacation.

"I did my homework. I'm thankful that the Guam government let me in. If I was not able to come here, I don't know where I would have gone, honestly," Marshall said. He welcomed the 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Guam, a tropical tourism destination for mostly Japanese and Koreans and home to two U.S. military bases, is known as "America in Asia" and "Where America's Day Begins."

"It's a great help, great service to all of us expatriates," he said of the support of the island's vaccination of American expatriates by Guam and the federal government.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero got the head of Operation Warp Speed, Army Gen. Gustave Perna, to agree to increase Guam's dose allocation if the demand increases from expatriates.

While on island, Marshall said, he'd love to learn more and see more of the American territory. It's his first time on Guam.

From his quarantine hotel for two weeks, he said he's been jealous of the people enjoying the beautiful beaches, but he knew he'd be enjoying them as well as he plans to stay on island until he can return to the Philippines.

"Yeah, I haven't had a good steak in probably five years," he said, as he looks forward to staying for weeks in what he describes as "mini-USA" in the Asia-Pacific region.

As a third-generation Navy veteran, Marshall said he's also made plans to make a Veterans Affairs outpatient service appointment while on Guam.

Marshall contacted The Guam Daily Post after the newspaper started publishing a series of stories on the humanitarian and tourism aspects of vaccination for Americans living abroad.

Others also have reached out while on Guam or planning to visit Guam for vaccination and vacation.

Back in the Philippines, some of his fellow American expats were looking forward to Marshall's updates about Guam and are also planning to come to the island.

Guam Air V&V

Guam Visitors Bureau President and CEO Carl Gutierrez said there are more than 200,000 American expatriates in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and some 350,000 Americans and dual citizens in the Philippines alone, so the market is huge for GVB's planned Guam Air V&V, or vaccination and vacation, tourism initiative among American expats.

GVB plans to market Guam Air V&V for its humanitarian aspect and to help fill the tourism void while Guam's main tourism markets of Japan, Korea and Taiwan continue to grapple with vaccine rollouts.

Guam has nearly 60% of its adults vaccinated and is aiming for 80% herd immunity by July 21. The island currently has an ample supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Marshall said Guam should pursue its vaccination tourism for expatriates, but is hoping that the island will continue to maintain COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

"I knew before I came I was going to be put in quarantine. And so for me, it wasn't a problem. But some people might resist," he said. "I think they just need to know what the rules are, but I don't think the Guamanians should let their guard down because COVID-19 is a very contagious illness, especially for older people like myself."
The shutdowns that state governments foolishly imposed in a futile, as I think, effort to stop the COVID-19 virus disproportionately impacted young people, who had hardly any vulnerability to the virus. Most significantly, young people were deprived of a year or more of effective education, along with the opportunity to interact with their friends and participate in school-related activities. The effects will be with us for a generation.

At AmericanExperiment.org, my colleague Martha Njolomole records the fact that in Minnesota, our governors shutdown was responsible for a significant number of deaths: Deaths from drug overdose up 27% in Minnesota, COVID-19 restrictions to blame.

On May 3rd, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that in 2020, Minnesota saw a total of 1,008 deaths from a drug overdose. This represents a 27 percent increase from 2019 when 792 individuals died due to the same cause.

This is not just the continuation of a trend, as overdose deaths declined in 2018 and 2019.

This chart shows the number of overdose deaths in 2019 and 2020 by age group:

The median age of covid death in Minnesotathis means deaths where the word covid appears on the death certificate, even though the actual cause of death was a car accident, a stroke, or falling down a flight of stairsis 83. Overdose deaths, on the other hand, are concentrated among the young, who have been devastated by school closings, lack of employment, social isolation, and denial of access to elective or non-essential health care.

These numbers tell the story:

In 2020, 274 individuals aged 25-34 died from an overdose, while only 15 died from COVID-19. To put it in perspective, individuals aged 25-34 were 18 times more likely to die from overdose than from COVID-19. It is similar with individuals aged 35-44, although to a lesser extent individuals in this group were 4 times more likely to die from overdose than COVID-19 in 2020. The biggest discrepancy in risk is among individuals aged 15-24they were 40 times more likely to die from an overdose than from COVID-19.

There are copious footnotes at the link, including data supporting the causal connection between Governor Tim Walzs improvident shutdowns and overdose deaths. No doubt one would see similar numbers in other states. In my opinion, our governments response to the Wuhan virus is the worst public policy disaster since the Vietnam War, largely because of the ways in which governments have callously sacrificed Americas youth.
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Nigeria on Saturday recorded 30 new cases of the COVID-19 virus in three states.

Saturdays figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 165,370, according to an data published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Saturday.

According to the update, no new death was recorded from the virus which has already claimed 2,065 lives in the country.

The number of deaths recorded from the virus has declined recently with only four deaths recorded in the last 24 days.

The new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Lagos-21, Adamawa-8 and Rivers-1.

A breakdown of the data shows that 796 people were discharged on Saturday after testing negative for the virus. This brings the total number of discharged persons after treatment to 156,250.

Our discharges today includes a backlog of 795 community recoveries in Adamawa State managed in line with guidelines, the infectious disease body said.

Meanwhile, over 7,000 infections are still active in the country, according to the NCDC.

Precautions

Nigeria has continued to report low COVID-19 cases since February 2021.

To ensure no imported cases from countries experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, Nigeria recently banned travels from Brazil, India and Turkey.

Brazil and India reported about half of the total number of new COVID-19 cases recorded globally last week, according to the World Health Organisation.

The Nigerian government said non-Nigerians who had travelled to any of the three countries in the previous 14 days would not be allowed into Nigeria.

While working to prevent imported COVID-19 cases, Nigeria is also continuing with its vaccination programme with over 1.6million Nigerians receiving their first of two shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Nigeria has, so far, received about 4.4 million doses of the vaccine.
Some countries across the globe are still experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Globally, there have been more COVID-19 cases reported in the last two weeks than during the first six months of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As a precautionary measure to minimise the risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Nigeria last Sunday announced a temporary ban on non-Nigerian passengers who have been in Brazil, India or Turkey within 14 days of intended arrival into Nigeria.

These countries are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and health authorities said more than half of last weeks COVID-19 cases were reported in India and Brazil.

Amidst this, more Nigerians are still taking shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and over 1.6million persons have received their first dose of the vaccines, according to data by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Here is a round-up of some of the health stories which made headlines last week.

COVID-19: Nigeria records 30 new cases in three states

Nigeria on Saturday recorded 30 new cases of the COVID-19 virus in three states.

Saturdays figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 165,370, according to an data published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Saturday.

Why Nigeria may not meet its COVID-19 vaccination target

About two months after it rolled out one of Africas largest COVID-19 vaccination programme, Nigeria had administered only 1.2 million vaccine shots, less than two per cent of a target it set for the end of the year.

To achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, Nigeria had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

COVID-19: Nigeria bans travellers from Brazil, India, Turkey

The Nigerian government has announced a temporary ban on non-Nigerian passengers who have been in Brazil, India or Turkey within 14 days of intended arrival into Nigeria.

This is due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

Mr Mustapha said the travel ban does not apply to passengers who only transited through these countries that have been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases in the past week.

Nigeria identified 350,000 Persons living with HIV in past 18 months  NACA

Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerias AIDS management agency, NACA, said about 350,000 Persons Living with HIV (PLWHIV) were identified within the last 18 months.

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Gambo Aliyu, made this known on Tuesday during a national dialogue on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV(PMTCT).

The dialogue was organised by the National AIDS/STIs Control Programme of the federal ministry of health.

NCDC urges Nigerians to prioritise hand hygiene to halt spread of COVID-19

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has advised the general public to prioritise good hand hygiene as part of efforts to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Director-General of the agency, Chikwe Ihekweazu, gave the advice during an awareness walk to commemorate the 2021 World Hand Hygiene Day in Abuja on Wednesday.

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Represented by the Head of Prevention Programme & Knowledge Management Department of the agency, Chinwe Ochu, Mr Ihekweazu said good hand hygiene can save lives and prevent the transmission of infections.

COVID-19: More cases reported in last two weeks than first six months  WHO

Globally, there have been more COVID-19 cases reported in the last two weeks than during the first six months of the pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO)said on Monday.

The Director-General of the international health agency, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said more than half of last weeks COVID-19 cases were reported in India and Brazil.

He said there are many other countries globally that are facing a fragile situation.

World Asthma Day: 339 million people affected globally- Expert

A professor of medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Gregory Erhabor, on Wednesday said that asthma affects about 339 million people annually with over 500,000 hospitalisations and about 400,000 deaths across the globe.

Mr Erhabor, who is also President, Asthma and Chest Care Foundation, said this in a statement signed on Wednesday to commemorate the World Asthma Day, with the theme: Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions.

Abuja authorities announce deadline for current COVID-19 vaccination

The Programme Officer, Immunisation Services, FCT Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB), Salome Tor, says the current COVID-19 vaccination exercise will end in six days time, precisely May 14.

The officer addressed journalists on Friday in Abuja at a one-day media orientation workshop on COVID-19 vaccination in FCT.

22,000 Nigerian children infected with HIV annually  UNICEF

The United Nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF, has said that about 22,000 Nigerian children get infected with HIV annually.

UNICEFs Chief of Management for Results, Claes Johansson, who disclosed this at the national dialogue meeting for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, PMTCT, of HIV in Nigeria on Tuesday, said about two-thirds of the infected children do not get treatment.

US Grants $73m COVID-19 Assistance to Nigeria

The United States Government has explained the impact of her health missions to Nigeria, which it claimed, has benefitted more than 60 million Nigerians at different social strata and across all the geo-political zones.

Specifically, the worlds most powerful State has revealed that it contributed more than $73 million in equipment and technical assistance since the outbreak of COVID-19, a highly infectious viral disease that has killed over 2,063 in Nigeria.

COVID-19: 1% of Lagos residents vaccinated  Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, says that about 260,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state.

Mr Abayomi told a ministerial media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos that the figure represented just one per cent of the states population.

He said the second phase of vaccination would start soon and warned that Nigeria stood the risk of experiencing a third wave, having vaccinated only less than one per cent of its population.
Heartland considers a guidance update appropriate given the uncertainty which remains as to New Zealands resilience to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the timing of the economic recovery. All financial results in this announcement are based on the unaudited financial statements of Heartland and its subsidiaries for the nine months to 31 March 2021 (YTD). Relative growth rates are annualised, and include the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates.

Financial update

Heartland has achieved a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $21.0 million for the three months ended 31 March 2021 (3Q2021), bringing YTD NPAT to $65.1 million (or $64.3 million on an underlying basis, excluding the impacts of one-offs as detailed in Heartlands announcement of its results for the six months to 31 December 2020 (1H2021)).

Underlying return on equity (ROE) was 11.9% (annualised YTD NPAT as a percentage of average equity), flat on 1H2021 underlying ROE.

Momentum in lending increased in 3Q2021, with gross finance receivables (including reverse mortgages) growing $158.6 million (13.7%), a significant uplift from $59.3 million (2.5%) in 1H2021, resulting in a YTD growth of $218.0 million (6.2%).

Growth was experienced in Motor, both New Zealand and Australian Reverse Mortgages and Business Intermediated. Current Home Loans pipeline momentum remains strong, with $580 million approved online and $30.3 million drawn down YTD. Heartland recently expanded its Home Loans offering with the provision of a Revolving Credit facility at New Zealands lowest rate.

Heartland maintained net interest margin (NIM) of 4.30% in the nine months to 31 March 2021, up 2 basis points on 1H2021.

The underlying cost to income (CTI) ratio for 3Q2021 was 44.1%, bringing the underlying YTD CTI ratio to 45.3% (1H2021: 45.9%). The reduction in the underlying CTI ratio during 3Q2021 demonstrates Heartlands continuous focus on creating end-to-end processing efficiencies through ongoing digitalisation.

Impairments continue to perform strongly with a YTD impairment expense ratio (annualised impairment expense as a percentage of average receivables) of 0.27% (1H2021: 0.19%). The increase is due to higher than usual repayments in 1H2021, combined with significantly stronger growth in receivables in 3Q2021 compared with 1H2021.

Please see the link below for details

Strong trend continues for Heartland Group performance: Guidance update

Source: Heartland Group Holdings Limited

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People line up to receive the Sinopharm vaccines at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, on the outskirts of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

A nurse shows a vial of the Sinopharm vaccine at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, on the outskirts of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Colombo, May 9 : Sri Lanka's Health Ministry has started administering the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine against Covid-19 to citizens, soon after the World Health Organization (WHO) approved it for emergency use worldwide.

The vaccines were administered on Saturday at the Panadura Health Office in Kalutara District, in the outskirts of capital Colombo, an area which has reported a rising number of Covid-19 cases in recent days, reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking at the launch of the vaccination drive, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana thanked the Chinese government for sending the Sinopharm vaccines and said this would add to the efforts of the Sri Lankan government to inoculate at least 70 per cent of its population against the virus by the end of the year.

"Today is a very special day for the Panadura MoH office. We want to thank the Chinese government as well as the WHO for approving the Sinopharm under emergency use. Today we began administering the Sinopharm in the Panadura area and want to thank President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for approving to start this program from the Kalutara district," Jayasumana said.

State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control Sudharshani Fernandopulle, also said at the launch that with the WHO and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) approving the Sinopharm vaccine under emergency use in Sri Lanka, authorities will now look to get more vaccines from China to vaccinate the local population.

"Today we began administering the Sinopharm vaccine in the Panadura Health office for locals above the age of 30 years and below the age of 60 years. From tomorrow (Sunday) we will also identify the areas which have reported the highest number of Covid-19 patients in recent days and will begin to administer the Sinopharm vaccines in those areas as well," Fernandopulle said.

She said some of the areas worst affected by the virus were Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Matale, and authorities were making arrangements to vaccinate the people in these areas as soon as possible.

The Sinopharm vaccines arrived in Sri Lanka last month, under a special grant by the Chinese government to the Health Ministry.

Sri Lanka has so far reported 123,234 confirmed coronavirus cases and 786 deaths.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
London, May 9 : As counting of votes across Britain continued into this weekend, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ruling Conservative Party was given plenty of reasons to celebrate while the local elections led to a string of crucial losses for the country's main opposition Labour Party.

The Conservatives won a parliamentary by-election in the north England constituency of Hartlepool, taking the seat from Labour for the first time since 1974 when the constituency was created, reports Xinhua news agency.

Adding pains to Keir Starmer's Labour Party, its losses in local elections continued to mount as vote results were announced one after another.

Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that Britain's governing Conservatives have an obvious path to tightening their grip on power.

"The government's highly successful vaccination program, alongside the Conservatives' pragmatic acceptance of the need for large-scale state intervention in the economy, make Labour's current task all the more difficult," he said.

"Covid paused elections in the UK, but it clearly did not alter recent electoral trends that have been apparent since Brexit," he said.

"As elsewhere, voters have largely remained loyal to those who have governed during the pandemic. As a result, Johnson's Conservatives have done very well in England, making further inroads into traditional Labour territory.

"The big role of devolved governments in managing Covid has helped Labour to retain its dominance in Wales. The same is true of the SNP (Scottish National Party) in Scotland," he added, referring to the largest political party in Scotland.

Johnson responded to the party's successes, saying he would embark on a massive project of levelling up the country.

Meanwhile, Labour's shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said there will be a review of the party's policies in a bid to reconnect with voters.

He said in places like Hartlepool and its traditional heartlands people do not now see Labour as answering their concerns.

During the May 6 elections, more than 5,000 seats were up for grabs, with the mayor of London and 12 provincial mayors along with police and crime commissioners also being elected.

Meanwhile, people in Scotland and Wales will also decide the shape of their devolved parliaments, The blot on the electoral horizon for Johnson came in Scotland where Nicola Sturgeon's pro-independence SNP made three gains on the first day of vote counting, with both the Conservatives and Labour losing seats in the Scottish Parliament.

With counting continuing over the weekend, the results indicate the SNP will stay in power at Holyrood for a fourth term, with Saturday determining whether it will be with a sought-after overall majority.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper in London cited Johnson as saying he has made it clear he would reject calls for a second Scottish independence referendum.

Johnson said: "I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless." The newspaper said Johnson's comments set up a political battle over the future of Britain that will loom large for the rest of the year.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Baghdad, May 9 : The Iraqi government has decided to impose a 14-day quarantine on those evacuated from India to ensure that they were not infected with the new double mutant Covid19 variant identified in the South Asian country.

Ryadh Abdul-Amir, head of the Public Health Department in the Iraqi Health Ministry, told the media on Saturday that the first batch of evacuees would be quarantined in a hotel in eastern Baghdad and tested and monitored by medical teams for 14 days before leaving, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said the Health Ministry registered 82 cases among the first evacuees from India, all of whom did not show symptoms.

The announcement comes as the Iraqi authorities are evacuating hundreds of Iraqi citizens stranded in India after Iraqi Airways announced on April 27 that it had cancelled all direct flights to India.

Authorities confirmed that more emergency evacuation flights would be arranged by Iraqi Airways for the rest of the stranded citizens.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported 4,608 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, raising the total tally to 1,108,558.

It also reported 39 new fatalities, raising the death toll to 15,741, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed to 998,626.

A total of 9,639,337 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020.

Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in infections.

The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, May 9 : It was a development that took everybody by surprise but the subsequent happenings left no one in doubt that every move by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was well calculated to nip in the bud any possible rebellion or challenge to his authority.

Minutes after polling came to an end in nine urban local bodies on April 30, there was 'breaking news' on some TV channels that a group of farmers from Medak district complained to the chief minister that their assigned lands were grabbed by Health Minister Eatala Rajender for his poultry business.

Within a couple of hours, a statement was released from the chief minister's office that he has asked the chief secretary and also vigilance DGP to probe the allegations.

This triggered a series of fast-paced developments and all this happened when the state was in the grip of Covid surge with the minister busy holding meetings with officials to review the situation and announce new measures to check the spread. The chief minister himself was recovering from Covid at his farmhouse.

The next day saw teams of revenue and vigilance officials descending on Achampet and Hakimpet villages to conduct the investigation, survey the lands of Jamuna Hatcheries owned by the minister's family, lands of complainants and record their statements.

Medak district collector, who conducted the preliminary investigation, declared that 66 acres of assigned lands were encroached.

KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, lost no time in stripping Eatala of health ministry. He took over the key portfolio. The next day, KCR dropped Eatala from council of ministers.

Even as the investigations were on against Rajender over allegations of encroaching farmers' land, KCR formed a committee comprising four IAS officers to investigate encroachments and illegal transactions of Sri Sita Rama Swamy temple land at Devarayamjal village in Shamirpet near Hyderabad. Rajender and his followers allegedly encroached 1,521 acres in the village. The lands are estimated to be valued at Rs 1,000 crore as per the market price.

For many leaders in Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) sacking of Eatala was not an unexpected move. A cold war between them was going on for last couple of years and KCR was waiting for the right time to strike.

KCR, who has vice-like grip both over the government and the party, did not act against Rajender due to series of elections. Political analysts say he did not want to give an opportunity to opposition to slam the government over allegations of corrupt. As no elections were due in the state after April 30 polls to nine urban local bodies, KCR acted swiftly.

Eatala, one of the founding members of TRS and backward class leader from Karimnagar district, was seen to be emerging as a challenge to KCR's authority in the party when he took potshots at him on few occasions. "The minister's post is not anybody's pittance. We are the owners of TRS who have carried the party flag," he had said at one party meeting At another occasion, he remarked that he reached the position not because of his caste but by his sheer hard work. "I am not here because I am somebody's son," Eatala remarked in what was believed to be an attack on KCR's son and minister K. T. Rama Rao.

Though considered a low-profile and soft-spoken leader, Eatala came to be seen as a challenge to KCR's leadership.

There were speculations that Eatala may quit TRS and float a new regional party or join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been trying to emerge as an alternative to TRS. He, however, had denied any such move.

Political analysts say KCR anticipated problems for the party from Eatala. The TRS chief struck before Eatala could strengthen himself and wean away some dissenting leaders within the party.

Though Eatala has not yet announced his future course of action, his counter attack on KCR left nobody in doubt that he is keen to take on the TRS chief.

It is in this context that former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy's meeting with Eatala on Thursday assumed significance.

Reddy, who recently hinted at floating a new regional party with an aim to defeat TRS in the 2023 Assembly elections, said he met Rajender to show solidarity with him.

Reddy, who had quit the Congress in March, recently hinted at bringing together leaders of various smaller parties and even those TRS leaders who are unhappy with KCR to form an alternative.

Reddy, who was with the TRS before switching loyalties to the Congress, has already stated that both the Congress and the BJP can't be an alternative to the TRS.

An entrepreneur and one of the richest politicians in the country, Reddy has started consultations with leaders from various political parties on his plans to float a new political outfit. He had also made efforts to reach out to Eatala.

However, KCR apparently calculated all these risks and finally hit at him. "None would have expected KCR would order for action in to a matter where such a senior leader of the party is involved . And if the step has been taken, it suggests KCR is prepared to tackle the side-effects of this head-on," said political analyst Palwai Raghavendra Reddy.

The TRS chief weathered many a storms ever since he floated TRS in 2001 and every time he succeeded in isolating the dissidents and even showing them the door.

The thinking in TRS leadership is that Eatala will not be able to pose any major challenge even if he joins hands with opposition parties or float a new party with the likes of Vishweshwar Reddy.

Currently representing Huzurabad constituency in Assembly, Eatala is not considered to be a mass leader. TRS leaders believe that the given the seriousness of the allegations against him, Eatala may not be able to mount any challenge to the party.

However, Eatala is also waging a legal battle against KCR. He and his followers have already moved the court, challenging the government's action.

Denying any wrong doing, Eatala said no post was important for him than his self-respect. "You can harass me, file cases and get me arrested but there are courts," he said.

Rajender also got some relief when the Telangana high court directed the state government not to initiate any action based on the report of Medak district collector. It also asked the government to follow the due process of law.

Eatala episode also triggered an attack by the opposition parties on the TRS government.

Congress and BJP leaders alleged that KCR made the BC leader a scapegoat. They wanted to know why KCR took action only against Eatala and ignored other land-grabbing ministers, including his son K.T. Rama Rao and TRS MLAs.

BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar demanded a high-level probe by a sitting judge into the land grabbing and corruption charges against every minister.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Canberra, May 9 : Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday said that the country's borders will remain closed indefinitely amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Morrison said in a media interview that there is no "appetite" among Australians to re-open the country's borders to international travellers as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I don't see an appetite for that at the moment," he said.

"I think what we're seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic isn't going anywhere.

"All I know is once you let it (Covid-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. You've crossed that threshold," the Prime Minister added.

The government had previously said that the borders will re-open once the adult population has been vaccinated against the virus.

However, Morrison said that he could not guarantee that would be the case.

He said there was not yet "considerable clinical evidence that tells us transmission is preventable".

"I think Australians want to ensure that the way we're living at the moment is maintained." As of Sunday morning, there had been 2.63 million vaccines administered in Australia, while the overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 29,906 and 910, respectively.

The government initially planned to vaccinate the entire population by October but hopes were dashed after the early stages of the rollout were plagued by supply issues.

In the meantime, Morrison said the government was continuing to work on how vaccinated people could be given greater freedoms.

"The next big step that can be taken is that Australians who are vaccinated, based on clear evidence that this prevents transmissibility, are able to travel and return to Australia without having to hotel quarantine, and ideally we only have to engage in some sort of home quarantine of a less restrictive nature," he said.

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Washington, May 9 : In an address to the Indian diaspora in the US, Vice President Kamala Harris lamented over the deteriorating Covidd-19 situation India, saying it was "nothing short of heartbreaking".

"Generations of my family come from India. My mother (Shyamala Gopalan) was born and raised in India. And I have family members who live in India today. The welfare of India is critically important to the US," Harris said in her pre-recorded message played at a diaspora event hosted by the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) on Friday.

"The surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths in India is nothing short of heartbreaking. To those of you who have lost loved ones, I send my deepest condolences. As soon as the dire nature of the situation became apparent, our administration took action.

"On Monday, April 26, President Joe Biden spoke with the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to offer our support. By Friday, April 30, US military members and civilians were delivering relief on the ground.

"Already, we have delivered refillable oxygen cylinders, with more to come. We have delivered oxygen concentrators, with more to come. We have delivered N95 masks, and have more ready to send. We have delivered doses of Remdesivir to treat Covid patients.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, when our hospital beds were stretched, India sent assistance. And today, we are determined to help India in its hour of need.

"We do this as friends of India, as members of the Asian Quad, and as part of the global community. I believe that if we continue to work together, across nations and sectors, we will all get through this," the Vice President added.

In her address, she also acknowledged diaspora groups like Indiaspora and the American India Foundation that "have built bridges between the US and India".

"And this past year, you have provided vital contributions to Covid-19 relief efforts." Harris' remarks come as India is battling the devastating second wave of the pandemic that have triggered record number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, leading to a shortage in oxygen supplies across the country, including in the national capital of New Delhi.

On Sunday, India reported 4,03,738 new cases, which took the overall tally to 2,22,96,414, the second highest in the world after the US.

Meanwhile, the country's death toll, currently the third largest after the us and Brazil, increased to 2,42,362.

Sunday's figure is the fifth highest since India crossed the four-lakh-mark of new Covid cases, while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the last 11 days.

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New Delhi, May 9 : Taking a step ahead of its mandated area to maintain law and order in the city, Delhi Police has come up with a unique initiative to start CoviVan helpline to help senior citizens in the neighbourhood amid Covid-19 crisis.

The initiative, however, has been started by south district police in a particular designated area that comes under the jurisdiction of Greater Kailash-I police station, the people have appreciated the efforts of the force.

South district police force has adopted the way through the CoviVan helpline (012- 26241077) to help the senior citizens in the posh neighbourhood as they are facing problems for household things and other essential work due to lockdown imposed in the city to check Covid surge.

After receiving any call for CoviVan through the helpline, deployed police officer in the van with beat officer of the concerned beat will visit to the house of the senior citizens and help them in getting essential item.

The police officers visiting the house of senior citizens will also help the old-aged people in purchasing of household things, medicines and other items which are essential for them.

The CoviVan also ensures vaccination to the senior citizens by taking them to nearby vaccination centres where they have booked through the CoWIN App or Aarogya Setu App.

"This vehicle has been donated for use during the pandemic by SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers)," Deputy Commissioner of Police South Atul Thakur said.

The information of commencement of CoviVan has been disseminated in the GK-1 area through beat officers and Resident Welfare Association (RWA), Thakur said.

"All the precautions apropos Covid-19 (sanitization, gloves, masks and social distancing) are being taken after every visit," said the official, adding the citizens of the area have greatly appreciated this step of Delhi Police.

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New Delhi, May 9 : Amid crisis for medical services and oxygen supply in Delhi's hospitals for over last three weeks, the city will remain under lockdown till next Monday (May 17) as part of measures to break the chain of corornavirus infections.

Lockdown was imposed in the national capital on April 20 with some restrictions and the extended lockdown was supposed to end on Monday morning (May 10 a.m.), but the state government decided to extend it for further one more week.

Announcing 'lockdown extension' through a digital press conference on Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Delhi had imposed lockdown on April 20 and has been extended again. With the support from people of Delhi cases have started to come down in the last few days and the positivity rate is also down to 23 per cent. However, we are not in a situation to give any relaxation in restrictions. I will request people of Delhi to continue to follow lockdown rules, otherwise, we will lose what we have gained (medical facilities) in the last few days." The Chief Minister said that the fresh round of lockdown will be more stringent than before. "To combat the spread of Covid we have decided to take some more stringent measures including shutting down metro services from Monday morning," he added.

The Chief Minister urged the people of Delhi not to let down their guard in the fight against Covid. "The positivity rate has gone down but still we can't afford leniency. We need to extend the lockdown," Kejriwal said.

While the positivity rate, which stood at 35 per cent in mid-April, has dropped to 23 per cent, doctors say even this is very high and there is a need to break the chain of transmission.

This would be the fourth week of the lockdown imposed as the Covid numbers in the national capital skyrocketed, bringing hospitals to their knees and pushing patients and doctors to look to social media for help amid a huge crisis of oxygen, beds and drugs.

"During the lockdown we utilised the time to enhance our healthcare infrastructure. The main issue in Delhi was oxygen shortage. With Centre's help, the condition is better now," the Chief Minister said.

Amid a bitter fight with the Centre over oxygen availability in the Delhi High Court, the Supreme Court, which had taken up the issue, ordered the formation of a 12-member National Task Force to assess availability and distribution of medical oxygen.

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New York, May 9 : Men with a common form of hormone-sensitive hair loss are more prone to being hospitalised and at risk for ICU admission due to Covid-19, researchers have found.

Androgenetic alopecia is a condition of permanent hair loss from the scalp, causing baldness.

The study, led by researchers at US-based biotechnology company Applied Biology, found association between the androgen receptor (AR) gene and Covid-19.

Among men hospitalised with Covid, 79 per cent had androgenetic alopecia compared to 31-53 per cent that would be expected in a similar aged match population, the results showed.

The team found that androgenetic alopecia is controlled by variations in the AR gene, which affects how sensitive the body is to androgens (hormones such as testosterone).

In addition, an enzyme called TMPRSS2, which is key to Covid-19 infection, is also androgen sensitive and may be affected by variations in the AR gene.

They also identified a region located in the AR gene associated with both androgen sensitivity and androgenetic alopecia.

For the study, the team conducted a genetic analysis of 65 men hospitalised with Covid.

They found that men with certain structural differences in the AR gene were more likely to develop severe Covid, than others.

The differences "could be used as a biomarker to help identify male Covid-19 patients most at risk for ICU admissions", said Andy Goren, Chief Medical Officer, at Applied Biology.

"The identification of a biomarker connected with the androgen receptor is another piece of evidence highlighting the important role of androgens in Covid-19 disease severity," Goren added.

The findings were presented at the two-day EADV's 2021 Spring Symposium held online from May 6-7.

The research explores a promising new therapy for Covid-19 using a novel androgen receptor antagonist to regulate TMPRSS2 expression and possibly treat Covid-19 patients.

The results of this study were submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

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Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family welfare, Ma Subramanian has said that there will be 12 more Covid care health centres in the state under Siddha stream.

The minister while addressing mediapersons after inaugurating a 240 bed Siddha hospital at Vyasarpadi, said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has suggested to open new Covid care centres under Siddha stream to reduce the stress on tertiary hospitals.

Subramanian said that the medicines given for treatment at Siddha centres are Kabasura Kudineer, Brahmananda Bhairavam Mathirai, Thalisadi Choornam and Karpuram Thailam. Minister said that "Sukku Kanji and other herbal food is given at the Siddha hospital at Vyasarpadi and Siddha yoga practices, Thirumoolar Pranayama and mental health support is also given".

The Tamil Nadu health minister said that more than 2,000 patients were benefited from the Siddha treatment and at present 1,400 professionals are involved in the treatment under Indian medicine practices.

Ma Subramanian said that Chief Minister Stalin has already held discussions with practitioners of Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The minister said that the chief minister will decide on how to utilise these medical professionals for Covid treatment.

Minister also said that the Covid patients with mild symptoms can use the facilities of Siddha and added that not all patients require Oxygen support.

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Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has said that his government will be an inclusive one and a people's government. In a letter to the party cadres, he called upon them to work alongside the cadres of other political parties for the total development of the state.

He called upon the party cadres to forget on the bitter election campaign and asked them to be in unison with workers of other parties for the welfare of the people.

Stalin in his letter said, "This government will focus on the development of the state of Tamil Nadu on all fronts to fulfil the aspirations of the people who felt let down in the past ten years. Instead of cursing the darkness it will be better to light a lamp and instead of complaining about the summer let us prepare to welcome the spring." The statement of Stalin also seems to be a message to the leaders of other political parties including the opposition AIADMK and the BJP and he seems to be reaching out to other parties for the development of the state.

Stalin in his letter also mentioned to the cadres that he found the Chief minister's post as a responsibility rather than a position and said that he would sit on the chair of thrones bestowed upon him by the people's mandate.

In the letter the Chief minister said, "The testing times under which the DMK government has taken over the reins of Tamil Nadu is a challenge and we have to work and overcome that challenge and a growth phase has to be ushered in for the state." He also called upon the people of Tamil Nadu to give wholesome support in the fight against Covid.

C. Rajeev, Political analyst and Director, Centre for Policy and Development Studies, a think tank based out of Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "Stalin seems to be reaching out to other political parties and this is indeed a welcome sign. The new Chief minister has a lot of work to do and Tamil Nadu like the rest of the country is facing the Covid pandemic. Inclusiveness is good and hope that he will take this forward in the days to come for the total and wholesome development of Tamil Nadu."

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Gurugram, May 9 : Amid a shortage of beds for Covid patients in Gurugram, real estate firm M3M Group has collaborated with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to set up a 150-bed Covid hospital in vacant flats at Sector 67.

Officials also said that under the initiative, both the M3M Group and IAF will provide food and medical as well as oxygen facilities to the Covid patients in Gurugram.

At the hospital, a mobile medical unit is also being made available for shifting any patient from the Covid-care centre to the facility.

The realty major also said that soon they will add an additional 250 beds to create a 400-bed lifeline for covid patients within a month.

Appreciating the effort, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg has appealed to other companies in the district to come forward and help the government in fighting the pandemic.

"As per the guidance of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and continuous support from Health Minister Anil Vij, this Centre has become functional now with 150 beds at our project OKR in sector 67 in Gurugram.

We thank the Indian Air Force for joining us with their expertise and necessary support for this initiative and I am grateful to Artemis hospital, Paras hospital and W-Pratiksha hospital for the required support. We thank all government departments in Gurugram for their support for making this functional", said Payal Kanodia, Trustee, M3M Foundation.

This Covid Care centre which will be run and managed by the IAF, is a part of M3M foundation's PAN India initiative "Kartavya" and where the foundation has already supported more than 1,00,000 people at the construction and migrant workers through their food security and other initiatives in the first phase.

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Chennai, May 9 : IAS officer Gagan Singh Bedi has been appointed the new Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, replacing G. Prakash who has held the post since 2019.

Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, in order, said that Bedi, a 1993 batch officer, will replace Prakash.

Chennai is battling thee Covid pandemic and Bedi will have his job cut out to contain the virus from spreading as the city has become a hotspot.

A graduate engineer in electronics and electrical communication, Bedi joined the Indian Engineering Services in 1993 and was posted with the Indian Railways, and in the same year, he got into the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in the Tamil Nadu cadre.

Bedi is known as a no nonsense, honest and upright officer and has made his mark as Additional Collector, Cuddalore, Commissioner, Madurai Corporation and Collector of Kanyakumari and Cuddalore districts. He was also the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and was Secretary of Rural Development and Panchyat Raj department.

Presently, he was serving as the Principal Secretary, Agriculture. He has also served as the District Monitor officer of Covid-19 in Cuddalore.

As Collector of Cuddalore, he was hailed for his efforts in relief and rehabilitation work when the tsunami struck the district in 2004.

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Patna, May 9 : A video purportedly showing a Covid victim's body being dumped into the bank of Saura river in Bihar's Katihar district has gone viral on social media.

Katihar's District Magistrate Udayan Mishra has cross verified the video clip and found it to be true. The incident took place on May 7.

"Soon after we have learnt about the incident, an inquiry panel headed by city's Magistrate, SDO and SDPO of the area, was constituted who later visited the Bheria Rahika village on Sunday.

During investigation, it was found that the person died of Covid on May 6," Mishra told IANS.

"As per the statement of the deceased's brother, his kin did not have enough money to cremate the body. Moreover, the villagers told the family members that cremation of Covid victim could be a hazardous to health for others. Hence, they had dug an 8 feet deep pit in their own land to bury the body," Mishra said.

"After the patient had succumbed to Covid in Sadar hospital, the hospital administration then sent the body in an ambulance to the village on May 7.

The complainant of the incident was the driver of the ambulance. We had cross checked about the incident with the victims' family members. During the process of burial, some onlookers filmed it and made it viral on social networking platforms," Mishra said.

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New Delhi, May 9 : Hero MotoCorp has extended the shutdown at its manufacturing facilities across India, its Global Parts Centre (GPC) in Neemrana and its R&D facility, the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur by another week, till May 16.

In a statement, the company said that the decision has been taken in view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation across the country. This is also in keeping with its commitment to the safety and welfare of its people and to break the chain of the spread of Covid-19, it added.

"The company is continuously monitoring the situation and is ready with its business continuity plans to be able to quickly resume and scale up operations as and when the situation improves," it said.

Hero MotoCorp had halted the plant operations temporarily in a staggered manner for four days from April 22 to May 1, which was then extended till May 9.

All corporate offices of the company have already been in work-from-home (WFH) mode.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, May 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, in his first cabinet meeting on Sunday, called upon ministers and officials to implement a strict lockdown in the state to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Stalin advised his cabinet colleagues to camp in the districts allotted to them and to ensure execution of strict lockdown. The cabinet resolved that unless strict lockdown is not implemented in the state from May 10 to May 24, the spread of the virus cannot be contained.

The Chief Minister also called upon the ministers to ensure that all patients arriving at district hospitals are treated without any delay. It was also decided to provide adequate food to healthcare workers and patients.

The cabinet also resolved to settle the shortage of oxygen which was plaguing the state government, ensure proper supply and to strictly monitor distribution so that there is no wastage of the gas. It also appealed to people to get vaccinated as early as possible and also resolved to spread awareness on vaccination.

To implement all Covid-related measures, the cabinet resolved to have a proper coordination of the departments concerned including health, revenue, police, urban and rural development. Stalin also directed all the ministers to ensure a coordination between various departments and to conduct review meetings for proper implementation of the government initiatives.

With the state government starting to sell Remdisivir to patients getting treated in private hospitals in Trichy, Salem, Madurai and Coimbatore, the cabinet resolved to monitor its sale as well as prevention of any black market sale of the drug.

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-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, May 9 : The BJP on Sunday demanded that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dismiss Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain from his cabinet and order a CBI inquiry to find out how he managed to get the over 600 oxygen cylinders.

Addressing a press conference, BJP's West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma said: "It is shocking that Delhi government is seizing oxygen cylinders of socio-religious organisations doing free distribution while its Minister is found hoarding 650 oxygen cylinders....

Verma also claimed that despite the Centre advisory to upgrade medical infrastructure in December 2020, the Kejriwal government didn't do anything.

"When the crisis increased and the Centre increased the city's oxygen quota, the Delhi government started looking for oxygen tankers on April 26 but by then all such tankers were hired by other states. Situation was such that the national capital had increased oxygen quota but patients were dying for oxygen as Delhi government had made no arrangement to lift its allocated quota," he alleged.

Verma held that the situation was so bad that the Union Home Secretary had written to the Chief Secretary and the High Court too reprimanded the Delhi Government.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that the Kejriwal government has totally failed the city in the fight against Covid and urged Lt Governor Anil Baijal to intervene and form an expert committee to ensure proper distribution of oxygen.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said: "A criminal case will be lodged against the Kejriwal government for failing Delhi in Covid-19 crisis despite having proper alerts from the Centre."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 9 : The ESIC, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has installed oxygen generation plants at two hospitals in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

A 440 Litre Per Minute (LPM) capacity plant has been installed at the ESIC Hospital and Medical College in Haryana's Faridabad, while another plant of 220 LPM capacity was commissioned at ESIC Hospital in Jhilmil, New Delhi on Sunday.

The move will help these hospitals to augment the availability of their ICU and ventilator beds.

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian workers, is actively helping fight the battle against Covid-19 by quickly converting its 30 hospitals all over the country into dedicated Covid facilities.

These hospitals have around 4,200 beds, including 300 ICU beds and 250 ventilator beds. The facility has been made available to all citizens of the country. A dashboard has also been started to facilitate beneficiaries to know about availability of beds in these hospitals.

Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar has congratulated the doctors, nurses and para medical staff of ESIC Hospitals for achieving this feat. He has expressed hope that they will keep their morale high during this pandemic and keep serving the humanity with dedication.

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Bengaluru, May 9 : Karnataka Forest Minister Arvind Limbavali on Sunday urged Bengaluru's 198 civic ward committees to contain the surging Covid cases.

"I request volunteers, NGOs, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and the public to join hands with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in curbing the virus spread," said Limbavali at the first virtual meeting of the committees on ward decentralised triage and emergency response here.

Bengaluru has been accounting for over 50 per cent of the Covid tally, including active cases and deaths since the infection broke out last year.

"The state government has formed the ward committees to contain the virus on the lines of Mumbai and Chennai where stringent local measures helped them to reduce new cases during the pandemic's second wave," said Limbavali, who has been made in-charge of the city in fighting Covid.

Noting that every patient who tested Covid positive need not be rushed to the hospital, he said only those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of the virus and don't have separate room to self-isolate at their home should be admitted into a Covid Care Centre (CCC) or stabilisation centre.

"Besides CCCs, triaging centres will be set up in all the civic wards to treat home-isolation patients in their respective areas. Decentralising zonal war rooms will help in addressing the needs of Covid patients at home and reduce cases," said Limbavali, who represents the city's Mahadevapura assembly seat.

State Revenue Secretary and BBMP's former Chief Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad directed the civic officials to set up ward control rooms and rope in even students as volunteers in containing the pandemic.

"The city civic body should also set up triage centres and micro-Covid Care Centres to respond quickly to the concerns of the patients," he said.

BBMP's nodal officers, doctors, medical staff, auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers will work at the 141 primary health centres across the city for testing and vaccination.

The state Health and Medical Education Department will appoint staff to run the triaging centres in all the civic wards on 24x7 basis.

"Covid patients at home will be provided isolation kit and those requiring better treatment will be admitted to CCS or state-run hospitals if their condition turns serious," added Prasad.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, zonal commissioners, zonal coordinators, joint commissioners, ward committee nodal officers, doctors and 400 civic officials attended the meeting.

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New Delhi, May 9 : The Delhi government on Sunday ordered an inquiry into reports ofCovid-19 patients going missing from the Hindu Rao Hospital in north Delhi.

The direction came a day after 23 Covid patients were reported missing from North MCD-run Hindu Rao hospital between April 19 to May 6.

"Delhi government has ordered an inquiry into reports regarding 23 Covid-19 patients going missing from Hindu Rao Hospital and has instructed the Health Department to submit the report by Monday," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

The North MCD had on Saturday informed that 23 Covid patients left the hospital without informing the hospital authority. This is not the first time that the hospital has reported such an incident. Last year, five Covid patients were reported to have left without informing the hospital authority between June 27 to July 18.

Earlier on Sunday, AAP leader Durgesh Pathak alleged the BJP-run North MCD of making false claims of lodging complaints regarding the matter.

North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash had on Saturday said that in many cases, patients find better places for treatment and they leave the hospitals without informing.

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Bagalkot : , May 9 (IANS) Karnataka's Mines and Geology Minister Murgesh R. Nirani on Sunday said his non-profit foundation was supplying free oxygen to Covid patients at the taluk hospital in his Bilagi assembly segment in Bagalkot district.

"The MRN Foundation will supply free oxygen to Covid patients at Bilagi taluk hospital and provide succour to the people affected by the pandemic's fallout," said Nirani in a statement.

The taluk hospital has 50 oxygenated beds and three ventilators for treating severe patients in its intensive care unit (ICU).

Admitting that the exponential rise in Covid cases overwhelmed the public healthcare system in the state, he said the foundation would also supply oxygen free to patients in other hospitals across the district too.

"The foundation is using services of specialist doctors such as cardiologist Dayanand Yaligar to treat Covid patients and provide online consultancy to them to reduce the cases. Foundation's health officer V. Shivakumar will coordinate with doctors in the district hospitals," he said.

The foundation has also opened a 100-bed Covid Care Centre at Morarji Desai residential school in Bilagi to treat asymptomatic patients.

It is also operating free taxi and ambulance service to ferry Covid patients to the nearest designated hospital and drop those who recover from the infection at their home in the district.

The foundation has set up a 24x7 helpline to provide information on Covid treatment. It has also been distributing masks and sanitisers to frontline warriors and healthcare workers, police personnel and civic staff, added the statement.

The minister also urged people to follow the Covid guidelines and stay at home during the 14-day lockdown across the state from Monday up to May 24 morning.

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New Delhi, May 9 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday accused the Centre of seeking to "buid its image" on the international stage with vaccine exports, instead of saving those dying in the country due to Covid.

Claiming that since March, India has exported around 6.5 crore Indian-made vaccines to 93 nations, Sisodia, who is also nodal minister for Covid management in the national capital, said: "While the people of the country were dying, struggling for beds, oxygen and medicines across the country, especially during the second wave of Covid pandemic with more than one lakh people having died since March this year, the BJP-led Centre was busy in image development and exporting Indian-made vaccines to foreign countries." "Was it (export of vaccines) done just to improve the image of the Central government and earn accolades from some other countries? I request the Central government to vaccinate everyone in the country before exporting vaccines," the senior AAP leader said at a press conference here.

The mister stated that it is good to worry about the international community during the pandemic, but the countries like the US, Canada and in Europe are starting to arrange vaccines for their people first. Only France exported 1 lakh vaccines last month.

"The Centre has donated 6.6 crore since March. On April 22, when India had the world's highest number of 3.32 lakh cases, the Central government had also exported two lakh vaccines to Paraguay," Sisodia claimed.

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Kakinada, May 9 : Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on slammed Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly causing panic among the people by spreading rumours about the N449K virus and defaming the government which is busy in fighting the Covid pandemic.

Speaking to the media here, the Minister said that although scientists across the country have clarified that the N440K variant is not virulent as claimed, Chandrababu is in his own way creating panic among people and damaging the reputation of state.

Kannababu's tirade comes in the wake of constant attacks on the YSRCP government's alleged failure to tackle the covid situation in the state.

Speaking about vaccination, the Minister challenged the TDP chief to provide vaccines, as one of the manufacturers, Bharat Biotech belongs to one of his close aides, and the government is ready to pay Rs 1,600 crore.

He said that the state government had already announced free vaccinations for people between 18-45 years, where almost two crore people are estimated to be direct beneficiaries and thus decided to procure over 4 crore doses from vaccine manufacturers at an estimated expense of Rs 1,600 crore.

Kannababu clarified that the government had already approached vaccine companies to supply required doses to the State, but with the current production capacity it would take months to vaccinate all the people.

Reiterating that the state government is working with an aim to save every single life by fully equipping all the hospitals and Covid Care Centres across the state, the Minister asserted that Andhra Pradesh is the only state with the capacity to vaccinate over six lakh people in a single-day, and can therefore complete the entire vaccination process in just 40 days, but availability is the problem.

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New Delhi, May 9 : Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Reliance Foundation are among the largest donors as India Inc steps up relief efforts in the second wave of Covid hitting India.

RIL set up 1,875 hospital beds for free treatment of Covid patients in Jamnagar and Mumbai. The 100-bed facility at Seven Hills, Mumbai, was India's first dedicated Covid treatment facility set up in April 2020.

In addition, RIL created several quarantine and isolation facilities across Mumbai, Surat, Lodhivali and other sites. RFH set up an exclusive 10-bed dialysis centre at the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital, Mumbai.

RIL is producing and supplying 1,000 MT of oxygen free of cost, accounting for nearly 11 per cent of India's medical oxygen needs. Nearly one in 10 ICU patients in India are getting oxygen from Reliance.

RIL also converted facilities at Alok Inds to produce 1 lakh plus affordable PPE kits plus face masks per day to overcome import dependency.

The company has donated Rs 556 crore to PM Cares and other Funds.

Its Mission Anna Seva provided 5.5 crore plus meals -- cooked meals, ready-to-eat food packets, food coupons, dry ration kits -- across 80 districts, 18 states and one UT, and is set to supply additional 2 crore plus meals in May/June 2021.

RIL also distributed 81 lakh plus masks to frontline warriors and communities across 19 states and two UTs. Small multi-lingual booklets were also distributed to create awareness.

Reliance Foundation provided 5.5 lakh plus litres of free fuel to 14,000 plus notified ambulances and vehicles engaged in Covid-19 services across 249 districts in 18 states.

It also operates nine MMUs in Shahdol, Nagothane, Dahanu, Jhajjar and Ghazipur providing medical services.

Several other leading corporates have made significant contributions as part of India Inc's relief response. Wipro and Azim Premji Foundation committed Rs 1,125 crore, converted an IT Facility in Pune into a 450-bed intermediary care Covid Hospital and have given food support to 32 crore so far.

Infosys committed Rs 200 crore, 2.4 million meals to around 1 million people, mostly poor and migrant labour and distributed millions of masks and sanitisers for police, medical professionals, and volunteers.

Cipla committed Rs 25 crore, including Rs 9 crore to PM Cares Fund, supplied essentials, ration kits and meals to migrant workers. They served 1,44,000 meals to migrant workers and 1,32,700 masks, gloves etc distributed to more than 10,000 doctors and thousands of paramedical staff.

Mankind Pharma donated Rs 100 crore to support families of Covid warriors. This is in addition to already donated Rs 130 crore to PM Cares Fund.

Vedanta committed Rs 201 crore, with Rs 101 crore to PM Cares Fund, and remaining for welfare of frontline workers, daily wage earners, and employees of business partners. They launched 'Meals for All' scheme, distributing free meals to lakhs of daily wage workers, while dry ration kits werre given to thousands of daily wage workers, marginalised poor.

Tata Group committed Rs 1,500 crore and free distribution of 3.5 million masks and gloves. JSW Group committed Rs 500 crore to combat coronavirus.

Mahindra Group set up 17 kitchens at all its plants and distributed over 4.2 lakh meals across its plants to migrant labour. The Group started producing face masks, faceshields and aerosol boxes, for the first time, and distributed 4,00,000 faceshields across the country by December 2020.

ITC created a Covid Contigency Fund of Rs 215 crore, Adani Group pledged Rs 100 crore to PM Cares Fund, ONGC committed Rs 300 crore to PM Cares Fund as of April 1, 2020 plus, about Rs 16 crore contributed by its 31,100-strong workforce.

BPCL earmarked Rs 100.10 crore budget for Covid-19 relief efforts, the SBI pledged Rs 100 crore to PM Cares Fund contributed by its employees. In addition, it committed Rs 71 crore for tackling second wave Covid crisis.

ICICI Foundation committed Rs 100 crore to fight Covid-19 pandemic (Rs 80 crore to PM Cares Fund, and Rs 20 crore to state governments, hospitals, and police forces and also distributed 2.13 lakh surgical masks, over 40,000 N95 masks, 20,000 litres of sanitisers, and 16,000 gloves.

L&T donated Rs 150 crore to PM Cares Fund, HDFC Bank donated Rs 150 crore to PM Cares Fund, and Paytm committed a total of Rs 500 crore to PM Cares Fund by paying up to Rs 10 on every transactions made.

Walmart Foundation committed Rs 61 crore to support various NGOs involved in Covidrelief activities. Supplied 6,00,000 N95 masks and Walmart, Flipkart, PhonePe set up on-site vaccination clinics for associates and their households - covering more than two lakh people.

HUL earmarked Rs 100 crore in March 2020 and contributed 1 crore soaps, sanitisers etc to vulnerable communities.

Citigroup committed Rs 200 crore (for next three Fys), and Rs 75 crore for immediate Covid relief like oxygen supplies, protective equipment supplies, and testing equipments etc. Google donated relief fund of Rs 135 crore. Employees too pooled in Rs 3.7 cr for supporting high-risk, marginalised communities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, May 10 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday spoke to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and briefed him about the measures being taken by the state government to curb the pandemic.

According to a statement issued by the state government, Rao also offered suggestions to the Union Minister on certain measures to be taken to contain the Covid spread.

The CM also said that the fast spreaders of the virus should be identified and be administered the vaccine dose on priority.

He also told Vardhan that vaccine guidelines should be relaxed so that the cab drivers, autorickshaw drivers, conductors, boys supplying the LPG gas cylinders, and those workers who go to several places to do their daily jobs should be brought under a special category and be vaccinated.

The Centre should extend this facility to the states to help curtail the major spread of the virus.

The statement said that the Union Minister has responded positively to the CM's suggestions and assured to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the state government's statement, after the review meeting, Modi spoke to the Chief Minister over phone.

The Prime Minister said that Vardhan had briefed him about the suggestions made by the Telangana Chief Minister.

"Your suggestions are good and we will implement them. I thank you for the good suggestions," the statement issued by the state government quoted the Prime Minister as telling Rao.

The CM has also urged the Prime Minister to supply more oxygen and Remdesivir injections to the state.

Modi positively responded to the CM's request and also assured that immediate action would be taken on the requests, the statement said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
London, May 10 : Another 1,770 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,434,860, according to official figures released on Sunday.

The country also reported another two coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,605. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, Xinhua reported.

More than 35.3 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce that the next stage of lifting lockdown will go ahead as planned on May 17, according to British Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove.

Johnson will give the green light on Monday, allowing people to meet inside and for indoor hospitality to resume in just over a week's time, Gove told Sky News.

"Thanks to the success of the UK vaccination program and also the good sense of people across the UK we can progressively relax measures," he said.

"I anticipate that the prime minister tomorrow (Monday) will signal that we can enter the next stage of relaxation in England on May 17 and as the transport secretary indicated yesterday that means also that some of the rules on international travel are changing as well," he added.

The British government on Friday announced a "green list" of countries from which travellers are not required to quarantine upon return to England.

Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are among 12 countries and regions on the "green list" of travel destinations from May 17 for people in England.

Experts have warned that despite progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is "still not out of the woods" amid concerns over new variants, particularly those first emerged in South Africa, Brazil and India, and the third wave of pandemic on the European continent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
TORRINGTON  For the last eight years, Center Subaru has donated money to local organizations through its Share the Love program. This year, former owner Phil Porter, who recently sold the Winsted Road dealership to Gengras Subaru, continued that tradition for the last time.

Porters donations were coupled with gifts from Gengras Subaru, and the Northwest CT YMCA received a check for $22,039.67  $13,632.69 from Center Subaru and $8,407.17 from Gengras on behalf of Subaru of America.

Thats not all: the Litchfield Hills Elderly Nutrition Program received $29,330.66  $14,665.33 from Center Subaru and $14,655.33 from Gengras.

The annual donations are part of a matching commitment from the Subaru Share the Love campaign. Porter made this commitment to both organizations before the sale of Center Subaru.

Porter is one of the few retailers that chooses to match donations 100 percent, according to Subaru of America.

I felt it was important to honor a commitment I made to the Torrington community, despite not owning Center Subaru anymore, said Porter. The Y plays such a huge part in so many lives in northwest Connecticut, they were always a logical choice for us.

Porter, who worked northwest Connecticut for 34 years, thought the local Meals on Wheels program needed more support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the program was a natural addition to add as a second hometown charity.

We cant thank Phil Porter and his staff team enough, who over the years have done so much through the Share the Love sales event to create opportunities for tens of thousands of individuals to create better versions of themselves, said YMCA CEO Greg Brisco, in a statement.

Approximately half of the annual gifts to the Y have been used for financial assistance for children and families that could not afford Y programs and half used to create new enhancements for members in Winsted and Torrington including our homeless shelter, low-income residents, and literacy programs and for youth and adult members, Brisco said. We wouldve not been able to have served so many so well without Phils friendship and commitment.

The elderly nutrition program relies on donations to provide daily meals to local senior citizens, said supervisor Christine Brown. Meals are delivered by Meals on Wheels and served at the Sullivan Senior Center in Torrington and other municipal locations.

We are extremely grateful to have the support of Mr. Porter and Subaru and for their choice of The Litchfield Hills Meals on Wheels Program as one of their hometown charities this year, Brown said in a statement. With a tremendous donation such as this, it is possible for us to continue providing nutritious meals and daily social contact to our areas home-bound seniors, allowing them to remain independent in their own homes. The COVID 19 pandemic has expanded the need for our service, allowing the most at-risk population to avoid unnecessary trips to the stores.

Since the donation program began, NWCT YMCA has received nearly $400,000 from Subaru. For this years campaign, Subaru donated $250 for every new vehicle purchased or leased from Center Subaru between November 2020 and January 2021, according to Subaru of America.

Customers had a choice of four national charities for the $250 donation, including ASPCA, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the National Park Foundation. Or, they could pick one of Center Subarus charities. Center Subaru matched every $250 donation, regardless of the charity chosen by the customer, Porter said.

We cant think of a better way to close our time here in Torrington than with two donations that will help this great town, Porter said.
The COVID-19 caseload in Assam mounted to 2,89,069 on Saturday as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 5,756 new cases, a bulletin issued by the National Health Mission said. The death toll rose to 1,628 after 50 more people succumbed to the disease, it said.

Kamrup (Metro) reported the highest number of new fatalities at 16, followed by six in Kamrup (Rural), four each in Dibrugarh and Nalbari, two each in Barpeta, Cachar, Dhubri, Nagaon and Sonitpur and one each in Udalguri, Baksa, Darrang, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar and Tinsukia.

At least 1,347 COVID-19 patients died in the state due to other ailments, the bulletin said. The new cases include 1,543 from Kamrup Metro, 484 from Kamrup (Rural), 392 from Dibrugarh and 292 from Nagaon. The fresh COVID cases were detected out of 65,140 tests conducted during the day with the positivity rate at 8.84 per cent, it said.

Altogether, 90,40,606 samples have so far been tested for COVID-19 in the state. Assam now has 36,799 active cases. At least 3,053 people were cured of the disease during the day, pushing the total number of recoveries to 2,49,295. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 86.24 per cent.

Altogether, 29,99,241 people have been inoculated in Assam, with 6,55,784 of them having received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state has received 50,000 more doses of 'Covishield' vaccine during the day for people in the age group of 18-44 years.

The total vaccine available for this age group is currently at 1,66,709, he added. Meanwhile, 28 more inmates in Karimganj district jail tested positive for the disease on Friday, a statement said. Six prisoners had earlier contracted the disease. The coronavirus-positive inmates have been isolated in a ward of the jail where around 300 prisoners are currently staying.

There are a few detained foreigners, including Bangladeshis, Myanmar nationals belonging to the Rohingya community, the statement said, adding that most of them were apprehended as they crossed the international border illegally. People from African countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Angola are among the inmates who are also staying at the Karimganj district jail. These foreigners were arrested as they had entered India without any valid travel documents. The district has 470 active COVID-19 cases till Friday.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Shocked by the Modi govt's lethargy and inaction in handling the COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday, demanded a 'well-planned preannounced' nationwide lockdown to curb COVID cases. Claiming that IMA's requests and proactive cognizance were put into the dustbin by the govt, IMA stated that decisions were taken without realising ground realities. IMA stated that the Centre has refused to implement a nationwide lockdown resulting in 4 lakh cases daily with moderate to severe cases increasing to 40%.

IMA slams Modi govt, demands nationwide lockdown

The medical body lamented at the failed vaccine rollout for 18-44 year olds without planning vaccine stock, slamming the 'unhumanistic' differential pricing system with 50% borne by Centre and remaining 50% by states & private hospitals. With states and private hospitals negotiating with manufacturers leading to vaccine shortage, IMA asked if Rs 35,000 crores allotted for vaccination why was the Centre 'shedding its responsibility'. With 200 crores required for inoculating all eligible Indians, IMA urged the govt to implement universal free vaccination with equitable distribution.

#PMOIndia #NITIAayog #LargestVaccineDrive #IMAIndiaOrg IMA demands the health ministry wake up from its slumber and responds to mitigate the growing challenges of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/7OxKgLhi9Q  Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) May 8, 2021

Lamenting over the oxygen crisis, IMA stated that while oxygen production was ramped up its distribution was not proper, leading to crowding in public hospitals and private hospitals left on their own. Claiming that the govt was not seen at the forefront resulting in people knocking on the doors of courts, IMA stated that the Health Minister has not interacted with 'modern medicine professional organisations' to solve the issue. IMA has recommended increasing testing, tracking and deep analysis of gene sequencing by a dedicated team.

IMA also claimed that the Centre was not being transparent on COVID deaths citing that 746 doctors died in the 1st COVID wave and 146 doctors have died in the 2nd wave. The body also complained that while the export of essential drugs has been stopped, production was not ramped up leading to blackmarketing. IMA has also demanded a Central law against hospital violence, constituting an Indian Medical Services (IMS) - well versed with technical and administrative skills for effective execution of healthcare and earmarking 8-10% of GDP for Healthcare in the annual budget.

India's 2nd wave

Currently, India is grappling with a second wave of COVID-19, with the infection hitting rural India too. The biggest issue has been the acute oxygen supply with Delhi being hit the worst - several hospitals have moved the High Court seeking oxygen supply. While the Centre and Delhi govt have blamed each other for the ongoing oxygen crisis in the national capital, Railways has started 'Oxygen Express' to transport liquid oxygen to the states via green corridors. Delhi, which has increased its demand to 900 MT oxygen per day has been allotted only 480 MT by Centre. SC has ordered the Centre to maintain a daily supply of 700 MT to Delhi and constituted a 12-member National Task Force of oxygen distribution. Meanwhile, India's vaccination drive has hit a roadblock due to shortage of supplies. Centre has approved an advance payment of Rs 4,567.50 crores to Serum Institute of India (SII) & Bharat Biotech (BBL) to ramp up vaccine production. Soon enough, most state governments placed lakhs of orders with the two vaccine manufacturers, but are yet to receive their orders.
As India continues to receive medical aid from different countries from across the world, Ambassador of Israel to India Dr Ron Malka from Tel Aviv on Sunday evening spokes exclusively to Republic Media Network. During his conversation with Republic TV, Dr Ron Malka spoke in detail about the medical assistance, which is sent to India from Israel and what other strategies can be adopted to combat the deadly Coronavirus.

Ambassador of Israel to India speaks to Republic TV

When asked to comment about the heart-touching incident, where Israelis had gathered to chant Om Namah Shivay to pray for India, Dr Ron Malka said that it is very exciting to see, how the people of Israel are coming forward to help India. Pointing towards the consignments of medical aid from Israel, the Ambassador said that this is a symbol of help from the people of Israel to the people of India.

The Ambassador of Israel to India said, After we were informed of the COVID crisis being faced by our friend India, our Ministers immediately designated a Special Task Team, which was responsible for organizing and controlling different ministries. This Special Task Team was also responsible for coordinating between the public sector and the private sector.

Stating that different medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, respirators, and other live-saving aids are being shipped to India, Dr Ron Malka said that many such consignments are yet to reach India.

He said, We are searching, every corner in Israel to seek and collect as many equipments we can to send to India. As I said, these equipments are coming from both, public and private sector of the country. People of Israel are looking for equipment in houses, warehouses, and other places. Whichever equipment is not in use in the country is right now being sent across India. We are trying the send the best of equipments to our precious friend India.

Giving out details on how the private sector and the defence sector of Israel is working hand-in-hand to send medical aid to India, in its times of difficulty, Dr Malka said informed that private sector and public sectors have joined hands to help India in its battle against the deadly virus. He said that as far as the defence sector is convened, it is not only sending the available equipment but also manufacturing special equipment to send to India. Remarking that besides this, if anyone else wants to make a contribution to India, then they can do so online, he said that an expert delegation from Israel will also come to share our medical regime for battling against the pandemic.

He said, Its different kind of technologies. As far as rapid test facilities are concerned, we are going to send experts to different organizations in India to make factories and hubs to manufacture oxygen concentrators and oxygen generators, which have been found to be very useful in fighting against the Coronavirus pandemic. Once India will get the technology and will know how to use it, its situation will improve drastically.

When asked to advise India to handle its current situation more efficiently, the Israel Ambassador to India said, "At first, I want to mention that although we are now extending support, we havent forgotten how India at the beginning of this pandemic helped Israel by supplying protective gears, medicines and also by sending back thousands of Israelis who were stranded in India. All Israeli nations were only able to get back home because of Indias remarkable assistance. Both Israel and India share strong values of friendship.

Asserting that vaccinating a large proportion of people is the only effective solution to win the fight against the pandemic, Dr Ron Malka said that Israel also considered vaccinating its population a top priority. He said, We had signed a contract with different vaccine manufacturers well in advance. So once, the approval was received, we aimed to vaccinate a large population as soon as possible. In about 3 months, we were able to vaccinate 90 per cent of the total countrys population. It was vaccinating a large proportion of the countrys population, which actually helped us overcome this pandemic. Now Israel is totally open and now we do not even ask people to wear masks.

When asked to advice India on becoming fully COVID-19 free, the Ambassador said, Vaccinating as large a population as possible should be the strategy of India, despite the size of the population. Besides this, India should also start preparing to arrange enough medical equipment such as oxygen generators, oxygen concentrators, Remdesivir & other important drugs, ICU beds, etc to battle the pandemic. Vaccinating more number of people, being prepared beforehand and taking all the necessary precautions can only help one to battle this deadly virus.

Israel delivers life-saving equipment

Earlier this week, the shipment of oxygen concentrators and respirators had arrived in India from Israel. Ambassador of Israel to India, Ron Malka had established the same via an official Twitter account.

Happy to share that the first shipment of oxygen concentrators and respirators has arrived in #India from #Israel. I'm proud of the task force under the leadership of @Gabi_Ashkenazi and our colleagues in @IsraelMFA & the Government & people of Israel #IsraelStandsWithIndia pic.twitter.com/MFq57MKioO  Ron Malka  (@DrRonMalka) May 5, 2021

Meanwhile, Israels Foreign Ministry in its statement mentioned that The delivery of the assistance, which will be transferred to India by air through a series of flights throughout the week, is the result of the Foreign Ministry's work in cooperation with the National Security Council, Health Ministry, Finance Ministry, and Control Center, together with full coordination with the Indian government through Israel's embassy in New Delhi and the Indian embassy in Israel.

Earlier on Thursday, a large number of Israeli people had gathered in one of the avenues in the mains of Tel Aviv and chanted 'Om Namah Shivay' (adoration to Lord Shiva). Together they chanted the said verse while praying for India's recovery against the COVID-19 crisis. They expressed solidarity and conveyed a 'get well soon message as well.

COVID-19 situation in India

India so far has recorded over 2,22,96,414 positive cases, out of which, 1,83,17,404 have successfully recovered and 2,42,362 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 4,03,738 new cases, 3,86,444 fresh cases and 4.092 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the country is 37,36,648.

(Image: Republicworld.com)
At the small hospital near the desert's edge where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works, there are no debates among staff over which coronavirus vaccine is the best. There is simply no vaccine at all. Not even for the doctors and nurses, like her, tasked with caring for those infected with COVID-19 in Chad, one of the least developed countries in the world.

While wealthier nations around the world have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many other countries have scrambled to secure enough doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any. Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive.

Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally. Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the more than 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood where camels nibble from acacia trees. Charity Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer.

Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible. That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

"When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me," Djarma said. "I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Johannesburg, May 9 (AP) South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has said that four cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus have been detected in the country, but there was no cause for panic as all such cases were quarantined.

"The four cases of B.1.617.2 (Indian variant of coronavirus) have been detected in Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India. All cases have been isolated and managed according to the national COVID-19 case management guidelines and contact tracing has been performed in order to limit the spread of this variant," Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday.

The minister's statement was released amid growing concerns in the last fortnight about the Indian variant spreading after the crew of two ships travelling between the two countries tested positive for the virus.

"We reiterate that there is no need for panic, as the fundamentals of the public health response (testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine) have not changed," Mkhize said.

"It is important to emphasise that variants can develop at any time in any country so they do not have to be imported. The world is still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, with surges in one territory bound to spill over into other territories.

"We are all deeply concerned about the threat of 'variants of concern' and these reports demonstrate that the issue is complicated," the minister said.

Mkhize said travel restrictions will need to be balanced against the scientific realities in order to protect the economy.

"These findings are urgently being processed by the government and announcements pertaining to travel regulations will be made after all appropriate consultations have been undertaken by the Cabinet," he said.

Mkhize did not specify if any of the four Indian variant cases were among the crew of the ships which recently returned from India.

One of the ships has been docked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The other ship has been docked in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), where police are investigating possible charges against the Ship Captain for falsely declaring that there were no ill crew onboard.

Eleven cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the UK, have also been identified in South Africa.

"The B.1.1.7 (strain) has been detected in community samples and this therefore suggests that community transmission of B.1.1.7 has already set in," Mkhize said.

"As the epidemic progresses, the detection of new variants is inevitable. The work of genomic surveillance assists us to detect the variants and understand their behaviour and to refine vaccines so they remain effective," he said.

The B.1.351 strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has been found in a traveller from Bangladesh.

"There are a number of other samples from cases with a history of recent travel into South Africa that are currently being sequenced and results are expected over the next few days," Mkhize concluded.

The coronavirus has so far killed 54,687 people in South Africa, along with over 1.59 million confirmed cases, according to John Hopkins University.

The Indian variant is believed to be largely behind the current surge in infections in India, which is experience a deadly second wave of the pandemic. PTI FH IND

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
An Australian man who allegedly acted as a recruiter and facilitator for Islamic State was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) upon his arrival at Melbourne airport on Saturday.

The 30-year-old man was deported from Turkey where he was jailed for 18-months because of his involvement with Islamic State.

Speaking at a news conference in Sydney on Sunday, AFP Counter Terrorism Investigations Commander Stephen Dametto said the organization was "pursuing all avenues of inquiry", including allegations that the man was an active recruiter who "sought to encourage Westerners to leave their countries and join Islamic State".

The man was arrested on a first instance warrant upon his arrival and was taken into custody before appearing before the Melbourne Magistrate court via video link, and did not apply for bail.

After 14 days of COVID-19 quarantine in Melbourne, he will be extradited to New South Wales where he is expected to be charged for terrorism offences perpetrated during his time in Syria and Turkey.

The accused man left Sydney for Turkey in 2013.

He is also accused by American Federal authorities of helping two US citizens enter Syria and fight for Islamic State.

According to Dametto, the man is facing "serious" charges, including "giving support to a terrorist organization" which has a maximum penalty of 25 years in jail.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Beaches run by private concession in Greece reopened Saturday, a week ahead of the official launch of the tourism season.

Hundreds of beach goers enjoyed the sea and the beach in Alimos suburb, southwest of Athens, while bars were busy making drinks for their customers.

Public health officials announced a roadmap of reopening measures on Friday largely aimed at helping Greece's key holiday industry.

Museums will reopen on May 14, while retail restrictions will be further relaxed, and a ban on domestic travel between the country's 54 administrative regions is also expected to be lifted.

Greece has only recently stabilized its rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths following a surge that started in mid-February.

Vaccinations reached record daily levels this week and roughly 1-in-10 country residents have been fully vaccinated.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The United Nations paid tribute to all the mothers worldwide on the occasion of Mother's Day. Addressing how mothers have "shouldered the burden" of the COVID-19 pandemic and have braved all odds to protect their children, the United Nations Population Fund, formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), shared an emotional video. The UNFPA  that focuses on improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide  issued a statement and wrote about a range of problems faced by women amid the pandemic.

The UN body wrote that the mothers already shouldered 'tremendous financial, physical, emotional and intellectual burdens' before the onset of the pandemic. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, they are under 'increasing economic pressures, attenuated access to health care, diminishing social support and growing unpaid care responsibilities'. The UN agency also said that many of these burdens are crushing.

Mothers have shouldered the burden of the #COVID19 pandemic, braving all odds to protect their children.



In crisis after crisis, mothers around the world are asked to do the impossible



This #MothersDay, we salute you. https://t.co/7DCebfiCxY via @UNFPA pic.twitter.com/JV3jdZQl6g  United Nations (@UN) May 9, 2021

It further added that the added burden is taking a toll on the long-term health and welfare of mothers. The statement also added that the women have been disproportionately affected by pandemic-related job losses and researchers are starting to see signs of rising stillbirths, maternal mortality and poor maternal health outcomes around the world. It has been reported worldwide that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people are facing difficulties to get basic health care facilities as the health services have diverted the resources to battle the novel coronavirus.

'COVID-19: A crisis for mothers'

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). while addressing how COVID-19 became a crisis for mothers, wrote that mothers have lost support and stability. They also mentioned that pregnant women are seeing barriers to health-care access, as well as facing issues related to misinformation about the pandemic. Many are uncertain whether and how often to seek maternal health services and there are anxieties as well as challenges like transport limitations and food insecurity.

"There is no business, no money. People are not working... it brings stress, so it is a bad year," said Babirye Aisha, a Ugandan woman living in South Sudan.

"UNFPA is working to increase support for midwives, including through infection control training and the provision of personal protective equipment. UNFPA is also supporting telemedicine and mobile clinics to improve womens access to life-saving antenatal care and sexual and reproductive health services," read a part of the statement.

"Someone told me that drinking chamomile tea was useful for me and my child and prevented us from being infected with the COVID-19 virus," said one pregnant woman in Aleppo, Syria.

"I felt the need to avoid health institutions for my prenatal checkups. I didn't feel it was that safe to give birth in a hospital," Amira Cerimagic told UNFPA in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Patients fear that they'll be infected with COVID-19 if they go to the facility. There were a lot of attempted home deliveries," Noreen Ada, a nurse in the Philippines, explained.

The UNFPA concluded by giving a longer-lasting solution to these greatly unequal burdens on mothers. The UN body said that gender equality, social norms should be established that value and support mothers. "Society must stop asking and expecting, mothers to do the impossible. It may be hard to imagine, but a better world for mothers is possible," the statement read.

IMAGE: Unsplash
India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday spoke at United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and hailed the power of the UN's top organs. The Foreign secretary reminded that today's world model can only be addressed with an updated system. He also highlighted India's enhanced efforts towards upholding multilateralism. Harsh Vardhan Shringla remarked that the UN's top contributors can deliver effective solutions only if they are given a chance rather than "zealously guarding the status quo of the mighty" as it warned that the "narrow representation and privileges of a few" poses a great challenge to its authenticity.

Such outdated systems were made to address the issues of the past, added the foreign secretary.

"The multitude of challenges of today's dynamic and interdependent world cannot be addressed with outdated systems that were designed to deal with the challenges of the past, said Foreign Secretary Shringla.

Maintenance of International Peace and security

His speech further added how multilateralism and United Nations-centred International System were held high when the COVID-19 pandemic attacked the world. According to the Foreign Secretary, the awareness regarding global interdependence was learned by the world through the pandemic. He also mentioned that the world faced the pandemic with a tough mind.

He asserted that COVID-19 has also taught us the meaning of coordination.

"COVID-19 sharpened our awareness of the depth of global interdependence and on fact that world's only as resilient as least resilient country. Events of last year demonstrated how imperative it's for countries to coordinate responses to challenges that pandemic brought to fore, mentioned Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

India's contribution in fighting the pandemic

While speaking further at the high-level meeting, India's foreign leader stressed on the relief work provided by India. He said that, in past one year, India helped 150 countries with COVID-19 vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment to fight the pandemic.

He also talked about waiving IP rights for timely availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

"India has also worked with South Africa and other partners in WTO to seek relaxation in norms of TRIPS agreement to ensure quick and affordable access to vaccines and medicines for developing countries during the COVID pandemic, said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

(Inputs from ANI) (Image: ANI)
Ahead of Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's vote of confidence, which is scheduled for May 10, at least 25 Members of Parliament have tested positive for COVID-19, the Parliament Secretariat confirmed to ANI. Secretariat's spokesperson Rojnath Pandey said that over 200 honourable Members of Parliament underwent a test for COVID-19, out of which 18 tested positive. Eight MPs, who had undergone tests on their own, were also added to the list that takes the total number of infected members in Lower House to 26. One member of the Upper House also tested positive, Rojnath Pandey confirmed to ANI over the phone.

RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests conducted from Wednesday to Friday ahead of Monday's special session confirmed infection in 26 members of parliament, reports ANI news agency.

Rojnath Pandey said a total of 1,235 people underwent tests over three days and there's confirmation that 160 have tested positive for the virus while the reports of 54 other members of parliament are awaited. Pandey also said that the final number of COVID-19 infected MPs can only be ascertained after reports of 54 others will come. Coronavirus tests were conducted of MPs along with the staff of Parliament building, security officials, parliamentary reporters among others.

The official added that discussions have been conducted to ensure the voting right of every lawmaker on Monday's floor test despite being tested positive for COVID-19. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will seek a vote of confidence from Parliament on May 10 in his bid to stay in power. With the withdrawal of the CPN - Maoist Centre, PM Oli now heads a minority government falling short of 15 votes to reach a simple majority.

"We are holding talks with health experts about possibilities and arrangements that can be made for corona virus-infected Members of Parliament. House Speaker and health officials are working on a possible way. We want to ensure the voting right of every lawmaker on Monday's floor-test," secretary at Parliament Secretariat Gopinath Yogi said.

Chief Minister of Gandaki Province resigns

Ahead of the key vote in parliament, Chief Minister of Nepal's Gandaki Province, Prithivi Subba Gurung resigned from his post on May 9. He was set to face no-confidence-motion. In his resignation letter, Gurung claimed that "no environment to work in the province" is the reason behind his decision to step down from the post.

"CM Gurung submitted his resignation to Province Chief (Governor) Sita Paudel which already has been approved," CPN-UML's chief whip in the province, Maya Nath Adhikari confirmed ANI over the phone.

With inputs from ANI

IMAGE: Twitter - @kpsharmaoli
The owner of a Northern California bar was arrested on suspicion of selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to several undercover state agents for $20 each.

After receiving a tip, undercover agents with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control went to Old Corner Saloon in the city of Clements several times in April and bought fake laminated vaccination cards, officials said.

They returned to the small-town bar this week and saw others buy the phony cards and arrested the bar's owner, according to supervising agent Luke Blehm.

It wasnt immediately known if the bar owner, Todd Anderson, has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered the phone at the bar Friday.

Blehm said it appears it's the first such arrest in California.

Anderson was charged with three felonies, including identity theft, forging government documents and carrying an unregistered firearm. He also was charged with falsifying medical records, a misdemeanor.

State officials also are investigating an employee of Andersons who may be connected to the cards.

Vaccination cards are being used as a pass for people to attend large gatherings. The European Union is considering allowing tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated.

In California, officials have allowed venue operators to offer easier access to those with proof of vaccination. That includes preferential access to large events like concerts and sporting events and allowing venues to create vaccinated-only sections where social distancing requirements are not as strict.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Mothers Day last year looked very different for Evin Arici. She was cooped up with her husband and daughter for a brunch celebration at their home in Santa Cruz because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This year, with Bay Area coronavirus cases waning as vaccinations increase, and San Francisco in the least restrictive reopening tier, the family headed to the Pacific Heights neighborhood for an outdoor brunch at Chouquets restaurant Sunday morning.

Im very excited to be out and about again, said Arici.

They were one of many families who were out for a walk or for brunch Sunday in San Francisco to celebrate Mothers Day. Last year around this time, California had just started easing shelter-in-place restrictions, and the citys restaurants were still shuttered.

Jessica Flores / San Francisco Chronicle

Arici said she felt safe celebrating at a restaurant because she and her husband have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Were still keeping our same precautiousness and keeping the same standards but also feeling much more comfortable to be [out], especially if were sitting outside, she said.

[Related: 28 Mother's Day brunch ideas in the Bay Area, from Champagne feasts to bagels in bed]

In the Marina neighborhood, Promise Nixon took a walk through Chestnut Street with her 1-year-old daughter and fiance, Darrell Staley, just before noon. Staley had made special plans for them to celebrate Mothers Day.

Im excited, Nixon said, adding that she and her fiance dont get to spend much time together because they both work and are in school.

Last year, Nixon and her family took a drive for Mothers Day because there was nothing else to do because of the pandemic. Things are getting back to normal, so its nice, she said.

Jessica Flores / San Francisco Chronicle

Kaitlyn Bartley celebrated Mothers Day with brunch at the restaurant Cracked & Battered in the Marina with her husband and their three young daughters. They had plans for a socially distanced picnic with extended family Sunday evening in Berkeley.

Bartley said she felt optimistic after last year, which she called a scary Mothers Day because they couldnt celebrate with their family.

Its so nice to be feeling safer with the vaccines, Bartley said. There seems to be a lot more optimism and safety.

Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
As news of the Atlanta shooting broke in March, and outraged responses from friends and family piled up in my inbox, I was listening to Puccinis opera Madama Butterfly. It wasnt by choice. I was preparing a lecture on Orientalist operas for a music history survey course I teach. That, too, isnt a choice for my students; knowing this material is a degree requirement for all music students at my university.

For those unfamiliar, Madama Butterfly is the story of a 15-year-old Japanese geisha named Cio-Cio-San. She marries an American naval officer named Pinkerton, who takes advantage of a law that allows him to temporarily marry her. Pinkerton returns to America shortly after their union. In her infantile innocence (musically represented by simplistic melodies that also symbolize the Orient) Cio-Cio-San believes Pinkertons deceptive promise to return. Eventually, after three years, he does  with his real American wife Kate. They want to take the son Cio-Cio-San birthed after Pinkerton left and give the child a proper American upbringing. Unable to live without Pinkerton, Cio-Cio-San kills herself.

Orientalist operas like these remain exceedingly popular in the United States. Many find them to be a space of beauty or escape. Yet, as an Asian American woman, I cant help but associate them with violence and dehumanization. For nearly two centuries before the current rise of anti-Asian violence in America, our opera culture has glorified violence against, and profited from the objectification of Asian women.

To earn my living as a professor of music, I find myself in the absurd position of having to teach this material. Orientalist operas are included in every major introductory college music history textbook, where their musical contributions are uncritically lauded. Of the five textbooks Ive used over the years, only one bothered to give the issue of Orientalism any serious critical consideration.

Orientalism in classical music emerged as a popular phenomenon in the 18th and 19th centuries. Composers from Mozart to Brahms capitalized on the Western European fascination with neighboring Ottomans and Hungarian gypsies by incorporating certain sounds and rhythms  Oriental decals, if you will.

The most nefarious forms of Orientalism arose in the latter part of the 19th century. The great composers and rising stars of opera including Verdi, Puccini and Bizet created works like Aida, Madama Butterfly and Carmen. These productions featured lurid treatments of sex, violence and opulence that would have been considered offensive if they depicted European women in a European setting.

Reports of scandal and brilliance fueled the publics desires to see these Orientalist spectacles for themselves. And American demand for these works has remained consistent ever since. The repertory report of the Metropolitan Opera, Americas oldest and most established opera house, shows that Verdis Aida, set in ancient Egypt, has been staged 1,175 times. After Puccinis La Boheme, it is the second-most performed opera since the companys founding in 1883. Carmen comes in fourth with 1,023 performances, and Madama Butterfly eighth, with 891. At the Met, these works are an essential part of a venture that drew $120 million in operating revenue last year  even during COVID-19.

Over the past five years in the United States, there have been more performances of Puccini operas than any other composer. Orientalist operas are so integrated into contemporary pop culture that even Americans with no interest in opera have likely heard Carmens Habanera, or Cio-Cio-Sans Madama Butterfly aria Un bel di, vedremo.

That beloved arias moment of transcendence comes exactly when Cio-Cio-San stops singing. Silence is the condition of her humanity. The orchestra finishes the number without her.

Brokers of opera have willingly ignored the critiques of Orientalism, along with similar protests over misogyny, anti-Blackness and anti-Semitism. Instead, they continue to celebrate these works as the height of artistic genius and popular taste.

Ive long loathed having to teach these operas. But now, amid the tragic and abhorrent rise in anti-Asian violence, I find it impossible to look at the students in my class and explain that the Oriental womans role in opera is to die. That her death is essential to ensuring the tormented, tempted male tenor-hero, unable to resist her exotic allure, will be redeemed. That these are important musical conventions worthy of study.

In Bizets Carmen, the naive but good hero Don Jose cannot resist the seductive power of the Romani woman Carmen. So, he kills her to destroy his temptation.

Some redemption!

These Orientalist narratives are so trite its shocking that anyone would take them seriously. Yet they map directly onto the narrative of sexual addiction that the Atlanta shooter offered, and that many Americans  including the police who investigated the shooter  readily accepted.

My students deserve better. And they know it.

In the days that followed the Atlanta shooting, my class shifted gears. Opera, and the history of Western classical music, is a story. We talked about who gets to tell the story, for whose sake, and at what costs? The students have their own questions  about musical debts, and about their future roles in shaping musical institutions.

My class recently finished its survey course textbook. That story has been told. For my students, its about the choices they will now make, and the new chapters they get to write. Who gets to have agency, and who must stay an archetype of sacrifice and victimhood? Freed from bigoted tropes, who could Cio-Cio-San have become, how could she have changed the world and what stories would she want to pass on to us?

Miki Kaneda is assistant professor of Music at Boston University, where her research examines how race, gender and empire shape music.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  A nonprofit in Montana plans to open a slaughterhouse that will kill and process cattle donated for food banks.

The $2.5 million Producer Partnership plant outside Livingston will be able to process 300 animals per month by next year, the Billings Gazette reported.

Ranchers who donate cattle for food banks will have access to the processing plant for their own retail sales.

The Producer Partnership formed last year to help struggling communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership has donated 80,000 pounds (36,000 kilograms) of hamburger in the past year and a goal of 140,000 pounds (64,000 kilograms) a year.

The group has struggled to secure space at slaughterhouses, however, limiting how many donated animals it can accept.

Weve been trying to get kill dates at different plants. That proved to be hard to find a kill date in the first place and then we wound up with so many animals donated that we couldnt find enough dates, said Mayzie Purviance, Producer Partnership program administrator.

The processing plant will be federally inspected, meaning ranchers who choose to use the facility for direct retail sales will be able to ship meat out of state, Purviance said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  More Americans are still awaiting the arrival of their third stimulus checks, but whether there will be a fourth stimulus payment would be up to Congress, according to White House officials.

The Internal Service Revenue is distributing more than 1.1 million payments with a value of more than $2 billion in the eighth batch of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which intends to help Americans amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Americans previously received two other stimulus checks  $1,200 in March 2020 in the early pandemic, and $600 in December 2020. The third check includes up to $1,400 for single people and dependents and $2,800 for married couples.

That brings the total payments distributed to about 164 million  a total value of about $386 billion, since the payments began rolling out to Americans in batches as announced on March 12.

And now, many lawmakers are pushing for recurring direct payments throughout 2021 as part of a fourth government package.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK***

But White House officials said the possibility of a fourth stimulus payment would be up to Congress.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked during a press briefing last week if the country will see another round of stimulus checks, or even checks every month until the pandemic ends, in either of President Joe Bidens new proposals. Those proposals include the American Jobs Plan or the American Families Plan.

Well see what members of Congress propose, but those are not free, she said, about the stimulus checks.

She pointed to Bidens extension of the Child Tax Credit, which, if passed, would held families get regular payments that total up to $3,000 per year for kids ages six and over, and $3,600 for kids under six.

Obviously, were continuing to evaluate what their needs are to continue to get the pandemic under control, put people back to work, but we think thats also a proposal that will have a long-term benefit, she said, about the proposed extension of the Child Tax Credit.

President Joe Biden has talked about a potential $3 trillion spending bill for 2021. The new stimulus bill would focus on revving the economy, combatting inequality, and repairing the countrys infrastructure that has been fractured due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

However, many lawmakers -- including a group of 21 Democratic Senators who recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden -- are asking the President to approve recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions as part of a 2021 stimulus package.

THIRD STIMULUS

Many families will get more money from the third stimulus bill than they did from the first two stimulus packages because payments are being sent for adult dependents.

Unlike the first two stimulus payments, the third payout is not restricted to children under 17. Eligible families will get a payment based on all of their qualifying dependents claimed on their return, including older relatives, like college students, adults with disabilities, parents and grandparents.

The payment per person will be larger for most people than what they received from previous packages.

Most families will get $1,400 per person, including all dependents claimed on their tax return. Typically, this means a single person with no dependents will get $1,400, while a family of four (married couple with two dependents) will get $5,600.

To qualify for the full amount, an individual must have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or below. For individuals who are the head of household, the adjusted gross income must be $112,500 or below. If youre a married couple filing jointly, total yearly earnings must be $150,000 or below to receive the full stimulus check.

No action is needed by most taxpayers to receive payment.

If you are eligible for the third stimulus check but have yet to receive payment, you can learn when the payment will hit your bank account by using the Internal Service Revenues (IRS) Get My Payment tool.

You can use the Get My Payment tool, available in English and Spanish, only on IRS.gov. It updates once per day, usually overnight.

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Editors Note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at benanti@siadvance.com.

Charlotte and Daniel Grossane Jr. peek out of their limousine on the day of their wedding, April 30, 1960. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island Advance

As far back as anyone can remember, Catholic-church-based singles groups have served as sponsors for dances, socials, meet and greet mixers and trips  a way for young adults to get to know one another.

The events, still going on, were staged in church halls and auditoriums and often hosted by Catholic Singles organizations or even by individual parishes.

Though their paths had never crossed, Charlotte Turczany and Daniel Grossane Jr., were two of those singles who traveled from Brooklyn to the Assumption R.C. Church in Rego Park, Queens, for a simple Sunday night out with friends to listen to music, dance and engage in good conversation.

Speaking of the days as a single working woman, when life was a little less complicated, Charlotte recounted she worked at Rockefeller Center, close to St. Patricks Cathedral, and would often stop by the historic place of worship to say a prayer.

I prayed at Our Ladys Chapel and used to say the same things every time I went in. I asked the Blessed Mother to send me a good husband and I said he didnt have to be rich, tall and handsome  just a good husband.

She said she often knew on the first date if she was interested in furthering the relationship and sometimes declined when asked out again.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane during Christmas time just prior to their marriage. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

At one particular Sunday night church dance, Charlotte, whos 5 foot 11 inches, felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

When I turned around  since he was taller than I am  my eyes went directly to his tie tie clasp, which was a Miraculous Medal of Blessed Mother, Charlotte said. And I took it as a sign. And then as a second thought I inwardly asked what kind of guy would wear that?

As it turned out Dans tie clip had broken and when he couldnt find another his mom gave him a religious clip to wear from the selection shed received in the mail after making a donation.

As the evening progressed Dan asked Charlotte on a date the following weekend. And during that evening when they got up to dance Charlotte thought If I dont marry him  Im just not getting married.

NYPD officer Daniel Grossane and Charlotte Grossane during their younger years. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

I felt it was as though Blessed Mother said here he is. And I always felt Blessed Mother sent him to me. And Dan has the best husband any woman could ask for, she recalled with a smile.

The Grossanes met in 1958 and after dating for two years the couple said their I dos on April 30, 1960.

Weve been married for 61 years. And thats a long time, Charlotte said.

The Grossanes moved from Queens Village to Huguenot in 1973, where they still live.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane on their wedding day, April 30, 1960. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

A LITTLE ABOUT CHARLOTTE

Charlotte, now 83, is a graduate of Catherine McAuley (the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy) High School in Brooklyn.

She was a secretary for Shell Chemical in Manhattans RCA Building. But in time she left in order to raise a family.

Once her youngest child entered school, Charlotte enrolled at the former Staten Island Community College, now the College of Staten Island, where she earned an associates degree in nursing.

She became a registered nurse in the former Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn and worked on the medical surgical floor at the former Richmond Memorial Hospital, now Staten Island University Hospital, Princes Bay, for 19 years until her retirement in 1999.

A current photo of Daniel and Charlotte Grossane. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Her family has always been what is most important to her, said the couples daughter, Gina Catanzaro. My mom loves to host family gatherings with her children and grandchildren, cooking and baking wonderful meals for all to enjoy.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT DAN

Daniel Grossane Jr., 84, is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School.

He served for eight years in the US Army Reserves in the 77th Infantry Division where he attained the rank of Sergeant 1st Class.

A New York City police officer in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, he was promoted to sergeant and became a lieutenant at the 122nd Police Precinct in New Dorp.

He also was also a motorcycle police officer and a member of the Tactical Patrol Force  young volunteers who were specially trained in crowd control who had to be at least 6 feet tall and have high activity records as police officers.

Dan and Charlotte Grossane are surrounded by their grandchildren during a drive-by celebration on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Grossane retired as a lieutenant in 1996 after 38 years and nine months as a member of New York Citys finest.

He also was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America crews working toward Small Bore Collegiate Shooting and Trap Shooting Merit Badges.

TRAVEL PLANS

A family cruise to Bermuda was planned for July 2020, but with pandemic guidelines, their trip was postponed.

Gina said her parents enjoyed traveling and saw much of the United States, especially loving time spent out in the Western and Southern states.

Daniel and Charlotte Grossane smile for the camera outside their Huguenot home on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary last year. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

Iin 1983 they built a vacation home in the Pocono Mountains and enjoyed spending as much time as they could exploring the outdoors and watching the wildlife on their property. As their family grew to include their childrens spouses and grandchildren, they loved sharing that home with the family as a refuge to recharge their batteries, Gina continued.

CELEBRATORY DINNER

For the couples 60th diamond wedding anniversary last year, since COVID-19 restrictions were in place, the Grossanes were feted at a drive by party hosted by their children and grandchildren. And this year they hosted a celebratory dinner in their Huguenot home, where their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were on hand gathered to wish them well.

Charlotte explained, I think one the most important things in a marriage is to be very considerate of each other. We never ever had a fight. But it doesnt mean we agreed on everything. But we never really argued

And Dan said Charlotte is easy going. We were just always very considerate of each other, he said.

A poster created by family members to wish Daniel and Charlotte Grossane congratulatory greetings on the occasioh of their 60th wedding anniversary. (Courtesy/Gina Catanzaro) Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance

The Grossanes are the parents of Daniel (Claudia) Grossane, Gina (Anthony) Catanzaro and Liz (Allan) Nelson, the grandparents of seven and great-grandparents of three.

CELEBRATIONS - MAY 9 TO MAY 15

MAY 9

Sunday is birthday time again for Luke Eric Magierski, Helen Pedersen, Dottie Raffo, Michael Kline and John Michael DeRenzo.

Happy wedding anniversary Sunday to Kathy and Frank Mannino.

MAY 10

Heading the birthday list Monday is Dr. Howard Fox, Nicole Cataldo, Maryann Geissler, who turns 65, Jack McGinley, Jaidan Betancourt, Alfred Pettiford and twins, Larry and Danny Miraglia.

Happy wedding anniversary Monday to Camille and Alphonse Giordano, Chris and Christy Di Gregorio, Ron and Ada Tramontano and Maria and Jim Hogan.

MAY 11

Birthday best Tuesday to Carol Frazzetta of Carols Cuisine fame, Timothy James Golterman, Bill Marco, Tom Woods, and Rita Nana Wright.

And Tuesday is wedding anniversary time for Kathy and Peter Cennamo.

MAY 12

Happy birthday Wednesday to Ann Olsen Phillips, Angelo Ghan, who also shares an anniversary with husband Charles and birthday greetings to Connor Matthew Stapleton and Kristi Dillon.

MAY 13

The best of birthdays Thursday to Agnes Jennings, Anthony Tramontano, Betty Ann Lordo, who also celebrates an anniversary with husband Tony, Millie Butler, Dana T. Magee, former executive director and CEO of Community Resources, Vickie Picciano, and Josephine Ricca.

Happy wedding anniversary Thursday to Bonnie and Marty Giovinazzo and Johanna and George Abbruzzese.

MAY 14

Friday is birthday time for Richard Watson Jr., Brian Dale, Robert Bozza, Jill Fessler, Faith Ferrulli, Scott Welle, Frank Russo and T.J. Harrigan.

MAY 15

The happiest of birthdays Saturday to Marian Lucas, Grace Motola, and Miles Preston Lorentzen, who turns 18, Shannon Nielsen, Joseph Nicholas Bacchi, who turns 22 and will graduatie from the State University of New York at Cortland on the same day, Frank Bennetti and Michael DelPriore.

Happy wedding anniversary Saturday to Elvira and Steven Noss, Michele Sherry DeMizio and Joseph DeMizio and Marlie and Richie Plenzo, who mark their 45th.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- U.S. Navy Chief Grant Khanbalinov, well known for his charitable work sending fellow soldiers home for the holidays, is being medically retired following nearly 13 years of service.

In recent years, Khanbalinov, who grew up in Grant City, has been raising money to help send soldiers home to be with their families during the holiday season.

He launched Operation Send Sailors Home in 2019, spreading the word via social media that the organization was seeking sailors who needed help paying for a trip home during the holidays.

During the first year, Khanbalinov was able to send three junior sailors home to see their families, while also offering $200 for holiday presents to two other sailors that they unfortunately could not afford to send home.

It can be hard during the holidays, especially for junior sailors, Khanbalinov told the Advance. For some of them, this might be their first time being gone. We wanted to make the holiday season a little bit easier.

In 2020, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept across the globe, Khanbalinov wanted to do even more, so he teamed up with a not-for-profit, Holidays For The Heroes, and raised enough money to allow 100 military members to return home to see their families.

This year during the coronavirus pandemic a lot of people arent traveling, and we are all working in a completely different environment than we have ever worked in, so its more important than ever for them to see their family for the holidays, said Khanbalinov.

A lot of [U.S. Military members] spouses lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, so money is tight for everyone. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to help them out, he added.

But thats not all that Khanbalinov has done to give back.

He has been lauded for his prior social media efforts to help sailors, veterans and Navy brass who are depressed, suicidal or simply in need of someone to talk to.

Ive experienced the struggle with mental health myself in 2012 and 2013. I was able to recover. I went and got help after I mustered up the courage to go talk to the doctors about it, Khanbalinov said.

When I started to see that this was something affecting other service members now, I just wanted to see why they werent doing the same. Why werent they reaching out for help? So, I just wanted to become that sort of avenue where they felt like they could talk to me. Id tell them my story. Id tell them what Ive been through and hopefully that makes them a little bit more comfortable reaching out to someone for help, he added.

Khanbalinov is now being medically retired from the Navy after 12 years and nine months of service due to ongoing complications with Chrons disease, a diagnosis he received in 2018.

Ive been to the West Coast and the East Coast. Ive been to Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East. I did four deployments and I had a great time while I was in, but unfortunately, its time to go, Khanbalinov said.
Western Region Megapolis project faces mega obstacles By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas ambitious US$40 billion Western Region Megapolis Planning Project (WRMPP) launched by the previous regime with the aim of re-developing the Colombo City and suburbs is now facing major obstacles in realising its 15-year vision, an official progress review report has revealed.

This project comprising 150 smaller projects will be revised in accordance with the present governments vision and policy although the original plan may look good on paper, a senior Finance Ministry official told the Business Times.

Progress on these projects has been stalled due to the COVID-19 crisis, financial constraints and policy issues and is expected to be revised considering case by case basis based on the availability of funds, he disclosed.

It has been planned to establish a trade hub, a high-rise central business district including at least 60 new towers, a science and technology city, and a rapid transit system aimed at reducing traffic congestion in most populous Colombo City region.

The WRMPP has been planned to cover an area of 3,600 sq. km in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara with the objective of reducing the unemployment rate from 4 to 2 per cent by 2020, and then maintain that rate until 2035 by creating 2.1 million employment opportunities.

Plans have been devised at that time for developing two tourist cities and improve living conditions of 70,000 families living in shanties and slums.

But despite the imposing plan devised with the assistance of Surbana Jurong, a Singapore-based planning and engineering group, the WRMPPs viability is now doubtful in the absence of proper financing arrangements, irregularities and its poor record of project implementation, the report revealed.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have initially given its consent to provide partial funding for the implementation of the plan under certain conditions, senior official said.

The project, initiated in May 2015, had been in operation for more than two years by the end of September 2017 and a sum of Rs. 330.23 million had been incurred for the project, a recent Auditor Generals report revealed.

However, Rs. 10.22 million had been spent in 2018 and Rs. 19.45 million had been spent in 2019 on salaries and allowances and operating expenses for the staff of the project.

The Western Region Maritime Cities Development Project has been launched under this initiative in 2017 with the objective of dividing the beach starting from Negombo beach to Calido beach in Kalutara into three parts.

Although a total of Rs. 47.2 million had been spent for this project in 2017 and 2018, the project had been implemented without obtaining a Feasibility Study report for the implementation of the Urban Facility project or an Environmental Impact Assessment Report to assess the impact of the project on the environment, the report disclosed.

A sum of Rs. 30.01 million had been spent during 2019 for the salaries of the project staff and for the other operating expenses of the project office.

According to the Auditor Generals report, the Western Region Aero City Development Project and Western Region Administrative Cities Development Project had been carried out under the WRMPP by spending Rs. 80.7 million and Rs. 29.13 million in 2018 and 2019 respectively for staff salaries and other recurrent expenditure of the two projects.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Mayor Bill de Blasio has less than eight months left in office.

Theres a lot he can still fix. If he cared to.

And theres still a lot he can make worse. Like crime.

The city is being consumed by a surge of shootings, murders, subway violence and anti-Asian assaults.

Buildings are covered with graffiti. City streets are full of trash. The homeless pitch tents on subway gratings.

Murder is up 16. 8 percent this year versus last year, according to NYPD stats. Homicides were up a mind-numbing 266 percent during a recent week compared to the same week last year.

Shootings are up 83 percent year over year. The number of shooting victims is up 78 percent. Rape, other sex crimes and hate crimes are also up.

Witness the shooting that wounded three innocent bystanders in Times Square on Saturday. De Blasios New York.

De Blasio acts like its all got nothing to do with him. Hes only the mayor, after all.

He blames rising crime on the perfect storm of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though violent crime was rising in the city before coronavirus hit us like a truck last March and April.

And even to the degree that the pandemic has pushed the city toward the tipping point, its de Blasio who championed many of the strictures that locked the city down in the first place.

He trots out NYPD commanders to tout the increase in gun arrests while shootings continue to rattle communities in every borough, victimizing the innocent along with the guilty.

Asian people dont feel safe walking the streets. Few of us feel safe waiting for a subway. We warn our kids to watch their backs everywhere they go. This wasnt the norm before de Blasio took office in 2014.

De Blasio? He clings to the notion that all these problems are going to magically disappear once the court system is fully up and running. He sounds like former President Donald Trump wishing COVID-19 away like a miracle.

Why should New Yorkers think anything is going to change once the courts are open? The courts have been turning violent offenders back onto the streets without bail, thanks to criminal justice reforms championed by de Blasio.

What is a fully open court system going to do to change that?

De Blasios blase reaction to the escalating violence is a crime in and of itself.

Former NYC Mayor David Dinkins served just one term in City Hall. (Frankie Ziths/AP)AP

Once hes done with City Hall, de Blasio is likely to be recalled with the same kind of derision as Mayors Abe Beame and David Dinkins, two executives who failed to manage the chaos they were confronted with, fiscal and criminal, respectively.

The city that de Blasio inherited from Mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg was in far better shape than what Beame and Dinkins got handed.

De Blasios poor stewardship doesnt end there.

Mayor Abe Beame stumbled while leading New York City through the 1970s fiscal crisis. (Advance file photo)

In just one example of how out of touch de Blasio has become, the mayor apparently had no idea that the city Department of Education was preparing to cancel Columbus Day in the city schools.

He also seems more interested in keeping his wife, First Lady Chirlane McCray, politically relevant by rebranding and making permanent her failed ThriveNYC mental health program, a sinkhole into which hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have disappeared without explanation.

De Blasio has also lost the plot on reopening New York City after the pandemic. Every time he tries something, Gov. Andrew Cuomo bigfoots him off the stage.

Thwarted by the United Federal of Teachers, De Blasio has also failed to reopen city schools for full-time, in-person instruction at all levels. Even though kids are at low risk for spreading the virus, and even though communities across the country have their schools fully open with teacher in the classroom.

And de Blasios own municipal resist his call to return to the workplace.

It could be along couple of months until Dec. 31.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently released an online form to report businesses that are not adhering to the plastic bag ban.

The plastic bag ban went into effect in New York City in March 2020, but enforcement did not begin in October 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The ban requires all entities that collect New York State sales tax to adopt a five-cent paper carry-out bag reduction fee and refrain from using carry-out plastic bags.

Since the law went into effect, some stores have opted to disobey the law and continue to offer plastic bags to their customers.

The DEC plans to put a stop to this practice by using its new reporting system to find businesses that arent adhering to the law and fine them.

The online form asks consumers to file a complaint against businesses that are not complying with the law.

The form asks citizens to name the business and the ways that they are not being compliant with the plastic bag ban. It also indicates that pictures can be sent to plasticbags@dec.ny.gov.

Concerns can also be voiced to via phone to 518-402-8706.

DEC ISSUES WARNINGS, NOT FINES SO FAR

Since the law went into effect in October, the DEC has not issued any fines, THE CITY reported.

The department had issued 76 fines as of April 14, the outlet claimed.

THE CITY reported the the DEC would start taking tougher action if businesses continue to be noncompliant after warnings.

The agency said that they fines could range between $250 to $500 per violation.

DEC continues to encourage New Yorkers to make the transition to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop, and encourages anyone who witnesses violations of the plastic bag ban to fill out DECs complaint form on our website, Erica Ringewald, a department spokesperson, told THE CITY.

Environmental activists, however, say that the DEC has not taken enough action in enforcing the new law.

It is an important step, but theres been patchwork adoption, Tok Oyewole, a policy and communications organizer for the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, explained to THE CITY. As a whole, I think that there needs to be greater enforcement of the plastic bag ban across establishments.

Other activists have noted that single-use plastic bags cause an enormous amount of waste, with around 50% becoming street litter.

According to the DEC website, 23 million plastic bags are typically used in New York City each year.

The department says that the negative impacts of using plastic bags are easily seen in trees, floating in our waterways, and more.

More information about the impact of plastic bags and how to switch to reusable bags can be found on the DEC website.

Read more about #SISustainability:
When rezoning is required to include racial impact studies, the land use review process is then required to make space for a critical conversation on race, vulnerability, segregation, displacement and opportunity to help inform how we plan for a more equitable future. When our land use processes dismiss these concerns, like we experienced in the recent Bay Street Corridor Rezoning, they fail to help to raise the standards of development, miss strategic opportunities to address inequality and risk exacerbating the experience of New Yorks communities living in a tale of two cities  where one community hoards opportunities and the other is targeted with the burdens of a growing city.

We need a racial impact study for land use decisions. Intro 1572 will require a racial impact study to be included in the citys Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) that accesses underlying community characteristics, underlying vulnerabilities and risks related to displacement, health and lack of economic opportunity, all through a racial lens. In Staten Island, our experience is shaped by our unique setting amongst New York Citys boroughs. Our community has been isolated, at times by design, from the kind of economic opportunity, housing choice, and open space options afforded to other neighborhoods.

The underlying lack of access can lead to inequitable outcomes and leave too many of our neighbors vulnerable, especially when you are Black or brown and low-income. These racial dynamics that influence development and investment priorities are present on Staten Island. For years, the planning process on Staten Island has been grounded in private economic interests with no comprehensive planning models to consider the impact on communities of color. A special planning district along the South Shore, given in 1975, seeks to balance the provision of public infrastructure with the pace of new development. This results in processes that, by design, include considerations for adequate school seats, natural resources, parks and other significant capital projects.

Meanwhile, Staten Islands neighborhoods that have a concentration of communities of color and lower-income residents continue to suffer from deep inequities in capital projects and planning. We know through experience that rezoning is about race and that rezoning is about more than land use.

While the Bay Street rezoning attempted to address some of the affordable housing needs, it did not account for the poorest with the need for MIH Options that provide the deepest affordability. It also did not make analysis of the impact on two of the largest Black and brown neighborhoods in the borough, which bordered like bookends the perimeters of the rezoning area  Park Hill and Jersey Street. The plan did not take full advantage of the significant amount of public land along the waterfront, as outlined in the communitys proposal for a Maritime Education, Recreation and Cultural Corridor (MERC) designed to address education, provide new open space, improve health outcomes and spur an inclusive economic development strategy to cultivate an industry based on the opportunity presented by the waterfront.

These concerns were not included in the rezoning plan or investment strategy. As New York City emerges from COVID-19, shot by shot, the city must ensure that there is an equitable recovery. Our current system concentrates too much burden on communities of color as evident in health outcomes, small business closures, affordable housing scarcity and eviction risk, gaps in education and access to broadband, and access to open space.

A racial impact statement must help disclose a baseline of community characteristics that can put an individual proposal or neighborhood action into proper context. While the conclusions drawn from these disclosures will be varied, the data itself will not prescribe what action should be taken. Instead of simply determining whether or not to grow in a particular community, the information should inform a more expansive set of options that help to highlight community-identified mitigations and alternatives that minimize displacement risk, advance local priorities, and include vulnerable people in the benefits of a proposed action.

On Staten Island, a required racial impact study wouldve captured this circumstance and laid out data for electeds, the public and advocacy groups to highlight the urgency for deeper affordable housing and the opportunity to address long-standing inequalities while advancing local initiatives. I applaud the urgency from the public advocate and the foresight of Councilmember Salamanca in the Bronx to advocate for a racial impact study for the proposed rezoning along Southern Boulevard.

The city must incorporate race into its land use decision-making process to improve outcomes for all New Yorkers. The time for a racial impact study was decades ago. We cannot let the inequalities in our city continue to persist. The City Council must pass Intro 1572 to put us on a direct path towards a more expansive conversation to address segregation, displacement and access to opportunity.

(Kelly Vilar is the director of Staten Island Urban Center, a grassroots community organization, and a member of the Racial Impact Study Coalition.)
Collective effort needed to face national COVID emergency View(s):

After managing to contain the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to reasonable levels, today the Government is faced with the daunting task of controlling the spread of the virus as the third wave has resulted in an increased number of patients and deaths.

The demand on the countrys resources has further contributed to the strain on an already overburdened economy. The public health system is creaking with the lack of hospital beds, ventilators and even ambulances to transport the sick.

At a time when the Government is stretched to the maximum, one would think that the Government needs all the help it can get to face what is undoubtedly a national emergency. It needs the optimum cooperation of the countrys people in following health protocol and the input of health experts, together with the support of all shades of political opinions.

However strangely the Government is fighting shy of accepting the offers of cooperation from the different stakeholders and continues to want to operate on its own. At the same time Government spokesmen in response to Opposition criticisms call for the Opposition to cooperate in the task of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the Governments idea of cooperation is completely different from the Opposition. Last week during the adjournment debate on the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament the only cooperation the Government needed was for the Opposition to keep their mouths shut and allow the health authorities and the armed forces to do their job. That is enough. No other cooperation is necessary, said Mr Amaraweera.

Speaking the previous day at the same debate, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa called upon the country to unite to fight the third wave of the COVID pandemic. He lamented that unfortunately the Government had politicised the process of dealing with the pandemic. He offered the support of the Opposition, as he had done several times in the past, to deal with the pandemic. He went on to list some of the efforts that the Opposition had made with the international community to help the country in its efforts to address the pandemic.

Sajith Premadasa pledged to cooperate with the Government but said he would do so only in relation to systemic efforts but would not support decisions in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic based on political considerations.

The Opposition Leader also urged the Government to prioritise its expenditures. While welcoming the Governments decisions of repairing KFIR jets at a cost of US$ 50 million and setting up exercise centres all over the country at a cost of US$ 650 million, he urged that these sums be diverted to current COVID-19 requirements and to postpone the two projects.

He called upon the Government to divert all non-urgent expenditure to get down vaccines and COVID-19 related equipment. Sajith Premadasa also criticised the failure of the Government to give fiscal stimulus packages unlike in other countries.

In conclusion he also deplored the actions of the Government in creating religious tensions by unfairly denying citizens of their burial rights during the pandemic to appease racist elements.

But surprisingly the Government is not only not heeding the Oppositions calls for a joint effort to combat the COVID-19 virus but it even refuses to obtain the views of medical and health experts. Professor Tissa Vitharana, a leader of one of the constituent parties in the Government and an expert virologist with nearly three decades of experience working with the World Health Organisation, is completely kept out of deliberations relating to the pandemic.

The opinion of Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the State Minister in charge of COVID-19, seems to be not given the importance it deserves, while the Sri Lanka Medical Association, the General Medical Officers Association, the Public Health Inspectors Association are reduced to writing letters or holding press conferences to express their views.

The likes of Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Dr. Paba Palihawadane and Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara who played a leading role in combatting the first phase are missing in action. Their experience would have greatly benefitted the health officials who are valiantly heading the current efforts to battle the pandemic.

In the recent incident where the decision to enforce a lockdown in Piliyandala by the health authorities was undone overnight by a political hand is a clear indication that politicians are interfering in what is a task essentially for the health authorities. Another incident involving political considerations that comes to mind is the funeral of the late Arumugam Thondaman, where crowds were not following health protocol.

It is a tragedy that the country has so much expertise that can be harnessed to face the biggest challenge of our times but is un-used for no rational reason. On the other hand a joint effort by the political actors can do much to mitigate the situation. For example if a joint appeal is made by the Government and the Opposition to the international community it will undoubtedly have a greater chance of success than a solo effort made by the Government. (javidyusuf@gmail.com)
Covid debate: Govt. on the defensive as Opposition unleashes a volley of allegations By Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

As the country grappled with a dangerous third wave of COVID-19, the Government was forced to defend itself in Parliament amid Opposition charges that it had botched the response to the pandemic.

Underlying the situations seriousness, all doors leading to the Parliament Chamber were left open for the first time in its history during a debate on Tuesday as the Opposition moved an adjournment motion on the Prevailing Situation in the Country. The decision to leave the doors open was taken to ensure that the air-conditioned Chamber received as much ventilation as possible to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading inside. By Wednesday, even the side doors leading to the Chamber were open during the debate.

Moving the adjournment motion for the Opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Kalutara District Parliamentarian Rajitha Senaratne said the Governments failure to understand the difference between a war waged against a terrorist organisation and an unseen virus hd placed the country in a dire situation. When fighting a virus of this nature, one must be extremely careful and subtle, but the State sponsored mythical cures had put the public in more difficulty.

He pointed out that local scientists researching COVID-19 had clearly warned the Government on April 8 that a new variant of the virus had been identified in the country and had stressed on the need to take urgent counter measures. Not only did the political establishment ignore medical advice, it also took over the mechanism to control the pandemic, he claimed adding that people are now paying for these follies with their lives.

SJB Colombo District MP S.M. Marikkar questioned what the Government had done with more than a billion rupees collected for the dedicated COVID Fund coming under the purview of the Presidential Secretariat.

From what we have seen from media reports, more than Rs 1000 million had been deposited in the COVID-19 fund, but neither Parliament nor the public have been informed of how these funds were utilised. Was the money used to buy vaccines or medicines or to set up hospitals for COVID patients? he asked.

Mr Marikkar also said the Government was short of some 600,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to administer the second dose to those who had received their first. The shortage was due to the Government vaccinating more than 950,000 people and keeping just over 250,000 doses for the second jab.  Now the Government is trying to give another vaccine as the second dose. This could put lives in danger, he said.

Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena rejected the idea of going for another countrywide lockdown to control the situation. Show us one country where COVID cases werent reported even after coming out of a countrywide lockdown. We tried the same thing last year.

State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, meanwhile, noted that a complete lockdown would leave some of the poorest segments in the country helpless. We have about 1.4 million three-wheeler drivers. There are 600,000-800,000 ticket sellers and about 3 to 4 million daily paid labourers who earn between Rs 1000 and Rs 1500. Who will look after them if we go for a lockdown? We tried paying Rs 5000 allowance for them earlier but we have to calculate the cost. The Treasury had to provide Rs 212 million to pay the Rs 5000 allowance last week to people in some Kurunegala district areas that are under lockdown.

The country was currently undergoing a Corona Tragedy, said Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. He recalled that it was he who first brought to the Government and Parliaments notice the unfolding pandemic in January and February last year before any COVID patients were detected in the country. We asked that the Government distribute face masks to the public. The Governments response was that it did not believe it was necessary for the public to wear masks.

The Opposition Leader accused the Government of reducing the number of daily PCR tests to create an artificial self-confidence that it had defeated COVID before going for a parliamentary election. They came guaranteeing security, but in the end, the entire country has become insecure, he noted.

While this Government was busy promoting clay pots and peniyas (concoctions), other countries busied themselves ordering vaccines due to fears that there will be a vaccine shortage, Mr Premadasa said.

Also blaming the Governments alleged inaction was the National People Power frontliner Vijitha Herath. He said: The Government disregarded the advice of health professionals and acted arbitrarily to bring in Ukranian tourists just as the first wave was subsiding, leading to the second wave. Even now, the Government keeps allowing tourists from India to come to our country, though everyone knows what the situation in India is like.

Responding to these charges, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said the Government, while adopting the World Health Organisations (WHO) COVID guidelines, must also ensure that the countrys economy remains strong. That will enable us to buy whatever is needed to defeat COVID. We conduct a minimum of 25,000 PCR tests a day. One test costs Rs 1,700. We spend Rs 4.4 million on PCR tests alone every day, she told Parliament.

Explaining the Governments preparedness to face any emergency situation, she said: We have 13,800 beds allocated for COVID patients in hospitals. We are working to add a further 10,000 beds within the next two weeks. Our hospitals currently require an oxygen capacity of 25 tonnes, but we have the capability to increase that capacity to 80 tonnes. We currently have 24,000 normal and 4000 jumbo oxygen cylinders in our hospitals. We have also ordered 7000 more oxygen jumbo cylinders. We are due to get 400 of these next week.

We have allocated 104 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds for COVID patients. A further 64 High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds have also been allocated to COVID patients. At present, there are critical patients in 58 ICU beds. We have made preparations to allocate a further 138 ICU and 56 HDU beds for COVID patients if the need arises.

Covid-control State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle denied that the Government had reduced the number of daily PCR tests to make it seem numbers were down. When the number of patients reduces, it inevitably means the number of close contacts also reduces. We continued random PCR testing. Hospitals also did not stop the PCR tests done for those being admitted to have surgery and other admissions. The PCR test positivity rate had reduced in these cases as well.

She also said the Government had no reason to hide the reality that the country was having a shortage of 600,000 AstraZeneca doses. This is not the Governments fault. The suppliers have been unable to meet the demand for vaccines due to the sheer scale of the pandemic. We are also taking steps to bring down Sputnik and Pfizer vaccines. Research is currently being conducted on using a different vaccine as the second dose. We will have to wait for the results of the research, but if it proves successful, we may end up giving people a cocktail of vaccines, she revealed.

Indigenous Medicine Promotion State Minister Sisira Jayakody urged the Government to allow the Ayruvedic sector to treat COVID patients. We have 118 ayurvedic hospitals and 5,072 hospital beds in total. We have 1,022 degree qualified ayurvedic physicians serving in our hospitals while 1,274 trained community physicians are also attached to this sector, he noted.

Tamil National Alliance frontliner M.A. Sumanthiran pointed out that instead of passing new legislation through Parliament, the Government was using two archaic laws that were 100 to 150 years old to control the pandemic. In contrast, many countries have passed emergency legislation to deal with the new threat.

There doesnt seem any urgency in doing what this House ought to do. There are other Bills such as the Port City Bill which are being brought post-haste, but something that this House should have done has not been done even to-date, said Mr Sumanthiran, pointing out that in the end, he had to present a Private Members Bill on the subject to Parliament last year, which has now been forwarded to the Health Ministry for consideration.

Responding to opposition allegations, Pharmaceutical Production State Minister Channa Jayasumana admitted that Sri Jayewardenepura University researchers informed the Government on April 8 that samples taken from five Covid-positive construction workers from a Boralesgamuwa construction site were showing a covid virus variant not seen before in this country.

In medical terms, they informed us that there was an S-Gene dropout of the virus. There are three variants of the virus so far identified that contain this anomaly. One is the UK variant first identified in Kent. It is false to say the Government took no measures afterwards. We used intelligence agencies to identify 800 contacts of these individuals and tested them all. None of them came back positive for COVID-19, he stated, adding that it was wrong to say the Government ignored the issue.

The Governments target was to vaccinate 13.5 million of the population, Prof. Jayasumana noted, adding that it hoped to fully vaccinate 10.3 million people by December 31. We have placed our faith primarily on the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. We expect 13 million doses of the vaccine by December and hope to fully vaccinate 6.5 million people using that. This is half of the population we hope to vaccinate for the virus, he said.

Parliament will reconvene on May 18. The Speaker is expected to present before the House the Supreme Court determination on the controversial Port City Bill.
More than 150,000 dwellings are forecast to be built across Sydney in the next four years but more than a quarter of the citys suburbs will be untouched by the development.

NSW Department of Planning forecasters estimate between 132,800 and 171,200 new homes will be built in Sydney by 2025, reflecting continued uncertainty due to COVID-19. But no new homes are forecast to be built in 223 Sydney suburbs.

The highest growth suburbs are forecast to be Parramatta where 4305 homes are expected, Marsden Park (3760 new dwellings), and Rouse Hill (2965).

Areas forecast to have zero new developments include the north shore suburbs of Cheltenham, North Epping, Riverview, West Pymble, South Turramurra, East Lindfield, East Killara, Davidson, North Wahroonga and Killarney Heights.
NEW MILFORD  While Alyssa Milczarski isnt allowed to attend senior prom Saturday night, she still plans to go out for a fun time  and wear her prom dress.

For the past two weeks, Milczarski and other New Milford High School seniors have been quarantining at home and taking classes remotely because they came into contact with another student who tested positive for COVID-19.

The school says we were exposed last Thursday when we were at school, at lunch outside with our friends. Then we got called down to the nurses office that following Monday and they said we were contact traced and we had to quarantine for 14 days, said Milczarski, 18.

Saturday marks the last day of quarantining for Milczarski and the other students who were exposed.

Even though we tested negative for COVID, they told us we still have to quarantine and cant attend prom nor consider moving the prom date, said Milczarski, adding there is a total of about 20 students who cant attend prom.

Milczarski said she and her friends are upset since students who were exposed meet the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

CDC guidelines say quarantine times can be reduced to seven days after receiving a negative COVID test on or after the five-day mark.

In a letter to the New Milford school community on Thursday, Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo reminded parents that the district follows the 10-day quarantine guidance for people known to be close contacts of cases of COVID-19.

After seven days, persons need to continue to take the measures needed to prevent COVID-19, including but not limited to: wearing a mask when out in public and avoiding gatherings with people who are not in your immediate household, according to the CDC guidance that DiCorpo included in the memo to parents.

The districts medical advisor and the local health director support the school districts decision to continue utilizing the 10-day quarantine period guidance, DiCorpo wrote in her letter.

She also wrote that students who were deemed a close contact, meaning they were within 3 to 6 feet for more than 15 minutes or 15 minutes over the course of the day to someone who tested positive, cannot test out of the 10-day required quarantine.

DiCorpos letter said the only exceptions were if students had COVID-19 in the prior 90 days or 14 days have elapsed since they received their final vaccine shot.

DiCorpo and New Milfords principal did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

Milczarski said she is scheduled to receive her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine dose on Wednesday.

Milczarski said she and her friends who were exposed are planning to continue remote learning until two weeks after they have been vaccinated. She said they dont want to miss the remaining senior activities because of quarantine rules.

Last week, New Milford High School students started a petition on change.org called Prom 2021, requesting the prom date be pushed back to allow for more students to attend. More than 200 people have signed, and there were more than 20 comments posted in support.

Not being allowed to attend prom is not stopping Milczarski and her friends from enjoying a night on the town.

About four or five of us are going out anyway, in our prom dresses, she said. We figured its prom night and we should do something.

Their evening plans include a Japanese restaurant and a local recreation center, according to Milczarski, who purchased an aqua-colored prom dress.

We will hang out in our dresses, she said. We figured we might as well wear them since we cant wear them to prom.
Govt moots rolling out Coronavirus Cocktails View(s):

The Government is exploring the possibility of rolling out a different brand of vaccine as the second dose to nearly 600,000 people who have already been jabbed with the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, it was announced this week.

COVID Minister Sudharshani Fernandopulle told Parliament on Tuesday, that it will be possible to give the COVID-19 vaccine as a cocktail, based on the results of the research which is in progress to ascertain the possibility of giving the second dose with an alternate brand

of vaccine.

Research is in progress, the COVID Minister said, on the possibility of giving the second dose with another brand of vaccine to those who were given the first dose with AstraZeneca vaccine. We cannot decide on that. Based on the results of the research, we will be able to give a cocktail in the future.

We have an issue of providing 600,000 doses as the second dose. There is nothing to hide.

It is not the issue of the Government. The issue has

arisen due to the manufacturers inability to supply the

demand, State Minister Fernandopulle said.

Obviously, her statement causes concern. Raises the alarm. Provokes anger.

First, it provokes ire since the state ministers statement in Parliament that the dearth of 600,000 Oxford Astra vaccines is not the fault of the Government and that it has been caused

due to the manufacturers inability to supply the demand, will not do.

Even if the shortage is attributed to Indias own home needs given the scale of Indias present COVID crisis, which erupted in full force early April, why was the Government twiddling its thumbs all this time in pathetic inertia? In early January this year, while neighbouring Bangladesh and the Maldives had already announced vaccine rollouts from 26 January, what indeed, was the Lankan Government doing? Was it hoping Dhammikas paniya would do the trick?

As the SUNDAY PUNCH of January 4th commented five months ago, While many countries have joined the queue well on time to be in line to receive the life saving, life changing, hope restoring vaccine of vaccines to end COVIDs unchallenged siege in their respective lands, Lanka hasnt even arrived at the starters gate to be whistled out.

Instead, she is still in the paddocks making inquiries from potential suppliers without a clue as to which vaccine to order, regardless of its quality; and holding out the begging bowl

for charity from all passers-by

to raise the cash to buy the vaccine that will safeguard the health of her own people, the ultimate responsibility of any government.

For that, she has to depend on her tears not on spot cash, on evoking pity not on credit power, on prayer and hope not from sterling Fitch ratings, on grovelling on all fours for a freebie dose, on even selling off her last few possessions to get the COVID fix for her imperiled citizens.

Second, the state ministers statement raises alarm among the 600,000 odd people who fear they may be left high and dry due to the Governments failure to procure the balance vaccines on time. It has sent shockwaves through these 600,000 people who had taken the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose, knowing full well that they are medically bound to stay faithful to the same brand when it comes to taking the second booster dose.

It has placed them in a real quandary. For they now face the forbidding prospect of being called upon to dump their pledged loyalties and seek the protection of another deified vaccine as the second dose to complete the vaccines intended course, knowing naught of the adverse side effects that may ensue from embracing such an untried and untested mix and match concoction, even though approved by the expediency dictated convenient tag for emergency use only.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the United States stringent regulatory body responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food and drug safety. It is also globally revered for its scientific standards of vaccine safety, effectiveness

and quality. Heres what it has to say of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA):

An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Under an EUA, FDA may allow the use of unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions when certain statutory criteria have been met, including that there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.

Thus at the outset it must be clearly understood that the World Health Organisation which more or less use the same FDA yardstick to grant emergency approval to vaccines, grants emergency use only certificates to unapproved vaccines not because it is hundred percent safe but only because in a dire life threatening pandemic, there is no viable alternative.

Third, State Minister Fernandopulles statement that the COVID cocktail would be rolled out to Lankans only after the results of ongoing research has been released, though reassuring, also gives rise to concern and worry.

True, the WHO has granted emergency use approval to Americas Pfizer vaccine, to Englands Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured at the Serum Institute of India and this Friday to the Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. The Russian Sputnik V vaccine is still awaiting WHOs emergency use though its rollout in Lanka began this week with an initial stock of 15,000 doses

These four vaccines have been developed respectively in American, British, Chinese and Russian labs in isolation, each following their own protocols. Their platforms differ, for instance the Pfizer is based on Nucleoside modified mNRA, while the Oxford AstraZeneca is based on Recombinant ChAdOx1 adenoviral vector encoding the Spike protein antigen of the SARS-CoV-2. The Chinese Sinopharm is based on Inactivated, produced in Vero cells while Russias Sputnik V is based on Human Adenovirus Vector-based Covid-19 vaccine.

Their efficacy ratings also differ, as do their side effects of which little is still known since it is too early to gauge any significant long-term adverse consequences, if any.

With so little known of its individualistic traits and behavioral patterns, emergency use authorisation has been granted, nevertheless, solely on the grounds of expediency, because the extremely serious pandemic situation prevalent worldwide so demands its unfettered and immediate use and eclipses its potential harmfulness.

In the circumstances, how much more difficult would it be to predict the outcome of giving a different vaccine as the second dose? Will the Oxford AstraZeneca compliment the Chinese Sinopharm or tango well with Russias Sputnik V?

Trials to mix and match different COVID vaccines and determine whether its safe to inject the same person with two different vaccine jabs have already begun in Britain and elsewhere, but though some investigators have expressed optimism, it has hardly got off the drawing boards.

With many European countries increasingly considering mixed vaccination strategies, the European Medical Agency last month stated that currently there are no guidelines on the mix matching of COVID vaccines. It announced, The EMA hasnt issued guidelines relating to mixing and matching of different vaccines between the first and second dose.

The official take of the WHO on mix and matching is: Clinical trials in some countries are looking at whether you can have a first dose from one vaccine and a second dose from a different vaccine. There isnt enough data yet to recommend this type

of combination.

With world research still in its infant stage, it will be a pipe dream to entertain Lankan COVID Minister Fernandopulles hope that, based on the results of the research, we will be able to give a cocktail in the future, By the time, the process has been completed, its findings published and emergency approval is granted by the WHO, the 12 to 16 week time frame recommended for the second dose to be taken would have long expired for Lankans who took the Oxford Astra jab in late February and March.

A ray of hope lit Fridays evening sky, when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted that he has held a discussion with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus via zoom technology on the current COVID situation, and stated: I believe he will make effort to fulfil Lankas need for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination.

Hopefully, this piece of good news will come to pass. Or else, many Lankans who have taken the Oxford AstraZeneca as their first dose may have to decide for themselves whether its far more desirable to opt out of the vaccine programme and run the risk of COVID infection or dare risk a fate far worse than the plague by playing Russian roulette, mixing and matching with either the Russian Sputnik or the Chinese Sinopharm?

Pavithra plucks another folly from Tourism Ministers cap Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga who surrounded himself with the dubious kudos for opening secured island doors to tourists from COVID-infested Ukraine when Lanka was having a brief respite from the corona pandemic last December, added another folly to his cap last week by promoting Lanka as a quarantine destination to Indians streaming in from an India reeling under the worst COVID catastrophe, the world has so far seen. The decision was not taken on humanitarian grounds to provide basic medical care and safety to Indian refugees fleeing the Indian subcontinent but to merely offer Indians who could afford the tab a convenient parking lot in Lanka to circumvent entry rules imposed by countries that have banned visitors from India direct. Worse. This short sighted and potentially disastrous move came in the wake when Lanka was experiencing a virulent increase in COVID infections, recording over 1,500 cases per day. This is attributed to a UK variant. The last thing the nation needed was an Indian variant to make Lankas own man-made disaster replete. But this prospect seems not to have inhibited nor diminished the Tourist Ministers and his teams thirst for the extra dollar. In a report published last Sunday in the Sunday Times/Business, the Tourist Minister said that currently they were permitting Indians to travel to Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka has become an acceptable destination for Indians to seek quarantine facilities prior to proceeding to destinations like West Asia and Singapore. Currently, this facility could be offered to Indians only as Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling overseas. The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority gave fulsome echo to the Ministers sentiments. In a statement listing a new set of regulations issued on April 24 for international arrivals for the purpose of 14-day quarantine en route to other countries, it stated Some countries accept quarantine in Sri Lanka as an entry requirement to their country, where direct arrival for the origin country is not permitted. This is a reflection of Sri Lankas health and safety regulations. But will the creditable reflection of Sri Lankas health and safety regulations, earned due to the tireless efforts of the nations medical sector, remain so for long,

if the Tourist Ministry squanders it in this grossly irresponsible fashion, risking a worst catastrophe than Indias to unfold in the land? But many countries, wising upto this ruse, have now banned anyone who had visited Sri Lanka in the last 14 days from setting foot on their soil. Luckily  even if it came belated  Pavithras Health Ministry called a halt to this madness. On Wednesday, it issued new guidelines which banned airlines from disembarking passengers from India or with a 14 day travel history to India. As a result the Civil Aviation Authority  which incidentally comes under Tourism Minister Ranatunga as well for he is also Minister of Civil Aviation  had no choice but to stop the exodus from India under further notice. Its Additional Director General P. A. Jayakantha said, The Civil Aviation Authority has decided to suspend all Indian passengers entering the country with immediate effect. The problem is that the Tourist Minister and his high level panel seem hooked on fishing in troubled waters, blithely divorced from all reality; and tend, perhaps, to forget, in their surfeit of professionalism which, alas, has drowned common sense, that the troubled waters they are fishing in are no one elses but their own; and the water is rising dangerously high, so ominously high that it threatens to swallow whole not only the minister and his pundits but all of Lanka.
Army and health authorities give different views on upsurge; minister overturns lockdown ruling of Kesbewas MOH

Desperate efforts to get more vaccines; President speaks to WHO chief, Senior advisor seeks help from US

As figures keep on rising, military personnel build temporary hospitals, but concern over lack of medical staff and facilities Early last year, when COVID-19 hit Sri Lanka for the first time causing a shiver among the people, intelligence sleuths used their skills for contact tracing.

The suspect victim was successfully located. Busloads of those who brushed shoulders were also rounded up for quarantine. Public confidence rose as figures of those connected with the pandemic fell low. That aura of safe living, however, was shattered when cases broke out at Brandix Apparel in Minuwangoda. The source of origin became a hotly contested debate.

The disease spread though strangely the name from where it originated disappeared. Officials called the newborn outbreak Minuwangoda cluster. Some said it was a remarkable public relations manoeuvre painfully executed at cost. Brandix owner Ashraff Omar did amends for it by turning over his Brandix Green garments factory at Seeduwa to the Army to be converted into a hospital with 1,200 beds. Then came the outbreak at the Peliyagoda wholesale fish market. Officially it was first the Peliyagoda fish market cluster that later morphed into Peliyagoda cluster. Even if COVID-19 or coronavirus remains the same, it has not only changed lives but also helped officials change nomenclatures at will.

Now, the so-called New Year cluster patients, as they call those who were affected by the UKs fierce variant (B. 1.1.7) have put paid not only to early counter measures but are also sapping governments meagre resources. The UK variant was identified in London as well as in Southeast and East of England in December 2020. Since its emergence, the UK variant has undergone several mutations that have said to have altered its infectivity and transmissibility in the community. Adding to fears now, according to Dr Chandima Jeewandara, is an Indian returnee testing positive to the Indian variant, (B1.617) for the first time in Sri Lanka. How serious these new variants, known to float in air, is illustrated by what happened to 40-year-old Pramoda Mahendra, a fruit seller from Mahendora in Piliyandala. He came home one night this week, had his dinner, and slept. Later at night, he woke up and wanted water. He drank it and slept only to be found dead due to COVID-19. True the surge came after the national New Year and some ignored the health guidelines. On the other hand, there was no mechanism to ensure they were followed. Now, at least one enforcement agency has gone to the other extreme.

This week saw the Dam Street Police in Colombo acting in the most crude way when they rounded up those not wearing masks. Also rounded up were those who wore it below their noses or mouths. Four Police officers in protective gear physically carried them to a parked bus. Shops in areas near those locked down were asked to shut down. Shop owners in Dharga Town, a Muslim village, not under a lockdown, were ordered to close. An association representing the traders pleaded that they had brought their goods with post dated cheques for sale during the Ramadan festival next week. They won a temporary reprieve. In a quarantine camp in Punani, 264 miles from Colombo, near eastern capital of Batticaloa, inmates have no water, not even to take their medication. This facility comes under the Polonnaruwa Base Hospital and there are two phone numbers pasted on the walls for inmates to call in an emergency but the phones do not work.

That these instances and many others are tough and unprecedented challenges for the authorities is no secret. There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases spread over 11 days. If the number of confirmed cases stood at 997 on April 26, it gradually rose as follows: April 27  1,111 cases, April 28th  1461, April 29  1531, April 30  1662, May 1  1716 cases, May 2  1891 cases, May 3  1923, and May 4  1914 cases. These figures included a considerable number of those affected but were compelled to remain in their homes due to non-availability of hospital accommodation. There were deaths in homes too although the exact number is not known. Yet others remain on floors of some hospitals because of a shortage of beds.

It is pertinent to note that all details connected with COVID-19 pandemic are handled by the Army. They include the number afflicted, the number dead, the number undergoing quarantine and even foreign arrivals. Those and other data form the contents of a daily report to Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who heads the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 outbreak. He, in turn, transmits the figures to the Government Information Department which releases it to the media. It is thus a numbers game on one hand.

On the other, there are a plethora of others making statements on their own. They include Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Ministers Professor Channa Jayasumana and Sudarshani Fernandopulle. They are backed by Health Ministry officials dealing with the ongoing malaise.

This is not to blame any single one but quite clearly, in the public mind, there has been more than considerable confusion. The reason  all their assertions, even under the most difficult circumstances, have been loaded on the positive side. One may ask why not when all the related information is being disseminated by the government and its official arms. Well, the answer  it has exacerbated a credibility crisis for the government. The question is how many people believe in the assertions both in Sri Lanka and abroad. One may liken Sri Lanka, perhaps to a lesser degree, to neighbouring India where there are some similarities of sorts. So much so, their diplomatic missions worldwide are under pressure from Foreign Minister, Subramaniam Jaishanker, to counter what he calls the malicious propaganda.

Even if this is rather unusual, Indias conduct of foreign relations has been unquestionably professional. This is the reason why 45 different countries hurried to Indias assistance after the unprecedented explosion of COVID-19 cases. That it reached uncontrollable levels is now common knowledge. The United States rushed plane loads of much needed oxygen cylinders in its huge transport aircraft. What of Sri Lanka? Just recently, Lalith Weeratunga, Senior Advisor to the President, wrote to Sri Lankas Ambassador in the United States. The letter enclosed a clipping from The New York Times where US President Joe Biden had declared he would help needy countries with vaccines. There has been a favourable response. Washington has asked Colombo to have its main agency dealing with the crisis to contact its US counterparts. Both Australia and the UK, however, have declined in view of their own compulsions.

The government has made requests to many friendly countries for vaccines, Professor Channa Jayasumana told the Sunday Times. He said they are waiting for a hopeful response. He said that 925,000 people have been vaccinated so far with AstraZeneca. The second dose was now being administered with 350,000 doses available. We will need a further 600,000 to complete the second round, he said. On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted: WHO today listed the Sinopharm #COVID19 vaccine for emergency use in all countries, a prerequisite for a potential #COVAX roll-out. Interim policy recommendations were also issued for the vaccine usage.

He had earlier tweeted that Had a useful zoom discussion with @DrTedros. I believe he will make effort to fulfil #lka need for 600,000 doses of #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination. Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose.

Earlier, regrettably, the administering of vaccines was carried out without a proper plan. This led to many in the greater Colombo area not receiving their vaccines whilst some who had political connections succeeded in getting them early.

As revealed in these columns last week, government leaders have rejected calls for a countrywide lockdown. This is on the grounds that such a move would further hurt the economy. Therefore, more than 100 areas in different districts were brought under a lockdown. Some have since been lifted whilst others are being added. Rejecting opposition calls for even a partial lockdown, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that would not be done. She said that the lockdowns would be partial in the light of the importance of the economy. There was some embarrassment to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by a ruling party minister who used his position to change a lockdown area. He claimed he would do so again if it became necessary.

In the conduct of diplomacy with any country, a lesson which the present-day disposition has not learnt, is the need for a friendly dialogue where agreeing to disagree should have been the hallmark. It was not to be. One is reminded of the remarks of Foreign Secretary, Professor Jayanath Colombage, urging President Biden to mind his own business and put his countrys human rights record right.

It came after US Ambassador Allaina B. Teplitz held a media round table and made a string of remarks which were viewed by him critically. This was ahead of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council sessions on March 23 where a resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted. Now, an appeal is being made to the US for vaccines. Ambassador Teplitz also met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) architect Basil Rajapaksa at separate meetings this week. A diplomatic source said they discussed topics including attracting foreign investment, implementing some of the past commission recommendations, and how USAID assistance has, contributed to the health and prosperity of Sri Lanka.

Significantly, the talks came as Parliament awaited the ruling of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality or otherwise of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill 2021. Hoping that the ruling will arrive this week, Parliament was set to debate the Bill for two days this week. Instead, Parliament chose a one-day debate on the spread of COVID-19. The report arrived at the Speakers residence on the night of May 6  the last day deadline for the SC. The delay caused concerns in sections of the government over the ruling and whether it would be unanimous. The debate will now take place on May 18 and 19 with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announcing the ruling on the first day.

It also came in the backdrop of President Rajapaksa calling off a planned visit to China on May 8. This was on the invitation extended to him by Chinas President Xi Jinping when he telephoned him. A separate visit was also to be undertaken by acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva to Beijing. It is the outcome of a two-day visit to Colombo by Chinas National Defence Minister We Fenghe.

A special envoy from the UK is expected in Sri Lanka in the coming days. It was the UK that spearheaded the resolution at the Human Rights Council. Sri Lanka is among countries seeking a postponement of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government biennial meeting. This time, it is expected to be held in Rwanda. The envoy, Foreign Ministry source said, would also discuss other bilateral issues.

Last Sunday, the entire Piliyandala Police area comprising 52 Grama Sevaka divisions was declared as an isolated area following a recommendation made by the Kesbewa Medical Officer of Health Dr Samanthika Wijesundara. She was legally empowered to do so as she feared the deadly virus would spread. In three consecutive days as many as 147 COVID-19 positive cases were detected from this area. This necessitated placing hundreds of others including residents under quarantine at their homes. Since Sunday, 219 cases had been detected up to Wednesday.

The isolation of the entire Piliyandala police area was announced on Sunday around 6 am by the Army Commander. He said it would come into effect immediately. Some local politicians and traders were angered by the move. They made representations to Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge, who comes from the Kesbewa area. The next thing that happened  the Police were no longer enforcing the lockdown. Shops remained open. Crowds were seen moving around and transport services operated. This was in marked contrast to other areas which were under lockdown.

However, by Sunday night a different announcement was made. It said that the isolation in the Piliyandala Police area would be effective except for 10 Grama Sevaka divisions. The lockdown was being lifted in those areas from Monday at 5 a.m.

It came to light that Minister Lokuge had presided over a meeting with the Police and selected officials on Sunday at the Kesbewa Divisional Secretarys office. However, Kesbawas Medical Officer of Health in Charge Dr Samanthika Wijesundara on Monday said she had not recommended relaxing the lockdown on the Piliyandala Police area which includes Kesbewa. There are hundreds of COVID-19 patients in the area and the restriction on the movement of people in the area is essential, she told the media.

Minister Lokuge claimed he had consulted the relevant officials and called for the lifting of the lockdown in some of the areas. Our intelligence and other sources say there was no necessity of lockdown all the areas. Therefore, we made a request to lift the restrictions, he said. However Minister Lokuge conceded that some of his own office staff had contracted COVID-19, but he was not on quarantine. I have taken one dose of the vaccine and also carried out a PCR test, Lokuge said when questioned as to how he was moving in the open after some of his staff members were down with COVID-19.

On Monday night, the Director General of Health Services, Dr Asela Gunawardena, was on a talk show on a TV channel. He was questioned whether he had been consulted in the decision to relax the lockdown in less than 24 hours after being enforced. Dr Gunawardena said he had not been consulted and said he would investigate.

Accordingly, a four-member Technical Committee headed by Dr S.M. Arnold, Deputy Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, was named to probe the matter. They visited the MOH offices in Piliyandala and Kesbewa. The sudden decision to lift the lockdown was raised in several forums as well as in Parliament during a two-day debate on the COVID-19 situation. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that health related decisions should be taken by relevant officials and politicians should not get involved in it.

Minister Lokuges conduct prompted Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to publicly remark that every one, irrespective of their positions, should respect health guidelines.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was among those who were critical of the intervention of Minister Lokuge. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr Naveen De Zoysa speaking at a media briefing on Thursday (6) declared: We saw in Piliyandala how a certain politician overruled a decision taken by the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH). This is shameless conduct and we ought to be ashamed of this as a country. We have expressed our strong protest over this incident. We believe the Director General of Health Services, who is the authority appointed under the Quarantine Ordinance, should take action against this individual.

These lockdowns are essentially a life saving measures and it is ironic that a Minister is overturning them. Imagine a situation if all ministers choose to do the same thing to show their power and authority? The efforts of Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva, and health officials would be in vain. People are being carried and loaded into buses for not wearing their facemasks properly. Minister Lokuge has changed quarantine regulations and there appears to be a cloak of silence over the issue.

The critical situation in hospitals due to lack of beds came up for discussion when the government parliamentary group met last Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Lalith Ellawala, was to raise issue over what he called the lack of co-ordination between the military and the health authorities. He said, when we ring the Health Ministry, we are asked to get in touch with the military. He said, he was receiving complaints from his constituents whose relatives or next of kin could not find beds in hospitals though they were suspected COVID-19 cases. Senior Presidential Advisor Lalith Weeratunga was present at the meeting to answer questions. He said he was confident that the vaccines would arrive in Sri Lanka by September or October this year. He said all could be vaccinated.

Some MPs questioned why the private sector was not being allowed to import vaccines and administer them to people. The answer came from Weeratunga who said that the manufacturers were not allowing the private sector to import since there was excessive demand from governments. He said stocks could be obtained by them only after the demands of the governments are met.

As the meeting ended, the talking point among some MPs was about the lack of visibility of Premier Rajapaksa in the campaign against COVID-19. The question arose after one of them pointed out that they could reach out to him with their issues. Another referred to the non-visibility of Basil Rajapaksa, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Recovery. However, the discussion did not extend and was cut short when most other MPs joined in.

That all is not smooth in the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Nidahas Sandanaya (SLPNS) alliance was demonstrated once again last Tuesday. President Rajapaksa was to chair a meeting of partner party leaders of the ruling alliance. However, a section did not attend. That included Minister Wimal Weerawansa (National Freedom Front) and Udaya Gammanpila (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya). Their complaint was that persons who are not leaders of political parties in the alliance were present at the meeting. Thus, the internecine feud within the alliance continues. On a previous occasion too, these members kept away, raising questions in political circles over their motive. Influential sections within the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), however, believe that it was more political posturing and that the prospects of their quitting the alliance were remote. Nevertheless, it does signal that all is not well within the alliance.

That is at a time when the alliance, now reeling under the resurgence of a dangerous strain of COVID-19, is facing an impending economic crisis of worrying proportions. The Army has been able to turn in more accommodation for the rising number of patients but that alone will not help. There would be a need for doctors, nurses, and equipment. This is a critical moment for Sri Lanka.
Europe means for us new common values, the protection of human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, the rule of law and prosperity, the Speaker of the Senate, Anca Dragu, told the ceremony organized on the occasion of Europe Day, at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument.

"Europe means new values for us, it means the protection of human rights, it means democracy, freedom of expression, the rule of law, it means strong civil society, it means prosperity for all and high standards of living. Europe is important for us and our children. (...) Today, for a year and a half, we are beginning to think about the future of Europe, how to make Europe better. We can make it a better place, and most importantly, how to make our citizens part of this project. Bringing politicians, governments and citizens together, because at the end of the day we work for citizens, we are civil servants," Anca Dragu told a ceremony at the EU Founding Fathers' Monument in King Mihai I Park.

She added that Europe set an example of solidarity with the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The pandemic was declared more than a year ago and our lives have changed. What we have learned from this pandemic has been that solidarity matters and I believe that Europe has set a huge example of solidarity. And now we benefit from vaccines, we have a large number of people vaccinated in Europe, including Romania, and we hope to return to normal life as soon as possible," said Anca Dragu.
President Klaus Iohannis says in a message sent on Europe Day that this year's May 9 holiday has come in a context still marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put a strain on the European Union and its member states but "the challenges we face together do not diminish, but, on the contrary, reconfirm the relevance of the European project".

"We are celebrating Europe Day today, May 9, in a context still marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put the European Union and its member states to the test. It is a good opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from last year's experience but also an opportune moment in which, against the background of recovery efforts and renewed hopes, we can make a projection on the future of the Union. It is therefore an occasion to analyze but also to reaffirm the basic principles and objectives of the Union. Unity and solidarity are the cornerstones of the Declaration made by Robert Schuman more than 70 years ago, and these two common values are equally relevant today to the construction of Europe, to the adaptation, development and progress of the European Union. The challenges we go through together do not diminish, but, on the contrary, reaffirm the relevance of the European project and of a united response of the member States and the European institutions", says the head of state in the message sent on Sunday by the Presidential Administration.

He adds that the principles of the Schuman Declaration continuously inspire European action, including in this context of the pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms.

"The vision of that time, with a pronounced universal character, was the one able to ensure the overcoming of many difficult moments, through common, coordinated solutions, for the benefit of European citizens. The test that the European Union passes in the context of the pandemic is unprecedented. However, the European response to this crisis has given us the exact measure of the undeniable added value that the Union brings to all of us: unity, cohesion and solidarity are undoubtedly the strength and essence of our response. In this context, our joint effort has shown the need for a resilient Europe, in all respects: politically - by defending our democracies and the rule of law, economically - by strengthening our chains. supply and protection of free, digital or healthcare trade. Without cooperation at Union level, access to treatment and medical equipment, vaccines and financial assistance to support economic and social measures would have been much more difficult," said President Klaus Iohannis.

At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of respecting the fundamental values of the European Union.

"At the same time, the European response to the trials of the last period has been and must continue to be based on respect for the fundamental values of the Union, the force of effective multilateralism, respect for international law. All these values, together with well-founded measures of pragmatic action, including the strengthening of alliances with those states and organizations that share our democratic values and attachment to international law, contribute to strengthening our strategic resilience," Iohannis said.

He also points out that "it is not at all coincidental that the support shown by Romanians for the European Union is high and has remained constant over time."

"This unequivocally demonstrates our deep attachment to the European family, to European values and way of life, with all that it represents: respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, the prospect of prosperity and security. As part of its pro-European profile, Romania continues to support a Union of cohesion, with more solidarity and more united in times of crisis and not only. These are the indispensable pillars on which we build the future of Europe. Romania has managed the effects of the pandemic more effectively through close cooperation at EU level, so we set the green corridors for the free movement of people and goods, we bought vaccines in centralized manner, we adopted the Economic Recovery Plan. The reality showed us what we already knew: we are stronger when we work together. Guided by the fundamental value of European solidarity, we have provided assistance to both the member states and those in the EU's neighbourhood, such as the Republic of Moldova. We are proud of the fact that, in this crisis, Romania was part of this solidarity effort, given that our country not only benefited from support, but assumed, through concrete action, its share of responsibility", President Iohannis says.

In conclusion, he hopes that Romanians will have a strong voice in the debate on the future of the European Union.

"We want the widest possible participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe and we hope that Romanians will have a strong voice in the debate on what Europe will look like in which they and the generations to come want to live. It is time to remember the past, reflect on the current challenges, but also to commit ourselves to building the future. Happy birthday, Europe! Happy birthday, Romania!", President Klaus Iohannis concluded the message.
Sumanthiran slams Parliament for Sinhala-only letters and circulars View(s):

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has this week blamed Parliament officials for their lackadaisical attitude towards implementing the Official Language Policy.

Speaking during the adjournment debate on the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Mr Sumanthiran said a Private Members Bill he presented calling for a declaration of a public health emergency to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, but the letter from Parliament informing him that his draft bill had been referred to the Health Ministry was entirely in Sinhala.

How many times do we have to raise this? A Tamil Member of Parliament is being sent letters in Sinhala. Im told that circulars for (Parliament) employees too are done only in Sinhala. At least in this Parliament, can we give effect to the Constitutional provisions that there are two official languages in this country? Why do you continue

to observe this in the breach? an angry Mr Sumanthiran asked the House.

When A/L results brought in the good news, she was working in garment factory

When the results of Advanced Level examinations held last year were released on Tuesday, Maheswaran Kalyani who came first in Kilinochchi was working in a garment factory. She came to know about her results (2As,1B) in the Biotechnology stream only after she returned home in the evening.

Ms Kalyani, a resident from Paranthan, joined the garment factory to support the family of five following her examinations. Her father is a labourer and mother is a homemaker.

As she is receiving congratulatory messages and wishes from her relatives and local politicians these days, she is determined to continue working at the garment factory until her university studies begin.

TID investigates LTTE uniform issue

The arrest of Jaffna Mayor Visvalingam Manivannan over the use of uniforms similar to the ones worn by the cadres of the defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did send a strong message to local politicians in the North.

This week, the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) summoned to Colombo the five youths who wore the uniform as members of a security outfit the mayor had set up to record statements.

Mayor Manivannan also came under severe criticisms recently for recruiting some youths who dont live within the municipality as his personal staff despite allegations of nepotism.

Indian fishermen pose covid dilemma for Navy in the mid-sea

These days Navy personnel are deployed in the Northern sea for around-the-clock patrol to ensure that Indian fishermen do not trespass into Lankan waters and come into contact with the local fishermen as India is breaking grim records for hitting the highest number of covid cases.

The additional concern for the Navy is the recent attempts by locals to use the sea route to illegally migrate to foreign countries.

On Monday, the Navy intercepted eleven Indian fishing vessels with 86 fishermen on board and detained them in mid-sea for more than 12 hours. The matter was raised through diplomatic channels with Indian High Commission in Colombo and by evening they were sent back to India.

The following day, Navy personnel spotted another Indian fishing vessel with a fisherman wearing a t-shirt carrying a familiar face.

It was the image of the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Even though the LTTE chief is considered a terrorist in India, he still has a significant Che-Guevara revolutionary type following in Tamil Nadu.

Navy personnel took photos of the person with his t-shirt which proclaimed His Excellency V. Prabhakaran- TPK, an acronym for a local club or his followers group in the fishing villages along the Tamil Nadu coast. The fisherman was not arrested or detained. He too was allowed to return home.

Presidential covid fund: Rs. 1.6 billion unutilised: SJB

As the country reels from a third COVID wave and the health sector struggles to handle the influx of patients, questions are being raised as to what the Government has done with the Itukama COVID-19 fund managed by the Presidential Secretariat.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar raised the matter in Parliament this week, noting that there had been little transparency regarding how much funds had been collected or how they had been spent. They asked how much was spent to procure vaccines, medicines or set up hospitals.

The SJB was raising concerns that sections of the media, civil society groups and some members of the public have been asking for some time now. The website of the Itukama Fund notes that nearly Rs 1.7 billion has been raised so far, but does not indicate by which date that amount has been raised.

According to the Presidential Secretariat website, however, Rs 42.6 million from the fund has so far been spent on PCR testing while Rs 38 million has been spent on quarantine facilities. A further Rs 24.3 million has been spent on the funds advocacy programme. Accordingly, just over Rs 105 million of the fund has been utilised thus far, meaning that nearly Rs 1.6 billion is yet to be spent.

Local councillors make news for wrong reasons

Several incidents involving local government representatives and officials this week raise questions

on whether these elected representatives and officials believe they are law unto themselves.

In the latest such incident, a minor employee of the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Municipal Council (MC) has been interdicted by the Municipal Commissioner on charges of being outside his place of work during working hours. Some local councillors, however, allege that the employee had been interdicted because he allegedly angered the Municipal Commissioner by suddenly crossing the path of his vehicle as it was entering through the council gate.

This week, a video of an ugly physical confrontation between two ruling party councillors of the Maharagama Urban Council (MUC) went viral on social media after a video of the confrontation between the female and the male councillor was leaked to the media. The confrontation, which occurred while the UC session was on, saw the female councillor repeatedly hitting her male colleague. It later emerged that the reason for the confrontation was a video earlier shot over a mobile phone by some female UC members showing the male councilor allegedly sexually harassing female councillors. The male councillor has now been arrested and been placed in remand custody till May 10.

Meanwhile, Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando was also involved in an angry confrontation between his own constituents when Moratuwa MC workers tried to knock down several alleged unauthorised constructions which were obstructing a canal. Some residents who were affected objected stating that the decision to knock down the constructions was an arbitrary one taken by the Mayor. A furious Mr Fernando then clashed with the residents, saying Dont come to teach me. He even argued with police officers who arrived on the scene.

All this is happening while the country is facing a third and far more dangerous wave of COVID-19 wave. As one resident in Moratuwa was heard saying on video during the clash with the Mayor: Are these really things that should be happening now?

Ontario passes bill on Tamil Genocide Education Week, as Canada High Com still headless

A private members bill to declare a Tamil Genocide Education Week was passed in Canadas Ontario legislative assembly this week and will become law on receipt of Royal assent.

The Act establishes seven days each yearMay 11 to 18during which Ontarians are encouraged to educate themselves about, and to maintain their awareness of, the Tamil genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history.

Its preamble claims: Not only does this acknowledgement honour the lives that were lost, but it gives a sense of hope to those who have suffered since it represents the first step to healing and reconciliation. Most importantly, by recognizing the Tamil genocide, we affirm our collective desire to maintain awareness of this genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history in order to prevent such crimes against humanity from happening again.

The development occurred even as

Sri Lanka is grappling with finding a suitable person to head the diplomatic mission in Canada. Attorney General Dappula de Livera, who retired this week, learnt only from media accounts that he was to be posted to Canada as Sri Lankas High Commissioner. He refuted the report and declared that he preferred to remain in Sri Lanka.

The Governments first nominee, former Air Force Commander Sumanagala Dias, was rejected by the Canadian Government who gave in to protests by Tamil Canadians and parliamentarians.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the current travel pause with New South Wales will lift today  subject to no further significant developments in NSW.

New Zealand health officials met today to conduct a further assessment of the public health risk from the recently identified COVID-19 community cases in Sydney. It has been determined that the risk to public health in New Zealand remains low, says Hipkins.

Consequently, the Ministry of Health is advising airlines that flights can resume from 11.59pm Sunday 9 May subject to there being no further significant developments.

This is good news and aligns with the lifting of NSW restrictions at 12.01am on Monday 10 May 2021, says Hipkins.

I am pleased with the way the response process has been managed this week. There has been close liaison between the health agencies, and this is reflected in the sound advice our respective Governments have received.

There is some specific advice for travellers to be aware of.

As already mentioned flights from New South Wales to New Zealand are to resume at 1159pm Sunday May 9 - subject to no significant developments in New South Wales.

Anyone who is in Australia and was at any of the locations of interest at the times specified is asked to follow NSW health advice regarding isolation and testing and must not travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.

As before, anyone who has arrived in New Zealand and who was at a location of interest at the specified time must self-isolate immediately and call Healthline for information on when they should be tested.

Direct flights from NSW to New Zealand were paused at 11.59 pm on May 6, pending further information and reassurance from the NSW health investigation into two cases of COVID-19 in the Sydney community.

Since the two cases were confirmed in Sydney last week, there have been no new community cases of COVID-19 detected in New South Wales.

New Zealand health officials have considered a range of factors, including whether any new cases had been identified, the results from COVID-19 testing of any contacts identified and from the wider Sydney community, and the results from waste-water surveillance testing.

Following this risk assessment and a review of these factors, they have been reassured that at this stage the two community cases in Sydney are contained and that there is no evidence of widespread undetected community transmission.

There will be some additional public health measures required for people who are or have recently been in Sydney.

The current NZ focus is on people who were at a location of interest rather than all of New South Wales.

Anyone who is travelling to New Zealand from Australia will be required to follow some additional instructions in order to limit any risk of further spread.

Airlines will continue to ask people departing Australia whether they have visited any locations of interest in New South Wales both before and when disembarking from their flights.

A Section 70 notice has been issued under the Health Act with a number of requirements for any person in New Zealand who attended a known location of interest or any locations of interest that are identified subsequently. More information on what a section 70 notice is and what it means for these people, is available on the Ministry of Health website.

Our officials remain in close contact with health officials in NSW and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Updates will be provided if there is any change to this latest advice, says Hipkins.

We acknowledge that this travel pause has caused disruption to travel plans.

New Zealand has consistently taken a precautionary approach to keeping COVID-19 out. The Government's overall public health strategy in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic is elimination. Border controls are a key tool for stopping the introduction and spread of new cases from overseas and remain central to our elimination strategy.

Information about quarantine-free travel between New South Wales and New Zealand is available on the COVID19 website:

https://covid19.govt.nz/travel-and-the-border/quarantine-free-travel/quarantine-free-travel-with-australia/new-south-wales/

Information about locations of interest visited by the cases is available on the New South Wales health website:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx
There are no new cases of COVID-19 to report in the community in New Zealand today.

There are two new cases to report in recent returnees in our managed isolation facilities, since the Ministrys last update yesterday.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is three.

The total number of active cases in New Zealand today is 27.

Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,286.

Since January 1 2021, there have been 58 historical cases, out of a total of 470 cases.

One of the new border cases arrived in NZ on May 7 from Philippines via Singapore and tested positive on arrival. The second new border case also arrived in NZ on May 7 from Pakistan via United Arab Emirates and also tested positive on arrival. Both are in managed isolation.

NSW travel pause

The current travel pause with New South Wales lifts tonight at 11:59pm (Sunday 9 May), following a public health risk assessment and subject to no further significant developments.

This aligns with the lifting of NSW restrictions at 12.01am on Monday 10 May 2021.

The current assessment from New Zealand public health officials is that the risk to New Zealand from New South Wales remains low. Public health officials have assessed that the situation in Sydney, following two community cases reported earlier in the week, is contained and there is no evidence to suggest widespread, undetected community transmission.

Anyone who was at a location of interest at the times specified must follow NSW health advice regarding isolation and testing. They must not travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.

Travellers who have arrived in New Zealand and have been at a location of interest during the exposure time must immediately self-isolate, and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on when they should be tested.

So far, 5,568 people who have arrived in New Zealand from NSW since Friday last week have been contacted by health authorities and provided with advice.

Information about locations of interest visited by the cases is available on the New South Wales health website.

A Section 70 direction has been issued under the Health Act with a number of requirements for any person in New Zealand who attended a known location of interest or any locations of interest that are identified subsequently. A Section 70 direction enables an authorised Medical Officer of Health to require those specified in the order to meet public health requirements to undergo testing and to isolate until they receive their result. Any time a person receives a direction from a Medical Officer of Health they must comply with it. More information can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

Testing information

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,054,651.

On Saturday, 3,048 tests were processed. The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday is 3,957 tests processed.

For all testing locations nationwide visit the Healthpoint website.

NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,814,303 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 264,854,946 and users have created 9,915,108 manual diary entries.

There have been 676,038 scans in the last 24 hours to midday yesterday.
Shopping online, learning online, working online. Its the new norm, one we became well-accustomed to during the lockdown last year.

But what do those without digital devices do? How do they communicate and access information in a world that is out of reach due to cost?

There is a digital divide in the Western Bay of Plenty, one which SociaLink is hoping to reduce with a new initiative that will see Chrome Books distributed and internet connections installed for families and whanau most at need.

The project will soon be rolled out across the region, connecting with 50 families.

The devices will be distributed through social service providers who are best positioned to identify families and whanau most at need in their respective communities.

Each device will include an information pack of free digital training that is available locally, and key information about internet safety and security.

The collaborative initiative involves a local business and community groups, with SociaLink overseeing the project.

Trustpower has donated 50 free 12-month internet connections to address the barrier many whanau face in being able to afford internet access.

Kanorau Digital will provide Chromebook tutoring, travelling to whanau to ensure no barriers to participation.

Volunteering Bay of Plenty has also sourced volunteers to provide basic IT support to participating families.

As the umbrella organisation supporting the social and community sector in the Western Bay of Plenty, SociaLink decided to pilot the project. If successful, they will hand it over to a social service provider.

The issue of people experiencing digital exclusion during the Covid-19 lockdown was identified as part of a Covid-19 recovery plan for the social sector and the communities they work with

Many school students couldnt conduct their education at home, isolation and loneliness increased where individuals couldnt see their family and friends through online channels, and lack of access to online shopping, church, and counselling services impacted the health and wellbeing of those in need.

SociaLink General Manager Liz Davies says by addressing the inequity of access to digital technology and connection, the project will achieve many positive outcomes for participants.

The primary purpose for this digital inclusion initiative is to enable people to maintain contact with family and community, so they can maintain a level of continued participation in society and culture, says Liz.

This is particularly relevant at a time where Covid-19 has the potential to spike again, and a further lockdown is enforced. Digital inclusion will greatly reduce isolation and loneliness.

We hope to see this initiative lead to improved life and wellbeing outcomes for project participants, potentially in the areas of community connection, up to date information, and improved outcomes in housing, education and employment.

The project has been funded by the WBOP COVID-19 Recovery Fund, established by local funders TECT, Acorn Foundation, BayTrust and Tauranga City Council.

Liz says the $16,320 Recovery funding, which went towards purchasing the 50 Chromebooks, was vital.

Without this funding and the donation from Trustpower of the free internet connections, this project would not be possible.

We are incredibly grateful to our local funders for seeing the value in what we are doing and for being part of this collaboration. The positive difference for whanau being able to cross the digital divide, connect and access services in an increasingly digital, online world helps to reduce growing inequity.
The fertiliser ban View(s):

Those readers who recall the early 1970s may remember what were then known as the Midnight Gazettes. These were official notifications that came out of the Government Press while the nation slept, only to wake up to find some sudden and radical step taken and given legal effect.

Not too different these days are the surprises the Government is wont to spring on the people overnight. From the ban on the slaughter of cattle (since reversed) to the ban on the import of palm oil (since amended), now comes the announcement that there is a ban on chemical fertilisers  with immediate effect.

The Government is determined to implement what has been stated in its election manifesto i.e. to pursue a policy that will redefine current agricultural policy that has contributed to the widespread increase in kidney diseases among farmers and cancerous foodstuffs in the market, most of which are attributed to chemical fertiliser. A monk turned politician was instrumental in getting the former President to implement a similar policy starting with the ban on the chemical weedicide, Glyphosate. A state institution for Strategic Enterprise Management was created under the Presidential Secretariat to, inter alia, oversee this policy decision but the agency was no sooner disbanded for lack of implementation after tea plantation managers began complaining that production was getting affected as a result of the ban. The same individual claimed credit for incorporating this same policy in the manifesto of the ruling party.

Nobody in his or her right mind would want fertiliser or agrochemicals that would pass poisonous substances through soil, water, rice, vegetables and other edibles into the bloodstream of the citizenry. The issue at hand is whether the remedy is the cure.

Proponents of this latest ban argue that the use and abuse of imported chemical fertiliser is a multinational conspiracy against the Third World; that industrial countries themselves have moved away towards organic farming and environment-friendly agricultural practices. They acknowledge the fact that the country is in dire straits with the lack of foreign currency and fear the possibility that opponents of the ban will be quick to say that the root cause of the ban is money.

They want a propaganda campaign that will dispel this notion from among farmers. Again, they say multinationals will be at work to dishearten the farmer by peddling this theory. They warn that Government officials themselves can be hand-in-glove with these multinationals in undermining this conversion to organic farming. They go further to say that most of the seed varieties used by the farming community are linked to imported fertiliser and call for a shift in such practices. They say the Government policy is contradictory by giving large new tracts for farming and then clamping this ban.

Even by what these proponents say, this overnight ban and what is being envisaged by the Government is a humongous task, a revolutionary reform in the countrys agricultural policy.

The critics are many. They are equally adamant that this is a mistake that could have disastrous consequences for the country and its people. Without a proper discourse, and without proper alternatives to supplement the absence of chemical fertiliser and minus any safety net, they argue that it could lead to a potential drop in domestic food production which will result in the need for food imports, which, in turn, would contribute to draining out larger sums of scarce foreign currency.

One of the main reasons they attribute to the problem of fertiliser usage is the poor quality of cheap fertiliser imports so that Governments can give a subsidy. Another is the wrongful and indiscriminate application of fertiliser partly due to the free subsidy and partly due to bad nutrient management by farmers not well briefed on the subject.

While the pros and cons are being debated in the midst of an already imposed ban, one indisputable fact that emerges is that of corruption. A common denominator in Sri Lanka, the State sector and the private sector have been equally in the business. Whether it is the States chosen nominees or some in the private sector, they are in the same game. Even the proponents of the ban, those like the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform caution about the possibility of new players close to the Government leadership entering the now open field to do business in ordering organic fertiliser from India, China and multinationals edging out the oldies in the trade. There will be new kids on the block seeing big bucks and new vistas as new avenues open up.

Then there is locally manufactured organic fertiliser that is expected. An academic writes in this newspaper (see Page 4 ST2) that systems are such in a developing country like Sri Lanka that there can even be commercial production of organic fertiliser domestically full of toxic material from freely available sewage sludge and municipal waste. Horrific as it sounds, these are realities that occur in this country. Take the recent case of the import of cancerous substances in coconut oil, widely used for cooking and the Governments sheer incompetence in taking proper action on it. When the carcinogenic Afltatoxin substance is discovered by chance in coconut oil by health inspectors, it is simply re-exported. When it slips through, inspection, it is in the open market.

Coincidentally, this week the new Director General of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka assumed office. The WFP is a UN agency helping countries with food security and has been in Sri Lanka since 1968. Sri Lanka is one of 88 countries relying on WFP help. According to WFP statistics, Sri Lanka is 6th in the Global Climate Risk Index due to extreme weather, floods, droughts, landslides etc.; 15 % of the countrys children under five suffer from wasting and 45% of women of reproductive age are obese or overweight. COVID-19 has hampered income earning, impacting food and nutrition security. It is not a rosy picture.

The proponents of the ban on chemical fertiliser cite Cuba as an example of reaching self-sufficiency in organic fertiliser, but Cuba is also one of the 88 recipients of WFP aid. These overnight decisions must not be taken lightly or based on any outdated political ideologies.

Organic agriculture is, no doubt, the ideal future. But sans proper preparation for a sudden overnight transformation, there can be, and there will be, major issues.

The road to disaster is sometimes paved with good intentions where the remedy might be worse than the problem at hand. In Latin it is said, bona diagnosis, bona curatio. A good diagnosis is required for a good cure.

Typically, the Government has second thoughts after imposing the ban and is expected to issue a revised option tomorrow.
COVID is a slow-moving disaster that slowly wears you down

"It has been frustrating seeing human beings, people who have died from COVID who could have been saved by masking, distancing, and later vaccinating," said Dr. William Paolo, acting chair of emergency medicine at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Dr. William Paolo, associate professor of emergency medicine; associate professor of public health and preventive medicine and interim chairman of emergency medicine, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

As a teen I was a bit of a hypochondriac and developed a fascination with microbes. I went to medical school to learn about them. I fell in love with emergency medicine. Ive been with Upstate since 2009.

When we first heard about COVID in China, I was hoping it would burn itself out. There had been other Coronavirus outbreaks in the past, but they had been regional. Then we saw what was happening in Italy. By the time we had a diagnosis on the West Coast where the patient hadnt been in contact with anyone who had traveled, we knew it was going to be bad. We had our first spike in March and April, but our big spike was in the fall.

That was pretty tough. We saw a tremendous number of people in the ER. We had the sickest of the sick who needed to be intubated or other critical care. Then there were those who were sick, but not as critical. Because the hospital was being inundated, many were sent home with a pulse oximeter and a follow-up telemedicine visit within days. Others who thought they might have been exposed, came in who wanted to be tested.

We were busy, and it was hot under loads of PPE. The Emergency Department generally can be busy and uncomfortable, but this was much more laborious. COVID is a slow-moving disaster that slowly wears you down. There was so much apprehension at the beginning because there was so much to be learned. Later, we were much more comfortable knowing there was a supply of PPE and that it works. It was still exhausting because youre dealing with a lot of people.

Once we finally got to know this disease, our practice patterns didnt change that much. We wear more PPE and change them more often. But, we do what we always do, what we trained to do.

For me personally, the biggest thing, looking back, was that for the first time ever I felt vulnerable going to work. My wife and I had a big discussion at the beginning. My children were 11, eight and six and we talked about whether I should live in a hotel. We decided after weighing the risk/benefit that it wouldnt be worth it. I would stay at home, but if I did a high risk procedure, I would. Otherwise, I sterilized every time I got home. Id strip down to my underwear in the mudroom, put my clothes in the washer then run in for a shower. No one was allowed to touch me until after I did all of that. I still do this.

At work, in the beginning we were in crisis mode, meetings throughout the day, seven days a week. Emergency Medicine is always busy, but we became twice as busy. We erected temporary barriers in the emergency room with vinyl walls separating the respiratory patients suspected of having COVID. The outbreak had been real to me, but that made the pandemic feel very, very real.

It has been frustrating seeing human beings, people who have died from COVID who could have been saved by masking, distancing, and later vaccinating. The frustration comes when you work to treat people who have become very sick, or who have died, not surrounded by family, but by being with a healthcare worker they only just met. Then you leave the hospital and drive past restaurants or shopping centers with packed parking lots when people arent taking precautions.

This year has changed me in a lot of ways. I was always pretty radical in my thinking on healthcare policy. Im a universal healthcare advocate. We have the capability to provide healthcare for everyone. Im even more convinced we need systems that help everyone. The lack of preparation and oversight...and allowing a system to work as a profitable venture for those with means, not for what is best for the group collectively. We need public health infrastructure.

I hope we have learned that while we feel very protected in our own domain, we can realize that nothing we do is done in isolation. We are not as individualistic as we think we are. The individual is important, but it is still part of a collective. I hope the religion of individualism doesnt supplant the obligations to the collective.

If I could take their minds off what they were dealing with even for a second, it was worth it

Crystal Marshall, assistant nurse manager at Upstate University Hospital, in Syracuse, NY, wore a different headband every day during the pandemic, to help take her staff members' minds off the fear and suffering.

Crystal Marshall, assistant nurse manager, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I had no idea how COVID would affect me or my colleagues in the beginning. This was new to everyone. We were all facing the same demon and we needed to work together as a nation to get a handle on it.

The biggest challenge was probably coming to work and seeing and hearing colleagues fear. They needed to feel safe and comfortable. They were bombarded daily with new and changing information that sometimes made them more anxious than the day before or even the hour before.

I attempted to help my staff feel less anxious by coming to work every day wearing a silly headband. I felt like if I could take their minds off what we were all dealing with even for a second, it was worth it. One nurse was on the brink of tears almost daily but when she saw me coming in with a silly headband, she immediately would start laughing. For a split second she forgot she was in a pandemic. She and others started looking forward to seeing what headband I would be wearing when I came to work. I did this from March to August, wearing a different headband every day.

One patient made a particular impression on me because of the kind of person he was and the life he lived. He is a very kind and generous man. He previously performed for the elderly at nursing homes, bringing them a little joy. He sang to them, did comedy, and danced for and with them. While a patient with us, he was justifiably scared that he wouldnt survive COVID. I would visit him daily and we would just talk about family, life and God. I wanted to distract him from what he was going through if only briefly.

We were family for a lot of patients. I probably spent more time than usual with them because family and visitors werent allowed. In my role as assistant nurse manager, I have more time to spend with patients than the bedside nurse does. I try to get to know them and put them and their families at ease since they cant see each other in person, sometimes for days or weeks.

Before COVID, our team had really good teamwork, but COVID made it a greater necessity. We were minimizing the number of staff going in and out of rooms as well as the number of times we went into the rooms. We mastered clustering our care so that we could ensure less exposure to this awful disease that we were still learning about and still provide the needed care to our very sick patients. Staff were always looking out for each other if they were in rooms, checking to see if they needed anything. We would do a thumbs up at the glass door as a quick check in. We just about burned out our communication system with blast pages to call for assistance or supplies so that staff didnt have to go in and out of rooms multiple times.

This all has made me realize that we take a lot of things in life for granted. None of us could have ever imagined being in this situation. COVID did not and does not discriminate. Everyone was at risk and we as a nation did not take it seriously enough and we lost a lot of lives unnecessarily. I try not to take things for granted like I used to. You never know when something can come along and change life as you know it. We are experiencing that right now.

I have learned that people dont always do whats right for the whole. There was and is a lot of selfishness and ignorance in the world. We need to always do whats right not only for ourselves and our loved ones, but also do whats right for everyone so we can live life to the fullest in all its gloriousness. And hopefully there wont be a next time. We should have learned the lesson this time.

Things were changing so rapidly sometimes within hours

"For anyone who has doubts about COVID, we have lived it. We can only share our stories," said Lynne Shopiro, interim chief nursing officer of Crouse Health in Syracuse, NYLynne Shopiro

Lynne Shopiro, interim chief nursing officer, Crouse Health, Syracuse, NY

My interest in nursing began when my father was ill. He was cared for at Crouse Hospital. I was very young and when I would visit, I was exposed to healthcare and nurses. When I grew up I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I came back to Crouse for nursing school and Ive been here ever since - 38 years.

When we first began to deal with COVID, the biggest challenge was that things were changing so rapidly, day to day, sometimes theyd change within hours. In healthcare, were not always used to changing rapidly and there were times when we changed policies multiple times a week to keep in step with state and federal health mandates.

It was important to make sure we were communicating all of this to the staff who were at bedside, taking care of patients. Seth Kronenberg, MD, chief operating officer/chief medical officer, conducted daily huddles with leadership on Zoom. Staff would get daily updates via email with such things as changes in PPE guidelines, availability of PPE and other important information.

One thing that became clear throughout this time was that caregivers need to take care of themselves, not just physically, but mentally. As nurses, we put our attention on our patients and not on ourselves. Preparing for nurses week 2021, I have tried to make sure this message is clear. I am sending the nurses daily inspirational messages, words of encouragement, sharing opportunities to self-reflect, to know its ok to be kind to ourselves and to leave work at work. This is more critical now than ever.

Its difficult when you walk through the door to the Intensive Care Unit and you see the numbers of patients well beyond what we typically see. When you care for these patients for long periods of time you develop relationships. To see patients isolated from their families. When they pass, the nurses grieve. Were their family while they are here. Its a sad story.

For anyone who has doubts about COVID, we have lived it. We can only share our stories.

The one thing we learned this last year is that as a community we can come together in difficult times. People donated PPE and masks right and left. Since families couldnt be with patients, we had to develop different ways for them to keep in contact. Families are an integral part of recovery. The community donated iPads so families could see their loved ones.

A motto I took to heart during this challenging time is If we can get through this, we can get through anything.

Its been incredibly difficult day in and day out to watch the critically ill COVID patients largely follow the same trajectory.

"I work with some of the most intelligent, resilient, and compassionate people Ive ever met. They are heroes of mine, and they do heroic work every day without a second thought," said Ruthie Tallents, RN, of the Medical Surgical ICU at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY

Ruthie Tallents, RN, Medical Surgical ICU, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

Lots of things nudged me into nursing. My aunt is a nurse, my parents are in healthcare; Ive always been interested in and impressed by the work they do. The relationships you form with people in this line of work are unique, both with colleagues and with patients. Few professions offer you the ability to have the kind of direct impact you can have on people as a healthcare worker.

Plus, I get to really use my brain at work, Im challenged, each day is different, and there are a lot of positives to what I do.

I felt this way since my earliest days in nursing. I worked as a CNA in a nursing home as I was taking my prerequisites and going to nursing school. I met so many wonderful residents.

One of the first women I took care of was wheelchair bound and had dementia, as many of the residents did. She was always smiling and happy. I helped her get ready for bed most nights. We would sing Elvis Presley and talk about her day. She always quoted JFK. A lot of our conversations were similar, but they were always meaningful. It was the first time I felt that something small that I did could have a positive impact on someones day.

She passed away years ago, but I always felt a bond with her, and I think of her often even today.

There have been a lot of hard days this past year. Sometimes on the COVID units the only thing that gets us through is leaning on each other. Weve kept each other moving forward in a year full of unprecedented hardships.

In the early days of the pandemic, my colleagues and I had to shift to critical care. More seasoned ICU staff really looked out for me and took the time to teach and guide me, even though they were equally overwhelmed. Their patience and help got me through the first few months of COVID ICU madness.

My coworkers at the hospital -- fellow nurses, providers, and support staff  have banded together to support each other in a way I have never experienced before. I work with some of the most intelligent, resilient, and compassionate people Ive ever met. They are heroes of mine, and they do heroic work every day without a second thought. They are completely selfless, adapting on the fly, taking the time to teach and support their coworkers. Im not unique or special. Im just blessed to work with them.

Theyre truly invested in the welfare of their patients. They wash and braid the patients hair whos been on the ventilator for weeks, they talk on the phone all day long with worried family members.

For us in the ICU, its been incredibly difficult day in and day out to watch the critically ill COVID patients largely follow the same trajectory. Once a patient is sick enough to us, its so challenging to get them to the point that they can leave. There have been success stories, and we hang on those. But they are not the majority.

This year has taught many of us what parts of our lives are really important. When all the noise and the extraneous pieces of your life get dialed back, what do you have left? Your relationships. Family, friends, people who mean the most to you. Thats what gives your life meaning. Its easy to take those things for granted when your life becomes chaotic with other commitments.

Life is still chaotic for a lot of us, but our experiences over the past year have given us some clarity on whats really important and whats just noise.

Many days I felt emotionally defeated, but I could not show this

Susan Payne, RN, said she masked her own emotions to preserve the morale of her colleagues at Menorah Park in Syracuse.

Susan Payne, RN, Menorah Park, Syracuse, NY

From the time I was a small child I wanted to be in nursing. My mom was a nurses aide in what was called a sanitarium in those days, but it was really a home for elderly patients. I can remember going there as a very young girl and interacting with those patients as if they were family. It was just the best feeling.

I came to Menorah Park in 2009 as a weekend supervisor. I left for a year due to a family illness but returned and moved into a unit manager position on a long-term care floor and still functioned as a supervisor and fill-in scheduler, when needed.

When COVID-19 was beginning to spread in the community, many of my staff, especially those who were fairly young (19-25), were very fearful to the point of tears. I remember calling them to the nurses station and telling them We are strong, and we will get through this. You must trust me. I will always tell you what I learn and how we will manage it.

I felt that early on it was important for them to see me calm. Inside, I was anything but calm, but I needed them to be able to trust that I would keep them safe at work and give them my support as best as I could.

At that time there were no COVID cases at Menorah Park, and I felt that we would be okay, but needed to be smart to avoid the virus getting into our building and affecting our residents. But it was inevitable that it would eventually affect our facility given the number of staff living in the community and the ease of the virus transmission. One of the biggest challenges was helping our residents families cope with the fact that they could no longer visit and trying my best to keep them calm as we maneuvered through what would become a global pandemic.

I called them multiple times a week because I felt they needed to hear from me that their family member was safe. They needed to know that we were doing what we needed to do to prevent spread, and that included, at that time, sending residents who tested positive to a facility that was prepared to manage the virus. Families were devastated to learn that they would have to leave Menorah Park.

I tried to keep in contact with those families to continue support them as best as I could and assure them that once the 14-day quarantine period was up and those residents tested negative, they could return to our facility.

As the pandemic continued, I felt strongly that I needed to calm my staff and my resident families, especially when a positive test occurred. There were many days I felt emotionally defeated but I could not show this as I needed to help them cope.

I remember my units first positive test well. It was a huge surprise since no one had been ill. It had come up during a random unit test. It was the weekend, yet I found myself calling all the families from home to inform them of the development and that we would continue to keep them advised.

I then contacted my staff to let them know about the positive test and to help them understand that we needed to heed the guidance we had about preventing spread, including the continued diligent use of our PPE. It is important that we not bring the virus into the facility.

As time went on, we were able to develop our own COVID unit so that if we had a resident who tested positive, we did not have to send them away. It allowed them to at least maintain some semblance of home, which for me, felt like a huge step. I think it showed our staff that we were committed to taking care of our residents. We offered incentives, including added pay, for those who volunteered to work in this specialty unit, which many stepped up to do.

We, thankfully, have had very few COVID deaths and I attribute that to the direct care and infection control policies that we have in place. I feel our entire leadership team did a stellar job of supporting staff throughout this past year. As for me, I tended to make myself available to staff and family after hours; if I needed to come in early or stay late, I would, as we started to have staff out with illness. Its just the way I am. I tried to make this as seamless and calm as I could.

Though, as I am sure many nurses would tell you, it is emotionally devastating to see the fear in the staff and the fear of the resident families as I tried to reassure them, even when I was not sure myself how this would play out.

I felt a sense of fear and unease, hoping that the information about the virus that was developing daily, would prove to be true. Projecting a sense of calm was important, especially with the way things seemed to be unraveling, in the midst of an upsurge.

There have been many sleepless nights. But as the vaccine became available and our numbers of positives went away, there is a sense of relief. The biggest thing that changed for me this last year was realizing that my staff and resident families had such trust in my words of encouragement and hope. I really felt I was just doing

what came natural and never thought much about it. That is the role of a nurse, I guess. I think a lesson we learned is how important it is to help people understand what science shows we need to do to help end this; that the choices we make, such as traveling, can affect other people. The outcome can be devastating if the knowledge we are given is not used.

Every decision we make affects other people

"Healthcare staff, especially nurses, came together and dug deep," said Siobhan Keough, RN, a clinical training specialist at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Siobhan Keough, RN, clinical training Specialist, MICU, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I used to be a social worker and for three or four years, worked with drug and alcohol addicted patients. The work took me to inpatient facilities where I spent time talking to nurses about my clients. I realized I was missing out on an important piece of their recovery. After nursing school I went right into medical ICU. I was a bedside nurse, a clinical leader and then clinical trainer. I coordinate and onboard new staff and guide them during their first year.

I think one of the biggest challenges of this epidemic has been that COVID patients could not be with their loved ones, especially when they were dying. Nurses would go into their room and hold up iPads so they could say goodbye. The ICU nurses were the last people they would see.

There was one patient, a younger gentleman, whose significant other just had a baby. He went through a very rough course for a very long time. He was able to walk out of the hospital, attended rehab and made it home to his family. He was one of the early patients when treatment was still trial and error. His hospital course was very challenging. Seeing him get home was really rewarding. We felt part of his journey.

At the beginning I was newly pregnant - two weeks. So, keeping me and my baby safe was always on my mind. My health care providers were not concerned at all about my health so I continued to work as long as I could safely.

As primarily a trainer, my experience may be a bit different than a bedside nurse. I was meeting with infectious control staff, making sure staff and patients were safe. Do we have gear? Does it fit properly? How can we do our jobs as nurses with new restrictions? We kept coming up with out of the box ways of doing things. For example, to decrease exposure we would use very long IV tubing that would reach into the hallway. That way, the nurse had access but didnt have to go into the room as much. We are still learning new things every day.

COVID made me very appreciative of the ability nurses have to be with people at the end of their lives. Bad things were happening with COVID and I had to dig deep and remember why we got into nursing. I had a sense of purpose and I appreciate that I still have a passion for nursing.

This last year has made me realize how tough we are as nurses. Healthcare staff, especially nurses came together and dug deep. The staff are some of the most important people in my life. Its hard to go home and talk about what you have been through to someone who hasnt been there. We leaned on our coworkers because they are the only ones who know.

I hope that people outside of health care have learned this last year that their actions affect others. Its a domino effect. I hope we have all learned to be grateful and count our blessings each and every day as we continue to move forward. People should know that every decision you make affects other people. I hope everyone counts their blessings. As tough as it was for people, others had tougher times -- the COVID patients, in particular.

Im grateful humanity won out

Susan Murphy, director of environmental services at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, says she always thought the cleaning staff were underdogs, until the pandemic showed how much they mattered.

Susan Murphy, MBA, CHESP, director of environmental services, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

I came to Upstate more than 20 years ago when my father was a patient. I realized then they needed some help in housekeeping, so I got a job and stayed.

We knew from the beginning of the COVID outbreak that our cleaners would be an important and impactful part of the response, but at the time, there were many unknowns about the virus. Our department has a diverse group of people with varying levels of education and who come from different countries, speaking some 35 different languages. The question became how do we help our people navigate this unknown?

We agreed that it is important for the departments three assistant directors and I to show our faces at the beginning and end of each shift so we could find out what the cleaners needed, help them with PPEs, answer questions and remind them that what they do is crucial. We tried to communicate the factual information we were getting in real time in a way that could be understood. It is about being clear and honest. The staff became confident.

COVID changed some things among our staff and highlighted others. It changed the frequency of cleaning. There was a greater sense of teamwork, pitching in and helping each other. There was a lot of camaraderie. A true showing of humanity, to be honest.

People from the community donated bagged meals from different places. Volunteers let us know we were appreciated. We received letters from patients recognizing and appreciating the things we did. Things like he was assigned to ICU and never complained, or I saw how he cleaned my room and cared. One wrote that, because he couldnt see his family, he appreciated regularly seeing a particular cleaner. She waved to me at my window every day with a smile, and I really needed that. Those were the things we were hearing.

Ive always thought that cleaners were the underdogs. I think COVID was the year to see environmental services. Im grateful people can see and value what our team does.

I think one thing I learned throughout this, is that while we have nonsense around us, when it comes down to it, people are very human and help each other. I wish it didnt take a pandemic to bond people. But Im grateful humanity won out.

I have come away knowing that we are very fortunate and very blessed. We have good people around: the infection prevention team, leadership, nurses, the doctors, all the cleaners.... Just amazing people. Its been a long year.

It surprises me that there are people who think the virus isnt real

"We continue to battle COVID and it is real," said Sally Thompson, RN, a clinical training specialist at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Sally Thompson, RN, clinical training specialist, Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

I decided to go into healthcare because I really do love taking care of people. I like to know their story, where they came from, where they are going. Its amazing that there are so many people with different experiences than I have had. What some people have overcome in their lives can be overwhelming, and yet they continue on.

My unit was not a designated COVID unit at first, but as numbers rose, we started taking COVID patients. I was worried that there wouldnt be enough supplies or nurses to take care of patients. I think this hospital did a fantastic job procuring masks, gowns, shields, computers, vital sign machines and all the other things to help us do our job.

Taking care of COVID patients has changed how we do our job. Its just a different kind of nursing. You really need to think of all the things you may need before you go into a room so that you dont have to call someone outside of the patient room to assist you.

These patients can become so sick so fast. What may seem like little variations in status for non-COVID patients can be big changes for COVID patients. We were educated on what changes to look for more closely. We also became more digitalized, communicating via zoom and Facetime with families that couldnt visit.

Im saddened that some of the patients have not seen their families in person for quite some time, and I miss sitting and visiting with patients in their rooms without full garb on. It has taught me to be extremely grateful for what I have personally.

I learned that we can and will get through this. Patients still need to be taken care of.

I hope we learned that preparedness and adaptability are key for our survival, and that there are heroes everywhere.

Its surprising to me that there are people who think that the virus is not real, or not still a threat. Everyday nursing staff, doctors, physical and occupational therapists, housekeepers, respiratory, radiology and all other medical professionals are donning and doffing personal protective equipment while we take care of these patients. We continue to battle COVID and it is real.

Ive seen some unbelievable compassion

"The biggest lesson I've learned is that we need to lean on each other," said Allison Abbatiello, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Allison Abbatiello, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I became a healthcare provider after my grandfather, my Nonno, was a patient at St. Joes. I was 18 and I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare. Seeing him on a ventilator pushed me toward respiratory therapy.

This year has probably been the most difficult of my career. The challenges that COVID has thrown at us are overwhelming. We have had to change our shifts, scheduling practices, and nursing model along with the environment.There were so many unknowns, and that made it difficult.

In terms of patient outcomes, its been a challenging year. But Ive seen some unbelievable compassion. Through the heartbreak, thats been a small bright spot. My colleagues have done everything in their power to make sure every patient is comfortable and not alone, even when their families couldnt be there with them. There are so many patients Ill never forget.

I am extremely grateful for the love and support we have received over the past year from the community.

Its rewarding to serve others and work with a group of people towards a common goal. We would love it if everybodys loved ones were able to go home with them. Ive seen how hard everybody works to try and make that happen.

The biggest lesson Ive learned is that we need to lean on each other. Maybe now more than ever, its apparent that we need each other, and we need to support each other. I also feel like its become so clear that the small moments, and the small wins, are truly the big things and they should be celebrated.

Im hoping we can all be a little kinder and try to be understanding. This past year has affected every single person in a whole bunch of different ways and we need to remember that.

Everyday people wanted to give and give and give

When Kristin Bruce began managing donations to Upstate Medical University, she got 300 to 400 emails a day. She found the community support to be heartwarming and overwhelming.

Kristin Bruce, MHA, MBA, FACHE, CAVS, director of the Office of Volunteer Programs, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

My real job is director of volunteer programs, directing and coordinating volunteers across our three Upstate hospitals and research. I create and organize roles for volunteers and volunteer programs for the hospitalsbut I havent done my job for more than 11 months.

Around March 17, 2020, we, like many people, were sent home. Our whole program was paused. Just three days later, I was called back to the hospital to help with donations that were pouring in. This was three times harder than my normal job.

All donations were coming in through one email, which I managed. For the first couple of weeks, there were 300 to 400 emails a day. People coming out of woodworkN95 mask donations, people wanting to make homemade masks for our staff. We had to decide, what should we accept? The situation was unprecedented and no one really knew what we would need.

The response was so heartwarming. Everyday people wanted to give and give and give. I remember one woman who was desperate to give us the five N95 masks she found while cleaning out her garage. They belonged to her late husband, an asthmatic who used masks while moving the lawn. She had seen something on the news about the shortage.

Another woman who lived near Rochester drove an hour and a half to drop off a 20-pack of N95s that she found in her basement.

There was a coalition of sewers who came together to make masks. We gave them to the staff, not to wear while working, but for when they went home. People felt so strongly about the need and how desperate things were.

Nail salons, which had been closed, joined together and gave us a gajillion masks and gloves. Just lately someone donated a ridiculous amount of Kind snack bars and by my calculation about $75,000 worth of tubes of hand cream.

Some of the things, like hand-made masks, we had plenty of so we donated many to our community members. Remember at the very start of the outbreak, how hard it was to find masks? I remember pulling up to an apartment building and a gentleman came out with a shirt pulled up over his face. I gave him two. Churches and other groups also were able to distribute some to their members.

One day I volunteered to help with the screening stations at the entrance to the facilities. That turned into a new job, training, scheduling and managing the team.

Wed take the temperatures of people who came into the building and ask all the questions: Do you have symptoms, have you travelled out of state? Wed make sure they would swap out their masks for a hospital-issued one. In the mornings from 6 to 8 a.m., we would have about a thousand people coming through the doors. Ive met more people than ever before.

Its interesting. There has been an evolution with the public for sure. In the beginning there was so much fear and anxiety coming to the facilities for appointments, wed try to allay their fears. My biggest take-away is with the kids. For them, all of this is nothing. Theyre used to getting their temps taken when they get on the school bus. You watch eight-year-olds; they pop off their Disney mask and put on their hospital mask with no hesitation.

As for the grown-ups, for the most part people are understanding. Ive heard people thank the screeners. But youll always find people who dont want to participate, who dont want to change out their mask, or wear one at all. Ive turned people away. Its not always pretty, they go back out onto the sidewalk and call their provider. Sometimes the provider will tell them to knock it off and put on the mask, other times, they go home and reschedule. It is soul rocking. Its not how we operate, turning people away. But, as I joke with my screeners, it is our job to guard the castle; to protect people inside.

For me, this has changed me a little bit. Ive had to toughen up. In my other job, Im used to being squishier, more accommodating. I found something in myself, a little more self-fortitude. It has made me see myself a little bit differently.

One thing people should know as we get through this pandemic is that it takes all of us. You cant do it alone and no one is unimportant. Sometimes we take for granted folks doing their jobs. People forget the important part everyone plays.

We also need to be kind to everyone because we have got to get through this together. We sometimes live in our silos and we dont play nice. But with a global pandemic, all bets are off. People have pulled together to fight. What we learned in kindergarten still plays today.

We did not really know how to treat these patients

Caregivers could not save some early patients who might have survived after new treatment protocols were discovered, said Richard Dabrowski, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Richard Dabrowski, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I really wanted to try and help people to live better lives by helping them get through rough patches. My specialty is Respiratory Therapy. We can help patients with breathing issues learn to manage their illness at home. But if they require hospitalization, we can give them the best treatment available. It can be very satisfying to see critically ill patients get up and walk out the front door of the hospital when they have been relieved of their disease state.

Rather than one specific thing changing my life during the pandemic, it was the whole range of things that mattered most, including all the shutdowns.

It shows how fast your life routines can be turned upside down. The whole process really tested your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. How we have had to almost lead new lives as a result of the pandemic and how fragile those lives can be.

At St. Josephs Health, all of us were thrown into situations, dangerous at times, to help treat and care for the new population of COVID-19 patients. Placing a breathing tube in a patients airway can be dangerous, because of the risk of coming into contact with their bodily fluids.

Our work environment changed. We had to learn new treatment modalities and, at the same time, protect ourselves and each other from being infected.

When the pandemic started, we did not know really how to treat these patients. With treatments still in experimental stages, we could not save some of them who we could save today. Over time we have developed certain strategies that we know can help treat COVID patients. Positional changes to help with oxygenation, and newer medications to help oxygenate a patients lungs.

I believe we, as health care providers, are all better off from all that we have learned and encountered.

For the larger community out there: Please take this seriously. This was not a hoax. Please protect yourselves and others by masking, social distancing, and becoming vaccinated. Life can be very fragile and unpredictable.

What they did was the definition of heroic

Sarah, an RN in Syracuse, says she hopes the pandemic has taught everyone "to give one another grace."

Sarah, RN, Syracuse

My grandfather was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when I was in high school. Many caregivers treated my grandfather, but it was the nurses who helped comfort him in his time of suffering. This resonated with me and influenced my decision to go into nursing. I have met some amazing patients. I get to hear their stories, see pictures of their family members, and ease their pain and discomfort.

Nothing compares to the instant gratification of helping a patient feel better than when they came into the hospital. I have also had the privilege of working with amazing healthcare workers, some of whom have become my dearest friends.

Working with such a dedicated, compassionate, selfless and skilled team humbles me and drives me to be a better nurse.

During the Spring of 2020 Onondaga County was predicted to have a surge in COVID-19 patients. The surge did not happen here. But our downstate colleagues in NYC and other areas across the country were in dire need of help. Many of our nurse and physician co-workers selflessly left the comfort of our manageable local COVID population to go where the pandemic had hit hardest.

In some of those places, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was not readily available. Often it had to be reused beyond intended use. And there was a lot we did not know about the virus. New information came out daily. We werent sure of how it could be transmitted or treated.

We all go into healthcare to help others. Risk is part of the profession. In my mind, though, what they did was the definition of heroic. They voluntarily risked their own health to fill a critical need during a fearful time. Some of these nurses and physicians are back working in our hospital, while others learned how much they enjoyed traveling to other parts of the country and continued to do so.

Here, I vividly remember caring for one COVID patient. The first day he was a little lethargic, but would perk up with conversation and encouragement to eat. As the days passed, his ability to communicate declined. He was unable to have family visit, so I often spoke to his family on the telephone. I remember telling his son exactly what we were doing to provide care and comfort. My patient was very fond of his family and I wanted to share with them every last word that he spoke.

The patients son asked me how I was doing. He asked if I had a break that day. Tears welled in my eyes. I thought, How could someone experiencing such grief and trauma care about whether or not I had eaten that day?

It was surprising, it was touching, and it gave me the motivation and encouragement to continue on and push through the difficult moments.

Among other things, COVID-19 has taught us the necessity of teamwork, not taking your health for granted, the importance of self-care. These all seem like common sense, but they truly get put to the test when faced with a global pandemic.

I also hope through this we have each learned to give one another grace. Everyone copes with fear and uncertainty differently. I think its important to ask people how they are doing, to check on your neighbors, to make sure your friends are okay. This has been a long road and we could all use a little empathy and compassion.

We need to enjoy life and trust the science

"It might take time, but the scientific method and evidcence-based practice are the best ways to improve treatment," said Christopher Gere, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Christopher Gere, Respiratory Therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

Every one of my colleagues working at St. Josephs MICU did heroic work every hour of every day. Intensivists, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupation therapists, nutritionists, equipment techs and the logistical staff, which made sure we got enough personal protective equipment. Even that extensive list may leave someone out, for which I apologize.

What Ive learned from this is that we need to enjoy life and trust the science. It might take time, but the scientific method and evidence-based practice are the best ways to improve treatment.

They gave everything to defeating this pandemic

The Olson family, left to right: Nate, Mark, Mary and Noah Olson.

Mark Olson, husband of a nurse, Fayetteville, NY

Im not writing about myself, but about my wife, Mary.

Shes the manager of the employee health office at St Joes in Syracuse. She has worked 6-7 days a week since the pandemic started. Going in at 5:30 a.m and coming home at 5:30 p.m., calling employees on nights and weekends with their COVID test results.

Also she was on many hospital conference calls as part of the emergency management team while also running the health office and making sure her fellow employees were safe and could take care of their families.

Her mom passed away from non-COVID-related issues during this pandemic, so now she also takes care of her 90 year old father. She provides meals, schedules doctors visits, cleans and generally takes care of him.

She has never asked for any recognition or ever would but I can honestly say our life is on hold till this pandemic gets better. Its all for a good cause, all healthcare workers do whats best for others. We are a family of nurses and volunteer firemen, so we understand what it means to give back. But its still hard on the family.

From my point of view as the husband of a nurse, the rest of us had choices, we could work from home, go virtual or change how and where we worked. Nurses, doctors, and other health care workers didnt have that choice. They gave everything to defeating this pandemic. They not only sacrificed their own lives but in many cases changed their lives to help their patients and their colleagues.

Life is precious and very short

Christina Killino, a respiratory therapist at St. Josephs Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY, vividly recalls a patient telling her sister, "If I die, you have to take care of things."

Christina Killino, respiratory therapist, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

I became a healthcare provider simply to help people. Thats what I wanted to do. Sometimes I dont always feel like Ive helped. There are those patients that all I can do is help them die with dignity; thats not an easy thing to do. But if I can make someones life better for however long they have. then its worth it.

I met a patient here in the fall of last year. A COVID-positive patient. She was in her mid 60s. A new grandmother. She was on as much oxygen as I could provide her but was still failing. Her next option was intubation. I knew that her chances of survival after that were very poor. She called her sister prior to intubation. She was trying to explain to her sister what was happening. She said If I die you have to take care of things.

I remember thinking, thats me. Thats what I would say. She ended up dying a few weeks later. I will never forget her.

One of my heroes here is a critical care doctor. She knows so much, and shes so compassionate. And shes not afraid to shed tears or talk about how bad she feels about losing a patient.

The biggest lesson Ive learned is that life is precious and very short. Something that I know Ive taken for granted. I dont think I do that anymore. I hope that people see that if we pull together as a society we can rise above.

I would get off work and just cry, and not even talk to my family

J., RN, St. Josephs Hospital Health Center, Syracuse NY

I became a nurse around 2011. Previous to this I would help care for my grandmother with dementia so she could stay in her home. I realized I enjoyed helping people and the joy it brought to me. My mom suggested I go into nursing, so I did. Now Im almost 10 years into my career.

It was mid-March of last year when my hospital unit transitioned to a COVID only unit. I had been following the news for weeks, concerned about what this virus would bring. Others had compared it to the flu. I knew in my heart it was going to be so much more than that.

That first day, only a few nurses were chosen to work on the new COVID unit. I was one of them. From that moment on my life was changed forever. I worked on the COVID unit for a little over a month dealing with the unthinkable, the high stress and the sadness when the hospital chose to take the N95 masks away.

Within several days I was sick with COVID-19. I was out of work for 3 weeks. I could hardly get off the couch, let alone catch my breath. I was an avid runner before this and loved doing CrossFit. As I recovered everything was a lot harder. I had significant headaches and I could no longer run more than a few feet without my lungs stopping me; I was not the same person I had been.

I returned to work at the COVID unit, but it became too much. The stress, the loss, and the workload took their toll. I had lost myself in the pandemic, as had dozens of my coworkers who chose to leave before me.

Shortly after returning to work, the depression kicked in hard. I would get out of work and just cry and wouldnt even talk to my family. One day I even considered ending my life and that thought wouldnt leave my head. I ended up having to leave the hospital after being at the job that I loved so much for over 5 years.

I now have a new job now at a different hospital and still care for COVID positive patients. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think about COVID. I see many large gatherings in the news and this makes me worried about what the direction this pandemic will take next. When will the public see or care about what us healthcare workers have been through and how we are almost all at our breaking point within the healthcare community?

Now almost a year into the pandemic, with will and determination I am able to run again and I have found happiness in life again. As a healthcare worker that has been on the front line, I wouldnt wish this infection on anyone. Our patients need us, but when will everyone see the cost it has imposed on us, and the impact it will have the rest of our lives.?

I learned so much from all this. The biggest lessons were: Dont take the little things for granted, work to live and dont live to work, self-care is so important, and find one positive thing each day and focus on that.

One thing I hope everyone learns is that this is far from over. Healthcare workers are exhausted, we are depressed and Im not sure how much more any of us can take, please think about us before you decide to go out in large crowds that are against the law; maybe youre having a day of fun, but you are slowly killing us.
Ed. Ministry to further develop online education in schools Additional secretary appointed to improve qualitative education View(s): View(s):

The Education Ministry has decided to develop the online education system in the country, due to the regular interruption of education activities due to the COVID-19 situation.

An Additional Secretary to the Education Ministry has been appointed to look into this aspect under the subject of improving qualitative education, Education MInistry Secretary Kapila Perera said.

At divisional level and provincial level, students and teachers will be involved in the scheme, he said.

Accordingly school principals will need to submit the time table for online education and introduce a scheme within their schools to ensure that students follow online lessons.

The Education Ministry will monitor implementation of the scheme.

According to the plan it will be compulsory to carry out the online programmes between 7.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m., while a few extra hours can be made use of thereafter to complete the lessons.

Each school should have its own time table, Prof. Perera said.

He said full time online classes will be planned, after taking into consideration the experience gained last year.

With the current COVID situation it is difficult to give an exact time frame as to when the classes can begin and therefore we have decided on developing a full time online education system, Prof. Perera said.

He said they hope to expand the online education system to include grade one to grade four students as well.

Until the online facilities are expanded, they hope to use existing systems, such as the use of television channels and radio channels, for students who do not have internet facilities.

Meanwhile there were plans to introduce a system where students from grade one to three will be requested to report to the nearest school instead of travelling to the school which they were enrolled in, Prof. Perera said.

This scheme will be implemented once schools can be reopened, he said.

He also said it was difficult to teach the alphabet for primary classes through an online system.
The announcement caught the attention of Dutchtown High School junior Sydney Hubbard early last fall  something about a way students could learn how to become entrepreneurs.

"I heard an announcement in class one day," Hubbard said. This sounds interesting,' I thought. 'I'm going to apply.

Hubbard did apply  and went through interviews  to become part of the 2020-21 class of the nonprofit Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge, now in its third year as a local chapter of a national program that teaches students how to create and run their own companies.

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The academy works with students in grades eight through 12. Tuition costs $995 and the program offers need-based scholarships. Students who graduate earn three credits at LSU.

"In the last three years, 60 students have graduated (from the academy) and launched 50 businesses in the Greater Baton Rouge area," said Sarah Munson, executive director of the academy's Baton Rouge chapter.

From September to April, 16 students in the Baton Rouge area took weekly after-school classes  on Zoom this year, but usually on the LSU campus  with instructors from the university's E. J. College of Business, as well as guest speakers.

Each student worked with mentors and volunteers to design logos for the businesses they hope to launch.

The students didn't have to come into the academy with an idea for a business, but Hubbard had one from the get-go: a website called Afro Next that would provide information to help African American women learn now to care for their hair.

"I had trouble doing my hair," Hubbard, 16, said. "I still have some trouble."

Baton Rouge schools to offer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible students Coronavirus vaccines will be available to eligible students within East Baton Rouge schools this week as the city-parish pushes to boost laggi

"The textures of African American hair are different, and there are different curl patterns," she explained.

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The idea of entrepreneurship comes easily to Hubbard. Her parents, Tim and Tori Hubbard, each have their own business. Sydney's mother runs a speech therapy practice and her father presidents over a commercial and residential construction company.

"I like the freedom of owning a business," Sydney said.

By the end of this year's Young Entrepreneurs Academy, with a virtual graduation in April, students had written a business plan  "Nobody knows how hard that is," Hubbard said  registered their business with the Louisiana Secretary of State's office and made pitches to an outside panel of professionals to receive seed money, in varying amounts, for startup expenses.

Hubbard was one of six Ascension Parish public school students in this year's class.

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The BASF chemical manufacturing plant in Geismar paid tuition for the students, something it's done for the Ascension participants in the previous two school years and plans to continue doing, the company said.

All the students in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy were able to meet on Zoom and that's the way Hubbard met Mya Beathley, a junior at Liberty Magnet High School in Baton Rouge.

The two became co-founders of the proposed Afro Next website, because of a shared interest in providing information on the care of African American hair.

Other graduates from this year's Young Entrepreneurs Academy are Alanna Riley and Edward Tyler, both of Dutchtown High in Ascension Parish; Morgan Miller and Luke Williams, both of St. Amant High in Ascension, and Jaylen Carter of Donaldsonville High, also in Ascension Parish.

From East Baton Rouge Parish are Mateo Chaney-Martinez, University View Academy; Siya Kuman, Baton Rouge Magnet High; Anmol Mehotra, McKinley High; Quentin Messer III and Joey Roth, both of Episcopal School, and Parker St. Romain, Catholic High.

Other graduates are Gabryel Duncan and Matthew Rotolo, both of Walker High in Livingston Parish, and Cardell Smith, of West Feliciana High.

Applications for the 2021-22 Young Entrepreneurs Academy are open now through Aug. 20 at www.yeabr.org/apply.
After decades of public school students attending school for nine months followed by a summer break, state education leaders are urging Louisiana school districts to try a new calendar.

Prodded by state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, a bill is moving through the Legislature that would pave the way for up to half a dozen school districts to overhaul the routine, including year-round classes marked by periodic breaks.

Louisiana schools chief supports 'balanced' calendar with shorter summer, more breaks State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Tuesday renewed his call for public school systems to consider revamping the traditional sch

One of the aims is to lessen summer learning loss  the all but inevitable slip in what many students learned during the previous school year when academics are shelved for nearly three months.

"What we know is that there is summer learning loss, we know that it is real," Brumley told the House Education Committee. He said students can forget up to 30% of what they learned in their previous grade.

"I am not here to tell you that a balanced calendar is a cure all," Brumley told lawmakers. "But given where we are in outcomes we should be exploring all options that make a difference in the lives of our students and teachers."

The measure, House Bill 528, cleared the House Education Committee without objection and next faces action in the full House.

The sponsor of the bill, House Education Committee Chairman Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette, delayed a vote on the measure that was scheduled for last Wednesday.

If the plan is approved by the House it would face scrutiny in the state Senate.

Under the measure, districts that take part in the pilot projects would do so on a voluntary basis.

The legislation would also allow officials of the state Department of Education to use a portion of federal stimulus dollars to help districts overhaul their schedules.

The plan is generating pushback from the state's two teacher unions  the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and the Louisiana Association of Educators.

Cynthia Posey, director of legislative and political affairs for the LFT, noted that some students rely on summer months to earn money for college or to buy a car.

Some teachers have second jobs when schools are closed.

New compromise for Baton Rouge schools: August start  not July  approved in new calendar After weeks of controversy over a proposal to start the next school year two weeks early, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday

Posey said the bill is "changing something that people in a sense have always planned their lives" around, meaning the nine-month school calendar.

Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, a member of the House Education Committee, said changing the school schedule could disrupt traditions. "I do think summer time is a very important part of our constituents' lives and this would cause a fairly difficult adjustment," Edmonds said.

Any change in the public school calendar can spark resistance.

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East Baton Rouge Parish School District Superintendent Sito Narcisse ditched his plan to start the 2021-22 school year early amid a firestorm of criticism from teachers and others.

Baton Rouge schools won't start in July; superintendent proposes more traditional calendar East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Sito Narcisse is setting aside a proposal to move up the start date of the new school year by about two

But officials in one north Louisiana school district that overhauled its school calendar as a response to COVID-19 said the new routine has been well received, especially amid gains in student reading scores.

"For us it has generally been a blessing in the fact that our parents have said yes, our school board has said yes now we are seeing the fruits of those labors," said Karen Squires, director of curriculum for the Red River School District.

Students attend classes for 42 or 43 days, followed by two-week breaks.

Those who need extra help can get it during the breaks  called intercessions  and others can get enriched learning.

The school year is set to end on June 30, then resume on Aug. 11 after a roughly five-week break.

Brumley said state education workers would assist local school districts, like they did for the Red River school system, to craft new school calendars.

"We work with a system to set up a calendar that makes sense for them," he told the committee.

Rep. Patrick Jefferson, D-Homer, a member of the committee, praised the proposal.

"This is how we help our children," Jefferson said. "This is good. This is really good."

State law requires students to get a certain number of minutes of instruction per day, and 172 days of instruction per school year.

But there is latitude in exactly how those days are allocated.

Tia Mills, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said it is important that officials in individual school districts adopt school calendars that work for them.

Mills said research done by the National Education Association concluded there is no significant academic gains for students who attend school year round.

The Louisiana Key Academy in Baton Rouge, which educates 430 students with dyslexia, is in its third year of using a shortened summer break and other non-traditional interruption in classes, including one week during Mardi Gras.

Heather Bourgeois, principal of the school, said the new schedule is aimed at helping students.

"That extended break is really detrimental," Bourgeois said. "We implemented it and the got support from families and are committed to working with families."
Last time we celebrated Mothers Day, Victoria was a very different place, almost on another planet.

Brett Sutton, the Victorian Chief Health Officer who was just becoming a household name, announced that morning: Todays increase in cases illustrates once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against COVID-19 is far from over. The daily coronavirus announcement reported an increase of 10 new cases, bringing the running total to 1487.

Restaurants are breathing a sigh of relief for this Mothers Day.

The initial shock of the epidemic  the fights over toilet paper  was a couple of months behind us, but the Cedar Meats outbreak showed how vulnerable we still were and the second wave proper, sparked by hotel quarantine breaches, was still in the future.

And we were in the first lockdown, with only four reasons to leave home: collecting food and supplies, receiving medical care and care giving, exercise, and work or education.
Money alone wont ensure global vaccine equity By Rosalind McKenna, exclusive to the Sunday Times, Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

NEW YORK  In March, South Sudan received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines. While that is good news, it came almost four months after the first doses were administered in the United Kingdom, highlighting the wide disparities in global vaccine distribution. If these gaps are not narrowed soon  with international bodies leading a transparent and equitable global vaccine rollout  the entire pandemic response will be compromised.

South Sudan received its doses thanks to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility, which has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines worldwide. Institutions like the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and UNICEF have supported these efforts.

But rich countries are hampering progress by continuing to hoard supplies. In the United States, more than 2.1 million doses are being administered per day; South Sudan has administered around 1,000 vaccines in total. Overall, residents of high- and middle-income countries have received 83% of the 1.2 billion vaccine doses delivered so far.

In fact, the combination of export bans, hoarding, and supply shortages has meant that COVAX has so far managed to deliver only one in five of the Oxford-AstraZeneca doses that were supposed to arrive in countries by the end of this month. At this rate, advanced economies will be able to vaccinate their entire populations before many low-income countries even begin their vaccine rollout.

To accelerate progress, international development banks have committed considerable funding to help poor countries purchase and distribute vaccines, tests, and treatments. The World Bank alone has promised to contribute $12 billion. But the details of its pledge are getting lost, raising the risk that this much-needed money will be wasted for lack of scrutiny.

For starters, the World Bank has yet to clarify how it will use its market power to ensure that doses remain affordable. But as vaccine producers such as Johnson & Johnson back away from their pledges to make vaccines available on a not-for-profit basis, such intervention is becoming urgent. The three US pharmaceutical firms with approved vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson  have already shared with investors plans to raise vaccine prices in the near future. In making $12 billion available for vaccine procurement and deployment, it remains unclear what steps the World Bank is taking to make vaccine manufacturers share the technology and know-how to ramp up global production.

Furthermore, the World Bank is still struggling to explain how it plans to ensure that its expenditure is transparent, or ensure that countries abide by plans to get vaccines to priority populations. As the World Bank well knows, poor programme design and flawed vaccine rollouts can lead to exorbitant costs and unfair outcomes. The first World Bank-financed COVID-19 vaccine-procurement operation, launched in Lebanon in January, was nearly suspended within a month of its launch because politicians were cutting in front of higher-priority individuals, such as health workers.

Transparency is vital to limit such behaviours, but the World Bank may be setting itself up for more of the same: it recently approved a project in Ethiopia, where similar queue-jumping is a known risk. It has also approved a project in Tunisia, where vaccine hesitancy and scepticism, and disinformation efforts, are substantial  factors that can further undermine a programmes efficiency, if not addressed effectively.

These projects are being designed at rapid speed. Too often, however, World Bank teams  whether at the Banks headquarters in Washington, DC, or in the countries seeking funds  are developing these vaccine programmes without input from all essential stakeholders. If groups at risk of being excluded from the vaccine rollouts are not involved in project design and monitoring, it will become all the more likely that they will be left behind.

Such groups include refugees, prisoners, and people living in slums and other overcrowded conditions. In Greece, for example, more than 70,000 asylum-seekers are being excluded from the national vaccination program.

Persecuted minorities, such as Myanmars Rohingya population and Indias Dalits (the lowest-ranked group in the countrys caste system), are also at high risk of being overlooked. And coordination in conflict zones, such as in Syria, may pose a challenge, with governments potentially even ignoring people in these territories.

In-country vaccination programmes must include clear protections for the most vulnerable groups, with the World Bank using its leverage to prevent discrimination in the implementation of its projects. Any vaccine funding must be made contingent on its fair and safe distribution. Moreover, there must be supervision and monitoring of these projects, as the Banks own board recently urged.

For this to work, the World Bank must engage directly with marginalised groups. Their perspectives are essential to determine how best to spend the pledged funds and to ensure accountability by challenging misuse of resources and misallocation of vaccine doses.

The global vaccine rollout is a critical test for an institution whose stated mission is to end extreme poverty and advance shared prosperity. Fortunately, there is reason to hope that the World Bank will pass. Its president, David Malpass, has called the COVID-19 crisis a pandemic of inequality, one of its hallmarks being unequal access to vaccines.

But simply throwing money at the problem will not be enough to solve it. Only a transparent, inclusive, and well-designed strategy that explicitly protects the interests of the most vulnerable and gives them a way to sound the alarm when things go wrong can do that. That would be money well spent.

(Rosalind McKenna is a team manager in the financing division of the Open Society Foundations Public Health Programme.)

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2021. www.project-syndicate.org
Australias COVID suppression strategy has not changed to an elimination strategy nor is zero cases our goal as reported, he said on Facebook. There will always be cases as we return Australians home from overseas. International borders will only open when it is safe to do so. Mr Frydenberg said he wanted to restore migration to the level seen before the pandemic, which was 239,700 in 2018-19, according to population figures in the federal budget last October. We will get back to it over time, he said. Obviously, net overseas migration went negative through this crisis. Youll see Treasurys forecast for the coming years on Tuesday night, but that again is a pandemic effect, not a permanent change. I believe in a generous, sustainable immigration program that reflects the best of who we are, which is an open, tolerant, diverse country. Labor leader Anthony Albanese said last week that the closed borders had highlighted the countrys reliance on temporary migrant workers and that we should be investing in training Australians to fill the skill shortages.

Loading Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally argued one year ago for greater priority to be given to unemployed Australians rather than a return to the migration levels of the past. Do we want migrants to return to Australia in the same numbers and in the same composition as before the crisis? Our answer should be no, she wrote. Former Department of Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi said a key test for the government would be whether the budget included an increase in the formal migration program to reach forecasts set out in a population statement last December. The statement said net overseas migration was likely to fall from 154,000 people in 2019-20 to about 72,000 people in 202021, an extraordinary reversal.

Migration will be a key component of Australias economic and health recovery from COVID-19, it said. By the end of the forecast period in 2023-24, net overseas migration is still not expected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels, it said. By 2028-29, net overseas migration is assumed to reach 235,000 per year. Deloitte Access Economics expects net migration to be 20,000 in fiscal 2022 and rise strongly to 175,000 the following year. Economists believe the budget will have to include an increase in migration to support its forecasts for jobs, growth and the management of Commonwealth debt. We might be able to hobble along for a couple of years without it but immigration is really fundamental to Australia, said Gabriela DSouza, senior economist at the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, an independent think tank that began in 1960.

Ms DSouza said the budget forecasts would be too optimistic if they did not come with measures to increase arrivals from overseas, such as using quarantine to expand the skilled worker and family intake. There will be entire sections of our economy that wont do very well, such as education, tourism and hospitality. Its going to hit a lot of sectors very hard, she said. I struggle to see how we can sustain very high growth without migration. Mr Frydenberg acknowledged border closures had increased consumer demand in some ways, such as forcing Australians to spend their money at home, but said this was not sustainable. Its an interesting point about the money that Australians are spending domestically, the money that otherwise they would have spent overseas. And, as you know, it is not insignificant, he said.

Loading This is a temporary effect of the pandemic, not a long-term structural change. While more than 11.3 million Australian travellers returned from an overseas trip in the year before the pandemic, the number of returning Australians was 1.4 million in the first year of the crisis, with millions of consumers forced to spend their money at home. Employers are warning of shortages of workers ranging from software programmers to veterinarians and chefs, saying the restrictions make it harder for companies to hire local workers as well. Australian Industry Group chief Innes Willox called for more budget spending on local apprentices as well as easier rules to bring in skilled migrants.
Keeping your loved ones safe with Suwapetha By Mahesh De Andrado View(s): View(s):

With the resurgence of the SARS CoV-2 virus in what people are calling the third wave, there is no greater time than now to strictly adhere to the safety protocols enforced by health officials. Google, for example, has added COVID-19 exposure notifications to its Pixel line-up of smartphones and other supported devices. These notifications will essentially give you a breakdown of the COVID-19 virus in your immediate area. Sri Lanka has also had its own version of a live COVID-19 tracker, but very few people seemed to have heard about it, until now.

Called Suwapetha, the app is developed by the Epidemiology Unit of the Western Provincial Ministry of Health and the WHO country office for Sri Lanka. The development team consists of Dr. Padmal De Silva, Dr. Yudhisteera Wedisinghe, Lt. Col L.R.K. (retd.) Kahandagamage RSP SLSC, and Mr. Tayon U. Jayawaradana. Released on the 22nd of November 2020, the app has undergone its fair share of tweaks and modifications. The most stable version of the app was launched on the 30th of April 2021.

What exactly is Suwapetha?

Think of it as a live COVID-19 tracker. You can use the app to see which areas in the country are affected by the COVID-19 virus. More importantly, it gives you real time statistics of those infected with COVID-19 in your immediate vicinity. The app also provides you with several guidelines and precautionary measures you can take to keep you and your family safe.

How does Suwapetha work?

Once the app has been downloaded to your smartphone/tablet, you are required to create an account on the app. This can be done either via your Google account or by signing in with your Facebook credentials. Once you have signed up, the app will request access to your immediate location. Once the permission is granted, the Suwapetha app is ready to go.

The app has a number of tabs. The first tab is the real-time COVID-19 tracker. The app uses Google Maps, making use of geospatial data as its backbone to show you your precise location and rates the area youre in based on how close you are to the nearest COVID-19 patient. It also displays the total number of patients within one square kilometer. The little bulb icon on the main screen gives you a live COVID situation, showing the number of active cases, number of recoveries and also deaths.

Suwaeptha also gives you a breakdown of daily confirmed cases. This data is further broken down into age categories and gender. Looking a bit more into where Suwapetha gets its data from, it appears that the developers data source is the COVID19API, which is a free API for data on the Coronavirus, which in turn gets its data from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Suwapetha also provides details of emergency contacts such as the Presidential Task Force, Government Information Center, Quarantine Unit, Health Promotion Bureau, and Lanka Sathosa, to name a few. Lastly, you can edit your profile, and add your contact details, address, age and gender if you wish to do so. If you are a doctor, you can also join Suwapethas Doctor Registration programme to help those in need.

Whats it like using Suwapetha?

To be perfectly honest, I was quite impressed with the app. Yes, the design could use a few tweaks here and there, but in terms of functionality, it delivered on everything it said it would. As soon as I gave the app access to my location, it alerted me that I was in a critical area and that the nearest COVID-19 patient was 250m away from where I was. The app also gave me details of the nearest hospital (along with directions to get there) and the nearest pharmacy (along with respective directions) as well.

Being touted as a live COVID-19 tracker, you would expect that Suwapetha gets updated frequently. And it is, to a point. Keep in mind that this app is developed by a small team and they indeed have their work cut out for them when it comes to making sure that the figures they publish are accurate. For example, it might take a couple of hours or perhaps even longer for Suwapetha to be updated with the latest figures, especially if its taking geospatial data into view. As some consolation, the app does provide the last time that it was updated so thats something.

All things considered, Suwapetha is indeed a step in the right direction to keep yourself aware of whats going on around you. It should be noted that Suwapetha is only to be used as a reference and information portal. The last thing we need is someone causing unwanted panic because theres a COVID-19 patient near their location. So if youre prone to anxiety attacks and are overly anxious about the current situation, wed recommend you not install the app, or you can opt to get details from a trusted family member/friend. After all, the purpose of Suwapetha is to keep track of such occurrences and advise the general public on what preventive measures can be taken. At the time of writing, Suwapetha is only available for Android, but it may be available for iOS on a later date.
Pastor Artur Pawlowski moments after he drove police on a COVID-19 check out of his church in Calgary, Canada, on April 3, 2021. (Screenshot YouTube via The Epoch Times)

Canadian Preacher Artur Pawlowski Arrested, Charged After Allegedly Defying Public Health Orders

Officials in Calgary, Canada, said they arrested Artur Pawlowski, a street preacher who allegedly defied local lockdowns, over the weekend.

Earlier today, police arrested two organizers of a church service who were in violation of a new court order obtained by Alberta Health Services (AHS) in relation to mandatory compliance of public health orders for gatherings, said the Calgary Police Service in a statement on Saturday.

His brother, David Pawlowski, was also taken into police custody.

Both were charged with allegedly organizing an illegal in-person gathering as well as requesting, inciting or inviting others to join them, according to police.

The force said that Albertas provincial government obtained a bench order from a court that applies to protests, demonstrations and rallies that imposes new restrictions on organizers of protests and demonstrations requiring compliance with public health orders including masking, physical distancing and attendance limits.

It is important to understand that law enforcement recognizes peoples desire to participate in faith-based gatherings as well as the right to protest. However, as we find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic, we all must comply with public health orders in order to ensure everyones safety and wellbeing, the police service added.

A video uploaded on Twitter that appeared to show his arrest on a highway included Pawlowskis voice: If you are watching this video, it means that they have successfully arrested me. It included a link to a crowdfunding website for his legal defense.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pawlowski brothers have held gatherings and have denied officials entry into their church located in Dover, Calgary, according to reports.

Pawlowski drew headlines several weeks ago after he compared police with the Nazi Gestapo paramilitary forces and fascists.

And they did it again! Today, the Gestapo Attacked our Church Again! History is being repeated in front of our eyes! Another sad day for Freedom and democracy! Pawlowski wrote on April 24.

Before that, in a viral clip, he was seen in a video telling officers: I do not cooperate with Gestapo!

Im not interested in any word that you have to say. I do not cooperate with Gestapo, I do not talk to the Nazis, Pawlowski told officers on Easter Sunday weekend, adding, Brown shirts of Adolf Hitler. You are Nazi, Gestapo, communist, fascists! I do not cooperate with Nazis!

On April 3, Pawlowski was fined $1,200 for allegedly holding a public gathering of more than 15 people at his Street Church, in violation of COVID-19 health orders.

Pawlowski, who emigrated from Poland to Canada in the 1990s, told Fox News in April that Canadian police are engaging in Soviet-like activity during the pandemic. He has also been fined repeatedly for violating public health orders by holding church services.

I grew up under a communist dictatorship behind the Iron Curtain, under the boot of the Soviets, and Im telling you thats no fun at all. It was a disaster, he said in the interview. So, it was like a flashback when those police officers showed up at my church. Everything kind of came back to life from my childhood, and the only thing I could do is to fend off the wolves as a shepherd, and I used my voice to get rid of them, Pawlowski added.
Capitol police officers stand outside of fencing that was installed around the exterior of the Capitol grounds, in Washington on Jan. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

US Capitol Breach Defense Lawyers Receiving Tours of Building From Police

Attorneys defending suspects who have been charged with offenses related to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach are receiving crime scene tours of the building in May and June.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole made the disclosure in a court filing (pdf) in late April in a case for one of the defendants. The letter states that the U.S. Capitol Police have arranged five crime scene tours of the Capitol beginning on May 3, with the last tour scheduled for June 4.

Among the sites included in the tour are House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) office; the Speakers Lobby, outside of which Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer; the House and Senate chambers; and the Rotunda. The U.S. Capitol is still currently closed to visitors because of COVID-19 measures.

The tours are restricted to the defense lawyers, and recordings and photographs arent permitted, according to Cole.

The first tour was conducted by Capitol Police Inspector Thomas Loyd and attended by dozens of defense attorneys, CNN reported. The tours will help the defense attorneys to gather evidence for their cases.

More than 400 defendants were charged in relation to the breach. A majority of cases are related to entering a restricted building, obstruction of an official proceeding, and civil disorder, according to the Justice Department. Federal authorities are still looking for suspects connected to the breach.

Earlier this month, the DOJ announced that authorities had arrested a member of the Wisconsin National Guard and his friend for alleged participation in the incident.

The soldier, Abram Markofski, is facing four charges related to the protests, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Championing Americas First Freedom

Commentary

The right to worship freely is often called Americas first freedom. Our founding fathers understood religious freedom not as the states creation but as an unalienable right from God.

This universal right is enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Today, however, religious freedom is threatened or restricted entirely for millions of people around the world. Over 80 percent of the worlds population lives in countries with high or severe restrictions on religious freedom. In far too many places across the globe, governments and others prevent individuals from living in accordance with their beliefs.

Recent reports by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) found that violations against religious freedom around the world are ongoing and widespread.

For example, USCIRFs Annual 2021 Report recommended to the U.S. State Department that 14 countries receive its most severe designation, country of particular concern (CPC), because of their respective governments engagement or toleration of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations against religious freedom. These countries included: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, India, Russia, Syria, Vietnam, and Nigeria.

Further, ACN recently concluded, During the period under review, there has been a significant increase in the severity of religiously-motivated persecution and oppression. It found that in total, severe violations of religious freedom are taking place in 62 countries around the world.

Concerningly, the report authors wrote that some of the worst offenders are from some of the worlds most populous countries. For example, in China, the worlds most populated country with 1.4 billion people, the Chinese Communist Party is committing genocide in Xinjiang against Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities.

Moreover, USCIRF and ACN reported that in some countries, the COVID-19 pandemic was exploited to blame, target, and discriminate against minority religious communities, in some cases denying them access to food and medical aid.

As these reports have shown, the denial of religious freedom is not an issue that is unique to any one country or group. Rather, it is a global challenge that requires strong leadership, bold action, and an unwavering commitment to overcome.

During his tenure, President Donald J. Trump was a champion for religious freedom. In June of 2020, he signed an Executive Order on Advancing International Religious Freedom. This executive order defined international religious freedom as a moral and national security imperative. It ensured that $50 million per year be allocated for programs that advance international religious freedom and required international religious freedom training for U.S. federal officials.

The Trump administration also launched the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, a group of 32 countries committed to protecting religious freedom or belief.

Moreover, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted two Ministerials to Advance Religious Freedom in 2018 and 2019, bringing together leaders from around the world to promote and protect religious freedom.

While I served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 20172021, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See worked diligently with our partners and allies to advance and defend religious freedom.

As religious persecution and repression continue to be widespread, protecting international religious freedom should remain a U.S. foreign policy priority. The Biden administration should build upon the work of the Trump administration to defend this fundamental human right.

From Gingrich360.com.

Callista Louise Gingrich is a businesswoman, author, documentary film producer, and diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 2017 to 2021.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
EU commissioner for internal market and consumer protection, industry, research and energy Thierry Breton speaks during a press conference following a college meeting to introduce draft legislation on a common EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on March 17, 2021. (John Thys/Pool via Reuters)

EU Has Not yet Ordered More AstraZeneca Vaccines, Says Internal Market Commissioner

PARISThe European Union has not yet made any new orders for AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June when their contract ends, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Sunday.

Breton also said he expected that the costs of the EUs recent order for more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines would be higher than the earlier versions.

The Commission last month launched legal action against AstraZeneca for not respecting its contract for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and for not having a reliable plan to ensure timely deliveries.

We did not renew the order after June. Well see what happens, said Breton, adding that it was a very good vaccine.

Concerns has risen on potential side-effects of the Anglo-Swedish COVID-19 vaccine.

A health worker holds a syringe with the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 at a new vaccination center at the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany, on March 8, 2021. (Tobias Schwarz/various sources/AFP via Getty Images)

Europes medicines regulator said on Friday it is reviewing reports of a rare nerve-degenerating disorder in people who received the shots, a move that comes after it found the vaccine may have caused very rare blood clotting cases.

Breton said an increase in prices for second generation vaccines could be justified by the extra research required and potential changes to industrial equipment.

The European Union signed a new contract with Pfizer-Biontech to receive 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 2021-2023, to cover booster shots, donations and reselling of doses, the European Commission said on Friday.

There may be a little extra cost but I will let the competent authorities unveil it in due course, he told France Inter radio.

By Sybille de La Hamaide
India Excludes Chinese Companies From Its 5G Trials

NEW DELHIIndia has decided to proceed with its fifth-generation (5G) wireless network technology and spectrum trials and has invited equipment makers from various nationsexcept China.

Experts say India is keeping Chinese 5G firms such as Huawei and ZTE out of its massive market because of the border dispute last year and because the exclusion will economically hurt Chinese entities.

The Department of Telecommunications of the Indian government on May 4 gave permission to its four telecom service providers (TSP) to conduct trials for the use and applications of 5G technology, according to a release by the Ministry of Communications.

These TSPs have tied up with original equipment manufacturers and technology providers which are Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, and C-DOT. In addition, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. [an Indian company] will also be conducting trials using its own indigenous technology, the ministry said in the release.

S. Chandrashekhar, a visiting professor at Indias National Institute of Advanced Studies with research interests in telecommunications and national security issues in the Indian context, told The Epoch Times in an email that the exclusion of Chinese firms from the 5G trials in India will hurt the companies economically.

India opting out of the Chinese standardI am sure the Chinese knew this was going to happenwould definitely hurt them, Chandrashekhar said. If China would have gotten into the Indian market, the value of Chinas 5G would have grown exponentially, he wrote.

Harsh V. Pant, the director of studies and head of the Strategic Studies program at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, told The Epoch Times over the phone that India was expected to exclude China from the 5G trials because of their turbulent relationship between the two countries.

India remains committed to pursuing a strong line against China. Until early last year, India had indicated that it would be willing to include Chinese companies in the 5G trials, Pant said. But because of the border crisis at Ladakh, Chinas reluctance to address Indias concerns, and its attempts at changing the status quo of the border unilaterally, India decided to fashion its foreign policy accordingly, he said.

This is a part of that posture, and India is increasingly worried about the Chinese involvement in critical sectors in India. Thats what this decision reflects, he said.

Visitors test a 5G virtual reality demonstration at the India Mobile Congress 2018 in New Delhi on Oct. 25, 2018. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

How Network Economics Works

Data, information, and knowledge are going to drive everything in the future world, and everything will get smarter. Success and failure in these products, such as mobile phones and personal computers, are governed by something called network economics, in that such devices and services associated with them have value only when theyre connected, Chandrashekhar said.

The smarter technology involves intelligent sensors, devices, and platforms, and data collection, data processing, data mining, deep learning, AI, and the movement of data, information and knowledge throughout the world (land, sea, air, underwater, space, maybe even the moon and planets)things, people, services, manufacturing, almost everybody and everything will be connected to the internet, he said.

The channels through which this data and information are transferred and exchanged are a critical element of this infrastructure, Chandrashekhar said.

5G is the latest technology to increase the capabilities and capacities for wireless transfer of data, especially between mobile devices to people and things having this capability. It generally provides last-mile connectivity to users and things, he said.

In network economics, the more connections the devices have, the greater their value, however, this value doesnt increase linearly but exponentially with the increase in the number of nodes.

So a network of 100 nodes will be significantly more valuable than a 50-node network. What this means is that companies that establish an initial large presence with a product that has network attributes have a significant economic advantage, Chandrashekhar said.

After the initial forays of companies in 1G, this understanding has led to companies getting together to create a common standard which is then used by all of them to build their own products. But since the platform is the same, all things that go into including software and peripherals become compatiblescale economies come into play depending on the number of nodes in the standardthey compete on the product side but cooperate on the platform side. So competing consortia of companies get together to develop these common standards2G, 3G, and 4G all saw these, he said.

Every new generation has a fresh battle of standards, and the 5G is the latestits expected to transform Indias industrial sectors with an estimated contribution of $450 billion from 2023 to 2040, according to a report (pdf) by Global System for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA).

I think given the way China has gone about dealing with India, it is good to give them the brush-off, Chandrashekhar said.

The Huawei logo at the IFA consumer technology fair, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Berlin on Sept. 3, 2020. (Michele Tantussi/Reuters)

Strategic Implications of 5G in India

5G is a key aspect of economic development, infrastructure, manufacturing, services, agriculture, with both civilian and strategic significance.

Disrupting it is one way of seriously affecting everyday life. Both the hardware and software and the network itself as well as each node is vulnerable. Many strategists think that there are backdoor entries through the hardware and software that can introduce viruses or other malware into networks that could damage critical parts of the national economy, Chandrashekhar said.

Last year, while the debate was still on in India about the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE in the Indian telecommunications network, fears were high particularly about potential threats to the Indian defense sector.

5G will bring enormous benefits to the Indian armed services over the next decade at least. It is widely regarded to be state-of-the-art technology, which will have a bearing on military operations, Kartik Bommakanti, a fellow with the Strategic Studies Program of the ORF, wrote in an analysis late last year.

The government has identified these companies as likely to install trap door or back door technologies that could enable Chinese spy agencies to conduct espionage. These technologies, if installed by Huawei or ZTE, will in all likelihood jeopardize Indias national security, Bommakanti said.

Pant says its for these reasons that India would prefer to work with like-minded countries when it comes to strategic technologies.

Chandrashekhar noted that India doesnt have indigenous 5G capability, and that makes the country vulnerable. He said India should create companies that can compete with the Nokias, Ericssons, or Siemens of the world, and there should be proactive support for that.
AFP presents a photo essay of 20 pictures by photographers Hector Retamal taken on April 17, 2020 and by Johannes Eiseles taken on Feb. 23, 2017 of the P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. (Hector Retamal and Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

New Chinese Military Paper on Weaponizing CoronavirusesWest Should Respond With Defensive Decoupling and End to STEM Cooperation With China

Commentary

On May 7, The Australian revealed the existence of a Chinese military paper from 2015 that discusses the weaponization of SARS coronaviruses. COVID-19 is the disease caused by a SARS coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

Given 6.9 million COVID-19 deaths globally and counting, such military-scientific musings are the height of irresponsibility and should be decisively countered through new sanctions against Chinas science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) researchers.

In the paper, Chinese military scientists and senior Chinese public health officials predict that World War III, if it comes, will be decided by new biological weapons. We are no longer in the age of gunpowder or nuclear weapons. The future of war is biological, they argue.

The document is consistent with significant prior evidence of offensive Chinese biowarfare research that can access technologies such as gene-editing and viral gain-of-function (GOF) processes. Chinese military researchers have also shown an interest in bioweapon genetic targeting. A specific ethnic genetic attack technology would be a biological weapon that targets a specific ethnicity. Gene-editing, such as CRISPR technology, could facilitate such targeting.

GOF produces new viruses that are more transmissible and lethal than their progenitors, for example, the use of an avian influenza virus to evolve, in the lab, to a virus that can infect humans. If China can put these technologies together, and has the will to do so, it could design a killer virus that only infects a particular race that China considers to be an enemy.

As recently as June 2020, the U.S. Department of State (DoS) expressed concern (pdf) that China was violating the Biological [and Toxin] Weapons Convention (BWC or BTWC) of 1984 through research into dual-use technologies. In 2005, DoS alleged that China maintains some elements of an offensive [biological weapons] capability in violation of its BTWC obligations. DoS made similar charges in 2010, 2012, and 2014. The 2019 report stated that information indicates that the Peoples Republic of China engaged during the reporting period in biological activities with potential dual-use applications, which raises concerns regarding its compliance with the BWC.

The 2020 report was more specific, about compliance concerns with respect to Chinese military medical institutions toxin research and development because of the potential dual-use applications and their potential as a biological threat, and stated that China had an offensive biological warfare (BW) program from the early 1950s to at least the late 1980s. The report noted that China hadnt acknowledged the BW program, or provided evidence of its dismantling.

The newly discovered Chinese military paper is titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons. Eighteen authors at the highest levels of Chinas military and academic hierarchy wrote the 263-page paper. It was obtained by DoS in May 2020 and independently authenticated by digital forensics specialist Robert Potter. Additional details of the paper will be published in Sharri Marksons September book on the origins of COVID-19, What Really Happened in Wuhan (HarperCollins).

The Chinese military study describes SARS coronaviruses as providing a basis for a new era of genetic weapons, according to its authors, that can be artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponized and unleashed in a way never seen before.

It claims that following developments in other scientific fields, there have been major advances in the delivery of biological agents. It continues, For example, the new-found ability to freeze-dry micro-organisms has made it possible to store biological agents and aerosolize them during attacks.

The P4 laboratory (L) on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on May 27, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The document notes that a sudden flood of patients into hospitals during a biological weapons attack could cause the enemys medical system to collapse.

In the study, the Chinese military examines optimal conditions for the release of a biological weapon.

Bioweapon attacks are best conducted during dawn, dusk, night or cloudy weather because intense sunlight can damage the pathogens, according to the document. Biological agents should be released during dry weather. Rain or snow can cause the aerosol particles to precipitate. A stable wind direction is desirable so that the aerosol can float into the target area.

Analysts are increasingly wary of Chinas biowarfare programs, and potential leakage of U.S. and allied STEM research that could serve as enablers.

Chinese military researchers have closely examined American initiatives and international advancements, which have seemed to inform and inspire the direction of developments underway in China today, according to Elsa Kania at the Center for a New American Security, and consultant Wilson VornDick. So too, at a time when Chinese universities and enterprises are pursuing investment and expanding global research collaborations in such fields, it is important that their foreign partners remain cognizant of the interests and involvements of their counterparts.

For instance, although biomedical research involves numerous promising applications in medicine and therapeutics, there are also reasons for concern about some of the ethical and security externalities of these research engagements.

In another article on the weaponization of biotech, Kania and VornDick warn that the lack of transparency and uncertainty of ethical considerations in Chinas research initiatives raise the risks of technological surprise.

My read: Watch out for a surprise bioattack from China.

Given revelations about the latest Chinese biowarfare paper, along with Chinas criminal behavior related to COVID-19, genocide against the Uyghurs, highly aggressive military stance toward the United States and allies, national strategy of civil-military fusion, dangerous new technologies of gene-targeting, and facile theft of foreign technology, one must conclude that the United States and allies should act more decisively to defend ourselves.

The Chinese military, and the exploding economy from which it acquires strength, both depend upon STEM and trade that they obtain from the United States and allies. Continued STEM cooperation with China should therefore be immediately suspended. Decreasing imports from China would impose a logical consequence, and send a message, by constricting their economy.

Until China demonstrates a significant improvement in its ethics and transparency, cooperation with Chinas STEM academics and business people, including STEM undergraduates, graduate students, professors, and scientists, should be banned by law in the United States, the European Union, Japan, India, Brazil, and among our broader circles of allies.

President Donald Trump signs trade sanctions against China in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on March 22, 2018. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

But if we sanction Chinas STEM, make sure it doesnt simply flow elsewhere, or advance in isolation beyond allied science. Regulation of science in China is generally less demanding, and so Chinas military science could progress at a faster rate than allied science, through for example unethical forms of human experimentation. Note that five clinical trials of CRISPR gene-editing technologies are currently underway at Chinas military hospitals.

STEM sanctions against China should have been implemented in 2005, when DoS first found evidence of an offensive biological weapons capability in violation of the BWC. Continuing to cooperate more than 15 years later, when Chinas STEM research can be used to build offensive biological weapons that likely target the United States and allies, is irresponsible and unethical.

Knowing that Chinas intentions are in part illegal or even genocidal should make those who transfer STEM, willingly or unwillingly, culpable and criminally negligent.

Lets not wait for a surprise bioattack. Shut down Chinas bioweapons programs now, by defensively decoupling from, and thereby minimizing, the countrys STEM infrastructure. Add maximum economic and political pressure, to nudge China toward much-needed democratization. Only when the country democratizes should we allow it back into the international system.

Playing Mr. Nice Guy and tip-toeing around existential threats to America and democracy from genocidal technologies through elision, euphemism, technocratic language, and an illogical belief in political change in Beijing through the self-serving economic and scientific engagement of individuals and corporations, is no longer acceptable. We need the United States and allies to defensively decouple, and quickly.

Anders Corr has a bachelors/masters in political science from Yale University (2001) and a doctorate in government from Harvard University (2008). He is a principal at Corr Analytics Inc., publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, and has conducted extensive research in North America, Europe, and Asia. He authored The Concentration of Power (forthcoming in 2021) and No Trespassing, and edited Great Powers, Grand Strategies.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds up information on COVID-19 alert levels during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand on March 21, 2020. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Policy Making Madness: New Zealand Pushes for Collective Bargaining in Radical Labour Law Reform

The New Zealand government on May 7 unveiled a new collective bargaining system marking the biggest reform of the countrys employment laws since the early 1990s. The changes have been met with fierce opposition from the business community, who say the process would be compulsory and against international law.

The plan, called the Fair Pay Agreement (FPA), is built upon Australias modern award system introduced under former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2009 and aims to raise wages by allowing unions to interact with employers to set minimum wage standards across entire industries.

Under the new plan, if 1,000 employeesor 10 percent of the workforcesign up for a fair pay agreement process, nationwide negotiations could be triggered. Any resulting deal would cover all workers in the proposed occupation.

The new system is set to be introduced next year and would bring back what is considered a relic of the 1970s in New Zealand: minimum pay rates and conditions, including penalty rates and overtime across all sectors, which may be higher than the national minimum wage.

It will also boost the institutional power of unions which will be at the center of negotiations even in industries where union coverage is minor.

A view from the Auckland Harbour looking back onto the Ports and through to the City skyline on July 24, 2004. (Sandra Teddy/Getty Images)

New Zealand Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood said the new regulation would ensure that working Kiwis get a fair go.

Fair Pay Agreements will improve wages and conditions for employees, encourage businesses to invest in training, as well as level the playing field so that good employers dont get undercut and disadvantaged, he said in a statement.

Fair Pay Agreements will help good employers by stopping the race to the bottom weve seen in various industries and encourage competition that isnt based on low wages, but on better products, services and innovation.

Opposition Says Compulsory FPA Dangerous

The scheme has met fierce pushback from employer groups. BusinessNZ, New Zealands peak business organisation said compulsory, nationwide agreements should be terminated.

There would be nothing fair about Fair Pay Agreements, BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said.

Any pay deals reached wouldnt be fair because the process is essentially compulsoryemployers would be required to agree to what unions wanted, with compulsory arbitration if they didnt, he said.

Hope said the plan would take away business right to have a say over wage-setting and would introduce a dangerous system that would lead to labour disputes and strikes.

This is against international law, which says collective agreements should always be negotiated voluntarily.

Unions can also initiate an agreement via a public interest test in low-wage sectors such as cleaning and security. The bargaining process will be underway before a new deal is struck if backed by more than 50 percent from both the employers and employees.

If the two parties fail to ratify an agreement twice the Employment Relations Authority will step in and make a binding determination.

Under the new legislation, union members can receive extra wages up to the value of their union fees. Strikes and other industrial action are prohibited during bargaining.

People wait in line on Queen Street before the opening of New Zealands first TopShop and TopMan store on March 12, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

New Zealands Labour Party has argued that the FPAs will contribute to higher pay and productivity, and target businesses that compete by offering the lowest price possible while underpaying their employees.

The Council of Trade Unions, which was given $250,000 a year for three years to establish the new system along with BusinessNZ, praised the decision.

The introduction of Fair Pay Agreements signals the biggest change to workplace laws in several decades, CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.

This is what working people in unions have been campaigning for; a more balanced employment relationship between working people and employersputting people back at the centre of employment.

Meanwhile, Employers and Manufacturing Association head Brett ORiley said the scheme would make businesses less productivewhich could lead to some businesses shutting up shop or hiring less people.

Our concern is that FPAs will result in higher wages, and the solution for businesses will be to cut down their workforce, or in the case of already struggling manufacturers and [small businesses], they may have to shut up shop, ORiley said.

David Seymour, leader of the classical liberal party ACT New Zealand, criticised the FPAs as policy making madness, arguing that one persons pay and conditions should not depend on another persons vote.

If everyones wages get raised regardless of effort, we will stop seeing people striving to work harder, Seymour said. Why bother when youre getting the same amount as someone doing the job to worse standard. Employers will stop taking risks on people who might be less productive.

He added, Making rules for more pay is not sustainable without productivity growth, that doesnt come from complicated union negotiations.
28,000 community police officers to keep neighbourhood watch By Sandun Jayawardana New State Minister explains their roles: Like village headmen of the past, they will help resolve minor disputes, will be working out of Grama Niladhari offices, will also function as intelligence officers View(s): View(s):

A Community Police contingent of 28,000 is to work out of Grama Niladari offices rather than Police stations to resolve minor neighbourhood disputes and counsel wayward youth before issues escalate into bigger proportions, according to the Governments newest plan to nip local-level problems in the bud.

These community police officers will come under a new State Minister, Dilum Amunugama, who took his oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this week. The state ministry will come under the cabinet Ministry of Public Security.

Mr. Amunugama, who is also State Minister for Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services, Train Compartments and the Motor Car Industry, told the Sunday Times that the men and women of the Community Police Service would be stationed in their own residential areas, play the role of the former Village Headman (Gam Muladani) and even act as Intelligence officers for the State.

As per the Presidents directions, we plan to recruit 28,000 new officers to the police to serve in the Community Police Service. We will assign two officers to each Grama Niladhari (GN) Division. The difference here is that the officers will be assigned to areas where they reside, he explained.

The officers will be based out of offices where the area Grama Niladhari and other local officials work from. They will continue to work in these areas through their first promotion to the rank of Sergeant. However, those who rise to the rank of Sub Inspectors (SI) will thereafter be assigned to other duty stations.

The primary aim of recruiting the new officers is to establish a strong community police service to ensure that complaints related to most minor disputes are resolved at the community police level without complainants going to police stations, State Minister Amunugama noted.

Issues such as minor domestic disputes and scuffles over boundary fences for example, could be taken to the local community police officers without having to go and lodge complaints with the area police station, he said. So many minor complaints are made at police stations and the case files get piled up in courts. Therefore, in such minor disputes, the officers will try to reach a settlement with the parties first, and only if that fails, will there be a complaint made to the station and the matter taken to court.

As the officers will be from the local community, they will have a clear understanding of the issues their community faces, the State Minister pointed out. They will work closely with the local civil defence committees and the communities themselves. I would say their role is closer to a Gam Muladeni (Village Headman), he elaborated.

For example, COVID-19 is a major threat right now; so the officers will have to work with other local authorities to ensure that COVID health guidelines are being followed in their communities. Drugs are also a big problem and community policer officers will be working with the area civil defence committees to prevent the spread of drugs in their areas. The officers will also be useful to the police as a source of genuine intelligence as they would be providing accurate reports on the goings on in their areas.

While the new recruits will have the same powers as normal police officers, a major part of community policing is working with the local community, State Minister Amunugama noted. That means the first response of the officers should not be to arrest anyone who they find to have committed an offence. If the officer knows that a youth is smoking ganja, he should counsel the person and advise him to stop and assist the youth to seek help if he requires.

As such, the State Minister said they would be looking into candidates who have functioned in leadership roles in places such as community organisations, Dhamma Schools and others when recruiting new officers for the community police.

The cabinet paper related to the recruiting of the new officers is being drafted, said Mr Amunugama, adding that he is confident that the recruitment process will begin soon after cabinet approval is granted.
PHIs voice grave concern The COVID-19 situation is very bad and last week even though we asked for a lockdown at least for two-three days to lower the case numbers and take care of those who have been infected, the government did not heed our plea, said a senior public health official. The Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIs), M. Balasooriya warned that with the caseload being very high, they were facing immense challenges and difficulties in finding places for the infected in treatment centres. He urged that if the authorities are not ready to impose a lockdown, there should at least be travel restrictions, either inter-district or within districts. As there are no such restrictions, people are going about and taking the virus along with them. Those from the highly-infected Western Province are travelling to the north and central areas of the country. Instructions to perform RT-PCR testing or rapid antigen testing is not feasible. It cannot be done and it is not being done. We are very concerned about the economy. But if we keep going like this, there will not be an economy to worry about as the situation will be overwhelming. Even though a lockdown is the most preferable as there is still time to turn this around and not end up like India, at least impose strict travel restrictions, he said. When we keep positive people at home in the rural areas, they are unable to isolate themselves because they do not have the luxury of separate toilets, said Mr. Balasooriya, adding that another huge issue was RT-PCR test results being inordinately delayed. Some results come as long after as six days which poses a major issue of tracing the contacts of the infected. This leads to rapid spread. These delays also lead to the infected people not informing the PHIs that they are positive and continuing to remain at home leading to a further spread of the virus, he said, also pointing out that there is a dearth of PHIs and they are stretched to capacity.
Moderna package likely below B3,000

THAILAND: The price for a package of two shots of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine offered by private hospitals will be no more than B3,000, hospital executives say.

CoronavirusCOVID-19Vaccine

By Bangkok Post

Sunday 9 May 2021, 09:06AM

Moderna is likely to be the first brand to be ordered by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization on behalf of private hospitals. Photo: AFP.

The Private Hospital Association announced the plan after a meeting on Thursday (May 6) to discuss a common approach to offering alternative vaccines. Moderna is likely to be the first brand to be ordered by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) on their behalf.

Private hospitals have started surveying the demand for the vaccine. Once they get an estimated number, they will ask the GPO to buy it for them, Dr Chalerm Harnphanich, chairman of the association, said after the online meeting.

All member hospitals agreed to offer the package at the same price, estimated at not more than B3,000, including service fee, insurance and value-added tax, said Dr Chalerm, also chairman and CEO of SET-listed Bangkok Chain Hospital Plc.

He said the Moderna vaccine cost $37 to $38 (B1,200) a dose. Two doses are required.

The hospitals are also working with the General Insurance Association and the Office of the Insurance Commission on coverage in case of side effects or allergies.

The premiums are likely to be B50-100 for the coverage of 90-100 days after the first shot.

If side effects are serious and required hospitalisation, the insured will be compensated with B100,000 or 1 million in case of death.

Dr Chalerm was not sure about the arrival time of the vaccine but assured there would be no delay.

As soon as the Food and Drug Administration approves it and we receive the products, we will distribute them to over 400 [private] hospitals nationwide as soon as possible, he added. The FDA is expected to approve the vaccine this month.

GPO director Dr Vitoon Danwiboon said COVID vaccine would be on the Commerce Ministrys price control list.

He added GPO had to act as the intermediary due to restrictions on the emergency use of COVID vaccines, which require vaccine manufacturers to deal only with the government.

Dr Chalerm said interested people must register with the Mor Prom Line Official Account or app to centralise population data.

If you are not sure whether you should get the shots provided by the government or private hospitals, we advise you to get the free shots by the government given the situation today, he said.

As yesterday, however, there was no option for people to choose to be vaccinated by private hospitals through the channel.

Dr Chalerm also said vaccine bookings by private hospitals could not be done now. Since no alternative vaccines have arrived in Thailand, a private hospital cannot legally open registration for them, he said.

Last year, a hospital was fined by the FDA for breaking its advertising law when it invited people to register to get a shot. The FDA said advertising any product or service that one doesnt have in hand was illegal.

Apart from Moderna, private hospitals are looking at Sinopharm, a Chinese-made vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation on Friday.

Since Sinopharm is a dead virus vaccine, Dr Charlerm said private hospitals could order it directly from an importer but had to ask the GPO to register it first. They could not import it by themselves since they dont have licences to import biological products.

Private hospitals nationwide will help the government administer free vaccines under the Mor Prom programme. The vaccines used by the government are made by AstraZeneca (AZD1222), Sinovac Biotech (CoronaVac), Pfizer (Comirnaty), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and Russias Gamaleya (Sputnik V).

Because of this, they are not allowed to commercially vaccinate people using these five vaccines due to conflict of interests, according to sources.

Slow bookings

The government opened registration for free vaccine last Saturday, targeting 16 million people - 11.7 million aged 60 or more and 4.3 million with the following conditions: severe respiratory disease, heart and arterial disease, chronic kidney failure, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

A week later, only 1.55 million people registered - 1.25 million through the Mor Prom Line official account and app and 296,000 through hospitals and village volunteers, according to the Public Health Ministry data at 4pm yesterday.

Vaccination will begin in June and the shots administered will be AstraZeneca made by the local company Siam Bioscience Co.

Authorities said on Friday the National Communicable Disease Committee had approved the use of Sinovac shots on people aged 60 or more, citing a clearer study in China.

The administration of the vaccine in the age group will begin in COVID-hit areas after the Food and Drug Administration changed its regulations accordingly.

Earlier, the vaccine was not used on people in the age group because the clinical trial in China did not include them.

Sinovac has not been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization. The WHO had previously only approved the vaccines made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
New daily infections in Phuket hit 12

PHUKET: Phuket recorded 12 new infections yesterday (May 8), staying above the official target to keep new daily infections under double digits.

CoronavirusCOVID-19health

By The Phuket News

Sunday 9 May 2021, 03:14PM

Image: PPHO

According to the Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) the 12 new COVID-19 cases bring the total number of people confirmed as infected in Phuket since Apr 3 to 520.

The number of people from other provinces brought to Phuket to be treated for symptoms of COVID-19 stays at six.

The PPHO reports that 322 patients have so far recovered and been discharged from medical care. The remaining 204 patients are still receiving at various hospitals, including government, private and Field Hospitals.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) reports the locations of the infections in Phuket, accurate as of 6pm last night (May 8), as follows:

Wichit  54 infections

Rassada  50

Patong  46

Phuket Town  46 (Talad Yai 28, Talad Neua 18)

Cherng Talay  44

Chalong  42

Kathu  38

Kamala  32

Srisoonthorn  31

Rawai  28

Thepkrasattri  19

Koh Kaew  16

Pa Khlok  10

Karon  18

Sakhu  8

Mai Khao  9

Meanwhile, the rapid antigen testing of people arriving to enter the province continues, with medical officers yesterda testing 338 people at the airport, 1941 people at the Phuket Gateway and 729 people at the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai. All 3,008 rapid tests gave negative results.

In total, medical officers at the entry points to Phuket have tested 48,905 people since the campaign began on Apr 22. During this period officials recorded 23 positive results, with five of them later determined to be false positives.

As confirmed by Governor Narong Wonciew yesterday, from May 15 there will no longer be any rapid antigen tests for people arriving on the island from red zone provinces.
A private education institution is being tuned into a COVID-19 treatment centre with 800 beds under the supervision of Director Health services for the Puttalam district, Dr Dinusha Fernando. The army is assisting the project. Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
ALTON  The Madison County Health Department on Sunday reported 166,025 COVID-19 vaccinations have now been administered in the county.

A total of 83,768 county residents  or 31.67% of the countys population  are now fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

The MCHD continues to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics, with vaccinations planned May 10, 11 and 13 in Collinsville; May 11 in Godfrey; May 14 in Roxana and Edwardsville; and May 15 in Madison and Alton. Walk-ins will be accepted at the clinics, but appointments are requested for planning purposes.

To schedule an appointment, click the green appointment link at www.madisonchd.org. People needing help scheduling appointments can call 618-692-8954, Ext. 2, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Minors who are 16-17 years old are only eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, must show a photo ID (e.g. drivers license, school ID, etc.), proof of age, and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to their appointment. Additional details are listed on the scheduling link.

The Greene County Health Department is planning COVID-19 vaccinations May 13 in White Hall and May 18 in Roodhouse; for details visit http://greenecountyhd.org/. The Calhoun County Health Department is planning vaccinations May 13 in Hardin; for details visit http://www.calhouncountyhealth.net/.

Walmart and CVS pharmacies also are now offering COVID-19 vaccinations.

More Information Vaccinations Total: 166,025 Fully: 83,768 (31.67%) Source: MCHD COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 29,897 (496 deaths) Jersey - 2,684 (49 deaths) Calhoun - 524 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,344 (48 deaths) Macoupin - 4,841 (111 deaths) Montgomery - 3,708 (73 deaths) St. Clair - 27,762 (512 deaths) Clinton - 5,751 (90 deaths) Bond - 2,037 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,355 (93 deaths) Randolph - 4,126 (84 deaths) Washington - 1,638 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & MCHD See More Collapse

On Sunday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that 9,908,489 vaccines vaccines had been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily in the state is currently 73,622 doses, according to the IDPH.

As of Thursday, 33.78% of the residents in Jersey County were fully vaccinated according to the IDPH. Other fully vaccinated rates were 29.2% in Calhoun County, 29.24% in Greene County and 31.62% in Macoupin County.

The MCHD recorded no new COVID-19 related deaths on Friday or Saturday, leaving the total at 496. Sundays figures were not available as of presstime.

On Sunday the IDPH also reported no new COVID-19 related deaths in Madison County.

On Friday the MCHD reported it 41 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, as well as 727 new tests. It also reported 12 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases Saturday as well as 677 tests. To date, Madison County has recorded 29,897 cases and 315,212 tests. There were 13 COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals Saturday, none on ventilators.

The IDPH on Sunday reported 1,741 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 30additional COVID-19 related deaths statewide. To date, the IDPH has reported 1,354,967 cases, including 22,223 deaths.

Statewide there were 1,870 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Saturday night, including 452 in intensive care units and 232 on ventilators.

On Saturday Madison County posted a three-day positivity rate of 4.03%, a seven-day rate of 3.5% and a 10-day rate of 3.79%.
SOUTH ABINGTON TWP.  Lisa Bath was only 6 years old when her mother, Barbara Mamana, died at age 33 in 1974.

Bath, now 53, still grieves.

Last year, the township resident created Moving Forward, a community group for women who have experienced what she calls mother loss, whether long ago or recently.

Its meant to be a community of women who share their experiences and make space for grief when everyone says move on and you cant, Bath said. By acknowledging and sharing what were dealing with, we give ourselves proper space and time to remember  sometimes in grief, sometimes in celebration.

Started during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Moving Forward meets monthly via Zoom.

On Saturday, about eight participants met in person for the first time, at South Abington Park along Northern Boulevard, where they gathered to each toss a few fresh-cut flowers into Leggetts Creek in memory of their deceased mothers.

Participants also wrote heartfelt messages to their deceased mothers or grandmothers on rice paper and tossed those into the rain-swollen, swiftly flowing creek.

The idea is theyll flow and move forward through the creek, Bath said of the blossoms and rice-paper messages.

Bath started the group with the support of the Abington Community Library, as part of its adult programming. She figured there must be others who would feel that they could benefit from sharing their grief.

Its something thats been in my heart to do, to create this community, said Bath, who has two daughters, Sarah, 20, and Grace, 17. Theres a group for everything, but I didnt see this need being met in the community at large, and I needed it.

Mari May of Dunmore joined the group after the death of her mother, Margaret Peggy Carrick, on April 2, 2020.

It was hard because we couldnt have a viewing, a funeral (because of the pandemic). It was very, very difficult. We didnt have closure, May said. I really struggled with my grief and still do. Its with me all the time and this group understands that.

Bath, who is a teacher at the Abington Heights Middle School, envisioned holding services or events, including a Mothers Day tea or potluck of mothers recipes, which likely would have drawn small crowds.

Whats your mothers favorite recipe? Cook it. Bring it. There would have been no second thought to doing that before the pandemic, Bath said. Instead, monthly Zoom meetings have had to suffice. A few people have participated virtually at any given time.

But Moving Forward is the kind of sisterhood that cries out for coming together in person, Bath said. She hopes that now as the pandemic eases, the group will flourish.

I know theres a need out there but enough people dont know about it yet, Bath said.

For information, email Bath at bathlisa@gmail.com.

For links to Zoom meetings held on third Mondays at 7 p.m., email Emily Sandercock at Abington Community Library at esandercock@albright.org.
Editor: An ideological gauntlet has been thrown down at the feet of all Republican candidates for public office.

Almost four months after the traitorous and violence-filled attack at the U.S. Capitol in the failed attempt by anti-American zealots to subvert a constitutionally mandated process  as well as our centuries-old tradition of peaceful transfers of power  President Biden and The Washington Post have defined in stark terms that gauntlet.

In his Jan. 6 speech calling for a halt to the insurrection Biden characterized the actions of seditionists who attacked our democratic processes and traditions as ...an assault on the citadel of liberty ... on the peoples representatives and the rule of law.

He called the insurrectionists a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness.

What played out that awful January day was the epitome of this line from oaths of office attested to by members of Congress and the military: ... I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

The post framed the proverbial gauntlet as fealty to Trumps election falsehood becomes a defining loyalty test. It summons a question all Republican candidates must answer: Do you condemn in no uncertain terms the actions of the insurrectionist horde on Jan. 6? Anything less than a full- throated condemnation means the candidate fails the test of loyalty to our democratic traditions and to our Constitution.

The choice is clear.

Candidates either hold fast to our 245-year tradition of democratic philosophy going back to our Declaration of Independence, running through the U.S. Constitution, American history and achievements, or join a wannabe despot who typifies all that is ignoble, is an authoritarian, tyrant and failed businessman.

So, will Republican candidates stand against enemies, foreign and domestic, or with anti-American forces?

GIRARD HISTED

ARCHBALD

Editor: I am concerned about the upcoming election of members of our local school boards.

I believe it is essential for voters to have a clear understanding of each candidates background and what they stand for before going to the polls. As a former educator, I once believed that a teacher would be a good addition to a board because a teacher could provide insight to what goes on in the classroom. I felt that board members were too far removed from the classroom experience to truly understand what is necessary to make a classroom experience successful.

As a taxpayer, however, I now realize that beliefs and motivations of a teacher and those of a board member can represent a conflict in the overall well-being of students and their education. Is a practicing teacher, even one outside of the district, capable of separating personal interests, such as class size and payment schedule, from the interests of a taxpayer? More to the point, can a teacher or someone closely connected to one separate what is important to the teachers needs from what is important for the integrity and well-being of the school district?

If a teacher feels justified in being granted a higher salary, for example, would that teacher  or someone personally concerned with teacher rights  in good conscience vote against personal gain and in favor of money for the maintenance of school buildings and the guarantee that money is regularly put aside to replace a roof, for example, when needed?

At every board meeting, all members must sit across the table from each other and maintain objectivity in their vote and advocacy. This is of utmost importance for the success of our schools and students.

BONNIE ALCO

GLENBURN TWP.

Editor: The League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County commits to ensuring voters have information they need to participate meaningfully in every election.

We conducted candidate forums for several races: Democratic primaries for Scranton mayor, city council, and tax collector; Scranton School Board; Lackawanna County Court and the Pennsylvania Senate 22nd District special election.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, forums were prerecorded. Voters are encouraged to visit our web site to view them, LWVLackawanna.org and learn where candidates stand on important issues.

All voters should participate in the election on May 18. Registered Republicans and Democrats will vote for primary candidates. All voters, whether registered with a major party or not, can vote in the special election for the 22nd Senate district. In addition, all voters can vote regarding ballot questions on changing the Pennsylvania Constitution in specific ways.

The league has prepared analyses of these ballot questions, which are posted to our website, LWVLackawanna.org.

DIANA DAKEY

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY,

DALTON
Europeans can look forward to traveling this summer, if coronavirus cases keep declining further on the continent, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday.

While the European Union is developing a vaccine certificate valid throughout the 27-nation bloc, summer vacations abroad should be possible again even for people who havent had their shots against the coronavirus, she said.

If you look at the low incidence (of COVID-19) that some of our European partner countries already have,then Im very hopeful that we can also generally afford to do what was possible last summer, too, Merkel said.

She cited the sharp drop in COVID-19 cases in Portugal in recent months after the country imposed a drastic lockdown.

Portugal had one of the highest infection rates worldwide in January, but by Friday the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases stood at 3.3 per 100,000 inhabitants  about a quarter of the rate in the United States.

Merkel said that Germany also appears to have broken its most recent outbreak.

Step by step, more will be possible in Germany, too, wherever the incidence drops, and that will hopefully be the case for all of Europe, she said.

Merkel spoke to reporters in Berlin, from where she took part remotely in a two-day EU summit that discussed, among other issues, the effort to develop a green certificate that would facilitate travel across the region this summer. Even if case numbers drop, some countries will likely impose restrictions  such as mandatory testing and quarantine  for travelers who cant prove theyve been vaccinated or recovered from infection.

EU leaders discussed the technical requirements for such a certificate, which would record a persons vaccine status, and outstanding questions about how to treat people who received vaccines that werent approved for use in the bloc.

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said Saturday that the certificate was on track to be launched in June.

So far, about 30% of adults in the EU have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

SOURCE: AP
In 2004 she left for India to escape the war here, but last week, she fled India to escape covid Text and Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe View(s): View(s):

In 2004 the then 17-year-old newly married Munsai Ranmugam together with her husband took a flight to India to escape the woes of Sri Lankas separatist war, but last week she together with her children took a risky boat ride to return to her home country to escape the raging COVID-19 pandemic in India

When she left Sri Lanka, the teenage bride from Puttalam had no plans to return, but, with the covid situation worsening in India, she decided to do so with her two sons  aged 14 and 4  leaving behind her husband who refused to join the journey. Warnings of being arrested by the Navy did not deter her from undertaking the risky boat ride.

The family was residing in Chennais Kuppam area where they were surviving from the income from a small leather factory they had set up. But with the COVID situation worsening and the income dwindling, her husband started a business of repairing vehicles and selling them.

As the coronavirus was fast spreading in the area, Munsai decided to take no chances and embarked on the journey back to Sri Lanka on April 30 from Tuticorin.

I managed to find a fisherman who demanded Indian Rs 20,000 to take me on the journey. There was another woman from Kochchikade, Negombo in the same boat, she told the Sunday Times.

When we reached Talaimannar, the boatmen left us at a lonely spot on the beach and left. We walked for about five kilo metres and managed to board a bus to Mannar, she said.

From Mannar, Munsai and the two boys boarded a bus to Vavuniya and from there in two separate bus journeys they reached Munsais parental house in Puttalam via Anuradhapura.

When the news spread, two Public Health Inspectors had come looking for them, but by then they had left home and arrived in Colombo.

Munsais sister had called her to tell them that the PHIs and the Police were looking for them and urged her to get back to Puttalam. She complied and returned to Puttalam. Police took Munsai and the children for a PCR test and arrested them. After being produced in courts, they were granted bail. Munsai is now under home quarantine.

We returned to the country to save our lives, she said.

About 30 residents who have come into contact with her have been placed under quarantine.

Puttalam Administrative Public Health Inspector N. Suresh said he received a tip-off that a woman and two children had come from India. He then directed PHIs Dhananjaya Manoj and Hasindu Nimantha to carry out further investigations. A separate investigation is also being carried out by Puttalam Police Inspector P. Kumaradasa.
Not even a pandemic could slow down one of the longest-standing practices of shady lawyers in New York state: theft.

The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection, a state agency that compensates victims of crooked and extremely negligent attorneys, paid $3.4 million alone last year to victims whose attorneys who stole from real estate escrow accounts. Thats more than 40 percent of all the money the agency reimbursed, according to its most recent annual report.

That itself is no shock considering the agency has reimbursed more than $81 million to victims of real estate escrow thefts since 1982. It's the highest dollar amount of all kinds of funds sent back to clients.

More alarming is that in 2020, The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection had its fewest number of overall claims since 1984. And yet it paid out more money for real estate escrow thefts last year  amid the COVID-19 pandemic  than the $2.2 million it dished out to victims in 2019.

The few lawyers responsible for these losses cause substantial harm to law clients and to the reputation of the over (338,000) registered lawyers in New York State, the report stated.

The fund, created in 1981, is the product of $60 fees that attorneys may not even realize they are paying. It is part of the $375 registration fee lawyers must pay every two years in New York. Last year, the fund doled out 114 payments worth a combined $8.4 million to compensate victims of 46 ex-lawyers.

The persistence of pilfering has led The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection to recommend serious consequences for crooked attorneys.

"Lawyers who steal should be disbarred," the fund's former executive director, Timothy J. O'Sullivan, testified in 2015 before the Commission on Statewide Attorney Discipline, which was put together by then-Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to review the state's disciplinary system for attorneys.

O'Sullivan testified that automatic disbarment for lawyers who intentionally "convert" (aka "steal") funds would "deliver a strong message to victims, the public and to lawyers about the administration of justice in New York state."

Under Sullivan's successor, Michael J. Knight of Bethlehem, that view has not changed. The agency's 2020 report said lawyers who intentionally steal escrow funds should be disbarred "no questions or excuses."

The vast majority of real estate escrow theft is in New York City and downstate counties, but The Lawyers Fund for Client Protection, based in Albany, has plenty of experience paying back victims of attorneys in the Capital Region.

Payments to victims can range from only a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions.

The most recent report for 2020 showed the fund paid 1,195 to a client of Troy attorney Philip G. Ackerman. Additional details were not provided. In 2019, the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court's Third Department in Albany disbarred Ackerman, a lawyer since 1993, after he did not comply with the a grievance committee's investigation into complaints by Ackerman clients who said he neglected their cases.

The agency paid $372,748 to a client victimized by James M. Russell, a former Fulton County lawyer who was disbarred in 1995. That was after he pleaded guilty in Westchester County to fourth-degree grand larceny for his handling of trust funds.

The agency paid $400,000 to a client of Paul Richard Karan, a disbarred Manhattan attorney who pleaded guilty in 2018 to grand larceny and scheming to defraud. Karan fleeced more than $2.6 million from estates and trusts of multiple families. He then spent the proceeds on mortgage payments, loans, credit card bills, restaurants, traveling to Europe and country club fees.

And the fund paid $400,000 to a victim of John Shasanmi, a Delaware lawyer who pleaded guilty in 2019 to grand larceny for stealing $600,000 from an upper Manhattan church that he represented in a real estate transaction, stealing the money from an escrow account.

Russell, Karan and Shasanmi were all listed as attorneys registered in the Albany-based Third Judicial District, which covers Albany, Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Schoharie, Ulster and Sullivan counties. Their direct ties to Albany were not entirely clear.
Lanka begins using Sinopharm vaccine View(s):

Sri Lanka yesterday put into use the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine by vaccinating more than 300 people in Panadura amidst plans to either import or seek a further donation from China, as the COVID-19 situation worsened.

Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control, told the Sunday Times they hoped to provide the available Chinese vaccine to some 300,000 people while retaining the second dose for them. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) yesterday granted approval under emergency-use listing (EUL) for the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, a day after the World Health Organiz=sation (WHO) did so.

On the recommendations of the Panel of Experts, the NMRA granted this approval yesterday, said NMRA Chairperson Dr. Rasitha Wijewantha, adding that approval for the Pfizer vaccine was granted on Friday after the nod of the Panel of Experts.

In January, the NMRA granted EUL for the AstraZeneca vaccine and in early March for Sputnik V.

While 15,000 Sputnik V vaccines were brought into the country this week, China had donated 600,000 doses of which 5,318 doses have been used to vaccinate Chinese workers in the country.

Health officials confirmed that 670 people in Gothatuwa in the 30-60 age group have been vaccinated with the Russian vaccine.

Meanwhile the Government has placed an order for the import of 2.2 million PCR test kits to increase the number of tests.

To increase the PCR tests, the Government also hopes to carry out testing on a shift basis.

The moves came as the COVID-19 death toll increased to 86 in a week, the highest for a week. The numbers of COVID-19 infected persons were also on the rise with more than 1,800 cases a day this week.
From clatter of oxygen cylinders to noiseless flow at NHSL By Dr. Hector Weerasinghe View(s): View(s):

Oxygen has become the most used word among healthcare workers after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially now in neighbouring India battling a desperate shortage of oxygen.

The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) in the heart of Colombo is the largest and best equipped Teaching Hospital in the country with a bed strength of nearly 4000. Flanked by 26 operating theatres, 28 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and several Institutes including one for Cardiology housed in many buildings, it is circled and intersected with busy roads, always filled with hurried medical staff, ambulances with sirens blaring, trolleys carrying patients, distressed relatives and tired visitors. If one wondered why a truck loaded with cylinders was crawling across this melee, it was to ensure continuous and uninterrupted supply of essential medical oxygen for the patients treated in ICUs and those undergoing surgery in operating theatres.

A few years ago there were 6-7 jumbo oxygen cylinders hanging on walls outside these operating theatres and ICUs. When I made the morning strolls down the hospital corridors, my eyes always fell on these cylinders. Oxygen was taken through a copper tubing system fixed to these cylinders to the respective destinations  the oxygen outlet at the bedside of patients treated in ICUs and in operating theatres.

The hospital had a sufficient number of cylinders filled with oxygen. No sooner a cylinder was empty it was replaced with a refilled one. Every day workers collected empty cylinders, loaded them on a truck and transported them to the Oxygen Company in Mattakkuliya for refilling.

On certain days when oxygen consumption was high, this operation had to be doubled. The hospital had its own truck and specially trained skilled employees assigned for the task. Loading and unloading of these jumbo cylinders was a specialised job.

I noticed this operation during my afternoon inspection tour. In fact, the noise made in loading and unloading as well as dismounting and mounting cylinders on the walls and the sight itself, to say the least, was an eyesore. Once the truck returned, the refilled cylinders were immediately distributed among the theatres and ICUs. Needless to say this was a hectic operation.

There were tense situations when the truck did not return on time due to a breakdown, traffic congestion or an accident. Thoughts of the trucks being delayed gave me many sleepless nights. My official residence was in very close proximity to the Merchants Ward where many cylinders were unloaded. No sooner I heard the clattering sound, I would rush to the window to witness the unloading.

As Director of the countrys largest hospital, I was responsible for the overall smooth functioning of the hospital and its men, material and machinery. Ensuring the continuous and uninterrupted supply of oxygen for critically ill patients and those undergoing surgery was foremost among many tasks. Only a handful of staff knew the complexity of the oxygen supply operation in the hospital. Others did not realise it as all the steps in this operation had been well taken care of, monitored and executed. It was a nightmare for me personally and all my predecessors.

Worrying over this cumbersome, complex manual operation, my mind was busy exploring and weighing alternatives. Listening to the clattering of cylinders and watching the swift movements of workers hands in the unloading operation in the middle of the night, with a cup of steaming cup of coffee in my hand, a thought struck my mind. I heard my own voice shouting over the clattering sound of falling cylinders; Hey! Man, be practical, instal a Liquid Oxygen Plant in the hospital premises itself.

Early next morning ignoring the supervision tour, I prepared a comprehensive proposal to the Ministry of Health with a clear justification of the investment. Having submitted the proposal followed by a few telephone calls, the Ministry responded by approving the proposal.

The proposal was to have a Liquid Oxygen Plant with the highest capacity for the hospital and another with lesser capacity for the Institute of Cardiology located a little away from the main hospital premises across the street.

A few moons later, a Liquid Oxygen Plant near Ward 13 and a separate smaller plant on the premises of the Institute of Cardiology rose to the sky. The copper pipelines were laid connecting all the operating theatres, Intensive Care Units and high dependency units which required continuous uninterrupted supply of oxygen. The project was completed within a few months giving me great relief.

It was in 2006 that the hospital installed the two oxygen plants. Since then we did not have to wait for the truck or bother about cylinders to have a permanent reliable source of oxygen supply for our patients. The company which installed the tanks attends to maintenance and repairs and regularly monitors the level of consumption and replenishes the tanks. The hospital staff need not intervene. After retirement today, I look back at my time as Director of NHSL and recall how the idea to instal a Liquid Oxygen Plant to ensure the continuous supply of oxygen to patients dawned on me 15 years ago, much before the COVID-19 pandemic entered our vocabulary.

(The writer is a former Director  The National Hospital of Sri Lanka)
The campaign for a female UN chief maybe a good try in a lost cause By Thalif Deen View(s): View(s):

UNITED NATIONS  As negotiations for the upcoming election of the UN Secretary-General gather momentum, one undeniable fact looms heavily over the final decision: the choice of a UN chief is the intellectual birthright of the five big permanent members (P5) of the Security Council, namely, the US, the UK, France, China and Russia.

All others remain bit players in the political drama currently unfolding in a world body locked down by the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020.

The 193-member General Assembly, the UNs highest policy making body, remains and will continue to remain a non-entity playing only a subservient role to the Security Council.

Perhaps its only task is to rubber-stamp the decision made by the big powers  as it has sheepishly done over the last 76 years  even though it has the right, and the overwhelming votes, to reject any of the candidates nominated by the Security Council.

So, how effective or ineffective is the campaign, mostly by NGOs and womens rights activists, for the UNs first woman Secretary-General (SG)?

With no public support from any of the P5 countries, the gender-empowered demand for a female UN chief may eventually be a good try in a lost cause.

Despite the UNs campaign for gender empowerment, both globally, and also inside the world body, the UN has so far elected only four women  in contrast to 71 men  as presidents of the General Assembly in the last 76 years, while it has never had a female secretary-general.

Arora Akanksha, a UNDP staffer and a self-nominated candidate challenging the incumbent Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says: The UN preaches democracy to the world but cant organise a competitive election in its own backyard. Its a hypocritical sham. The absence of any women, people of colour, or young people from the race should set alarm bells ringing for anyone who cares about democracy, justice, or equality.

But hers may be a voice in the wilderness because not a single P5 country has indicated its willingness to support her candidature  at least, as of now. She also does not have the sponsorship of either India or Canada, her motherland and her country of adoption respectively.

Asked about her current status in relation to the upcoming elections, Akanksha said: I have reached out to all 193 member states. I have met with five countries so far. Countries are fearful of nominating me because of retaliation from members of the Security Council and the European Union.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, former UN Under-Secretary-General and ex-Ambassador of Bangladesh to UN, told IPS it is interesting to find that this years election for the Secretary-General of UN is getting all the attention for the candidacy of individuals who are showing their interest in the post.

Among them, the media  both social and traditional  outreach of Ms. Arora Akanksha seems quite wide ranging. I am in full support of her campaign focus on a woman to be the next Secretary-General as I have been advocating for years.

But the point about the absence of people of colour is not factual as we know that out of nine SGs, five were non-white, said Ambassador Chowdhury, who was President of the UN Security Council in June 2001, and who led the process for a second term for Secretary-General Kofi Annan of Ghana (1997-2006)

Also, I am sure Ms. Akanksha understands that when she says The UN preaches democracy to the world , the functioning of the Organisation is not democratic as the UNs founders included in the Charter of the UN the creation of five permanent members of the Security Council whose positions finally decides the election of the Secretary-General.

The basic point that she makes is that her candidacy is legally valid under the rules established by the UN in 2015 according to UN General Assembly resolution 61/321. The main focus and assertion of that resolution is that only Member States of the UN are invited to nominate candidates. I believe amongst Ms. Akankshas 200 policy experts, there would be people to know that and would have advised her correctly, he added.

Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), a coalition of over 100 womens rights organisations from more than 40 countries worldwide, told IPS it is great to know that there are now seven self-nominated applicants.

However, at this point, there is only one candidate, the incumbent Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Because (according to the President of the General Assembly Volkan Bozkr ), it is only when the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council sign a joint letter that an applicant could become a candidate.

Do all of the applicants know about this rule? How many people are aware of this? And if this is a rule, why is it that the Security Council is not ready to sign joint letters? As Mr. Bozkir himself said, there are grey areas in this process. I believe the grey areas are putting the applicants in disadvantaged positions, she said.

A true UN reform should address the continued dominance of the permanent members of the Security Council: the US, the UK, France, China, and Russia in selecting the Secretary-General.

This is the 21st century! I thought colonialism is over! If I am a Member of the General Assembly, the biggest UN organ that prides itself on one country, one vote policy, I will be insulted.

I also find it problematic that civil society continues to remain on the sidelines in this selection process. How many General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions have sung praises to the critical role of civil society in implementing the mandates of the UN?

Thats why I commend and strongly support various efforts of fellow civil society actors to demand transparency and inclusion in the selection of the Secretary-General, such as the Campaign to Elect a Woman Secretary-General (WomanSG campaign) 1 for 7 Billion, and #Forward.

The selection of the Secretary-General  particularly whether or not it is a level playing field for women, the transparency of the selection process, and the inclusion of civil society  has become the litmus test for the legitimacy and credibility of the UN, she declared.

Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), told IPS this is one of the most difficult and important jobs in the world.

It requires wisdom, political savvy, experience and a depth of humanity  a quality that is often undervalued.

Given the UN is 76 years old as an institution, having difficulty to pull itself into the 21st century, there has been an urgent need for an SG that has vision, imagination, empathy for the marginalised and the energy needed to shift course and renovate the culture and practices of the system.

At the very least, it would be good to see a job description setting out the criteria for eligibility. It would also be good to see the institutions power brokers  notably the member states  uphold the existing rules.

She pointed out that if retirement age for UN staff is 65, shouldnt the same rule apply to its senior leadership and envoys? Instead, it seems that a different set of rules come into play only on the Secretary-Generals 38th floor.
LISBON, May 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :-- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday at the end of the social summit of the European Union (EU) held in the Portuguese city of Porto that leaders of the EU countries understand that there are "more pressing issues" than patent waiver on vaccines against COVID-19.

Speaking to journalists, von der Leyen said this topic "is important," but will be discussed "in the long term, not in the short or medium term." According to her, Europe should not "lose sight of the main urgencies," which are "production of vaccines as soon as possible and how they will be distributed in a fair and equitable way." The EU executive stressed that "the European Union is the pharmacy of the world." "Up to today, 400 million doses of vaccines have been produced in the European Union. And 50 percent of them -- 200 million doses -- have been exported to 90 different countries in the world. So we invite others to do the same," she added.

According to her, "this is the best way, in the short term, to address bottlenecks and lack of vaccines worldwide." "We have now delivered over 200 million doses to the European people. So we are on track to achieve our objective of enough doses being delivered in July to vaccinate 70 percent of the European adult population.

Close to 160 million Europeans now have already received a first shot of the vaccine, that's over 25 percent of the EU population," she noted.

She also announced that the EU has concluded the negotiations with BioNTech-Pfizer for a new contract which secures 1.8 billion doses of vaccines through 2023.

Von der Leyen was glad to report that the legal and the technical work on the EU travel certificate -- the vaccination certificate -- is on track for the system to be operational in June.

The U.S. on Wednesday agreed to support waiving IP restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

French President Emmanuel Macron said during the social summit that he is "available to debate the proposal, but that this is not the solution" to increase the speed of vaccination.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Saturday that the U.S. proposal to suspend patents on COVID-19 vaccines "will not guarantee an increase in the supply of vaccines."Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the EU has been "exemplary" in its contribution to the COVAX mechanism, which helps the poorest countries to have access to vaccines.
(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday urged the countrymen not to let the anti-COVID guard down and keep following the precautions and strictly follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) during Holy Ramazan and Eid.

The president said people of Pakistan must be doing something good that COVID-19 had not overwhelmed Pakistan like in neighboring countries.

"We are on a plateau of around 4000 daily cases. Don't let your guard down. Strictly follow SOPs, in Ramadan/Eid & all smart lockdown policies. Allah will keep you safe," the president twitted.\867
(@FahadShabbir)

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2021 ) :Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Sunday, inaugurated Mass Vaccination Center at Expo Centre Karachi that is capable to administer 30,000 jabs in a day.

Sindh secretary for Health Dr. Kazim Hussain Jatoe, representatives of National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) and other officials were present at the occasion.

The biggest vaccination center set up at the Hall number 4 of the Expo Center would work round the clock with 12 registration counters to deal with general public arriving there for vaccination against COVID-19.

At the occasion the health minister appealed masses to get themselves vaccinated against the deadly disease at the earliest so that spread of contagion could be curtailed.

The health department was providing all necessary facilities at the center to facilitate the masses, she added.

The center is comprised of 6 blocks in which 96 cubicles were set up to ensure administration of vaccine while thoroughly following the SOPs.

A large number of health care professionals were deployed in the center to smoothly run the operations as 360 health workers would be in attendance in a single shift.
What is the current competitive situation of the digital banking arena in Vietnam?

Interim Vietnam Citi country officer Lai Minh Thuy

There were 68 million internet users in Vietnam in 2020 and this number is forecasted to grow to 75.7 million by 2023. More than 90 per cent of Vietnamese internet users are connected online primarily through their mobile phones, and services that were previously limited to a few people are now almost universally accessible.

Digital payments are rapidly gaining popularity. According to the annual report from the State Bank of Vietnam just before the pandemic hit, 96 per cent of banks in Vietnam are building strategy based on 4.0 technology and 92 per cent of them are developing their services on internet and mobile. As per our assessment, most of Vietnams local banks have implemented digital core banking systems to accommodate internet banking payment services and digital payments.

Despite the highly competitive digital banking landscape, Citi Vietnam has performed very well with customers who are highly engaged digitally. With all of Citis new digital capabilities that are now available in Vietnam, 100 per cent of customers have opted for e-statements, and more than 80 per cent are enrolled in the online banking experience. Such resiliency and acceleration of digital banking has led to Citi Vietnam being named Digital Bank of the Year.

What are the main digital strategies at Citibank?

The foundations for our rapid rise in digital usage were laid in 2017 where we geared towards a mobile first strategy. In 2020, we have headed toward a mobile adoption strategy that puts all the access and capabilities consumers need into their hands. The strategies are paying off with strong gains in client engagement, preference, and satisfaction.

During COVID-19, Citi Vietnam launched a series of digital measures to offer further assistance to retail and institutional customers. The banks priority is on supporting clients through this challenging period, especially via digital means.

In corporate banking, our award-winning electronic platform CitiDirect BE, coupled with our host-to-host capabilities via CitiConnect, help to ensure that our institutional clients can continue to perform their core banking activities in a controlled, digital way during the challenging environment of the pandemic. From 2019, Citis institutional clients in Vietnam could also use fingerprint or facial recognition to access our institutional banking platform on mobile.

The bank has also recently launched CitiDirect Digital Onboarding in Vietnam, providing corporate clients with a digital channel for account opening and product implementation. Clients can digitally sign documents or alternatively download, complete, scan, and upload documents, eliminating paper submission to branches.

In Vietnam, the number of unique mobile users has increased by 25 per cent on-year and the Citi consumer credit card business has earned highly prestigious scores. Why, therefore, is Citi Vietnam pursuing an exit from consumer banking?

It is not an exit plan in Vietnam. As part of its ongoing strategy refresh, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser announced Citi will focus its global consumer bank presence in Asia and the Europe/Middle East/Africa market on global wealth centres and as a result, will pursue an exit from consumer franchises in 13 markets across two regions, including Vietnam.

However, Citi has been in Vietnam for several decades and the global announcement about strategic actions in consumer banking across 13 of our markets does not in any way dilute our long-term commitment to Vietnam or the Asia-Pacific region. With this strategic re-positioning, we will be able to further invest our resources in significantly growing our institutional business in Vietnam.

The bank is committed to Vietnam and is growing further in the country. There is tremendous opportunity with this strategy refresh by Citi for us to offer a uniquely differentiated value proposition to our clients as we move into a new phase of growth and transformation focusing on our institutional franchise.

What change to your operations will there be in Vietnam as a result of this strategy refresh?

Citi Vietnam assures customers that consumer business operations and offices will continue to operate as normal with the same dedication and passion to serve and support clients.

We would like to convey to all credit card and bank account holders, as well as our customers in loans, that all our existing products and services will continue normally and there will be no change in our high level of service. All branches, ATMs, call centres, and offices continue to operate as they do today.

Customers can continue to conduct transactions or service inquiries through the Citibank Mobile App, Citibank Online, and Citiphone. This will remain the case until we notify customers of any changes in the future. Our global mission is to Be the Best for our clients and this is the cornerstone of our development roadmap for both corporate and individual clients.
The coronavirus crisis is not abating in India, with the country reporting Sunday that it had counted more than 403,000 new infections and 4,000 deaths in the last 24 hours.

In addition, health experts say the tolls are likely undercounted.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not imposed a nationwide lockdown to help stop the spread of the coronavirus despite calls to do so from politicians and public health officials. Some local governments, however, have imposed lockdowns on their jurisdictions.

New Delhi has announced that a lockdown that began April 20 will be extended to May 17. The Indian capital also announced that Metro transit service will be suspended, starting Monday.

The southern state of Tamil Nadu said it would shift from a partial to a full lockdown after neighboring Karnataka state extended its full lockdown Friday.

In an interview Saturday with the French news agency, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organizations chief scientist, warned that "the epidemiological features that we see in India today do indicate that it's an extremely rapidly spreading variant."

Swaminathan said the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was clearly a contributing factor to the catastrophe in India, her homeland.

"There have been many accelerators that are fed into this," the 62-year-old pediatrician and clinical scientist said, adding, "A more rapidly spreading virus is one of them." She added, however, that large gatherings and a lapse in mask-wearing also played a role.

The B.1.617 variant was first discovered in India last October. The United States and Britain consider it a variant of concern, which indicates it is more dangerous than the original virus.

In addition to the number of cases and deaths, Swaminathan said another danger is the increasing likelihood of variants that could outwit vaccines.

"Variants which accumulate a lot of mutations may ultimately become resistant to the current vaccines that we have," she said.

The India toll came as the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center in the U.S. recorded 157.7 million global infections early Sunday, with 3.3 million deaths.

Johns Hopkins also said India currently had more than 22 million confirmed cases and 242,000 deaths.

India is second to the U.S. in the number of infections. The U.S. currently has more than 32.6 million infections and 581,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.

EU summit, US criticism

On the second day of a European Union summit in Portugal on Saturday, the EU approved a contract extension with Pfizer-BioNTech to provide up to 1.8 billion additional doses of its vaccine through 2023.

Pfizer-BioNTech has already provided the EU with 600 million doses, as required in the initial contract.

Also at the EU summit, the U.S. faced mounting criticism from EU leaders over U.S. President Joe Bidens surprise endorsement last week of lifting COVID-19 vaccine patents to make more doses available to poorer countries.

We dont think, in the short term, that its the magic bullet, said EU Council President Charles Michel.

Michel and other EU leaders said the U.S. should, instead, start boosting U.S. vaccine exports to have maximum impact on the global pandemic.

Im very clearly urging the U.S. to put an end to the ban on exports of vaccines and on components of vaccines that are preventing them being produced, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The U.S., like Britain, has limited exports of domestically developed vaccines so it can inoculate its population first. The EU has become the worlds leading vaccine provider, distributing about 200 million doses to the 27-nation bloc and roughly an equal number to nearly 90 countries around the world.

Pope Francis said that he supports the temporary suspension of vaccine patents, according to news reports. He added that market forces, as it relates to the vaccines, must not predominate.
China's Sinopharm is poised to play an increasingly greater role in bolstering global fight against COVID-19 with vaccines assistance worldwide, particularly among the developing countries, following the approval for use by the World Health Organization (WHO), said Shao Yiming, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on Friday.

The WHO validated on Friday the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm for emergency use, making it the sixth vaccine to receive WHO validation on account of its safety, efficacy and quality.

This makes it the first Chinese vaccine that has been officially recognized by the WHO, which also means that the China vaccine can play a greater role in the global fight against the epidemic, Shao said.

Indeed, this vaccine has been proved to be effective with solid data to support this. Just as Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director general for access to health products, pointed out the vaccine's efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalized disease was estimated to be 79 percent, for all age groups combined.

Shao Yiming, also an advisor to the Product Development Vaccine Advisory Committee under the World Health Organization (WHO), noted that the vaccine's efficacy is close to 100 percent in preventing hospitalization, severe illness and death.

In addition, the vaccine has the potential to rapidly accelerate COVID-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk.

A small detail can show the vaccine's convenience for storage and use. The vaccines carry a vial monitor, a small sticker on the vaccine vials that can change its color when the vaccine has been exposed to heat, which can directly tell whether the vaccine can be safely used.

A WHO press release also noted that the Sinopharm vaccine is easy to store, making it highly suitable for low-resource settings.

According to the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), the Sinopharm vaccine is recommended for use in adults 18 years and older in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of three to four weeks.

Though few adults over 60 years were enrolled in clinical trials and efficacy could not be estimated in this age group, the WHO is not recommending an upper age limit for the Sinopharm vaccine, because reviewed data have suggested that the vaccine is likely to have a protective effect in older persons, according to the WHO press release.

Assessment by SAGE has shown that the Sinopharm vaccine had been authorized by 45 countries or jurisdictions for use in adults 18 years or older, where more than 65 million doses had been administered through emergency use programs. No safety concerns have been identified from pre-clinical or repro/tox (reproductive toxicity) studies, while most adverse events were mild to moderate, such as injection pain, headache and fatigue.

The jab is produced by a subsidiary of the Sinopharm's bioscience subsidiary the China National Biotec Group (CNBG).

As the world is racing against time to beat COVID-19, the Sinopharm vaccine offers countries more choices with its accessibility and affordability, helping the world overcome the vaccine divide.

As of Wednesday, more than 1.1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered globally, but over 80 percent of those had been administered in high and upper-middle income countries, while just 0.3 percent in low-income countries, said the WHO.

With the WHO's validation for emergency use, the Sinopharm vaccine, as the first COVID-19 vaccine developed by a non-western country, is expected to accelerate vaccine rollout in many low and middle-income countries through purchase and delivery by the WHO-led COVAX initiative.

COVAX is a global coalition that works to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

In addition to the Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine, the WHO had previously listed the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, the Janssen vaccine and the Moderna vaccine for emergency use.

According to Yu Qingming, chairman of the Sinopharm Group, this year's output of the Sinopharm vaccine is targeted at more than one billion doses, and is expected to reach three billion doses in the future.

The WHO has repeatedly urged some developed countries to stop over-purchasing vaccines or imposing vaccine export restrictions. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly criticized some developed countries for hoarding vaccines and striking private deals with vaccine suppliers, as some developing countries are struggling to get access to vaccines.

China has, so far, provided vaccine assistance to more than 80 developing countries, helping them solve their urgent needs and saving many lives. Once on the WHO list of emergency use, the Chinese vaccine can help accelerate the promotion of global vaccine coverage, which is crucial to international cooperation on controlling the pandemic as soon as possible.

Last but not least, the validation of the Sinopharm vaccine by the WHO has also greatly boosted the confidence of developing countries to strengthen their research and development capabilities to seek solutions for major domestic and global health problems.

As the WHO chief noted, "this expands the list of vaccines that COVAX can buy, and gives countries confidence to expedite their own regulatory approval, and to import and administer a vaccine."

Sinopharm, established in January 2003 and listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in September 2009, is the largest wholesaler and retailer of pharmaceutical, medical devices and healthcare products, and a leading supply-chain service provider in China.

Besides, the Group is also engaged in the production and sale of pharmaceutical products, chemical reagents and laboratory supplies, and actively engaged in the innovation of pharmaceutical, medical services and other health-related industries.

China has decided to provide ten million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the COVAX initiative to meet the urgent needs of developing countries, a concrete step to deliver on the promise to make vaccines a global public good.

This is also an important achievement in the field of epidemic prevention and control. China was the first to have put the pandemic under control, and successfully developed one of the earliest vaccines in the world.

Adhering to the concept of a community with a shared future for health, China has so far provided vaccine assistance selflessly to more than 80 countries and three international organizations, exported vaccines to more than 40 countries, and collaborated with over ten countries in vaccine research and development (R and D) and production.

The validation of the Chinese vaccine, which is the result of high technology content and high R and D investment, has also strengthened the international recognition of the "Made in China" and "R and D in China labels."
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Few things matter more to actor Angelina Jolie than role models. They play a vital role in shaping the next generation. They are what she hopes to be for her own children. And they are also the kinds of roles she wants to bring to the screen, as a director, producer and actor. As we sit down to talk about life, motherhood and her latest movie, Those Who Wish Me Dead, we begin with the subject of role models. That includes the very obvious cinematic trailblazers, such as Sigourney Weavers Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979)and Linda Hamiltons Sarah Connor in Terminator (1984), both of whom paved the way for one of Jolies most-loved roles, that of Lara Croft in the 2001 hit Tomb Raider. But it also includes the many women the 45-year-old actor, filmmaker and humanitarian has encountered in her work as a special envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Its a role that has taken her to some of the worlds darkest corners, where she has witnessed first-hand the frontline workers whose courage serves to ignite a flicker of light. There are times when its the first time somebody takes a step and shows that  whether it be a woman, a man, somebody  they can do something different, Angelina tells Sunday Life. Somebody pushes the boundary, then says this can also be done this way, or this gender can also do this. Then you push those boundaries and tell those stories, and you look for other stories to tell  you dont want to just repeat the same message, she adds. Theres a lot of trauma behind the strong women in a lot of these roles, and it will be nice to get to a place where were also in our maternity, in our femininity, strong and intelligent and not fighting to survive. Its an interesting question. Its a deep question. Particularly for women: what is the representation thats not yet been shown on screen? Who is a woman and what is a woman capable of?

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Theres a lot to discover, theres a lot thats yet to be represented, and theres a space being created right now that is not yet there, Angelina says. Theres a lot of trauma behind the strong women in a lot of these roles, and it will be nice to get to a place where were also in our maternity, in our femininity, strong and intelligent and not fighting to survive. Loading In Angelinas own life, there has always been one very powerful role model: her mother, the actor and humanitarian Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007 at the age of 56. The subject is respectfully broached, as Angelina rarely talks about her personal life in interviews. My mother was very gentle, says Angelina. I can be many things in my work and in life, but I am very warm and gentle with my children. That kindness and warmth is a foundation thats unbelievably important. She gave me many other things and taught me many lessons. But if you dont have that base, to feel valued and safe, then its hard for any of the other messages or lessons to land. I hope that Ive been able to be that [for my own children], that Im that warm, safe place. Because  and its maybe a funny thing to say  but considering what my different jobs are, or what people think they know of you, or what you feel you have to be in the world, in truth none of those things are what you really are. Who you are to the children is everything. Perhaps without even consciously realising it, that may have brought Angelina to her latest role, frontline firefighter Hannah Faber, a veteran smoke jumper who comes to the aid of a young boy, Connor (Finn Little), who witnesses the murder of his father at the hands of two paid assassins (Aidan Gillen and Nicholas Hoult).

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When we meet her, Hannah is grappling with a version of survivors remorse, racked with guilt over her failure to rescue a party from a recent fire. Shes intentionally reckless and clearly is not functioning well, Angelina says. If the path this film takes her on didnt happen, Im not sure she would have recovered from what shes carrying. And that is a lot. Not to get heavy, but Ive been to places where there are different groups of people being treated  those who had physical injuries or were harmed, and this other group, those who had to participate in harming others as part of their torture, Angelina says. The damage was so clear, but the mental-health trauma, you cant see it. Those who do those types of jobs, anybody on the front line, you just never know what theyre going through when you look at them, she adds. So in this story, which is not as heavy and depressing as Im making it sound, these people, you throw them together and you light a fire and you see who makes it through. Theres a lot to discover, theres a lot thats yet to be represented, and theres a space being created right now that is not yet there, Credit:Alexi Lubomirski/Trunk Archive/Snapper Images Enter 14-year-old Brisbane-based actor Finn Little, who plays Connor in the film. Its quite obvious within a few minutes of Finn reading anything that hes an extremely talented person, says Angelina. In part thats because hes still young and open and emotional and grounded, while another side of him clearly has a handle on his profession and his professionalism and his craft. Wed both be very serious actors on set, but also have play dates on the weekends with my kids and go hang out all the time, Angelina says. So part of our work, if you will, was just playing paintball or swimming. So our professional bonding was just a lot of fun, being friends.

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Finn describes those encounters with Angelina and her family as important ice-breakers. We just hung out and it made me feel very comfortable around her and her family, he says. And it did make me feel accepted just to be around them. I felt very accepted and well looked after. As you might expect, Finn was a fan before he was a co-star, particularly enjoying Angelinas performance in Maleficent. I was very nervous meeting her for the audition, he adds. But when I got the part and started working with her, I realised that shes just a normal person with normal feelings, and shes great. Angelina Jolie and Finn Little in a scene from Those Who Wish Me Dead. Credit:Courtesy of Warner Bros There is little doubt Angelina took the role because she has a unique understanding of frontline workers. The film also comes at a time when communities are focused on honouring the work of frontline COVID-19 workers, particularly nurses and doctors, but also firefighters. Loading When there are fires, we seem to honour the firemen, and during the pandemic weve been very supportive and focused on those in the hospitals and on that front line, Angelina says. Youd hope these things continue regardless of what is happening in the world. It shouldnt have to take a large fire to respect a fireman, or a pandemic to respect a nurse. But it is also true that she took the role because it contrasts with films she produces and directs, which command a large slice of her time. Taking a gig in which she only acts means she can remain focused on the six children she shares with her ex-husband, actor Brad Pitt: Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 12. Ive stopped directing for a few years, to be home with my kids, Angelina says.

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Those Who Wish Me Dead is equal parts crime thriller and action movie, and the footage seen so far speaks to extraordinary production values, particularly when the fires are lit. In one of those feats of cinematic legerdemain, while the fire is real, the trees, apparently, are not. To translate that into a public service announcement, it appears no trees were harmed in the making of this movie.

Im a bad person to ask, Angelina says, laughing, when asked about the shoots hazards. Maybe its something thats off about me, but I tend to walk into slightly dangerous situations and be the last to panic. Maybe its something thats off about me, but I tend to walk into slightly dangerous situations and be the last to panic. So I didnt feel like I was in danger during filming. I didnt feel like it was too much. There were certainly times when it got really hot, very fast, and we had to all move to the other side. Again, being with Finn, it did something different, because when youre next to a child, youre so hyper-focused, she says. So when the bullets and shrapnel were flying, all I could think about was his eyes and keeping them covered. When were in situations near the fire, or in the river surrounded by fire, I had my eye on him. But I will say that hes an Aussie, and tough, so there was no real need for me to be concerned for him. He wasnt afraid of anything. Those Who Wish Me Dead opens in cinemas on May 13.

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I overheard a conversation this morning in a cafe, So nice to be able to meet in these post-COVID times. Then she checked herself, if we can say we are post-COVID.

It turns out we cant. A Sydney couple who tested positive for COVID-19 despite no known links to travel, quarantine, or hospitals, highlight Australias vulnerability. It remains to be seen how long the chain between the patient and the source is, and whether other clusters will emerge.

Doctors have been reporting cancellation of vaccination appointments. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Vaccination is necessary to reach the post-COVID-19 era. The federal government reports 2.4 million doses have been given so far. But confidence is falling. One in six Australians say they will never be vaccinated. (Up from 1 in 12 in August last year.) Another 42 per cent say they will  but not just yet. This is what we call vaccine hesitancy. People who dont believe that the vaccine contains 5G or that COVID is a plandemic nonetheless have concerns. Blood clots associated with AstraZeneca have led to a rise in hesitancy. Only 37 per cent are happy to take whichever vaccine they are offered.

This is already having an impact. There are reports of cancellations and unused doses. Many Australians over 50 are saying they want to delay the vaccine and wait possibly six months for Pfizer  this has huge implications for vaccine coverage/community protection.
Loading A recent outbreak in Perth that sparked a snap lockdown and was the catalyst for the India flight ban is suspected to have been caused by the virus travelling between guests rooms in a hotel with ventilation so poor it was recommended to be taken out of the quarantine program. Investigations into leaks in Victoria have revealed that a returned traveller staying in the Park Royal Hotel in Melbourne this year probably got the virus when their door opened at the same time as the door of a room opposite where five people were COVID-19 positive. The escapes have led to growing calls to establish cabin-style facilities to improve ventilation in quarantine. The federal government is considering plans for a facility in Melbournes north proposed by the Victorian government. The new global advice says current evidence suggests that coronavirus mainly spreads through close contact via aerosols or droplets and it can also spread within poorly ventilated and crowded indoor spaces because aerosols can remain suspended in the air and travel more than a metre.

The CDC advice, updated on Friday, lists breathing in air when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the virus as the first of one of three ways COVID-19 spreads. Its say the most common way to get infected is to breathe in small droplets or particles from an infected person who is standing within two metres, or having small droplets and particles land on the eyes, nose or mouth, especially from cough and sneezes. Ms Cole said previously that advice had focussed on larger droplets that fell to the ground and contaminated surfaces. The biggest shift is theyve recognised aerosol spread, which is essentially airborne transmission, she said.

So its great that the WHO have finally recognised what many scientists have been saying for a significant amount of time, but many would argue a little bit too little too late. Robyn Schofield, director of the environmental science hub at the University of Melbourne, is hopeful the acknowledgement of airborne transmission will result in some clear public health messaging. Associate Professor Schofield said building ventilation could be improved though simple measures such as cracking open a door or window, or turning on the kitchen or bathroom extraction fan. She said even heading into winter, people should consider hosting friends and family outside. We are quite lucky in Australia, its not that cold, and its nice that we can be outside and rug up a bit, she said.

Associate Professor Schofield also recommended using carbon dioxide monitors to check for poor areas of ventilation, particularly in risky settings such as classrooms, gyms and lifts. Above 800 parts per million, its too high. And at that point you have to start looking to ventilate, she said. And if you cant ventilate, you need to consider a portable [air] filter. Current advice on the federal Health Department website about how coronavirus spreads does not mention aerosol spread. It says it spreads via droplets from an infected persons cough or sneeze or touching infected surfaces or objects. A controversial recommendation from the governments Infection Control Expert Group still allows surgical masks and protective eyewear to be used in the routine care of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, despite criticism from infection diseases experts and the Australian Medical Association who say surgical masks cannot protect against airborne spread. Two people on the ICEG  which advises the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on COVID-19  rejected the need to change their advice, which accepts aerosols spread in limited circumstances, but says COVID-19 is mainly transmitted by respiratory droplets which are spread from an infected person to others, during talking, shouting, singing, coughing or sneezing.

Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician and professor at the Australian National University, said the evidence showed aerosols played a role but were not responsible for the majority of transmission. If aerosols were a big part of the transmission, the only masks that would be effective are these N95 ones [and] youd see people infected all over the building, he said. Thats not what were seeing. That is not what the evidence shows. Professor Peter Collignon. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Malcolm Sim, director of the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at Monash University and another ICEG member, said the groups advice had always recognised that aerosol transmission occurred and states had already adjusted hotel quarantine to ensure greater ventilation. It can never be perfect  its a matter of trying to make it as suitable as it can be, he said. I didnt think that upgraded WHO advice was all that much of a change.

Loading Infectious diseases expert Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah and co-founder of advocacy group Health Care Workers Australia, who has been raising concerns about the inadequacy of protections for frontline workers since early in pandemic , said the changed in language from WHO was very significant and the Australian infection control expert group must now revise its advice. They have been incredibly resistant in acknowledging the importance of airborne transmission, she said. Asked if there were plans to change the guideline allowing surgical masks to be used during the care of patients COVID-19, the Federal Health Department issued the same statement it has previously in response to questioning on the issue. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG) has consistently recognised the potential for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols in specific circumstances, it said.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  Wyoming's governor is barring state officials from requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they may access state property or services.

Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, announced the directive against vaccine passports Friday, The Cheyenne Post reports.

Vaccine passport programs have the potential to politicize a decision that should not be politicized, Gordon said in a statement. They would divide our citizens at a time when unity in fighting the virus is essential, and harm those who are medically unable to receive the vaccine."

He encouraged Wyoming residents over 16 to get vaccinated but called it a personal choice based upon personal circumstances.

Gordon's directive encouraged Wyoming's cities, towns, counties and private businesses to provide full access to places and services regardless of a person's vaccine status.

While some U.S. businesses look at ways to require customers to be vaccinated, officials in President Joe Biden's administration have said there are no plans for a general federal vaccine passport. Several GOP-led states besides Wyoming have prohibited vaccine passports.

Over 180,000 people in Wyoming, or almost one-third of the state's population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) India on Saturday will launch a Connectivity Partnership with the EU, aiming at furthering the cooperation on transport, energy, digital and people-to-people contacts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will collectively interact virtually with all leaders of EU member nations in the India-EU Leaders meeting in Porto, Portugal, as the meeting is first such gathering in the EU+27 format.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to give a new impetus to trade and investment negotiations between India and the EU.

The EU is India's biggest trading partner and the second largest destination for Indian exports. Trade between the EU and India has increased 72 per cent in the last decade.

The EU is also the leading foreign investor in India. Its share in foreign investment inflows has more than doubled in the last decade. Some 6,000 European companies are present in India, generating 1.7 million direct and 5 million indirect jobs.

Growing investments from India in recent years have also meant active presence of Indian companies in the EU as well.

It is the right time, both side say, to resume negotiations toward an ambitious and balanced trade agreement capable of acting as a key driver for sustainable growth and jobs creation, both for India and Europe.

"The negotiation of an EU wide investment protection framework would provide greater stability and certainty to companies from India and EU to expand their presence in each other's markets," said prime minister Modi and his Portugal counterpart Antonio Costa in an oped article on Politico.eu, which External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called "forward- looking."

India and the EU have supported each other and the rest of the world during the coronavirus pandemic,

India extended medical supplies to Europe earlier and now the EU has extended assistance to India as it experiences a second wave of COVID-19.

Portugal and India have always played a unique role in bringing the two continents together.. Portugal hosted the first ever EU-India Summit in Lisbon, during the 2000 Portuguese EU Presidency and India hosted the eighth EU-India Summit in New Delhi, in 2007, also during a Portuguese Presidency.

"The journey together between the EU & India will be continued and advanced in search of new routes of political, economic and technological cooperation, with enormous potential for mutual benefit," said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

UNI SRJ SV 1556/1645
Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, will discuss additional COVID-19 measures for schools at a Sunday afternoon press conference.

Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, will discuss additional COVID-19 measures for schools at a Sunday afternoon press conference.

On Friday evening, Roussin announced new public health restrictions which are in effect as of today. At the time, Roussin said the province was monitoring the situation in schools and expected to make an announcement in the near future.

This afternoon's press conference will be held a 1:30 p.m. at the Manitoba legislature.

The announcement will also be streamed live at http://news.gov.mb.ca and http://youtube.com/ManitobaGovernment.

A technical briefing call for reporters is scheduled for later Sunday afternoon with Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's deputy chief provincial public health officer. That update will not be live streamed.
Since opening The Hive climbing gym in southwest Winnipeg last August, Kori Cuthbert has been forced to keep his brand new business shuttered for much of the past nine months.

Since opening The Hive climbing gym in southwest Winnipeg last August, Kori Cuthbert has been forced to keep his brand new business shuttered for much of the past nine months.

Cuthbert celebrated the grand opening of the gym two months before a swell of COVID-19 cases put Manitoba into its first code-red lockdown. And since Jan. 23, when the provincial government slowly peeled back pandemic restrictions, Cuthbert was able to operate for another nine weeks.

On Saturday, as clients came in for one last indoor climbing session, that streak came to an end.

"By negligence, or not taking COVID restrictions seriously, its definitely hurting small businesses," said Cuthbert, the managing partner of the fitness centre on Lorimer Boulevard.

"And ultimately were paying the bill for the shortcomings of people not following the restrictions and the pandemic getting out of hand. This definitely hits a lot harder on us. We lose our source of income and also the ability to keep the business sustainable throughout all of that."

Manitobas top doctor Brent Roussin ordered on Friday a three-week closure of public-facing businesses  including gyms, museums, recreation centres, in-person dining and more  to curb escalating COVID-19 cases as critical-care units face increasing pressure.

The wide-ranging orders come into effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and also close churches, limit outdoor public gathering sizes to five, restrict retail to 10 per cent capacity, and shutter salons and barbers. The orders expire May 30.

Maria Anne Rawluk, founder of Drop In Dance Winnipeg, offered virtual dance classes during the last round of restrictions. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files)

The chief public health officer said his team is also reviewing whether schools should move to remote learning, with more information to be shared this week.

"To be honest, this is kind of what I was hoping for last week," said Maria Anne Rawluk, founder of Drop In Dance Winnipeg. "As much as it sucks to not have my business open and be able to provide this outlet for people, I just want the province to do whats right and keep everyone safe.

"This should have been done as soon as we saw the numbers ramping up."

On Saturday, another 488 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Manitoba, including 389 in Winnipeg bringing the provinces total active case count to 3,237, nearly half of which were a more infectious variant.

Three more Manitobans died after coming down with the disease, including a Winnipeg woman in her 20s, a Winnipeg man in his 70s and a man in his 80s from the Prairie Mountain Health region.

After learning Friday that new public health orders were imminent, Rawluk decided to cancel classes on Saturday. She said the next three weeks will be a challenge for her and the studios instructors without additional support to cover expenses while the business is closed.

"Being open while watching the numbers soar was quite the moral dilemma for me," Rawluk said. "I think the most important thing right now is that we just focus on culling this virus."

In Winnipegs Exchange District, customers were taking advantage of the Kings Head patio for what would likely be their last opportunity this month.

King's Head Pub owner Chris Graves is doubtful the latest round of restrictions will only last three weeks. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Owner Chris Graves said there were tears Friday evening as he and his staff watched Roussins press conference inside the pub.

"Weve done so many things right as a pub, yet we continue to suffer, and thats the part that hurts me the most," he said.

The pub owner  who has been a vocal critic of the provinces efforts to enforce self-isolation requirements for travellers  had to turn away a potential patron from California on Saturday.

"(The government) had zero control over the travel aspect. Its unbelievable. Every day I turn away people that shouldnt be in Manitoba," Graves said. "We suffer because the government just did not have a handle on the travel side of it."

Given the experience of the fall lockdown  which was billed to last four weeks but lasted 10 as the virus continued to spread unchecked  Graves said he is leery the latest restrictions will be able to be reversed in three weeks, though he remains optimistic about the summer.

The provinces COVID-19 vaccine task force has said all adult Manitobans will have their first dose of the vaccine, assuming 70 per cent uptake, by June 8.

"The government reacts very slowly, and they also dont act in the right sectors, and thats the problem," Graves said. "Do I think its going to be just a three week shutdown? No, I think its going to be longer, and just thinking about it makes me sad because my first phone call was to my bank and theyre always the toughest conversations.

"I truly hope this is the last time were shut down."

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
After months of educators sounding the alarm over COVID-19 safety within schools, the Manitoba government admitted at long last Sunday that a growing number of coronavirus cases are coming from school-aged children.

After months of educators sounding the alarm over COVID-19 safety within schools, the Manitoba government admitted at long last Sunday that a growing number of coronavirus cases are coming from school-aged children.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba Education Minister Cliff Cullen speaks at a COVID-19 press conference at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg Sunday, May 9, 2021. Additional COVID-19 measures for schools including closures were announced.

However, while the province is moving all kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms in the cities of Winnipeg and Brandon to remote learning as of Wednesday, neither government nor public-health officials have provided emergency support to the staff who work at those sites.

On top of that, child-care workers  who will bear the brunt of still keeping their doors open to children  will not receive any additional help or rapid testing protocols, nor will they be prioritized to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Still, they will be given additional personal protective equipment, officials said.

"Were in a different world over the last week from where we were prior to that, and obviously these are very tough decisions," said Education Minister Cliff Cullen, joining Manitoba's chief provincial public-health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, at a rare news conference on Mother's Day. "These decisions are not made lightly."

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba chief public health officer: "Things have changed."

Around 20 per cent of overall COVID-19 cases are now coming from school-aged children, Dr. Roussin said. While some of these individuals may not have caught the virus in school or spread it to others because they were self-isolating at home, as of May 6, there have been 574 cases linked to schools within last couple weeks alone.

"Weve always said wed monitor the situation and may have to impose restrictions," said Roussin, noting "there can always be questions about why (announce on) this day and why not another day" but that "things have changed because weve seen increasing cases in these childhood cohorts."

Dr. Jazz Atwal, deputy chief provincial public health officer, when asked why parents can send children to school today and Tuesday but not Wednesday, told reporters late Sunday that "the act of going to school is still safe."

"Public health isn't worried about the idea of going to school, it's worried about everything around that," said Atwal.

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/JOHN WOODS Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba deputy chief provincial public health officer.

However, Atwal refused repeatedly to provide the modelling data that led to the government's conclusions about such relative safety of schools.

Remote learning in both Winnipeg and Brandon will continue until May 30. This also includes cancelled indoor singing, banned wind instruments and nixed extracurricular activities  such as organized sports and activities out of school  except for physically-distanced walks or runs.

At the same time, schools in full remote learning will still accommodate kindergarten to Grade 6 children of critical services workers who cannot make alternative care arrangements. Kids with special needs will also be accommodated at schools.

Schools in other parts of Manitoba will stay open for now but will make the shift to remote learning if they have more than one COVID-19 case, Cullen said. "We'll be looking at (closing) schools in other regions, but right now, we're focusing on where the cases are most coming out of," said Roussin.

Child-care facilities will continue to be open, save for some students who are on remote learning. Yet, on Sunday, neither Roussin nor Cullen would answer directly when asked about plans to prioritize teachers and early childhood educators for vaccinations  despite the fact that centres in Winnipeg and Brandon are asked to remain open.

"Were certainly doing everything we can to make sure that we have safe schools, safe workplaces... We have a lot of front-line workers across our province that are also looking for vaccination, and weve highlighted these areas," said Cullen, without providing any concrete details about future provincial plans but calling Sunday's decision "proactive."

Sunday's announcement came amidst calls from parents and teachers' unions to move public schools to remote learning. The Manitoba Teachers' Society urged the province last week to make such changes during the third wave so as to allow staff to get vaccinated and pandemic restrictions to have an effect.

"It's embarrassing that this had to happen on Mother's Day when the premier could've done this on Friday before he shuttered businesses without even giving them any monetary support."  NDP Leader Wab Kinew

Reaction from political opposition leaders was swift. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew did not mince words, calling the Tories' decision Sunday "last-minute and completely chaotic."

"It's embarrassing that this had to happen on Mother's Day when the premier could've done this on Friday before he shuttered businesses without even giving them any monetary support," Kinew told reporters at the Manitoba Legislative Building. "But this is what it is living in the Progressive Conservatives' Manitoba."

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont said people in the province have been "kept under a veil" with all decisions from the Tories until "they feel like going ahead with them."

"Ask yourself, why did it take this long?" he said. "And knowing the Pallister government, you'll know exactly why this disruption occurred."

temur.durrani@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @temurdur
Premier Brian Pallister introduced both a carrot and a stick as COVID-19 rages in Manitoba, offering coronavirus-related sick pay for workers and doubling fines for repeat pandemic restrictions offenders.

Premier Brian Pallister introduced both a carrot and a stick as COVID-19 rages in Manitoba, offering coronavirus-related sick pay for workers and doubling fines for repeat pandemic restrictions offenders.

"In a general sense, its to reward good behaviour and encourage it and to address some of the less respectful behaviour that weve seen," he said at a news conference Friday.

The province will double fines for individuals who repeatedly break public health orders, and announced a doubling of the default payment for failing to pay such a fine on time.

"Its such an insult to people doing the right things  to see people consistently disobey these rules."

Pallister blamed pandemic scofflaws for helping to cause the third wave of the coronavirus now crashing down on the province.

"My regret was that we didnt step up earlier with more deterrence and fines. We have now," he said.

People who dont pay the fines wont be able to renew a drivers licence.

"You can put your car up on blocks, because youre not going to be driving if you dont pay these fines. If you dont drive, we will garnish your wages," said the premier.

"Your behaviour is a danger to you, but more importantly it is a danger to other people."

The reward for good behaviour is the Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave program.

It will provide employers with up to $600 per employee, for up to five full days of COVID-19 related sick leave  days that do not have to be taken consecutively.

Eligible sick leave related to COVID-19 includes testing, vaccinations and side-effects, self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, or care for a loved one. It took effect immediately, and runs to Sept. 25.

Private-sector, non-profit and charitable employers with eligible employees living and working in Manitoba part- or full-time are able to qualify to receive the assistance. Employers already providing paid sick leave are not eligible.

"The purpose is to take the worry out of being sick," Pallister said.

When asked if implementing such a plan sooner might have prevented the spread of COVID-19 in Manitoba, the premier said he shouldnt have trusted the federal government when it offered assurances it would develop a comprehensive and straightforward sick leave program.

The Manitoba program is simple for employers to administer, so workers dont have to wait to get paid when they need to miss work because of COVID-19, he said.

"Pay them, and send the bill to me."

The problem, however, is not all employers will use the program, said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

Manitobas program is voluntary, not legislated like Ontarios paid sick days program, so it will only apply to workplaces that decide to provide it, Rebeck said Friday in an email.

"We fear that, like many other employer support programs announced by this government, the intent here is to pay out as little as possible... There is an urgent need for government to put paid sick days in place for all workers to remove barriers to protecting public health," Rebeck said.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the province needs to be providing small business with more support as COVID-19 restrictions tighten.

"On Monday morning, the government needs to be ready to bring in a bill to help people cover their revenue," he said Friday.

"We cannot have a situation where people are forced to make the decision between having COVID or going broke."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
40% of US Adults Now Fully Vaccinated

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WASHINGTON DC - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that 166 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including more than 62 percent of the nation's adults.About 133 million people have been fully vaccinated by Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine or the two-dose series made by Pfizer and Moderna.However, the daily average of national doses continues to fall steadily. As of Friday, an average of 1.5 million doses are being administered daily, compared with 1.8 million a week ago and 3.4 million in April.This spring, President Biden set a goal of July 4 to reach the 70 percent "herd immunity" level, but at the current rate the CDC estimates that level won't be reached before August 27.Kentucky has given at least one dose to 46 percent of its residents, ranking it 29th in the nation. More than 38 percent of Kentucky residents are now fully vaccinated.Illinois ranks 18th at 54 percent. Tennessee ranks 45th in the nation with 38.9 percent getting at least one dose.Vermont continues to have the highest percentage of its population getting vaccinations at 70 percent. Hawaii and Massachusetts are next at 66 percent.Eight states are now over 60 percent with at least one shot administered, and 21 are over 50 percent.On the Net:
Returning to the pulpit after a COVID-19 outbreak infected him, his wife and 72 members of their congregation, the senior pastor of an Oregon church said Sunday that he will not kowtow to pressure to close the doors to the house of worship.

Pastor Scott Erickson of the Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon, began his Mother's Day sermon by addressing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in his church and throughout the state.

In the last several days, it is apparent that voices in our community and region want the church of Jesus Christ to be quiet and to be closed," Erickson told those in attendance at the church and others watching a livestream online broadcast. Not us, not here, not now. Thats not what were doing."

Peoples Church was among 10 churches in Oregon that joined together to file a lawsuit in May 2020 asking the Baker County Circuit Court to issue a temporary restraining order blocking Oregon Gov. Kate Brown from enforcing stay-at-home executive regulations against churches. The lawsuit argued that Brown's restrictions on churches violated constitutional protections for religious freedom.

PHOTO: Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon. (Google Map Street View)

In December, Brown lifted restrictions on religious gatherings, changing them to "guidelines." Brown's decision came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court barred New York from enforcing strict attendance limits on churches in areas that were designated as COVID-19 hot spots.

Erickson, 70, who has been pastor of Peoples Church for 21 years, said his decision to keep the church open was, in his opinion, not an act of defiance.

MORE: COVID-19 Map: Tracking Cases and Vaccinations in the U.S.

"We'll press on and honor what Jesus said in his word. He said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I believe his word is true," Erickson said.

The pastor's Sunday sermon came after the Oregon Health Authority announced Wednesday that it launched an investigation on April 6 into the coronavirus outbreak at the church that left 74 members infected.

Story continues

Erickson tied the church's outbreak to one that has spread across state in the past month, including in Marion County, where Salem is located.

On Saturday, the Oregon Health Authority reported 833 new COVID-19 cases and seven more deaths related to the virus over the past seven days.

Since the pandemic began, Oregon has reported a total of 190,804 cases statewide, including 2,528 deaths.

Thousands in our region were afflicted with symptoms of the virus," Erickson said. "Some on our staff and some that worship among us were those that experienced challenges that accompanied the virus."

MORE: 'Sorrowful': Black clergy members and churches reeling from COVID-19 losses

Erickson spoke little about the bouts with COVID-19 that he and his wife endured.

"First time in 48 years of ministry that I had to call in sick," he said. "So, its kind of a very strange feeling to have missed three Sundays in a row."

On April 18, an assistant pastor at the church announced that Erickson and his wife, Bonnie, were hospitalized after COVID-19 diagnoses and that the pastor had developed pneumonia in his left lung.

Sunday marked Erickson's return to in-person services since the diagnosis.

"The church of Jesus Christ is the only hope for our community and for our region and our state," Erickson said. And so we continue to magnify Jesus here as a church, and were not in defiance. We are here just to tell people the good news that Jesus loves our city and he loves the people of Oregon."

Erickson added, So we remain cautious here at Peoples Church and continue to provide a safe and anointed environment where people can experience Gods presence and draw on his power.

What to know about COVID-19:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map

Oregon church won't close after COVID-19 outbreak infected 74 members, pastor says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 22:25:15|Editor: huaxia

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An e-commerce livestreaming anchor is introducing products to viewers at the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Ruiqing)

HAIKOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping and created a surge in cross-border e-commerce imports in China, e-commerce platforms are bringing global brands closer to the world's most promising consumer market.

On the first day of the China International Consumer Products Expo, Tmall Global, an online marketplace of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, held four livestreaming sessions to promote products, each garnering more than 1 million viewers.

At the four-day expo, which opened on Thursday in south China's island province of Hainan, Tmall Global has showcased products of over 100 foreign brands, ranging from cosmetics, beauty devices, to smart devices for pets and imported wine.

Amid the pandemic, cross-border e-commerce has become an important platform for brands from home and abroad to release their new products. Over 100 brands signed strategic agreements with Tmall Global on Friday, with the aim to sell their new products displayed at the expo via Tmall in the coming year to meet the booming demand of Chinese customers.

"The consumer products expo not only serves as an important window to display the progress of the Hainan free trade port construction, but also helps foreign businesses to better understand the Chinese market," said Marcella Li, head of Global Business Development and Operations at Tmall Global.

Last year, an average of approximately 400 overseas brands opened stores on Tmall Global each month, according to the company. To date, more than 29,000 overseas brands from 87 countries and regions have established storefronts on Tmall Global.

At the expo, JD Worldwide, the platform for imported products of China's leading retailer JD.com, displayed a number of smart products of domestic and foreign brands.

People queue up to taste Swiss cheese in the Fashion Life Exhibition Hall of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"With the pandemic keeping Chinese customers from shopping overseas, the demand for international brands in China has increased, and cross-border e-commerce platforms have become their preferred choice," said Frank Yu, general manager of marketing and operations for JD Worldwide.

Since its launch in 2015, JD Worldwide has attracted nearly 20,000 overseas brands, offering a vast range of product categories including maternal and childcare, nutrition and healthcare, household and kitchenware, food and car accessories.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, consumer goods imports into China grew 8.2 percent in 2020, reaching 1.57 trillion yuan (about 242 billion U.S. dollars).

Such growth was echoed on JD Worldwide during the 2020 Singles' Day shopping festival, with total sales during the period increased by 50 percent year on year.

In 2020, the e-commerce platform opened its first brick-and-mortar duty-free store in Sanya City, Hainan, and plans to open an online duty-free shop soon.

JD Worldwide will seize the opportunities brought by the Hainan free trade port to promote the upgrading of consumption of Chinese consumers, said Han Rui, vice president of JD.com.

With a total population of over 1.4 billion and more than 400 million middle-income residents, China has become the world's most promising consumer market.

Foreign brands are attaching great importance to the Chinese market, especially amid the pandemic, said Viya, one of the most well-known e-commerce livestreaming anchors in China, at the expo.

"Some tailored products are designed exclusively for our customers and the products are not only sold in China but also abroad, as design philosophies featuring Chinese characteristics are gaining momentum worldwide," she said.

E-commerce platforms are a channel for Chinese consumers to purchase quality products of foreign brands without going abroad, and are also conducive to promoting China's products to the world, she added.

Kazunori Tokura, executive vice president of Japanese company Omron Healthcare (China), said Omron expects to accelerate its entry into the Chinese market. Via the expo, the company is willing to cooperate with local firms such as e-commerce platforms to help more customers become familiar with their products and services, he said. 
New Delhi: As India tries to tide over the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has got pledges of support from 42 countries of which assistance from 21 countries has already arrived.

India requires assistance in two areas - oxygen and essential medicines. Hospitals and other medical centres are in dire need of medical oxygen supplies and equipment that can generate oxygen, and antiviral drugs like Remdesivir.

Currently, in the country, the production of medical oxygen supply has increased from 5700 MT to 9480 MT but it needs to be supplemented.

From international assistance, India has got 20,000 oxygen cylinders, 11000 oxygen concentrators, 30 oxygen tankers and 75 oxygen generator plants. Out of the 30 Oxygen tankers, only 9 have reached and the remaining 21 tankers are yet to be delivered.

The Ministry of External Affairs can assist to get global players to set up 50,000MT plants. A total of 1172 oxygen tankers are being put in place, 102,400 oxygen cylinders are being procured, 1 lakh oxygen concentrators are being procured.

Many tankers have also come as part of deals between private companies.

When it comes to Remdesivir, the aim is to produce 1 crore in the country or around 3 lakh per day. American biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences on Saturday sent 1.5 lakh vials of Remdesivir.

From Egypt-based Eva Pharma, India will be getting 4 lakh doses of Remdesivir. India has got quotations from Bangladesh, Germany, Uzbekistan, and UAE.

All in all, India will get 16 lakh vials of Remdesivir from these sources. Focus also on the alternate antiviral drug tocilizumab, with Switzerland-based Roche increasing its supply by 60 times.

India is getting 11,000 vials, and 21,000 more vials are expected of tocilizumab, usually given in the initial stages of covid. India is getting favipiravir from Russia, RoActemra from other sources.

India's missions and posts are coordinating efforts of procuring as well as making sure that the assistance by foreign countries reaches the country as it battles the covid pandemic.

As the 2nd wave hit the country, the ministry of external affairs's COVID cell was reactivated. The COVID cell formed last year, has around 15-20 IFS officers, mostly young officers, and is headed by Dammu Ravi who is the Additional Secretary coordinating all issues under it.

Naveen Srivastava and Vinay Kumar are the other 2 MEA officials, who are part of the entire coordination effort against covid. While Naveen represents MEA at the empowered panels on coordinating against COVID, Vinay deals with vaccine efforts like Vaccine Maitri and others.

While a lot of support has come in from across the globe, many leaders have recalled how India had reached out to the world community when they needed medicines and other essentials.

US President Joe Biden recently said, "when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us."

In 2020, India had sent HCQ to the US when it was battling the covid pandemic. Charles, Prince of Wales, the heir apparent to the British throne in a message for India said, "As India has helped others, so now must we help India".

Even as International assistance helps to bridge the short-term capacity constraints, the Centre aims to ramp up capacity.
Patna: The Bihar Chief Secretary and the state DGP on Sunday (May 9, 2021) held a crucial meeting with the SP of all districts ro ensure better compliance of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The meeting last almost half-an-hour during which the police was asked to folow the lockdown orders strictly. \

Besides it was discussed to give a 4-hour window  from 7 am to 11 am  to the public for emergency related purchases.

The police has been asked to take special action against those violating the lockdown rules i.e. people who at out of their homes for no purpose.

Also, a crackdown was ordered on the black marketeers, and it was demanded that strong action be taken against such people who sell life saving medicine and oxygen at black markets.

The Nitish Kumar-led government had imposed a lockdown in the state on March 4 till May 15.

The decision of the Chief Minister came after Patna High Court asked the state government to control the COVID-19 situation and declare a lockdown or it will have to pass an appropriate order.

Earlier, the Bihar government has imposed a night curfew in the state till March 15.
New Delhi: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (May 8) alleged that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is suppressing COVID-19 death count and "manipulating" the infection rate in Mumbai.

Fadnavis in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Shiv Sena-controlled civic body is classifying deaths of some COVID-19 patients to other reasons, thus underreporting the real toll caused by the deadly infection.

The 'death due to other reasons' category has to be used only in exceptional cases, like when a COVID-19 patient commits suicide, dies in an accident, is murdered, is brain-dead or a fourth-stage cancer patient," PTI quoted the former CM as saying.

BMC reported deaths of 683 COVID-19 patients under this "suspicious category" of death due to other reasons between February to April, he added.

Fadnavis said, This accounted for 39.4 per cent of total 1,773 deaths reported in the city during the period. In the same period, at least 15,958 people died in the rest of the state and of these, 119 were shown as `death due to other reasons', which is 0.7 per cent.

Further attacking the BMC, he claimed that the civic body was manipulating the infection rate by preferring Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) which are only 50 per cent effective.

"The city has the capacity to conduct one lakh RT-PCR tests per day, but the average of last 10 days is 34,191. Out of it, 30 per cent are Rapid Antigen Tests. On May 7, 45,726 tests were conducted, of which 14,480 (31.67 per cent) were RAT, due to which the infection rate was 7.6 per cent in Mumbai," Fadnavis said.

"However, on May 3 the BMC had conducted 26,586 tests of which 4,453 (17 per cent) were RAT which resulted in infection rate of 11.3 per cent, he claimed.

Earlier, the Supreme court had praised the Mumbai civic body for managing the second wave of the coronavirus efficiently.

The total tally in Mumbai as of Friday was 6,71,394 while the death toll stood at 13,687, as per BMC data.

On Saturday, the caseload in Maharashtra breached the 50 lakh-mark (50,53,336) with 53,605 new cases. The death toll climbed to 75,277 as 864 people succumbed to the infection, the state health department official said.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: India has been facing a heavy wave of COVID-19 infections with the number of cases surging across the nation on a daily basis.

This sudden surge in cases due to the various new infectious strains of COVID-19 clubbed with complacency in regard to following the pandemic rules and guidelines has forced many states and UTs in the nation to impose lockdown-like restrictions.

The Indian government is also battling criticism for allowing huge gatherings at a religious festival and holding large election rallies over the past two months even as COVID-19 cases were surging.

India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll of 4,187. The health ministry reported 4,092 deaths over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 242,362.

New cases rose by 403,738, just shy of the record and increasing the total since the start of the pandemic to 22.3 million.

With an acute shortage of oxygen and beds in many hospitals and with morgues and crematoriums overflowing, experts have said the actual numbers for COVID-19 cases and fatalities could be far higher than reported.

India, being the world's largest vaccine producing nation, has fully vaccinated just over 34.3 million, or only 2.5%, of its 1.35 billion population as of Sunday, according to data from the governments Co-WIN portal.

Support has been pouring in from around the world in the form of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment.

Meanwhile, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (May 9) extended till May 17 their ongoing lockdown as a large part of the country remained under strict curbs due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are among 10 states that account for 71.75 per cent of the 4,03,738 new COVID-19 cases registered in a day, according to Union Health Ministry data recorded on May 9.

The other states in the list of 10 are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Haryana.

Maharashtra reported daily new cases at 56,578. It is followed by Karnataka with 47,563 while Kerala reported 41,971 new cases

India's total active caseload has reached 37,36,648 and now comprises 16.76 per cent of the country's total infections.

Here is a look at COVID-induced restrictions imposed by states and union territories according to the latest news:

Delhi: The national capital has been under lockdown since April 19 and it has now been extended till May 17.

Uttar Pradesh has extended the duration of corona curfew with strict lockdown-like curbs till May 17.

Haryana, which was under a seven-day long lockdown from May 3, has extended it till May 17.

Bihar on May 4 imposed a lockdown till May 15.

Odisha is under a 14-day lockdown from May 5 till May 19.

Rajasthan has decided to implement a strict lockdown in the state from May 10 to 24, though curbs continue to be in place since last month.

Jharkhand had extended the lockdown-like restrictions till May 13. The restrictions were first imposed on April 22 as "Health Safety Week".

Chhattisgarh has announced weekend lockdown while earlier allowing district collectors to extend local lockdowns till May 15.

Punjab has imposed extensive curbs, in addition to measures like a weekend lockdown and night curfew till May 15.

Chandigarh administration has also imposed weekend lockdowns.

Madhya Pradesh has imposed 'Janta curfew' till May 15 with only essential services allowed.

Gujarat has imposed night curfew (from 8 PM to 6 AM) and other day-time restrictions in 36 cities till May 12.

Maharashtra had imposed lockdown-like curbs on April 5 coupled with prohibitory orders and restrictions on the movement of people. The curbs were later extended till May 15. Local lockdowns in district like Latur and Solapur have been imposed, and curbs tightened in Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal.

Goa government has imposed a curfew from May 9 to May 24. It lifted a four-day lockdown on Monday, except in tourist hotspots like Calangute and Candolim in North Goa, though restrictions were continuing.

West Bengal has since last week imposed extensive curbs including ban on all kinds of gatherings.

Assam advanced the night curfew to 6 PM from the current 8 PM with restrictions imposed on the movement of people at public places from Wednesday. Night curfew was imposed on April 27 till May seven.

Nagaland has imposed partial lockdown with stricter rules from April 30 to May 14.

Mizoram government has announced seven-day complete lockdown from 4 AM of May 10 to 4 AM of May 17.

Arunachal Pradesh has imposed night curfew -- from 6.30 pm to 5 am -- for the entire month starting Saturday.

Manipur government has imposed curfew in seven districts from May 8 till May 17.

Sikkim imposed lockdown-like restrictions till May 16.

Jammu and Kashmir administration has imposed lockdown-like restrictions till May 10.

Uttarakhand has decided to impose a strict COVID curfew from May 11 to May 18.

Himachal Pradesh has imposed lockdown or "corona curfew" in the state from May 7 to May 16.

Kerala has lockdown from May 8 to May 16.

Tamil Nadu is under lockdown from May 10 to May 24.

Puducherry has extended lockdown from May 10 to May 24.

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New Delhi: India will approximately get 361 million doses of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V's by the end of March 2022 which can be innocualte an estimated 36 crore Indians, officials coordinating the entire vaccine measure in the country claimed.

On May 1, India received the first consignment of 1.5 million doses of the vaccine, and the second consignment of the same number of doses will reach India soon.

India will get 18 million ready-made Sputnik V doses -- 3 million in May, 5 million in June, 10 million in July. Russian direct investment fund (RDIF) which is the Russian sovereign wealth fund that has funded the vaccine has signed pacts with 5 Indian companies to produced 850 million doses.

The doses will not only be produced in India but also, exported to third country. Between June 2020 to March 2021, around 238 million doses will be produced in the country. India also expected to get 11 million doses in form of fill and finish.

Sputnik V vaccine is the 3rd covid vaccine after covishield and covaxin that Indian regulatory authorities have given approval to. More than 60 Countries have given approval to Sputnik V and as of May 5, more than 20 million people globally have received the first injection of the Sputnik V vaccine. Interestingly, a combination of vaccines like Sputnik and Astrazeneca for use is being talked about.

With the announcement of Russia's single-dose covid vaccine Sputnik light, the volume of the vaccines which is a variant of Sputnik V is expected to increase. Sputnik Light will also be produced in India."It will be produced in exactly the same countries where sputnik V will be produced. So it's India, Korea, and China," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian direct investment Fund (RDIF) told reporters last week in a virtual presser.

And it is just not that Sputnik V in the focus, India is looking at Moderna and the Quad Vaccine initiative under which vaccines will be produced in the country. When it comes to constraints for raw material for vaccines from the US, the issue has been resolved with Washington making an announcement on it days ago.

But perhaps the biggest breakthrough has been the US extending support to the proposal for waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines. Being termed as something that will make a "huge difference" on the ground, it will help in the production of covid vaccines at a huge scale as removes legal impediments.

For example, India's serum institute can make vaccines under the license by AstraZeneca, and these vaccines cant be exported to some geographic areas. The matter was raised by PM Modi with US President during their talks on 26th April. According to officials, the Indian PM had told President Biden that it an opportunity to make a difference.
New Delhi: Even as India reels under the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over about a possible third wave, experts claimed that if people keep following COVID-appropriate behaviour and more people get vaccinated the next wave could be less severe.

Many experts opined that the complacency in approach towards the virus after the dip in cases during the first wave could be a possible reason for the pandemic rearing its ugly head again, though others are blaming the new virulent, mutated variants of the coronavirus.

"Early this year, as the new cases receded, people started interacting as if there was no virus. The immunity had already started declining. They organised mass gatherings, they stopped wearing masks, giving the opportunity to the virus to strike again," Dr Anurag Agarwal, director, Institute of Genomics and Integral Biology was quoted by PTI.

While some experts belives that every mutation cannot be a cause of concern and genome sequencing of a virus is done to keep a track of any mutation that can make a virus more dangerous.

Dr Saumitra Das, Director, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG ), Kalyani, and professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore said, "What concerns us is whether a mutation is making it more transmissible, or virulent; whether a mutation has the potential to make the existing medicines or vaccines ineffective against the virus. If so, the mutant is classified as a variant of concern (VoC)."

Last week, K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, had said that the third wave was inevitable and it was necessary to be prepared for new waves, but clarified two days later that the "insidious asymptomatic transmission" can be stopped if prescribed guidelines about precautions, surveillance, containment, treatment and testing are followed.

"If we take strong measures, the third wave may not happen in all places or indeed anywhere at all. It depends on much how effectively guidance is implemented at the local level in the states, districts and cities everywhere," he said.

Experts have warned that in a few months people would have developed immunity naturally or with the help of vaccination and when that fades the virus will strike again and the only thing that can stop the virus from bouncing back is how people are guarding themselves.

Meanwhile, India recorded 4,03,738 fresh COVID-19 cases pushing the country's cumulative tally to 2,22,96,414, while the death toll climbed to 2,42,362 with 4,092 daily deaths, on Sunday morning as per data released by the Union Health Ministry.
Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Sunday announced extending the COVID-induced lockdown in the state by a week till May 17.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said that stringent measures will be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus infections in the state.

"Detailed order to be issued soon, the Health Minister said in a tweet.

Mahamari Alert / Surkshit Haryana announced from 10 May to 17 May Stringent measures will be taken to contain spread of Corona in Haryana. Detailed order to be issued soon.  ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) May 9, 2021

Minister Vij later told PTI that the restrictions which are currently in force will continue till May 17.

In the past few weeks, Haryana has registered a surge in COVID-19 infections as well as fatalities.

Haryana on Sunday reported 151 COVID-19-related deaths taking the cumulative toll to 5,605 and another big surge of 13,548 infections pushed the total case count to 6,15,897.

Last week, the state government had imposed a lockdown in the state from May 3 to May 10 (5 am).

Meanwhile, India recorded over 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day, data by the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

There were 4,03,738 new infections and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 2.22 crore, while the death toll has climbed to 2.42 lakh.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)

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New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday (May 8, 2021) urged the central government to impose a complete nationwide lockdown in India to break the COVID-19 transmission chain.

The medical body also added that this decision will give some breathing time to the nations healthcare infrastructure to recover and replenish for what lies beyond.

Indian Medical Association in a statement said it has been urging the Centre to impose a well-planned pre-announced national lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the nation.

The statement also added that the collective consciousness, proactive cognizance, and requests made by the IMA and other professional learned colleagues are put into the "dustbin" by the decision makers, "without realizing the ground realities".

Lockdown will break the chain of devastating spread, said the IMA, a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine in India.

#PMOIndia #NITIAayog #LargestVaccineDrive #IMAIndiaOrg IMA demands the health ministry wake up from its slumber and responds to mitigate the growing challenges of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/7OxKgLhi9Q  Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) May 8, 2021

"However, the central government had refused to head to implement lockdown resulting in the mounting of new patients beyond 4 lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 percent," the statement said.

The statement put emphasis on the fact that the "sporadic night curfews have not done any good" and the "life is precious than the economy."

IMA in its statement also targeted the Centre over the acute shortage of medical oxygen in the nation. "IMA is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the Ministry of health in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," read an official statement by the IMA.

Adding that the crisis of medical oxygen is deepening every day and is creating panic both among patients and fraternity across the nation.

"Wake up from slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges in covid pandemic," the IMA said.

The statement also added that though various mutants are identified yet the real hazard is not explained in actual terms. IMA insisted that dedicated experts shall be designated to study this and propose mitigation measures at the earliest.

Indian Medical Association also asked the authorities to revamp the entire health care administration with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets, who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care, adding that, a new integrated Ministry shall be set up to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front.

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New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir administration extended the corona curfew for a week in all 20 districts of the UT in view of the worrisome surge in COVID-19 cases.

The curfew will now last till 7 am on May 17. Corona Curfew imposed in all 20 districts of J&K till 7 am on Monday, 10/5/21 is extended further by 7 days till 7 am on Monday, 17/5/21. The curfew will be strict except for a few essential services, the administration said in a tweet on DIPR handle.

Further, the number of people allowed in marriages has been reduced to 25 with immediate effect. While essential and emergency services have been exempted from the restrictions.

Police and paramilitary forces have put checkpoints on roads in all districts of the UT to curb the unnecessary movement of people.

Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing around 5 thousand new COVID-19 cases for the last three days while 60 more people succumbed to the deadly infection.

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New Delhi: India recorded over 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day, data by the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

There were 4,03,738 new infections and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 2.22 crore, while the death toll has climbed to 2.42 lakh.

The country, going through the second wave of coronavirus, now has 37,36,648 active cases. India has also witnessed over 1.83 crore recoveries so far.

Between Friday and Saturday morning, the Centre had recorded 4,01,078 new cases and 4,187 coronavirus-related fatalities, while the country saw over 4.14 lakh infections and 3,915 deaths between Thursday and Friday morning.

Twelve states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan account for over 80 per cent of India's total active cases.

On a good note, 180 districts have shown no fresh cases in the last 7 days, 18 districts in 14 days, 54 districts in 21 days and 32 districts in the last 28 days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stated on Saturday.

He also informed that the number of critical cases thus far includes 4,88,861 patients who required ICU beds, 1,70,841 patients who required ventilator support and 9,02,291 patients who were given oxygen support.

As of Saturday, 1.34% of the active caseload is in ICU, 0.39% of them are on ventilators and 3.70% of them are on oxygen support.

Earlier on Saturday, the Centre revised the national policy guidelines pertaining to admission of COVID-19 patients at COVID facilities.

As per the Union Government directive to all States and UTs, hospitals under the Central Government, State governments and Union Territory administration including private hospitals (in states and UTs) managing COVID patients shall ensure the following:

1. Requirement of a positive test for the COVID-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a COVID health facility. A suspect case shall be admitted to the suspect ward of CCC, DCHC or DHC as the case may be.



2. No patient will be refused services on any count. This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city.



3. No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located.



4. Admissions to the hospital must be based on need. It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalization. Further, the discharge should be strictly in accordance with the revised discharge policy available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/ReviseddischargePolicyforCOVID19.pdf

Meanwhile, the IIT Kanpur scientists have predicted that after a peak in cases in the first week of May, the number of positive cases will begin to decrease by July. However, they also said that the country may face the third wave of COVID-19 infections in October. It was concluded after they conducted a mathematical study in different parts of the country on the COVID-19 situation.

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New Delhi: The Shiv Sena on Saturday (May 8) fired a fresh salvo at the Narendra Modi-led Centre for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and said it is clear that India is surviving on the system created by Nehru-Gandhi.

In its mouthpiece 'Saamana', Shiv Sena said that earlier countries like Pakistan, Rwanda and Congo used to get aid from others, but due to the wrong policies of todays rulers, India has to seek help from the rest of the world.

In clear terms, India is surviving on the system created by Nehru-Gandhi. Many poor countries are offering help to India. Earlier, countries like Pakistan, Rwanda and Congo used to get help from others. But due to the wrong policies of today's rulers, India is going through that situation now," PTI quoted Shiv Sena as saying.

"The UNICEF has expressed fear that there is a threat to the world from India due to the pace at which coronavirus is spreading in the country. It has also made an appeal that maximum number of countries should help India in the fight against COVID-19. Bangladesh has sent 10,000 Remdesivir vials, while Bhutan has sent medical oxygen. Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have also offered help to 'aatmanirbhar' India," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party added.

Further, hitting at PM Modi, Sena wrote in its editorial, The country is presently surviving thanks to the development works, projects set up by and the confidence given by the previous governments of Pandit Nehru, (Lal Bahadur) Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh," it said.

The prime minister will have to do a lot of hard work and think of non-political nationalism to help the country come out of the pandemic, the piece read.

The Shiv Sena also took potshots at the Central government for the construction of the multi-crore Central Vista project, which includes a new Parliament building and the house of the prime minister, amid the raging pandemic, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, PM Modi on Saturday called up Maharashtra CM Thackeray to take an overview of the COVID-19 situation there. He lauded the CMs efforts and observed that the state has put up a good fight during the ongoing second wave.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Hyderabad: To reduce the burden on medical and health department staff, who are working as the frontline warriors in the midst of the second wave of COVID-19 surge in the state, the Telangana government is inviting applications from the 50,000-odd medical students who have completed the MBBS and are qualified.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao held a high-level review meeting on Sunday at Pragathi Bhavan on the prevailing Covid situation in the state.

The chief minister, who holds the Health portfolio, has also instructed the medical and health officers to appoint for the period of two to three months, doctors, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists and other para-medical staff immediately and utilise their services in Covid19 treatment. He said these temporary employees should be paid respectable salaries and since there are extending their valuable services for the state their services should be suitably recognised. In future they should be given weightage marks when they are appointed for government jobs, he added.

Those interested could apply online by logging into: https://odls.telangana.gov.in/medicalrecruitment/Home.aspx

The state government has also decided to start super speciality hospitals at Warangal and Adilabad immediately and appoint medical and health staff there. The 250-bed super-speciality hospital of the MGM at Kakatiya Medical College premises, Warangal, and the 250-Bed Super speciality hospital at RIMS, Adilabad, will be soon operational.



The state finance department has been instructed to release immediately ums of Rs 28 Crore under PMSSY to super speciality hospital at the MGM, Warangal, and Rs 20 Crore to super speciality hospitals at RIMS in Adilabad. The concerned officials are also instructed to immediately take measures to appoint 363 staff at the super speciality hospital in Warangal and 366 staff at the super speciality hospital at RIMS, Adilabad.

During the review meeting, availability of Oxygen, beds, Remdesivir injections and other facilities were also discussed. The Medical and health officials informed that there is no shortage of Oxygen supply and there is the availability of Remdesivir injections and other required medicines in the state.

As of now, the officials informed that 7393 beds are available in the government hospitals along with 2470 Oxygen beds and 600 ventilators beds. Also, the chief minister directed the concerned officials to ensure a good supply of Remdesivir injections at the private hospitals also.

The CM also spoke with Union medical and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and briefed him about the measures taken by the state government.

The CM also suggested that the fast spreaders of the virus should be identified and they be administered the vaccine first. He said vaccine guidelines should be relaxed for cab drivers, auto drivers, conductors, personnel supplying the LPG gas cylinders, and those workers who go to places to do their daily jobs should be brought under a special category and be vaccinated. The centre should extend this facility to the states to help curtail the major spread of the virus.

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Lucknow: In the view of rising COVID-19 infections in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday (May 9, 2021) decided to extend the partial corona curfew in the state till May 17.

Earlier, the UP authorities had imposed a partial curfew in the state on April 29, which was later extended till 7 am on May 10.

Partial 'corona curfew' imposed in Uttar Pradesh extended till May 17: ACS Information Navneet Sehgal (file pic) pic.twitter.com/secgULoiUL  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 9, 2021

The authorities also revealed that this phase of 'corona curfew' will witness the same set of guideline, which were in place during the earlier phases. Under the previous guideline essential and emergency services including medicine shops, vegetable and grocery shops will be allowed to function as usual.

All the other commercial shops and establishments will remain closed till UP till further notice.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (May 8, 2021) had said that a massive COVID-19 vaccination drive will be initiated in the state for 18-44 years age group from May 10. UP CM also added that over 45 lakh vaccines have been administered to people.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court, on 27 April, had urged the Yogi-led government to consider imposing a lockdown for two weeks to contain the surge in coronavirus infections.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh recorded over 26,847 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the states infection count to 14,80,315. The state also recorded 298 deaths, taking the total death toll to 15,170.

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New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) Continuing their buying spree for the second straight month, mutual funds invested Rs 5,526 crore in stocks in April with fund managers sensing opportunities after some consolidation in the market.

Investment by mutual funds (MFs) in equities will continue in coming months seeing the increase in user growths as multiple fintech players are entering into this space, Kaushlendra Singh Sengar, founder and CEO at INVEST19, said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, is also of the view that this bullish stance to continue as valuations moderate somewhat post FY21 earnings and the consolidation provides investors with an opportunity to accumulate equities.

Another factor driving this stance is the softening of bond yields from March onwards, forcing investors to flock to equities in search of higher returns, he added.

According to Sebi data, MFs put in a net amount of Rs 5,526 crore in equities in the month of April, much higher than a net sum of Rs 4,773 crore invested in March.

This was the first such fund infusion by MFs in 10 months.

Prior to the inflows, mutual funds had been withdrawing money from equities since June 2020, data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed.

"We have witnessed 15.8 per cent monthly investment growth by mutual funds into equities last month as volatile stock market pushed investors to invest via equity mutual funds to reduce risk," Sengar said.

Alok Aggarwala, Chief Research Officer, Bajaj Capital, said mutual fund flows are generally a reflection of investor flows in the respective mutual fund schemes.

Domestic investors had been taking out money from equity mutual fund schemes since July 2020 and March 2021 was the first month when the trend changed.

In addition, spike in SIP flows was witnessed in March rising to Rs 9,182 crore from Rs 7,528 crore in the preceding month. Hence, the positive flow by mutual funds in equities was witnessed in March, he said.

Though the data is not yet out, but this trend of net inflow in equity mutual fund schemes seems to have continued in April 2021 too, leading to positive flows by mutual fund, he added.

"The month of April witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases that lead to some minor corrections in the markets, however this was followed by quick recoveries as well. Mutual funds used this fall in the market to buy new stocks resulting in increased inflow in the equities even in the month of April-2021," Gautam Kalia, Head - Investment Solutions, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, said.

Furthermore, there have been positive flows in mutual funds schemes in March and April that provided fund managers with additional liquidity to manage, he added.

Month-wise, MFs withdrew Rs 16,306 crore from equities in February, 13,032 crore in January, Rs 26,428 crore in December, Rs 30,760 crore in November, Rs 14,492 crore in October, Rs 4,134 crore in September, Rs 9,213 crore in August, Rs 9,195 crore in July and Rs 612 crore in June.

These outflows were mainly due to profit-booking by investors amid rally in stock markets.

However, MFs had invested over Rs 40,200 crore in the first five months (January-May) of 2020. Of this, Rs 30,285 crore was invested in March 2020.

The latest investment by mutual funds could be attributed to positive flows in previous month and some consolidation in markets continues to give opportunities to fund managers to invest, Harshad Chetanwala, co-founder of Mywealthgrowth.Com, said.

"If the fears of Covid increases among global investors, one could see more outflows on FPIs side, this can result in some more volatility. Investors may like to use this volatility or consolidation as an opportunity to invest in future as well," he added.

According to Rahul Shah, co-head of research at EquityMaster, the key job for any fund manager, at least in the medium term, is to strike the right balance between aggression and conservatism.

There are times when he should be more aggressive and there are times when more conservatism is called for.

"The behaviour of the funds in the last one year has baffled me somewhat. They were withdrawing money from equities when it was time to turn aggressive. And now when the situation calls for conservatism, they are directing funds into equities," Shah said

"I just hope there isn't more withdrawal if and when there is a correction in the market," he added.

On the other hand, mutual funds put in nearly Rs 21,600 crore in debt markets in the month under review.

However, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out net sum of Rs 9,659 crore from the Indian equity markets in April after investing Rs 10,482 crore in the preceding month.

They had invested Rs 25,787 crore in February and Rs 19,472 crore in January.

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#mute
New Delhi: The controversial actress Kangana Ranaut has once again taken the spotlight after she made headlines for having her Twitter account suspended on May 4. This time she took to Instagram to inform her fans that one of her recent Instagram post was deleted by the photo-sharing app and she suspects that if this continues, she probably won't last more than a week on the social media platform.

In her Instagram story, she wrote, "Instagram has deleted my post where I threatened to demolish COVID because some were hurt. Matlab terrorists and communists sympathisers suna tha twitter pe lekin COVID fan club. Awesome...It's been two days here on insta but don't think will last here more than a week."

Check out her post:

On May 8, Kangana had announced in an Instagram post that she had contracted COVID-19 and called it 'nothing but small-time flu'. However, the post is unavailable now.

Earlier, on Tuesday (May 4), Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's Twitter account was suspended by the social media platform over the actress violating its rules.

The action from Twitter came after the actress posted some tweets on the Bengal election and its subsequent violence.

In her tweets, the Manikarnika actress claimed that a genocide is happening in Bengal and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tame West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee using his "Virat Roop" from "early 2000s" in Bengal.

On the work front, Kangana Ranaut will be seen in Thalaivi - a biopic on the life of legendary actress turned politician J Jayalalithaa.
New Delhi: Bigg Boss 13 contestant Vikas Fhatak, who is commonly known as Hindustani bhau was arrested by police on Saturday (May 8).

The social media influencer had on Friday announced on his Twitter account that he would be protesting at Shivaji Park on Saturday noon, demanding the government to cancel all exams for students.

Hindustani bhau, to avoid getting checked and stopped amidst lockdown, used an ambulance, which falls under the category of emergency service and is not stopped by the police to reach Shivaji Park for his solo protest.

The media recorded Vikas' antics before the police came in to arrest him.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Pranaya Ashok, DCP zone 5 said, Yes. Its a gross publicity stunt with misuse of a vital medical facility.

He further added, He has been arrested and an FIR registered.

Controversial Hindustani bhau has been charged under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) of the IPC and 51 (B) (refuses to comply with directions government) of Disaster Management Act read with section 11 (violating provisions of the regulations) of Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations, 2020.

Earlier, Hindustani bhau YouTube account was suspended for its hateful and defamatory content.
New Delhi: Bigg Boss 14 fame Nikki Tamboli, who lost her 29-year-old brother Jatin on May 4, took to Instagram to slam trolls who shamed her for enjoying life just days after her brothers demise.

Taking to her Instagram stories on Saturday (May 8), the actress wrote she too deserves happiness in her life and her family also wants that for her.

Some stupid people are msging me and commenting on my pictures that my brother has just passed away few days back don't you feel shame you are enjoying so let me tell you idiots that I also have my life, I also deserve to be happy if not for myself for my brother as he loves when I stay happy and these people who have no work but only have time to comment and spread negativity I would request you to go and achieve your dreams it will make you and your parents and your loved ones happy too, read Nikkis note.

Nikki is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, shooting for adventure reality show Khatron ke Khiladi. The actress has been posting Instagram stories from South Africa.

Earlier, the actress also posted a long note on how her family is most important to her and that despite her personal loss, she will be participating in Khatron ke khiladi as it is something that her brother really wanted for her.

Nikki wrote in her post, my family comes always first but my family my parents my dad always told me to go live your dreams go achieve it because trust me your brother will be the most happiest watching you fulfill your dreams. I remember before my brother was admitted in hospital we had discussed khatron Ke khiladi & he was very excited and happy about it. I am choosing khatron ke khiladi because of my work commitment and I have always been loyal to my work because it has given me everything.

The actress ended her note with, I am fighting my pain to see my brother happy and he will be my shield forever.

Nikkis brother Jatin was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was also infected by tuberculosis and pneumonia.
New Delhi: A day after popular TV star Shweta Tewari left for Cape Town to participate in 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 11', her estranged husband Abhinav Kohli has accused her over Instagram of 'abandoning' their son, Reyansh. The actor has also claimed that she did not inform him about their sons whereabouts. Kohli had posted two videos sharing that he did not give his consent to Shweta to travel abroad in the second wave of COVID-19.

Now, Shweta has rubbished all the claims made by her husband and shared to an online portal that she had informed Kohli before jetting off for Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 that Reyansh is safe with her family.

In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, Shweta lambasted at Abhinav Kohli and shared, I had informed Abhinav Kohli over a phone call that I am going to Cape Town and that Reyansh is safe with my family. My mother, my relatives, and Palak are there to take care of him. Plus, I will always be on video calls with Reyansh in between my shoot. I had informed Abhinav Kohli of everything and I was surprised yet again to see the video he posted. I really dont understand the agenda behind it, given that he speaks to Reyansh in the evening over call for about one hour, every day, without fail as per the High Courts order."

She also cleared the air for not sharing the address with him as she believed that Kohli might create problems for her family in Shwetas absence.

Shweta also shared that she wanted to take their son along with her to Cape Town so that she can ensure his maximum safety and the channel has also agreed to bear all the expenses of her son and nanny and she had to only pay for her mother but Abhinav did not give his consent to it.

"I was ready to make them all travel with me to ensure maximum safety. However, Abhinav Kohli did not give me the consent which is required. He did not want Reyansh to be with me, whereas all I wanted was to keep my son close so he could be safer in my proximity," she stated.

Shweta has also accused Abhinav of not contributing a single penny to the growth of the kids. She added, "I fail to understand his claims of me abandoning my child when he is very well aware of the safety measures taken. I am a single parent, I need to do the work to run my family. My kids well-being is my priority, and I have to fend for them and my family. For someone who is not contributing a single penny to the growth of kids, how easy is it to pull down someone who is trying to balance all their duties."

Shweta and Abhinav tied the knot in 2013 but are separated.


New Delhi: The Uttarakhand government on Sunday decided to impose a week-long 'COVID Curfew' which will remain in force between 6 am on May 11 and 6 am on May 18.

State Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal made the announcement and said that only essential services will be allowed during this period, as reported by news agency ANI.

Further, Uniyal said interstate travelers will now have to produce negative RT-PCR result not older than 72 hours and will have to register themselves on the Dehradun administration's portal. "People of Uttarakhand coming from outside will have to undergo seven-day isolation," he said.

During this 'COVID curfew', only essential services will be allowed while all non-essential establishments, including shopping malls, markets, gyms, hair salons, spas, restaurants and bars will remain closed.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions, along with religious places of worship, will also remain closed during this week-long 'COVID curfew' in the state.

Uttarakhand had earlier extended the curfew in three districts which had reported the most cases that is  Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar till May 10. The curfew was imposed in the last week of April.

The order asked the DMs of the remaining 10 districts to assess the situation in their areas and impose a curfew till 5 am on 10 May, if required.

Meanwhile, the state reported 5,890 new COVID-19 cases and 180 deaths on Sunday.
New Delhi: Amid the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, India has been receiving help in the form of medical aids from countries across the globe.

Numerous countries including US, Germany, UK, Taiwan and others have sent numerous medical aid to help India combat COVID-19.

Israel has sent over a couple of consignment of medical aid, including three large oxygen generator plants, to India to deal with the recent surge in coronavirus cases.

In an unique development, the citizens of Israel showed their solidarity with India by chanting 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra in the centre of the city.

Hundreds of people in Israel gathered and chanted the 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra and prayed to God Shiva to help India in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The motive behind people chanting the 'Om Namah Shivaya' mantra was to spread positivity in the atmosphere. The music along with the mantra is giving a boost to the positive vibe in the surrounding.

People of Israel organised the event to pray for patients' speedy recovery and extended their emotional support to the worst COVID-19 hit country.

See the video of people using spiritualism to support India in this challenging situation:

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Dhaka: Bangladesh has detected its first case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, the country`s health directorate said on Saturday (May 8), prompting the government to keep its border sealed for another two weeks.

Six cases of the Indian variant had been detected in Bangladesh, Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the health directorate, told reporters.

Two cases are confirmed to be of the Indian variant, and the others are quite close to it," Sultana said, adding that they all recently returned from neighbouring India and were in isolation.

The Indian variant is highly contagious and people must be cautious and strictly follow health guidelines such as wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing and washing hands," she said.

The variant, named B.1.617, has reached at least 17 countries, from Britain and Iran to Switzerland, sparking global concern.

The World Health Organization has described it as a "variant of interest", suggesting it may have mutations that would make the virus more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity.

India, battling a devastating second wave of the coronavirus that has overwhelmed hospitals, morgues and crematoriums, on Saturday (May 8) reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll.

Late in April, Bangladesh sealed its border with India for 14 days, though trade continues.

The government on Saturday decided to extend the border closure for another 14 days after the variant was detected, a foreign ministry official said.

Air travel has been suspended since April 14, when Bangladesh imposed a strict lockdown for a week. Since then, a loose lockdown has been in place to May 16.

Bangladesh`s second wave peaked around a month ago. Since then, daily infections have been declining, with 1,285 new cases reported on Saturday (May 8) as well as 45 fatalities. Total cases stand at 772,127, with 11,878 deaths.

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Washington: Several experts have opined that China`s increasingly aggressive behaviour and US support during India's COVID-19 crisis will make the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) - a security alliance between India, the US, Japan and Australia - more robust.

Terry Wu for The Epoch Times writes that the growing threat from China would bind the geopolitical factor strongly in the long run and political factors drive the long-term regional outlook.

"Our (US-India) relationship is still very strong. If anything, the US support to India has made the partnership even stronger," said Major Randy Ready at the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), adding that the COVID-19 outbreak had no impact on security operations between the two nations.

Srikanth Kondapalli, professor in Chinese studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said that the second wave of the crisis will play a part in strengthening the Quad cooperation by highlighting the importance of the vaccine partnership that is the centrepiece of the dialogue, The Epoch Times reported.

"The future for the Quad is pretty bright," said Rahul Mishra, a senior lecturer at the University of Malaya, adding that the four countries are keen in strengthening and institutionalising the initiative, while European powers are also showing interest."

The Quad should be about how to maintain liberal democracy and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region," said Tosh Minohara, professor of US-Japan Relations and Diplomatic History at Kobe University.

The professor further said that the US will defend Taiwan as America`s world leadership is at stake and expressed hope of seeing a new US administration in 2025 that is more aggressive on China.

"The Indo-Pacific is the most consequential region for America`s future. It hosts our greatest security challenge, and it remains the priority theatre for the United States," said commander Admiral John C Aquilino at the new USINDOPACOM."

Although everybody calls it COVID-19, everybody knows that the virus originated from Wuhan," said Kondapalli.

Under the former President Donald Trump`s administration, ties between Washington and Beijing had deteriorated over issues such as human rights violations in Xinjiang, encroachment on the special status of Hong Kong, accusations of unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency concerning the pandemic and China`s military aggression around the world.

China`s actions in the East and South China Seas, its treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, overhauling of the Hong Kong political system are some of the factors that have infuriated many nations.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 10:39:25|Editor: huaxia

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Members of a Chinese medical expert team inspect a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

During their inspection tours to the Lao hospitals, when encountering infected Chinese patients, the Chinese experts would check the situation and cheer up them.

The Chinese experts might also gift some traditional herbal medicines to the Chinese patients, bringing them their familiar taste and smell, hopes of recovery, and cares from the motherland.

VIENTIANE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- After arriving in Laos on Tuesday, the medical expert team sent by the Chinese government has coordinated with the Lao side to fully carry out its job to join the fight against COVID-19 here, and has also helped build an "anti-epidemic shield" for cooperation projects and for the Chinese people in Laos.

The Chinese medical expert team has been to the Lao Ministry of Health to participate in the regular epidemic prevention and control meetings and on-site working conferences since the second day after its arrival, and has been going to the designated hospitals and temporary hospitals for treating COVID-19 infected cases, quarantine centers, virus sampling sites, labs, and border check points in Laos, to exchange views and experience with the Lao colleagues and provide suggestions and training courses to the Lao side, as well as directing the Chinese people and enterprises engaged in cooperation projects to handle the epidemic prevention and control, and reassure the infected Chinese compatriots.

A team of Chinese medical experts inspect a COVID-19 quarantine hotel in Vientiane, Laos, May 6, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

Wang Jiankun, the Chinese expert team leader has been leading his team to inspect the China-Laos railway construction sites and the Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone where lots of Chinese companies gather.

Wang's team has presented guidance on epidemic prevention and control, looked into the epidemic precaution work in the canteens, staff dormitories, construction sites, etc., exchanged with the development zone and the Chinese railway engineering companies' epidemic prevention and control personnel and conducted on-site training, introduced the professional knowledge and working methods on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, answered questions about the daily work of epidemic prevention, and even conducted detailed on-site demonstrations of proper ways to put on or take off the masks and to wash the hands.

Huang Hong, the general representative of the China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) in the construction of China-Laos railway, told Xinhua on Saturday that "the scientific guidance from the Chinese government's anti-epidemic medical expert team to Laos has strengthened our 'shield' against the virus, which brings us, the Chinese participating engineering companies on the China-Laos railway, fewer worries about the virus, but more confidence in overcoming the epidemic and completing the construction task on schedule."

Members of a Chinese medical expert team visit a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

During their inspection tours to the hospitals, when encountering infected Chinese patients, the Chinese experts would check the situation and encourage them.

The Chinese experts might also gift some traditional herbal medicines to the Chinese patients, bringing them their familiar taste and smell, hopes of recovery and cares from the motherland.

A Chinese patient told the Chinese doctors that their arrival has increased his confidence in overcoming the disease, while "feeling at ease when seeing you."

On Friday evening, the Chinese expert team received a piece of urgent message from the hospital: A Chinese citizen who was hospitalized and diagnosed as COVID-19 infected case on Wednesday had not eaten for two days, and was suffering from aches, fever, and blurred vision.

"Our medical staff rushed to the hospital on the evening of May 7 to join the Lao colleagues to treat the Chinese compatriot," Yang Xiaohua, a member of the expert team from the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, participating in the treatment that day, told Xinhua on Saturday, "I am feeling more sense of responsibility, mission and achievement when treating compatriots in a foreign country, and it is more gratifying to be able to do the job well here."

Members of a Chinese medical expert team visit a COVID-19 sampling site in Vientiane, Laos, May 7, 2021. (Chinese medical expert team/Handout via Xinhua)

The team of Chinese medical experts, along with medical materials, arrived in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday to assist Laos in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The medical team includes experts in infection prevention and control, intensive care, epidemics, and laboratory testing, along with medical supplies, including COVID-19 testing kits, protective clothing, and face masks among others.

Laos has been seeing a surge of COVID-19 infections recently. The Chinese medical team will help the Lao side in upgrading the precaution and treatment scheme, improving the technical level and response capabilities, studying the trend of the COVID-19 epidemic and making corresponding recommendations. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 11:23:17|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Madeleine Gonzalez, a resident in Havana's Playa district, turned her living room into a dance floor to get rid of social stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of people watched a concert by local musicians through TV and live streaming on May 1, which marked the first time that the island country had celebrated the national day of Cuban Son.

The 42-year-old engineer in red jogging pants, loose T-shirt and black sneakers often hang out with friends before the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, a new way which allows them to continue enjoying the music and at the same time avoid spread of the disease has come out -- dancing at home.

"I support this initiative because I enjoy dancing to son music," she said while taking a five-minute break on her couch, "musicians are doing their best to keep interacting with us. Son music is the life."

Gonzalez's husband Yuris Perez, a 36-year-old taxi driver, joined her in their private dancing room after getting home.

"I love the energy of music and the way it makes me relaxed. We will continue dancing despite lockdowns," he told Xinhua.

The Caribbean country is holding a campaign to include son music in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the coming years.

Indira Fajardo, president of Cuban Music Institute, said that son music was one of the most relevant expressions of the local culture.

"This is part of our identity, and it is the result of the contributions of many musicians who have put son music on the map," she said. "Cuba places its music at the highest level of its culture."

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, local musicians have given live-streaming performances to better interact with their fans and recorded albums until live events could be open again.

Emilio Frias, leader of "El Nino y La Verdad" salsa music band, recalled his last live performance in a small club in Havana on the night of March 13, 2020, just one day before cultural venues on the island were closed.

"I miss the face-to-face contact with the public. I need that," he told Xinhua, "though making music under confinement is very difficult, there is no other choice at the moment."

Nightclubs, bars, and music halls in Cuba remain closed at present as the country is fighting the third wave of COVID-19.

"Although the disease brought music performances to a standstill, musicians and people have found innovative ways to stay connected," said Adalberto Alvarez, winner of the Cuban National Prize of Music in 2008.

"This is a country of dancers," said Alvarez. Enditem
India "squandered" its early successes in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi could preside over "a self-inflicted national catastrophe" if the projections of 1 million fatalities from COVID-19 by August turn out to be true, medical journal The Lancet said in an editorial piece highly critical of the Modi government.

The widely respected publication stated that the success of the country in overcoming the COVID crisis will hinge upon PM Modi's administration "owning up to its mistakes".

Alluding to Twitter removing over 50 posts after orders from the Centre, the Lancet said, "PM Narendra Modi's actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable."

Also Read: PM Modi holds review meeting on COVID-19 situation in country

The medical journal added that success in overcoming the COVID-19 second wave would reckon on the government "owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart."

"The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that India will see a staggering 1 million deaths from COVID-19 by Aug 1. If that outcome were to happen, Modi's government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe," it said.

The Lancet further critiqued the Modi government, stating that until April, "the government's COVID-19 taskforce had not met in months. The consequences of that decision are clear before us".

Also Read: COVID-19 crisis: Mamata Banerjee requests PM Modi to lift taxes, duties on medical equipment, drugs

"At times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has seemed more intent on removing criticism on Twitter than trying to control the pandemic," it said.

The medical journal noted that despite persistent warnings of the second wave dangers and the advent of variants, the government maintained that India was in the "endgame" of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities," it stated.

Calling out the Modi government for creating an impression that India had beaten the COVID-19 pandemic, The Lancet said, "...yet before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, Indian Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the "endgame" of the epidemic."

"The impression from the government was that India had beaten COVID-19 after several months of low case counts, despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains," the journal noted.

"Despite warnings about the risks of superspreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies-conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures," it said.

Calling India's vaccination programme as "botched", The Lancet stated it must be rationalised and enforced with all due speed.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 16:51:44|Editor: huaxia

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HAIKOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In recent days, thousands of consumers and business persons in Haikou, capital of China's southernmost Hainan province, have witnessed the economic vitality at the first China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE).

The expo running from May 7 to May 10 has attracted 648 foreign enterprises showcasing over 1,300 brands in Haikou, and is expected to be the largest consumer goods expo in the Asia-Pacific region.

Striving for post-pandemic recovery, multinational giants came to the expo to debut their new products and showcase their top-notch goods, and overseas small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also flocked here to observe the booming Chinese market.

Fabrice Megarbane, L'Oreal's president for North Asia Zone and chief executive officer (CEO) of L'Oreal China, told Xinhua that with the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 pandemic entering a regular basis, China continues to open up to the world with a positive and enterprising attitude, setting an example for other countries.

Expressing his belief that China's business environment will be more friendly as the opening up measures will continue to deepen, Megarbane said by connecting China's domestic and international markets, multinational enterprises have the opportunity to obtain a wider range of resources.

U.S. luxury fashion company Tapestry thinks alike. Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia Pacific, said at the scene, "the expo is not only an innovative platform bringing together high-quality products and services from all over the world, but also an important opportunity to showcase our brand concepts, expand market channels and innovate consumer trends."

"The constant upgrading of Chinese consumer demand and rising standards has brought new trends and opportunities to the market, becoming a powerful driving force for the growth of the global market," Bozec said.

As the pandemic continues to batter world economy, the first trade fair in China's biggest free trade port has not only attracted global giants, but also groups of foreign SMEs.

Showing Xinhua reporters around the Irish pavilion, Gareth Hargadon, head of Economic Section with the Irish Embassy in China, proudly introduced products ranging from food and beverage to animal nutrition, luxury home wares and babycare products, calling them unique offerings of Ireland.

Though Ireland is a small country, its brands are active participants of physical expos in China, such as last year's China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing and China International Import Expo in Shanghai, he noted.

"I think the more these trade fairs happen, the more opportunities for Irish companies to promote their products, because China is a massive market ... There is a big opportunity for us here," Hargadon said.

Lee Junhyung, CEO of Sunwah-Fonwin Korea Inc, said Korean companies came here with "high expectations" and many of them had achieved results beyond expectations on the first day of the expo.

"The (South) Korean companies need this kind of expo to enter the Chinese market and to find buyers," he said.

Suppara Seakacharn, commercial consul with Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou, told Xinhua that many Thai companies interested in joining the CICPE failed to come to China due to the pandemic, so the commercial section offered those companies online channels to tap into the Chinese market.

In the opinion of Paolo Bazzoni, chairman of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), the expo is a very important message from China, which is significant for Italy.

Noting that China is unlike many places of the world that forbid travels, Bazzoni said the CICC "will facilitate all the exhibitions in China, in order to attract our company to follow."

"I think China has a role to demonstrate to the world that is possible to recover, it's possible to continue and grow," he said.

He said the open free trade and offshore duty-free policy and new development paradigm of "dual circulation" have given Hainan unprecedented advantages, pushing the province to a leading place in the world in terms of business growth.

A report jointly released recently by KPMG China and The Moodie Davitt found that the Hainan free trade port will likely become the world's biggest duty-free market in the near term if it continues on its current growth curve.

By the end of 2020, offshore duty-free business in Hainan was worth approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars, boosted by an enhanced shopping policy, said the report.

Promoting trade and connecting world markets not only benefit China, but also bring recovery hope and inject impetus to the world economy.

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

Jack Chan, chairman of services company EY China, said the CICPE provides a vast stage for quality goods from across the world, which will definitely promote the global supply of high-end consumer goods and services.

Besides driving forward consumption, the expo can also accelerate the development of modern service industry in sectors like finance, exhibition, freight and logistics, Chan said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Sun Xiaoling in London and Song Yu in Bangkok also contributed to the story.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:48:18|Editor: huaxia

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Staff do preparation work at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

HAIKOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In recent days, thousands of consumers and business persons in Haikou, capital of China's southernmost Hainan province, have witnessed the economic vitality at the first China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE).

The expo running from May 7 to May 10 has attracted 648 foreign enterprises showcasing over 1,300 brands in Haikou, and is expected to be the largest consumer goods expo in the Asia-Pacific region.

Striving for post-pandemic recovery, multinational giants came to the expo to debut their new products and showcase their top-notch goods, and overseas small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also flocked here to observe the booming Chinese market.

A visitor smells a bottle of perfume during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhou Jiayi)

Fabrice Megarbane, L'Oreal's president for North Asia Zone and chief executive officer (CEO) of L'Oreal China, told Xinhua that with the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 pandemic entering a regular basis, China continues to open up to the world with a positive and enterprising attitude, setting an example for other countries.

Expressing his belief that China's business environment will be more friendly as the opening up measures will continue to deepen, Megarbane said by connecting China's domestic and international markets, multinational enterprises have the opportunity to obtain a wider range of resources.

U.S. luxury fashion company Tapestry thinks alike. Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia Pacific, said at the scene, "the expo is not only an innovative platform bringing together high-quality products and services from all over the world, but also an important opportunity to showcase our brand concepts, expand market channels and innovate consumer trends."

"The constant upgrading of Chinese consumer demand and rising standards has brought new trends and opportunities to the market, becoming a powerful driving force for the growth of the global market," Bozec said.

Photo taken on May 8, 2021 shows different kinds of alcoholic drinks on display during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

As the pandemic continues to batter world economy, the first trade fair in China's biggest free trade port has not only attracted global giants, but also groups of foreign SMEs.

Showing Xinhua reporters around the Irish pavilion, Gareth Hargadon, head of Economic Section with the Irish Embassy in China, proudly introduced products ranging from food and beverage to animal nutrition, luxury home wares and babycare products, calling them unique offerings of Ireland.

Though Ireland is a small country, its brands are active participants of physical expos in China, such as last year's China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing and China International Import Expo in Shanghai, he noted.

"I think the more these trade fairs happen, the more opportunities for Irish companies to promote their products, because China is a massive market ... There is a big opportunity for us here," Hargadon said.

Lee Junhyung, CEO of Sunwah-Fonwin Korea Inc, said Korean companies came here with "high expectations" and many of them had achieved results beyond expectations on the first day of the expo.

"The (South) Korean companies need this kind of expo to enter the Chinese market and to find buyers," he said.

Suppara Seakacharn, commercial consul with Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou, told Xinhua that many Thai companies interested in joining the CICPE failed to come to China due to the pandemic, so the commercial section offered those companies online channels to tap into the Chinese market.

Photo taken on May 8, 2021 shows a fashion booth during the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhou Jiayi)

In the opinion of Paolo Bazzoni, chairman of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), the expo is a very important message from China, which is significant for Italy.

Noting that China is unlike many places of the world that forbid travels, Bazzoni said the CICC "will facilitate all the exhibitions in China, in order to attract our company to follow."

"I think China has a role to demonstrate to the world that is possible to recover, it's possible to continue and grow," he said.

He said the open free trade and offshore duty-free policy and new development paradigm of "dual circulation" have given Hainan unprecedented advantages, pushing the province to a leading place in the world in terms of business growth.

A report jointly released recently by KPMG China and The Moodie Davitt found that the Hainan free trade port will likely become the world's biggest duty-free market in the near term if it continues on its current growth curve.

By the end of 2020, offshore duty-free business in Hainan was worth approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars, boosted by an enhanced shopping policy, said the report.

Promoting trade and connecting world markets not only benefit China, but also bring recovery hope and inject impetus to the world economy.

People walk into the venue of the first China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa)

"China's recovery from the pandemic gives hope to the world, Hainan's International Consumer Products Expo is a practical step to bring such hope to other countries," said Xiong Yu, a professor at the Britain-based Surrey Business School of the University of Surrey.

Jack Chan, chairman of services company EY China, said the CICPE provides a vast stage for quality goods from across the world, which will definitely promote the global supply of high-end consumer goods and services.

Besides driving forward consumption, the expo can also accelerate the development of modern service industry in sectors like finance, exhibition, freight and logistics, Chan said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Sun Xiaoling in London and Song Yu in Bangkok also contributed to the story.)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on March 30, 2021 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

A report published recently on British journal Nature noted that such certification by the WHO could help "address the current shortfall in vaccines available through COVAX," and potentially opens the door to "wide distribution in lower-income nations through the COVAX initiative."

GENEVA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday validated the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm for emergency use, a move widely welcomed by officials and experts worldwide and set to benefit the global fight against the pandemic.

This is a "great success and benefit for the world" because the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine validated by the WHO is proving very effective in countries including Pakistan where it is being administered, said Musarrat Amin, a Pakistani strategic security analyst.

The world right now is suffering due to COVID-19 and the Sinopharm vaccine is a blessing because of its easy storage requirements, which will make it a desirable vaccine for the low-income economies of the third world countries, Amin said.

"The Sinopharm vaccine being added into the WHO's COVAX program is a huge relief for the third world countries," she added.

A medical worker receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital on the outskirts of Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Feb. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

COVAX is an initiative led by international partnerships and agencies, including the WHO, to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are distributed equitably.

The WHO's emergency approval of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is "a step in the right direction" and is "a great attempt to help beat coronavirus in developing countries," Abbas Zaki, a member of the Fatah Central Committee and Fatah's Commissioner General for the Arab and Chinese Affairs, told Xinhua.

Prior to the WHO's decision, the Chinese vaccine has already been used in dozens of developing countries, including Palestine, and "offers reassurance and comfort to developing countries as it is safe and effective," Zaki said.

A staff member checks the packaging quality of COVID-19 inactivated vaccine products at a packaging plant of the Beijing Biological Products Institute Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Bangladesh is very pleased to learn about the WHO decision to include the Chinese-made vaccine in the Emergency Use Listing, which surely comes as "a big blessing for the whole world in the fight against the deadly disease," said Mushtuq Hossain, an advisor to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research under Bangladesh's Health Ministry, in an interview with Xinhua.

He said Bangladesh's drug regulator has already approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use in the country, and the decision of the WHO will further facilitate the vaccination of more Bangladeshis.

A frontliner receives her first shot of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, April 3, 2021. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)

Brunei's health ministry on Saturday shared the information of the WHO's emergency use approval for Sinopharm vaccine with local media, asking for publication on respective platforms to let the public know that all vaccines used in the country have WHO endorsement and to encourage wider vaccination.

A report published recently on British journal Nature noted that such certification by the WHO could help "address the current shortfall in vaccines available through COVAX," and potentially opens the door to "wide distribution in lower-income nations through the COVAX initiative."

"For many countries, Chinese vaccines were the only accessible ones," it wrote, adding that researchers in other countries such as Brazil, Turkey and Chile are "beginning to see evidence of their effect in controlling the pandemic."

China has been fulfilling its commitment to making its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good "at a time when the vaccine shots are not available in many places or being nationalized," Amin said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:34:33|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Standing at a new historical starting point, China is ready to work with Suriname to carry forward traditional friendship, enhance policy alignment and political mutual trust, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

In a phone conversation with his Surinamese counterpart, Albert Ramdin, Wang noted that Suriname was one of the first Caribbean countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, and the upcoming May 28 will mark the 45th anniversary of the China-Suriname diplomatic ties.

Over the past 45 years, the two countries have always understood and supported each other, setting an example of equal treatment and friendly relations between big and small countries, Wang said.

China appreciates Suriname for abiding by the one-China principle and always standing firmly with China on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, he said.

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi have exchanged letters and messages, Wang said China is ready to maintain exchanges with Suriname at all levels and launch inter-foreign ministry consultations at an early date.

The two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding and a cooperation plan on jointly building the Belt and Road, Wang said, adding that both sides should deepen cooperation in infrastructure construction, communications and other fields, and actively explore energy development, so as to help promote Suriname's economic recovery and transformation.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Suriname to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said, adding that the two countries should strengthen unity and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and safeguard multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries.

Wang also expressed hope that the Surinamese side will make good use of the Consultative Mechanism between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean Countries Having Diplomatic Relations with China, the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and other mechanisms, so as to promote the overall cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries.

For his part, Ramdin expressed warm congratulations on China's achievements in economic and social development, and stressed that the one-China principle will never be shaken as the cornerstone of Suriname-China relations.

Ramdin also extended gratitude to the Chinese side for its sincere help in fighting COVID-19, expressing hope to take the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties as an opportunity to push for new progress in bilateral relations. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:52:38|Editor: huaxia

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Employees of a shopping mall receive COVID-19 vaccine in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, May 9, 2021. Kuwait launched on Sunday the second phase of the COVID-19 field vaccination campaign that provides vaccines for workers of shopping malls in the country. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

KUWAIT CITY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait launched on Sunday the second phase of the COVID-19 field vaccination campaign that provides vaccines for workers of shopping malls in the country.

Abdullah Al-Sanad, spokesman of the Kuwaiti Health Ministry, said in a press statement that this campaign comes within the efforts of the ministry to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country.

According to him, the field vaccination campaign will start on Sunday at Farwaniya Governorate's Avenues Mall, the largest shopping mall in Kuwait, where the first dose will be offered to about 10,000 workers of the mall.

During the upcoming days, the vaccine will be provided for workers in other commercial complexes of the country, Al-Sanad said.

In the first phase of the field vaccination campaign, more than 34,758 employees who have direct contact with the public have received vaccine through this service, he explained, noting they are from several bodies such as cooperative societies, mosques, banking sector, food factories, cinemas and others. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-08 19:36:02|Editor: huaxia

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Few vehicles are seen on a road in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on May 8, 2021. In its efforts to curb the third wave of COVID-19, the Pakistani government has ramped up restriction across the country for the upcoming holidays of Eid al-Fitr festival, urging the public to stay at home to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Xinhua) -- In its efforts to curb the third wave of COVID-19, the Pakistani government has ramped up restriction across the country for the upcoming holidays of Eid al-Fitr festival, urging the public to stay at home to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) which oversees the country's response to the pandemic, all businesses, hotels, parks, recreational spots and shopping malls will remain closed from May 8 to 16, covering the Eid al-Fitr holidays from May 10 to 15 in Pakistan.

Besides, there will also be a complete ban on inter-provincial and inter-city public transport during May 8 and May 16. Monitoring teams at federal, provincial, and district levels will make sure the implementation of the restrictions.

However, essential services including petrol stations, bakeries and pharmacies will be exempted from the restrictions, said the NCOC.

Pakistan has seen record deaths and the highest number of critical cases in recent days. The country reported 4,109 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 854,240, the NCOC said on Saturday.

A total of 120 people died during the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 18,797, according to the NCOC.

Considering the grim situation in the country, the Pakistani government has announced extended Eid al-Fitr holidays and guidelines to curb the rising COVID-19 cases, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said.

"We have seen the destruction of coronavirus in our neighboring country. In Pakistan, we have recently been witnessing a sharp rise in the number of cases ... and by following standard operating procedures, we will be able to protect ourselves from the virus," Hussain said in his special message to public recently.

"In the past, we used to meet our families, relatives and friends to share the happiness of the festival, but on this Eid, we will be staying at home to save ourselves and families," he said, adding that "Stay Home, Stay Safe" will be the motto on the Eid al-Fitr holidays this time.

In order to control a mass mobility of travelers, Pakistan has suspended inbound pedestrian movement through land border crossings with neighboring Iran and Afghanistan from May 5 to 20. Normally, during Eid al-Fitr, massive return of migrant workers and overseas Pakistanis for celebrations are witnessed.

The country also slashed inbound international flights by 80 percent from May 5 to 20 amid high disease prevalence in various parts of the world and the current disease situation in Pakistan with corresponding extreme stress on the critical care system.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has also been expedited recently. On Tuesday, Pakistan's single-day administered COVID-19 vaccine doses surpassed 200,000 for the first time, said Asad Umar, the NCOC chairman, adding that over 5 million people have been registered for vaccination so far.

Calling the government's extended measures timely and effective, health and economic experts in the country believe that the government must go an extra mile to save lives and the national economy from the adverse impact of the pandemic.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Talha Hashmi, a physician at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, said that the next few weeks will be crucial in the battle against COVID-19 as the third wave has been gaining strength in the country, resulting in an increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths.

"Although the government has been taking all-out necessary measures in its capacity, but without public support, all efforts to stop the spread of the disease would prove futile," Hashmi said, adding that strictly following the government-set health guidelines will be in public interest and for their own benefit.

Besides mounting overwhelming pressure on the country's healthcare system, the new upward trend in cases could also pose serious challenges to the national economy, Humayun Iqbal Shami, chairman of the Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Economic Forum, said.

"If the situation gets out of control, the authorities would have no choice but to impose a complete lockdown in the country, which would directly affect ... lower strata of the society," the economist told Xinhua.

Shami said Pakistan had managed to get out of the economic crisis during the first and second waves of the coronavirus owing to timely and prudent policies adopted by the government, and the public has largely helped it by following COVID-19 related instructions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 15:44:00|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Lao Ministry of Health on Sunday reported the first COVID-19 death.

The victim was a 53-year-old woman, who received treatment for COVID-19 at designated hospital in Lao capital Vientiane since April 30, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control under the Lao Ministry of Health Latsamy Vongkhamsao told a press conference in Vientiane on Sunday.

Latsamy added that Laos recorded 69 new COVID-19 cases over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,302.

A total of 232 COVID-19 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

Laos confirmed its first two COVID-19 cases on March 24 last year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 17:37:04|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Jagat Bahadur Karki, 35, a COVID-19 patient who has to isolate himself at home in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley due to an acute shortage of oxygen at hospitals, struggled for breath on Saturday night as his oxygen level came down as low as 82 percent.

"I struggled for breath, continued vomiting and had diarrhea," Karki, who lives with his wife and son in a rented house in Bhaktapur district in the valley, told Xinhua over the phone.

"My family and friends made several inquiries from several sources for oxygen but they could not find any," he said.

According to the doctors, a person's normal blood oxygen level should be above 90 percent of the saturation point (100 percent).

As he spoke, Karki sounded struggling for breath, and very little was asked about his health. His oxygen level still was only 84 percent on Sunday morning.

"One needs to be hospitalized immediately if the oxygen level goes below 90 percent," said Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, director at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

Despite his effort, Karki failed to get himself admitted to a hospital, as all hospitals approached by his family cited the lack of beds and oxygen.

One hour after the conversation with Karki, his wife Manju was pleading for help to take him to hospital, saying her husband's condition was deteriorating.

As Karki was struggling at home, hospitals are scrambling to get enough oxygen for admitted patients. With hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, oxygen is in short supply in the country.

Nepal has been ravaged by a deadly second wave of coronavirus over the past weeks, which has resulted in record numbers of new infections and deaths and laid bare the country's poor health infrastructure.

On Saturday, the Himalayan country recorded 8,287 new cases through polymerase chain reaction tests and 131 through antigen tests. It is the fourth consecutive day the nation reported over 8,000 cases in a single day.

In face of a swelling number of patients, several hospitals have issued public notices saying they are no longer capable of taking new COVID-19 patients due to the lack of oxygen.

On Saturday, Medicare Hospital, Nepal Bharat Maitri Hospital, Dirghayu Guru Hospital and Helping Hands Community Hospital, all based in the Kathmandu Valley, issued a joint statement saying they had stopped taking more COVID-19 patients due to a shortage of medical oxygen.

"Until oxygen is made available adequately, the service will be provided for the limited COVID-19 patients only," they said.

Likewise, Karuna Hospital and Ganeshman Singh Memorial Hospital and Research Centre issued similar statements about their inability to take more patients over an inadequate supply of oxygen.

Most hospitals do not have their own oxygen plants but depend on supply from the outside.

The Green City Hospital, a private hospital based in Kathmandu, has turned away some 50 COVID-19 patients per day in the past three days.

"If we take more COVID-19 patients, we cannot provide oxygen to the patients already admitted at the hospital. So we have no other alternative but to turn away new patients," said Lok Bahadur Tandan, chairman of Green City Hospital.

Still, the hospital let in 35 patients and sent 13 of them into the intensive care units before rejecting new applications.

"We need over 250 cylinders of oxygen per day but we have been able to manage only around 180 cylinders per day," Tandan said.

Oxygen manufacturers are overwhelmed as well by the growing demand for oxygen from hospitals.

"Our capacity is to produce around 800 cylinders a day but we have been facing demand for over 2,500 cylinders in a day," said Narayan Timilsina, chairman of the Sagarmatha Oxygen Nepal Private Limited.

"During normal times, we used to supply oxygen to hospitals with our vehicles, but now vehicles sent by hospitals are overwhelming our factory," he added.

On top of insufficient oxygen, COVID-19 patients are also facing a shortage of ICU beds at hospitals, and calls for oxygen and ICU beds are growing on social media.

Isha Joshi searched for ICU beds overnight for her 42-year-old mother, a COVID-19 patient, from Saturday evening after a doctor advised her to try her luck in another hospital.

Her mother Saraswati was treated at the Kathmandu-based National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre for the last week. But as her condition worsened, the doctor advised her to find an ICU bed in another hospital, citing the lack of ICU beds in the center.

"Despite overnight search for an ICU bed in many hospitals in Kathmandu, I could not find one for my mother," Joshi said.

Government officials acknowledged that the situation is getting worse and more desperate.

"The situation is pathetic. We are helpless. Hospitals are seeking help but we have not been able to provide any support to them," Sameer Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesman at the Ministry of Health and Population, told Xinhua.

"There is an increasing need for oxygen for COVID-19 patients staying in home isolation too," he said. "Now, people are dying on their way to the hospital. We fear many people may die at home starting next week if we fail to manage adequate oxygen supply." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:39:31|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has banned the entry of passengers from Nepal on Sunday as its neighbouring countries including India are reeling from a deadly second coronavirus wave.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) made the announcement in a circular, saying no passenger from Nepal will be allowed to enter Bangladesh from Monday to limit the spread of the COVID-19.

Bangladesh on Saturday detected its first cases of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, weeks after it imposed a ban on the entry of travellers from India via land ports on April 25.

The air travel between the two countries was suspended from April 14 following a steep rise in COVID-19 infections in India.

After weeks of suspension due to COVID-19 pandemic, international flight operations to and from Bangladesh resumed in a limited scale on May 1. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 19:56:03|Editor: huaxia

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People wearing face masks walk on a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 9, 2021. Malaysia recorded its highest single day death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday since the outbreak after the virus claimed 26 more lives, bringing the total deaths to 1,683, according to the Health Ministry. Another 3,733 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which six are imported and 3,727 more are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 440,677. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded its highest single-day death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday after the virus claimed 26 more lives, bringing the total deaths to 1,683, according to the Health Ministry.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that the victims ranged from 36 to 90-years-old, with the majority of them suffering from existing health complications.

Another 3,733 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which six are imported and 3,727 more are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 440,677.

Some 3,211 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 401,934 or 91.2 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 37,060 active cases, 416 are being held in intensive care and 216 of those are in need of assisted breathing. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-09 22:20:09|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited the leaders of the devolved nations to a summit on how "Team UK" can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported Sunday.

The latest development came after Scotland's First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon on Saturday pledged to push for a second independence referendum as her party secured "historic and extraordinary" fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish parliamentary election.

Johnson's invitation came also after the main opposition Labour Party's win in the Welsh Parliament during Thursday's election.

After his reelection, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford called on Johnson to "reset relationships" with the devolved nations.

The prime minister congratulated Sturgeon and Drakeford on their re-elections and invited them to a meeting to discuss such shared challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and how to overcome them, according to the BBC.

Johnson has telephoned Drakeford on Saturday and will later speak to Sturgeon, who has already confirmed she will attend the summit, said the BBC.

Johnson will be sending a similar letter to Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers, according to Sky News.

"I believe passionately that the interests of people across the UK... are best served when we work together," Johnson said.

Sturgeon has said the result of the election meant there was "no democratic justification whatsoever for Boris Johnson or anyone else seeking to block the right of the people of Scotland to choose our future."

She insisted that holding a referendum was now "the will of the country."

Johnson has told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that it would be "reckless and irresponsible" for Scotland to hold a referendum right now.

"I don't think this is anything like the time to have more constitutional wrangling, to be talking about ripping our country apart, when actually people want to heal our economy and bounce forward together. That's what people want," he said. Enditem
From a life of "blistering loneliness", photographer Polly Irungu was one of many evolving artists and photographers struggling to find their place in a fast-moving world.

Information was not readily available and for years Ms. Irungu did not know where to turn to for mentorship while trying to make a living out of photography, which is also her passion.

She would have welcomed advice from her peers, or been grateful for apprenticeship, or just being be part of a community of photographers who wouldn't mind sharing their experience of navigating the challenges of a fast-moving media industry. Yet, Ms. Irungu couldn't find such support. As a young photographer, the journalism graduate longed to connect with people she could culturally and professionally identify with.

Reflecting on her formative years, Ms. Irungu says: "I was acutely aware that I needed perspective... More than that, I needed community."

Building a network

This is what led the young photographer to her current objective - building a network of Black women photographers sharing insights and resources that would propel them to recognition in the creative industry.

"There have been moments where I thought to myself, if only I had a community, if only I had a mentor, if only I knew other Black photographers, specifically Black woman photographers' and photojournalists that I could turn to," Ms. Irungu told Africa Renewal.

"I finally realized that I needed to do something other than just sit on the sidelines," she said. "Photography remains a white-dominated field."

Born in Nairobi, Ms. Irungu grew up in the United States where she fell into photography almost by chance. She bought her first camera and computer at the end of her senior year in high school year with money earned working at a fast-food restaurant.

She photographed family, friends and almost everyone and everything she came across. She taught herself the techniques and searched the internet for photography tips.

"I finally realized that I needed to do something other than just sit on the sidelines," she said. "Photography remains a white-dominated field."

At the onset was a list of black women photographers Ms. Irungu had compiled a few years back. She dusted up the list and tweeted to it. After the tweet garnered a couple of hundred retweets, she decided to reach out to the responders, introduce herself and ask them about their experience.

"What was your last assignment? Was it paid? How often do you get getting hired? Did you ever feel moments that you wanted to leave this industry?" were some of the questions, she asked, observing that the experience was similar across the board.

Fast forward barely five months later, and Ms. Irungu's "doing something" has resulted in a diverse community of black women photographers -- an initiative with the aim, it proclaims, "to disrupt the notion that it is difficult to discover and commission black creatives."

Over time, the envisioned network of Black Women Photographers would become a diverse community of Black women who would disrupt the notion that it is difficult to discover and commission black creatives.

Dusting up old list

When COVID-19 hit, finding a job became harder. The protests against police brutality erupted across the US and elsewhere in the world following the death of George Floyd.

For journalists, the historic events unfolding in cities across the world would have presented the perfect opportunities to get to work. Yet, these opportunities remained scarce for someone like Ms. Irungu.

Today, BWP maintains a digital database of 600 members since its first launch in July of 2020 with support from a COVID-19 relief fund (#BWPReliefFund) that raised over $14,000 to provide financial support to Black women and non-binary photographers during the pandemic.

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"When I set out to do this," she remarked, "I really didn't use (the unfolding events) to inform my approach. What I used was just my own personal experiences and those that I was hearing from other women to inform my approach."

Still, it can't be overlooked that the initiative received a great deal of interest across the world, because conversations around race and justice resonated with many people.

Members of the community come from countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Japan and Australia.

And to hear Ms. Irungu tell it; this is just the beginning: "What really keeps me going, is being able to shine light on different stories that have been overlooked for so long."
opinion

Recently, both Republics of Benin and Chad held their 2021 national elections. These countries are among thirteen countries on the continent billed to elect new political leaders in 2021 alone. This is a good opportunity to improve conditions on the continent. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified other issues on the continent like youth unemployment that better leadership could help improve.

These are three ways West African leaders can better help their nations at this time of COVID-19 and beyond.

First, the rate of youth unemployment must be effectively tackled.

Younger nationals must be encouraged and supported to enter politics at all levels, vying for not only executive office, but also parliamentary seats in local, state and national elections

According to the United Nations, about 64% of the population in West and Central Africa are aged below 24. Although these young people are a huge resource for the region, unemployment, and a failure to invest and develop such as agriculture, education, health, and industry have led to an under-utilisation of this vital resource.

Sadly, the World Bank reports youths account for 60% of all of Africa's jobless. For a continent with more than 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, the continent is home to the world's youngest population whose level of unemployment is twice that of older adults.

Most electioneering and campaign messaging encourage violence, and with an astonishing number of unemployed and "working poor" amongst youth in the sub-region, these young people are ready tools to be used for violence, election fraud and social unrest, not to mention communal conflict and gang violence.

With informal employment being the default at up to 89% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, social safety nets and workers' rights are inaccessible to most youths. Last year, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo announced that his country would cease to export cocoa to Switzerland, its largest trade partner, to increase cocoa processing and chocolate manufacturing for export.

This bold move which speaks to a focus on innovation could however change the status quo for Ghana and the West African sub-region. Harnessing the country's youthful population into innovation-led agricultural and value-adding industrial processes medical equipment and vaccines will attract new and improved business ventures, which would lead to the creation of more jobs and economic growth.

Secondly, we must involve youths in elective offices.

United Nations projections reveal that over the next twenty-five years, the population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double (in what constitutes a 99% increase). For the youngest continent in the world, there is a vast disconnect between its people and its leaders - age, as the region plays host to some of the "oldest and longest-serving political leaders".

Changing the political narrative will require Africa's youth to throw their hats in the ring and defy entrenched systems of elder deference to bring about political change. Younger nationals must be encouraged and supported to enter politics at all levels, vying for not only executive office, but also parliamentary seats in local, state and national elections.

Lastly, there must be gender balance in elective offices.

There is no current female West African leader. Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female leader in Africa, while Nigeria's Patricia Etteh and Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo of Ghana were two female Speakers of Parliament in a list of elected female West African leaders that is still too short.

Experience from the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated that nations that were successful in containing the virus were mostly women-led. There have been suggestions that women leaders are more diverse and inclusive in the perspectives brought to bear in their exercise of leadership, and prioritise the protection of their citizens over risk.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's leadership in the eye of the storm of the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 is a case in point. Madam Sirleaf herself has stated that the success of women leaders in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has been borne out of their readiness to "draw on informal networks, ingenious partnerships, community support and alternative resources to solve problems."

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of governance - economy, businesses, healthcare, education etc. Consequently, it will take a long time for economies to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

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To quote Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: "Now is the time to recognize that developmental transformation and true peace cannot come without fundamental change in who is leading and the ways of leading."

Dr. Ifeanyi McWilliams Nsofor is a graduate of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He is a Senior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at George Washington University. Ifeanyi is the Director Policy and Advocacy at Nigeria Health Watch. You can follow him on Twitter @ekemma.

Dr Adaeze Oreh is a Consultant Family Physician and Country Head of Planning, Research and Statistics for Nigeria's National Blood Transfusion Service. She is also an Amujae Leader and Senior Fellow for Global Health with the Aspen Institute in Washington D.C. You can follow her on Twitter at @Adaeze_Oreh

John Lazame Tindanbil is a public health practitioner working to provide quality reproductive healthcare, including safe abortion services. He leads MABIA-Ghana and is a Senior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute. You can follow him on Twitter @JLazame_5090

Follow @ekemma
analysis

The US has announced its limited support for the "TRIPS waiver", a proposal to suspend intellectual property protections for products and technologies needed for the fight against COVID-19, including vaccines, for the duration of the pandemic.

This would involve a temporary suspension of certain rules set out in the TRIPS Agreement, the intellectual property treaty of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa - two countries with robust generic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity - in October 2020 as one important tool to address availability of COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostic tools and therapeutic treatments.

For seven months, the proposal has made little progress due to opposition from the US, the EU, Switzerland, the UK, Japan and others.

The surprise announcement garnered a positive response in many quarters, and was soon echoed worldwide, with the EU, New Zealand and France expressing more willingness to negotiate.

Yet the US is the centre of attention because its statement is such a big departure from its previous antagonism towards other countries' public health measures that affect intellectual property rights. For example in 1996, it threatened to impose sanctions on Brazil for reforming patent laws to improve access to AIDS medication.

Given this history, and intense lobbying from the pharmaceutical sector, the US support for the TRIPS waiver was for many a welcome surprise.

Narrow scope

Support for the waiver, and the latest US Trade Representative report indicating that the US will respect the right to grant compulsory licenses consistent with the the TRIPS Agreement, may give all trading partners, not just developing countries, the confidence to boldly use those powers to improve the supply of COVID-19 vaccines without fear of trade retaliation.

But aspects of the US announcement are more narrow in scope than the original proposal.

The initial proposal would cover all technologies for the detection, prevention, treatment and response to COVID-19, while the US statement limits its support for waiving intellectual property rights in vaccines only. While vaccines are the centre of attention right now, the broader proposal would address the limited supply of therapeutics, like Baricitinib or Redemsivir, or diagnostics, like reagents for COVID test kits.

Nevertheless, the US support could help bring the TRIPS waiver to the next stage of "text-based negotiations". There is now hope that formal negotiations can start addressing outstanding issues, such as how long the waiver would last, and whether anything more than vaccines may be covered.

Beyond patents

As the TRIPS waiver gained public attention, many have referred to the measure as a "patent waiver".

This has obscured other intellectual property rights which are included in the original proposed TRIPS waiver: copyright, trade secrets, and designs - not just patents.

Patents certainly deserve a lot of attention: the manufacturing and supply of one product, especially complex biologics like COVID-19 vaccines, is often governed by multiple patents, which may be owned by different entities.

But trade secrets, which protect different kinds of exclusive information, including data gathered during the regulatory approval process, and tacit know-how are also essential for manufacturing and producing vaccines.

Providing incentives to share or reveal trade secrets, information covered by non-disclosure agreements, as well as regulatory submissions, such as clinical trial data, would not only spur competition. It would also provide the basis for further innovation.

This was seen in the case of Shantha Biotechnic's development of a Hepatitis B vaccine for Indian domestic supply, which used yeast instead of the traditional bacterial system, allowing production of a low-cost Indian vaccine which went on to become the mainstay of a global vaccination drive led by UNICEF.

Some of the COVID-19 vaccines on offer - those developed by BioNTech and Moderna - use mRNA, a relatively novel technology that has only recently been produced in large numbers. Many countries may not yet have the means or know-how to produce them domestically. The WHO has set up a mRNA technology transfer hub to provide a mechanism to share the technology globally, but none of the current vaccine manufacturers have yet offered their help or expertise to this initiative.

Sharing knowledge

By covering multiple types of intellectual property in a global measure, the TRIPS waiver as originally proposed would provide more freedom to operate for manufacturers and suppliers and to do so in a speedy manner.

Companies in many different countries could use the shared knowledge without the need to negotiate country-by-country and product-by-product licence agreements. This would diversify locations of production. It is hoped and expected that the prospect of a waiver will spur efforts to persuade pharmaceutical companies to enter into more voluntary arrangements and non-exclusive licensing to enable the transfer of technology in a controlled and transparent way.

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To end the pandemic, we need a number of different strategies to share around the benefits of existing COVID vaccines, treatments and tests, as well as enable further innovation from multiple sites.

Wealthy countries need to reverse their over-ordering of doses, export restrictions should be lifted to increase production, and data from regulatory approval processes should be made accessible. Governments should oblige companies, paying them where necessary, to enter into voluntary transfers of their know-how, share trade secrets and other undisclosed information.

The TRIPS waiver is a masthead for all of these things to happen simultaneously and urgently now.

Jocelyn Bosse, Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law, University of Reading; Hyo Yoon Kang, Reader in Intellectual Property Law, University of Kent, and Siva Thambisetty, Associate Professor of Intellectual Property Law, London School of Economics and Political Science
This is part of 40 million Sinovav doses scheduled to be produced in the first year according to the agreements, Zayed told a press conference at the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA).

The minister said Egypt will receive the first shipment of the Sinovac material required for producing the final product on 18 May.

The local end-product will then undergo assessment by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) for few weeks before they become available.

VACSERA and the Sinovac biopharmaceutical company signed two agreements on 21 April to manufacture the vaccine so as to cover the countrys vaccination needs and also allow Egypt to export excess doses to Africa.

As per the first agreement, Sinovac will provide VACSERA the know-how and technical assistance for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt.

The second agreement stipulates that Sinovac gives VACSERA the license to manufacture, re-pack and pack the COVID-19 vaccine in VACSERA facilities.

The vaccine will be produced in the VACSERA factories.

Zayed said the locally produced Sinovac vaccine will be dubbed Sinovac-Vacsera and will have the Made in Egypt label.

She noted that it will later be fully manufactured in Egypt after implementing the agreement on transferring the manufacturing technology.

Like the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Sinovac is an inactivated virus vaccine, Zayed said.

Egypt received its first Sinopharm shipment late last year consisting of 50,000 doses. This was the first vaccine Egypt could obtain before it received the AstraZeneca late in January.

Egypt has so far received hundreds of thousands of both vaccines and is scheduled to receive millions of doses through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and Sinopharm over the coming weeks.

Zayed said Egypt expects a large shipment of doses on Monday but did not reveal the vaccine name.

This comes few days after Zayed said Egypt will receive a total of 4.9 million doses this month, including 500,000 Sinopharm doses.

The minister said the ministry will allocate vehicles and vaccination facilities to expand the vaccination campaign nationwide.

She also noted that vaccination teams will station around pension service offices so as to administer the vaccine to the elderly.

Zayed said she will inspect the new Fair Zone vaccination centre after the Muslims Eid Al-Fitr, which is designed to vaccine 10,000-15,000 citizens per day.

Zayed added the ministry called on the governors to allocate similar big centres in their governorates, noting that a similar centre will soon be inaugurated in Giza.

The minister reassured citizens that the coronavirus situation in Egypt is stable despite the slightly increasing cases, reiterating that there are enough places in hospitals for coronavirus patients.

Zayed said a slight increase in the coronavirus cases is expected during the coming period due to some citizens non-adherence to the precautionary measures during Ramadan and before the Eid.

She also noted that the coronavirus situation in Upper Egypt, which had reportedly worsened over the past month, is significantly improving.

She also affirmed that the country has not recognized other coronavirus variants as relevant examinations are being carried out.
Representative Image

New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): As many as 6,738 oxygen concentrators, 3,856 oxygen cylinders, 16 oxygen generation Plants, 4,668 ventilators/Bi-PAP and about 3 lakh Remdesivir vials have been delivered/ dispatched as international donations and aid since April 27 to May 8, the Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Government of India has been receiving international donations and aid of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries and organisations.

"Cumulatively, 6738 Oxygen Concentrators, 3856 Oxygen Cylinders, 16 Oxygen Generation Plants, 4668 ventilators/Bi-PAP and about 3L Remdesivir vials have been delivered/ dispatched, from April 27 to May 8," the ministry said.

As on May 8, major items received from Canada, Thailand, Netherland, Austria, Czech Republic, Israel, USA, Japan, Malaysia, US (GILEAD), US (Salesforce) and Indian community in Thailand include 2, 404 Oxygen Concentrators, 25,000 Remdesivir vials, 218 ventilators and 6,92,208 testing kits.

The Health Ministry also said that effective immediate allocation and streamlined delivery to the recipient States, Union Territories and institutions is an ongoing exercise and this is being comprehensively monitored by the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis.

"A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations. This Cell started functioning from April 26. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2," it added. (ANI)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 8)  National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab will hold a virtual concert next month to fund support for two farm schools in Batangas.

Featuring an Original Pilipino Music repertoire, Cayabyab said "Musika Para sa Kinabukasan" aims to raise money for the Dagatan and Balete Family Farm Schools - two institutions that cater to farmers' children.

Bernie Villegas, one of the organizers of the event and an advocate of farm schools, said the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to take food security seriously amid the rising prices of agricultural products such as pork and pepper.

"Gusto natin i-increase 'yung [We want to increase the] number of skilled agribusiness technicians through the farm schools," Villegas said.

The concert will be held on June 5. Tickets are at P500 each at KTX.PH.
First Vietnamese COVID-19 patient dies in Laos

The Embassy of Vietnam in Laos Vientiane confirmed that a Vietnamese person with COVID-19 had died after a week of treatment.













A medical worker of Laos takes sample for COVID-19 testing from a Vietnamese student at a dormitory in Vientiane, Laos (Photo: VNA)

The patient, who is a 52-year-old woman, is the first Vietnamese COVID-19 patient in Laos and also the first COVID-19 patient in the country to die of the disease, according to the embassy.



The patient moved to Laos early last year and worked at a karaoke bar in Vientiane, one of the locations connected to Patient 59, who was believed to have caused this outbreak of COVID-19 in Laos.



The patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus on April 28 and had other medical conditions. On April 30, the patient was admitted for treatment at Setthathirath Hospital in Vientiane.



On May 8, when the patient had a bad prognosis, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos asked the Ministry of Health of Vietnam to support Setthathirath Hospital through a remote medical examination and treatment system.



However, the patient died at around 1am on May 9.



Currently, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos is cooperating with the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane and the local authorities to support the patient's family.
Medical staff help a patient with breathing problems towards an ambulance as he is being shifted to a hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021. [Photo/Agencies]

With coronavirus infections surging deeper into record territory, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing growing pressure to impose a harsh nationwide lockdown amid criticism that restrictions imposed by individual states are not enough.

Many medical experts, opposition leaders and some Supreme Court judges have suggested that a lockdown seems to be the only option with the virus raging in cities and towns, where hospitals are forced to turn patients away while relatives scramble to find oxygen. Crematoriums and burial grounds are struggling to handle the dead.

On Friday, India recorded a record 414,188 confirmed cases in the latest 24-hour period. Its tally has risen to more than 21.4 million since the pandemic began, with faint hopes of the curve going down quickly. The Health Ministry also reported 3,915 additional deaths, bringing the total to 234,083. Experts believe both figures are an undercount, according to media reports. The official daily death count has stayed above 3,000 for the past 10 days.

Over the past month, nearly a dozen of India's 28 federal states have announced less-stringent restrictions than the nationwide lockdown imposed for two months in March last year.

Modi, who held consultations with top elected leaders and officials of the worst-hit states on Thursday, has so far left the responsibility for fighting the virus to poorly equipped state governments, The Associated Press said.

Randeep Guleria, a government health expert, said a complete, aggressive lockdown is needed in India just like last year, especially in areas where more than 10 percent of those tested have contracted COVID-19.

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, wrote to Modi reiterating his demand for a total lockdown, warning "the human cost will result in many more tragic consequences for our people".

He said the government should not worry about the economic cost of a shutdown and provide financial and food support to the poor.

Anthony Fauci, US President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, also suggested that a complete shutdown in India may be needed for two to four weeks to help ease the outbreak.

Modi imposed the two-month stringent lockdown last year on four hours' notice. It stranded tens of millions of migrant workers who were left jobless and fled to villages with many dying along the way. But experts said the decision had helped contain the virus and bought time for the government.

Australia to end ban

On Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians stranded in India will be able to return home from May 15, following widespread public outrage over a travel ban.

Morrison this past week barred all travel from India, fearing a large number of COVID-positive arrivals would overwhelm Australia's strained quarantine facilities.

The move stranded an estimated 9,000 Australian citizens and threatened them with large fines and jail time if they tried to dodge the ban and return on non-direct flights.

Morrison's ban caused widespread outrage, with even supporters describing it as racist and an abandonment of vulnerable Australians overseas.

Meanwhile, according to a recent analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused nearly 6.9 million deaths across the world, more than double the number officially recorded.

Deaths go unreported as most countries only record those that occur in hospitals or of patients with a confirmed infection, the report by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation showed.

In the United States, the death toll might have passed 905,000, which is 62 percent more than the 561,594 deaths currently reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The institute forecasts 949,000 COVID-related deaths in the US by September. By the end of the pandemic, total deaths will rival the number of people who died in the 1918 flu outbreak, it predicts.

Agencies and Minglu Zhangin New York contributed to this story.

[ Editor: GSY ]


A Catholic priest is winning new fans in Costa Rica with a COVID-19 song set to the music of salsa.

Sergio Valverde is best known for his aid to the poor in the Central American country. For the last few Sundays, Valverde has performed his song with a dance in front of Cristo Rey church in San Jose. His aim is to get people to wear protective face coverings, or masks, and continue being careful during the pandemic.

Without the mask, theres COVID for you, COVID for me, he sang. The words are set to the music of the song Sopa de Caracol, or Snail Soup in English. The song performed by Honduran group Banda Blanca was very popular in 1991.

Valverde said he had not even written down the lyrics, or words, of his version of the song. He said he was putting the words together as he sang. He was surprised to see how popular it became on social media.

The Catholic priest said, the issue of COVID is affecting the entire world, theres pain, theres suffering. He continued, I, as a priest, see so many people suffering, sick, in pain, people without work and who are dying of hunger and I wanted to help a little.

Valverde could not have timed it any better. Costa Rica had a record of more than 2,700 new infections in one day recently. The intensive care area of its public hospitals are 95 percent full. The country has recorded more than 3,200 COVID-19 deaths in total.

Valverde is known for his work with children left on the streets and giving food to the poor. He said he is seeing more in need than ever before during the economic crisis which was worsened by the pandemic.

Valverde admitted that he has enjoyed the experience. He said, the whole world is so crazy that they looked for another nut.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Javier Cordoba reported this story for the Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

___________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

church  n. a building for public and especially Christian worship

priest n. clergy or a person who has the authority to lead or perform ceremonies in some religions and especially in some Christian religions

salsa  n. a type of popular Latin-American music

snail n. a small animal that lives in a shell that it carries on its back, that moves very slowly, and that can live in water or on land

nut n. a crazy or strange person




Sotero Cirilo sleeps in a small plastic shelter under a train bridge in Elmhurst, Queens, in New York City.

The 55-year-old immigrant from Mexico once made $800 per week at two New York restaurants. But they closed when the COVID-19 pandemic started. A few months later, he could not pay the rent for his room.

"I never thought I would end up like this, like I am today," he said in Spanish.

Cirilo mainly speaks a Central American language called Tlapanec. He is part of a growing number of undocumented immigrants who are losing the necessary resources to survive because of the coronavirus pandemic. They worked in hard-hit industries such as restaurants, hotels and construction. The lack of income has made it harder for them to pay for food and housing, pushing some into homelessness.

Doubling unemployment

The Migration Policy Institute compared jobless rates for Hispanic immigrants between January 2020 and February 2021. In one year, the number of immigrants without jobs doubled. Activists and social workers in states like New York or California say the undocumented immigrants who cannot receive government aid are finding themselves without a home.

Yessenia Benitez is a 30-year-old social worker who helps immigrants in Queens, NY. She says she has seen more and more groups of immigrants living on the street. They earn small payments from returning empty bottles, but they would rather be working.

"They want to contribute to society. And before the pandemic, they were contributing to society, some of them were paying taxes," Benitez said.

Jorge-Mario Cabrera is the spokesman for The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, which operates a phone-in service to help immigrants in Los Angeles.

"We have seen an increase in calls from individuals living in the street, living in cars, living in garages or often living with friends in already overcrowded conditions," Cabrera said.

Losing a safety net

"They don't even have money to pay for their phone bills. This is why we are saying that one of the side effects of the COVID-19 (pandemic) is in fact a complete unraveling of the safety net for undocumented immigrants," he added. "While other communities are receiving (financial) assistance, immigrants are receiving nothing, most of the time."

Cabrera said many of the immigrants contacting the organization are still working, but their income has sharply decreased.

Alfredo Martinez is a 38-year-old Mexican immigrant who currently lives on the street in New York. He used to work in construction but his hours were cut when the pandemic started. Without regular income, he has been living on the street for four months.

Martinez now works some days as a laborer and is hoping to save enough to pay for a room. He wants to take a training course to have more dependable construction employment.

"The pandemic started and my world came crashing down," Martinez said. "This is the first time something like this happens to me. But I think it is temporary. I hope it is temporary."

A recent New York City report estimated there are about 476,000 undocumented immigrants in the city. The report by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs found that 60 percent of undocumented workers have already lost their job or are at risk of losing it during the pandemic. That compares to about 36 percent of all workers.

The report said the poverty rate for undocumented immigrants in the city is 29.2 percent, while the rate for documented immigrants is 27 percent. The poverty rate for U.S. citizens in New York is 20 percent.

Help from cities and states

Some cities and states have begun to help immigrants who cannot receive federal assistance.

California gave some money to undocumented immigrants last year and New York lawmakers recently set aside $2.1 billion to aid undocumented workers who lost jobs or income during the pandemic. New Yorks program is the largest of its kind in the U.S.

Women cannot leave home to work

In Arizona, activist groups say immigrant women who clean hotel rooms are suffering. Their children are attending school at home, so the mothers cannot leave home for work.

Petra Falcon is executive director of Promise Arizona, a non-profit in Phoenix. She told the story of a woman who started a little shop to sell sweets and soft drinks to earn money. "This one lady  was selling whatever she could to the people that live in the apartment complex so she could make enough money to pay rent," Falcon said.

Cirilo, the 55-year-old Mexican experiencing homelessness in Elhmurst, said he hopes to move back to his native country one day. "My children have asked me to go back," he said. "But I can't go back like this."

Im Jill Robbins.

Claudia Torrens wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rent  n. the amount of money a person pays to live in a building that some else owns

contribute  v. to give something (such as time or money) as a part or share

garage  n. a building or part of a building where people can keep a car, truck, or other vehicle

unravel  v. to fail or begin to fail

safety net  expression. something that helps someone who is in a difficult situation

What is the situation of undocumented workers where you live?
Family members pay last respect to their relative Rajendra Prasad Mishra, a 62-year-old man who has lost his life from coronavirus infection before cremation at River Ganges at Phaphamau in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Since India opened vaccinations to all adults this month, hoping to tame a disastrous coronavirus surge sweeping across the country, the pace of administering the shots has dropped with states saying they only have limited stock to give out.

Cases meanwhile are still rising at record pace in the world's second-most populous nation. Alongside a slowdown in vaccination, states have gone to court over oxygen shortages as hospitals struggle to treat a running line of COVID-19 patients.

On Sunday, India reported 403,738 confirmed cases, including 4,092 deaths. Overall, India has over 22 million confirmed infections and 240,000 deaths. Experts say both figures are undercounts.

India's Supreme Court said Saturday it would set up a national task force consisting of top experts and doctors to conduct an "oxygen audit" to determine whether supplies from the federal government were reaching states.

Complaints of oxygen shortages have dominated the top court recently, which stepped in earlier this week to make sure the federal government provided more medical oxygen to hospitals in capital New Delhi.

The country's massive vaccination drive kicked off sluggishly in January when cases were low and exports of vaccines were high, with 64 million doses going overseas. But as infections started to rise in March and April, India's exports drastically slowed down so doses went to its own population, reaching daily record highs. So far, around 10% of India's population have received one shot while just under 2.5% have got both.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

At its peak in early April, India was administering a record high of 3.5 million shots a day on average. But this number has consistently shrunk since, reaching an average of 1.3 million shots a day over the past week. Between April 6 and May 6, daily doses have dropped by 38%, even as cases have tripled and deaths have jumped sixfold, according to Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistician at the University of Michigan who has been tracking India's epidemic.

One reason for the drop in shots is that there are just not enough available, experts say. Currently, India's two vaccine makers produce an estimated 70 million doses each month of the two approved shotsAstraZeneca, made by the Serum Institute of India, and another by Bharat Biotech.

Vaccine supply has remained nearly the same throughout, but the target population eligible has increased by threefold, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a health policy expert. "In the beginning, India had far more assured supply available than the demand, but now the situation has reversed," he added.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

In Kerala state, the drive to inoculate all adults is crawling along because "our single biggest problem is the very slow arrival of supplies," said the state's COVID-19 officer, Amar Fetle.

In New Delhi, many are waiting for hours outside vaccination centers - but only after they've been able to book a slot.

For Gurmukh Singh, a marketing professional in the city, this has been impossible. "It gets really frustrating, having so many hospitals and vaccine centers around but not being able to get access because they are all pre-booked," he said.

Experts also point to a new policy change by the government, which has upended how doses are being distributed.

Previously, all of the stock was bought by the federal government and then administered to the population through both public and private health facilities.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

But from May 1, all available stock has been divided into two, with 50% purchased by the government going to public health centers to inoculate those above 45. The remaining half is being purchased by states and the private sector directly from manufacturers at set prices to give adults below 45.

This has led to lags as states and private hospitals, still adjusting to new rules, struggle to procure supplies on their own.

"You have now taken it out of a fairly efficient system where every dose was still centrally-controlled," said Jacob John, a professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. "But with market forces at play and unprepared states burdened with such a daunting task, the efficiency of the system has fallen."

Things could change in the coming months as the government last month gave an advance to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, which could help boost manufacturing. And last week, India received its first batch of Sputnik V vaccines. Russia has signed a deal with an Indian pharmaceutical company to distribute 125 million doses.

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Relatives perform the last rites for the cremation of a man who died after contracting COVID-19 on the banks of the Gange at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Relatives stand near the funeral pyre of their loved one who died due to COVID-19 at a cremation ground in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A health worker takes a mouth swab sample of a Kashmiri boy to test for COVID-19 in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin)

Family member of a COVID-19 patient reacts as he waits to refill an oxygen cylinder at a gas supplier facility in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/Ishant Chauhan)

Indians wait to refill oxygen cylinders for COVID-19 patients at a gas supplier facility in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies. (AP Photo/Ishant Chauhan)

But with vaccines currently in short supply, there are worries that those most in need are missing out. The goal should be to prioritize preventing deaths, which means fully vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable first, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, a microbiologist at Christian Medical College, Vellore.

"You need to give it (earlier) to people who are more likely to die first," Kang said.

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
In this March 1, 2021, file photo, Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine arrives at Kosice Airport, Slovakia. Russia's boast in August that it was the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine led to skepticism because of its insufficient testing on only a few dozen people. Slovakia's government is still set to discuss possible use of Sputnik V with Russia after the coronavirus vaccine was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab. Slovakia's Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his country's experts and "the Russian side about the further development on this issue." (Frantisek Ivan/TASR via AP, File)

Slovakia's government is set to discuss possible use of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine with Moscow after it was successfully tested in a Hungarian lab.

Slovakian Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky said he will talk with his country's experts and "the Russian side about further developments on this issue."

Hungary offered Slovakia assistance in inspecting the Russian-made vaccine after the Slovak State Institute for Drug Control said it had not received enough information about the Russian jab from its producer to be able to assess its benefits and risks.

The regulator also said the doses it received from Russia differed from those under review by the European Union's medicines authority.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets Sputnik V abroad, called the findings "fake news." It said Slovakia's drug regulator had tested the vaccine in a laboratory that is not part of the EU's official network of approved labs.

The RDIF welcomed the results of the Hungarian tests and said it asked the Slovak drug regulator to apologize "for spreading incorrect information about Sputnik V."

In the meantime, Russian experts have also been also testing doses of the Sputnik V vaccine it delivered to Slovakia. Lengvarsky said he was waiting for the results of those tests and Russian approval for its use before he makes any further decisions.

Slovakia would be only the second EU nation after Hungary to use Sputnik V, which has not been authorized by the European Medicines Agency.

A secret deal for Slovakia to purchase 2 million Sputnik V shots orchestrated by then-Prime Minister Igor Matovic triggered a political crisis in March that resulted in the Slovak government's collapse.

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

South Africa's health ministry on Saturday said four cases of a coronavirus variant fuelling a devastating surge of COVID-19 in India had been recorded in the country.

"The four cases of B.1.617.2 have been detected in (the provinces of) Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement late Saturday.

Eleven cases of another variant first detected in the United Kingdom and known as B.1.1.7 have also been found, the statement added, noting that community transmission of that variant had "already set in".

South Africa is at least the fourth country on the continent to pick up the B.1.617.2 variant, alongside Kenya, Uganda and Morocco.

India is grappling with an explosive coronavirus outbreak widely attributed to the variant, which has now been found in more than a dozen countries worldwide.

South Africa has not yet joined the growing number of countries worldwide that have banned flights from India to limit the spread of its variant.

Mkhize said travel restrictions would "need to be balanced against scientific realities" to protect the economy of Africa's most industrialised nation.

An announcement will be made once the cabinet has consulted on the matter, he added.

South Africa is the continent's worst virus-hit country, accounting for more than 34 percent of all cases in the region.

The country's second coronavirus wave, which peaked earlier this year, was driven by a local, more infectious coronavirus variant known as B.1.351.

Mkhize earlier this week raised the alarm over "a worrying trend of increasing numbers of detected cases" in certain provinces.

He warned of a looming third wave of infections likely to coincide with the upcoming southern hemisphere winter.

To date, the country has recorded more than 1.59 million coronavirus cases, of which more than 54,700 have been fatal.

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 2021 AFP
Doctors caring with COVID-19 patients ferry medical equipment, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

At the small hospital where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works in Chad's capital, there are no debates over which coronavirus vaccine is the best.

There are simply no vaccines at all.

Not even for the doctors and nurses like her, who care for COVID-19 patients in Chad, one of the least-developed nations in the world where about one third of the country is engulfed by the Sahara desert.

"I find it unfair and unjust, and it is something that saddens me," the 33-year-old infectious diseases doctor says. "I don't even have that choice. The first vaccine that comes along that has authorization, I will take it."

While wealthier nations have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are still scrambling to secure doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any.

The World Health Organization says nearly a dozen countriesmany of them in Africaare still waiting to get vaccines. Those last in line on the continent along with Chad are Burkina Faso, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania.

"Delays and shortages of vaccine supplies are driving African countries to slip further behind the rest of the world in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the continent now accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide," WHO warned Thursday.

Dr. Oumaima Djarma, left, walks with other doctors dealing with COVID-19 patients, inside the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

And in places where there are no vaccines, there's also the chance that new and concerning variants could emerge, said Gian Gandhi, UNICEF's COVAX coordinator for Supply Division.

"So we should all be concerned about any lack of coverage anywhere in the world," Gandhi said, urging higher-income countries to donate doses to the nations that are still waiting.

While the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases among them is relatively low compared with the world's hot spots, health officials say that figure is likely a vast undercount: The countries in Africa still waiting for vaccines are among those least equipped to track infections because of their fragile health care systems.

Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive. Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally.

A COVID-19 patient has his temperature taken, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood, where camels nibble from acacia trees nearby. Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for COVID-19 patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer. Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible.

That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors all around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

"When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me," Djarma said. "I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

A COVID-19 patient speaks to medical staff, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

"Everyone dies from this disease, rich or poor," she says. "Everyone must have the opportunity, the chance to be vaccinated, especially those who are most exposed."

COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, is aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries get access. A few of the countries, though, including Chad, have expressed concerns about receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX for fear it might not protect as well against a variant first seen in South Africa.

Chad is expected to get some Pfizer doses next month if it can put in place the cold storage facilities needed to keep that vaccine safe in a country where temperatures soar each day to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Some of the last countries also took more time to meet the requirements for receiving doses, including signing indemnity waivers with manufacturers and having distribution plans in place.

A COVID-19 patient is treated, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Those delays, though, now mean an even longer wait for places like Burkina Faso, since a key vaccine manufacturer in India scaled back its global supply because of the catastrophic virus surge there.

"Now with global vaccine supply shortages, stemming in particular from the surge of cases in India and subsequently the Indian government's sequestration of doses from manufacturers there, Burkina Faso risks even longer delays in receiving the doses it was slated to get," said Donald Brooks, CEO of a U.S. aid group engaged in the COVID-19 response there known as Initiative: Eau.

Front-line health workers in Burkina Faso say they're not sure why the government hasn't secured vaccines.

"We would have liked to have had it like other colleagues around the world," says Chivanot Afavi, a supervising nurse who worked on the front lines of the response until recently. "No one really knows what this disease will do to us in the future."

Medical personnel spray disinfectant outside the ward where COVID-19 patients are receiving treatment, at the Farcha provincial hospital in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Security personnel guard the entrance of the Farcha provincial hospital where COVID-19 patients are being treated, in N'Djamena, Chad, Friday April 30, 2021. While the world's wealthier nations have stockpiled coronavirus vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are scrambling to secure enough doses, and some, like Chad, have yet to receive any. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

In Haiti, not a single vaccine has been administered to the more than 11 million people who live in the most impoverished country of the Western hemisphere.

Haiti was slated to receive 756,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via COVAX, but government officials said they didn't have the infrastructure needed to conserve them and worried about having to throw them away. Haitian officials also expressed concerns over potential side effects and said they preferred a single-dose vaccine.

Several small island nations in the Pacific also have yet to receive any vaccine, although the lack of outbreaks in some of those places has meant there is less urgency with inoculation campaigns. Vanuatu, with a population of 300,000, is waiting to receive its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine later this month, but it has recorded only three cases of coronavirus, all of them in quarantine.

At the Farcha hospital in Chad, nine health care workers have gotten the virus, including Dr. Mahamat Yaya Kichine, a cardiologist. The hospital now has set up pods of health care worker teams to minimize the risk of exposure for the entire staff.

"It took almost 14 days for me to be cured," Kichine says. "There were a lot of caregivers that were infected, so I think that if there is a possibility to make a vaccine available, it will really ease us in our work."

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 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A third wave of COVID-19 is expected to hit South Africa soon, and governments vaccination programme is unlikely to beat it in time.

This is according to Stellenbosch University virologist Professor Wolfgang Preiser, who was speaking to the Sunday Times.

It is basically too slow to make an impact if the third wave strikes during the next few months, as some people fear, said Preiser.

On a population-wide basis, not enough people will have been vaccinated to make a dent into the next wave.

Preiser said there may be some hope that since so many South Africans were infected in the first two waves, they may have a degree of immunity that lessens the severity of the third wave.

However, he added that since it is unclear how long any immunity actually lasts, South Africans should not rely on this to protect them.

Wits University expert Professor Shabir Madhi agrees that the vaccination programme is probably going to be too late to stop a third wave.

As signs of a third wave are already emerging, it is unlikely we will get sufficient numbers of high-risk individuals vaccinated before the wave is fully established, said Madhi.

He also noted that the first generation of vaccines is unlikely to be impactful against infectiousness and mild infection.

However, he believes that the fast rollout of vaccines could at least affect the number of hospitalisations and deaths in the third wave.

Government concerned about third wave

Health minister Zweli Mkhize expressed his concern regarding the increase in COVID-19 cases in South Africa over the past two weeks.

We have noticed a worrying trend of increasing numbers of detected cases in a number of districts, said Mkhize.

The Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West are of particular concern but every province, with the notable exception of Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern.

He said it is as crucial than ever that South Africans follow non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The government can facilitate and intervene but ultimately, we would rather concentrate on economic recovery rather than imposing more restrictions, said Mkhize.

Therefore, every citizen must adhere to the non-pharmaceutical interventions if we are to avoid further restrictions.

On Saturday, Mkhize noted that the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA) has detected 2 COVID-19 variants of concern:

B.1.1.7 (first detected in the UK)  11 cases.

B.1.617.2 (first detected in India)  4 cases.

All cases of the B.1.617.2 variant have been isolated and managed according to the relevant guidelines, and contact tracing has been performed to limit its spread.

B.1.1.7, however, has already been detected in three different provinces, and it has also been detected in community samples  suggesting that community transmission has already set in.

NGS-SA remains vigilant as it continues to support the Department of Health, said Mkhize.

There are a number of other samples from cases with a history of recent travel into South Africa that are currently being sequenced and results are expected over the next few days.

South Africa to procure Russian and Chinese vaccines

Mkhize has also confirmed plans to buy the Sputnik V and Sinopharm vaccines developed in Russia and China respectively.

Mkhize said on Wednesday 28 April that government would order 10 million doses of each vaccine.

We are doing this now because we do expect the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to approve those vaccines, he said.

South Africa has also resumed the use of Johnson and Johnson vaccines after putting them on hold for two weeks because of fears that the vaccines are linked to blood clots.

South Africa has also secured vaccine shots from Pfizer and BioNTech.
After retiring from Napa Valley College twice, Jenny Sercu is still not ready to give up the travel bug.

Sercu spent more than 40 years leading the Napa Valley College Trips and Tours program. She gave up that position in December 2021 because of the tremendous impact COVID-19 had on the travel industry. She thought her travel days were behind her.

Now that the world is beginning to open up again for travel, several friends asked Sercu to arrange a trip to Egypt and Jordan. She and 15 of her friends are set to depart for Egypt in January 2022. More spaces on the trip are still available for the 12-day trip that has options to extend it to visit Jordan.

Sercu is also planning a small ship trip to Croatia in May 2022.

She said she had been wondering "how will travelers return to water travel? Will they book huge mega-ships because theres plenty of room for distancing? Or are smaller ships to more remote locations more attractive? Several companies are betting on the smaller ships. Time will tell what choices people will feel comfortable with as they return to water travel."

She added, "I tend to favor small ships. and one destination in particular that fascinates me is Croatia. I plan to investigate Croatia on the small ship MS Invictus next May."
Armenia Ombudsman: Trials against Armenian POWs continue in Azerbaijan with gross violations of international law

Armenia President receives Masdar's representatives

Ankara hopes Erdogan and Biden find common ground

Acting US Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker arrives in Yerevan

Candidate for Armenia PM: Heads of headquarters of Democratic Party are apprehended

More on COVID-19 and tense election campaign in Armenia, June 9 digest

Members of European Parliament call on Yerevan and Baku to start exchanging information for demining

Members of Armenian opposition Adekvad Union post posters reading "Antinikol" near government building

France says it will do everything it can to ensure Amazon is subject to minimum global tax

UN warns of likelihood of mass deaths from hunger and disease in Myanmar

Beijing accuses Washington of paranoid mania

Stanislav Zas: There are still risks of escalation of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Trump supports Nigerian government decision to block Twitter access

Erdogan announces visit to Shushi with his family

Armenia ruling party MP Hamazasp Danielyan drops mandate

Armenia ex-president shares promised record about acting PM

Armenia acting PM ends campaign meeting in Gyumri with march, accompanied by many security officers

"Armenia" bloc holding rally in Yerevan

Opposition Bright Armenia Party leader inviting Nikol Pashinyan to a debate

Nagorno-Karabakh issue discussed within the scope of Russian-Turkish consultations in Moscow

168.am: Armenia acting PM in Gyumri, snipers on roof of city council

Armenian authorities forcing employees of educational institutions and nuclear power plant to attend campaign meetings

Putin-Biden meeting in Geneva to take place in 18th-century villa

Armenia opposition party leader: There are 1,837 Armenians who lost their extremities after war in Artsakh

Bright Armenia Party leader slams discourse over transferring acting PM's son in exchange of POWs

Leader of opposition Liberty Party says Armenia acting PM steals over $2,500 from budget every month

Headquarters of political party running in elections applies to Prosecutor General's Office and Police of Armenia

Armenia Ombudsman's Office, Central Electoral Commission hold discussion to guarantee citizens' suffrage

Armenia acting premier, "support group" employees visit Shirak Province

Tech Week Artsakh 2021 to be held in Stepanakert

Armenia Elections Oversight Committee: Such development of events might lead to clashes

2 citizens apprehended for electoral bribery in Armenia's Gavar

Republican Party of Armenia vice-president: Serzh Sargsyan disclosed an audio recording a little while ago

Dollar continues dropping in Armenia

Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Ukraine deputy FM express willingness for cooperation

Turkeys Erdogan to visit Artsakhs Shushi

Armenia health ministry: 5 of 11 children with acute gastroenteritis are discharged from hospital

Azerbaijan MOD publicly admits that it is not well-established

Armenia independent MP: Acting premier is leading country to events similar to those of March 1, 2008

Russia resumes air communication with Armenia

Armenian man says Nikol Pashinyan 'liberated' Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Shooting in Russia, casualties and shooter are Armenian

Goris town deputy mayor on captured Armenia soldiers return: Negotiator was the Russian side

"I have the honor" bloc member: We must achieve Azeri forces withdrawal from Artsakh territories by talks

Vanetsyan: It was assumed that Armenia would recognize Karabakh in case of war

Lavrov: Turkey, Iran interests are considered when discussing unblocking of regional communications

Armenia PM contender: 2 of 3 principles of Karabakh conflict have been violated

Vanetsyan: Possibility of deeper Armenia-Russia integration should be considered after our coming to power

Russia FM: Nagorno-Karabakh status issue has yet to be agreed upon

Tuesdays fire at Yerevan landfill not put out yet

Armenia Ombudsman: Manipulating issues of return of captives during election campaign increases tension

Woman, 84, dies at Yerevan hospital after being attacked by stray dogs

99 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Blinken to Menendez: US will continue to take a look at possible suspension of aid to Azerbaijan

Security Council chief meets with head of Red Cross mission to Artsakh

Armenia MOD: Disoriented, captured soldier is in Stepanakert

World oil prices on the rise

Newspaper: Armenia ruling party is "singing its swan song

Newspaper: Armenia state institutions employees are warned not to attend ex-President Kocharyan's rallies

Researchers record highest level of CO2 emissions in history

Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Russians have mainly fulfilled their obligations as ally

Armenia ombudsman considers election campaign climate "extremely worrying"

Palestinian leaders arrive in Cairo for talks on reinforcing ceasefire with Israel

Blinken: 'Hundreds' of US sanctions against Iran to remain in effect

Armenia MOD: Official investigation launched against 2 military unit commanders who were dismissed today

Armenian serviceman who was captured today has been returned

UN Security Council endorses Antonio Guterres who is running for Secretary-General for the second time

Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case on Armenian serviceman beaten by Azerbaijani soldiers

US is ready to provide technical support for delimitation of border between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia 3rd President to Nikol Pashinyan: I'm giving that depraved 24 hours

"Armenia" bloc calls on Central Electoral Commission to respond to Nikol Pashinyan's calls for violence

Armenian National Congress Party member: People who talk about peace achieve the greatest victories

"Armenia" bloc member: Pashinyan dismissed regiment commanders because they refused to advocate for him

Armenia MOD: Incident between Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers took place a week ago

Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party holding campaign meeting in Ashtarak, led by Nikol Pashinyan (LIVE)

Soldier ends up on Azerbaijan territory, Baku starts trial against Armenia POW, Jun 8 digest

Head of Armenia's Geghamasar village endorses Robert Kocharyan, to manage bloc's territorial headquarters

"Armenia" bloc representative: I call on law-enforcement authorities to get ready to perform their duties

Armenia President receives acting high-tech and economy ministers and CEO of FAST

Armenia 2nd President says his bloc is against vendettas, supports justice

Armenia opposition party's candidate for PM Samvel Babayan makes call to citizens

Armenia ex-officials registration on "I have the honor" bloc electoral list is declared invalid

Karabakh President grants high state awards to relatives of policemen who fell in the war

Karabakh President meets in Yerevan with heads of communities of Kashatagh region

Armenia Central Electoral Commission: Advertisement of Robert Kocharyan's book is associated with campaign posters

Edmon Marukyan: Bright Armenia Party is only one that can become axis of government of national accord

Armenia former President Kocharyan on incumbent authorities: Psychology of flawed people

Armenia applies to ECHR to ensure respect of rights of Armenian POW captured today

Armenia opposition party's candidate for PM and citizen get into dispute

One dollar drops below AMD 520 in Armenia

Armenia 2nd President on the reason for country's defeat in the war and return of Armenian POWs

Armenia 2nd President: People will give evaluation during the elections

Three more remains retrieved during search in Artsakh

Homeland of Armenians political party members meet with Netherlands Ambassador

Armenia acting PM to voters: Prepare for civil revenge

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Authorities clumsiness, unprofessionalism, treachery brought current situation

Official: 3 deputy FMs of Armenia dismissed

Armenia MOD: Soldier ended up in area under Azerbaijan army control due to fog

Russia's Putin, Armenia 2nd President hold phone talks

Azerbaijan state prosecutor demands sentencing Lebanese Armenian Euljekjian to 20 years in prison
Tata Memorial Centre Strengthens Rapid Pan-India Response to the Second Wave

MUMBAI, Mon, 10 May 2021 NI Wire

MUMBAI, India - May 9, 2021: A FedEx 777 cargo plane landed in Mumbai this morning with 81,000 kgs of medical equipment for Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) and its associated hospitals for distribution across India. The chartered flight carried in 3,400 portable oxygen concentrators along with 300,000 N95 masks. A few hours later, an Air India passenger plane landed in Delhi with an additional 400 concentrators. These are the third and fourth shipments that Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has brought in over the past two weeks.

TMC, besides providing life-saving services, is also sourcing and allocating medical equipment for over 200 hospitals across India that are part of the National Cancer Grid (NCG). Dr. Rajendra Badwe, Director of TMC, says, We have the singular focus of getting these units to the hospitals throughout India so that many can breathe well.

This expedient and organized response to the pandemic is fitting with TMCs role as an 80-year-old institution focused on delivering quality care to all, including the most vulnerable and underserved in the country.

Tata Memorial Centre Strengthens Rapid Pan-India Response to the Second Wave

With the soaring need for oxygen therapy for Covid-19 patients, an Indian American network of donors and doers facilitates supply and distribution of oxygen concentrators

TMC has been responsible for protecting cancer patients who are far more susceptible to an adverse event from Covid-19

TMC is a tertiary cancer center under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. It sees up to 100,000 new cancer cases each year. Two thirds of its patients are treated at a highly subsidized rate or completely free of charge.

Consolidating efforts at TMC along with Dr. Badwe are Dr. CS Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, and Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, the Deputy Director of Epidemiology. Dr. Pramesh, also the Coordinator of the National Cancer Grid, says, We are collecting requests for equipment and consumables from hospitals across the NCG, and mapping the current incidence of Covid-19 infections to determine where the greatest needs are and prioritizing government and charitable organizations to finalize the allocation [of oxygen concentrators].

Throughout the pandemic, TMC has been responsible for protecting cancer patients who are far more susceptible to an adverse event from Covid-19 than others. Adding to the risks that Covid-19 presents, the risk of untreated cancer looms large as it can be more fatal than the virus. All seven TMC centres across IndiaMumbai, Navi Mumbai, Sangrur, Varanasi, Guwahati, Vishakhapatnam and Muzaffarpurhave continued cancer care throughout the pandemic. Together, they have managed to treat over 80,000 patients with cancer in spite of a raging pandemic. In addition, over 2,000 patients with cancer and COVID-19 have been treated for COVID in the various TMC centres.

Since the first wave of the pandemic, TMC has been a leader in Indias Covid-19 response. In June 2020, TMC partnered with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government and helped set up an ad-hoc, 518 bed and 10 ICU bed Covid-19 facility at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai. As soon as the second wave hit, TMCs team of experts drew on this experience to identify lightweight, portable, high-flow oxygen concentrators that would have the maximum impact in saving lives, especially in hospitals that dont have oxygen pipelines.,. Dr. Chaturvedi , who was looking after the NSCI centre, explains that the second wave of the pandemic seems to be related to a new variant that is affecting the lungs of young people, leading to a sharp rise in death among that population. One of the important factors leading to mortality is the lack of ICU beds, lifesaving drugs, and oxygen. Portable oxygen concentrators help decongest ICUs and oxygen beds for truly needy patients by offering home support for patients with mild illness, allowing recovering patients to continue care at home, and supporting patients that are waiting hours or days for a hospital bed.

When asked how TMC has been able to respond so effectively to the recent shortage in oxygen supply, Dr. Badwe states,  Besides local industry stepping up production of medical grade oxygen , philanthropists like Tata Trusts and other NGOs in India helping procure large oxygenators, we have had an overwhelming response globally, with Indian diaspora and medical community joining hands to support,

Air India, our national carrier, has been superlative in their services and has been instrumental in the speedy delivery of the consignment without any added cost of transit 

Speaking of the support rendered, Dr. Badwe says, It is indeed a very valuable service to the nation. I am much heartened by the way Indians abroad responded to the carrion call and extended hands in support.

Deshpande attributes the success of this initiative to TMC, saying, Im impressed with how so many moving parts came together quickly. Donors trust the TMC name for its medical and ethical leadership. We know that TMC will reach and distribute these units to even the most remote areas. TMC's ability to manage the logistics, clear the customs and dispatch the units played a key role in starting to save lives right away."

Dr Badwe concludes,  We are facing difficult times, but with our preparedness and global support we should be able to overcome it. Hopefully with access to vaccination across the globe we should be able to offer protection to the entire humanity against the deadly virus.

For more information, visit: https://o2.tmc.navya.care/

Who are the beneficiaries of the National Cancer Grid?

Maharashtra: B.K.L. Walawalkar Hospital, Diagnostic And Research Centre, Ratnagiri ; Samarth Cancer, laparoscopy and maternity Hospital. Dhule; Sahyadri Hospitals ltd, Pune

Mumbai and Navi Mumbai: Tata Memorial Hospital, ACTREC, KEM Hospital, BARC Hospital, Sion Hospital, Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, CIDCO Covid facility, Sub District Hospital Panvel, Panvel, Covid Hospital, Kalamboli , Pramod Mahajan Covid hospital , Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation , INHS Asvini, Kailash Kher Foundation, Giving Back

Punjab: Government of Punjab, Administration of Chandigarh, Christian Medical College Ludhiana, HBCH, Sangrur

Uttar Pradesh: HBCH & MPMMCC Varanasi; District Hospital Varanasi, SPHEEHA, Agra; Kamla Nehru Hospital Allahabad

Bihar: Government of Bihar, Patna; Savera Hospital, Patna; HBCHRC Muzaffrpur

New Delhi: Can Support, Odisha Positive,

Madhya Pradesh: Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Gwalior; Padhar Hospital; Shri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Science Indore, Vidya Cancer Hospital

Assam: Govt of Assam, BBCI Guwahati, Cachar Cancer Centre, Silchar

Mizoram: State Cancer Institute, Aizawl

West Bengal: Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre, Kolkata

Andhra Pradesh  Vishakhapatnam Municipal Commission, HBCHRC, Vizag

Karnataka: Sir Devaraj Urs Medical College ; Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Center; Narayana Cancer Centre: R B Patil Hospital, Hubli; Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru; AarogyaSeva, Bangalore; Taluk Health Office and Hospital (Hanur and Ramapura) ; Victoria Hospital ; Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Yenepoya Medical College

Gujarat: The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, Ahmedabad; Kothari Onco Surgical Hospital; HCG Cancer Center Ahmedabad

Rajasthan: S.M.S. Hospital, Jaipur; Shalby Hospitals Jaipur ; Sri Ram Cancer Center, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital, Jaipur

Kerala: Malabar Cancer Center; St. Gregorios Medical Mission Multi specialty Hospital; Believers Church Medical College Hospital

Tamil Nadu: CMC Vellore ; GKNM Hospital

--Source: PIB Mumbai
President Biden. Photo: Tasos Katopidis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

When the Biden administration announced last Wednesday that it would support waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, it sounded like a big deal. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed it as a monumental moment in the fight against COVID-19. Thats the kind of reaction the administration was hoping for, but this change in the U.S. position may ultimately make little difference on the ground.

The mechanics of this waiver involve a somewhat byzantine process at the World Trade Organization to ease rules under the organizations Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) agreement. South Africa and India first proposed a TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines last October, which won the support of dozens of developing nations but has been stalled amid a lack of support from the U.S. and other rich Western countries. Ghebreyesuss hope is that President Joe Bidens thumb will be heavy enough to tip the scale of those talks in the other direction. However, the WTO makes these decisions by consensus, so all 164 members need to agree to enact the waiver. The U.K., Switzerland, Germany, and other E.U. states remain opposed.

The argument for waiving patent protections on the vaccines is that doing so would make it faster, easier, and cheaper for developing countries to roll them out by enabling them to produce the vaccines locally rather than waiting for shipments from abroad or negotiating more complicated licensing deals with drugmakers.

The pharmaceutical companies obviously oppose the move, as it would make the vaccines less profitable for them. They and their allies (including supposed global-health champion Bill Gates) argue perennially that without strong IP protections, they would have no incentive to undertake the extremely expensive and risky work of developing new vaccines or other drugs. In this case, however, the vaccines are already developed, and their risk was significantly mitigated by government financial support from Operation Warp Speed and other public-private partnerships. Will Pfizer and Moderna halt development of COVID booster shots just because they might not be able to sell them globally at a price of their choosing?

A more reasonable objection to the TRIPS waiver is that making vaccines is a complicated and delicate process that is difficult for non-specialist manufacturers. Recall the problems at the Emergent BioSolutions plant in Maryland that forced it to discard millions of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March; its not hard to imagine something similar happening at a plant in the developing world, with potentially disastrous consequences (then again, that story also puts paid to the condescending notion that these problems only happen in developing countries). The pharma companies also note that they already have hundreds of partnership agreements in place with plants around the world and that TRIPS rules already allow governments to issue compulsory licenses to local producers to make a patented product without the consent of the patent owner.

The upshot is that a TRIPS waiver will take many months to negotiate, if it ever comes to fruition at all, and might not have much impact on the race to distribute vaccines globally and prevent outbreaks like the one now infecting hundreds of thousands daily in India. But this outcome may suit the Biden administration just fine.

Biden had pledged during his campaign last year to force the drug companies to relinquish their IP rights with regard to the vaccines, but neither the industry nor many U.S. officials thought he would follow through. Major players in the administration were vocally against a waiver, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and David Kessler, the chief science officer of the COVID-response team. Even Anthony Fauci was worried that attempting to expand the global vaccine supply through a TRIPS waiver would bog the administration down in litigation with drug companies.

The shift in the administrations thinking came amid the crisis in India and the reality that other countries, including Russia and China, were eating Americas lunch in the vaccine-diplomacy game. The shift may also have come just in time to be too late. In other words, Biden wins a PR and diplomatic victory by standing up to Big Pharma on behalf of the developing world  but in the end, the drug companies never lose their patent protections as other countries block the waiver, the process gets gummed up, and the global vaccine shortage is eventually solved by other means.

This is not to say that Wednesdays announcement wont do anything. It sends a message that Biden isnt too afraid of the pharma lobby to take actions it opposes. It also puts pressure on the drug companies to prove that they can adequately supply the world with vaccines without having to lose their patent protections. Perhaps most importantly, it signals that the administration is confident that it has shored up domestic supply to the point that it can start looking outward and leading the global vaccination drive.

But again, the U.S. is very late to this party. The Trump administration, of course, had no plan for vaccinating Americans, much less the rest of the world. Bidens first few months in office were consumed with solving that first problem, managing the supply and distribution of vaccines domestically. The president cant snap his fingers and make vaccine exports appear out of thin air; a project like this requires planning, none of which took place before January 22. Biden was also reluctant to divert any vaccines to the global market, at least until he kept his promises regarding the pace of vaccination at home. Its easy to criticize this as a continuation of Trumps vaccine nationalism, but prioritizing American lives is pretty fundamental to the presidents job description. One can imagine the fit congressional Republicans would be throwing if Biden had started exporting vaccines without first ensuring an adequate domestic supply.

Meanwhile, other countries have been engaged in far more robust vaccine diplomacy for months. Russia and China have used their Sputnik V and Sinopharm vaccines as currency in their diplomatic overtures to the global south, implicitly trading vaccines for influence. Though both countries deny it, when Chinese vaccine donations are met with pledges to oppose international intervention in Chinas internal affairs or support its Belt and Road Initiative of global transportation infrastructure, its not hard to see whats going on. Poor countries are often willing to parrot a superpowers talking points in exchange for life-saving medicines, and this kind of transactional soft-power initiative is consistent with Moscows and Beijings ambitions to expand their spheres of influence, including in the Western hemisphere. Even India had supplied vaccines to over 90 countries, until its latest wave of cases forced it to suspend exports.

Unfortunately, the need to play catch-up on building a domestic vaccination strategy means Biden is now playing catch-up on vaccine diplomacy. The administration didnt really get these efforts off the ground until last month. In late April, as the virus was already spreading uncontrollably through India, he announced that the U.S. would ship its entire supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine, some 60 million doses, to countries in need over the coming months. These doses, however, represent a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed and wont arrive in time to help alleviate the current crisis. The following week, the administration expressed its support for Pfizers plan to start exporting U.S.-made doses, and followed that up with the announcement about the TRIPS waiver.

The U.S. and the rest of the world would be much better off had these efforts begun earlier, but there is still an opportunity for the U.S. to reclaim its leadership role in global health. The mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are exceptionally effective, and the evaluation process for U.S.-made vaccines is more trustworthy than those from Russia and China. The WHO has authorized the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use, but the Chinese-made vaccines are believed to be much less effective, and the countries that rely on them are facing higher vaccine refusal rates (as in Hungary) and even some resurgent outbreaks (as in the Seychelles). Chinas two vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac, are also struggling to produce enough doses to meet Chinas domestic needs. Russia has also had trouble producing Sputnik V at a sufficient rate to meet its international commitments. And Indias sudden de facto ban on vaccine exports has left much of the developing world in a lurch. Despite a late start, the U.S. could still outpace and outdo its rivals by shipping more reliable vaccines around the world more consistently.

The stakes are obviously high, considering the lives that hang in the balance, but vaccine diplomacy also has a darker, uglier side. Russian and Chinese state media have spread disinformation about Western vaccines and promoted conspiracy theories, while Russia is also accused of taking advantage of the chaotic vaccine rollout in Europe to sow division within the European Union. These propaganda operations make it even more important for the Biden administration to assert global leadership, support our allies, and push back against attempts to undermine trust in American- and European-made vaccines.

The potential rewards of vaccine diplomacy are considerable, but the risks of not engaging in it are even greater.
Texas lawmakers are circling the wagons. Politicians from the Lone Star state are preparing for an escalating war on oil and gas, the lifeblood of the Texan economy, and theyre determined not to go down without a fight. The Permian Basin has been in a bad way for years now. Even before the spread of the novel coronavirus dealt a devastating blow to global oil demand in general and the West Texas Intermediate crude benchmark in particular, the United States shale revolution had been in decline for years as wells aged, glut swelled, and growth finally slowed. This is all to say that oil and gas was in a particularly tough spot after the double whammy of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the already-faltering sector. And then Joe Biden, with his climate and clean energy intensive platform, stepped onto the scene, immediately putting Big Oil and all of its advocates on the defense.

Unfortunately, our economic bedrock of oil and gas is under attack by an administration that is bent on eliminating millions of jobs, Republican Congressman Brian Babin told the public back in February at a press event along with six other Texan lawmakers, as he meaningfully stood in front of the refineries and petrochemical plants of the Houston Ship Channel. And indeed, on Bidens very first day in office, he pulled the plug on the massive Keystone XL pipeline project, confirming all of Big Oils worst fears...until it turned out that the Biden presidency really hasnt been that bad for oil and gas at all.

Since taking office two months ago, Bidens been more boon than bane for a fossil-fuel industry that was wary of the ascendance of a politician bent on accelerating the energy transition, Bloomberg reported and the end of March, based on Goldman Sachs own assertion that overall, the Biden administration has actually been bullish for oil.

Related: Three Things That Will Drive Oil Prices In May Despite this surprising development, Texan lawmakers clearly feel that oil and gas remains firmly under threat. Public sector notwithstanding, Big Oil is clearly falling out of favor with large swaths of the private sector, which are increasingly divesting from emissions-heavy industries. Many a think piece has been written on whether Big Oil is the new Big Tobacco, soon to become anathema to all who touch it.

It is in response to exactly this phenomenon that Texas lawmakers are now trying to push through two pieces of legislature that aim to protect big oil from divestment and other initiatives to curb greenhouse gas emissions. On Tuesday, the Texas State House of Representatives granted final approval to Senate Bill 13, which, if enacted, would require state entities to divest from fossil fuel.

Related: Russia Boosted Oil Production In April

Entities such as state pension funds and the states enormous K-12 school endowment would be legally required to divest from companies that cut ties with or boycott fossil fuel companies, as summed up by reporting this week from the Texas Tribune. Oil and gas is the lifeblood of the Texas economy, state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, stated on Monday on the House floor. In the world of capital, theres a movement to deny funds to businesses that will not sign on to extreme anti-fossil fuel policy. While the Senate Bill 13 has been granted final approval by the house, however, it still has to be re-reviewed by the senate before moving onto Governor Greg Abbotts desk for the final decision.

The other piece of petro-protectionist legislature currently on the Texas docket is House Bill 17, which would prohibit Texas municipalities from barring natural gas as a fuel source in newly constructed residences, subdivisions, and other developments. This is a preventative measure in response to such bans which have already been enacted in states like California, which have required new homes to be powered with more climate-friendly energy sources. Texas is far from the only state to file such a bill; about a dozen similar bills have already been filed in states including Kansas, Minnesota and Ohio.

While Texan lawmakers rush to protect and cement the energy supremacy of the oil and gas sector, many industry leaders and energy specialists think that the state should actually be headed in the opposite direction. With peak oil hovering over our heads, in the long term Texas may be better off positioning itself not as the last of the old guard for fossil fuels, but at the forefront of the renewable movement, establishing its place at the helm of wind, solar, and energy storage in the U.S.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated government's commitment to continue its capacity building programme for the Ghana Prisons Service.



Speaking at the graduation and commissioning of officers from the junior corps of the Prisons Service in Accra on Friday, Vice President Bawumia underscored the crucial role of the Prisons Service in the administration of justice in the country, and government's continuous efforts to improve the capacity and welfare of the Service.



Dr. Bawumia highlighted interventions the Akufo-Addo government has been making in the past four years towards improving the capacity of the Service, especially in expansion of personnel, infrastructure, as well as welfare.



"Governments commitment to improve adequately the human resource of the Prison Service has led to the expansion of its manpower base, with the recruitment of some two thousand, nine hundred and fifty (2,950) recruits, and enlistment of three hundred (300) cadets, over the course of the last four years," Dr. Bawumia revealed.



Dr. Bawumia stressed that government is mindful of challenges confronting the Ghana Prisons Service, and that it has been taking necessary steps since 2017 to address some of these challenges.



"For instance, in November last year, the Service took delivery of ten (10) brand new Nissan Hardbody pickups to augment its fleet. I know the Service needs more vehicles, and I assure you that you will receive more vehicles in our second term."



"With respect to accommodation for officers, I am happy to inform you that contractors working on residential facilities at the Ankaful, Nsawam and Roman Ridge Prisons Complexes, have resumed work in earnest, after the brief break due to COVID-19."



"Government is also upgrading all health facilities in the prisons, to make them more responsive to the health needs of officers and inmates. Currently, the infirmary at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison has been elevated to the status of a District Hospital, whilst those at the Ankaful Maximum Security, Kumasi Central and the Koforidua prisons, have also been elevated to clinics."



"Government will continue to work closely with the Service to develop the capacity of prison officers, and to enable them perform their duties in accordance with international standards, which are of great concern to the Ghanaian people," Dr. Bawumia assured.



One hundred and ninety-eight (198) men and women of the Officer Cadet Course Intake 28 were commissioned into the Senior Officer Corps of the Ghana Prisons Service and the Vice President urged them to continually justify the confidence reposed in them in the discharge of their duties.



"It should not be lost on you that your call is one of trust reposed in you. Contemporary correctional management does not focus on punishing the prisoner, condemning and stigmatizing them with painful treatment methods, but rather on repairing their humanity, and helping to restore their God-given talents, in line with international standards."



"I urge you to embrace this new emerging order of restoration. Let it be your duty to treat prisoners with care, respect and decency, without compromising your professional ethics. I am confident you will make our nation proud in this regard," Dr. Bawumia told the commissioned officers and the Prisons Service in general.

Source: Office of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia









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May 9, 2021

How about Prez Biden and lots of Governors starting a tradition of granting lots of clemencies around Mother's Day?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by my persistent eagerness to see a lot more clemency activity from chief executives and also by this new story out of Illinois headlined "Protesters deliver Mothers Day card to Pritzkers house, demand release of incarcerated loved ones." Here are excerpts:

Against a backdrop of bright pink tulips, protesters stood outside Gov. J.B. Pritzkers Gold Coast home on Friday with flowers, signs and a painted piece of cardboard that read, Dear J.B., on this Mothers Day, set our loved ones free. That oversized Mothers Day card included demands that Pritzker sign clemency petitions to for prisoners they say have been wrongfully incarcerated and that he stop construction of a new youth prison at the Lincoln Developmental Center. Denice Bronis, an Elgin resident and member of Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity, said her son Matthew Echevarria, in prison for 22 years after being convicted of murder, contracted COVID-19 at Menard Correctional Center and still exhibits long-term symptoms. Mothers Day is just as much a day of love as it is a day of pain, especially for those who have experienced forced separation from our children, our loved ones, by the state, Bronis said.... Kiah Sandler, a Bronzeville resident with the End IL Prison Lockdown Coalition, said although the groups demands have shifted since Pritzker signed a sweeping criminal justice reform bill, there is still work to be done by the governor. Sandler said the coalition is asking Pritzker to lift that ban on personal contact during in-person visits, and also to grant more clemency requests to set loved ones free with the stroke of a pen.... A Pritzker spokesperson later sent an email stating Pritzker has granted clemency requests throughout the pandemic and the state prison population is at its lowest level in years  down 28% since 2019, including a 43% drop in female inmates. Holly Krig, a member of Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration, said it is horrific and cruelly unnecessary, that visitors and incarcerated people are not allowed to touch and also that visitors must be vaccinated; that means children under 16  who cant be vaccinated yet  cant visit. She said for younger children and newborns to maintain a relationship with incarcerated mothers, contact is essential. People can be released, people should be released and they should be released immediately, Krig said. We need to bring our people home.

As highlighted by recent polling discussed here, granting clemency to various groups of persons has considerable public support across the political spectrum. Focusing particularly on reuniting families though commutations and restoring rights through pardons on Mother's Day could be a big political winner.

A few prior recent related posts:

May 9, 2021 at 09:48 AM | Permalink

Comments

While I am dubious that it will ever happen, I could see a tradition of granting female inmates commutations in early May and male inmates commutations in early June so that they could, respectively, spend Mother's Day and Father's Day with their children.

Posted by: tmm | May 10, 2021 10:50:29 AM

Im not interested in political winners. Im interested in policy winners. Clemency should be used for gross injustice, not some punk who killed a man 22 years ago. Attaching it to Mothers is kind of sickening. Im tired of misplaced blame. The state did not separate the guy from his mom. The inmate did.

Regarding COVID: The same people complaining about non contact visits would be suing the state if the rates went up and an incarcerated family member died from COVID. Even worse, if a visitor contracted COVID from the incarcerated love one and died.

Its the typical kobayashi maru set up by the Inmates are the good guys, crowd.

Posted by: TarlsQtr | May 11, 2021 4:01:56 PM

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Genuine multilateralism, int'l cooperation championed worldwide

Xinhua) 09:02, May 09, 2021

-- The world needs genuine multilateralism, and all countries should refrain from pursuing unilateralism and hegemonism, and should not use multilateralism as a pretext to form small circles or stir up ideological confrontation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.

-- China has shown its "great willingness to guide efforts towards a new paradigm in the international arena, where cooperative work is the only path towards a prosperous global future," said Gonzalo Tordini, director of International Relations at the Arturo Jauretche National University in Greater Buenos Aires.

-- "In an effort to revive the multilateral and cooperative spirit of the world, President Xi is trying to push the world to come together, and major countries help each other especially in the midst of this challenging pandemic," said Mueen Batlay, director of the Institute of Management Sciences at Hamdard University in Pakistan.

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The world needs genuine multilateralism, and all countries should refrain from pursuing unilateralism and hegemonism, and should not use multilateralism as a pretext to form small circles or stir up ideological confrontation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.

The vision resonated with the wider public with scholars and experts worldwide holding that true multilateralism should prevail over unilateral interests and narrow regional groupings, and play a due role in promoting global cooperation and solidarity, especially in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

GENUINE MULTILATERALISM

During a phone conversation with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday, Xi noted that pursuing multilateralism is inseparable from the UN's mission, international law and cooperation among countries, and multilateralism has received an increasing amount of support.

"I think the Chinese president is telling the world how China perceives and practices true multilateralism," said Islam Ayadi, assistant professor of political science at the Arab American University in Palestine.

"China believes that true multilateralism means abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, and promoting the democratization of international relations," she told Xinhua.

"Building small circles in the name of multilateralism is in fact fake multilateralism," she said, adding that such a move is actually returning to unilateralism in nature.

President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir stressed on Friday that "strong and effective multilateralism, based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and justice are the foundations for security, stability, peace and prosperity."

"Multilateralism plays a crucial role in fostering dialogue and trust, managing security challenges, such as terrorism and weapons proliferation. And it provides a framework for states to resolve disputes peacefully and without coercion," he said, adding that the multilateral system benefits all, from small states to the largest ones.

Similarly, Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the UN Office at Geneva, pointed out that to make multilateralism trustworthy, all the members within the multilateral system should be given an equal voice.

"We need (to) give a voice to all the members of the multilateral system. All member states should have an equal voice, and we have to listen to everybody," he said.

"It's very important to strengthen multilateralism for this point of view, to make it inclusive, to make it integrated, to make it networking, and working with member states exactly in strengthening this multilateral approach," the official added.

"It is necessary to avoid isolationism and unilateralism. Global solidarity and South-South cooperation are key, not only to confront current challenges that require a multilateral response, but also to prevent future global problems," said Gonzalo Tordini, director of International Relations at the Arturo Jauretche National University in Greater Buenos Aires.

China has shown its "great willingness to guide efforts towards a new paradigm in the international arena, where cooperative work is the only path towards a prosperous global future," he added.

COOPERATION ON FIGHTING COVID-19

"In an effort to revive the multilateral and cooperative spirit of the world, President Xi is trying to push the world to come together, and major countries help each other especially in the midst of this challenging pandemic," said Mueen Batlay, director of the Institute of Management Sciences at Hamdard University in Pakistan.

A worker transports Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 28, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

"President Xi wants a world of cooperation and mutual respect which can fight against any global challenge together," he said, adding that Xi has forged a path towards this through China's efforts to promote international cooperation by helping others against COVID-19.

"I firmly believe that the world of cooperation will surely prevail over petty efforts of adversarial politics and narrow regional groupings," he said. "The time has come for the multilateral, cooperative and supportive spirit that President Xi calls for in international relations."

"The world is wounded, exhausted and economically impoverished. It needs the healing hand of cooperation, not confrontation and political manipulation," the scholar said.

A health worker prepares a dose of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination campaign in Palestine's West Bank city of Nablus, April 4, 2021. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

"If we are to have a chance of dealing with challenges such as the pandemic, climate change and poverty, President Xi's offer of friendship and partnership must be accepted. The future belongs to the unifiers, not the dividers," he added.

The global health and economic crisis generated by COVID-19 has highlighted the need for greater international cooperation and multilateralism, Tordini said.

"China has been one of the main promoters of international cooperation in recent years, and its willingness to work collaboratively with other countries has been especially clear during the pandemic," he said, adding that the pandemic did not interrupt collaboration, but intensified it.

CLIMATE CHANGE

As humankind has abused its environment and seen the consequences brought by climate change and COVID-19, multilateralism must prevail over unilateral interests, said Jose Ignacio Martinez Cortes, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

"Today we see that if we follow a unilateral path of not tackling climate change over the next two generations, then we will have lands devastated by the phenomenon of droughts or floods," he said. "Therefore, multilateralism must prevail beyond unilateral interest."

He added that countries are now faced with two major challenges: climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the United States always wants to "put its interests above multilateralism," and that could lead to "confrontation and wasting time in" addressing these two issues.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 24, 2021 shows a molten-salt solar thermal power plant in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

"If we continue to follow Washington's path, we will be moving through unilateralism and nationalism, and of course the hegemony of Washington. If we go along with what China proposes around the UN proposal, we can multilaterally confront these two (challenging) situations that we are undergoing," he said.

In this regard, the United States has shown an unfortunate willingness at times to deal with global challenges using small, closed groupings and small cliques, said Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies.

"It did so in the area of global public health by prioritizing the Quad framework -- and not the UN or the World Health Organization -- as the primary means for vaccine dissemination in the Indo-Pacific and other developing nations," he added.

"Global challenges require global solutions and global stewardship. Hopefully, it will bear this principle in mind in the context of exercising a co-leadership role to tackle the global climate challenge, going forward," Gupta said.

Photo taken on Dec. 3, 2020 shows a production line of new-energy vehicles in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

As the largest developing country in the world, China has increased its contributions to achieving the highest reduction in CO2 emissions in the world and will achieve carbon neutrality from carbon peaking in the shortest time in the world's history, said Ayadi.

China has already pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which is a much shorter time span than those proposed by many developed countries.

"This demonstrates China's commitment to making more contributions to tackling global climate change and building up its image as a responsible major country," she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Here are todays leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health documented 15 local COVID-19 infections in Hanoi, Dak Lak, Lang Son, Ha Nam, and Bac Giang on Sunday morning, raising the countrys tally to 3,245, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths.

-- Nearly 330 people having direct and indirect contact with patient No. 3,141, who went to Da Lat during the holiday last weekend, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once as of Sunday morning.

-- Authorities in Lam Dong Province, home to touristic Da Lat, have told local students to stay home from Sunday until further notice, as well as advised visitors to cancel unnecessary trips to the province during this period in order to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- The Hanoi Center for Disease Control on Sunday morning recorded five cases that tested positive for COVID-19, including four twelfth-grade students.

Society

-- Police in the northern province of Vinh Phuc have launched an investigation after several video clips showing naked female employees at a venue believed to be a local club named Sunny have been shared on social media.

-- A heatwave will affect northern Vietnam next week, with temperatures reaching 35-37 degrees Celsius, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting reported, adding that it will remain sunny during the day and rainy in the evening across southern localities.

-- One person was killed and three other injured after a tipper truck crashed into a roadwork on National Highway No.1 in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning.

-- Police in the northern province of Cao Bang confirmed on Sunday they had arrested a 24-year-old man for murdering his 26-year-old girlfriend, who was four months pregnant.

Business

-- Vietnam posted a trade surplus of over US$1.29 billion in the first four months of this year, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the Ministry of Planning and Investment as saying.

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Authorities in Vietnam have revealed that a COVID-19 patient had got infected with the disease in Laos before crossing the border illegally and transmitted the virus to two other people.

The patient, coded 3,051, is a 32-year-old man named D.D.T., according to the steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control in Hai Duong Province.

With the help of his cousin, who lives in Laos, T. migrated from Vietnam to Laos unlawfully in late March.

He came into contact with many Vietnamese and Laotian residents while the COVID-19 pandemic was escalating in the neighboring country.

T. illicitly crossed the border again to return to Vietnam between April 20 and 22.

He then headed to many places in northern and north-central Vietnam, including Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ha Nam, and Quang Tri.

The man traveled by bus, taxi, and motorbike taxi on multiple occasions but could not remember the names of the transport companies or drivers.

T.s cousin later informed him that he and at least three other people who had come into contact with T. in Laos had tested positive for COVID-19.

They were being quarantined and treated at the time, the cousin added.

T. began having such symptoms as coughing and a sore throat on April 29 but he still went to several locations.

He only signed up for a COVID-19 test when his condition worsened on May 5.

His result came back positive for the novel coronavirus on May 6.

As of Saturday evening, two of his contacts had been diagnosed with COVID-19, including his girlfriend and her co-worker.

Authorities are carrying out necessary procedures to charge T. for violating regulations on pandemic prevention and causing the spread of a contagious disease in the community.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27, including four cases in Hai Duong.

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Nearly 330 people having direct and indirect contact with a Vietnamese COVID-19 patient who went to touristic Da Lat City during the holiday last weekend have tested negative for the novel coronavirus once.

The Department of Health in Lam Dong Province, of which Da Lat is the capital, confirmed on Sunday morning that all 179 direct contacts and 150 indirect contacts of patient No. 3,141 have tested negative for COVID-19 in their first round of testing.

Fifty-two others who came into direct contact with the patient in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa have also tested negative, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control.

His direct contacts are still required to complete their 21-day quarantine and undergo additional tests in accordance with regulations.

Patient No. 3,141, a 27-year-old man from the northern province of Bac Ninh, boarded flight VN1595 from Hanoi to Cam Ranh City, Khanh Hoa Province on May 1.

On May 2, the patient caught a long-haul bus from Cam Ranh to Da Lat, where he stayed at a local hotel and visited multiple tourist spots, eateries, and coffee shops.

He headed to Lien Khuong Airport in Lam Dong Province on the morning of May 5 and flew back to Hanoi on board flight VN1572.

Vietnamese celebrated a public holiday from April 30 to May 3 inclusive, as tens of thousands of people came to touristic destinations like Da Lat, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, and Da Nang.

After patient No. 3,141 was confirmed on Saturday, authorities in Lam Dong Province have tracked his contacts and fumigated all locations where he had been to.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27.

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The number of local COVID-19 cases has climbed steeply in Vietnam after a recent public holiday during which people rushed to popular destinations despite coronavirus warnings from authorities.

The Ministry of Health announced 15 domestic infections on Sunday morning, including six at a hospital in Hanoi.

A total of 221 cases have been logged since May 4, according to the health ministrys data.

On April 27, the ministry recorded a local case, the first after Vietnam had spent about a month detecting zero infections in the community.

Authorities recorded only 35 local infections between April 27 and May 3.

But contagion has escalated ever since, with 80 cases confirmed on Saturday alone.

Vietnamese had taken a four-day holiday, from April 30 to May 3, meant to celebrate Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1).

Tens of thousands of vacationers flocked to favorite touristic destinations like Da Lat, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and Da Nang during the holiday even though authorities kept urging caution as the virus could make a comeback anytime, local media reported then.

The pathogen has spread to 24 provinces and cities in this latest round, which health experts said is much more serious than previous waves because patients have been found catching the highly contagious double-mutant Indian variant.

The mutated strain has been taking a toll on India, where hundreds of thousands of cases are announced daily and deaths are at alarming rates.

At least nine hospitals in Vietnam, including one dedicated to cancer patients in Hanoi, have been isolated over their links to a lot of COVID-19 cases.

Vietnam has reported 3,245 local and imported coronavirus cases as of Sunday morning, according the health ministry.

Recoveries have hit 2,602, including 42 announced on Saturday, while virus-related deaths have remained at 35 for months.

The government has inoculated more than 832,000 people against COVID-19 with AstraZeneca shots as yet.

Those vaccinated were medical staff and other frontline workers.

A medical worker died on Friday of anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely post-vaccination, after being injected with an AstraZeneca dose one day earlier, the Ministry of Health announced the same day.

The country is now using only AstraZeneca shots to inoculate its population after having received almost one million doses via purchase and the COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme to date.

More vaccine doses are expected to arrive in Vietnam on Monday.

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The isolation of an alley in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 3 due to COVID-19 was lifted on Sunday morning after 342 contacts of a man who had received a positive retest already tested negative for the novel coronavirus, health authorities said the same day.

The number includes 59 direct contacts of T.H.T., a 22-year-old man from An Giang Province, who retested positive for the virus earlier this week.

The remainder were T.s indirect contacts.

Following the results, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) decided to remove the lockdown of Alley 359 on Le Van Sy Street, Ward 13, District 3, where T. had stayed.

T. first tested positive for the virus in quarantine on February 27, two days after he entered Vietnam through the Ha Tien border gate in southern Kien Giang Province.

After treatment, T. was discharged from hospital and was isolated in Ha Tien City for another 14 days.

After getting two negative tests on April 3 and 9, the young man ended his isolation period on April 10.

Nearly a month later, T. was found positive again when he received a coronavirus test on Thursday as a procedure for his exit from the country.

He has been sent to centralized quarantine in Ho Chi Minh City since the positive retest.

This is just a positive retest, Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the municipal Department of Health, said this week.

The risk of T. spreading the pathogen to others is low, the HCDC said on its verified Facebook page on Friday.

Patients retesting positive after having recovered from COVID-19 are not contagious as restests simply pick up the remains and fragments of the virus in the body, Nguyen Van Kinh, former director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, once said.

"Epidemic investigations in China, Vietnam, and Japan have shown that patients declared recovered and later testing positive did not pass the pathogen to others, even when they had contact with their kin, Kinh elaborated.

Vietnam has documented 3,230 local and imported COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities, including one case on Ho Chi Minh City, since April 27 after having spent about a month logging no transmission in the community.

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In light of the re-emergence of COVID-19 in Vietnam, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has called on pagodas to step up measures against the coronavirus on their premises.

The sangha requires lower-level monasteries to pay close attention to the latest developments of the pandemic, adhering strictly to guidance from the prime minister, the Ministry of Health, as well as orientations from provincial- and city-level authorities regarding COVID-19 prevention.

The VBS requires monasteries to cease all religious gatherings and comply with local authorities' directives if they are located in those provinces and cities that have already recorded COVID-19 cases in the community, or are seeing a high risk of transmission.

The sangha also advises against organizing big gatherings for pagodas in other areas.

Crowded events should only be held if utterly necessary and should secure approval from local authorities, the sangha said.

Organizers are required to uphold COVID-19 prevention guidelines, limit the number of attendees, demand health declaration from visitors, and strictly comply with the 5K recommendations, 'Khau trang" (face mask donning) - 'Khu khuan' (disinfection) - 'Khoang cach' (distancing) - 'Khong tu tap' (no gathering) - 'Khai bao y te' (health declaration).

Regarding the upcoming Vesak ceremony, slated for May 26, as well as the provincial-level Buddhist congress, scheduled for May in several locales, the VBS stated that each monastery and local authority should work out their own plans considering the epidemic developments.

Vesak is the most important holiday in the Buddhist calendar that celebrates three important events, namely the birth, full awakening, and passing away of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. The event falls on the full moon day of May.

Head monks of the pagodas would be held accountable in front of the law as well as the sangha if negligence of COVID-19 prevention measures is spotted on their premises.

In the meantime, clergies should file health declaration, raise awareness of the pandemic for monks and local communities, and send themselves to self-isolation after they have been to outbreak sites.

The VBS statement repeatedly called on monasteries to diligently monitor and report on cases of border jumpering in order to prevent outbreaks in their communities.

On Friday, a staffer working at Tam Chuc Pagoda, Vietnam's largest Buddhist compound in northern Ha Nam Province, was diagnosed with COVID-19, which gave rise to fear of COVID-19 contagion as the pagoda welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every weekend.

The pagoda was closed on April 29, when a cluster of coronavirus infections was found in Ly Nhan District, Ha Nam Province.

Vietnam has documented 3,245 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 2,602 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 256 local infections in 24 provinces and cities since April 27.

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Vietnamese enterprises need to be proactive in terms of gaining knowledge of incentives, whilst simultaneously managing themselves in order to deal with gaps and weaknesses occurring in the implementation of FTAs, according to economic experts.

The negotiation, signing, and implementation of a series of FTAs in recent years has offered positive conditions for local firms to promote their exports and connections, whilst enjoying deeper participation in the global value chain and production network.

In the context of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic both last year and in the early months of this year, FTAs have increasingly emerged as a bright spot in the overall picture of the nations economic growth.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reports that as of April, authorised agencies and organisations have issued more than 127,296 sets of C/O form EUR.1 (Certificate of Origin), with a turnover of more than US$4.78 billion to 27 EU countries. In addition, enterprises exporting goods to the EU market also self-certify the origin for roughly 3,585 consignments worth over US$10.88 million in order to enjoy tariff preferences in line with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Import and Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), says that goods with C/O form EUR.1 mainly consist of footwear, seafood, garments and textiles, agricultural products, and products such as cereals and electronics. Import markets are mostly based in countries that have seaports, distribution hubs, and transshipment centres within the EU, such as Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.

Alongside the EVFTA, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will cover a vast market with 2.2 billion consumers, thereby accounting for approximately 30% of global GDP and being the largest free trade area in the world.

Furthermore, the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) also appears to have shown many positive signs in recent times, with Vietnamese exports to the UK during the first half of the year increasing by 22.1% over the same period from last year.

In terms of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in just two years since the implementation of the deal, trade turnover between the nation and the other 10 CPTPP countries has reached US$77.4 and US$78.2 billion, up by 3.9% and 5%, respectively compared to 2018.

Nguyen Thi Cam Trang, deputy director of the Import and Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, says that in the context of almost all CPTPP partners reducing imports, the country has still achieved growth which indicates that the CPTPP has been creating a range of positive effects.

Enterprises need to swiftly fix "holes" and weaknesses

There is no denying that participating in new generation FTAs is benefiting the nation in terms of tariff reduction. However, the implementation of these trade deals also poses numerous challenges to many industries, especially in relation to quality and standards.

Nguyen Khanh Ngoc, deputy director of the Europe - America Market Department under the MoIT, commented that FTAs are also contributing to increasing competition pressure for the national economy and local enterprises. This thereby requires local businesses to comply with high standards of rules as a means of taking full advantage of opportunities and limit commercial disputes.

Non-tariff barriers to imported goods in the markets of FTA participating countries with Vietnam will tend to increase with the high trend of protection and application of technical, labor and protection standards. This is seen as a big challenge for businesses, affecting the ability to capitalize on tariffs," Ngoc states.

Various economic experts believe that in order to make the most of opportunities from FTAs and to minimise the challenges faced, domestic businesses need to be proactive in grasping the advantages that FTAs bring, whilst also dealing with their "holes" and weakness.

To increase opportunities enjoyed by Vietnamese businesses to expand their export markets through the CPTPP, Do Thi Thu Huong, Vietnam Trade Counselor in Canada, notes that local firms must be more proactive in terms of grasping the advantages in the framework of the trade deal. In particular, import tax incentives can have a direct impact on the price mechanism between both buyers and sellers, therefore it can be considered as a basis for negotiation with partners.

The rules of origin in the CPTPP are new and very complicated, so local businesses need to invest human resources to learn the rules and procedures to prove the origin to be able to enjoy tax incentives. Besides, management agencies should promote more online tools, organise seminars and instructions in each field and industry so that businesses can learn and seek useful information," Huong adds.

VOV
PM Pham Minh Chinh on May 9 held an urgent video conference with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, relevant ministries and agencies, and six provinces along the southwestern border,

focusing on how to respond to the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs an urgent video conference on May 9 on how to respond to the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the country. (Photo: VNA)

The conference was organised after the PM inspected pandemic prevention and control work in the southwestern border provinces. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, joined the meeting from Hanoi, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh from Tay Ninh province, and Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh accompanied Chinh from An Giang.

At the event, PM Chinh underlined the growing complexity of the current COVID-19 outbreak, with a very high risk of the coronavirus spreading nationwide.



There were localities lowering guards against the virus and not prepared themselves with suitable response scenarios, he said, emphasising that local leaders will be held accountable for leaving the pandemic out of control or stagnant economy in their localities.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)

The PM also noted the threat from illegal entry across the border while the pandemic is ravaging neighbouring countries, and demanded strict control of entry and residency.

Voicing his concern over the spread of misinformation on COVID-19 response efforts and vaccination on social media which has created public concern, Chinh urged the mass media, the Party Central Committees Commission of Mass Mobilisation and Commission of Education and Communication to intervene to end the issue.

He stressed that if the pandemic spreads across the country, it would affect the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021  2026 tenure and this academic year, therefore, all local administrations, organisations and units must strictly and drastically comply with instructions of the Party and the Government regarding COVID-19 control and ensure social security and order.

The PM also pointed to the need to prepare accommodations and treatment facilities for a 30,000-case scenario.

He asked all cities and provinces to come up with plans to ensure safety for the upcoming elections, and the completion of the 2020-21 school year while ministries must collaborate more closely to combat the virus.

The Ministries of National Defence, Public Security and Health were also asked to send more personnel and supplies to support border provinces, particularly those in the southwest.



According to the Health Ministry's statistics, 257 new infections had been detected in 26 cities and provinces from April 29 to 12:00 May 9. Meanwhile, during only the past week, a total of 515 people entered Vietnam illegally from Laos, Cambodia and China. The actual number is likely to be even higher./.VNA
PM Chinh and other candidates running for seats in the 15th National Assembly met voters in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thos constituency No. 1 on May 8.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has pledged that he and the Government will work hard, together with the whole political system, army and people, to promote the countrys achievements and overcome difficulties and challenges so as to further boost its development and successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

PM Chinh and other candidates running for seats in the 15th National Assembly met voters in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thos constituency No. 1 on May 8.

The PM said that over 35 years of Doi Moi (renewal), Vietnam has gained great achievements. However, the country is facing big challenges, including the aging population, exhausted natural resources, climate change and non-traditional security issues, he noted.

The Government leader pointed out three key pillars for the countrys development  people, including their brainpower and values, value of nature and natural resources, and national historical and cultural values. He also stressed the need to promote the national great solidarity bloc for national development.

Regarding the action plan designed by the Government to realise the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, PM Chinh said that the plan was made to suit the reality and will be implemented in a comprehensive and synchronous manner with a proper roadmap and certain priorities.

On the development of the Mekong Delta region, including Can Tho city, he said that the 20-million-strong region has yet to fully tap its potential, advantages and competitiveness edge.

Regarding transport infrastructure, the PM said it is necessary to focus on studying and re-planning the transportation system of the Mekong Delta region, and outline solutions and mechanisms for developing inland waterways, seaports, roads, expressways and airports in the region.

He suggested local authorities uphold the spirit of self-reliance, join hands with the Government to further promote socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta, effectively perform the Government's Resolution on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta to adapt to climate change, and the Politburos Resolution on building and developing Can Tho city to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

For Can Tho city, he underlined the need to build the city into a political, economic and culture centre and a hub of transport, logistics services and agriculture of the whole region.

The Government leader also discussed COVID-19 prevention and control efforts with local voters, noting that it is essential to oppose tendencies of being distracted, panic, and extreme in the fight against the pandemic.

The PM urged the entire people, including voters in the Mekong Delta region, Can Tho city in particular, to voluntarily and strictly follow regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Voters in Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang and Phong Dien districts of Can Tho city highly valued action programmes of the candidates, expressing their opinions and recommendations on issues of the country and people.

They hoped that if the candidates are elected, they will effectively implement their action propgrammes, and solving well issues that voters care about.

VNA
The Health Ministry confirmed 87 additional COVID-19 cases on the evening of May 9, including 77 locally-infected ones detected in 9 provinces and cities.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs an urgent online meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control (Photo: VGP)

The latest domestic cases included Bac Giang (26), Bac Ninh (15), Hanoi (11), Hung Yen (2), Hoa Binh (2), Da Nang (17), Hue (2), and one each in Quang Nam and Quang Tri.

All imported cases were immediately placed into isolation upon arrival to prevent the virus spread. The new cases have brought the national count to 3,322, including 1,963 community infections.

In the face of the increasingly complicated developments of COVID-19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 9 chaired an urgent online meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, relevant ministries and agencies, and six provinces along the southwestern border, with a particular focus on coping with the latest COVID-19 resurgence in the nation.

The government leader stressed that some localities have lowered guards against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that local leaders will be responsible for leaving the pandemic out of control that will result in economic slowdown in their localities.

Chinh underlined the strict control of cross-border illegal entry as the pandemic is rapidly spreading and ravaging many neighbouring countries.

He asked all cities and provinces to work out plans to ensure safety for the forthcoming elections, and the completion of the 2020-21 school year while ministries need to boost closer collaboration in the COVID-19 fight.

The same day, eight positive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Hanoi capital, and the northern provinces of Hung Yen and Thai Binh were confirmed to be carrying the B1.617.2 strain of the virus from India.

The results were released following the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology sampled COVID-19 patients for genetic sequencing in order to identify the specific variant of the virus.

According to the Health Ministry, as many as 334 fresh local infections have been detected across 26 cities and provinces from April 29 to May 9.

VOV
Alabama lawmakers return to Montgomery on May 17 for the final day of the 2021 session.

Legislators could decide a number of controversial issues on the last day including a gambling bill, a proposal to ban gender-affirming treatment for minors and a bill to forbid local police officers from enforcing any new federal gun restrictions.

A number of bills have already fallen by the wayside this session. Those include a bill to allow no-excuse absentee voting and another to change the state law protecting Confederate and other longstanding monuments.

Here is a look at some of the measures that are pending on the final day of the legislative session and some that are already dead for the session.

WHATS PENDING:

GAMBLING

The Senate-passed proposal would allow a state lottery and nine casino locations in the state. However, negotiations in the House of Representatives fell apart leading to finger-pointing over who was responsible and an unsuccessful effort by Republicans to switch the bill for a GOP-backed lottery proposal. Lawmakers could try again on the final day of the Alabama legislative session. However, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said he believes the outlook for the bill is doubtful.

TRANSGENDER TREATMENT

The bill would make it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a doctor to prescribe puberty-blockers or hormones or perform surgery to aid in the gender transition of people 18 or younger. Arkansas earlier this year became the first state to enact such a measure. The Alabama bill cleared the state Senate in early March and awaits a vote in the House of Representatives. Opponents, including parents and trans youth, say such measures interfere with medical decisions and target trans individuals for the sake of politics. Sponsors counter that they are trying to protect children from decisions that should wait until adulthood. If approved, it would almost certainly face a legal challenge.

OPPOSING FEDERAL GUN LAWS

The Alabama Senate approved legislation to make it a crime for local police officers to enforce any new federal gun restrictions, part of a wave of GOP nullification proposals to try to resist any new gun control measures. Senators voted 21-5 for the bill by Republican Sen. Gerald Allen of Tuscaloosa. The bill is awaiting a vote in the Alabama House of Representatives. Republicans in several states are pushing such measures. Opponents of the bill argued that the U.S. Constitution already protects gun rights and that Republican lawmakers are going to get the state embroiled in a costly lawsuit that they will ultimately lose.

THIRD-GRADE READING PROMOTION REQUIREMENT

After COVID-19 disrupted two school years, Alabama lawmakers are weighing a pause in an upcoming state requirement for third-graders to pass a reading test before moving up to the fourth grade. The Senate-passed bill by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, that would delay the promotion requirement, now set to take effect next year, by two years. Smitherman and others said it would be unfair to force the requirement on students who were out of the traditional classroom for long stretches during the pandemic. Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the original law creating the requirement, said she would prefer to wait until after spring test scores are in before deciding if a delay is needed.

WHATS DEAD

NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING

Legislation by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, would have done away with requirement to have an excuse, such as being ill or out of town, in order to vote by absentee ballot. The bill did not get out of committee. Hall said allowing people to vote early by absentee ballot would be a convenience to busy voters who may have difficulty getting to the polls during the 12-hour window on election day. Hall said people were happy with the expanded opportunity to vote by absentee in November, and it is something the state should continue.

CHANGES TO CONFEDERATE MONUMENT PROTECTIONS

The House Judiciary Committee rejected legislation by Democratic Rep. Juandalynn Givan of Birmingham that would repeal the state law protecting Confederate monuments and instead allow cities and counties to move unwanted monuments and give them to state archivists for preservation. Another bill to up protections for the monuments did not get a vote. The bill by Republican Rep. Mike Holmes of Wetumpk would have boosted the fine for removing monuments from a flat $25,000 to $10,000 a day. During discussions on the bill, Holmes drew criticism by maintaining the Civil War was not about slavery, a view contrary to most historians.

PROTEST BILL

A Senate committee did not act on a House-passed bill to stiffen penalties for participating in riots and traffic-blocking demonstrations. The bills sponsor said the legislation is needed to crack down on violent behavior, but advocacy groups and Black lawmakers said they feared it would be used to jail and intimidate peaceful demonstrators. The GOP-dominated House of Representatives voted 74-25 for the bill.
America's credibility and strength are not a partisan matter or even up for political debate  when America loses, the American people lose. When America's respectability is weakened internationally, the American democracy suffers.

After the disastrous  and very unfortunate for the American people  job reports of last month, President Biden decided to give a golden opportunity to European countries and the European Union (as an organization) to humiliate the USA.

Recently, the land of creativity, innovation, the free market, self-determination, and individual ingenuity seemed to have turned into the land of coercion and government control in the international arena. For the first time, the country that created the system that (with its flaws and merits) allowed social mobility, freedom, and hope in the unlimited boundaries of human capabilities appeared worldwide as a socialist country.

I am referring to the Joe Biden's administration's announcement of its support for the waiving of COVID vaccine patents. Even European countries  the most socialist ones  are refusing this proposal. And the irony is that the European countries turned the Biden administration's suggestion away in a convention held in Oporto, Portugal about a "Pledge for a Social Europe." The European leaders pledged to enhance the so-called "European social model" despite the fact that they had rejected the Biden administration's idea of waiving patents for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Quite ironically: The socialist European countries rejected an idea supported by the current U.S. administration basically because...it is too radical. Only the political parties in Europe that support regimes such as those in Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and Communist China are cheering Biden's announcement. Thus, Joe Biden, with this amateur and reckless move, undermined American leadership of the Free World. This must not happen again.

To be perfectly honest, President Biden's motive is noble  to allow mass production of the vaccine to end the pandemic. However, there are many other solutions. The reason for the existence of patents is to allow innovation, to protect intellectual and industrial property as an incentive to push the boundaries of possibilities in each time of history. Patent-waiving would be practically an eminent domain situation: the government would have to justly compensate the (American) pharmaceutical companies for the infringement of their private property protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Additionally, another really relevant question must be asked: should be the United States offer vaccine patents to the world? Should the United States have announced its openness to waive the vaccines patents prior to other countries, mainly China, Russia, and Germany? Prior to countries where the private property protections are not  putting it mildly  so strong?

For so many years, we have been hearing about the vices of (American) unilateralism compared with the merits of multilateralism. Multilateralism would be the salvation of the world. Therefore, one must ask: where is the U.N.? Shouldn't the U.N. step up and find some solution? Do something useful for a change?

Let us be clear: the U.S. already pays for USAID (more than 35 billion dollars), pays major contributions to the WHO (which Biden administration decided to rejoin  the United States is the major contributor to WHO by far, paying more than double what China pays), and now has joined COVAX (Joe Biden announced $4 million to COVAX, which is the lion's share of the funding!).

The generosity of the American people to the world is beyond doubt and well proved again and again throughout the years. There is absolutely no need for Joe Biden to put another burden on American private creative agents, making them pay to finance other countries by establishing a mandatory international sale of intellectual property.

This is even worse when you take into account that this major burden put on all Americans  through general taxes, which finance international institutions, and the "hidden tax" that the Biden administration was open to imposing on the American pharmaceutical sector  would be made without pursuing any American foreign policy priority.

On the contrary, the massive transfer of knowledge to foreign countries and to the international institutions would benefit America's main enemies: they would learn from the best and use it against America in the future.

In fact, waiving the COVID-19 vaccines' patents will allow the Chinese Communist Party access to American pharmaceutical knowledge at no cost, improving the Chinese vaccines and allowing cheaper production to surpass America. Next time, America and the world would be dependent on Chinese Communist Party's goodwill, even to develop a new vaccine that might be necessary in the future.

We cannot mince words here: once America waives the vaccines' patents, setting this dangerous precedent  China would immediately create a system of intellectual property rights protection to attract the pharmaceutical corporations and other powerful players to move there. This would be the perfect cocktail to destroy the free world: some strong protections of intellectual property rights combined with low wages and no worker's rights. America and the free world would be economically dead pretty fast.

Do not forget a simple premise of world politics (and life): knowledge is power.

All things considered, I do trust that this was nothing more than a stunt by the Biden administration. The U.S. will not back waiving COVID-19 vaccines' patents. This is not a question of liberalism versus conservatism. Rather, it was a matter of America's vital interests. Americanism is not (should not be) a partisan issue.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
54 years ago, on the Jewish date of the 28th of Iyar 5727, (June 7, 1967 CE on the Gregorian calendar), Israeli forces smashed through Jordanian barriers illegally dividing the city of Jerusalem in the final days of the Six Day War. As gunfire exploded in the background Israeli General Mordechai Gur triumphantly proclaimed, "Har Habayit b'yadenu," "The Temple Mount is in our hands!"

And thus, for the first time in over 2000 years, Jerusalem, the historic capital of the Jewish people (its sole original inhabitants), was finally restored to Jewish control. Though others, such as Christians, Muslims, Romans, and Turks, conquered the city over the millennia, killing and expelling most of the original and rightful Jewish residents, they all were unable to replace Jewish rights to the land.

Photo credit:   CC BY-SA 3.0 license

This year, the Hebrew date of this momentous anniversary begins this Sunday night, May 9. (A new Jewish day begins at sunset.) As Israelis prepare to celebrate Jerusalem Day beginning tonight and continuing through tomorrow, they will certainly take pride in the city's advances since reunification.

When Jordan illegally occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem from 1948 until 1967, Jews were not allowed entry to that area where many of their important religious and historical sites are located. Jordanians deliberately destroyed or otherwise desecrated many of these important Jewish sites or turned them into Muslim institutions. They treated many Christian sites with equal contempt. Now people of all religions can celebrate freely, with access to their important religious sites.

Also, according to the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research as of now:

Jerusalem continues to be the largest city in Israel. At the end of 2020, the capital's population comprised 952,000 residents. The average age in Jerusalem, 24, was much lower compared to the national average, 30. In Tel Aviv, the average age was 36, in Haifa, 38. (snip) According to data, Jerusalem is the second-largest economy in Israel, after Tel Aviv. Some 344,300 Jerusalemites are employed, which is 9% of all those employed in the country. The high-tech industry, in particular, has grown exponentially since 2015. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem had the most PhD students in the country.

Commenting on the findings, Israel's president Reuven Rivlin noted

"Jerusalem's future is also the future of the State of Israel. It is here, in the city that comprises the full range of Israel's demography in all its richness, that we need to find a way to create a dialogue, to connect, to cooperate," he added. "The year of COVID-19 and recent events demonstrate just how much Israel's capital is a multi-faceted and multi-varied city," JIPS Director-General Lior Schiller said. "Developments and events in Jerusalem have political significance and make an impact throughout the entire country. In many respects the developments and trends in the city are a prelude to what will transpire throughout Israel in the coming decades. In this sense Jerusalem is Israel's 'national laboratory."

To paraphrase an ancient Jewish prayer, for Jews everywhere, "Last year, this year, next year in Jerusalem! Rebuilt! Renewed!

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
In a story that ought to be getting more attention than it is, a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) dossier that has fallen into the hands of the State department, shows that China has been planning for biological warfare, bigtime, as its means of taming the West.

According to the Daily Mail:

This latest evidence that Beijing considered the military potential of SARS coronaviruses from as early as 2015 has also raised fresh fears over the cause of Covid-19, with some officials still believing the virus could have escaped from a Chinese lab.

The bombshell paper, accessed by the US State Department, insists they will be 'the core weapon for victory' in such a conflict, even outlining the perfect conditions to release a bioweapon, and documenting the impact it would have on 'the enemy's medical system'.

Chinese scientists have been preparing for a Third World War fought with biological and genetic weapons including coronavirus for the last six years, according to a document obtained by US investigators.

2015? That's about when China started ramping up its presence in the South China Sea, building illegal atolls, and intimidating its neighbors. According to a 2020 op-ed in Defense News:

While the world is combating the new coronavirus, COVID-19, China continues to fortify its islands in the South China Sea, with only muted response from the international community. Even the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel brought minimal reaction from the international community, though the Philippines and U.S. military have made statements against the incident.

Prior to COVID-19, Chinas war without gunsmoke strategy had already resulted in the near-normalization of its South China Sea military buildup and its nine-dash line claims. Since 2013 the Great Wall of Sand (so dubbed by former Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Harry Harris) has become even more formidable. Combined with Chinese disregard for a 2016 Hague ruling that invalidated Chinese nine-dash line claims, it is obvious that China will continue to persist in its claims, as I detailed in a 2017 article for Foreign Policy.

Funny how a 'war without gunsmoke' using fishing boats as bait or spies, and eventually, raw military muscle, coincides with the sort of end-goal going on in that Wuhan lab, cooking up a means of biological destruction of the West with disease rather than bullets, as some means of subduing the West.

The details of the dossier are appalling:

The authors of the document insist that a third world war 'will be biological', unlike the first two wars which were described as chemical and nuclear respectively. Referencing research which suggested the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan forced them to surrender, and bringing about the end of WWII, they claim bioweapons will be 'the core weapon for victory' in a third world war. The document also outlines the ideal conditions to release a bioweapon and cause maximum damage. The scientists say such attacks should not be carried out in the middle of a clear day, as intense sunlight can damage the pathogens, while rain or snow can affect the aerosol particles. Instead, it should be released at night, or at dawn, dusk, or under cloudy weather, with 'a stable wind direction...so that the aerosol can float into the target area'. Meanwhile, the research also notes that such an attack would result in a surge of patients requiring hospital treatment, which then 'could cause the enemy's medical system to collapse'.

Sound like COVID? We know that COVID was released from that Wuhan lab somehow, what we don't know is whether it was accidental or intentional. And were China not preparing for some kind of biological warfare with the West, it never would have happened at all.

More important, we know that China has covered up the origins of the virus. It has blocked investigators, and it has corrupted the World Health Organization, which employs a see-no-evil policy from China, despite the mounting evidence.

Worse still, we know there are collaborators, from the West.

Joe Biden's kid Hunter is up to his gills in China "investments" he claimed he would divest as old pop became president, and somehow, didn't. How's Joe gonna ramp up to this challenge, this very real threat against the U.S. with his protected son on the take?

The vaunted Dr. Anthony Fauci, meanwhile, is about as bad, too. According to a column by James Freeman at the Wall Street Journal, published May 7:

Before Covid-19 ravaged the world, Dr. Anthony Faucis National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded coronavirus research that included work at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology. The idea was to study the ability of such viruses to attack humans, but could a Fauci-funded experiment actually be the source of the deadly global infection? In an exhaustive account of the viral possibilities published this week by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Nicholas Wade argues that the Chinese lab is the most likely source of the world-wide agony. Left-leaning journalists who dont like where this story is going may struggle to dismiss the author given his establishment credentials. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists describes him this way: Nicholas Wade is a science writer, editor, and author who has worked on the staff of Nature, Science, and, for many years, the New York Times. The former Timesman writes: The virus that caused the pandemic is known officially as SARS-CoV-2, but can be called SARS2 for short. As many people know, there are two main theories about its origin. One is that it jumped naturally from wildlife to people. The other is that the virus was under study in a lab, from which it escaped... it seems to me that proponents of lab escape can explain all the available facts about SARS2 considerably more easily than can those who favor natural emergence.

The column goes on to point out that at least some of the research involved 'gain of function' or making the virus transmissible and live from bats to humans, and that the Chinese military most certainly was involved. It certainly explains why the Chinese have refused to come clean either about their lab operation's doings, or what they were directing the lab to do and why the lab was busy producing biological agents that eventually poisoned the world. China is in fact doing all it can to spread the big lie that the virus originated someplace else.

Here's the bad news for us: This isn't the last of it. With Joe Biden in the saddle, and not Donald Trump who was a nightmare to them, they're going to keep carrying on with this 'Dr. Evil' masterplan, getting away with more and more. They know that Biden is a weakling and has a compromised son on their string, so from their perspective, the time to advance is now.

When is the U.S. going to get a real leader to calls them out and counter them in this Dr. Evil scheme?

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of image by Zhang Zhenshi and a committee of artists via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, and a public domain image.


On March 17, 2021, Emory's non-profit drug development company DRIVE announced its discovery of a new antiviral drug, called molnupiravir (formerly EIDD-2801), which can be administered to outpatients in pill form, and which

appears safe and reduces SARS-CoV-2 to undetectable levels in COVID-19 patients after five days of administration, according to data from a Phase II clinical trial in the United States[.] ... Although remdesivir and antiviral monoclonal antibodies have received Emergency Use Authorizations from the FDA, they must be given intravenously or by injection. In addition, drugs like molnupiravir could flexibly tackle SARS-CoV-2 variants, which have emerged as a concern in recent months.

Additionally, "EIDD-2801 has broad spectrum activity against a number of diseases of public health concern, including influenza, SARS-CoV-1, MERS, chikungunya, Ebola and equine encephalitis."

Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck are involved with the licensing, testing, and manufacturing of this drug. Merck recently announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement with five generic Indian drug companies to manufacture and distribute it in India.

When it comes to COVID therapeutics, whether they be older, repurposed drugs or hot-off-the-press wonder drugs, the watchword (or phrase) seems to be curb your enthusiasm!

HCQ (hydroxychloroquine) suffered the ignoble misfortune of having been endorsed by Donald Trump, AKA Orange Man Bad.

The FDA, who back in March said "people should not use ivermectin to attempt to treat or prevent Covid-19," was recently contradicted by a peer-reviewed study that found that ivermectin effectively treats and prevents COVID.

Will the government fast-track molnupiravir (the marketing guys need to rename this pronto) under emergency authorization, and will the media and establishment trumpet the drug and make it a household name?

When it comes to COVID vaccines, there's no doubt that their mantra can be characterized as damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead! And the vaccine mania is only accelerating.

By the end of April, nearly 100 colleges and universities had decided to require students to be vaccinated for COVID, and the list is growing daily. This, despite legitimate concerns about the vaccines' effects on women's menstrual cycles and fertility.

Moderna and Pfizer are blazing ahead with vaccine trials for children as young as six months. A two-year-old girl recently died after being injected with the second Pfizer shot (she had been hospitalized since after the first shot and was unfortunately given the second shot while she was still suffering).

Johns Hopkins released a 71-page document that describes a future where A.I. robots and drones deliver what they're calling self-spreading vaccines:

Self-spreading vaccines are genetically engineered to move through populations like communicable diseases, but rather than causing disease, they confer protection. The vision is that a small number of individuals in a target population could be vaccinated, and the vaccine strain would then circulate in the population much like a pathogenic virus, resulting in rapid, widespread immunity.

The report claims that "[b]acteria can be genetically engineered to produce antigens in a human host, acting as a vaccine, which triggers immunity to pathogens of concern," presumably to be administered by pills or, for that matter, food or fruit drinks. Molecular 3D printers could conceivably crank out spike proteins that could be deployed with aerosols.

A minority of doctors and scientists have issued cautions about unknown but possible long-term adverse effects of these vaccines, such as dementia, mad cow disease, and antibody dependent enhancement (ADE): "The ADE of virus infection is a phenomenon in which virus-specific antibodies enhance the entry of virus, and in some cases the replication of virus[.]"

The effects of deploying those technologies as proposed by Johns Hopkins would be irreversible. Based on recent history, there is little reason to believe that they would be deployed only after their safety had been decidedly proven over time. The contrast between how the media, medical establishment, and government regard vaccines versus cures is a red flag that factors other than purely the best interests of the public are at work.

It's been said before that we are (at some level) our own first responders, and we must resist the rah-rah peer pressure to conform and not to make our own judgments, be they right or wrong.

Image: Ben Harvey via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
NOQReports.com reports:

There are two certainties about the Covid-19 vaccines being mass-distributed around the world. The first is that governments and the vast majority of mainstream media are pushing with as much ferocity as they can muster for these experimental drugs to be injected into as many people as possible. The second is that those who are brave enough to face the scorn that comes with asking serious questions about the vaccines are absolutely necessary components of our ongoing fight to spread the truth.

NOQ Report received an advanced copy of the manuscript in preprint below. It has been prepared by nearly five dozen highly respected doctors, scientists, and public policy experts from across the globe to be urgently sent to world leaders as well as all who are associated with the production and distribution of the various Covid-19 vaccines in circulation today.

There are still far too many questions about the safety, efficacy, and necessity of the Covid-19 vaccines that have not been addressed. This study is a bombshell that should resonate with all regardless of ones perspectives on these vaccines. There are not enough citizens asking questions at all. Most are simply doing as world governments are instructing as if they have earned our blind trust. They have not. This manuscript represents a step towards accountability and the free flow of information regarding this extraordinarily important topic. Please read and share widely.

SARS-CoV-2 mass vaccination: Urgent questions on vaccine safety that demand answers from international health agencies, regulatory authorities, governments and vaccine developers

Roxana Bruno1, Peter McCullough2, Teresa Forcades i Vila3, Alexandra Henrion-Caude4, Teresa Garcia-Gasca5, Galina P. Zaitzeva6, Sally Priester7, Maria J. Martinez Albarracin8, Alejandro Sousa-Escandon9, Fernando Lopez Mirones10, Bartomeu Payeras Cifre11, Almudena Zaragoza Velilla10, Leopoldo M. Borini1, Mario Mas1, Ramiro Salazar1, Edgardo Schinder1, Eduardo A Yahbes1, Marcela Witt1, Mariana Salmeron1, Patricia Fernandez1, Miriam M. Marchesini1, Alberto J. Kajihara1, Marisol V. de la Riva1, Patricia J. Chimeno1, Paola A. Grellet1, Matelda Lisdero1, Pamela Mas1, Abelardo J. Gatica Baudo12, Elisabeth Retamoza12, Oscar Botta13, Chinda C. Brandolino13, Javier Sciuto14, Mario Cabrera Avivar14, Mauricio Castillo15, Patricio Villarroel15, Emilia P. Poblete Rojas15, Barbara Aguayo15, Dan I. Macias Flores15, Jose V. Rossell16, Julio C. Sarmiento17, Victor Andrade-Sotomayor17, Wilfredo R. Stokes Baltazar18, Virna Cedeno Escobar19, Ulises Arrua20, Atilio Farina del Rio21, Tatiana Campos Esquivel22, Patricia Callisperis23, Maria Eugenia Barrientos24, Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse5,*

1Epidemiologos Argentinos Metadisciplinarios. Republica Argentina.

2Baylor University Medical Center. Dallas, Texas, USA.

3Monestir de Sant Benet de Montserrat, Montserrat, Spain

4INSERM U781 Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades, Universite Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Cite, Institut Imagine, Paris, France.

5School of Natural Sciences. Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico.

6Retired Professor of Medical Immunology. Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

7Medicos por la Verdad Puerto Rico. Ashford Medical Center. San Juan, Puerto Rico.

8Retired Professor of Clinical Diagnostic Processes. University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

9Urologist Hospital Comarcal de Monforte, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

10Biologos por la Verdad, Spain.

11Retired Biologist. University of Barcelona. Specialized in Microbiology. Barcelona, Spain.

12Center for Integrative Medicine MICAEL (Medicina Integrativa Centro Antroposofico Educando en Libertad). Mendoza, Republica Argentina.

13Medicos por la Verdad Argentina. Republica Argentina. 

14Medicos por la Verdad Uruguay. Republica Oriental del Uruguay.

15Medicos por la Libertad Chile. Republica de Chile.

16Physician, orthopedic specialist. Republica de Chile.

17Medicos por la Verdad Peru. Republica del Peru.

18Medicos por la Verdad Guatemala. Republica de Guatemala.

19Concepto Azul S.A. Ecuador.

20Medicos por la Verdad Brasil. Brasil.

21Medicos por la Verdad Paraguay.

22Medicos por la Costa Rica.

23Medicos por la Verdad Bolivia.

24Medicos por la Verdad El Salvador.

* Correspondence: Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, karina.acevedo.whitehouse@uaq.mx

Abstract

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the race for testing new platforms designed to confer immunity against SARS-CoV-2, has been rampant and unprecedented, leading to emergency authorization of various vaccines. Despite progress on early multidrug therapy for COVID-19 patients, the current mandate is to immunize the world population as quickly as possible. The lack of thorough testing in animals prior to clinical trials, and authorization based on safety data generated during trials that lasted less than 3.5 months, raise questions regarding the safety of these vaccines. The recently identified role of SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein Spike for inducing endothelial damage characteristic of COVID-19, even in absence of infection, is extremely relevant given that most of the authorized vaccines induce the production of Spike glycoprotein in the recipients. Given the high rate of occurrence of adverse effects, and the wide range of types of adverse effects that have been reported to date, as well as the potential for vaccine-driven disease enhancement, Th2-immunopathology, autoimmunity, and immune evasion, there is a need for a better understanding of the benefits and risks of mass vaccination, particularly in the groups that were excluded in the clinical trials. Despite calls for caution, the risks of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination have been minimized or ignored by health organizations and government authorities. We appeal to the need for a pluralistic dialogue in the context of health policies, emphasizing critical questions that require urgent answers if we wish to avoid a global erosion of public confidence in science and public health.

Introduction

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, over 150 million cases and 3 million deaths have been reported worldwide. Despite progress on early ambulatory, multidrug-therapy for high-risk patients, resulting in 85% reductions in COVID-19 hospitalization and death [1], the current paradigm for control is mass-vaccination. While we recognize the effort involved in development, production and emergency authorization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, we are concerned that risks have been minimized or ignored by health organizations and government authorities, despite calls for caution [2-8].

Vaccines for other coronaviruses have never been approved for humans, and data generated in the development of coronavirus vaccines designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies show that they may worsen COVID-19 disease via antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and Th2 immunopathology, regardless of the vaccine platform and delivery method [9-11]. Vaccine-driven disease enhancement in animals vaccinated against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV is known to occur following viral challenge, and has been attributed to immune complexes and Fc-mediated viral capture by macrophages, which augment T-cell activation and inflammation [11-13].

In March 2020, vaccine immunologists and coronavirus experts assessed SARS-CoV-2 vaccine risks based on SARS-CoV-vaccine trials in animal models. The expert group concluded that ADE and immunopathology were a real concern, but stated that their risk was insufficient to delay clinical trials, although continued monitoring would be necessary [14]. While there is no clear evidence of the occurrence of ADE and vaccine-related immunopathology in volunteers immunized with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines [15], safety trials to date have not specifically addressed these serious adverse effects (SAE). Given that the follow-up of volunteers did not exceed 2-3.5 months after the second dose [16-19], it is unlikely such SAE would have been observed. Despite92 errors in reporting, it cannot be ignored that even accounting for the number of vaccines administered, according to the US Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS), the number of deaths per million vaccine doses administered has increased more than 10-fold. We believe there is an urgent need for open scientific dialogue on vaccine safety in the context of large-scale immunization. In this paper, we describe some of the risks of mass vaccination in the context of phase 3 trial exclusion criteria and discuss the SAE reported in national and regional adverse effect registration systems. We highlight unanswered questions and draw attention to the need for a more cautious approach to mass vaccination.

SARS-CoV-2 phase 3 trial exclusion criteria

With few exceptions, SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials excluded the elderly [16-19], making it impossible to identify the occurrence of post-vaccination eosinophilia and enhanced inflammation in elderly people. Studies of SARS-CoV vaccines showed that immunized elderly mice were at particularly high risk of life-threatening Th2 immunopathology [9,20]. Despite this evidence and the extremely limited data on safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the elderly, mass-vaccination campaigns have focused on this age group from the start. Most trials also excluded pregnant and lactating volunteers, as well as those with chronic and serious conditions such as tuberculosis, hepatitis C, autoimmunity, coagulopathies, cancer, and immune suppression [16-29], although these recipients are now being offered the vaccine under the premise of safety.

Another criterion for exclusion from nearly all trials was prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2. This is unfortunate as it denied the opportunity of obtaining extremely relevant information concerning post-vaccination ADE in people that already have anti-SARS-Cov-2 antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, ADE is not being monitored systematically for any age or medical condition group currently being administered the vaccine. Moreover, despite a substantial proportion of the population already having antibodies [21], tests to determine SARS-CoV-2-antibody status prior to administration of the vaccine are not conducted routinely.

Will serious adverse effects from the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines go unnoticed?

COVID-19 encompasses a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from very mild to severe pulmonary pathology and fatal multi-organ disease with inflammatory, cardiovascular, and blood coagulation dysregulation [22-24]. In this sense, cases of vaccine-related ADE or immunopathology would be clinically-indistinguishable from severe COVID-19 [25]. Furthermore, even in the absence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, Spike glycoprotein alone causes endothelial damage and hypertension in vitro and in vivo in Syrian hamsters by down-regulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and impairing mitochondrial function [26]. Although these findings need to be confirmed in humans, the implications of this finding are staggering, as all vaccines authorized for emergency use are based on the delivery or induction of Spike glycoprotein synthesis. In the case of mRNA vaccines and adenovirus-vectorized vaccines, not a single study has examined the duration of Spike production in humans following vaccination. Under the cautionary principle, it is parsimonious to consider vaccine-induced Spike synthesis could cause clinical signs of severe COVID-19, and erroneously be counted as new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. If so, the true adverse effects of the current global vaccination strategy may never be recognized unless studies specifically examine this question. There is already non-causal evidence of temporary or sustained increases138 in COVID-19 deaths following vaccination in some countries (Fig. 1) and in light of Spikes pathogenicity, these deaths must be studied in depth to determine whether they are related to vaccination.

Unanticipated adverse reactions to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Another critical issue to consider given the global scale of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is autoimmunity. SARS-CoV-2 has numerous immunogenic proteins, and all but one of its immunogenic epitopes have similarities to human proteins [27]. These may act as a source of antigens, leading to autoimmunity [28]. While it is true that the same effects could be observed during natural infection with SARS-CoV-2, vaccination is intended for most of the world population, while it is estimated that only 10% of the world population has been infected by SARS-CoV-2, according to Dr. Michael Ryan, head of emergencies at the World Health Organization. We have been unable to find evidence that any of the currently authorized vaccines screened and excluded homologous immunogenic epitopes to avoid potential autoimmunity due to pathogenic priming.

Some adverse reactions, including blood-clotting disorders, have already been reported in healthy and young vaccinated people. These cases led to the suspension or cancellation of the use of adenoviral vectorized ChAdOx1-nCov-19 and Janssen vaccinesin some countries. It has now been proposed that vaccination with ChAdOx1-nCov-19 can result in immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) mediated by platelet-activating antibodies against Platelet factor-4, which clinically mimics autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia [29]. Unfortunately, the risk was overlooked when authorizing these vaccines, although adenovirus-induced thrombocytopenia has been known for more than a decade, and has been a consistent event with adenoviral vectors [30]. The risk of VITT would presumably be higher in those already at risk of blood clots, including women who use oral contraceptives [31], making it imperative for clinicians to advise their patients accordingly.

At the population level, there could also be vaccine-related impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a fast-evolving RNA virus that has so far produced more than 40,000 variants [32,33] some of which affect the antigenic domain of Spike glycoprotein [34,35]. Given the high mutation rates, vaccine-induced synthesis of high levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike antibodies could theoretically lead to suboptimal responses against subsequent infections by other variants in vaccinated individuals [36], a phenomenon known as original antigenic sin [37] or antigenic priming [38]. It is unknown to what extent mutations that affect SARS-CoV-2 antigenicity will become fixed during viral evolution [39], but vaccines could plausibly act as selective forces driving variants with higher infectivity or transmissibility. Considering the high similarity between known SARS-CoV-2 variants, this scenario is unlikely [32,34] but if future variants were to differ more in key epitopes, the global vaccination strategy might have helped shape an even more dangerous virus. This risk has recently been brought to the attention of the WHO as an open letter [40].

Discussion

The risks outlined here are a major obstacle to continuing global SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Evidence on the safety of all SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is needed before exposing more people to the184 risk of these experiments, since releasing a candidate vaccine without time to fully understand the resulting impact on health could lead to an exacerbation of the current global crisis [41]. Risk-stratification of vaccine recipients is essential. According to the UK government, people below 60 years of age have an extremely low risk of dying from COVID-191 187 . However, according to Eudravigillance, most of the serious adverse effects following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination occur in people aged 18-64. Of particular concern is the planned vaccination schedule for children aged 6 years and older in the United States and the UK. Dr. Anthony Fauci recently anticipated that teenagers across the country will be vaccinated in the autumn and younger children in early 2022, and the UK is awaiting trial results to commence vaccination of 11 million children under 18. There is a lack of scientific justification for subjecting healthy children to experimental vaccines, given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that they have a 99.997% survival rate if infected with SARS-CoV-2. Not only is COVID-19 irrelevant as a threat to this age group, but there is no reliable evidence to support vaccine efficacy or effectiveness in this population or to rule out harmful side effects of these experimental vaccines. In this sense, when physicians advise patients on the elective administration of COVID-19 vaccination, there is a great need to better understand the benefits and risk of administration, particularly in understudied groups.

In conclusion, in the context of the rushed emergency-use-authorization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and the current gaps in our understanding of their safety, the following questions must be raised:

Is it known whether cross-reactive antibodies from previous coronavirus infections or vaccine206 induced antibodies may influence the risk of unintended pathogenesis following vaccination with COVID-19?

Has the specific risk of ADE, immunopathology, autoimmunity, and serious adverse reactions been clearly disclosed to vaccine recipients to meet the medical ethics standard of patient understanding for informed consent? If not, what are the reasons, and how could it be implemented?

What is the rationale for administering the vaccine to every individual when the risk of dying from COVID-19 is not equal across age groups and clinical conditions and when the phase 3 trials excluded the elderly, children and frequent specific conditions?

What are the legal rights of patients if they are harmed by a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine? Who will cover the costs of medical treatment? If claims were to be settled with public money, has the public been made aware that the vaccine manufacturers have been granted immunity, and their responsibility to compensate those harmed by the vaccine has been transferred to the tax-payers?

In the context of these concerns, we propose halting mass-vaccination and opening an urgent pluralistic, critical, and scientifically-based dialogue on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among scientists, medical doctors, international health agencies, regulatory authorities, governments, and vaccine developers. This is the only way to bridge the current gap between scientific evidence and public health policy regarding the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. We are convinced that humanity deserves a deeper understanding of the risks than what is currently touted as the official position. An open scientific dialogue is urgent and indispensable to avoid erosion of public confidence in science and public health and to ensure that the WHO and national health authorities protect the interests of humanity during the current pandemic. Returning public health policy to evidence-based medicine, relying on a careful evaluation of the relevant scientific research, is urgent. It is imperative to follow the science.

1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-reported-sars-cov-2-deaths-in-england/covid-19-confirmed-deaths-in-england-report

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Figure legends

Figure 1. Number of new COVID-19 deaths in relation to number of people that have received at least one vaccine dose for selected countries. Graph shows data from the start of vaccination to May 3rd 365 , 2021. A) India (9.25% of population vaccinated), B) Thailand (1.58% of population vaccinated), C) Colombia (6.79% of population vaccinated), D) Mongolia (31.65% of population vaccinated), E) Israel (62.47% of population vaccinated), F) Entire world (7.81% of population vaccinated). Graphs were built using data from Our World in Data (accessed 4 May 2021) https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/tree/master/public/data/vaccinations
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

An important piece of the Pecos National Historical Park that has never been available to the general public before has undergone a $4 million rehabilitation project that is the first step in opening Kozlowskis Trading Post.

The 6,270-square-foot trading post that was one of the last stops on the Santa Fe Trail now includes a community conference room and park offices that had been spread across the park.

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Space inside also has been set aside for a self-guided museum, but that section of the post is not expected to be ready until fall 2022, said Becky Latanich, the parks chief of interpretation and education. The remaining work is expected to cost about $600,000.

The money for the work, which began in the spring of 2019, came from fees raised at various parks across the mountain-west region, she said.

The building itself has been unoccupied for quite some time, Latanich said. We weighed all the alternatives and we felt it would be best to rehabilitate this structure.

Originally built in 1858 by a Polish immigrant named Martin Kozlowski, the trading post features many architectural features still found in traditional New Mexico homes today.

It has a lot of fascinating features contributing to its historic status, Latanich said. Its on the Santa Fe Trail. The core of the building was built in the 1850s. During the Glorieta Pass battle in the Civil War, it was used as a hospital. It has some good, important, tangible history.

That history makes it an important piece of the parks pending National Register designation as a Historic District, superintendent Karl Cordova said, adding it took a lot of hard work to bring this historic building back to life. And it is rewarding to know that it will continue to serve the public for many more years.

The building itself is a really great example of New Mexico vernacular architecture, Latanich said. We wanted to keep it very obvious about the special building techniques. It has poured concrete floors, exposed vigas (and) the vast amount of the building is adobe. We wanted to keep it looking old, but update it so it was stable.

In 1925, rodeo-promoter and entrepreneur Tex Austin bought the building and turned it into ranch headquarters for his famous Forked Lightning Ranch. In the 1940s, E.E. Buddy Fogelson bought the ranch and then brought his Hollywood actress wife, Oscar-winning Greer Garson, to the Forked Lightning Ranch, turning it into a hobby ranch and entertaining many Hollywood guests.

The National Park Service acquired the building in 1990 and used it as office space until 2006, when the building was ruled unsafe.

Albuquerques Weil Construction was the primary contractor and Ohkay Owingeh company Awaynu General Contracting was the primary subcontractor, said Jeremy Moss, Pecos chief of resource management and archeologist. Although COVID-19 caused a brief pause in the work schedule, it proceeded well and the project actually was completed a bit ahead of time, Moss said.

Some of the roofing and flooring needed to be repaired, and other work entailed replacing some rotted vigas, repairing cracks to the adobe walls that occurred during settling, rebuilding several adobe walls, pinning the roof to the beams, as well as bonding beams to the walls, he said, for wind and earthquake resistance.

The museum portions of the building will focus on the history of the area from the time of the trading posts construction to the mid-1900s, Latanich said.

The park also includes several hiking trails, including one through the battlefield, fishing sites along the Pecos River, and guided tours of the ancestral sites and the Forked Lightning Ranch House, although those tours remain on indefinite hiatus because of the pandemic.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  As COVID-19 spread through Michigan last spring, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a series of executive orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. Among them: no nonessential business, no large gatherings and no unnecessary travel.

That effectively ended wedding season before it began.

A year later, some bridal businesses are seeing revenues return thanks to a backlog of postponed weddings on the horizon, according to the Lansing State Journal.

For the year that everything was shut down, we lost a good amount of revenue because the reality is, we felt it was necessary to completely reschedule the weddings so that people could have the day that they dreamed of, said Daryl Evans, owner of Pure Enchantment Photography.

In the immediate aftermath of last years shutdown, most local bridal shops temporarily shut their doors, experiencing a sharp decline in revenue. Some declined to reopen when restrictions loosened in late May. Hawkins Photography and Haltam Jewelers in the Meridian Mall closed for good.

For those businesses that did reopen, wedding preparation looked a whole lot different.

We definitely wondered how wed survive our industry coming to a complete halt, said Phebeit Ingram, owner of Eleven 11 Events, which rents tables, chairs and other wedding decor. After the initial shock and woe is me thoughts, I shook the dust from my feet, put on my thinking cap and prayed to God for witty invention.

Some bridal shops, like Beckers Bridal in Fowler, were able to stay afloat through curbside pickups. Vice President Alyssa Pung said employees worked feverishly in the months following the shutdown orders to get brides and wedding parties outfitted for their ceremonies.

Fantastic Finds, a prom and bridal shop in Lansing Township, was less affected than some by the shutdown, owner Sue Rosenberger said. She attributed a steady stream of business to couples who changed the format of their weddings  or postponed them  but hung onto their gowns, tuxes and the like.

Now, with positivity rates in check and vaccinations on the rise, a more normal wedding season is on the horizon, Rosenberger said.

Last year, we were in recovery mode once we opened back up in the end of May, she said. This year, I would say that we are pretty on par with the year before COVID. We are where we should be even in times not considering the pandemic.

Wedding industry preps for a new normal

Wear a mask and stay socially distant.

As ever, those are the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services rules for stopping the spread of COVID-19.

In intimate settings like a wedding or bridal fitting, those rules can be hard to follow.

Evans, of Pure Enchantment Photography, said his photographers are taking extra care now to keep their distance while shooting wedding ceremonies. They use telephoto lenses to capture candid shots from across a room. Over a dozen contracted photographers work for Evans, and all are required to wear masks.

When were getting those candid, emotional shots, were using longer lenses anyways because we dont want people to have a feeling that theres a camera in their face all of the time, he said.

Some couples, he added, rescheduled weddings several times after Michigans COVID-19 numbers spiked in the fall and last month. That hurt the companys revenue, but they supplemented lost wedding business with other contracts.

We have contracts with different entities where we go out and take pictures of the city, the state and certain buildings, Evans said. We have contracts with real estate, car companies and what we will do is ramp up those things.

Some bridal shops are implementing virtual consultations and fittings.

It was really taking a look at what everyones saying, whats the recommendation, how do we still make this work because we knew in our hearts that weddings would go on, Rosenberger said. We would walk alongside that bride and say, Well figure it out with you.

Fantastic Finds currently allows couples to bring along iPads to fittings so they can video chat out-of-state or at-risk family members. Larger parties can break up fittings into smaller groups, as only three guests plus the bride or groom are allowed in at once.

For now, Pung is also seeing clients by appointment only.

Weve had to do cleanings in between appointments, asking for (clients) to be kind and stay (as) close to the appointment time (as possible) to get things cleaned up and ready, and to see as many brides as we possibly can, she said.

Both bridal shops and Pure Enchantment Photography are still working through a backlog of rescheduled 2020 weddings.

We were really encouraged by the spirit of the brides who said, my weddings going to happen no matter what, it might just be a different time, (and) we said were here with you, what can we do to help you, Rosenberger recalled.

Ingram, the event planner, is still operating under indoor capacity limits of 25 people. To keep her business festive, shes decorated her showroom for different types of events each week, from birthdays to weddings to Christmas parties, which she documents on Facebook. Shes also started offering virtual consultations and curbside pickup for decorations and rental equipment.

Supply chains have been an issue in the bridal business. Before the pandemic, several local bridal shops relied on a manufacturer based near Wuhan, China, causing problems with imports, Pung said. Since manufacturing has returned to normal, her shop has purchased a number of dresses from stateside designers to ease their reliance on international vendors.

Above all, Ingram said, this season will be about improvising.

I have always said people need to be celebrated, Ingram said. What it teaches me is to think outside the box and find a way to do this.
PARIS (AP)  President Emmanuel Macrons plans for bringing France out of the pandemic aren't just about resuscitating long-closed restaurants, boutiques and museums. They are also about preparing his possible campaign for a second term.

A year before the next presidential election, Macron is focusing on saving jobs and reviving the pandemic-battered French economy as his country inches out of its third partial lockdown.

The centrist president's ability to meet the challenge will be significant for his political future and for France  which is among the world's worst-hit nations with the fourth-highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and the eighth-highest death toll at more than 106,000.

While he has not officially declared his candidacy, Macron has made comments suggesting he intends to seek reelection. And he has pushed recent legislation on issues that potential rivals on the right and the left hold dear, from security to climate change.

Pollsters suggest Macron, who four years ago became the youngest president in French history, has a good chance of winning the presidency again in 2022 despite his governments oft-criticized management of the pandemic and earlier challenges to his policies, from activists protesting what they see as social and economic injustice to unions angry over retirement reforms.

The coronavirus reopening strategy Macron unveiled this month calls for most restrictions on public life to be lifted June 30, when half of France's population is expected to have received at least one vaccine shot. With up to 3 million people in France getting vaccinated each week, the government plans to allow outdoor areas of restaurants and cafes, as well as museums and nonessential shops, to resume operating on May 19.

In an interview with French media, Macron said he would visit Frances regions over the summer to feel the pulse of the country" and to engage with people in a mass consultation aimed at turning the page of that moment in the nations life.

No individual destiny is worthwhile without a collective project, he said, giving the latest hint about a potential reelection bid.

At the moment, all opinion polls show Macron and Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader he beat in a presidential runoff election in 2017, again reaching the runoff next year. The polls also forecast that Macron would defeat National Rally leader Le Pen again, though by a smaller margin.

Macron, 43, a former economy minister under his predecessor, Socialist President Francois Hollande, has characterized his policies as transcending traditional left-right divides. He was elected on a promise to make the French economy more competitive while preserving the country's welfare system.

Macrons government includes major figures previously belonging to conservative party The Republicans, including his prime minister and the finance and interior ministers.

French politics expert Luc Rouban, a senior researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research. said the president's immediate goal is to show he is still able to continue implementing his project, which has more or less been stopped by the health crisis.

Macron's recent priorities demonstrate he also is trying to attract voters from the moderate right and the moderate left, the same ones who helped him win the first time, Rouban said.

Macron is undermining the field of The Republicans by strengthening security laws, taking measures to protect the French against terrorism, reinforcing security also in urban areas, increasing police and justice staff, he said.

At the same time, Macron needs to show he is addressing inequality, economic mobility and other social justice issues that are important to France's left wing, Rouban said.

Last month, the president decided to do away with Frances elite graduate school for future leaders, the Ecole Nationale dAdministration. He said his alma mater would be replaced with a more egalitarian institution.

In the French newspapers interview, Macron also praised the country's benefits for low-income workers, who since 2019 have received up to 100 additional euros ($120) per month.

Macrons public image appears to have partially recovered from drubbing it took at the height of the yellow vest" movement, which started in late 2018 to oppose a fuel tax and grew into a weekly anti-government protest targeting alleged social and economic injustice. At the time, critics angry over Macron eliminating a wealth tax labeled him the president of the rich.

But Macrons popularity in recent months has remained relatively stable, with an approval rating between 30% and 46%, higher than his predecessors Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy had after four years in office.

Frederic Dabi, deputy director-general of the polling organization IFOP, said Macrons support appears very solid. Polls show his policies are satisfying most of his 2017 supporters, and 30% to 50% of voters from the traditional right- and left-wing parties.

During the virus crisis, Macron applied a whatever it takes strategy based on state intervention to save jobs and businesses, including a massive partial unemployment program and subsidized child care leave. The government also approved a two-year 100 billion-euro ($120 billion) rescue plan to revive the economy.

Macron promised there would be no tax increases to repay the debt, which soared last year to 115.7% of gross domestic product.

Despite strong opposition from unions about planned changes to the pension system and unemployment benefits, he has pledged to keep reforming until the last quarter of hour of his five-year term, which runs out in May 2022.

Recent polls show no strong rival emerging so far from mainstream French parties amid divisions on both the right and the left. But at this stage, the field remains wide open.

As Macron himself proved in 2017, when he shot from a wild-card candidate to the presidency in less than four months, anything could happen in the next year.
MAGNOLIA, Del. (AP)  Standing in line to receive food boxes with her kids and other families during the COVID-19 pandemic gave Jennifer Antonik a new perspective.

It wasnt just food she and her family were receiving from the cafeteria staff at a local school  it was love and a nice reminder that people still care, even during uncertain times.

It also gave Mrs. Antonik, a budding author of childrens books, the idea and inspiration for her latest work, Boxes of Love.

The nutrition staff even began writing sayings or drawing hearts or emojis on the (food) boxes, Mrs. Antonik said. It was just a loving feeling every time we picked up boxes, and our kids felt that way, too. It was a gentle reminder that everything will work out somehow, and Im excited that we have the chance to help share this story.

A former journalist and current public relations coordinator for the Delaware Farm Bureau, Mrs. Antonik noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, school lunch heroes, farmers and other groups have worked tirelessly to provide healthy meals to students all over the country, even after schools were shuttered.

Their work was the inspiration behind Mrs. Antoniks new bilingual childrens book, which tells a familiar tale with a heartwarming twist and a diverse cast of characters.

Coincidentally, School Lunch Hero Day was on Friday.

Boxes of Love is a story from the heart, Mrs. Antonik said. My family was not immune to the consequences of the pandemic. Like many, many other families, we soon found ourselves in the meal-pickup line at our local school.

Businesses like My Sisters Fault and Mama Marias in Milford even began offering meals, while people scrambled to figure out how we could all respond to this new normal. In the pickup line, we came from all walks of life, but one thing was always the same between us  we were all there for the kids. I tried to express that and gratitude for our local school lunch heroes with this book.

To help bring her story to a broader audience, advocate and Milford School District Board of Education Vice President Rony Baltazar-Lopez translated Boxes of Love into Spanish. He currently works at the Delaware Department of Justice and is a part-time graduate student in the Joseph R. Biden Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Delaware.

What (school nutrition staff) provide is of vital importance, especially for our minority families. We do not heighten our cafeteria workers the way we should, and this book does that, Mr. Baltazar-Lopez said. Ive never translated a book before, and this fell in line with everything else Ive done before.

Everything in this book is like what the kids experience with the meal boxes. Im just really appreciative of the opportunity to be involved.

The Spanish translations appear on the same pages as the English words do, offering a complete reading experience for English-speaking and English-learning families alike.

Mrs. Antonik said that including Spanish in her book was important to her because much of what the school nutrition staff members do is about inclusion.

Having a native speaker like Rony was really the only way to go to make sure our story had an authentic feel for everyone reading the book, said Mrs. Antonik. Where we live in central Delaware, there are many families with English-speaking children but parents who only know Spanish.

The children end up translating for their parents, and I wanted to eliminate that barrier if I could, at least this once. It takes a village. Im so grateful for Rony for his time and passion on this project.

Boxes of Love explores questions and feelings many children had at the beginning of the pandemic, such as sadness and confusion.

Like Mrs. Antoniks family experienced, the main character found a slice of happiness when he saw a weeks worth of food inside his own box of love from the school nutrition staff. But he had to ask the question, How is this possible?

After a mission of discovery leads him to several local farms, the answer is not what he expects.

Love always wins. Love is always the answer, Mrs. Antonik said. Explaining a global pandemic to our younger children was especially hard at the beginning. But explaining why we could bring home boxes of meals for each child was easy  they are loved. Its so easy to lose sight of that.

And that is how Mrs. Antoniks Boxes of Love came to be.

We started calling them Boxes of Love in our house for a few reasons. For one, I discovered a new perspective on the process that goes on behind the scenes for every meal distribution, she said, referencing her role at the Delaware Farm Bureau. Plus, a local farmer, 302Aquaponics (in Dover), contributed salads for a lot of the boxes, which was always nice to see.

Our daughter loves salads, and this gave us a chance to really dive into the conversation of where food comes from, whether its a local farmer or another group that wants our kids to be healthy.

The book is in or headed to at least six school districts in the state, with more in the works.

Boxes of Love is Mrs. Antoniks fifth childrens book. Her first, The Music Man: Our Rootin, Tootin Hero was written late last year and earned first place in the childrens nonfiction category of the Delaware Press Associations 2021 Communications Contest.

I self-published my first book late last year after my grandfather passed away, she said. Besides being a veteran and amazing father and grandfather, he was a regular volunteer at the (Milford) High School, active in the community and even founded the Milford Community Band 30 years ago.

Ive always felt like his story was too big to keep tucked away. Writing a childrens book about him and his journey helped our whole family cope with losing him, and it helped me dip my toes into the world of childrens books.

Mrs. Antonik enjoys sharing her life experiences, so what better way to do that than to write books about them?

When it comes to writing, whether its for children or adults, my greatest satisfaction has always been learning about something and then sharing that information Ive been gifted in a way that is inspiring and educational, she said. I say gifted because knowledge is a gift that shouldnt be taken for granted.

With Boxes of Love, I feel amazing knowing that Ive made some very special people feel loved and inspired to continue their important work and that young readers will not only learn something new, but theyll maybe be inspired, also.

Its also worthwhile that Mrs. Antoniks three children enjoy her books and her writing.

They are excited, especially our 6-year-old, she said. Our older kids think its really cool that mom is an author. Theyve started drawing or writing more, which is pretty exciting to watch. Sometimes, they even come up with a new book or marketing ideas to brainstorm.

Our youngest daughter tells everyone about Mommys books. She loves knowing she can share our family stories with the world. When my first book arrived in the mail, she nearly ripped it out of my hands and ran through the house, so she could read it on the couch. The whole family has really been so supportive of this venture.
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP)  For folks who work with the Kinney Pioneer Museum near the Mason City Municipal Airport, living history has been a little less alive over the past year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum, which has operated for 53 years, hasnt been open to the public since July 2020 when its Board of Trustees unanimously voted not to open for the season.

So, no celebratory events, no new displays to show off to visitors and no tours to give.

I just want to show everybody what they have. I want everybody to know what they have and what theyre missing out on, Museum Director Kay Ingersoll told the Globe Gazette.

For her, thats been the most difficult part of the closure. She misses the visitors.

But last weekend, the museum grounds felt a little less lonely as Kinney Pioneer officials opened back up for the 2021 season with an outdoor lunch that featured pulled pork sandwiches. According to Ingersoll, the timing and nature of the event is actually rooted in the Museums own history.

I think about 50 years ago they started roasting a pig out there at the museum and now its an annual thing, she said.

To end each year, Ingersoll and Museum treasurer John Barron explained that they help put on an apple cider and doughnut day.

We always have a special feature each month which helps us raise funds to keep the museum open, Barron said.

For him, whats been most difficult about being closed for a year is that the demands of a museum dont stop simply because it isnt open.

Expenses go on and museums are noted for a being a cash cow. You have to maintain, Barron said. You have to be prudent. Hes been on the board for at least 10 years, while Ingersoll has served as director for seven years.

Beyond last weekend's event, Barron and Ingersoll confirmed that the museum will be back open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. and operate through October.

They said that the time off has allowed for them to update some of their displays such as one for the old Jefferson Highway, which once ran through North Iowa, and another to recognize the womens suffrage movement, which Charles Citys own Carrie Chapman Catt was crucially involved with.

Its just amazing what you find out about people and what theyve contributed, Ingersoll said. There are too many people in Mason City who get a lot of credit but these other people did it without recognition. They poured their heart and soul into Mason City and nobody knows their name.

Ingersoll said thats part of what she loves so much about her job: She constantly gets to learn about all of the unknowns who help move things along in the area. The folks who put in the necessary work.

Im learning so much and I want to know every single thing about every single person. I think I was born in the wrong era. I want to know who those people were, what they were thinking and what they were about.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey Republicans will decide whether they want an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump to be their standard bearer in the fall election for governor, while Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy is on an easy path toward capturing his party's nomination.

New Jersey's June 8 primary is just a month away, with some clear contours already emerging.

Murphy is aiming to become the first Democrat since 1977 to win reelection in a state where Democrats now outnumber Republicans by more than 1 million voters. On the GOP side, many in the party have lined up behind Jack Ciattarelli, a one-time Assembly member, accountant and small business owner. Ciattarelli is focusing his attacks on Murphy, but he faces competition from candidates embracing Trump.

A closer look at how the race is shaping up:

MURPHY CRUISING

Murphy won't have any challenger on the ballot for the Democratic primary. State officials ruled that two would-be challengers filed faulty petitions to get on the ballot last month.

That means Murphy, who is the head of the Democratic Party in the state, will secure the nomination.

It also means he won't have to burn cash to fend off attack and can instead focus on November.

A Monmouth University poll out Wednesday showed Murphy with a 57% approval rating, down from 71% at the height of the outbreak last year, but still in positive territory.

That poll surveyed 706 New Jersey adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

If he wins in November, he'll be the first Democrat to win reelection in more than four decades.

As governor, he has a pulpit during his usually twice-weekly COVID-19 news conferences, which are streamed live on YouTube.

And despite some squabbles with fellow Democrats who control the Legislature, he has achieved a number of key campaign promises: phasing in a $15 minimum wage, enacting recreational marijuana legalization, raising taxes on millionaires, expanding gun control legislation and expanding paid family leave. A big unfished campaign promise is the establishment of a state bank.

___

REPUBLICAN RIVALS

Ciattarelli is the only one of the four Republicans running for governor to qualify for public matching funds. He has also received support from county Republican parties up and down the state.

Ciattarelli ran four years ago for governor, but lost the nomination to then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. He launched his campaign for governor almost as soon as Murphy took office in 2018.

Ciattarelli had been critical of former GOP Gov. Chris Christie and President Donald Trump. Still, in a GOP primary, he's highlighted the support he received from Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Trump favorite who left the Democratic Party and fully embraced the president over his opposition of the first impeachment.

He's focused much of his campaign squarely on Murphy, calling for reopening from pandemic closures sooner and making the state more affordable.

Also seeking the nomination are Hudson County pastor Phil Rizzo, who recently posted a photo of himself alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Hirsh Singh, a former unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in 2017, and Brian Levine, an accountant and former county elected official. Singh has also been a vocal Trump supporter. Levine has called for the party to stop arguing over Trump and focused reining in tax rates.

___

THE FUNDRAISING PICTURE

Based on the available public records, Murphy is leading the fundraising contest  by a lot. He's brought in $3.4 million, according to the Election Law Enforcement Commission, and gotten $4.1 million in public matching funds.

Ciattarelli has raised nearly $1 million and received $3.6 million in matching funds.

Data for the other GOP candidates, who haven't qualified for public funds, will become available later this month.

The matching fund program goes back to 1974 and allows candidates to get $2 in public cash for every $1 raised. Candidates must raise $490,000 to qualify for the funds. Theres a cap of $4.6 million and spending for candidates getting public money is limited to $7.3 million in the primary.
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In 1983, a scientist named Bill Foege resigned as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He did so, Michael Lewis tells us in his new book, The Premonition, because after CDC researchers had discovered a connection between aspirin and Reyes syndrome in children, the aspirin manufacturers complained to the White House. President Ronald Reagans administration responded by telling the CDC to cease and desist, according to Foege. So he quit.

Foege was a career CDC scientist  the last career agency employee to hold the title of director. Every director since then has been a political appointee  plucked from the supporters of whichever politician happened to occupy the White House  whom the president could fire at will. Thus did the CDC go from being an agency focused solely on science to one focused as much, or more, on politics. As Lewiss book  and the pandemic  illustrates, this shift didnt just damage the CDC. It damaged the country.

A more recent example of this shift came to light Monday when the New York Post published an article detailing emails between the CDC and the American Federation of Teachers, which has been a strong supporter of President Joe Biden. The emails had been obtained by Americans for Public Trust, a conservative group that seeks, as it puts it, to hold politicians and political groups accountable for corrupt and unethical behavior. After I read the Post article, I asked the group to send me the emails, which it did. Maybe, when the CDC was purely about science, the exchange between the union and the federal agency would have been viewed as unethical. Today, sadly, it is par for the course.

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Some quick background: As you may recall, soon after Biden took office, the CDC was charged with publishing science-based guidance for reopening public schools safely. Because of the recalcitrance of the teachers unions, schools in most big cities were operating either entirely remotely or under a hybrid plan, even though study after study showed that children were far less likely than adults to either get or transmit COVID-19 and that classrooms were safer than just about any other place a kid could be. Even three CDC researchers acknowledged as much in an article they published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The new director of the CDC was Rochelle Walensky, who had run the infectious disease department at Massachusetts General Hospital and taught at Harvard Medical School. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she had been one of those scientists the public had come to rely on for advice about mitigating COVID-19.

In early February, just two weeks after Walensky was confirmed by the Senate, she got her first taste of politics trumping science at the CDC. During a briefing with reporters, she said reopening schools did not necessarily require that teachers be vaccinated  something that real-world experience had long shown. The teachers unions, however, were adamant that teachers should be vaccinated before reentering the classroom. Walensky was quickly slapped down by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said the CDC chief was speaking in her personal capacity and that her remarks didnt constitute official guidance.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Walensky was getting another political lesson. As the agency was putting together its school reopening guidance, Randi Weingarten, the formidable head of the AFT, and Kelly Trautner, the unions health policy official, inserted themselves in the process.

Thank you again for Fridays rich discussion about forthcoming CDC guidance and for your openness to the suggestions made by our president, Randi Weingarten, and the AFT, Trautner wrote on Feb. 1. We are hopeful that lines of communication will remain open, and that we can serve as a true thought partner as you continue the important work toward safe reopening of schools. Trautner then offered suggested language regarding accommodations for high-risk individuals.

The next week, Weingarten and Walensky had a second conversation, the contents of which are unknown. And, on Feb. 11, just before the guidance was issued, Trautner sent an email to Walensky and other CDC officials complaining that the guidance didnt contain provisions providing for when schools should close. She added  with no intended irony  We really want to lend our efforts to helping restore faith in the CDC.

When the guidance was published the next day, Weingarten and the AFT were thrilled. It called for social distancing of 6 feet between students, for making teacher vaccinations a priority and for schools to remain closed in high-transmission communities. It also included the language Trautner had suggested for high-risk individuals virtually word for word. Weingarten praised the agency for relying on facts and evidence.

Critics pounced on the guidelines, saying that, rather than promoting reopening, they gave teachers new excuses to avoid returning to the classroom. Why, for instance, did students need to remain 6 feet apart, which made it nearly impossible for public schools to have a full complement of students in a classroom. Indeed, before joining the CDC, Walensky had said in a private email that 3 feet was quite safe.

A month later, the CDC updated its school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. It concluded that 3 feet was just fine. CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges, Walensky said.

How did Weingarten respond? Not well. We are not convinced that the evidence supports changing physical distancing requirements at this time, she said in a letter to Walensky. The CDC chief then sent a long letter back to the AFT aimed at roping them back in as allies. (It worked.)

But why should the CDC care whether Weingarten and the teachers are friend or foe? An agency that claims to follow the science should devise guidance that calls it like it is, as Howard Cosell used to say, rather than how the presidents supporters want it to be. The fact that it so transparently did the AFTs bidding is precisely why many people have lost faith in the CDC. Its not just Trump who co-opted the agency; its a process that has been going on for more than a quarter-century.

That perhaps explains why the CDC offered no apologies when its email exchanges with the AFT were made public. I wasnt surprised that Weingarten saw her intervention as simply an example of her doing her job  a point she made in a series of tweets on Monday.

But the CDC was every bit as unapologetic. A spokeswoman sent me a list of more than 50 organizations that had been consulted on the guidance. Four of them, including the AFT, had seen drafts before publication.

As part of long-standing best practices, she wrote, CDC has traditionally engaged with organizations and groups that are impacted by guidance and recommendations issued by the agency. Best practices? As long as the CDC views consulting with the presidents allies  allies with no particular scientific knowledge  as appropriate, it will never regain the stature, and the credibility, that once made it so special.

Joe Nocera is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. His latest project is the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast The Shrink Next Door.
As the supply of COVID-19 vaccines continues to outpace demand, Southeast Texas public health officials are working on new ways to target area residents who may be bedridden, vaccine hesitant or outright naysayers.

Port Arthur Public Health Director Judith Smith noted that the regions first priority was to get the vaccine out to everyone who wanted it through mass vaccination clinics. Not only was that an efficient way to inoculate residents, but also the more residents that had antibodies, the less the virus was spreading throughout the community.

But with fewer people coming in for first doses each day  up to 500 across the county according to public health expert Dr. Praphul Joshi  its time to turn attention to more challenging cases.

Smith said the citys public health department recently received a grant to hire two nurses and a coordinator to form a vaccine strike team.

Related: US backs waiving intellectual property rules on vaccines

The team launches today, and it will administer vaccines to bedbound residents in Mid- and South-County as well as run vaccination clinics at nontraditional settings, such as churches or barber shops.

This was the project we chose when applying for the grant so we can increase vaccinations in the community by providing options to get vaccinated outside of the site from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., she said. This way, the timing will be more versatile  whats best for the community.

She said shes not yet sure how many people to expect, but the team likely will have time for about 10 home visits each day and at least 200 people or more at a vaccination clinic.

The team will start doing home visits once a week until the department gets a better feel for how many people are taking advantage of the service and how long its taking the nurses to complete.

Residents in Port Arthur, Port Neches, Groves and Nederland can call (409) 332-6180 for more information or to set up an appointment.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

She said this initiative is in line with what public health has been doing for years, just with a different vaccine.

Im just an old public health nurse. This is what weve always done, she said. When we were doing well-baby clinics, we set them up in the community people live in. I know you have to have a central location for something, but if you set up in a community where people live, youre going to see better results.

Joshi said hes working with the Beaumont Public Health Department and bilingual Lamar University students on similar initiatives that meet area residents where they are.

That work includes partnering with personal care providers who could provide vaccines to residents already in the office for a routine check up or other service and multi-language education programs in zip codes that are lagging behind in the vaccination effort.

He noted that, in most public health issues, theres a spectrum of patients  innovators, early adopters and laggers  that require different methods of communication and service delivery.

Determining and carrying out those methods is just part of public healths job.

Related: Scientists may have found a new coronavirus rapid-testing method: Bees

Theres nobody else that does this. Its public health. Youre concerned about the health of the public, she said. A doctor runs an office an people go to that office, but the health of the community falls under us. Can we do that effectively all the time? Absolutely not. But its still our job to make sure the community is as healthy as possible and to put out information that creates a better environment for our people.

Joshi said this message is particularly important as people across the world are watching the number of new cases of coronavirus and deaths related to the virus are skyrocketing in India.

He said the country is averaging about 350,000 new cases and 4,000 deaths each day, which comes after a period where the country largely thought the threat had lapsed.

But there are multiple variants that spread more quickly circulating across the country, which he said should be a wake-up call for people across the globe.

Related: Biden aims to vaccinate 70% of American adults by July 4

What we know is the more people who are vaccinated, they serve as barriers for transmission. The less room there is for virus transmission, the capacity to mutate is lessened, he said. If we dont want to be where India is right now, this should be a wake up call for us that everyone should get vaccinated so we dont even have the chance to get in that condition.

According to data analyzed and dissiminated by Joshi to various public officials across Jefferson County, 29% of the countys residents who are 16 and older are fully vaccinated. He said the goal is to see 75% of county residents from the same group vaccinated.

A greater percentage of population getting vaccinated will result in minimizing any potential case spikes in the coming weeks as summer travel picks up, he wrote in his daily report.

Joshi also is a part of the India Association of Southeast Texas, which is accepting donations to reach out to caregivers in India with the utmost accountability and providing medical supplies. Information on how to donate to the association and other funds helping the country can be found on the associations website.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the April jobs report from the East Room of the White House in Washington, May 7. Reuters-Yonhap



The Biden administration is examining ways to ensure that a waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents to aid poor countries will not hand sensitive U.S. biopharmaceutical technology to China and Russia, responding to a chorus of concerns, U.S. and industry officials say.



President Joe Biden on Wednesday backed the U.S. entering negotiations at the World Trade Organization for the waiver of intellectual property rights as a means to boost vaccine supplies by allowing poorer countries to make their own.



So far, vaccines have gone overwhelmingly to richer nations, which scooped up contracts for them earlier this year. COVID-19 infection rates in wealthy countries have dropped as vaccination rates increased this year, but infections are still rising in 36 countries, with India's daily cases skyrocketing to nearly 400,000 a day.



Western pharmaceutical companies, many of which have received government support to develop vaccines, strongly oppose the transfer of intellectual property to make them. They say poorer countries will be slow to set up manufacturing capacity and compete for scarce supplies, hitting production.



Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, said on Friday that the proposed waiver would disrupt progress made so far in boosting vaccine supplies. "It will unleash a scramble for the critical inputs we require in order to make a safe and effective vaccine. Entities with little or no experience in manufacturing vaccines are likely to chase the very raw materials we require to scale our production, putting the safety and security of all at risk."



Many companies and now some U.S. officials fear the move would allow China to leapfrog years of research and erode the U.S. advantage in biopharmaceuticals.



A senior Biden administration official said that while the priority is saving lives, the United States "would want to examine the effect of a waiver on China and Russia before it went into effect to ensure that it's fit for purpose."



A question and answer document produced by the administration and shared with industry representatives also acknowledges concerns that intellectual property sharing could damage the United State's competitive advantage over China, an industry source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.



The contents of the document read to a Reuters reporter by an industry representative said the Biden administration believes it can address those concerns through the WTO negotiations, but did not specify how. The source added that some agencies in the Biden administration have conflicting views of how to address the concerns in negotiations that are expected to take months.



Spokespersons at the White House and U.S. Trade Representative's office had no immediate comment on the matter.



Pfizer and Moderna spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment on technology transfer concerns, while a Novavax spokesperson referred Reuters to the company's statement, which said proposals to "weaken intellectual property protections would not achieve equitable vaccine access."



Enforcing limits on use of the technology could be very difficult, once handed over, some analysts say. Messenger RNA, used in COVID-19 vaccines by leaders Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, is a newly developed biotechnology that holds promise for treatments far beyond vaccines.



China and Russia have their own vaccines that do not use this biotechnology.



"It took Pfizer and Moderna years and years of research to develop these vaccines," said Gary Locke a former U.S. ambassador to China and U.S. Commerce Secretary. "China, Russia, India, South Africa and others want to gain access. Their intention is to get the underlying know-how so they can use it to develop further vaccines," Locke said.



China's Fosun Pharma has struck a deal with BioNTech on COVID-19 vaccine product development, which would potentially give it access to some of the technology.



China has high ambitions for its pharma industry and already is developing its own mRNA vaccine.



Patents themselves are publicly accessible, noted James Pooley, intellectual property attorney and former deputy director general of the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organization. But trade secrets developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and others, "cook books" of manufacturing processes such as temperature and growing conditions, have not been made public. That may ultimately be a dual problem for negotiators. Before they protect the knowledge, U.S. officials would have to ensure access to it.



Those companies would need to be persuaded to come to the bargaining table to give up such trade secrets.



"What happens when it turns out that the U.S. can't actually deliver the information that is critically important to implementing the inventions?" Pooley asked. "This will be seen as another failure by the U.S. and other rich countries to keep their promises." (Reuters)


Editors note: This story was produced in conjunction with the Latino Communities Reporting Lab. A free Spanish translation is available at Myrecordjournal.com/latino-news.

As walk-in appointments become more available at many locations statewide, people may no longer get their second vaccine dose at the same place as the first.

But they do need to make sure they get the same brand and understand when to get that second shot, health officials said.

Proper spacing between COVID-19 vaccine doses is critical for achieving the maximum protection against the virus, health care experts said. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires a second dose after three weeks and the Moderna vaccine requires four weeks.

Its not arbitrary at all, said Dr. Henry Anyimadu, Hartford HealthCare infectious disease specialist. The first dose is a primer dose, it recruits the antibodies, recruits the T-cells. The first dose primes the immune system and gets it ready.

There is some flexibility, Anyimadu said. Second doses of both vaccines can be as early as four days before the three- or four-week marker, and as late as six weeks from the first dose.

This leaves room for some contingency, Anyimadu said. There is some protection several weeks after the first dose, and two weeks after second dose.

Vaccine research in primates showed that it takes three weeks for the body to build up immune cells. Thats the reason there is a wait between first and second doses.

Vaccine makers and health experts say the COVID-19 vaccines can offer 91.3 percent protection from seven days to six months after the second dose but what is unclear is when or if, we might see the need for boosters.

Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel recently said that people who received the Moderna vaccine will likely need a third dose after 6 to 12 months, according to CBS News. Bancel said the booster will be available in the U.S. by fall and will be a combination shot meant to protect against COVID-19 and seasonal influenza.

Pfizer executives have said the same thing leading many to argue there is going to be a cycle of vaccines and boosters, but doctors liken it to flu shots and other vaccines that require boosters at various intervals.

Booster shots work like a wake-up call for the immune system, doctors said. Vaccines stimulate the body to create antibodies that are capable of recognizing the coronavirus and, if someone encounters it, killing it and any cells that have been infected by it, often before any symptoms appear, according to Healio, an online news site for health care professionals.

Memory T and B immune cells guard the body in case another encounter occurs. But over time, the numbers of these memory cells diminish and the immune system may forget how to recognize the virus.

Booster shots are a reminder to the immune system of how to recognize the germ causing the disease, according to Healio.

Albert Bourla, the chief executive at Pfizer, recently said: There will be likely a need for a third dose somewhere between six and 12 months (following the first two doses) and then from there, there will be an annual revaccination.

But National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci recently said public health  and not pharmaceutical companies  will determine the need for a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Fauci explained in an April 18th Meet the Press interview that researchers will be able to measure antibody levels and predict when protection is so low that breakthrough infections are likely.

When that happens, clearly, youre going to see a recommendation for a booster, Fauci said.

mgodin@record-journal.com203-317-2255Twitter: @Cconnbiz
SUMTER, S.C. (AP)  Much has been made about K-12 classroom changes during the pandemic, but what about the changes and new normal for school food-service workers?

Given Friday, May 7, was national School Lunch Hero Day across the U.S., The Sumter Item sat down with some of Sumter School Districts finest cuisine creators to get a feel for the work and capture all the change that has occurred in the last 15 months with food preparation in the COVID-19 era.

According to Stacey Francis, the districts food service director, and others, the biggest change in breakfast and lunch meal prep as a result of the pandemic has been prepackaging all items versus placing food on trays as we all remember in the world before COVID-19. Meals are still cooked from scratch though, she said.

Francis has worked in food services in the district from the ground up over 26 years. She said she began her career in 1995 as a substitute cafeteria worker. Then, Francis was a full-time cashier and later became a school cafeteria manager. Next, she served as one of two district field supervisors, working with numerous schools cafeterias, before assuming the director position about one year ago.

And what a year it has been, she said.

Schools across the state had about 48 hours to completely change operations when Gov. Henry McMaster by executive order closed all schools for students with the initial spread of the coronavirus in mid-March 2020. Still, Francis noted, schools had to feed the students.

Food-service staffs across the district had to shift and adapt quickly to packaging separate meals and to-go boxes for meal distribution to families outside the schools.

There were distribution changes and then more changes, Francis said.

The work was challenging, somewhat exhausting, and required multitasking, but food-service workers still maintained their standard six-hour workday and completed all the work, she said.

They are superheroes with all the adjustments they made, Francis said. I take pride in the fact of what we have accomplished. The team at each school is a wonderful group of people. I appreciate them, and they are truly the superheroes this year with all the changes we have had to implement, last minute many times. But the staffs have always been willing and been dedicated to the children.

OTHER CHANGES AND THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

All meals provided by the district must meet USDA guidelines and state regulations, according to district field supervisor Juanita Green. She has worked for 38 years in food services in Sumters public schools.

That means pizza  a staple with the kids  is made on whole-grain bread with low-fat cheese. French fries  another favorite  are baked, not fried, Francis said.

Green added that taking temperature of foods is a constant. Each day, refrigerators are also monitored for their storage temperatures.

In addition, all food-service workers sanitize when they arrive in the mornings. Given COVID-19, sanitization is also required every hour in the cafeterias. There is also a no-touch policy, she added, as food-service workers always wear gloves.

IN THE TRENCHES

Another big change that everyone realizes and misses is the childrens laughter in school cafeterias because all students are eating meals now at their classroom desks behind a protective shield.

At Pocalla Springs Elementary School, cook Glenda McKnight said that.

For grades K-3, food-service staff deliver prepackaged meals to the schools classrooms. Older students (fourth- and fifth-graders) go to the cafeteria to pick up their to-go boxed meals.

McKnight said the changes mean less interaction, and she misses greeting the kids in the lunch line and giving out hugs.

With the initial spread of the virus last spring, she was concerned and cautious with her job in food services, but with safety precautions in place and everyone doing their part, it helps a lot, she added.

A self-described people person, McKnight has always worked around people and enjoys it. She has been a cook in the district for five years - all at Pocalla Springs.

McKnight doesnt consider herself a hero, she said. She just wants to treat others as she would like to be treated.

Its rewarding to see a smile on a kids face, she said. If I can make at least one person smile, I think I have done good.

Lori Werner is the schools cafeteria manager and has been in the field for 24 years in different states. She knows off the top of her head that Pocalla Springs currently is preparing 4,150 meals per week for in-person students and also for pickup by parents of virtual students.

Given changes because of COVID-19, many workers in food services are walking a lot more, she added.

They deliver breakfast meals to the classrooms, then pickup, and it is the same routine for lunch.

When district elementary schools were open four days per week earlier this spring, Werner used a pedometer to count her steps. In a four-day week, she logged 20-plus miles walking, she said.

She added seeing smiles on the kids faces is one of the best parts of the job.

Another big motivator for Werner and others is that for many students, breakfast and lunch at school might be the only healthy and nutritious meals they get during a day or week.

Everyone works hard each day with the children at heart, she said.

Breakfast and lunch provide fuel needed for our students that helps with the focus and the learning of the day, Werner said. Thats the main reason we are here. If the kids are hungry, they will not do well in school.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF) (the Company or Isracann) an Israel-based company focused on becoming a premier low cost, high quality cannabis producer/distributor is pleased to announce it has been granted a Foreign Owners Cannabis License by the Israeli Minister of Health. This important event paves the way to conclude a number of outstanding key partnership and regulatory considerations in preparation for commercial operations.



In a press release issued on March 24, 2020, Isracann announced its entry into a joint venture (JV) agreement as part of a phased partnership of two near-term farm operations located in Ein Hahoresh, Israel. The agreement included an equitable sharing arrangement of both operating costs and revenue through participatory agreements comprising construction services, growing services, land lease agreements, IMCA licenses, and a number of sub agreements establishing and defining the various rights of all parties. Todays announcement represents the removal of regulatory ownership barriers in order to fully execute the terms of the JV plan.

The highly sought-after foreign owners license significantly legitimizes the Companys presence in Israel. There are only a small number of foreign owned sector participants who have obtained similar licencing, and Isracann is now favourably positioned to leverage certain advantages. Ownership licensing allows for greater access to domestic partnerships, increased participation in state-sponsored initiatives, and enhances access to financing. It also simplifies the Companys ability to undertake domestic acquisitions, including the conclusion of its planned purchase of a third-party participant in the JV which would result in Isracann increasing its ownership position to 50%.

In related news, the Company has concluded all requisite construction and infrastructural installations in preparation for the commencement of planting and subsequent production at its Hefer Valley-based Ein Hahoresh Farm. Largely due to COVID-19 related delays, Isracann has a final regulatory hurdle to conclude which appears to be moving closer to conclusion. Based on discussions with our regional consultants, we are waiting for an inspection by law enforcement officials and concurrent Ministry of Health approvals. It is our understanding that scheduling for the inspection is imminent. Upon receipt, Isracann will have full approval to begin planting.

Regarding the recently announced medical cannabis import partnership LOI, Isracann is working diligently with the Israeli partner to conclude the agreement for the importation of Canadian products on an expedited basis. Additionally, Isracann is finalizing an agreement with its Canadian partners to secure high-grade genetic material for introduction into its Israeli-based genomics program. While regional strains have certain inherently excellent traits, Isracann aims to broaden product diversity, and through expert agronomy to achieve a selection of world-class offerings.

Isracann CEO, Darryl Jones states, We continue to push ahead on multiple fronts. From product importation to new genetics programs on the one hand, today we also celebrate our official approval as foreign owners in this exciting sector. Now we can truly dig in to finalize matters and accelerate our efforts to fully enter the commercial marketplace. Weve been in communication with all the relevant parties and now with the licensing in-place, a number of initiatives will be triggered almost immediately and should result in an accelerated pace towards revenue generation. We have to admit that we always thought the pandemic would create a delay, and it could have been worse. In the meantime, we have by no means been standing still and have used the opportunity to invest in added value and develop our relations throughout the region. Once again we thank our Israeli team of consultants and stakeholders who have proven to be invaluable at representing our interests so effectively and who share our vision for success.

Further to the Companys news release on January 11, 2021, the Company has issued 6,123,563 warrants pursuant to its incentive program. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one additional common share of the Company at $0.50 per share for 24 months from the date of issuance.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Darryl Jones

Darryl Jones

Chief Executive Officer and President

About Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF)

Isracann is an Israeli-based cannabis company focused on becoming a premier cannabis producer/distributor offering low-cost production targeting undersupplied, major European marketplaces. Based in Israel's agricultural sector, Isracann will leverage its development within the most experienced country in the world with respect to cannabis research. The Company has secured agreements within Israel for medicinal marijuana cultivation. For more information visit: www.isracann.com.

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. The use of any of the words anticipate, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, would, project, should, believe and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply and demand trends in the cannabis industry, 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 Companys expectations are disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the Canadian Securities Exchange, the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the Alberta Securities Commission.

Contact

Empire Communications Group

Phone: +1 (604) 343-2724

Email: inquiries@isracann.com

Web: www.isracann.com
Dominican Republic Coronavirus Update - Coronavirus cases climb to 270,600, Total Deaths reaches to 3,523 on 09-May-2021

In Dominican Republic total confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) have increased to 270,600, while 3,523 people died due to the growing infection in the country.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) update from around the world:

Delhi, 09-May-2021: Daily positivity rate stands at 21.64 per cent in India

According to the Health ministry, daily positivity rate stands at 21.64 per cent in India. There is a net increase of 13,202 cases in total active caseload in India.

Delhi, 09-May-2021: In Delhi 13,336 new Covid-19 cases and 273 deaths are reported in past 24 hours

In Delhi Coronavirus cases are going down and in past 24 hours 13,336 new Covid-19 cases are reported, while 273 deaths and 14,738 recoveries are recorded in the last 24 hours



Total cases: 13,23,567

Death toll: 19,344

Total recoveries: 12,17,991

Active cases: 86,232



The total active cases remains 86,232 in Delhi.

Gujarat, 09-May-2021: Congress leader Hardik Patel's fatherwas suffering from Covid-19 and died due to Covid-19 infection.

Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel's father was suffering from Covid-19. He was admitted a hospital in Ahmedabad where he was undergoing treatment for Covid-19. Due to Cvoid-19 infection Congress leader Hardik Patel's father died.

New Delhi, 09-May-2021: Corona curfew in Jammu and Kashmir extended till May 17

Due to rise in the Coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir, Government extended the Corona curfew in the state till Many 17. Jammu and Kashmir on Friday reported 5,443 new coronavirus cases raising the total cases to 206,954, while 50 deaths reported raising the total deaths to 2,612. This is the big jump in the new cases in positive cases Jammu and Kashmir.

France: France is reporting higher number of deaths but but slightly fewer people with severe conditions were admitted into ICU in past fourth day. France reported 315 deaths last day as compared to 345 deaths the day earlier. In France 133,670 confirmed cases and 14,412 deaths reported so far.

Here are the latest cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in Dominican Republic:

Sr. No. Date Total Cases New Cases Total Deaths Deaths 1. 04-May-2021 268,070 389 3,504 5 2. 05-May-2021 268,561 491 3,509 5 3. 06-May-2021 269,184 623 3,514 5 4. 07-May-2021 269,958 774 3,517 3 5. 08-May-2021 270,600 642 3,523 6 6. 09-May-2021 270,600 0 3,523 0

TOP 10 Deaths by country due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:



1. Europe (1,034,889)

2. North America (871,328)

3. South America (702,324)

4. USA (595,619)

5. Asia (568,163)

6. Brazil (421,484)

7. India (245,256)

8. Mexico (218,928)

9. UK (127,605)

10. Africa (124,538)

Total Deaths Worldwide (3,302,466)

Globally till now over 3,302,466 people died due to the outbreak of deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19). The new infection and death cases are increasing fast. Authorities in the Dominican Republic and other countries are taking proper measures to contain the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As of now Europe is the worst affected country in the world with over 1,034,889 deaths and 45,482,115 confirmed cases.

Check latest update: Coronaviurs Covid-19 cases around the world
PETERSBURG, Va. (AP)  Its so nice to hear childrens voices in here again, said Richard Stewart, immersed in a field trip of about 20 kids standing in his home on Pocahontas Island.

Stewarts house doubles as a Black History Museum that chronicles the islands history as the oldest Black community in the United States. It was the home of free Blacks as early as the 1800s, achieving prosperity and esteem. About 700 historical pieces are packed within the houses walls.

Children filed through hallways piled to the ceiling in artifacts and old news clippings showing the islands past  old steel shackles, a replica slave ship and information on historical figures like Gabriel Prosser, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and John Rolfe.

Stewart has been used to seeing visitors come to his museum from across the country. Monday was the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that was able to entertain more than one person at a time in over a year and a half.

The field trippers from Cultural Roots Cooperative are visiting Stewart for the third time since 2018. This time they have a special gift  a check for $3,500, the largest donation Stewart says anyone has ever given for the Black History Museum.

Middle school-aged students led the fundraising efforts by creating a documentary with the help of an instructor from Virginia Commonwealth University. The two-minute film features Stewart talking about the importance of his museum. He says that it is an important physical connection to Black history.

A Richmond-based home-schooling co-op, Cultural Roots has an emphasis on teaching its students about their heritage. Though students come from several cultural backgrounds, many of them are students of color.

Having them hear personal stories from people like Mr. Stewart who collect stories is really important to us, said Alycia Wright, founder and director for Cultural Roots. Its great just having them put their feet on the ground and know that black people were resilient and determined.

Wright said Black history in the region is too often mistreated. The Richmond Slave Trail is located next to a sewage treatment plant and the citys African Burial Ground is somewhat unknown, despite having a central location.

We just think (Stewart) is amazing and are glad this land is being preserved, Wright said.

The donation itself is also seen as a way to help Stewart continue telling the story of Pocahontas. Though many of the modern residents can trace their lineage back to the years before the Civil War, their numbers are dwindling. Many homeowners are in their 60s and 70s. Few school age children still live on the island  maybe two or three.

Kennedy Wright, grade six, says the museums iron slave shackles were her most prominent memory from visiting the island. Wright and six other students worked on the fundraising video.

Id never seen slave shackles before and I thought it was really cool, she said. If this museum goes away, Im not sure well get to see those kinds of artifacts.

Jamellah Tucker, grade seven, says her most prominent memory is the replica slave ship. An upstairs exhibit focused on Civil Rights has an authentic KKK robe. Seventh Grader Jordan Wright says she most remembers that.

Every time the Co-op visits Stewart, he takes them for a walk around the island. In a previous visit, they took a photo by the Islands shore with the Appomattox River. Stewart said it makes him think about the future of Pocahontas

Amid a growing downtown area, Pocahontas is in the crosshairs of future development, should it ever escape the confines of Old Towne Petersburg. Stewart often talks about his fear that gentrification will one day overgrow the banks of the now elderly, historical community.

Gentrification is on its way, Stewart told the students. Yall are doing something to help preserve it.
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (AP)  In 1973, a group of union coal miners in Eastern Kanawha County formed Cabin Creek Health to care for and serve families living in the regions mining communities.

It was the first clinic of its kind in West Virginia. While the clinic has expanded to become a health system with 11 sites throughout the Kanawha Valley, its mission has remained the same.

Its still the mission, and it really does feel  especially standing on the coal mine in Cabin Creek, right near where that mission started  that, today, were living the mission, Dr. Jessica McColley, head of medical services at Cabin Creek Health Systems, said. Its poetic, so many years later, to still be at the mines.

Over the past month, McColley and her colleagues have been working to vaccinate coal miners specifically. They show up at the mines between shifts, and catch workers coming and going.

Weve been even expanding past Kanawha County with this initiative, and thats because we see the need. We go outside Kanawha for these traveling events, because there is a need and its not always being met, McColley said. Now we went to one mine, and that went well, so we can reach out to some more and do others. Well keep doing that.

McColley called the working environment for coal miners great for an airborne virus. Underground miners often work in small, low-airflow areas with several other people for extended periods of time.

Researchers are learning more about COVID-19 and its variant strains every day, but they agree the lungs are often the main organs affected.

Thats one of the most significant effects weve seen from COVID-19, said Dr. Rayan Ihle, a critical care pulmonologist with Charleston Area Medical Center. The people that end up having severe symptoms are often very very sick ... it can be so bad they end up on the ventilator and, unfortunately, when COVID-19 is that severe that you end up in the ICU or life support, the mortality rate is (high).

This is important for coal miners, many of whom already suffer from preexisting lung conditions, such as black lung disease or COPD, Ihle said.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said in April that, while the agency was collecting information on mines either closed or affected by COVID-19, that data would not be made public.

The United Mine Workers union has said it keeps this data itself. Representatives from the UMW did not return requests for comment.

COVID-19 poses a serious health risk to coal miners, Ihle said, and the best protection they, or anyone, can have is a vaccine.

Coal miners, being at higher risk of having complications from COVID-19, should really be on the forefront and standing in the front of the line to protect themselves, Ihle said. But vaccination not only helps that individual patient not contract (the virus), it protects others.

Its almost a civic duty, because its to protect those around you as well. For me, its like we owe it to the people around us.

COVID-19 vaccination rates across the state have plummeted in recent weeks, but McColley said its incorrect to label every unvaccinated West Virginian as vaccine hesitant.

Not everyone can take a day or two off to find a shot, get it and recover, McColley said. People rely on their income, and we know paid days off arent available to everyone who may need them.

A lot of people, the men, they said they were (getting vaccinated) because their wife wanted them to. So theres that family aspect or expectation, and they arent necessarily against the vaccine, it just wasnt a priority.

When were out there, right in front of people, I think you learn its harder for them to say no. Thats why (at Cabin Creek) we really focus on meeting people where they are. We know that works.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Its been a long, patience-testing pandemic for most as restrictions implemented due to COVID-19 severely limited the day-to-day activities of New Mexicans over the past year.

But, for those who regularly attend meetings of the Santa Fe City Council, it might have felt even longer  because it has.

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In fact, Santa Fe City Council meetings, which have notoriously run late for years, have gotten even longer since the pandemic forced such meetings to a virtual format, raising concerns about residents ability to participate.

The Journal analyzed the lengths of the past 82 Santa Fe City Council meetings  41 pre-pandemic in-person meetings and 41 conducted virtually  and found the median length of virtual meetings is around 4 hours, 50 minutes.

Thats around 1 hour longer compared to in-person meetings, a 28% increase.

Heather Ferguson, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, said that, for many other governing bodies, the pandemic has not increased meeting lengths.

Their meetings have consistently run late into the night, she said. Its moderately surprising that theyre going up.

And the length of some meetings has been staggering. Nine of the 10 longest meetings during that period took place virtually, each averaging around 7 hours.

On several occasions, the council has had to suspend procedural rules since the body is not allowed to continue discussion past 11:30 p.m.

Councilor Chris Rivera, the bodys longest-serving member, said virtual meetings have been a difficult adjustment. As someone who has sat through hundreds of meetings, Rivera now finds it hard to remain as focused on discussion as he was before COVID-19.

Ill find myself kind of daydreaming at times and have to kind of force myself back into it, he said. Staring at a screen for so long, it can be pretty difficult.

Its an issue the city has tried to address. Councilors passed a resolution in August 2020 to start meetings an hour earlier, so city officials wouldnt have to discuss agenda items late into the night.

Councilor Rene Villarreal sponsored the resolution and said at the time that meetings had gotten much longer since the pandemic and the city needed to adjust.

We have never adjusted to how COVID has affected our meetings and being virtual, Villarreal said.

However, the data suggests an earlier start time might be having the opposite effect. Of the 10 longest meetings, eight took place after the new start time was implemented.

Mayor Alan Webber, who chairs all council meetings, said its clear that earlier meetings havent solved the problem.

I dont think anybody on the council would say thats worked out the way it was intended, Webber said.

An obvious question remains  have long virtual meetings impacted public participation for better or worse?

Analytics from the citys YouTube channel, where meetings are broadcast, might give some idea. For nine of the most recent meetings, viewers usually watched 6-8% of the entire meeting, according to figures obtained by the Journal.

Currently, residents are able to speak publicly at meetings via Zoom and usually have to sign up beforehand. However, Rivera believes public participation is way down from where it typically is.

Even the meetings where you have great turnout, I think, in normal face-to-face sessions, the numbers would have been much higher, he said.

Ferguson said that, compared to other communities, Santa Fes council has a greater degree of public participation, which can often make meetings longer.

I see a community that is incredibly engaged at every meeting, she said.

Webber said it could also be the length of some agendas, with many having dozens of items to work through.

It has been a year filled with several controversial issues at the city level. Land use cases, employee furloughs, budget meetings and short-term rentals are just some of the issues that have had councilors debating for multiple hours.

Councilors have recently discussed having some in-person or hybrid meetings as virus cases plateau across the state.

But it seems there is no obvious solution to the long meetings in sight.

Webber said the council could decide to limit the time each councilor has to question or comment on an issue. But he noted there are some aspects of a city council meeting you cant recreate virtually.

Theres a greater sense of interpersonal connection that comes from just being in the same room, he said.
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech during a policy briefing session on the scheme to create a 6GW floating offshore wind power complex by 2030, at the New Industrial Complex for 3D Printing in Ulsan, Thursday. Yonhap



President to deliver special speech to mark 4th anniversary in office



By Jung Da-min



With just a year left before President Moon Jae-in's term ends in May 2022, his government is facing challenges on multiple fronts including the economy and diplomacy.



Among the challenges are achieving herd immunity against the COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible through its vaccination program, stabilizing the real estate market and reigniting Moon's now-stalemated "peace process" on the Korean Peninsula. Whether these are achieved will be a measure of the success of the administration, political watchers said Sunday, adding that this will also affect the presidential election slated for next March 9.



Moon is set to deliver a special speech to the public, Monday, the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, and is expected to address his administration's policy achievements over the past four years and plans for the remaining year of his five-year term.



Some of the expected topics for the speech and the following question and answer session include achieving herd immunity against COVID-19 by November as the government promised; boosting the virus-hit economy through its Korea New Deal project for job creation; stabilizing the real estate market through an administration-led boost in the housing supply; and how to capitalize on the upcoming South Korea-U.S. summit slated for May 21 to restart the President's Korean Peninsula peace process.



Political watchers said the Moon administration is in an unfavorable situation at this point, when it is prone to a lame-duck presidency especially after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) crushing defeat by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in the April 7 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, which were seen as a barometer on public opinion for the presidential election.



The DPK's defeat in the by-elections is widely seen as a result of the ruling bloc's failures in its real estate policies as well as a land speculation scandal involving employees of the state-run Korea Land Housing Corp. (LH) and some members of the ruling bloc.



The government is also grappling with the COVID-19 vaccine issue, with many people doubting its plan of achieving herd immunity by November due to the relatively late start of its vaccination program compared to other countries, a shortage of vaccines and concerns over the safety of the one from AstraZeneca currently being administered.





People wait for COVID-19 vaccine shots at an inoculation center in Seoul, May 3. Yonhap
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Republicans pushed a plan through the Kansas Legislature early Saturday that could provide roughly $500 million to small businesses to offset losses tied to state and local restrictions meant to check COVID-19's spread last year.

The measure would require the state, cities and counties to set aside part of their federal coronavirus relief funds to pay claims from small businesses. It was the last bill lawmakers considered before shutting down their annual session except for a formal adjournment May 26.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved a bipartisan public school funding bill and finished a $21 billion state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The budget also included provisions to prevent the state from issuing COVID-19 vaccine passports and to restrict efforts to track down close contacts of people with the virus.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signaled that she plans to sign the education bill, and she's expected to approve most to all of the budget's items. But she has not said what she'll do with the business-compensation bill.

Supporters said creating a system for considering and paying claims could avoid a larger total payout from potential lawsuits over COVID-19 restrictions, but doing so would help small businesses that cannot afford to hire attorneys to sue state or local officials.

This process is perfect for them, said Ryan Kriegshauser, an attorney for a Wichita fitness studio and its owner, who sued the state in December. Thats really what its for, is the mom and pop shops that got shut down, because a lot of the big box retailers, they were operating.

The relief funds would go to businesses with 50 or fewer employees that gave up their right to sue by filing a claim with the state. Larger businesses still would have to sue to get compensation and the state could face additional costs, but lawmakers argued that small businesses were harmed far more by pandemic restrictions.

The votes on the bill were 68-42 in the House and 24-14 in the Senate, demonstrating that at least a few Republicans in each chamber had misgivings and Democrats in both were overwhelmingly opposed.

The measure is a response to the lawsuit filed by Kriegshauser's clients, believed to be the only one of its kind.

There's likely more litigation coming, and we hope that this will cut down on that litigation and put in place a fairly simple process, said House Judiciary Chair Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican.

The Wichita fitness studio and state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican now running for governor, agreed to put the fitness studios lawsuit on hold to give the Legislature a chance to provide compensation. GOP lawmakers considered compensation figures as high as $2 billion, and the Senate passed a plan this week for $700 million.

The House had not debated any plan until it considered the one lawmakers ultimately passed early Saturday.

The bill reflects Republican lawmakers' view that Kelly's early handling of the pandemic hurt damaged the economy and restrictions didn't need to be as strong as they were.

Kelly imposed a stay-at-home order for five weeks last spring and then started a phased reopening of the the economy before Republican lawmakers intervened and gave local officials control over restrictions. She continues to defend her actions as crucial early in the pandemic, when state officials feared that a big, early surge in COVID-19 cases would overwhelm hospitals and Kansas scrambled to find personal protective equipment and testing supplies.

Democrats also suggested that lawmakers weren't doing enough to ensure that businesses receiving compensation used some of the money to help their workers. Others opposed forcing cities and counties to set aside coronavirus relief funds for the compensation and questioned whether the state has the authority to do it.

And some were upset that an appointed, three-member board would review claims  in meetings closed to the public to protect businesses financial information. Its decisions would be reviewed by a joint legislative committee, and legislative leaders would have the final say.

Really, this could be back-door deals, said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat. I have some serious concerns that we don't have enough transparency.

Meanwhile, conservatives pushing for a ban on vaccine passports and limits on contact tracing had to settle for the provisions in budget legislation that would be in effect for a little more than a year.

Conservatives saw vaccine passports as a threat to privacy and personal liberty, even though Kelly said last month that none would be issued by her administration.

The budget legislation would prevent any state agency from spending any funds on issuing passports or requiring them to go into "a place accessible to the general public. But the ban wouldnt apply to cities and counties.

Another budget provision would allow the state Department of Health and Environment to spend money on tracing only if participation was voluntary and the tracing did not use cellphone location data.

The Legislature enacted limits on COVID-19 contract tracing last year at Schmidts urging, preventing people with the virus from being forced to disclose close contacts. He saw them as a way to protect peoples privacy, but those rules expired May 1.

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DETROIT (AP)  A judges recent ruling will stop Wayne County foreclosures this year on occupied homes and occupied commercial properties.

The move follows Treasurer Eric Sabrees office filing a motion in Wayne County Circuit Court requesting that the redemption period on foreclosures be extended to March 31, 2022. County officials say there's been continued economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, a Judge Timothy Kenny issued an order to keep the properties off the annual auction.

All homeowners still must make property tax payments, Sabree said in a release.

About 2,400 owner-occupied homes, 4,100 non-owner occupied residential properties and 178 occupied commercial properties in the county face foreclosure.

A similar request was granted in March 2020 when Sabree asked that all properties in Wayne County be withheld from foreclosure.

Our number one priority remains keeping people in their homes, and too many Wayne County taxpayers are still suffering significant economic hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis, Sabree said. Knowing that our recovery will take some time, we want to make some allowances in light of the pandemic.
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP)  At the small hospital where Dr. Oumaima Djarma works in Chad's capital, there are no debates over which coronavirus vaccine is the best.

There are simply no vaccines at all.

Not even for the doctors and nurses like her, who care for COVID-19 patients in Chad, one of the least-developed nations in the world where about one third of the country is engulfed by the Sahara desert.

I find it unfair and unjust, and it is something that saddens me, the 33-year-old infectious diseases doctor says. I dont even have that choice. The first vaccine that comes along that has authorization, I will take it.

While wealthier nations have stockpiled vaccines for their citizens, many poorer countries are still scrambling to secure doses. A few, like Chad, have yet to receive any.

The World Health Organization says nearly a dozen countries  many of them in Africa  are still waiting to get vaccines. Those last in line on the continent along with Chad are Burkina Faso, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania.

Delays and shortages of vaccine supplies are driving African countries to slip further behind the rest of the world in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the continent now accounts for only 1% of the vaccines administered worldwide, WHO warned Thursday.

And in places where there are no vaccines, there's also the chance that new and concerning variants could emerge, said Gian Gandhi, UNICEFs COVAX coordinator for Supply Division.

So we should all be concerned about any lack of coverage anywhere in the world, Gandhi said, urging higher-income countries to donate doses to the nations that are still waiting.

While the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases among them is relatively low compared with the world's hot spots, health officials say that figure is likely a vast undercount: The countries in Africa still waiting for vaccines are among those least equipped to track infections because of their fragile health care systems.

Chad has confirmed only 170 deaths since the pandemic began, but efforts to stop the virus entirely here have been elusive. Although the capital's international airport was closed briefly last year, its first case came via someone who crossed one of Chad's porous land borders illegally.

Regular flights from Paris and elsewhere have resumed, heightening the chance of increasing the 4,835 already confirmed cases.

The Farcha provincial hospital in NDjamena is a gleaming new campus in an outlying neighborhood, where camels nibble from acacia trees nearby. Doctors Without Borders has helped supply oxygen for COVID-19 patients, and the hospital has 13 ventilators. The physicians also have plenty of Chinese-made KN95 masks and hand sanitizer. Still, not a single employee has been vaccinated and none has been told when that might be possible.

That was easier to accept at the beginning of the pandemic, Djarma said, because doctors all around the world lacked vaccines. That has changed dramatically after the development of shots in the West and by China and Russia that have gone to other poor African countries.

When I hear, for example, in some countries that they've finished with medical staff and the elderly and are now moving on to other categories, honestly, it saddens me, Djarma said. I ask them if they can provide us with these vaccines to at least protect the health workers.

Everyone dies from this disease, rich or poor, she says. Everyone must have the opportunity, the chance to be vaccinated, especially those who are most exposed."

COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, is aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries get access. A few of the countries, though, including Chad, have expressed concerns about receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX for fear it might not protect as well against a variant first seen in South Africa.

Chad is expected to get some Pfizer doses next month if it can put in place the cold storage facilities needed to keep that vaccine safe in a country where temperatures soar each day to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Some of the last countries also took more time to meet the requirements for receiving doses, including signing indemnity waivers with manufacturers and having distribution plans in place.

Those delays, though, now mean an even longer wait for places like Burkina Faso, since a key vaccine manufacturer in India scaled back its global supply because of the catastrophic virus surge there.

"Now with global vaccine supply shortages, stemming in particular from the surge of cases in India and subsequently the Indian governments sequestration of doses from manufacturers there, Burkina Faso risks even longer delays in receiving the doses it was slated to get, said Donald Brooks, CEO of a U.S. aid group engaged in the COVID-19 response there known as Initiative: Eau.

Front-line health workers in Burkina Faso say theyre not sure why the government hasnt secured vaccines.

We would have liked to have had it like other colleagues around the world, says Chivanot Afavi, a supervising nurse who worked on the front lines of the response until recently. No one really knows what this disease will do to us in the future.

In Haiti, not a single vaccine has been administered to the more than 11 million people who live in the most impoverished country of the Western hemisphere.

Haiti was slated to receive 756,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via COVAX, but government officials said they didnt have the infrastructure needed to conserve them and worried about having to throw them away. Haitian officials also expressed concerns over potential side effects and said they preferred a single-dose vaccine.

Several small island nations in the Pacific also have yet to receive any vaccine, although the lack of outbreaks in some of those places has meant there is less urgency with inoculation campaigns. Vanuatu, with a population of 300,000, is waiting to receive its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine later this month, but it has recorded only three cases of coronavirus, all of them in quarantine.

At the Farcha hospital in Chad, nine health care workers have gotten the virus, including Dr. Mahamat Yaya Kichine, a cardiologist. The hospital now has set up pods of health care worker teams to minimize the risk of exposure for the entire staff.

It took almost 14 days for me to be cured, Kichine says. There were a lot of caregivers that were infected, so I think that if there is a possibility to make a vaccine available, it will really ease us in our work.

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Associated Press writers Sam Mednick in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Nick Perry in Wellington, New Zealand; and Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

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